Make up your mind!

James 1: 8 (NLT)

They can't make up their minds. They waver back and forth in everything they do.

Did you ever wonder what the big deal is about procrastination?

Procrastination is actually the sin of not doing what we know we should do.

In my personal life, indecision usually happens when I don’t really like the correct decision.

Actually, sometimes I put off making the right choice, and then do nothing instead of doing what’s right.

Procrastination or doing nothing, is usually the result of fear.

Fear comes in all forms and also comes in many different sizes.

It actually paralyzes us.

When we stop to think of it, the more we put off doing what’s right, the more stress we add to our lives.

I’m certain that we grieve God, when we put off doing, what He has placed in front of us.

As much as we might not like to admit it, the perfect conditions for doing what’s right, may be a long time in coming.

I still believe Jesus expects us to share our faith no matter the weather or climate.

If He’s opened up a door for us, do we have a plan on how to respond?

Instead of peeking at your long laundry list of “to do’s”, pick just one item you can take care of.

Start with this….. “Today I’m going to ______________ as I have put this off, far too long.”

Unload!

1 Peter 5: 7

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Aren’t you glad that God has not left us alone to deal with the heavy things in life?

This verse in 1 Peter 5, is a formula for getting rid of anxiety.

I’ll bet if we gave the challenges we have over to God, instead of trying to carry them ourselves, we’d have fewer anxiety disorders in this world than we do.

The literal translation of 1 Peter 5: 7 is…. “Unload your distresses upon God”

Picture in your mind if you would, a dump truck.

The driver pulls the lever or pushes a button, and all the stuff he’s been carrying, is dumped.

We were never meant to be crushed by the stuff we think we have to carry.

Maybe we should push the button of trust or pull the lever of faith more than we do?

Got something heavy going on in your life?

I think it’s time we unload all of it….

The Eyes of The Lord!

Proverbs 15: 3

The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.

How does it make you feel, that God knows our every impulse—good or bad?

He knows our every motive—He knows the direction we’re traveling and why we’re traveling in that direction.

Under the masks many of us wear to hide what’s really there—God knows all about it.

For some people, just this realization will bring fear.

There should be  great comfort in the fact though, that God is all knowing and all seeing.

Yes He sees us as we truly are—but He has extended a glorious invitation to be saved and loved by Him—in spite of what He knows about us.

He sees what we need—and He knows why we need it.

He’s seen the worst of us—and He’s certainly seen the best.

He’s seen us running away—and He’s noticed our running back to jump up into His arms.

He’s seen our rebellion—and He’s witnessed our obedience too.

And despite all that He’s witnessed—and all that He knows about us—He still desires fellowship with us.

The best relationship with God we can have—is an honest one.

We should be able to find some security in that.

Rest in this my friends….

We can’t take a single step in this life—that He doesn’t know about—or that He doesn’t care about….

Don't miss it!

Ephesians 6: 18

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people.

 

I have this feeling that when we stand in the place of where Jesus is one day, we may all feel a little silly.

Jesus has orchestrated many opportunities for which to pray for people.

 

Sometimes instead of stopping to pray for others, we on the other hand, try to find out what’s wrong with them.

Our primary business is to pray—Jesus’ job is to fix them.

 

Do we concentrate more on what’s wrong with people, than we do praying for them?

Maybe we should pray that folks would be right with God, rather than praying they be right with us?

 

So it begs this question….

When we pray, do we focus more on the mountain that needs to be moved in a person’s life—or the One who can move the mountain?

There’s a big difference.

 

Do you believe what Jesus says about prayer?

I think if we did, we’d pray differently than we do.

 

The more we know about a person’s personal life—the less intelligently we pray.

Sometimes we forget, that it’s God who can affect the difficulties in people’s lives—not us…..

Grow up!

Ephesians 4: 15

Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.

 

If any believer desires to become mature in the faith, they must learn to love the truth.

If not, there will always be this crack open to allow the enemy to come in, and take the good things God meant for us to possess.

 

I meet people every week, who have great difficulties facing the truth about themselves.

Some of them actually prefer living in the world of make believe.

 

They pretend that certain things happening all around them, aren’t really happening.

Let me be clear about this. Satan is very real, pain is real, problems are real, and poor and sick people are real.

The good news is, that no matter how the junk of life seems to disturb us, we can overcome it by God’s Word.

 

The amount of love we have for the truth, is in direct proportion to how much time we spend  in it.

We can’t “grow up” into Christ, if we’re not doing the basic things of the faith.

 

How will you grow up this week?

Sometimes the truth about us can hurt.

It is however, the truth that will set us free.

 

When you find truth, you will have found real freedom and joy.

Without truth, we only learn to live outside the realm of reality……

Apart!

1 Peter 3:15

In your hearts set apart Christ as Lord.

 

When I became a believer in Christ, I confessed Jesus as Lord.

When we stop to pray, we commonly refer to God as Lord.

 

But as we live our lives day to day, is He really Lord in our hearts?

D.L. Moody once said…. “Christ is either Lord of all—or He’s not Lord at all!”

The words out of our mouth during conversation, don’t tell the entire story.

 

Let’s face it, the Lordship of Jesus, sometimes extend only so far.

I even know people who like to control the tempo of discipleship.

Let me be clear of this one thing—that is NOT Lordship.

 

If Jesus is 100% Lord, then He will have every bit of our heart.

Jesus desires more of us, than we’re willing to give Him up to this point.

 

He is trustworthy with everything we surrender to Him.

Like we think we can manage our lives better than He can—not so.

 

At no point should we resist His constant attempts to draw us.

If you haven’t already done so, set Him apart as Lord…..TODAY!

Facing forks in the road!

Proverbs 16: 25

There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.

 

Often times, the road to destruction is not a very well marked path.

The making of wrong decisions are at first seductive, and even appealing.

They even seem right.

 

Christians face forks in the road all the time.

The main thoroughfare is broad and the one most traveled.

That should be our first clue.

 

I’ve had people come to our church, and thought they found a spiritual gold mine.

“I’ve found the church I’ve been looking for!”

But then these same people find a convenient, quick exit sign—that actually seems like the right one to take.

 

I think before taking the easy path—we should ask some very hard questions before we do.

There is a high calling for those who desire to enter the Kingdom of God.

 

God never tells us to do what “seems” right.

What seems right and what is right, are two vastly different things.

 

A child of the most high God, can be rendered useless and fruitless, if pulled away by what they think is right.

Be careful that no one—or some cool thing, deceives you.

It might be that seemingly one right thing, that in the end, leads to death