Keeping Our Attention On God

 As a believer, it is difficult to understand when a loved one is suffering from a debilitating disease. It is even more so when that someone  has spent their lives serving God and others. Why would God allow something supposedly evil such as as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's to happen to His faithful servants? While no person can pretend to know the full mind of God it is quite likely that God allows such a thing to happen to take the focus off the created and put it back on the creator. The Bible is full of examples of God refusing to share credit with His servants. Does this make God selfish? Certainly not! Since God has created everyone and everything He alone is worthy of our attention. If we are allowed, we will place our devotion and affection on God's gifts instead of God Himself. By not allowing us to put our affections or confidence on anyone or anything other than Himself he is keeping us from subtly wandering away from His guidance.

Obedient Children of God

It is the duty of the child to be obedient to the parent. If the child is not obedient, than out of loving concern , the parent must discipline the child. As a child grows, they are often a reflection of the values of their parents. Their beliefs and actions have been shaped by the time spent in close proximity to their parents. So it is with us. If God is truly our Father than we will obey Him. If we do not obey Him we can expect to be disciplined in one form or another. Just as an earthly parent punishes out of concern for the child, your Heavenly Father punishes with a hand of love. Sometimes the punishment takes shape in the form of natural repercussions. For instance, when a parent tells a child not to touch the hot stove, if they do it any way they may end up burning themselves as a natural consequence to their action.. So when God tells us not to lie but we cheat on our taxes, we will most likely end up in jail as a natural consequence to our action. As we continue to spend time in His presence it will be evident to others by our actions and beliefs.

Assisting Others

 
Not too long ago I was stranded at my local gas station after my car failed to start. First I asked a gentleman at the next pump if he would give me a jump start. I even offered to supply the cables. He told me he was in a hurry and couldn't help me. Then I asked the gas station attendant for assistance and again I was refused. There were several people in line who pretended not to notice my predicament and offered no help.
Finally I asked a gentleman that had just pulled into the station to give me a quick jump start and he obliged me immediately before returning to his business. After thanking him profusely, and starting off down the road, it dawned on me how closely that situation resembled the parable Jesus told about the good Samaritan. In that story a Jewish man was robbed and beaten and left for dead. He was continually passed by by those who did not want to get involved including the religious. It was not until a Samaritan, a natural enemy of the Jews, came upon him, that someone stopped and assisted him. Not much has changed in 2000 years. What was human nature back then is human nature still. While the world continues to look out for number one, God is still calling us to treat others the way we would want to be treated. Don't allow the troubles and cares of your life to cause you to pass up the opportunity to be a blessing to someone else.

In God's Way

 As human beings we have to be careful not to allow our wisdom to get in the way of God's. For instance, quite often our experiences and our traditions keep us from embracing anything new. Whether it is our music, dress, or even how we gather together, we often struggle with anything that does not match our idea of how things should be. We must be careful not to embrace or to dismiss some new working before asking God to show us the true nature behind it.  After all "if it is not of God it will come to naught - but if it is of God, than you cannot overthrow it," and worse yet, you would be fighting God Himself.

Limiting Spiritual Junk Food

 Take a good look at yourself in the mirror. What is staring back at you is a direct result of the effort you have put in to it. If you have been disciplined in your eating and exercising, the image you see will reflect that. If you have not been disciplined, the image will also reflect that. Your spiritual life works the same way. If you are disciplined in your spiritual consumption, your life will show it. If not, it will be all too obvious to those around you. That is why it is so important that we limit the things that we listen to or watch that will effect our spirit negatively. A steady (daily) diet of praying, bible reading, and devotional studies will do wonders for your spirit and your relationship with God. Consider secular entertainment and influences to be like junk food for your soul. The more you consume the less healthy you will become. It is not always a matter of right and wrong. It is often a matter of good, better, and best.

A Thought On Prayer

 Have you ever wondered why God wants us to bring our concerns and request to Him in prayer? After all, He is the all knowing creator. If God already knows what we need before we ask Him, then why does He want us to ask Him at all?  While He is infinitely more wise than we can ever be, and is not limited to only a single reason, I believe one of the reasons is because when we receive without asking, often we will end up taking it for granted, but when we ask Him and then receive, we are more likely to give credit where credit is due.

Pleasing God

 In this life there is no escaping the sometimes harsh criticism of others. Perhaps the hardest criticism to handle comes from those who claim  to be on your side. Even Jesus was criticized for acting in a manner that was considered unrighteous to the religious people of His day. He was ridiculed for spending time with and going to places that sinners were. He was accused of breaking the Sabbath because He healed the sick and needy on every day of the week. He was even accused of being a drunkard because he partook of the fruit of the vine (wine). But Jesus understood that it wasn't a popularity contest. He taught that it was more important to please the one "whom can kill your soul" than it is to worry about the one "whom can only kill your body". In other words it is far more important what God thinks of us than what others do. Look to please Him in everything you do or say, even if it brings criticism from others.