All tagged life
Today let’s examine the fact that the Word, and promises, of God serve as fuel for our prayers, and our life. I hope that as we study on this truth we will find that it couldn't be more encouraging. As we contemplate this subject I hope we are thrilled by this rather obvious thought, and that our spiritual lives are ignited by it!
Praying for others, and receiving prayers from them as well. In Ephesians 6, Paul is giving us a lesson on how to live our lives. Then, in verse 18 he speaks of prayer, and specifically praying in the spirit for all the saints... for others.
On many Fridays at work someone will ask me what my plans are for the weekend, and more often than not I will respond with "I don't know, I will have to check with my social coordinator." Of course I am referring to my wife, Ann, who keeps my life in order. Well, when I was recovering from Cancer surgery in 2015 she assumed a new role; she became my healthcare coordinator. Speaking of which, if she knew how often I wasn’t in bed during my recovery, when I should have been, I would most certainly have be in trouble!
My devotional reading in “The Power of Prayer” this morning was titled "God Called Men", and it was wonderful. Pastor E. M. Bounds wrote that all things are truly possible through God. Which I believe firmly, and that prayer leads us there. He was profound when he wrote these words:
"If God's people would pray as they ought to pray, the great things that happened in the past would happen again and again." E. M. Bounds
This morning let’s talk about "God's Promises" and how they are personal to each of us. They are true, good, eternal, and should be expectantly called out in our prayers. God stands by his promises always, and His Word is not only unchanging, but His promises are unfailing.
Our lives and troubles in life are as varied between us as the variety of snowflakes during a winter snow, and yet The Lord is able to deal with us all uniquely. In our lives we find that the troubles and trials which any individual faces are as varied as the DNA that sets the pattern for their physical bodies. Yet, despite this incredible diversity The Holy Spirit is able to lead each of us to Jesus Christ, and through Him to God, where He loves us the same, even while interacting with us in a personally unique way.
What is it about The Golden Rule, and God's Law of Love that make them so hard for us to adhere to in certain situations? Perhaps we have forgotten what makes them so precious, or maybe they have faded in our memories. Just in case we might be unfamiliar, confused, or have forgotten what these rules are comprised of let’s revisit them by taking a refresher course this morning (I need one myself from time to time)... love is like all things, we must practice it if we are to keep it fresh in our lives.
Most Christians envision themselves standing on a mountaintop with their arms stretched up towards the sky, and there is nothing wrong with that because it is a Holy place, but when it comes right down to it, we live out our everyday lives in the valleys. We go to the mountain, but we return home to the valley, and yet we spiritually seem to have this idea engrained in us that valleys are bad places to be. Perhaps it is because whenever we think of a valley we recall the 23rd Psalm and its reference to the Valley of the Shadow of Death, but scripture has much more to say about valleys than to tell us that death resides there too. After all, death can only reside where first there is life.
Do you have a plan for your life? Have you set everything before you and determined what pieces of the puzzle go where, and started the process of fitting them perfectly together? If so, there is probably a nice spot for God, another for Jesus, and oh yes, let’s not forget the Holy Spirit, but is that really how our life is formed, and our faith is shaped?
Are you in search of the “things” of your life; you know, the thrill of your life, the job of your life, the experience of your life, and if you are so fortunate, the love of your life? These are all examples of the “things” that we find ourselves seeking. These are the “things” that we believe will make us happy, and if we are honest with ourselves, we all long for these things to some degree, but are we ever truly happy when we think we’ve found them?
The hardest question that any missionary faces isn’t “can I go out and do this?”, but rather “is Jesus able to do this through me?” It all boils down to faith, and it begins with the faith of the missionaries themselves. Going out and reciting scripture can be done by anyone, but believing belongs to the disciple, and what is a missionary if not first a disciple?
How intimate are we with Jesus? Is our relationship close enough, and deep enough, that we don’t keep secrets, and that we can do the grossest of natural things in front of Him without embarrassment? Can we sit under a tree for hours and tell Him our wildest dreams or confide in Him our darkest thoughts? I encourage each of us to not have a lukewarm relationship with Jesus, and to become more than simple acquaintances in our faith by allowing Him to abide in us, as we abide in Him.
Do I spend an inordinate amount of time studying and trying to be like Jesus and too little time just living like Him? Am I wrapped up in searching for some hidden treasure or meaning in His words at the expense of just living out the obvious things He teaches us? Our goal should be to follow Jesus and learn at His feet, but we can't do that unless we are walking with Him and making camp where He makes camp.
We live in a culture that honors self-assuredness and strength in pursuit of fame and fortune over all else, but God, on the other hand, places love and humility above pride and strength. When it comes to strength, He is looking for us to have strength as it relates to our faith and character alone. So, what do we value most as we live out our lives?
On April ninth we concluded that we can, and should, find ourselves crucified with Jesus, so this morning we will ask ourselves another question... are we resurrected with Him as well, and what does that mean in our lives.