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.

God's Daily Gifts

There are times when we fail to see God's hand at work in our lives. This is only because we are not looking carefully enough, not because He is absent. Since God is the giver of all good things in our lives we are provided almost daily with an abundance of evidence of His love and graciousness. Every time you make a wrong decision behind the wheel only to escape harming yourself or others, you have received a gift from God. Every time you go to the store and the perfect parking spot opens up just as you get there, you have received a gift from God. It may take some practice but starting today begin to train yourself to notice the many blessings God gives you per day and thank Him immediately after you recognize them. You will find that God is so much more active in your life than you first realized, and how much He truly loves you.

Selfishness Is The Root Of All Evil

 Often when we go through difficult times in our lives we make promises to God if He will deliver us, only to renege on that promise when He does. Why? Because we are inherently selfish. It is our selfish nature that causes us to commit all kinds of evils. Yet as a society we are constantly encouraging each other to "look out for number one". That has never been the problem. Whenever someone cuts you off on the highway they are "looking out for number one". Whenever someone steals money out of your wallet they are "looking out for number one". Even the worst crimes you can think of are committed by someone who is putting their own wants and desires over those of others. Until we start consistently treating others the way we would want to be treated we will continue to be hurt by someone that is "looking out for number one".

You Are Not A Second Class Christian

Why is it that a person can do all manner of vile things before they are a Christian and are treated with love and acceptance, but if they have a public failure after their conversion they are often treated as outcasts or untouchables? It makes one wonder what we would do nowadays to a King David or an Apostle Peter. Let me tell you friend. You are NOT a second  class Christian. God loves you just as much now as He did before you fell. If you haven't already, ask God for forgiveness. Then go to those you have wronged, ask their forgiveness, and make restitution when possible. Lastly, forgive yourself and move on. True Christianity is a relationship. In any relationship you are going to make mistakes....including big ones. The test of any relationship is whether it can stand in the face of a storm. God is still there for you with open arms.

Being Proper Stewards

 Being a steward is not the same as being a owner. A steward is someone who takes care of that which the true owner has entrusted them with, while the owner is the one to whom it actually belongs.With that being said, all things that we have are truly gifts from God. We do not own them but are entrusted with them for a certain amount of time. This means not only our things such as money, property, or other resources, but also our time, relationships, and even our own bodies. To be proper stewards we must treat our gifts, not as our own, but as the property of God, taking great care to treat them the way He wants us to, realizing that it is His right to take them away just as it was His right to give them to us in the first place.
     

Humble Ourselves Before God and Man

Isn't it amazing how quickly we forget about God when things are going well for us. How quickly we swell up with pride when we begin to buy into the lie that we are doing a great job running our own lives. My fellow pilgrim, the only thing you should ever claim as your own is your disobedience to God. Everything else was given to you by His mighty hand. Your very breath is a gift from Him. When God raised Israel up as a great nation, He had to repeatedly break her when she became full of pride and forgot God and His almighty hand. If we do not make it a daily practice to humble ourselves before God and man than God will be forced to do it for us.