10. Express Your Attitude of Gratitude
Thankfulness is the attitude that perfectly replaces our sinful tendency to complain and, in so doing, releases joy and blessing into our lives. Thankfulness is the ideal replacement for complaining. Paul praises God for the salvation of the Thessalonians. Notice: Paul mentions all three members of the trinity in this verse II Thessalonians 2:13, But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. Not only did he again express his thanks for them, but he also wrote they were beloved of God. That in itself should bear encouragement. Sometimes we think that we are thankful people, but too often we neglect to express our gratitude. Often this is the result of failure to appreciate what we have. Gratitude is a Vital Virtue Here are three reasons gratitude is a vital virtue for spiritual development: 1. God requires our thanksgiving Thanksgiving, as we have just noted, is a form of praise to God. When we thank God we give credit to Him. That honors and praises God. Praise is to be continuous. God's performance, unlike our performance, is always praiseworthy. The most important reason we express gratitude is because God requires we offer Him our thanks. He takes our gratitude, or lack thereof, extremely seriously. We are always required to give God what He is due including our thankfulness. Everyone can make the decision to give thanks and acknowledge the goodness of God 2. Gratitude keeps our focus on God (and off ourselves) His thanksgiving was not based on what they were doing for God, but on what God did for them. When we develop a habit of gratitude, we are constantly asking two questions: “For what should I be grateful?” and “To whom do I owe thanks?” The more we express our gratitude the more our eyes are opened to the benevolence of God and His generosity in bestowing us with goodness and blessings. When we see how much we owe to God it helps to reduce our own self-centeredness. 3. The blessing of having enough. When we focus on ourselves, we lose the opportunity for God to use us. Every person can come up with a list of things they would like to have (and there is nothing wrong with owning things if the things don’t own us). If we are honest in our assessment, we would have to say that we have far more than most people in the world, and more than we must have to live. The reality of our lives is that we do have enough— we simply need to be content with what God has provided and thank Him for it. How often do we focus on what we can get or how to provide for ourselves without thinking of those less fortunate than us? Yet, many times we can pass by others without stopping to help. When was the last time you helped the elderly? When was the last time you carved out time in your schedule to sit and listen to someone who's hurting? When was the last time you bought a meal for a family in financial trouble? Rather than always expecting to be showered with gifts, live your life giving of yourself to others. Thank God for what you already have and commit to focusing on others rather than yourself today. When we ponder on all the good things we have because of God’s grace and rejoice in the Lord our hearts will erupt with gratitude. Gratitude heals our hearts. It displaces lethal complaining. It opens our eyes to the innumerable graces of God in our everyday lives. In our hurry through life we neglect gratitude. Rather than rushing off to the next thing, spend some time thanking Jesus for specific gifts in your life. Make a gratitude list.
Prayer, Heavenly Father, please forgive my shallow, immature, faith-choking ingratitude. You shower me with Your blessings, yet how rarely I stop to truly thank You. Thank You for all that You have done for me. Please replace my complaints with thanks. Thank You for Your Son, Jesus. It’s in His name I pray, amen. If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com
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9. Communicate to a Person who has Invested in You and Tell Them You Love Them
The Bible gives us examples of the power of personal investment and how it inspired the recipient to the high ground of moral excellence. Making the investment to influence others can be seen in Scripture. Barnabas clearly mentored Paul; Elijah influenced Elisha; and Moses prepared Joshua. Jesus invested much in Peter. In spite of his failings, Jesus was determined to do well on His investment in His disciple. Jesus told him, “Feed my sheep.” Peter went on to lead the early church in evangelistic impact that brought thousands into Heaven. He was faithful to the end, dying a martyr’s death. Paul poured his life into Timothy, and urged him to press on fearlessly in the face of opposition. He charged Timothy, II Timothy 2:2, And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. Paul visualized a faithful finish for Timothy, one that would impact future generations with the truth. To influence someone is the power to motivate and lead a person to make a crucial choice in their life. Your life is the result of many loving investors who have sacrificed considerably for your success. Reflect on those who have invested in you encouraging you. Listen to the wise people the Lord has places in your life; those who led you to Christ, taught your Sunday school classes, or discipled you in the faith. Remember the investment of parents, teachers, pastors, authority figures, or work supervisors who have provided for you in so many ways. What about the friends who have helped