Content

What is our measuring stick on what we are contentment?  In Philippians 4:11-13, Paul encourages us to be content in all circumstances-God is our strength.  It is extremely difficult in today's instant information society via the Internet/social media to keep our focus from wandering.  It is very easy to compare our lives with others as we can stay up to date and often with too much detail.  One issue we must consider is where our heart and attitude is when it comes to many facets of daily life.  Are we attempting to please God and focus on His Word.....or perhaps we are more in tune with our Facebook friend's status and what they had for breakfast!  I firmly believe good can be used from technology, but there is much room for improper use as well.......much like it is with about anything in this world. 
Comparing our lives and circumstances we find ourselves with humanity will usually lead us to being unsatisfied, distraught, envy, pride,jealousy, etc. (see Proverbs 14:30).  Comparing our lives and attitudes with our Creator God should humble us and bring us to our knees, asking for His abundant love and mercy.  Only in Christ can we find the peace that passes all understanding and the strength to endure this race........fighting the good fight.  I challenge each one to embrace the Word, pray, meditate and keep looking/searching upward.  God loves us all and extends His love and mercy to keep the faith and experience the assurance of His promises.  Blessings in your pursuit.......TO

Take H.E.A.R.T

I read a recent devotional that is the inspiration for this post.  It used the acronym HEART to place a challenge upon mine-I want to share with you.  We should always take time to examine our heart, mind, soul, attitudes and our lives.  Comparing these life essentials to our God and Him alone, not  to any human as we sometimes feel compelled to react.  Take a look at this H.E.A.R.T and renew your spirit and draw closer to the Source.
H- Humble your heart to the Lord
E- Examine your life experiences and current circumstances, use these to allow God to
       train/mold/equip us to grow
A- Apply your gifts, talents and abilities to a life of service to others and God
R- Read God's Word-The Holy Bible, to show thyself approved.  Putting on the full
       armour can only come from spending time with Him in study and prayer     
T- Trust God's perfect timing and plans for us; Focus on His promises and power; Loosen
       our grip and release through total submission to Him

How is your HEART?......What do you feel called to do for our Lord?..... Matthew 7:7-8 tells us to Ask, Seek and Knock.  I challenge us all to take God out of our box and open our minds and eyes.
Take H.E.A.R.T.  Blessings in your pursuit.......TO

Do'er

Being an obedient follower of Christ (Christian), is an action. James 1:22-25,  "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.  Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.  But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do".  We can hear the word all we want, know the word/law (Pharisee's) --yet not be pleasing to our God.  It's only when we apply/submit our lives by:  seeking the lost, praising God, being the light in a sinful world can we bring glory and honor to our King.  We have all heard the saying 'practice makes perfect'-very apropos to our faith walk.  We must 'be on guard' (Proverbs 4:23) to protect our hearts from being hardened.
I challenge us all, myself included, to put our faith in constant action, making our lives a self sacrifice for Christ.  Focus on the eternal (upward) and do not conform to the desire of earthly treasures.  Are you a "Do'er' today?  Or perhaps stuck on the sidelines or in the stands as a spectator.......simply attempting to 'get by'.  We know what God thinks about being lukewarm.  There is a song by former Newsboy Perer Furler which says- 'I'm alive, I'm on fire and my spirit burns with desire.  You set me alive.....and with no way to hold it inside'.  Are you on fire for God--a Do'er?  Blessings in your pursuit.......TO

Fruitful

There is a passage I recently read that prompted yet another self examination that I want to share.  Ezekiel 47: 1-12--'The River from the Temple'.  Particularly, inquisitive words in verses 9 and12.

(9)- Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. ........so where the river
flows everything will live.
(12)- Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither,
nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear fruit, because the water from the
sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.
                   
