Move On Your Goal

Good Morning!! As a truly human child, Jesus' mental and emotional faculties were limited,...but as His body and mind matured, so did his capacity for knowledge and emotion and fellowship. And each step of physical maturity brought with it increased spiritual maturity. As His capacity grew, so did His relationship with God. Notice in today's scripture, the fact that He increased,...He was continually growing.

And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.—Luke 2:52 (NIV)

It is almost always the opposite with us,...children are usually rather innocent and trusting and affectionate. But as we grow up, each additional experience, and phase of physical growth, leads to less innocence,...less purity, less trust. Too often we tend to plateau in our walk with God. We reach a certain point in our faith and we stop growing, stop studying, stop seeking a deeper relationship with God. Many of us allow whole years to go by in which we stagnate spiritually,...but the course of our Savior's life for these eighteen years was one of continual growth.

 

Stay on point, stay focused,...know and keep your goals before you,

...and remember that God has set you for a higher purpose.

 

My prayer today is that; you never stop increasing in the love you have for God, and the pleasure you bring to Him.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

 

"We don't have to work to come up with a word from God; we simply have to trust the Word He has already given us."

What Do We Do, With The Word

Good Morning!! Sometimes we hear the Word, and think we understand,...but we're unable to put it to practice, or make it last. In Luke 8, Jesus relates the parable of the sower. A man goes out to sow seed on his land. The seed falls on different kinds of ground and so varies in its success. Interestingly, the seed that falls on stony ground at first springs up and looks productive. However, because it has no real root structure, it withers in the heat of the day. Jesus, in interpreting the parable for his disciples, observes that the seed stands for the Word of God and the various grounds represent the different ones who hear the Word.

Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away.—Luke 8:13 (NIV) 

The stony-ground audience, Jesus says, receives the Word initially with joy, but then melts in the moment of trial or temptation,...man, if that doesn't sound like so many people I know. In other words, they fall away when real life hits them. So, how do you receive God's Word? Is it just an encouraging story, or a facade you put on for others? Or do you receive it deeply, nourishingly into your soul, and let it guide your every decision, emotion, and action?...Because that should be our goal.

Know this; enjoying the message, is not the same thing,...as obeying the message.

 

Dear Lord, You sent Your Son so that we might have abundant life and eternal life.

Thank You, Father, for our Savior, Christ Jesus.

We will follow Him, honor Him, and obey His teachings, this day and every day.

Amen.

 

"We don't have to work to come up with a word from God; we simply have to trust the Word He has already given us."

Strength and Encouragemen, Through the Lord

Good Morning!! Sometimes counsel is well-meant,...but not too helpful. You have perhaps had someone at one time or another seek to comfort or encourage you, in the midst of a personal trial,...by slapping you on the back, and telling you to "be strong." If you could just make yourself "be strong", then you wouldn't need encouragement to begin with. But Paul is here providing much more than a simple pat on the back, and optimistic slogan. He is reminding us of exactly where all true and lasting strength comes. He is saying to us, "Turn your eyes away from your problems,...and place them on the Almighty."

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.—Ephesians 6:10 (NIV)

Perhaps you do not have the strength to tackle the many challenges that are facing you now,...but God does. Stop relying on your own solutions, your own efforts, your own wisdom,...instead, look to the wisdom of God's Word, and the strength of God's Spirit, to energize and direct your daily life. Confess your weakness and your helplessness to Him, and throw your burdens on Him.

God can give you the strength to go through any issues, and the ability to overcome them.

Only God can give you the power you need in order to successfully battle with sin, with sickness, with selfishness, and with Satan.

"Genuine love is not just a feeling,...it's a decision to endure, even if others don't understand why."