Have you ever stopped to consider that not every misfortune that you face in life is put upon you by Satan? Some are just natural occurrences of living, through which we exercise the lessons of faith we have been taught, but others are the correction of the Father as he chastises us.
Does God speak to you every day? If your answer is no, are you certain of that? It is my experience that God seldom shouts at us; His voice is gentle and requires a certain stillness of spirit if we are to converse with Him. Still yourself and listen.
Two individuals enter into a wedding ceremony, but one flesh emerges from a life together. This is a beautiful mystery, and it is fraught with hardship and challenge. Are we ready for the flame that purifies a marriage? Are we prepared to endure the fire and become one ash in the palm of God?
Are you ready to step forward in faith into a new role of servitude? Our inclination is to go only so far and then fall dutifully in behind our spiritual mentors, allowing them to lead us from there. However, God would have use step through that moment and cross into a larger life with Him. This is an inevitable event.
Are you suffering in or through something that God has called you to do? If so, how are you approaching your hardship? Does it cause you to question His presence in what you are doing, or are you experiencing pride in your suffering? Neither of these is a proper way to deal with your suffering because it makes His calling about yourself. Only a humble trust in God is the proper response.
What do we do when our memories fail us? Are there repercussions to forgetting? What are the certain things that Jesus asked us to remember? Are there particular things that God asks to be remember as well? Does He ever forget? Should we?
When do we rejoice and when do we mourn? Is there really a spiritual separation or difference? Are we meant to give God the glory for the good times and ignore or blame Him for the bad or painful ones?
Living our lives with Jesus is more than attaching a series of disjointed moments that have been separated by periods of time in which He is absent into something we call faith. God is never here and then gone, but with us always and in all things. Our Lord Jesus doesn't abandon us to our own devices only to return once we have screwed things up... He is with us always.
When should we pray? Do we even know what to pray for? These sound like easy questions to answer and indeed one of them is... do you know which one? If I asked you to kneel with me right now, how would you begin?
Is what God is doing , or not doing, in your life a frustrating mystery? Do you pray for a certain thing over and over again, but it doesn't seem to be heard? How about the troubles in your life; does God's plan for you regarding them stump you? Well don't feel alone, but let's explore this.
Is your relationship with God all you have of value in your life? Have you given up self to Him, or do you think you are a bargain for God at any price? The least thought that we might be of value, of service, to the Father removes us from His hand.
Has God called you to Himself, or is He calling you this morning? By virtue of the fact that you have chosen to read this devotional lesson I would say He has. Maybe you thought you were choosing Him, but in fact He has chosen you. Does this thought surprise you, or even frighten you?
Are you experiencing hardship in your life right now? Is there a problem at work, a health issue, the loss of a loved one? There are so many issues that plague us in life, and being a Christian doesn't exempt us from them... but it does help us through them.
Does Jesus preach in your city? God often tells us to do a certain thing; to reach out to someone, or to establish a church in some place, but once we experience the power of that happening, we are inclined to remain there in that moment or place. How often do we get in God's way once the job is done? How often does Jesus come to take the pulpit only to find us there?
Am I steadfast in my faith? Am I allowing God to work in me that I might be perfected and brought to completion? These are my thoughts for this morning and I invite you to join me in them.