And let us be concerned about one another in order to promote love and good works. - Hebrews 10:24 HCSB Your loved ones need a regular supply of encouraging words and pats on the back. And you need the rewards that God gives to enthusiastic people who are a continual source of encouragement to their families.
The 118th Psalm reminds us, "This is the day which the Lord hat made; we will rejoice and be glad in it" (v 24 KJV). As we rejoice in this day that the Lord has given us, let us remember that an important part of today's celebration is the time we spend celebrating others. Each day provides countless opportunities to encourage others and to praise their good works. When we do, we not only spread seeds of joy and happiness, we also follow the commandments of God's Holy Word. Today, look for the good in others - starting with your loved ones. And then, celebrate the good that you find. When you do, you'll be a powerful force of encouragement in your corner of the world ... and a worthy servant to your God.
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The one who lives with integrity lives securely, but whoever perverts his ways will be found out. - Proverbs 10:9 HCSB It has been said on many occasions and in many ways that honesty is the best policy. For believers, it is far more important to note that honesty is God's policy. And if we are to be servants worthy of Jesus Christ, we must be honest and forthright in our communications with others. Sometimes, honesty is difficult; sometimes, honesty is painful; sometimes, honesty is inconvenient; but always, honesty is God's commandment.
In the Book of Proverbs, we read, "The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in men who are truthful" (12:22 NIV). Clearly, we must strive to be people whose words are pleasing to our Creator. Truth is God's way, and it must be our way, too, even when telling the truth is difficult. As Christians, we must do no less. [Because of] the Lord's faithful love we do not perish, for His mercies never end. - Lamentations 3:22 HCSB Every day of your life - indeed, every moment of your life - you are embraced by God. He is always with you, and His love for you is deeper and more profound than you can imagine. And now, precisely because you are a wondrous creation treasured by God, a question presents itself: What will you do in response to God's love? Will you ignore it or return it? Will you return it or neglect it? The decision, of course, is yours and yours alone.
When you open yourself to God's love, you feel differently about yourself, your neighbors, and your world. When you embrace God's love, you share His message and you obey His commandments. When you accept the Father's grace and share His love, you are blessed here on earth and throughout all eternity. Accept His love today. His love is the only means by which you can find true happiness. The plans of the diligent certainly lead to profit, but anyone who is reckless only becomes poor. - Proverbs 21:5 HCSB If you have too many responsibilities and too few hours in which to fulfill them, you are not alone. Life is so demanding that sometimes you may feel as if you have no time for yourself ... and no time for God.
Has the busy pace of life robbed you of the peace that might otherwise be yours through Jesus Christ? If so, you are simply too busy for your own good. Through his Son Jesus, God offers you peace that surpasses human understanding, but He won't force His peace upon you; in order to experience it, you must slow down long enough to sense His presence and His love. Today, as a gift to yourself, to your family, and to the world, slow down long enough to claim the inner peace that is your spiritual birthright: the peace of Jesus Christ. It is offered freely; it has been paid for in full; it is yours for the asking. So ask. And then share. Honor the Lord with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase; so your barns will be filled with plenty. - Proverbs 3:9-10 NKJV Whom will you choose to honor today? If you honor God and place Him at the center of your life, every day is a cause for celebration. But if you fail to honor your Heavenly Father, you're asking for trouble, and lots of it.
At times, your life is probably hectic, demanding, and complicated. When the demands of life leave you rushing from place to place with scarcely a moment to spare, you may fail to pause and thank your Creator for the blessings He has bestowed upon you. But that's a big mistake. Do you sincerely seek to be a worthy servant of the One who has given you eternal love and eternal life? Then honor Him for who he is and for what He has done for you. And don't just honor Him on Sunday morning. Praise Him all day long, every day, for as long as you live ... and then for all eternity. The righteous one will live by his faith. - Habakkuk 2:4 HCSB Hebrews 10:38 teaches that we should live by faith. Yet sometimes, despite our best intentions, negative feelings can rob us of the peace and abundance that would otherwise be ours through Christ. When anger or anxiety separates us from the spiritual blessings that God has in store, we must rethink our priorities and renew our faith. And we must place faith above feelings. Human emotions are highly variable, decidedly unpredictable, and often unreliable. Our emotions are like the weather, only far more fickle. So we must learn to live by faith, not by the ups and downs of our own emotional roller coasters.
Sometime during this day, you will probably be gripped by a strong negative emotion. Distrust it. Reign it in. Test it. And turn it over to God. Your emotions will inevitably change; God will not. So trust Him completely as you watch your feelings slowly evaporate into thin air - If they serve Him obediently, they will end their days in prosperity and their years in happiness. - Job 36:11 HCSB Because you are an imperfect human being, you are not "perfectly" happy - and that's perfectly okay with God. He is far less concerned with your happiness than He is with your holiness.
God continuously reveals Himself in everyday life, but He does not do so in order to make you contented; He does so in order to lead you to His Son. So don't be overly concerned with your current level of happiness: it will change. Be more concerned with the current state of your relationship with Christ: He does not change. And because your Savior transcends time and space, you can be comforted in the knowledge that in the end, His joy will become your joy...for all eternity. Perfect obedience would be perfect happiness, if only we had perfect confidence in the power we were obeying. You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. - Matthew 5:14-16 HCSB Whether we want to be or not, whether we like it or not, all of us are examples. The question is not whether we will be examples to our families and friends; the question is simply what kind of examples will we be.
What kind of example are you? Are you the kind whose life serves as a powerful example of righteousness? Are you the kind whose behavior serves as a positive role model for young people? Are you the kind whose actions, day in and day out, are based upon integrity, fidelity, and a love for the Lord? If so, you are not only blessed by God, you are also a powerful force for good in a world that desperately needs positive influences such as yours. So, as Corrie ten Boom advised, "Don't worry about what you do not understand. Worry about what you do understand in the Bible but do not live by." And that's sound advice because our families and friends are watching. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. John 10:10 NKJV When Jesus talks of the abundant life, is He talking about material riches or earthly fame? Hardly. The Son of God came to this world, not to give it prosperity, but to give it salvation. Thankfully for Christians, our Savior's abundance is both spiritual and eternal; it never falters - even if we do - and it never dies. We need only to open our hearts to Him, and His grace becomes ours.
God's gifts are available to all, but they are not guaranteed; those gifts must be claimed by those who CHOOSE to follow Christ. As believers, we are free to accept God's gifts, or not; that choice, and the consequences that result from it, are ours and ours alone. As we go about our daily lives, may we accept God's promise of spiritual abundance, and may we share it with a world in desperate need of the Master's healing touch. Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal. - John 6:27 Everyday we go to work to slave away at jobs that oftentimes depresses us and stresses us out. But, when we have to help with work at church we just don't have the time or it conflicts with something else. We give work our all and leave the scraps for the Lord.
Change this now. Give God your all and everything at work, etc will all fall into place. God gives us more than we deserve and more than we give back because he loves us and we are His children. But it is time for us to give back. To give back even a small portion of our time and our abilities. You don't have the time. Make time. What if God decides to be like us and says I don't have the time for you. You don't want that to happen. So, as you go through the day, make time to thank God for waking you up this morning, for allowing you to arrive to work safely, for giving you the strength to put up with the people at work. Just make time for God, help to build his kingdom. Don't let people you could have saved perish because you didn't have the time. |
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