Baby Steps

Scripture:
John 14:1-10
Hebrews 11:17-20

One scripture passage that comes to mind on faith is Mark 9:24 “Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” In the passage a father comes to Jesus for help.  Jesus tells him that everything is possible for someone who believes.  I have often prayed that God would help me in my lack of faith.  I always admired those with great faith.  You know the faith that can move mountains, and usually does.  I always wished that I could have a faith like that and prayed that God would help me.

After reading my morning devotional today I realized that God has been working on my faith all this time.  It isn’t one big giant leap but a bunch of little steps.  There was a movie several years ago titled What About Bob.  Bob, played by Bill Murray, started the movie with multiphobic psychiatric issues.  His psychiatrist is going on vacation and Bob cannot deal with him being unavailable.  The psychiatrist tells Bob he can do it.  All he has to do is take baby steps.

Our walk in faith is like Bob’s journey in the movie.  We can be men and women of great faith that move mountains.  It all starts with baby steps.

We Will Miss God's Blessings...

Scripture:
1 Samuel 12:19-25
Luke 6:30-38

I remember years ago I had lent my brother money.  After a few weeks I was short and needed a little bit of cash.  I got upset with my brother for not paying me back.  This seemed to be a reoccurring theme not only with me but others.  My grandmother at the time reminded me that I should not expect payment back.  After all she loaned me more money than I did him and I hadn’t paid her back either.  I was humbled and realized my sin.  From that time on whenever I give money out I try to never expect it back.  It isn’t a loan but a gift.  If it returns great if not then God blessed that person through me.  This isn’t necessarily the easiest thing for me to do even today.

It is however, what God expects us to do.  As Luke 6:34 tells us even sinners loan money expecting payment.  Are we not called to a higher standard after all?  I have learned something over the years.  Even when I give money I don’t have to spare, with the right motives, I never lack.  God manages to provide to me even in my short fall.  How much more blessed would I be if I could just bring myself to give a little more.  My blessings are not always returned in financial windfalls.  It is a blessing to know that I made a difference to someone.  That maybe in my giving they might see Christ in a new light.

Giving is not just in money either.  We can give unconditional love; we can give mercy, our prayers, our talents and services.  Giving is not limited to just possessions and money.  Giving is also the giving of ourselves.  God knows our hearts and our motives.  If we tithe or give to others as an investment we miss the point and we will miss God’s blessings…

Pouring Out Blessings

Scripture:
Judges 7:24-8:3
2 Corinthians 9:6-15

As I read my devotional and the scriptures this morning I was reminded all that God has done for my family this past year.  In some respects it has been a tough past twelve months.  In others it has been one blessing after another.  Even now my wife and I have been blessed even in our financial crises.  God put it upon our hearts to help a family in need.  We struggled to prepare a place for a family to live.  The expenses have been higher than we thought.  My wife and I are more than happy to prepare a place and provide for this family. 

 

The stress and strain on both families will be high in the coming months.  As a pastor once said remember who the enemy is and keep your focus on God.  It will be easy to lash out verbally at each other at times.  We need to remember to watch our tongues.  To help us in this we must keep our focus on Christ and His examples in life.

 

As I pondered what God has given us I realize that it is important to pass on His blessings.  I cannot horde them for myself.  They were never meant for me alone.  An illustration that was shared with me is of a cup.  If you pour water into a cup once it is full you cannot receive more water.  First you must empty the cup.  By pouring water into another person’s cup mine will empty.  Once empty I have room to receive more blessings.  My cup will never run out.  God will not turn the faucet off.  One such passing is the sharing of our upstairs.  God will use that for His glory and not only will my family be blessed but others will be as well.

God will always provide.  2 Corinthians 9:8 “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;”

God Provides

Scripture:
Matthew 22:36-38
Luke 12:22-31

How often do we worry about paying bills or buying groceries?  We stress over our houses and clothes.  Are we putting our focus where it needs to be?  Do we instead displace God from His rightful place in our hearts? 

Luke 12-22-31 tells us that God takes care of birds and flowers and that we are much more important to Him than those.  Because He loves us He will provide for our needs.  Parents love their children and want to provide for their needs and give them their wants.  How much more will God do for His children?

 

We need to make sure that our focus is on Him and not things of this world.  If He is our first and foremost love He will provide for us and take care of us.  We may not always see His hand at work but He is at work in our lives.  Let us work together in putting Christ first and keep the things of this world in their proper place.  I have seen God’s hand at work in my life over the years.  There have been times it seemed I was alone.  However, God was with me and caring for me.  He continued to provide and bless me and my family.

 

God is my first and foremost love.  I want all I do to reflect that.  There will be times I fail.  When I do fail I seek His forgiveness and move on.  We all need to put our faith and trust in Him.  He will provide and He will bless us.  In Christ we more wealth than any king ever had…

Who Is Your First Love?

