Our Only Passion

By God’s grace, Jesus Christ brought salvation to the whole world. He dwells within us and inspires us to abandon all unrighteousness and carnal desires.

Living in union with Christ becomes our only passion. We live, move and have our being only in Him. He is our life, our motivation and our inspiration (Acts 17:8; Colossians 3:4)

He redeems us from sinful behavior and purifies us as a people who belong to Him. His Spirit within us allows us to live a self-controlled, holy and upright life in this world.

As we wait for our blessed hope, which is the reappearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, we cheerfully and zealously follow His Spirit’s direction (Titus 2:11-14).

Since we are in union with Christ, the kingdom of God is now within us, and God blesses us with all spiritual blessings from His throne (Luke 17:21; Ephesians 1:3).

We set our mind on things above, not on things on the earth, and our treasure in not from this world (Colossians 3:2; Philippians 2:5, 4:8). Jesus gives us great power, which comes from God and not from our self (2 Corinthians 4:7).  

The more we submit our life to God, the more we die to sin and the less Satan is able to hassle us. We live by the faith of Jesus who loves us and gave Himself for us (Hebrews 1:3; Galatians 2:20).

As we walk in the Spirit, we are assured that everything happening to us is the will of God for us. We may feel unhappy, stressed, anxious or fearful; but as we keep our mind on God, He gives us His peace (Isaiah 26:3; John 14:27).

God's Spirit enables us to change our focus about the negative issues in our life. We no longer see an empty cupboard, but room for more of God's blessings. He is always faithful to provide for all of our needs (Philippians 4:19).

Prayer:

Father God, the trials we experience are not as devastating to us as they used to be. They are only light and momentary affliction now, because we no longer focus on the things we see in this transient realm of life, but only on the eternal weight of glory You are preparing for us.

We look forward to this glory, which far exceeds anything we have ever seen or experienced on this earth (2 Corinthians 4:13-18). As we share the gospel of Jesus with others, Your grace extends to more and more people, which increases our thanksgiving to You (2 Corinthians 9:8).

Thought for the Day:

Everything we ever accomplished in our flesh is minimized by what we gain in Christ; being found in Him through faith in Him increases our passion for knowing Him in His exceptional greatness. 
- Philippians 3:7-9

The Benefits of God's Grace

 

​

God loves the whole world, even those who do not believe in Him and those who curse His name (John 3:16). He allows both sinners and Saints to reap the benefits of His love (Jeremiah 12:1; Psalm 37).

God is drawing us all to Himself by sharing blessings to both evil and good people, and by sending refreshing rain to believers and unbelievers alike (Matthew 5:45).

The grace of God benefits all of creation. The whole earth overflows with His loving kindness (Psalm 33:5). If only everyone would turn to Him because of His benevolence (Psalm 107:8).

Although everyone initially realizes the goodness of God, even through creation, most people fail to honor Him or feel gratitude, because our foolish heart is clouded by Satan's lies (Romans 1:20-21).

The human tendency is to credit our good fortune to own efforts or to "fate", rather than to God. We fail to see the goodness of God in our success. This causes us to condemn our self by our unbelief (John 3:18).

Our futile attempts to find a measure of happiness and success in life are empty prizes. We work throughout our whole lifetime to build our own little kingdom on this earth, only to lose it all in death.

We face eternity without the saving grace of Christ. God's grace is His undeserved favor shared with every human being ever born. Yet, most people disdain His attempts to save them.

God calls us to a personal relationship with Him. His everlasting arms are open wide, encouraging both the good person and the foulest sinner to abandon their futile lifestyle and to trust Him.

He provides for all of our needs according to His glorious riches (Philippians 4:19; Ephesians 3:16). He shepherds us and keeps us safe (Psalm 23). He longs for our fellowship day and night (Exodus 33:14; 1 John 3:24; Revelation 21:3-4).

