God's Love in You

       Many know the 13th Chapter of I Corinthians as the 'love' chapter. It provides us with a model of how Christ loves. He was the perfect example, because He is love.

      We probably don't have to think too far back to recall times when we experienced disappointment because we failed at following these love commands. The good news is if we continue meditating on God's Word in these areas, it will change us from the inside out, and we will begin to behave differently. 

       I challenge you to confess these words daily and watch God transform your life:

Desert with Phacelia Weed- flowering once in several years

• I endure long. I am patient and kind; 
• I am never envious or jealous. I am not boastful or vainglorious; I do not display myself haught
• I am not conceited, arrogant or inflated with pride;
• I am not rude or unmannerly, and I do not act unbecomingly.
• God’s love in me does not insist on my own rights or my own way; for I am not self-seeking.
• I am not touchy, fretful or resentful;
• I take no account of the evil done to me and pay no attention to a suffered wrong;
• I do not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but I rejoice when right and truth prevail.
• I bear up under anything and everything that comes, and I am ever ready to believe the best of every person.
• My hope is fadeless under all circumstances, and I endure everything without weakening.
• My love never fails. It never fades, becomes obsolete or comes to an end.

       If a desert can grow weeds, we can perfect the love walk.

Scripture Links:  I Corinthians 13:4-8 (Amplified); Romans 12:2

To Receive Jesus as Lord ad Savior:(Sinner's Prayer) Dear God, I am a sinner. I need a savior. I need Jesus. I believe Jesus died for my sins and rose on the third day. I ask Jesus now to come into my heart and to become Lord over my life. Satan has no more power over me. I say with my mouth that Jesus is Lord. Father, help me to live for you, and thank you for saving me. John 3:16.

To Rededicate Your Life to the Lord (after falling away):Dear Heavenly Father: I confess to you that I have sinned. You said if I confess my sin you are faithful and just to forgive me and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness. I turn away from sin and turn to you, and I ask you to forgive me. I forgive myself also. Father, thank you for forgiving me, remembering my sin no more and allowing me to have right standing with you again. In Jesus' name, AMEN.

      

A Few of Life's Instructions

         I stopped yesterday to read a framed poster on a wall in my home that I have passed by, I guess, hundreds of times in the last year or so. This poster is my rendition of Life’s Little Instructions (The original poster I purchased was probably adapted from H. Jackson Brown, Jr.'s book.). So busy living “life,” I hadn’t read it since hung it.

         As I took the time to read it again, though, I was reminded of  some practical advice that can help anyone on a daily basis. Here are a few of the instructions:

• Strive for excellence, not perfection.
• Return borrowed vehicles with a full tank of gas.
• Think big thoughts, but relish small pleasures.
• Pass up every opportunity to ridicule others.
• If the peace of God doesn’t rule in your heart, don’t do it.
• Floss your teeth.
• Avoid negative people.
• Say please and thank you.
• Keep secrets.
• Be there when people need you (one definition of a friend).
• Leave everything a little better than you found it.
• Over tip waiters and waitresses.
• Call your mother.
• Become the most positive and enthusiastic person you know.
• Never stop believing.
• Remember, faith is believing the unseen.

           Of course, the wisdom in all these tips comes from the  Source of all wisdom, the Word of God. Solomon knew the value of wisdom. He could have asked God for riches, long life or the lives of his enemies, but he knew he needed wisdom and understanding more than anything else. His request pleased the Lord,  so Solomon was blessed with riches and honor without his having to ask. When we seek wisdom, our needs and desires always have a way of getting met. Seek God's wisdom today!

Scripture Links:  I Kings 3:6-13; Proverbs 3:13; Proverbs 4:7; 

To Receive Jesus as Lord ad Savior:(Sinner's Prayer) Dear God, I am a sinner. I need a savior. I need Jesus. I believe Jesus died for my sins and rose on the third day. I ask Jesus now to come into my heart and to become Lord over my life. Satan has no more power over me. I say with my mouth that Jesus is Lord. Father, help me to live for you, and thank you for saving me. John 3:16.

