Action!

1 Peter 1: 13

Therefore, prepare your minds for action….

Walking with Jesus every day, requires action.

Yes we can sit quietly and meditate, and we should make time for that, but action is required to exercise our faith.

Prayer is action. Studying God’s Word is action. Sharing our faith is action. Helping a neighbor is action.

How much action, is happening in your Christian journey?

Living for Jesus requires daily diligence and strength.

When God’s hand is upon us, and we’re living an action packed life in Christ, it will certainly be evident to everyone around us.

People will notice our active behavior.

Do the people who know you best, see daily Christ centered action?

If not, then make a whole sale change today.

It’s that easy!

Focusing on God, and not on ourselves, is the best solution for lack of action…..

Ignorance is bliss?

1 Corinthians 15: 34

Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God….

 

Is ignorance really bliss, as many people believe?

 

Back in World War II, the Russians trained dogs with explosives attached to their backs, to prey upon German tanks. True story!

Because the dogs were trained only with Russian tanks, they didn’t know the difference between a Russian tank and a German tank.

I think you already know by now, what the outcome was.

Maybe ignorance isn’t bliss, after all?

 

Is there an area of your life, where sin constantly prevails?

Don’t play the ignorant game—especially not with God.

 

“Well, I didn’t know what I was doing, was wrong!”

I heard it once said a very long time ago….. “Ignorance of the law, won’t be any excuse in the end.”

 

As much as we might not want to hear it, some of us need to come back to our senses.

Remember, that at the end of our lives, our individual standard isn’t going to matter.

God’s standard for sin and righteous living, is the only standard that’s going to fly.

It’s also the standard, our lives will be measured by.

 

We Christians desperately need straight level answers, offered in love.

The most loving thing I could say to some of you is this….. “Don’t be ignorant of the devils schemes!” (Ephesians 6: 11)

 

I’m sure glad, that God accepts us ignoramuses back with loving arms…..

Pleading!

Luke 8: 41

Then a man named Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, came and fell at Jesus' feet, pleading with him to come to his house….

 

When was the last time you pleaded with God for anything?

If you’re like most people, we hardly ever get humbled enough to plead our case or cases before God.

 

Do you know what the Hebrew translation to our English word, “ask”, is?

It’s translated….. “BEG”!

 

Jairus had good reason to fall at the feet of Jesus. He had very good reason to beg.

Actually, he had a very good reason to plead his case before the Christ of God.

Jairus’s daughter was dying.

 

It’s funny how many people plead before God, when their loved ones are dying.

I know people who especially plead to Jesus, to take away their cancer.

 

Did you know that we can plead to Jesus for anything we have need of?

Why does it take such tragic events, to fall on our face?

 

I think we’d see more people cured of incurable diseases, if we spent more time pleading/begging.

I think we’d see more spiritual power in our lives, if we did more pleading.

 

You might not have reason to plead before Jesus right now—but then the day isn’t over with yet—is it? 

Frustrated!

Psalm 78: 41 

Again and again they tested God's patience and frustrated the Holy One of Israel.

 

There’s a part of me that feels slightly comforted, knowing that even God gets frustrated from time to time.

When I consider the grace of God, I often have this feeling inside that says…. “Why me?”

When I walk through some frustrating times, I often ask the same question…. “Why me?”

 

There are times in our Christian walk, when we can become a little frustrated.

Maybe it’s the person you’ve been witnessing to at work, that just doesn’t seem to get—or doesn’t want to get it.

Make no mistake, there are times when we all make God a little frustrated too.

At least that’s what the Word says.

 

Every time we venture out in our life of faith, we’ll often find some pretty frustrating experiences.

Circumstances will come about every day, that will completely go against the values of common sense.

One thing’s for sure though….. We can trust in Jesus, when common sense doesn’t make sense.

 

I have to confess—that there are times when frustration gets the best of me.

There are times we can think certain things—or say certain things, in the heat of a frustrating moment.

 

Maybe I need to turn my frustration, into faith?

Maybe I should do a better job of focusing on God’s love, instead of focusing on the little annoyances of life?

 

When I’m standing in the checkout line the next time, and the lady in front of me is counting pennies one at a time—I’m sure I’ll need to recall this devotional…..

A Divine Position!

Isaiah 6: 8

“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"

Did you know that the first ability that God looks for in a saint, is availability?

God is always looking for people that are willing to make themselves available for His use.

Most people in the church, think that they have to possess some extra special skill set to be used of God.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Notice that Isaiah didn’t say…. Here I am Lord—but why don’t you send someone else this time…”

No, he said…. “Here I AM—SEND Me!”

True enough, you might not have the same abilities, than the person sitting in the pew next to you.

God still wants to use you anyway. YES…..YOU!

Are you still holding out on God?

Whenever the sign-up sheet is being passed at church, do you still have some lame excuse?

When the Pastor sends out an e-mail looking for people to serve in some various capacity, do you allow the devil to convince you, you’re not cut from the right stock?

I believe every available person, are placed in divine positions, for such a time as this.

We are made for God’s glory, and we are to be used for His good—and for His glory.

God is not looking for the most graceful or the most charming person.

He’s looking for the one person, who has the guts to stand up and say….. HERE I AM—SEND ME!!

Encourage !

1 Thessalonians 5: 11

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up….

Along this journey of life, there are people we meet along the way, that influence us and help us.

Have you ever been introduced to people, who you’ve been able to depend on in hard times?

Those are people you never forget. Unfortunately—sometimes there here one minute—and then gone the next.

We’re reminded that God said very early on in the creation moment….. “it is not good for the man be alone.”

And so it is for us.

In our beloved Western culture, we think we find relief from the pressing troubles of this world, by getting away from it all.

God made us to need people and to need fellowship.

Having to get away from it all, might just say something about us.

I don’t know about you, but I really need fellowship in the community of Christ.

I need people who understand me, (which I confess might be quite difficult) and I need people who will pray with me.

I also need people who are going to support me and encourage me.

And as strange as this sounds, I need people who will graciously give me a boot in the pants, when I need it.

Maybe this prayer of mine—represents your heart too…..

Father God—Thank You for the people You have sent in my life, to walk this journey of faith with me.

Thank You that even when some of them leave me, I can still take Your promise seriously.

Thank You that You promise never to leave me, no matter where the direction of my life path takes me…..

Amen.

Procrastination!

James 1: 8 

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.”