Are we praying for God to call us to some great task for the advancement of His kingdom? Do we have a desire to do wonderful things for our Holy Father? Well let’s stop trying to determine how He can best use us and pray instead that God will simply give us the strength to labor in His field in whatever way he desires... and to do so in a way that will win souls and honor Him.
When we first speak to someone about Jesus Christ what do we say? Do we talk to them about how He heals the sick, or casts out demons? No, I dare say that we talk to them first and foremost about how Jesus died to redeem the sins of the world and how He is the hope of salvation that has been provided to each of us. We speak of the good news, the gospel of Christ.
Do we approach others with the gospel of Jesus Christ because we feel they are in need of hearing it, or because Jesus told us to go? Do we spread the word of The Lord because we wish to find a closer walk with Him in the process, or because we are being obedient? These are subtle differences that make a difference.
Are you in a situation that calls for more prayer than you can muster? Do you need the prayers of many, or at least a couple of righteous believers to intercede for you? Is your heart broken, your health waning, or your spirit down? Well maybe it is time to call out for the help of the saints in your church or seek the prayers of someone you trust.
How long will you wait for God’s answer to a prayer before you give up and try to do what you have asked of Him yourself, or abandon that thing altogether? His silence defines our faith; in the quiet stillness we wait, until at last we grope and feel in the darkness for the edges of our belief.
Do we stroll with God, or yearn to dance with Him? How close is our relationship, and how desperately do we seek to remain in His presence? In our desire for salvation and eternal life do we place our physical wants above simply loving Him as our internal nature dictates? If so, do we realize that there may never be a quiet stroll through the garden, a conversation spent speaking without having to utter a word, or hearing Him sing to us? God knows our hearts, but He wants more than this… He wants us to engage with Him as He has created us, to be in an active relationship with Him, and to love Him as our given nature is meant to.
Are we studying and memorizing scripture and thinking that this will make us righteous or give us insight into eternity and salvation through a scholarly understanding God? My friends, only one thing will perfect us in the eyes of God... a loving relationship and obedience. I would rather do one small thing perfectly for Him than a thousand partially while trying to intellectually understand Him.
Where do we hide when we are frightened, and why? Are we afraid of failure, of displeasing God, of our sin, or the everyday pain of living? Why do we feel inclined to seek out a hiding place at all? Perhaps we are fearful by nature and simply shelter ourselves from the difficult things in our lives? But even if we don’t hide we may know people who do; those who attempt to hide themselves from the world and quite possibly from God.
Here are a couple of questions for us to ponder today... do we hear Jesus calling us, and if so, are we prepared to come to Him when He beckons? As disciples we should be listening to His voice and always ready to go to Him... he gives us much more than something to do… He gives us rest.
How big is the passion and sacrifice of Jesus Christ? How complete the grace of God that this represents? Do we find ourselves praying for the individual sins we have committed but neglecting God’s amazing forgiveness of the overarching concept of sin? So, how great is the passion and sacrifice of Jesus Christ? Have we ever stopped to consider the unfathomable depth of what was accomplished for us? Maybe we can get a glimpse of it in a mother’s loving eyes.
So often we think that there is but one way that we are called, and that God has a single process for leading all of us. We somehow get in our minds that there is but one way to serve God too, and that if we don’t fit into the biblical walk exhibited by one of the twelve apostles then we are not correct in our faith. In fact, we are all unique in our relationship with the Lord through Jesus Christ.
Do you feel like a victim of Adam and Eve? Do you view yourself as having been strapped with the responsibility for a sin they committed? Nothing could be further from the truth... in fact, the realization of our own sins is more than enough to deal with. So, what did we receive from Adam that brings us death?
Are we Saints? Are we Holy and assured of heaven after death? If so, that is wonderful, and if not... why not? We are all called to be saints, but what do we do with this, our exalted calling? Is achieving sainthood our ultimate destination where we will find God’s vision for us is finally complete, or is this just the beginning with more yet to come?
How is my prayer life? This is a something that I should ask myself from time to time and it should cause me to adjust my praying according to God’s response as He answers this all-important question. It is more than introspection. When we pose this question it requires that God also weigh in because it is He with whom we are sharing ourselves.
The day after going to the altar and accepting Jesus Christ as our savior, Satan begins to work at us... will our faith withstand his onslaught? Believing is easy when we are on the mountain, but when we go back to the valley we must reach out to the Lord for help. So as a new Christians we should be prepared for this moment. In Mark 9 we read about Jesus healing a boy who had an unclean spirit and in this account we hear the boy’s father plead for Jesus to help them. In doing so this distraught father relates the boy’s condition and then begs using these words. “”.... But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us."” Mark 9:22 ESV