To Rededicate Your Life to the Lord (after falling away):Dear Heavenly Father: I confess to you that I have sinned. You said if I confess my sin you are faithful and just to forgive me and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness. I turn away from sin and turn to you, and I ask you to forgive me. I forgive myself also. Father, thank you for forgiving me, remembering my sin no more and allowing me to have right standing with you again. In Jesus' name, AMEN.

      

Who's Your Trainer?

      When my nephew, Joseph, was about four years old, he ran up to me excitedly one day as I walked in the door of my sister's home and asked, "Aunt Treva, do you want to say the books of the Bible with me?" I smiled and said something like, "Okay, man....we'll do it later."

      Although I had recently rededicated my life to the Lord,  I did not know even half of the books, let alone their order from beginning to end. I remember the embarrassment I felt that I could not join this child in his recitation and the fear that he would detect my lack of knowledge.

     This encounter immediately sent me on a quest to learn what I did not know. Joseph knew his books and a ton of other Bible content because he is the product of an excellent children's Bible study program. Through this program, he was taught the Word, so much so that he actually preached his first sermon at age five!

      Years later, I heard the director of this same program still encouraging parents to bring their children to Sunday night Bible class so they can be trained in the Word of God.

      Our children are being trained by somebody. It could be television sitcoms, movies, music, or even social networks.  Rest assured, whomever or whatever has their attention is teaching and training them to be who they will become, because pupils become like their teachers. Let's point them to the Word of God so they can become skillful in the Word of righteousness, grow up knowing who they are in Christ and give God a generation of Christian leaders.

   

Scripture Links:  Luke 6:40; Proverbs 22:6; Psalm 34:11

To Receive Jesus as Lord ad Savior:(Sinner's Prayer) Dear God, I am a sinner. I need a savior. I need Jesus. I believe Jesus died for my sins and rose on the third day. I ask Jesus now to come into my heart and to become Lord over my life. Satan has no more power over me. I say with my mouth that Jesus is Lord. Father, help me to live for you, and thank you for saving me. John 3:16.

To Rededicate Your Life to the Lord (after falling away):Dear Heavenly Father: I confess to you that I have sinned. You said if I confess my sin you are faithful and just to forgive me and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness. I turn away from sin and turn to you, and I ask you to forgive me. I forgive myself also. Father, thank you for forgiving me, remembering my sin no more and allowing me to have right standing with you again. In Jesus' name, AMEN.

All the Way In

      When a little boy kept falling out of bed at night, his mom asked him what was happening. He replied, "I guess I've been sleeping too close to the edge."

       Are we living close to the edge in life? What constitutes edge-like living? Some of the telltale signs are:

• Doing things or going places we don't want others to know about;
• Living lifestyles that closely resemble the lifestyles of those who do not serve God; 
• Being constantly preoccupied or losing sleep over choices we have made;
• Being irritable or argumentative when someone who cares tries to help us in a situation; or
• Overall discontentment or lack of peace about our choices.

      This kind of living can move us away from God's best, because the condemnation that often comes with it causes our faith to fail. And long term, it will cause us to grow accustomed to our habits, making them more acceptable to us. Our hearts, or our consciences are the keys to right and wrong; a truthful self examination can reveal where we are.
      If we find ourselves "further out" than we know we should be, the good news is we serve a merciful God who is always willing to forgive us and help us.  If we will become teachable and listen to our conscience and to others who care about us, we can get back to where we should be.
      The more we obey God, the freer we will become. Life is much better when we get all the way in. There's peace and blessing there.

Scripture Links:  I John 3:21; I John 1:9; Acts 24:16; Philippians 2:13; Psalm 138:8

To Receive Jesus as Lord ad Savior:(Sinner's Prayer) Dear God, I am a sinner. I need a savior. I need Jesus. I believe Jesus died for my sins and rose on the third day. I ask Jesus now to come into my heart and to become Lord over my life. Satan has no more power over me. I say with my mouth that Jesus is Lord. Father, help me to live for you, and thank you for saving me. John 3:16.

To Rededicate Your Life to the Lord (after falling away):Dear Heavenly Father: I confess to you that I have sinned. You said if I confess my sin you are faithful and just to forgive me and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness. I turn away from sin and turn to you, and I ask you to forgive me. I forgive myself also. Father, thank you for forgiving me, remembering my sin no more and allowing me to have right standing with you again. In Jesus' name, AMEN.