Anyone who listens to my teaching & follows is wise, like a person who builds a house on a solid rock. ( Matt. 7:24 NLT)
My son & I were talking this week about the importance of a strong foundation. This applies to anything in life. Sometimes we try to skip past the foundation part to what we think is the more exciting part. However, if we ignore the foundation, everything else crumbles. We have nothing to help us stand strong when the winds blow & the waters rise. We start that foundation by getting into Gods word, talking with Him daily, & fellowship with other believers. Those of us who are parents, it is also our responsibility to help give our kids that strong foundation as well. If we don't we will find ourselves wondering one day why they have drifted away from God & have fallen into the pitfalls that are out there for our kids. We talk about problems in the world, maybe it's because we have gotten away from the strong Foundation. It's not too late. Go back & rebuild if necessary. Jesus Christ is the solid foundation. Invite Him into your life, ask Him for forgiveness of you're sins,& make Him your foundation. Then allow Him to build the life He has for you on top of that foundation!
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Resist, stand firm, encourage
But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world (1 Peter 5:9 NASB)
Satan will try to wear you down with trials & struggles. Sometimes you get tired of fighting. This verse is encouraging us as we go through those struggles, to stay strong & keep your trust in God. A lot of times when we're going through them we think we have to handle them on our own. God is asking us to trust Him & follow His directions. It's that peace & joy in the midst of the struggle that others can't understand. That's the peace & joy that comes from knowing no matter what is going on around us, God is in control of the storm! Also it is telling us that we are not the only ones going through our circumstances. That's a lie that Satan tells us to isolate us. I think here God is telling us to encourage & uplift each other through our struggles. It's alright to let people know what you're going through & to let them know where your peace & strength come from. Resist Satan, stand firm, & encourage each other!
Satan will try to wear you down with trials & struggles. Sometimes you get tired of fighting. This verse is encouraging us as we go through those struggles, to stay strong & keep your trust in God. A lot of times when we're going through them we think we have to handle them on our own. God is asking us to trust Him & follow His directions. It's that peace & joy in the midst of the struggle that others can't understand. That's the peace & joy that comes from knowing no matter what is going on around us, God is in control of the storm! Also it is telling us that we are not the only ones going through our circumstances. That's a lie that Satan tells us to isolate us. I think here God is telling us to encourage & uplift each other through our struggles. It's alright to let people know what you're going through & to let them know where your peace & strength come from. Resist Satan, stand firm, & encourage each other!
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Stay alert
Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8 NLT)
This verse says we have an enemy & he wants to destroy us. Now while you might be thinking you could list several "enemies", our real enemy is Satan. He absolutely wants to destroy us. He wants to take our peace, our joy, our witness, & most importantly he wants to keep us from a relationship with Christ. Some people think he's not real. He likes it that way. He's a deceiver & that's one of his lies. If he can deceive us, he can beat us. However, God is greater than Satan. If you are a Christian, you have a greater power living in you than the power of Satan. We have the victory. The Holy Spirit is there to lead us & guide us & give us the victory, but we have to remain sensitive to His leading. We must stay in Gods Word, talk with Him daily, & spend time with other believers. We cannot become complacent & let our guard down. So stay alert & remember , God gives US the victory!
This verse says we have an enemy & he wants to destroy us. Now while you might be thinking you could list several "enemies", our real enemy is Satan. He absolutely wants to destroy us. He wants to take our peace, our joy, our witness, & most importantly he wants to keep us from a relationship with Christ. Some people think he's not real. He likes it that way. He's a deceiver & that's one of his lies. If he can deceive us, he can beat us. However, God is greater than Satan. If you are a Christian, you have a greater power living in you than the power of Satan. We have the victory. The Holy Spirit is there to lead us & guide us & give us the victory, but we have to remain sensitive to His leading. We must stay in Gods Word, talk with Him daily, & spend time with other believers. We cannot become complacent & let our guard down. So stay alert & remember , God gives US the victory!
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Leave your worries with me
Casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you (1Peter 5:7 NASB)
Lately, I've talked to a lot of people losing their jobs, dealing with sickness, having relationship problems etc. . I've had my own experiences going on as well. When I've tried to deal with things on my own, I've been frustrated, tired, & defeated. When I take them to God & leave them there & trust Him, it's like a huge weight being taken away. He wants you to bring them to Him. He wants to take your worries & your fears. He loves you that much. He will not leave you, He's just waiting on you to allow Him to take care of them for you. He also didn't say only to give Ho some of your worries. He wants them all. He wants to show you He's working in your life so you can share that with others. Don't hold on to the problems, worries, doubts, & fears. Leave them at His feet. He loves you more than a parent loves their kids. We want our kids to allow us to help & He wants to do the same for us.