Prayer:

Father God, we can never thank You enough for the loving kindness You shower on Your creation (Psalm 145:9). You provide for us and protect us by Your mighty hand (Psalm 139:10). If You were to forget us for one second, destruction would overcome the universe.

Make us ever mindful of Your desire to fellowship with us. Remind us to take time to consult You for Your perfect plans for each moment of our day. Allow us to make a difference in the lives of the people You bring our way. Please come soon and restore Your order to the earth.

Thought for the Day:

God calls us to love all of humanity just as He does, sacrificing as His Spirit directs us for those He brings into our life. - Romans 5:7-8

Perfect Strength in Weakness

There are times in life when we beg God to help us because of some physical illness, emotional turmoil or trial in our spiritual life. Paul did this too. He had a “thorn in the flesh” and begged God to remove it from him. There is much speculation about what that thorn was, but it does not really matter.

The crux of the issue is that God’s grace was sufficient for Paul to excel in life in spite of it (2 Corinthians 12:8-10). Paul actually learned to brag about his imperfections and infirmities, so that the power of Christ in him would give him rest for his soul. God’s power, strength and ability are perfected in our weaknesses.

All we need to flourish in this life is His grace. Whenever we are weak, Christ in us is our strength (2 Corinthians 12:8-10). The prophet Daniel relied on God’s strength in his times of weakness too (Daniel 10:19). The warrior and national leader of Israel, Joshua, found strength and courage in his times of fear (Joshua 1:9).

If we have personal power, we would not need God; and we could boast in our abilities and accomplishments (2 Corinthians 12:1). However, our life in Christ is not about us at all (Ephesians 2:8-9). That is why God uses the weak and foolish things of the world to confound the mind of those who consider themselves wise (1 Corinthians 1:27).

Our faith does not rest on human abilities but on God’s power within us (1 Corinthians 2:5). A surrendered life is the successful life. Out of God’s glorious riches, He empowers us by His Spirit, which abides within us (Ephesians 3:16). We can excel in the will of God and live a fulfilled Christian life, because He lives in us (Philippians 4:13).

Prayer:
Father God, You remind us not to be anxious about anything, but to come to You in everything, letting You know what we need. We start from a place of gratitude for all You have already done for us, and then we make our requests known to You. This results in a shower of Your peace on our life, which transcends every negative aspect that we are experiencing (Philippians 4:6).

Thought for the Day:

God’s peace guards our mind and heart in Christ Jesus, in spite of what life throws at us. - Philippians 4:7

Where is God in My Suffering?

God's grace is poured out into our life when we need it the most. After a loss, when someone has a prolonged illness, when a pregnancy does not go as planned, when a teenager rebels, when we inadvertently offend someone, His grace is unique, powerful and timely. His grace sustains us through the hard times, even when we do not realize it. His grace allows us to find joy even in suffering (James 1:2). His Word is full of rich comfort and wisdom, which sustains us through the lonely times and allows us to help others in their time of need.
 
We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. God justified us through our faith in Him (Galatians 2:16). His grace enables us to stand firm on the Rock of Christ through all of our storms, troubles and trials. We rejoice in our hope of the glory of God, which is being revealed in us little by little, bringing hope in the midst of our suffering. This grace produces perseverance, which gives us the power to walk in the Spirit in spite of what is occurring in the natural world all around us  (Romans 5:1-3).

When our children grow up and move away from home or when we lose a loved one or a treasure we hold dear, we lose part of our identity. We are unsure of who we are, because loss dramatically changes us. We may even doubt God’s loving kindness, because He allows such shattering events to alter our life. We struggle through the murky gloom of the trial, until we see the light, which God shines into our darkness (Psalm 139:12). Then we allow God to envelop us with His loving arms, which sustain us through all of our troubles (Psalm 23:4; Isaiah 43:2).

