From: Ambassadors For Christ International - John North
2 Corinthians 4:18 "We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal."
What things are not eternal? Jobs, money, promotions, winning, losing, travel, cars, computers, sound systems, clothes, physical appearance, houses, iPods, sex, popularity.
What things are eternal? God, your spouse, your kids, your parents, your relationship with God, heaven, hell, God’s Word, the spiritual impact of your ministry to others, the influence of your love in someone else’s life, the life-change of someone putting their faith in Jesus Christ, the work of the Holy Spirit through you.
Consider those two lists again. You get to choose whether your life will be focused on now or on eternity. God wants you to make a conscious choice to live for the things that really matter. The second list.
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Listen And Learn
From: Boyd Bailey Ministries
Mark 9:7 "Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: 'This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!'"
A heart full of love listens first to the Lord. There is a humility that remembers God created two ears and one mouth for a reason. The tongue, untempered by love, is a prime target for the tempter, Satan himself. However, love longs to listen and understand what Christ says, before making conversation. Words incubated in a heart of love have a positive affect on hearers.
Mark 9:7 "Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: 'This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!'"
A heart full of love listens first to the Lord. There is a humility that remembers God created two ears and one mouth for a reason. The tongue, untempered by love, is a prime target for the tempter, Satan himself. However, love longs to listen and understand what Christ says, before making conversation. Words incubated in a heart of love have a positive affect on hearers.
Love listens to Jesus before jumping to judgment. Love is slow to speak and quick to listen. It doesn’t seek to impress people with its smart and clever speech. Instead, it carries a conversation with emotional comfort and caring words.
You are most comfortable in your own skin when your goal is to first listen to the Lord and then His precious children. Lovingly listen, some will invite your influence into their life. Consecrate your conversations to Christ and He will speak. Love listens and learns.
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Lessons From God
From: Ambassadors For Christ International - John North
What has God called you to do? It is an important question. God has placed you on this earth for a reason. God has a purpose for your life. That purpose gives your life meaning.
The great purpose of all of our lives is to know God, to glorify God and to share Him with others. But there is a more specific purpose for your specific life. And this past year fits into that purpose.
Look back over your calendar. How has God been working in your life? What lessons has He been teaching you? What has He been developing in your character? What have you learned about being a part of God’s work in this world?
How could you use your relationships more for God in the future? Ask Him to increase His work through you in the days to come.
John 17:4 "Jesus raised His eyes to Heaven and said, 'I glorified You on the earth, by accomplishing the work that You gave Me to do.'"
What has God called you to do? It is an important question. God has placed you on this earth for a reason. God has a purpose for your life. That purpose gives your life meaning.
The great purpose of all of our lives is to know God, to glorify God and to share Him with others. But there is a more specific purpose for your specific life. And this past year fits into that purpose.
Look back over your calendar. How has God been working in your life? What lessons has He been teaching you? What has He been developing in your character? What have you learned about being a part of God’s work in this world?
How could you use your relationships more for God in the future? Ask Him to increase His work through you in the days to come.
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
God Is With Us...Now And Forever
From: Boyd Bailey Ministries
John 1:14 "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory..."
Wow! The Creator came to dwell with His creation. The all knowing One came to teach teachers and students limited by their lack of knowledge and understanding. The ever present One came to comfort hurting people stuck in their suffering. The all powerful One came to serve weak people, empowering them with His Spirit. The Almighty sent His only son Jesus into the world, fully God and fully man. Yes, the Word became flesh!
God is with us to face down our fears by faith. God is with us in our doubts. God is with us in our hurts, applying His healing balm of grace. God is with us in our transitions to grow our trust in Him. God is with us at work and at home. God is with us in our uncertainty. God is with us when we feel His presence and when we don't feel Him near. God is with us in our successes and in our failures.
God is with us in our modern technology and our antiquated activities. The Lord is with us in our big cities and our small towns. Jesus is with us when we feel joy, laughter and loss. Christ is with us to comfort us in our pain and encourage us to persevere for Him. He is with us in the ups and the downs. He is with us and He is in us to work through us! "And know that I am with you always...! (Matthew 28:20)
John 1:14 "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory..."
Wow! The Creator came to dwell with His creation. The all knowing One came to teach teachers and students limited by their lack of knowledge and understanding. The ever present One came to comfort hurting people stuck in their suffering. The all powerful One came to serve weak people, empowering them with His Spirit. The Almighty sent His only son Jesus into the world, fully God and fully man. Yes, the Word became flesh!
God is with us to face down our fears by faith. God is with us in our doubts. God is with us in our hurts, applying His healing balm of grace. God is with us in our transitions to grow our trust in Him. God is with us at work and at home. God is with us in our uncertainty. God is with us when we feel His presence and when we don't feel Him near. God is with us in our successes and in our failures.
God is with us in our modern technology and our antiquated activities. The Lord is with us in our big cities and our small towns. Jesus is with us when we feel joy, laughter and loss. Christ is with us to comfort us in our pain and encourage us to persevere for Him. He is with us in the ups and the downs. He is with us and He is in us to work through us! "And know that I am with you always...! (Matthew 28:20)
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Ask God
From: Boyd Bailey Ministries
Hebrews 4:12 "For the Word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."
As you take time to meditate on God’s Word, it begins to marinate your mind with wise thinking. Life change results from a clear understanding of why you believe what you believe. Ask your heavenly Father to fill your mind with what really matters to Him.
Do you have a major decision you are facing? Ask God to enlighten your mind with His Word, "...that you may discern what is the will of God..." (Romans 12:2) You'll be glad you did!
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Never Give Up Hope
From: Boyd Bailey Ministries
2 Thessalonians 2:17 "May Jesus Himself and God our Father, who reached out in love and surprised you with gifts of unending help and confidence, put a fresh heart in you, invigorate your work, enliven your speech."