Lately, I've talked to a lot of people losing their jobs, dealing with sickness, having relationship problems etc. . I've had my own experiences going on as well. When I've tried to deal with things on my own, I've been frustrated, tired, & defeated. When I take them to God & leave them there & trust Him, it's like a huge weight being taken away. He wants you to bring them to Him. He wants to take your worries & your fears. He loves you that much. He will not leave you, He's just waiting on you to allow Him to take care of them for you. He also didn't say only to give Ho some of your worries. He wants them all. He wants to show you He's working in your life so you can share that with others. Don't hold on to the problems, worries, doubts, & fears. Leave them at His feet. He loves you more than a parent loves their kids. We want our kids to allow us to help & He wants to do the same for us.
Monday, February 4, 2013
Be lifted up
So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, & at the right time He will lift you up in honor. (1 Peter 5:6 NLT)
I'm going to spend the next few days in first Peter. If you remember, Peter earlier in his discipleship could have a pretty healthy ego. He told Jesus that he would not turn away from Jesus even if everyone else did. He also said he would never deny Christ. Sometimes we all can get like that. Things are going smooths & we think we have things a little more under control than some others. But Peter learned & we need to as well, that the way to do great things is to realize WE can do nothing & that it's only through Christ that we can do anything. Peter became so humble that he rejoiced that he was considered worthy to suffer for Christ. It was only after he humbled himself to Gods authority that he was used to do his greatest work for Christ. Keep your focus on God, humble yourself under his power & authority & then He will lift you up. He can do far greater things than we ever can.
I'm going to spend the next few days in first Peter. If you remember, Peter earlier in his discipleship could have a pretty healthy ego. He told Jesus that he would not turn away from Jesus even if everyone else did. He also said he would never deny Christ. Sometimes we all can get like that. Things are going smooths & we think we have things a little more under control than some others. But Peter learned & we need to as well, that the way to do great things is to realize WE can do nothing & that it's only through Christ that we can do anything. Peter became so humble that he rejoiced that he was considered worthy to suffer for Christ. It was only after he humbled himself to Gods authority that he was used to do his greatest work for Christ. Keep your focus on God, humble yourself under his power & authority & then He will lift you up. He can do far greater things than we ever can.
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Go tell
"Go home & tell everything God did in you." So he went back & preached all over town everything Jesus had done in him. (Luke 8:39 Mess.)
How many times when we come home from school or work, do we go inside & begin telling all of our problems for the day? Do we go out & tell people how bad everything is, how the sky is falling, & what bad things are "probably" getting ready to happen? What if we got home & told the ones there about what God had done in our lives that day? What if we went to the ball game, store, our job, etc. & couldn't contain what God was doing in us? If you don't think you have anything to tell anybody about what God is doing, why not? God is moving & He wants to move in you. You have to be available. As Christians, God wants us to be spreading what He's doing in us so that non-Christians can see what God can do. We should be spreading joy, Christs love, & hope. He wants us to not be able to hold in what He's doing in our lives. I am praying for Gods movement like that in my life & yours. I am praying that we won't be able to contain it!
How many times when we come home from school or work, do we go inside & begin telling all of our problems for the day? Do we go out & tell people how bad everything is, how the sky is falling, & what bad things are "probably" getting ready to happen? What if we got home & told the ones there about what God had done in our lives that day? What if we went to the ball game, store, our job, etc. & couldn't contain what God was doing in us? If you don't think you have anything to tell anybody about what God is doing, why not? God is moving & He wants to move in you. You have to be available. As Christians, God wants us to be spreading what He's doing in us so that non-Christians can see what God can do. We should be spreading joy, Christs love, & hope. He wants us to not be able to hold in what He's doing in our lives. I am praying for Gods movement like that in my life & yours. I am praying that we won't be able to contain it!
Saturday, February 2, 2013
He's got your back
Don't be obsessed with getting more material things. Be relaxed with what you have. Since God assured us, "I'll never let you down, never walk off & leave you," we can boldly quote, God is there ready to help; I'm fearless no matter what. Who or what can get to me? (Heb. 13:5&6 MESS.)
If you're like a lot of people today you are worried how ends are going to meet or maybe you need that one more possession to make you happy. God is telling you here not to worry about all of that because He is never going to let us down. He knows our needs & He has them covered. He didn't say He was going to be there if He didn't have anything else going on. But He said He would NEVER let us down. Sometimes we even worry about what man has planned for us. However, even if they are planning things for our harm, God has promised to be there again. If He is ready to help, we don't need to worry. Nothing is too big that God can't handle it. He knows about it before it happened anyway. So when the scary voices & circumstances are going on around you, be bold, trust God, & say this ones yours. Then thank Him for having your back.
If you're like a lot of people today you are worried how ends are going to meet or maybe you need that one more possession to make you happy. God is telling you here not to worry about all of that because He is never going to let us down. He knows our needs & He has them covered. He didn't say He was going to be there if He didn't have anything else going on. But He said He would NEVER let us down. Sometimes we even worry about what man has planned for us. However, even if they are planning things for our harm, God has promised to be there again. If He is ready to help, we don't need to worry. Nothing is too big that God can't handle it. He knows about it before it happened anyway. So when the scary voices & circumstances are going on around you, be bold, trust God, & say this ones yours. Then thank Him for having your back.
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