We find our true identity in Christ, regardless of what we lost or what we still have available to us. We do not categorize our self by the role we play in life, but by our relationship with our eternal God. He is the vine and we are connected as branches to His life-giving source. We remain in Him regardless of our struggles or losses in life. In Him we bear much fruit, and apart from Him we can do nothing (John 15:5-6). Even when we cannot see Him, Jesus is right there within us, giving us the wisdom, strength and grace to overcome the obstacles in our life.

Expecting God to grant the cravings of our heart is not the secret to a happy life. We find no peace, joy or contentment by getting what we want. God sees the entire forest; we only see the trees right in front of our eyes. God knows the end from the beginning, and He knows what we truly need to live fulfilled lives (Isaiah 46:10; Ecclesiastes 3:11). God’s will is for our ultimate good now and throughout eternity. Job lost his wealth, health and family all in one day; yet, God gave him more than he lost both here on this earth and also in eternity.

I have seen hurricanes sweep through a city, and all the Christians I know regained power to their home within minutes, they have minimal damage to their homes, and they do not lose a family member or suffer any great setback or hardship. However, sometimes Christians do suffer loss. God is not impotent when we do, and He is not unkind or vindictive if He allows us to feel pain and devastation (Job 2:10). We eventually come to the understanding that God causes all things, even catastrophic things, to work together for our ultimate good (Romans 8:28). As in the case of Job, God will give us back more than we ever lost (Job 42:10).

Prayer:

Father God, thank You for your mercy on us. We cry out to You for help, because You are the Most High God. You fulfill Your purpose in the earth and You send the Holy Spirit to help us (Psalm 57:1-3). We trust You for protection and provision. Remind us to hide beneath the shadow of Your wings until the storm is past. Remind us that the Son is always shining in our life regardless of our circumstances.

Thought for the Day:

The measure of God’s goodness is not determined by the trials in our life, but by the way He walks through them with us.





Thank you, Gracie Hill, for the use of your photo.

Life's Treasure Chest

Read: Rom 8:34-39

“…Be happy, for when the way is rough, your patience has a chance to grow. So let it grow, and don't try to squirm out of your problems. For when your patience is finally in full bloom, then you will be ready for anything, strong in character, full and complete.”  James 1:2-4 TLB

Sometimes, the life we encounter on this “blue marble” we call earth is overwhelming! We craft clearly laid out plans and goals, but in spite of our preparations, events often careen out of our control. We rarely end up seeing the total realization of our dreams. We often fail to triumph over obstacles too high for us to scale. In spite of these bitter disappointments, however, God tells us that His grace gives us sufficient strength to face our trials and weaknesses (2 Corinthians 12:9).

After 60 years of walking through life’s interruptions, I discovered that there are actually clues to hidden treasure within each difficulty we face. God brings these assets from deep within each one of us as we put one foot in front of the other on our arduous journey through life (Matthew 13:44). There are keys to buried riches contained in each trial and tribulation that comes our way (2 Corinthians 4:7). The proverbial silver lining in every cloud and pot of gold at the end of the rainbow is just waiting to be discovered.

Our God of hope fills us with abounding joy and enduring peace every step of life’s way (Romans 5:13)! He abundantly rewards those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). His Word and Spirit reveal even more hidden treasure, when we seek Him through His scripture and when we place our trust in Him. God also promises that when those who love and obey Him pass over the threshold of heaven, we will all receive the treasured crown of eternal life (James 1:12).

We may not have this world’s goods, but our life both now and in heaven contains an enduring treasure that rust and moths cannot ever destroy (Matthew 6:20).

Prayer:

Lord, help me to treasure every second of life and to see You in the midst of every event. Help me to look at my trials as You see them, and to look for the miracle, which You hide within each one. Keep me from looking too far into the future, which I cannot predict anyway, and to seek You one moment at a time.

Thought for the Day:

The real treasures in life are found in nature, literature, music, art, family and enduring friendships; but primarily in the gift of a personal relationship with the King of kings and the Lord of lords, Jesus Christ.