Faith-filled Christian
Pessimism and Christianity don't mix. Why? Because Christians have every reason to be optimistic about life here on earth and life eternal. As C.H Spurgeon observed, "Our hope in Christ for the future is the mainstream of out joy." But sometimes, we fall prey to worry, frustration, anxiety, or sheer exhaustion, and our hearts become heavy. What's needed is plenty of rest, a large dose of perspective, and God's healing touch, but not nessarily in that order.
Today, make this promise to yourself and keep it: vow to be a hope -filled Christian. Think optimistcally about your life, your profession and your future. Trust about your hopes, not your fears. Take time to celebrate God's glorious creation. And then, when you've filled your heart with hope and gladness, share your optimism with others. They'll be better for it, and so will you.
Reflect On This: Never yield to gloomy and anticipation. Place your hope and confidence in God. He has no record of failure. -Mrs. Charles E. Cowman
A Heart Prepared for Prayer
Life is a patchwork of successes and failures, victories and defeats, joy and sorrows. When we experience life's inevitable disappointments, we may become emitted, but God instructs us to do otherwise. God understands the futility of bitterness, and He knows that without forgiveness, we can never enjoy the spiritual abundance that He offers us through the person of His Son, Jesus.
Christ's teaching are straightforward: Before we offer our prayers to God, we should cleanse ourselves of bitterness, hatred, jealousy, and regret. When we do so, we can petition God with pure hearts.
Reflect On This:
Be so preoccupied with good will that you haven't room for ill will. -E.Stanley Jones
What's in Your Hand??
What is that in your hand: This reflects a precious principle regarding how God uses people – God used what Moses had in his hand. Moses’ years of tending sheep were not useless. Those years had put into Moses hand things he could use for God’s glory. God didn’t use the scepter that was in Moses’ royal hand when he lived in Egypt, but He did use the simple shepherd’s staff.
-Enduring Word
Boldly Do The Right Thing
Oswald Chambers, the author of the Christian classic devotional text, My Utmost for His Highest, advised, "Never support an experience which does not have God as its source, and faith in God as it's result." These words serve as a powerful reminder that, as Christians, we are called to walk with God and obey His commandments. But, we live in a world that presents us with countless temptations to stray far from God's path. We Christians, when confronted with sin, have clear instructions: Walk-or better yet run---in the opposite direction.
Today, take every step of your journey with God as your traveling companion. Read His Word and follow His commandments. Support only those activities that further God's kingdom and your spiritual growth. Be an example of righteous living to your friends, to your neighbors, and to your children. Then, reap the blessings that God has promised to all those who live according to His will and His Word.
Cross Your Heart
Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone desires to be My disciple, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever is bent on saying his life shall lose it and whoever lose his life for My sake shall find it.
Matthew 16:24-Twenty-five
Forgiveness & Spiritual Growth
Are you the kind of person who has a tough time forgiving and forgetting? If so, welcome to the club/ Most of us find it difficult to forgive the people who have hurt us. And that's too bad because life would be much simpler if we could forgive people "once and for all" and be done with it. Yet forgiveness is seldom that easy. Usually, the decision to forgive people is straightforward,but the process of forgiving is more difficult. Forgiveness is a journey that requires effort, time, perseverance, and prayer.
If there exists even one person who you have not forgiven (and that includes yourself), obey God's commandment: forgive that person today. And remember that bitterness, anger, and regret are not part of God's plan for your life. Forgiveness is.
If you sincerely wish to forgive someone, pray for that person. And then pray for yourself by asking God to heal your heart. Don't expect forgiveness to be easy or quick, but rest assured: with God as your partner, you can forgive.....and you will.
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Cast Your Crown At His Feet
When we humble ourselves when we are willing to cast our crowns at His feet. The removal of our crown states that, there is no title, no amount of material wealth or power, there is nothing on this earth that is more important than Jesus. We remove our crowns to honor our King. A King who is king over all things on earth and in heaven. Removing our crown symbolizes the position of God in our heart and in our mind. We are reminded of our status as children in His sight.
With a crown or without one we know that God is enough. No matter what may comes against us we know who reigns true over our life.
God Has No Favorites
Acts 10:34 tells us that God has no favorites and that He is impartial. If we want to love as God loves, then we must not show partiality either.
This does not mean that we cannot have special friends or that we cannot be involved more with certain people than others. It does mean that we cannot treat some people one way and other people differently. We cannot be kind to those who are who are good friends with us, and not care how we treat those who are of no interest or importance to us.