Scripture:
Revelation 2:1-7

As I read the passage I the thought that John wrote them to churches today.  Over the years churches today seemed to have lost their way.  They have lost their first love.  Years ago I started a small computer business.  I had someone to partner with and we were going to make it a ministry unto God.  The problem is we forgot to include God.  Over the few years I was in business I struggled till I finally had to close the doors and get a job.

 

I struggled and fought to do God’s work.  I was only doing it without Him.  I forgot my first love.  Today my goal is to continuously seek my first love.  I want all I do to glorify God.  I pray He gets all credit and glory.  Everything I can do is because of Him.  All I have is because He gave it.  I still struggle in life but I now have the strongest life line of all, Jesus Christ.

There are churches today that need to seek their first love.  They need to return to God as their focus giving Him all credit.  If churches seek the Holy Spirit first and foremost everything else will fall into place.  That is not only true for churches but also for us individually as well…

What Is Your Passion?

Scripture:

Psalm 119:105-112

1 Peter 1:1-9

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Most of us have heard the saying when it rains it pours.  Another saying is it always happens in threes.  My wife and I seem to always look for the threes.  Sure enough when one thing breaks or something happens two more seem to follow.  As we get bombarded we often ask Why God.  Why did this happen to me, or we ask Why did you let this happen.  People also tend to blame God for the bad stuff in their lives. 

God doesn't cause the bad things in our lives.  He will allow them to occur.  God will allow things to happen to either test our faith.  Sometimes He might allow them to happen to prepare us for the future.  Other times it may be that through it all God may be glorified.  1 Peter 1:6-7: "In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.  These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed."

We know God is with us when we face difficulties.  We also know we will face hardships.  So how then do we hold fast through it all?  The simple answer is that we need to dig into God's word.  Then we will be better prepared.  Digging into God's word will help us understand Him better and to better understand His will.  We can also learn from the mistakes of those that came before us.  I see only the benefits in reading the Bible, I can't think of one negative aspect.

If you are like me you might say I don't have time to read the Bible.  Something I learned long ago is that it isn't a matter of time but a matter of interest and priority.  Someone who is into motorcycles has all the time to read about them, fix them, and ride them.  A motorcycle rider will find the opportunity to ride their bike. Someone into horses will have all sorts of things related to horses.  They will talk constantly about them and make time to ride or care for their horse.

As a Christian we need to find that same passion for Christ.  All it takes is an open heart, mind, and a small start.  A while back my wife and I struggled with tithing our income.  At first it hurt and we found it difficult to give it.  As we gave God was faithful.  The more faithful we became the more he poured out on us.  Now I find I don't even think about tithing, even when it looks as if we will not have enough funds for the week.  All we have to do is start reading the Bible, even if it is just a few verses or a chapter.  Before you know it you will find a hunger or thirst to read more.  Then the more we read the better prepared we will be for the next round of problems in our lives...

They Will Know We Are Christians...

Scripture:

Proverbs 16:20-30
John 14:15-24

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They will know we are Christians by the way we walk...  Can people really see Christ in me?  John 14:23 tells us that if we love Jesus then we will follow His commands.  Too often we think of love as being just an emotional feeling.  To truly love someone is to go beyond emotions.  Our emotions often times will be the beginning of a relationship.  However, if the relationship is to succeed and grow you have to move beyond the emotions.  

I can say I love my wife all day long.  If my actions and words are hurtful I am not showing her my love.  Do I then really love her.  Instead if I truly love my wife I will strive to build her up and lift her above all else.  If I truly love my wife I will honor her.  My actions will show my love.  The words I speak will positive and encouraging.  Jesus tells us that if we love Him we will obey His commands.  If we truly love Christ then our actions and our words will show that love.  Love is not an emotion but an act of our will.  They will know we are Christians by the way we walk...

Anger or Wisdom?

Scripture:

Psalm 37:8-11

Proverb 4:5-10

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Someone this morning mentioned that the tallest race in the world are the Dutch.  Somehow we managed to talk about people being tall, or short.  During the conversation I thought about those little Italians and their tempers.  Another people known for having a good temper are the Irish.  Today we are so busy and going so much we have no time to decompress.  There is no down time.  God created the heavens and the earth in six days.  On the seventh day He rested.  Genesis 2:2-3 "By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done." (NIV)  God also told us to keep the Sabbath day.  Exodus 20:8 "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. ⁹Six days you shall labor and do all your work,"

Another topic this morning were hours worked.  A gentleman who works at the Kia plant in LaGrange stated there are guys who work till ten or eleven o'clock almost every night.  He usually works twelve or more hours in a day himself.  We go and go and go without stopping to rest.  It is no wonder people are always tired and not healthy.  Tempers fall short and people get angry over little things.  

I know when I am tired I tend to get angry easier.  My temper can tend to get the best of me when I do not get enough rest.  God tells us though not to let anger control us. In Psalm 37 we are told to refrain from anger and to turn away from wrath.  Those things will lead us to evil.  

