God, Perfect, Protective Parent

Good Morning!! As unthinkable as it may seem, as unnatural as it clearly is, it's possible even for a mother to forget or neglect, her nursing baby. There have been so many shocking accounts in the news lately, of mothers who've hurt or killed, their own infant children, or allowed someone else to,...for selfish reasons. They may become frustrated, or exhausted; or she may simply put herself first, and not consider the needs of her baby's needs.

“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!—Isaiah 49:15 (NIV)

God speaks this unalterable, unmistakable promise: even if our own mothers were to turn against us, or forget us, yet He will never forget us. Although in a fallen and sinful world, parents may neglect or abuse their children, God will always nurture and prosper and provide for His.

Though circumstances may deteriorate, though fathers may disappoint, though friends may forsake,...God will never let us go.

O' Lord, allow us to fall into Your ever-present, compassionate embrace today, and rest in the fact that You will never leave or forsake us. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

"Faith helps us walk fearlessly,
run confidently,
and live victoriously."   

Jesus Is Our Example

Good Morning!! What's the driving motivation of your life? Whose "business" are we usually, and primarily concerned with? Are we mostly working toward our own ends and purposes,...toward the pleasure and admiration of our colleagues,...or toward the fulfillment of our friends' and family's expectations? Jesus determined that His Father's business was His one driving, overruling interest. We might want to excuse ourselves as being too young, or too new to the faith, to make such an all-encompassing, single-minded resolution.

 

And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?”—Luke 2:49 (NKJV)

 

Do you know how old Jesus was when He uttered these words?...He was twelve years old! It's never too soon to give your life to the service of the Lord, to dedicate your time and energy and labors to His glory and pleasure. You can almost hear the urgency in Jesus' Words, even at the age of twelve,...to accomplish this purpose in His own life. We, also, are here for the glory of God. Like Jesus, we must be determine to pursue our Father's purpose for us,...no matter what family members, coworkers or friends might say, or think. 

 

Don't let any personal ambition, or conflicting counsel, get in the way of your great purpose.

 

Holy Spirit, help us to live in perpetual awareness that his Father has a purpose for our being here,...and that we must therefore be constantly about our Father's business. Amen.

 

"Faith helps us walk fearlessly,
run confidently,
and live victoriously."  

Be Encouraged, Get Strong

Good Morning!! If you've ever suffered any great trial, then you'll have some understanding of these empathetic words: no trial feels good at the moment,...or seems to be a good thing, at the time. If you thought the Bible teaches that you are supposed to feel good, under God's chastening hand,...then you can now breathe a sigh of relief. God knows that your pain hurts. He does not,...and you should not, expect it to feel good when affliction comes. However, there is this great encouragement,...although it does not feel good right now, your trial will have a good result, when you have been trained by it. This is an interesting choice of words, because trained; is to teach, as to make fit, qualified, to make prepared as by exercise. And exercise in the Greek is the same root from which we get our English word gymnasium.

 

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.—Hebrews 12:11 (NIV)

 

If you go to any gym and observe it's participants, you will see the same principle on display there, of which the writer is here speaking,...people going through pain and discipline and difficulty in order to obtain a worthwhile goal. Gymnasts go through rigorous training in order to nail their floor exercises; bodybuilders endure repeated strain in order to chisel their muscles. Married, single, old and young women and men alike, put themselves through strenuous workouts in order to keep their hearts healthy, and their bodies fit. Similarly, we are to understand, suffering is sent to build us up, to keep us healthy. 

We become stronger because of the difficulty we have faced.

May our soul-exercise bring us great rewards in our relationship with God. Amen! 

"Faith helps us walk fearlessly,
run confidently,
and live victoriously." 

Get're Done

Good Morning!! We live in rare age of the world, in which slothfulness has become, not only common, but even a goal for many. Young people have become accustomed to doing just enough work to "get by." Older folks look to their retirement, as the end to all their problems. But the solution that Solomon gives us is: go to the ants, you who wish to forsake work, and consider their ways in order to become wise.

Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!—Proverbs 6:6 (NIV)

Ants do not procrastinate,...they do what they can, when they can. In contrast, we often don't do anything,...because we can't do everything at once. The ant labors little-by-little to get each job accomplished, each need met, each provision made. In fact, she is so slow and methodical in her duties, many won't even have the patience to watch and consider her,...as Solomon instructs.

Both success, and failure, come little-by-little.
Like a garden, it just takes a little neglect to grow a lot of trouble.

O' Lord, help us to find that little thing we can you do today, to heal our marriages, help our children, draw closer to You Lord God. Allow us to learn from the ant. Amen.

"The less we trust, the more we fear." 

Working Patience

Good Morning!! One of the greatest weapons the devil uses against us is discouragement. If he, then, can render us dormant and inactive by sending trials our way, then he has effectively silenced our Christian witness. The only solution for the Christian who is facing opposition, tragedy, or uncertainty, is therefore to continue the Christian walk,...obeying their Lord's commands and persevering in the faith of Jesus.

This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus.—Revelation 14:12 (NIV)

Generally, we tend to think of "patience", as being a passive virtue,...the ability to not fret or fume when things are not going our way. However, here we see patience described in terms of action and faithfulness. The mark of sanctified patience, we are told, is keeping the commands of God and holding to the faith of Jesus,...even in the midst of great personal struggle, pain, or discouragement. It's continued and committed action in the face of overwhelming challenges.

Patience, is not merely waiting,...it's also working.

O' Lord, give us the patience we need to serve You,...no matter what. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.

"The less we trust, the more we fear." 

Serving God, By Serving Others

Good Morning!! There's a secret, to genuinely and consistently serving others,...and Peter says; it's humility. As long as we're set upon pleasing our self, fulfilling our self, and seeking self-advancement, we will never be able to genuinely serve others. Be clothed with humility. A wonderful and poignant way of emphasizing the need for a constant covering of our self-seeking human nature. Humility needs to be the attire we choose to walk in, and live in each day. Why not keep living this self-deprecating, self-absorbed way of life? Because the reply is simple and powerful,...God resists proud people,...but He gives grace and help to the humble.

In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble."—1 Peter 5:5 (NIV)

God gives to the humble,...others-oriented saints of God, the forgiveness, strength and supply that they do not deserve,...but so desperately need. On the other hand, those who seek to exalt and help and please themselves should realize that they are literally anti-God! They are choosing sides, and the battle will be; them against God.

Those who lower themselves to serve others, will find that God Himself,...is serving them!

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choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve.... As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. Joshua 24:15/NIV

"The less we trust, the more we fear."