Money

Command those who are rich in this world’s goods not to be haughty or to set their hopes on riches, which are uncertain, but on God who richly provides us with all things for our enjoyment.  1 Timothy 6:17

To say that we are living in uncertain times is a mild understatement.  I am very blessed to be working for a wonderful company during these tough economic times but I am still witnessing the effects of a dismal economy, first hand.   If you have watched the news any length of time over the past few months, our nation’s economy is showing small signs of improvement, but we still have a problem in this country-we are addicted to spending; especially when it comes to borrowed money.

Keep in mind, that the average working American is considered among the most wealthy in the world when compared with the population in every other country.  Still, we want more, spend excessively, and depend on what is in our bank accounts for security rather than trusting on God’s daily provisions.  I have learned a difficult lesson lately in depending on God’s provision and I am learning each day on how to set my hopes in Him and less on the money I work to earn.

Looking back into the Old Testament, God provided manna, a cake-like food that appeared on the morning dew, to the Israelites who were wondering around in the wilderness after fleeing Egypt.  The manna provided nourishment and there was just enough for each Israelite to eat.  The problem was when they tried to gather more manna than they could eat and store it for later, the hot sun melted the manna and it rotted.  This illustration from the book of Exodus just may be the key for our understanding of how God truly provides for each of us on a daily basis.

God will always be with us and He will always provide just what we need; it just may not be what we want.  Thanks be to God for His daily provisions!!!

Don't Lose My Number

I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. Romans 7:15

I had a wonderful conversation with a friend just the other day about how hard it is to follow Jesus’ example.  This is something I certainly struggle with regardless of any outward appearance that would lead someone to believe that I actually have everything/anything figured out myself.

The apostle Paul wrote the above passage from Romans, and despite being the author of most of the New Testament, even he often struggled with the same thing.  He was perplexed by why he chose “to do what he hated rather than what he wanted to do. “  It’s not a stretch to say we live in a world that is filled with other influences that constantly divide our attention and make us lose our focus on the truth and God’s infinite wisdom.

We can read all of the daily devotions we want and attend service every possible chance we get, but if we aren't willing to dig deeper into the Bible and seek God’s direction for our lives, everything that we learn will be quickly forgotten.

Seek God’s wisdom and keep your eyes focused on Jesus without looking to the left or right. Apply His word to your life.  The enemy will stop at nothing to keep whispering his lies into our minds and keep us from living the lives God intended for us to live.

Ain't Nobody

Jesus replied, "I am the bread of life.  Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again.  Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty."  John 6:35

I was talking to Mark BeBe, our Celebrate Recovery pastor at Cokesbury, before worship service a few months ago, and we got to talking about communion. I mentioned that several members of my old congregation used to call the church office each week to find out if we were serving communion.  It was not that they were necessarily interested in receiving the sacraments, it was because they were concerned about worship service lasting too long and not being able to keep their standing reservations for Sunday lunch at our local country club.  The symbolism of the sacraments-the bread and wine/grape juice, is one of God's greatest blessings that He gives to His beloved children.

You see, Jesus is the spiritual nourishment our soul needs.  He truly satisfies our deepest spiritual wants and needs alone with His daily presence. 

He is the only One that can truly meet our needs.  He is the only One that can offer true peace and the promise of eternal life. 

When we feed our souls with the nourishment that only Jesus can provide, we will be satisfied for eternity.  Praise be to God!

Mind Games

Let us who live in the light be clear-hearted, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as out helmet the confidence of our salvation. 1 Thessalonians 5:8

I have been running on a regular basis since August of 2007.  It was not until 2009 that I ran my first half-marathon in Knoxville, and I can say that one of the biggest obstacles to excellent performance is more of a mental battle than a physical one.  I ran my second half-marathon this past year and was  injured.  I recall being exhausted on the final leg of the race, but went into a 'mental zone' that helped me push through the pain and finish the 13.1 miles in an 1 hour and 39 minutes.  By no means am I writing to brag or boast about my running; I am a mediocre athlete at best, and only run every day so that I can maintain a healthy lifestyle.

However, the running analogy is one that we can apply to our lives.  Our confidence doesn't come from our abilities or physical circumstances, how we look, or what we achieve.  Everything actually comes from our faith-the blessed assurance that God is always with us, every second of every day, fighting for us and helping us win our battles.

I am constantly looking for ways to live in more confidence knowing that God is a part of my life every day.

Sometimes Salvation

For our sake He made to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in and through Him we might become the righteousness of God.  2 Corinthians 5:21

I still consider myself a ‘work in progress’ as it pertains to my walk of faith.  The enemy will stop at nothing to undermine our joy by constantly reminding us that we don’t measure up to God’s standard.  As believers in the body of faith,  we must boldly declare that we are indeed new creations in Christ and continue to press on in our Spiritual journey...

I have been in a rut lately, Spiritually speaking, and I recently recalled a sermon I heard Stephen DeFur deliver at Cokesbury West HVA, that reminded me there is nothing that we can possibly do to make God love us any more or any less than He already does.   

We simply cannot be defined by our past.  To add to that thought, we also need to understand that we cannot earn God’s grace or His love; He already loves us now and always will.

God understands that our growing and learning is a process and He wants us to enjoy ourselves on the way to reaching our goals as believers! 

Good Times, Bad Times

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.  But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed.  1 Peter 4:12-13

Painful trails are a part of life, in fact, Jesus assures us that we will go through them at some point.  While we all must go through some pain, but God promises us that He loves us and will use those painful times to help us grow in our faith.

Trails are also like exercise-the more we go through them, the stronger we become.  How else can we learn to endure, grow our faith, and learn patience?  The pain we feel now is only temporary but it also provides us with an opportunity to depend on God and show our joy as we share in the sufferings like Christ.

Bad times come and go, but the development of our godly character is continuous and will last until we go to our eternal dwelling in heaven.

Rescue Me

Trust me in your times of trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory.  Psalm 50:15

It’s been several years since it happened, but I remember my grandfather dying of cancer like it just happened.   L. Foy Fisher, Jr., was a wonderful man, husband, father, and grandfather who lived a life above and beyond reproach.  He was someone I looked up to and during his funeral service, I tried my best to hold back the tears knowing that I had some ‘big’ shoes to fill in order to carry on his legacy.

There were many people at his service that he had worked with over the course of his career as a cotton purchaser for J.P. Stevens, which was one of the largest textile manufacturers in the world at the time.  Knowing that he was a man of faith, I have always wondered just how many people’s lives he impacted.  He certainly has impacted my walk of faith.  I seriously doubt that he and my grandmother missed a single Sunday of worship at St. Matthew’s Methodist Church in all of the years he was living.  It wasn't just attending worship; he frequently shuttled my grandmother to and from the church to serve when and wherever they could.  They would often prepare meals and deliver them to shut-ins, the elderly, and the poor.  Knowing that God places such value on the soul, I would not be surprised to know that my grandfather led many people to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

When we face difficult times, trouble, or problems, we must not forget that God will use it for His glory.  Rather than shrug off your problems, open your mind to God’s work.  Our pain, suffering, and heartaches just may have a divine purpose-to glorify God!