Instead let us seek wisdom.  Proverbs 34:13-14 "Eat honey, my son, for it is good; honey from the comb is sweet to your taste. Know also that wisdom is like honey for you: If you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off."  In wisdom we can find abundant life we will find blessings from God. Proverbs 3:13 "Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding," Psalm 111:10 " The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;..."

It is my prayer that God will grant me wisdom.  I pray that we can all seek wisdom together and let our anger fall by the way side..

Nothing Is Too Big...

Scripture:

Deuteronomy 8
Jeremiah 32:17

I frantically struggled through this morning to work everything that I needed to out.  I look at what time I have left to finish a few projects and think I cannot get it done.  People didn't come through as expected.  Other things are not working out the way they are planned.  I see issues that I cannot fix, finish or resolve.

Today's scriptures remind me of two things.  First thing I must keep my focus on God.  Look at what happened to the Israelites.  Before going into the promised land they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years.  In later years they forgotten who God is and were sent into exile.  Deuteronomy 8:19-20 "If you ever forget the LORD your God and follow other gods and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed. Like the nations the LORD destroyed before you, so you will be destroyed for not obeying the LORD your God."  I do not want to lose my way and in all the hustle and bustle that can happen very easily.  If not careful we can all slip and lose our way.  Before we know it we wonder where God is.  We fail to see that by losing focus on God we lose our way.

The second thing is noting is too difficult for God.  God can do anything and in or through Christ I can do anything.  God created the heavens and the earth.  He made things that are so big it is almost incomprehensible.  He also made things so tiny we cannot see them even with the most powerful microscopes.  By keeping my focus on God through my turmoil and through my tasks I will be able to complete what needs to be done.  If God puts it on us to do He will provide a means to complete the task.  All we have to do is rely on Him and keep our focus on Him.  After all what we do should be about Him.  All that we do should be to glorify Him.  So what ever I accomplish or whatever I am able to do is not really me but Christ in me.  Jesus not me should be given all credit.  I cannot organize one thought from my devotionals to share without insight and guidance from Christ.  I pray that my words are His.  That He be given honor and glory in all I do.

Remember no matter what you face nothing is too big for God...

The Least Of These...

Scripture:

John 6:4-14

Ephesians 1:11

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God is amazing.  He is our everything.  Without Him I know I am nothing.  My wife and I recently watched the movie Prince of Persia, released in 2010.  An orphaned boy became adopted by the king.  The boy was given an inheritance that he did not deserve or have a birth right to.  I think of this and realize we too have been given an inheritance that we do not deserve or have a birth right to.  Ephesians 1:11 "also we ^(A)have obtained an inheritance, having been ^(B)predestined^(C)according to His purpose who works all things ^(D)after the counsel of His will," says it best. 

Last night I went to a class at our church.  During this class I kept thinking I am  not worthy or good enough to be a leader in this or any church.  I feel that I have nothing to offer.  In my life today I feel things crashing around me.  Nancy would say I have too much going on, and I believe she is right.  I have so little to offer and give.  I feel stretched too thin.  The trouble is that I am relying on my resources and not God's.  After all He has taken two fish and five loaves of bread and He fed over five thousand people.  In Judges God used a man who felt unworthy and the lowest of the low.  Gideon did not feel he was worthy or capable to the task God had set before him.  God saw someone of worth and value.    Judges 6:12 "When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, “The LORD is with you, mighty warrior.”  Also in 1 Samuel chapter 16 Samuel anointed David the youngest and least of his brothers to be the next king of Israel.

God made the stars and the heavens by just speaking. Genesis 1:3 "And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light."  If we allow Him to work in our lives and give Him control we can move mountains.  He can take the least of these and turn them into men and women that will reshape the world.

Running The Race

Scripture:

Daniel 1:1-8

2 Timothy 4:1-8

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When I was in high school I ran cross country my freshman year.  When the season began I wasn't very fast or could keep a good pace for long.  Through many days of practice and pushing myself I improved.  By the end of the season I was in the top seven runners on the team.  Why was I able to improve so much?  I prepared myself daily through diligence and hard work continuously striving to excel.  

Paul at the end of his life stated he had fought the good fight.  Why was he able to do so?  He strove to be Christ like in all he did.  He prepared himself daily and did God's work every day.  Daniel was able to stand firm in his faith because he kept himself right with God.  He walked daily with God and strove to be righteous in God's eyes not man's.

At the end of the season will we have prepared ourselves daily?  Will we be able to run the race and win? Are our lives living examples of Christ?  Are we choosing God's will and ways over the world's?  Through training hard and perseverance I improved throughout the season.  By following God's will or commands when it is easy we will be better prepared to do so when it is hard.  Through our perseverance we will grow stronger in our faith and be able to walk closer to God. Then in the end we too will be able to say I fought the good fight...