Love Letters

 

Our life is God’s love letter to the world. He uses us to communicate to our friends, relatives, associates and neighbors that He cares about them (2 Corinthians 3:3).

If we do not take the time to reach out to these significant people in our life, we deprive them of the love of God through us.

We may even shut up the Kingdom of Heaven to them and their blood will be on our hands (Ezekiel 3:18-20). It is important that we at least plant a seed of God's love in everyone we meet.

It is easy to do this. We can give them our church bulletin and invite them to join us the next week. Offering them a ride to the grocery store or to church is another easy way.

We can hand them a tract with spiritual truth that they may otherwise never know. Starting a spiritual book club or Bible study in our neighborhood is another great way to reach out.

There are retired women and men in our church who would gladly teach such a study if we ask them; or there are great study guides in the Christian bookstore to use as a text.

We can bake a cake for a bereaved family, give a homemade card to a sick neighbor, or baby sit for a young couple to have a date night.

The possibilities are endless, if we listen to God's Spirit and follow His directives. God equips us to walk in His will through Christ in us (Hebrews 13:20).

With Christ living within us, we experience rest for our soul (Matthew 11:29). We stop striving to perform for God, because Christ works through us (Psalm 46:10; Matthew 6:28-33).

This eternal rest is only available if we take our focus in life off the temporal aspects of our existence and place it squarely on eternal matters instead (2 Corinthians 4:18).

Prayer:

Father God, You gave us Your eternal life, which no one can take from us (John 10:28). We are joined to You, and we are beneficiaries of Your divine nature (1 Corinthians 6:17; 2 Peter 1:4). We have constant fellowship with You, the Son and the Spirit (1 John 1:3, 9; Phil 2:1).

You placed us in Christ Jesus and we are seated in heavenly places in Him (1 Corinthians 1:30; Ephesians 2:6). You provide every spiritual blessing for us in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). Help us to share Your love with those You put into our life. We want to give You all the honor and glory for everything we think, say and do each moment of the day.

Thought for the Day:

The love and integrity of the testimony of our life for God may be the difference in someone believing in or rejecting Jesus as their Savior.

Are You a Child of God?

 

Many people believe that everyone is a child of God. However, the Bible tells us just the opposite. We are born in Adam’s sin and our spirit is dead. We are children of the devil. If we live a sinful lifestyle, we are not born of God; and, therefore, we are not children of God (1 John 3:8-10). Children think and act as their father thinks and acts. Who are you emulating with your thoughts and behavior? You say that you are a good person, but this concept goes deeper.

Do you live for the pleasures of the day or are you focused on eternal matters? Do you spend your time and money pursuing the world or investing in God’s glory? Are you led by your fleshly, carnal desires or for the furtherance of the Kingdom of God? I do not mean that you have no times of fun to lighten your soul, but what type of fun do you partake in? Is it in decadence and sin or in enjoying God’s creation and wholesome fun?

Do you give God an hour of your time a week, or do you seek Him in all of your ways (Proverbs 3:5-6)? Are your thoughts and actions in harmony or in perpetual discord with God’s intentions (Revelations 15:3; Isaiah 35:8; Ephesians 2:10)? Are you continually dissatisfied, or do you find Your joy in the Lord (Isaiah 61:10-11)? When God is calling us to Himself, He allows trials to drive us to the cross. He wants us to realize the futility of our rebellion.

God may allow sickness in our life when we strive for health, opposition when we desire harmony or debt when we want financial stability, etc. He does not do this out of a perverse sense of humor or to harm us in any way (Jeremiah 29:11); but to wake us up to our powerlessness to control our life, and to see that His infinite ways are higher and better than our finite human ways (Isaiah 55:9). He wants us to realize the truth that only in Him do we find ultimate safety and provision (Psalm 34:7, 91:1-11).

Prayer:

Father God, even if we conquer the world in our lifetime, we still must face eternity alone. Help us to realize that only in You do we find complete peace and fulfillment (Hebrews 13:5; Psalm 86:13, 138:8). Show us that walking with You requires union with You in body and soul, as well as in spirit. We must be Born Again (John 3:1-7). We find no ultimate peace in this life, unless we trust in You alone (Psalm 31).

Thought for the Day:

Even in times of insecurity and stress, we remain calm and assured in the arms of God. - Psalm 31:21

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christ, Who is Our Life

When Christ, who is our life (Colossians 3:4), comes to dwell within us, He wants to live life for us and through us. It is through our relationship with Christ that He empowers us to live the Christian life, even though we are now strangers and pilgrims on this earth (1 Peter 2:11). Every choice we make comes as the result of prayer and the leading of God’s Holy Spirit (Colossians 3:1; Galatians 5:16,25). We yield to the Spirit’s direction throughout the day as we submit to Him, and He transforms us and renews our mind (Ephesians 4:30; Romans 12:1-2; 2 Corinthians 3:18).