I know many people with whom I am not interested in having deep personal relationships because it would not be fruitful for either of us, This does not mean these people are bad; it just means a casual relationship between us is better than a close relationship.
All of us need certain things from our close friends, and not all people are able to give it to us. God has what I called "divine connections" for all of us--people who are just right for us.
God has given me several people like that in my life, and I appreciate them very much. But He has also taught me to treat all people with respect, to make them feel valued, to listen to them when they are talking to me, and to not judge them in a critical way.
Our love walk with God is readily seen by how we treat people who cannot do us any good. If we truly want to love as God loves, we will treat everyone impartially with equal honor and respect.
-Joyce Meyer
Today's Heir-votional: Be careful With Me
Be careful when it comes to speaking against people God has chosen to do His will.
Miriam & Aaron (Moses's sister and brother) thought it was Ok to gossip about Moses until God said "Why are you not afraid to speak against my servant?" (Numbers 12:Eight) after they discussed the matter, God struck Miriam with leprosy for 7 days and the people could not move forward until she was healed.
We have to be mindful when we chose to speak against someone God has chosen. Even David would not harm or speak against Saul (even though Saul pursued David on purpose to kill him) because he understood that Saul was still God's anointed (1Samuel 26:Nine) If we do not understand someone's calling, we should take this matter to God, not people. There should never be a us vs.them mentally in the body of Christ. Jesus said Whoever is not against us is for us. (Mark Luke 9:fifty) What she choose to speak against Moses about was trivial and meaningless. But if she continued with this behavior it could of lead to others thinking it is Ok to speak against him. And it is difficult to follow leadership you do not respect.
Moses was the chosen leader by God to lead His people out of bondage. And sowing seeds of division and strife will give us an exit only God can set up. And when that happens, we will have no one to blame but ourselves
When You Are Hurt
Let's face it: sometimes people can be very cruel. And when people are unkind to you or to your friends, you may be tempted to strike back in anger. Don't do it! Instead, remember that God corrects others people's behaviors in His own way, and He doesn't need your help. Remember God has commanded you to forgive others, just as you, too, must sometimes seek forgiveness from them.
So, when other people are cruel, as they most certainly will be from time to time, what should you do?
1.) Polietly speak up for yourself (and for people who can't speak up for themselves)
2.) Forgive everybody as quickly as you can
3.) Leave the rest up to God
4.) Get on with your life.
Reflect On This: Some folks cause happiness wherever they go, others whenever they go.
-Barbara Johnson
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Faith Bigger Than Fear
American clergyman Edward Everett Hale observed, "Some people bear three kinds of trouble- the ones they've had, the ones they have, and the ones they expect to have." How true, But a better strategy for you is this: accept the past, live in the present, and place the future in God's capable hands.
As you face challenges of everyday life, you may be comforted by this fact: Trouble, of every kind, is temporary. Yet God's grace is eternal. And worries, of every kind, are temporary. But God's love is everlasting. The troubles that concern you will pass. God remains. And with these thoughts in mind, it's now time for you to place today's troubles in their proper perspective.
Reflect on This:
Worry and anxiety are sand in the machinery of life; faith is the oil. -E. Stanley Jones
A Power Beyond Understanding
Ours is a God of infinite possibilities. But sometimes, because of limited faith and limited understanding, we wrongly assume that God cannot or will not intervene in the affairs of mankind. Such assumptions are simply wrong.
Are you afraid to ask God to do big things in your life? Is your faith worn? If so, it's time to abandon your doubts and reclaim your faith in God's promises.
God's Holy Word makes it clear: absolutely nothing is impossible for the Lord. And since the Bible means what it says, you can be comforted in the knowledge that the Creator of the universe can do miraculous things in your own life and in the lives of your loved ones. Your challenges, as a believer, is to take God at His Word, and to expect the miraculous.
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Our Hope in God
Have you ever felt hope for the future slipping away! If so, you have temporarily lost sight of the hope that we, as believers must place in the promises of our Heavenly Father. If you are feeling discouraged, worried or worse, remember that words of psalm 31:24 "Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the Lord" (NKJV)
We will face disappointments and failures, but these are only temporary defeats. Of course, this world can be a place of trials and tribulations, but we are secure. God has promised us peace, joy, and eternal life. And God keeps His promises today, tomorrow, and forever.
Reflect On This:
It is more serious to lose help than to sin. - John of Carpathos
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