People Are People

Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.  (1 John 4:11)

This week has been exceptionally interesting following the President's announcement that Osama Bin Laden had been killed by a group of Navy Seals.  What started out as a proud moment for our country and the brave soldiers that have been his pursuit for over nine years, quickly turned into a heated and political debate on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. 

Despite my personal, religious, and political views, I realize and respect that other people hold different and opposing views than me. Too often, people feel that they only have to get along with people who are of similar belief, culture, nationality,race, gender, or income level. The truth is that God wants us to treat ALL others with the same mercy, kindness, forgiveness, civility, and compassion as Jesus did.  And what about good manners?  I am not sure if I am more in tune with what people say to each other now that I am 'plugged in', but where has common courtesy gone these days? 

I realize that I have a lot to learn and am not being self-righteous; I guess I just wonder why people can't get along more; we aren't living together as God intends us to....

(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction

I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.  (Jeremiah 31:3)


There is a truth to the Stones' most recognizable classics, "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction."  When you accept God's love, you experience a deep-rooted satisfaction that simply cannot be found anywhere else, because you have an understanding that despite your circumstances, God is always present and with you.

Knowing that God loves us means that we accept the price that was paid for our forgiveness and we can rest assured that we are wonderfully and fearfully made and cleansed by Jesus' death on the cross.

Understanding these truths about God sets us free from our bondage to sin and the attacks from the enemy that never cease to end while we are on this earth.  God loves each one of us and has prepared an eternal home for us in heaven.

Praise be to His holy name!!!

Alone

Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has a personal knowledge of My mercy, love, and kindness-trusts me and relies on Me, knowing that I will never forsake him.  (Psalm 91:14)


Despite the many people I know and am close with, there a occasions when I simply feel alone.  I am sure that I am not the only person who has ever felt this way, but God wants us to know that we are never alone.

Satan does his best to make us feel isolated and alone, but we are not.  Satan also does everything in his power to make us believe that no one else understands how we feel, but it's a lie.  Sometimes the enemy will send someone into your life that is wrong for you, such as an attractive man/woman that shows you attention when you are vulnerable and experiencing difficulties with your spouse.  Again, it's only another deception and a trap set to destroy your marriage.

God is always with us and He can relate to any and everything we can possibly experience in our lives.  As children of God, we can all claim His wonderful promises.  No matter what you are facing or how lonely you feel, take God at His word and know that you are never alone.

He is good and faithful and will never leave your side.

Trust

I trusted in, relied on, and was confident in You, O lord; I said, you are my God.  My times are in Your hands.  (Psalm 31:14-15)

Our youngest son, Elijah, operates on a routine schedule.  He expects a his nighttime bottle at 7 PM sharp and typically dozes off to sleep for the evening upon finishing his 8 0z.  He is a creature of habit and if something causes us to be late with serving him his bottle, he certainly becomes fussy and lets us know that he is hungry. 

Our human nature is much the same way.  We tend to want good things to happen to us now rather than later and we let people know when things don't happen according to our timing.  Trust requires us to place our valuable time in God's hands and believing that His timing is perfect for all things that happen in our lives.  I am not, by any means, suggesting that this is easy, just making a point. 

Not knowing when, where, or how God will answer is what is difficult, but it is during those times of patience that our faith grows and we learn valuable lessons in depending on God. 

When we trust God, we will experience His goodness and faithfulness and we begin to let go of our timing and place it solely in God's hands.  It's a wonderful place, I have heard and I am learning to do more every single day.

Signs

'Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders, you will never believe."  The royal official said' "Sir, come down before my child dies."  Jesus replied, "You may go.  Your son will live."  (John 4:48-50)

While recently praying for clarity, peace, and direction, I was tempted to ask God for a sign; anything to prove that my prayers were not falling on deaf ears.  I never actually asked for a sign, but once I began to notice God's presence in my life, it became clear and apparent that not only Has he had His hand on me, but He continues to, even when He seems miles away and distant.  

The above verse from John 4 recalls Jesus' second recorded miracle in Galilee.  A royal official approached Jesus with his sick son and pleaded for Jesus to heal him.  The official took Jesus at His word and his son was miraculously healed at the seventh hour, which is when Jesus said that "his son would live."  The official and his family became believers after the boy was healed.  After pondering this verse, the key is not the miracle itself, it's actually the matter of faith that Jesus mentions.

Do we believe without seeing miracles or wonders?  Do we trust that Jesus is ever-present with us?  Do we have faith in His ability to answer our prayers?    Ask yourself these questions and allow His truth into your heart...

Amazing Grace

God saved you by His grace when you believed.  And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God.  (Ephesians 2:8)


My dad traditionally waits to the last minute to shop for gifts at Christmas.  It was my freshman quarter at Auburn University in the fall of 1993, and I completely 'bombed' and almost failed out after a quarter of debauchery.  I strategically planned to intercept my grade so that my father wouldn't see them before he went Christmas shopping, but it was too late...he arrived with an arm full of presents for my mother and sister and simply handed me an opened envelope from Auburn University.  My parents were disappointed in me to say the very least, and aside from a few pieces of clothing and the Allman Bros. Box Set, it was a very light year for gifts.

Thankfully, God saves each one of us because of His mercy and grace alone.  He loves us and approves of us regardless of what we do or don't do and He has paid the ultimate price to forgive us of our sins.

The fact that this is God's gift and something that we can never repay, should be a great comfort to each of us and should also provide hope and security.

When you accept God's grace as you accept any other gift that you receive, you will fully enjoy His peace, blessing, and benefits.

Life Goes On

"I am the resurrection and the life.  He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live." -Jesus (John 11:25)

There have been some great people who have served their purpose to motivate and inspire others, but no one can make the same claim that Jesus did when He said "I am the resurrection and the life." 

With so much suffering, death, and destruction that took place in the southeast this past week, the joy of Easter Sunday feels like it happened months ago.  No matter how bad, battle-tested, weary, and beaten up we may feel on the inside, we must never forget what Jesus' resurrection means for each one of us. 

Jesus overcame death, so regardless of how tired, broken, or devestated we are, don't forget that He has risen to give each of us new life. 

He is always present and He breathes new life into our inmost being!  Praise be to God!