you, encouraged your faith, and strengthened you in tough times? What about the family members who have sacrificed time, money, and prayers on your behalf? If we live with eternity in view, we will spend our lives on the things that matter most. You can honor those who invested in your life by living a life pleasing unto the Lord. III John 4, I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. Every day we, as children of God, are in a role where our performance has ultimate consequences far more serious than physical life and death. Every person we meet has an eternal future that will be spent in either Heaven or Hell. Attitudes are contagious. Every person we meet is being influenced by our life and interaction with them. We often go carelessly through the day without a thought of the vital and eternal implications of our testimony. We have an obligation to Him, and to them, to take our lives seriously. Those who have invested their lives in you deserve a good return on their investment. A lot of people have sacrificed for you and have invested in you. Make them proud. As you run your race visualize them in the stands. They love you and want the very best for you. Who will you impact? We all have something to contribute: our example, testimony, investment, prayer, patience, instruction, wise counsel, giving, serving, etc. We all can and must invest in others! We can make a difference! Prayer: LORD, I seek Your wisdom for the decisions I need to make. Help me to always honor those who have invested their lives in me as I journey on the path of life. Help me to siege every opportunity You give me to positively impact those You allow me to cross paths with. Help me to live a life that will influence others to have a desire to want to know You. Help me to bring joy to others and be a good example. In Jesus' name. Amen If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Visit webpage again for – Part 10 8. Take Time to Rejoice in your Relationship with Jesus
Psalm 68:19, "Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation." David wanted to praise the Lord with all that was within him. That was true in David’s day. How much more is it true today? Truly, He has daily loaded us with blessings. Daily we need to be reminding ourselves and giving thanks for the Lord’s benefits. Therefore, we have a duty to bless the God of our salvation. If that was true then, how much more so now! In Psalm 103, David identifies eight spiritual reasons that should encourage our hearts to offer God thanksgiving and praise. “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits” (Psalm 103:2). To bless the Lord means to show admiration for the Lord as we thank and praise Him. It’s a call to give adoration, praise and worship to a worthy God. David is focusing on the abundant goodness of God. He warns of the dangers of forgetting the benefits of the Lord in his life. The word forget refers to a lapse of memory that can cause one to wander. David seeks to stir up his inner man to praise the Lord. Perhaps he is in a spiritual slump. Perhaps his praise isn’t as vocal or as frequent as it should be, so, he challenges himself to bless the Lord. It’s human nature to forget God’s benefits so, focusing on God’s blessings must be a deliberate choice. When we forget what we have in Jesus and who we are in Him, there is the danger that we might wander away from Him. We are living in a day when there truly is a drought of praise among the people of God. We would be wise to stir up our own souls to praise the Lord! As David closes this Psalm, he calls on all of creation to join him in his praise of the Lord. Angels, saints, servants, and sinners, along with all of creation, are called upon to offer God the praise, glory and adoration He deserves. The benefits of the Lord are, indeed, great and marvelous, and it would be an act of ingratitude not to remember and appreciate them. When considering His benefits we have the great gift of eternal life, through faith in Christ and His finished work of redemption. We have it every day of the year and are daily ready to meet the Lord, whenever He calls. Each day we have the indwelling presence of His Spirit, the illuminating guidance of His Word, the daily provision of all real needs, and the assurance of His love. He has surely loaded us with benefits! Think of your family, your church, your health, your food, your home, your friends, etc. Your blessings are enormous! Let us praise Him for our health, our families, our financial blessings and so on. Let us be thankful for all the things He gives us. Let us not take them for granted. But, let us learn to be more thankful for those things which we can never lose! Let's learn to be ever thankful for those things that cannot change! Don’t just count your blessings, make your blessings count. Thank the Lord for the blessings of salvation you can enjoy right now. What a wonderful privilege to know Jesus Christ personally! Because of salvation we will someday enjoy a home in Heaven, a sinless body and eternity with Christ. We all look forward to our future with Jesus Christ, but it's easy to forget about the benefits of salvation for today. Since God is the source of all our blessings, He deserves the full measure of our praise. If we honestly assess all that the Lord has done for you, it will not take long for you to begin rejoicing that He daily loads us with benefits. Let's take a moment to remember a few of the many blessings we can enjoy every day as Christians.