The reality of our union with Christ is that we are already dead to the bondage of worldly influence, to the lure of sinful pleasures and to the lofty ambitions of our old life. In our growth in Christ, we acknowledge that we are indeed crucified with Christ, we are dead and our new resurrection life is hidden with Christ in God. God replaces our old nature with His new life. We are raised with Christ and we set our mind on the eternal aspects of life. We feast on His Word until it dwells in us richly.

Our citizenship is in Heaven (Philippians 3:20). We have no meaningful life apart from Christ. We adopt His purpose to seek and to save the lost; His perspective of doing the Father’s will; and His practice of prayer, humility and obedience (Luke 5:16, 19:10; Philippians 2:5-8; Hebrews 5:8). We live by the faith of the Son of God through every new adventure He devises for us (Galatians 2:20). Even in secular employment and activities, we do all in the name of Jesus (1 Corinthians 10:31).

As we seek first His Kingdom, He provides us with everything we need to fulfill His purpose with our life (Matthew 6:33). Christ in us is greater than Satan and all of his demons (1 John 4:4). We have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16), and we take our carnal thoughts captive and make them obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). We receive the mind of Christ and understand the things of God by His Spirit, having discernment in every area of life (1 Corinthians 2:5-15). We do not have to strive and strain to die daily. We simply fully embrace the truth that Christ lives in us and wants to live through us.

We are raised with Christ in newness of life and we will appear with Christ in glory at the end of this age (Romans 6:4,8, 10). These facts have practical relevance to our walk in Christ each day on this earth. They give us hope, faith and the power to walk in the Spirit. We minister to one anther and to the world around us (Galatians 2:20; Colossians 3:1-16; Ephesians 2:5-6).  We set our affection on eternal matters and we do not worry about or stress over the issues in this life.

As a fully human person, we often feel like we are fighting life, the world and Satan all alone. But if we remember that we are also fully Divine, because Christ lives in us with all the power of the triune God, then we can step aside and allow Jesus to deal with the situation that is troubling us. He will direct our preparation and then teach the class, preach the sermon, write the article, witness to our lost co-worker, deal with that rude person, supervise in the workplace, take our tests, clean the house, care for the children and overcome any situation in our life (Colossians 3:17).

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, seeking You is the passion of our life. We desire above everything else to walk in Your ways and to be an expression of You in the earth (1 John 3:1-3, 9). Our life is hidden in You in the same way that a seed is hidden in the earth. We too will bear much fruit as we live life totally empty of our self and in surrender to Your Lordship within us. We are transformed by renewing our mind, rather than by allowing the world to conform us into its mold. Then, we will be able to test and discern what our Father’s good, pleasing and perfect will is for us each moment of every day (Romans 12:2).

Thought for the Day:

Our life is an extension of and inseparable from the Lord Jesus Christ.
- John 15:5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Intimate Bond

Read: Psalm 63:1-8

“Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.” – Psalm 62:5 

Who holds the place in your heart as your closest friend? What words do you share, dreams do you imagine together and what joint focus do you both maintain in your lives? How intimate are you? What news or emotions do you withhold from this person in spite of your close relationship? Do you ever tell him/her a little white lie to protect your image in their eyes? Do you have more fears than fulfillment in this relationship?

Our relationship with Christ, who lives within us, has the potential to be more intimate than any human bond can ever hope to fulfill. Christ knew you before your conception (Psalm 139:13). In fact, He knew you before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4)! What human being knows you that well? Who could ever grant the desires of your heart as intimately and completely as Christ can (Psalm 37:4)?

This intimate relationship with Christ is only a prayer away. Simply admit that you are a sinner, turn away from these sins, thank Jesus Christ for saving you from the everlasting punishment, which you deserve because of your sins; and then ask Him to come and dwell in you by breathing His life into your spirit, which is currently dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1).

Walking in the presence of the Lord and being led by His Holy Spirit is without a doubt the most fulfilling experience available in this earthly realm. This union cannot be compared to any earthly relationship. The peace, joy and security that God provides is second to none. Many secular organizations attest to the healing and freedom obtained by turning over control of our lives to our Higher Power.

Therefore, once you accept Christ’s atonement for your sins, He raises you from eternal death. You can now set your heart on eternal matters rather than on earthly, carnal concerns. You are now dead to the old nature and are born again into Christ’s life with God (Colossians 3:1-3).

