Love Is The Answer

 

Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways.  Psalm 128:1

The more I age, the more I realize that there is not one person on this earth that could possibly meet all of my needs in life.  Alicia and I will celebrate our 22nd anniversary this December, and while we are partners for life, soulmates, and still very much deeply in love, we both understand that only Jesus can fill the void deep within our souls.

This thinking has certainly changed for me as I have matured in my walk of faith.  Our spouses, children, family, and friends simply cannot take God’s place in meeting our needs; regardless of how wonderful they are.  

If you are looking to other people to meet all of your needs or trying to meet someone else’s needs, you will be sorely disappointed by looking to anyone other than God.  God is love, and only He can truly meet our every need!

Knock Me Down

 

Humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time, He will lift you up in honor. 1 Peter 5:6

It was not too terribly long ago that I was extremely overweight and burned out from years of substance abuse.  I was lonely, on the verge of depression; my life was wrecked.  It was also not until I finally accepted the fact that I had some problems before I humbled myself and eventually asked for some help. 

Pride can prevent you from asking for the help that you need.  Humility gives you the wisdom and courage to admit your needs in any situation.  You simply won't get help-from God or from any other family member or friend-if you cannot admit you have a problem. 

When you are humble, God's power is at your disposal, and He promises to help you, regardless of any situation.  Don't let our pride stop you from getting the help you need.

Man In The Mirror

 

Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get satisfaction of a job well done, and you won't need to compare yourself to anyone else. Galatians 6:4

I was listening to a popular college football talk show on my way home from work yesterday and heard a coach describe how he instills values in his players.  To paraphrase, the coach something to the effect of, "if each member of this team is committed to being their best and committed to this team being the best, it doesn't matter who or what team we are playing."  What great and practical advice that can be applied in our everyday lives, hence the reason college football must surely be 'God's sport!'

Seriously, people often get stressed out when they take on activities and responsibilities for the wrong reasons.  Trust me, I have been there and it's taken me most of my adult life to be able to say "No," when I feel I am over-committing myself.

When we are considering upcoming involvements, be sure to seek God and ask Him to help you do things with the right motives.  God will help you make wiser decisions as to which activities you should commit to and the ones you should say no to.

It's only when we do things with the right motives that we will be able to work with passion and purpose and find satisfaction in a job well done!

The Power of Equality

 

We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ.  And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.  Romans 3:22

There are few things in life other than, say, oxygen, that are available to all people. The great thing about God is that salvation is available to all people.

It makes no difference to God what sins you have committed.  It does not matter who you are.  God loves all people equally and wants each one of us to be saved and live with him eternally in heaven.

When we decide that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior and we ask for forgiveness of our sins, we are transformed into a new creation.  In God's eyes we become clean and pure again, just like everyone who believes.

We must share this with all people and love them into a relationship with Christ, to expand God's kingdom on this earth.

Even in the Quietest Moments

 

When you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private.  Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.  Matthew 6:6

It's hard sometimes to find quiet moments to spend alone with God.  This past weekend was a challenge as we were visiting our son at college for parent's weekend and of course the usual grind of the work day leaves very little time.  

One of the characteristics of Jesus is that He would often go off to be alone to pray, especially after performing miracles or teaching a group of disciples.  He was onto something and we all should make the time to spend quiet moments alone with God.

God's voice is often hard to hear and discern through all of the noise and distractions of this world.  We must give Him our time, focus, and undivided attention, just as Jesus did.

Fly Like An Eagle

 

Those who wait for the Lord…shall change and renew their strength…they shall lift their wings and mount up close to God as eagles…they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired.  Isaiah 40:31

The Bible makes several references to eagles, the most powerful winged creatures on earth, and there are many lessons we can learn from them as well.  Unlike other birds, eagles do not run from a storm-they simply allow the powerful winds to lift them above it.  When attacked, an eagle will not battle another bird, they simply mount up higher, soaring above their enemy.

Just like an eagle, we too must learn to fly.  We must seek God, know Him, and ultimately trust Him, so that we can rise above the storms or attacks that happen during our lifetime.  When we walk with the Lord, we can soar like an eagle, without growing weary or tired!  Praise be to God!

Outside and Inside

 

Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors and gain surpassing victory through Him Who loved us.  Romans 8:37

Some people go to great lengths to try to live their lives 'problem free.'  There are many who mistakenly think that the only way to victory is to somehow avoid problems all together.

True victory for a Believer comes from having peace while in the midst of a raging storm.  We have to keep our eyes fixed upon Jesus and not our circumstances and our key to victory is understanding that peace can only come from "Him who loved us."

We must trust God and allow Him to strengthen us from the inside-out.  When we are strong in Christ we can defeat anything that comes against us and march on to victory!