Gift of God

A common misconception is that people can will themselves into their salvation. They say, "when I get myself together, then I'll go to church." The truth is that none of us have the power save ourselves. In Ephesians 2:8-9, Paul declares "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." We are all saved by grace, not by our works or our own will, but by the grace of God. Salvation is a gift, not something that we earn or even deserve; it's our gift from God.

God's Economics

In these challenging financial times, the world tells us the get rich however you can, even if it means being dishonest, cheating, or scheming on anyone who falls for the scheme. God's economics work a little differently. In James 2:5, the apostle declares "God chose those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised to those who love him." Regardless of what the stock market does, to inherit the kingdom, you don't need to be rich in material wealth, only rich in faith and love for God.

God in Me

Every day, it seems, we face a new challenge; for some, it's getting out of bed in the morning, for others, it's the constant struggle to stay hopeful in the midst of adversity. In 1 John 1:4, Paul encourages his readers by saying "You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world." Regardless of the challenge that you face today, if you are a believer, the Holy Spirit that lives in you is greater, more powerful, than any spirit,challenge, or trial that you may face.

Glory in all the Earth

As the weather changes, the fall leaves provide us with a glorious canvas filled with beautiful colors. Even as the seasons change, God reminds us of his presence. In Psalm 72:19, David declares "Praise be to his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory." Those turning leaves and changing weather are just simple reminders that God is truly worthy to be praised; truly the whole earth is filled with his glory, and He alone is worthy to be praised.

Psalms, Hymns, Spiritual Songs

It's funny how those in which we come into contact with can influence our attitudes. If someone is in a great mood, that mood tends to spill over into those around them; the same is true for those with bad attitudes. In Ephesians 5:19-20, Paul encourages his readers to “speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” When people see you today, show them the joy of the Lord with your own joyful noise, by giving thanks to God in every situation.

Teachable Spirit

A teacher's greatest joy is having an enthusiastic student who is teachable. In Psalm 119: 33, David prays " Teach me, O Lord, to follow your decrees; then I will keep them to the end. In verse 37, he continues with "Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word." Just as the teacher, God is delighted when we are hungry for his lesson, his word, and are teachable to learn not only his word, but his will for our lives. Instead of all of the useless things that we give so much time and attention to, God desires to preserve us through his word.

Desire for God's Will

A common prayer that many utter daily is for God to have his way. Rightfully so, as God's will is supreme; He alone knows the ending before the beginning. In Psalm 40:8, David declares " I desire to do your will, O my God;your law is within my heart." We should be more than just willing to let God have his way; like David, we should desire to do God's will. The only way that we recognize God's will is through relationship, meditation, and prayer.

Hurt? Let it Go

The "church hurt" has caused many babes in Christ to leave the faith; sometimes they never return. In Leviticus 19: 18, the Lord himself says " 'Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord. Just as God forgave us, we must forgive one another. Even in the midst of the hurt, don't hold a grudge against them, or hold the entire body of Christ accountable for the actions of one. Let God exact his justice instead of seeking revenge or holding a grudge against them, love them anyway.

Faithful is our God

As we begin a new week, even in these uncertain times, remember that our God is faithful; He never changes. In Deuteronomy 7:9, the Bible declares"the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands." Regardless of the trials that you may face this week, know that our God is faithful; He never changes, He never fails, and He always takes care of his own.

He's a Keeper

We struggle with sin every day; for many of us, it's an hour by hour, minute by minute battle that we fight daily. In Psalm 19:13, David's prayer is "Keep your servant also from willful sins; that they may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, of great transgression." David's prayer applies to us even today; when God keeps us from willful sin, that sin will not have rule over us. The advantage that we have today, that David lacked, is the blood of Christ that covers ALL sin, both willful and intentional.

How Great is our God!

When we think about the awesome power of God, our limited vocabulary is simply insufficient. In 2 Samuel 7: 22, David declares "How great you are, O Sovereign LORD! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears." Regardless of your situation, remember that God is sovereign; he is greater than any situation, any problem, any trial that you may encounter. Instead of complaining about how big your problem is, tell God how great He is.

Transformers

A caterpillar and a butterfly are essentially the same creature, but with a different appearance to withstand a different season. The creature covers itself in a cocoon, and after a period of 10 days to several months, the butterfly emerges. In Romans 12:2, Paul urges his readers "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." As Christians, it is critical for us to burrow ourselves into the cocoon of God's spirit to be transformed into the powerful creation the He intended us to be.

Superman/Superwoman

Sometimes our brothers and sisters in Christ can be well-meaning, but not effective in ministering to others. It's easier to just quote scriptures and walk away instead of helping each other work through our emotions and issues; easier to portray ourselves as "Superman/woman" instead of the vulnerable "Clark Kent" that we really are. In John 11:33, the Bible declares "when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled." Verse 35 says that "Jesus wept." Even Jesus, the greatest man who ever lived, felt emotions and wasn't afraid to show them.

Ever-Present God

At times, when we go through trials and tribulations, it seems as though we are all alone. Our friends and family have grown tired of hearing the same complaint and seem to be disinterested in our trials. In Psalms 46: 1, David declares that " God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. In all that we go through, regardless of how those who are around us feel about our situations, remember that God is always with us

With you Always

Sometimes we need a little reminder that God is always with us. In Isaiah 43: 2, God promises " When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. " Regardless of what we have done, or what we are going through, God promises that He will be us; there is nothing that we cannot get through with the comfort of God's spirit.

Thirsty

The average person can survive for up to 60 days without food, but only about three to five days without water before they die from dehydration. In Psalm 63:1, David declare "O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” Just as the body cannot survive without water, our souls cannot survive without God's spirit.

You Are Not Alone

Sometimes, you experience pain and persecution when you have done nothing wrong. In Matthew 5:12, Jesus encourages his disciples saying "Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." Just as the prophets before you were persecuted, you may suffer the same persecution just because you are serving Christ. Just as Jesus encouraged his disciples, He encourages us as well; you are not suffering the persecution alone.