The coming of Christ at Christmas is our hope incarnate. The promise of His first entrance to earth took generations to fulfill, just as His second coming has. So, as we wait on our ultimate hope of reigning with Jesus, we enjoy His presence in prayer and faithfulness.
Furthermore, do not discount the hope you personally provide for other people. Your weekly visit to the nursing home gives life to those ebbing toward the end of life. Your coaching and mentoring of others gives them confidence and peace to persevere. Never give up hope and you will always be able to give hope. Hope in Jesus brings great joy!
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Specific Purpose
From: Ambassadors For Christ International - John North
Philippians 1:6 "I am sure of this much: that He who has begun the good work in you will carry it through to completion, right up to the day of Christ Jesus."
Your life has been—and is now being—carefully crafted by the Master for a specific purpose. Not just the general purpose that you would be a good person whose life honors God. God wants to use you in ways that only a person like you could be used. Has your life been full of hardship? Then God must want to work through you in a way that could only be done by someone who has faced hardship.
Do you have physical weaknesses and limitations? Rather than thinking they keep you from being useful to God, you need to offer your weaknesses to God and invite Him to use them! Ask yourself and ask God how your weaknesses can provide you with ways to minister for Him that you would not have had otherwise.
When you accept that God has a purpose in everything, then you live in the exciting potential of God at work in every situation of your life—even the unpleasant ones!
Your life has been—and is now being—carefully crafted by the Master for a specific purpose. Not just the general purpose that you would be a good person whose life honors God. God wants to use you in ways that only a person like you could be used. Has your life been full of hardship? Then God must want to work through you in a way that could only be done by someone who has faced hardship.
Do you have physical weaknesses and limitations? Rather than thinking they keep you from being useful to God, you need to offer your weaknesses to God and invite Him to use them! Ask yourself and ask God how your weaknesses can provide you with ways to minister for Him that you would not have had otherwise.
When you accept that God has a purpose in everything, then you live in the exciting potential of God at work in every situation of your life—even the unpleasant ones!
Monday, December 17, 2012
Your Spiritual Life
From: Ambassadors For Christ International - John North
Psalm 139:16 "Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book were written all the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them."
The secular world would like you to believe that your life has no meaning of its own, no higher purpose, that your life is the random outcome of a chance series of events emerging out of hundreds of millions of years of chaos.
But in this Psalm, God is saying to you, "I was intimately involved in making you. I have plans for you. You fit into what I am doing in this world."
If you have not yet discovered God’s plan for your life, I encourage you to begin focusing on your spiritual life. "Acquire a fresh spiritual way of thinking." (Ephesians 4:23) Spend time with God in prayer. Read His word, the Bible. Listen to what He is saying to you about your life. As you get yourself in a place where you are spiritually sensitive to God, you will find that He is leading you forward daily in His will for you.
Psalm 139:16 "Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book were written all the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them."
The secular world would like you to believe that your life has no meaning of its own, no higher purpose, that your life is the random outcome of a chance series of events emerging out of hundreds of millions of years of chaos.
But in this Psalm, God is saying to you, "I was intimately involved in making you. I have plans for you. You fit into what I am doing in this world."
If you have not yet discovered God’s plan for your life, I encourage you to begin focusing on your spiritual life. "Acquire a fresh spiritual way of thinking." (Ephesians 4:23) Spend time with God in prayer. Read His word, the Bible. Listen to what He is saying to you about your life. As you get yourself in a place where you are spiritually sensitive to God, you will find that He is leading you forward daily in His will for you.
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Depending On God
From: Adrian Rogers Ministries
James 1:3 "Realize that when your faith is tested this makes for endurance."
A man had a grandfather clock. One day he felt sorry for the grandfather clock because it had a weight on it. And that weight was always pulling on the clock. The man said, "Oh, Mr. Clock, you’ve held this weight so long, I’m going to remove it and let you rest."
The clock protested, saying, "Don’t take that weight from me. That’s what keeps me going."
In the same way, the trials and tests of life are there for your endurance. They’re to keep you going, keep you trusting, keep you praying, and keep you depending upon God.
James 1:3 "Realize that when your faith is tested this makes for endurance."
A man had a grandfather clock. One day he felt sorry for the grandfather clock because it had a weight on it. And that weight was always pulling on the clock. The man said, "Oh, Mr. Clock, you’ve held this weight so long, I’m going to remove it and let you rest."
The clock protested, saying, "Don’t take that weight from me. That’s what keeps me going."
In the same way, the trials and tests of life are there for your endurance. They’re to keep you going, keep you trusting, keep you praying, and keep you depending upon God.
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
He Invented It
From: Our Daily Bread Ministries
Job 42:2 "I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be hindered.
Job 42:2 "I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be hindered.
After God allowed Satan to test Job by taking away his family, his health, and his possessions, Job lamented the day of his birth. In the following chapters, Job questioned why God would allow him to endure so much suffering.
If we’re tempted to tell God how life should work, let’s remember He invented it! May He help us to humbly acknowledge our ignorance and to rely on Him—the Creator of the universe.
Then with divine bluntness, God reminded Job that He "invented" life and created the world. God invited him to rethink what he had said. In drawing attention to His sovereign power and the depth of His wisdom displayed everywhere on earth, God exposed the immensity of Job’s ignorance.
With great humility, Job responded, "I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be hindered. I have dealt with things I do not understand...things which I cannot know. Therefore, I disown what I have said and repent in dust and ashes." (Job 42:2-6)
If we’re tempted to tell God how life should work, let’s remember He invented it! May He help us to humbly acknowledge our ignorance and to rely on Him—the Creator of the universe.
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