This river flowed from the Temple and yielded much fruit/life wherever it was present.  To parallel, I must ask myself, 'what type,if any or how much, fruit yielding substance is flowing from myself (temple)?  Am I the light of Christ,encouraging, kind, serving, compassion, loving, etc. to those where my life flows?  I challenge us all to live the life God calls us to as children of His.....to let godliness and Jesus flow from our temple/lives.........and allow God to yield many souls.  Blessings in your pursuit.......TO

Our 'Judas'

We live in a world filled with anger, polarization, disconnect, revenge, apathy/indifference and injustices.  We will be wronged many times in our lives....and yes, we ourselves will wrong others.  How do we react?  Do we want to get even, right the wrong, show we are better than they?   What was Jesus example?  John 13 shows Jesus attitude towards those that will deny, betray.....sin against Him.  He shows love, kindness, compassion and extends grace......He washed their feet.  God says vengeance is His (Romans 12:19 and Deuteronomy 32:35).  How are you reacting toward the "Judas's" of your life. How can we expect to be forgiven and shown love and mercy, if we do not practice that serving attitude?  We must be able to deny and humble ourselves to forgive when we have been hurt/wronged.......to extend love, kindness and compassion......'to wash feet',  allowing God to judge and make all the wrongs ---right--- in His timing.  Easy?  not in our inherent human emotions, but with God's power available, it is definitely possible....and commanded.  Blessings in your pursuit.......TO

Google Faith?

     We live in an instant gratification society where there is an abundance of knowledge and information at our finger tips.....literally!-- keystrokes to be exact.  Within an instant, we can find out just about anything about everything known to mankind via a search engine of your choice on the Internet.  I'm not complaining, it is cool, convenient and educational.  While this is not necessarily bad, if we are not cautious, we can easily transition this pattern of expectations within our faith.
     Quite frankly, we want/demand the same results from God through our prayers/petitions.....which can affect our attitude, our heart, and the way we live our lives.  We want to know all the "why's" of this earthly life..........and now!  However, God does not need to offer an explanation to us or answer all our prayers the way we would like........He simply asks us to trust.  Yet, do we? It is a challenge, but we must dismiss the need to know all those "why's", instead lean on God's promises/love. We do not need to discern all of life's trials to have that peace that passes all understanding--we need to know the One that is caring/compassionate-that is our Creator and God.  His wisdom is perfect.   Scripture tells us that God's ways are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9).  In this world of instant knowledge, we must use caution not place our trust in the knowledge, but by placing it solely in our Almighty God.  It is human nature to ask God what our heart desires.......He wants us to.  The challenge is to mature in our faith to really believe and live as God knows what is best for us......and when.  It's difficult to not allow the unknowns to consume us, deteriorating our faith/trust in Him alone. 
     Where is your focus today?  Consumed with doubts and frustrations of the "why's", or upward in our Saviour's embracing love for us?  Proverbs 3:5-6, Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;  in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.     Blessings in your pursuit.......TO

Who is GOOD? Drop an "O"

I have lived my life sometimes with a prideful attitude by describing myself  as being a good person.  We all know how God views the proud and haughty!  While it may be true that I have lived a life more comprised of ‘good’ than "bad"-the fact finally hit straight to my heart the more I read the Bible.   NEWSFLASH!!!  I am sinful because I am human flesh-I AM NOT GOOD!-meaning I am not the source of any good things I have done/may do.  Sin is darkness/evil-opposite of God.  Scriptures tell us of the only source of GOOD, and that is our Almighty God.  Hence, who is GOOD-drop an ‘O’ which translates to GOD. God is good!   The more I study, I realize how unworthy I am of God’s goodness, patience, love, forgiveness-yet He freely gives and offers to all-desiring us to choose this obedience way of LIFE .  Good things should flow from those of us claiming to be Christians by God working in us in the form of the Holy Spirit.  We are simply vessels and instruments that God can use for good.  Satan has a knack for making us believe that it is about us-when it simply is not.  In Matthew 19:17 & Mark 10:18, Jesus tells the rich young man that there is only One who is good.  Even Jesus when called ‘Good teacher’, tells this man that no one is good except God alone. God is the source of all that is good. I now try to be more circumspect when I describe myself and/or when tempted to pat myself on the back for something ‘good I have done'!    Blessings in your pursuit…….TO