How fulfilling is a relationship where more than half of the decisions, which are made, are all one-sided? How close can you feel to someone who insists on always having his or her own way all of the time? How often do you have to put aside your needs and desires in order to keep the peace in a relationship or in order to insure that you do not lose someone’s love in your life? This is no way to live, right?

Well, we are guilty of treating our relationship with Christ in this same manner. How much time do you devote to your relationship with Him? Do you insist on having your own way? Do you ignore His mandates and live life as you see fit? Have you created a designer God, one that is the figment of your own imagination and fits your carnal philosophy of life?

It is time to completely surrender your life to the Lordship of the true Lord Jesus Christ. Submit yourself to God and live according to His plan and purpose for your life. In His presence is the only place on earth where you will ever find fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11).

How often do those closest to us on earth let us down? Christ never will! Hebrews 13:5 in the Amplified Bible reads, “For God Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. I will not, I will not, I will not in any degree leave you helpless, nor forsake nor let you down, nor relax My hold on you! Assuredly not!” This verse brings us great comfort.

Intimacy with God is more fulfilling than any relationship on earth. You can share your deepest thoughts with Him and divulge your most dreadful concerns to Him without fear of ridicule or rejection. He cares deeply for all that you are, all that you do and all that you hope to become. He is a friend who sticks closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24).

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank You for the intimacy You give each one of us who will take the time and make the effort to seek Your face moment by moment throughout the day. Help us to walk in Your Spirit and to do that which You give us to do. Shower us with your peace and joy as we face life’s trials and remind us to always put our trust in You.

Thought for the Day:

You are, at this moment in time, as intimate with God as you choose to be.

Changing Your Focus

Read: Luke 12:29-34

“He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure.”  – Isaiah 42:6

I want to tell you a secret!  It will change your life because it will help you to … Change Your Focus. I used to be a very negative, melancholy person, drowning in the depressing circumstances of my life. The intense dread I felt over the situations I encountered kept me living in a constant state of anxiety and tension. I lived most of my time with my stomach in knots, taking very shallow breaths. The situations deepened so much at times, that I felt like I would burst if I held my breath a minute longer! Does this sound familiar? Let me tell you how God changed this aspect of my life.

The Bible reminded me that Jesus taught us by example how to relate to our circumstances. He had the most horrifying of all experiences, when He faced the scourging and the cross of Calvary. As I prayed about my fears and anxieties over life, I realized that so far my circumstances had not yet killed me! Therefore, hope must be hidden in my circumstances somewhere! I wanted to learn from Jesus’ example, so I turned to the Bible.

Jesus, when He entered his time of prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, focused on the upcoming pain of the cross and He began to sweat blood, as well as water. But then, He changed His focus from the pain of the cross to the joy that awaited Him back in Heaven. This is how He was able to endure the horrifying circumstances of the cross. He changed His focus! 

Paul learned this lesson also. Look at Hebrews 12:2… “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and then sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”  Paul suggests that we look to Jesus and follow His example.

Jesus kept His focus on eternal matters, and the earthly matters faded into the distance. He was able to endure the circumstances of a brutal beating and crucifixion by picturing His relationship with His Father. We too must take our eyes off our circumstances and put them on the joy that Jesus provides in the midst of those situations.

Here are some practical ways to apply this knowledge. As you go through life, pay close attention to your body, your thoughts, and your feelings. What kinds of thoughts preoccupy your mind? Have you taken the time to identify them? Feelings such as worry, anxiety, discontentment, and anger are the result of your soul ~ your mind, will and emotions ~ trying to communicate with you. Ask God to show you what is causing those feelings. Do you need to forgive someone? Do you need to apologize? Are you feeling guilty over some past event? Can you do anything about it? Are you concerned about the future? What are you worried about specifically?

The Serenity Prayer gives us a guideline here. Pray that God will give you the wisdom to know what situations you can change, and which you must leave in His hands. Ask Him for the strength to deal with the issues that He reveals are your responsibility and to turn the rest over to Him with an attitude of acceptance about them. You cannot change them, so praise God for them, in them, and through them. By doing this, you can walk in serenity.

What is it in your life that is causing you a problem?  Ask God to help you change the situation. If He does not show you how to change your circumstances, then ask Him to help you to change your focus about the dilemma, so that you can accept it as His will for you at this time.

Prayer:

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time; Enjoying one moment at a time; Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will; That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him Forever in the next. Amen. --Reinhold Niebuhr

Thought for the Day:

I guarantee that changing your focus from an earthly perspective to an eternal one will bring you joy unspeakable that is full of God's glory!