Depending Only on God

​

Sometimes, we feel invisible, as if God does not see us or hear our prayers (Isaiah 40:27). We think that He has forgotten us, because our circumstances are out of control and we need His intervention. Yet, He still tarries. Life is not limited to our time on this earth. We do not need to "get ahead" during this lifetime. God honors those who honor Him and despises those who dishonor Him (1 Samuel 2:30).

Our tendency in a trial is to work it out in our own efforts. However, we usually end up making things worse. We are broken, even if we will not admit it, and God calls us to lean on Him (2 Kings 18:21; Isaiah 36:6). God looks for those who are living by faith in Him. Even the atheists live by faith in something. However, our trust in God is the only faith, which produces eternal results.

If we put our trust in our self, or in other people, we are depending on the flesh rather than on the Lord. We end up worn out, devastated, poor and lonely. However, if we trust in the Lord, He blesses us wondrously (Habakkuk 2:4; Proverbs 29:25). We are rooted and secure. We flourish and are prepared for life's trials. We have no worries, so we thrive and bear God's fruit in our life (Jeremiah 17:5-8; Galatians 5:22-23).

We can relax and live in God's peace, entering His rest, even in the worst of circumstances. He always works out everything for our ultimate good (Romans 8:28). Trials are opportunities for God to prove His love for us. If we view them through His eyes, we will see His mighty hand in the midst of them (Psalm 136:12; 1 Peter 5:6).

Prayer:
Father God, teach us not to rely on our human strength or the wisdom of friends, but to follow Your Spirit's leading in every area of our life (Zechariah 4:6). When our activities are inspired by Your Spirit, we see Kingdom results. We depend solely on You for our life and our future. Bring our flesh into submission to Your will.

Thought for the Day:
When we depend on God alone, we put our faith in His faithfulness; since He is our trustworthy defender, we shall never suffer ultimate defeat. - Psalm 62:5-8

A Living Witness

 

Sinners are helplessly drawn into sin, and can do nothing else (2 Corinthians 4:3-4). We cannot expect them to act any other way (Luke 23:34). Their spirit is dead in sin. Satan uses all the tools in his arsenal to deceive them and blind their eyes to God’s Truth. They need a Savior. God puts us in their lives to develop witnessing relationships with them (1 Corinthians 9:22). We serve them, as Christ served His disciples; in order to win some of them to Christ (1 Corinthians 9:19).

We are a poor witness to the unsaved, as long as we dabble in the same deception and sinful practices that they do. We also get sidetracked in ceaseless religious activities that actually prevent us from doing God’s will. It is only when we walk in obedience and the power of God’s Spirit that we can hope to make an impression on anyone for God. When they see God’s power manifested in our life, and they see answers to our prayers, they will want to draw away from a sinful lifestyle and rest in God along with us (Mathew 11:28-29; Isaiah 11:10).

They will cease their works, as we have rested from ours, because they too will enter into the rest of the Lord (Hebrews 4:10). They will abide in Him, live in His abundant life, and live a life of praise for all that the Lord is, as well as for all of His benefits (John 10:10; Psalm 103:2). They will also achieve holiness through their relationship with Christ rather than by adherence to the law. When we abide in Christ, He brings rest to our soul. We depend upon His peace within us through every obstacle we experience in life.

When we are immersed in Christ, we serve Him effortlessly, because we work, not through our own efforts, but by His Spirit within us. We are dead, and our life is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3). Therefore, when Jesus works in us, He does His works through us. He changes lives by using our body, soul and spirit. We do not need to strive to endeavor to live by Jesus’ example, because He lives His life through us. We make no effort except to enter His rest (Hebrews 4:10).

We do not attempt to accomplish a great feat or crusade for Christ, because that would defeat His will for our life, unless He leads us in that direction. We simply obey His Spirit moment by moment throughout the day. He sprouts the fruit of His Spirit in us, and we share them with all those He leads us to speak to or to visit. We are not saying the words, but He is speaking them through. We are a lifeless glove, and He is the hand that controls our movement.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, once we come to You for salvation, You live in us and love our whole world through us. We follow Your Spirit and You use us to pour out Your forgiveness, love, patience and gentleness on those You bring into our life. Our neighborhood, family, job and acquaintances are our mission field. Remind us that Christianity is a relationship with You, not a religious tradition (Acts 17:25). It is not only about attending a church once a week, but also about surrendering to Your Lordship in our life. As long as our soul is at rest in You, we no longer need to strive to perform religious works (Philippians 1:6). Christ is all and is in all (Colossians 3:11).

Thought for the Day:

Cultural Christians give Christianity a bad name, because they keep one foot in the world; and simply dabble in the faith, rather than immersing themselves in the Living Word.

Our Eternal Destiny

Read: Amos 8:11-12

God "wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." - 1 Timothy 2:4

Did you ever notice that when the economy of a nation is thriving and the people have few unmet needs, they are content and see little desire for a relationship with God? This happened in Amos’s day too. God chose Amos to preach a message to the house of Joseph (Amos 5:6). God was calling His people to return to Him. They had wandered far from His presence and exhibited no appetite for a life of worshipping the Lord. 

God urged people then and he still instructs us now to “…call on the name of the Lord and be saved" (Joel 2:32). He does not want anyone to perish, but for everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). However, most people harden their heart when they hear His voice (Hebrews 3:7-8). They want to retain control of their life and they see no need to trust in a higher power. With all of their efforts, they have no idea just how puny and insignificant their contribution to society really is. They seek pleasure only for the moment and overwork themselves in order to have more than their neighbors.

God's Word is so readily available that most people take it for granted. We are lulled to sleep by Satan’s deception and the world’s lure, as well as the lusts of our flesh, which follows hard after them. Our only hope is to shake off the shroud of complacency, stop taking God’s blessings for granted and start reading His Word with an avid appetite that is never satiated. Hungering and thirsting for righteousness (Matthew 5:6) will lead us to a closer walk with the Lord and an eternal destiny in heaven.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, help us to keep our eyes focused on Your kingdom rather than on the kingdoms of this world. Help us to remember that You are the source of every good and perfect gift; and that by serving You, we are guaranteed a place in your presence both now and forevermore. 

Thought for the Day:

Our eternal destiny is not the result of chance, but of our choices.