Prayer, Father in Heaven, forgive me for complaining about the things I don’t have and create in my heart a spirit of contentment for the things I do have. I never again want to fail to thank You and praise You for Your daily blessings. I understand that many of the blessings You have blessed me with are for the purpose of blessing others. Help me to make these blessings count. In Jesus name, Amen! If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Visit webpage again for – Part 9. 7. Restore a Wounded Friend
This present world which we live in is broken due to the curse of sin going back to the garden of Eden in Genesis 3. As the result of man’s sin, the world, also mankind which was perfect at one time became imperfect. That is why every relationship since the first family has needed and will always need reconciliation with God. This can only be received through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Below are at least three ways friendships can be restored.
2. Godly friends restore you when you have fallen (Galatians 6:1).All Christians now and then will make a mistake and fall into sin. The Bible commands us in Galatians 6:1, “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.” As Christians, we have some duties. The spiritual Christians are to restore the fallen. We are to do it prayerfully and carefully. Christian duty is not to condemn or criticize the wayward brother, but is to restore him to a proper position. As brethren had fallen into such sin, it was the duty of those who were spiritual to restore them. In the restoration process, there must be discipline and repentance, but those who are spiritual should aim to restore that person with gentleness. We see here, that someone has fallen into sin and we see how we are to restore them. The first reaction we should have when another Christian falls into sin is restoration; to repair back to completeness. Notice: The word restore means to repair or mend what has been broken. This fallen brother needs someone to tenderly help him. He needs to be restored and reinstated with all gentleness. In the ministry, we are taking broken lives and letting God put them together. 3. Godly friends will help us rebound and live for the Lord (Hebrews 3:13; 10:24).We need godly friends who will tell us if we are living for the Lord. Godly friends hold you up when others will let you fall. Anyone can live a carnal life. It takes a courageous Christian to live a life that pleases and honors the Lord. We know that an obedient life glorifies God and counts in eternity. When a person is encouraged it always helps them to continue running the race the Lord has set for them. Patiently, we are to deal with him, helping him to confess and forsake his sin and be restored to spiritual health. The spiritual brother is to restore the one who is overtaken. Not just anyone in the church should do this, but a spiritual brother, one that is spiritual with an attitude of restoration. He is to restore the fallen one in the spirit of meekness; not meanness. When someone falls we are to help them get back on their feet without harsh criticism. As God’s children we need each other to help us through those times. Yes, there are real impacts from sin that cannot be ignored or overlooked. But rather than writing people off because they have done wrong, we need to humbly reach out to them in love and do what we can to help them put the pieces back together. We need to consider ourselves; although we are saved we too can be tempted. We are to take a good look at ourselves and realize that we have weaknesses and may be tempted to fall (Romans 7:18). Notice: If it were not for the grace of God we would be doing the same thing. Application: We can all be tempted with the same sin that this person has been overtaken in. One day we too may fall and we will need help from a spiritual brother in Christ to restore us. We are all capable of sin.
Prayer, Heavenly Father, too often I see others who are stranded on the highway of life. Help me to be more passionate concerning the care and restoration for others who have fallen. As Your Word and Spirit does surgery on their heart, may they understand that only You can satisfy their longing soul and fill their hungry heart. Amen. If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Visit webpage again for – Part 8. 6. Contact a Friend Who is Lonely or Hurting
A member of a certain church, who previously had been attending services regularly, stopped going. After a few weeks, the pastor decided to visit him. It was a cold evening. The pastor found the man at home alone, sitting before a blazing fire. Guessing the reason for his pastor's visit, the man welcomed him, led him to a big chair near the fireplace and waited. The pastor made himself comfortable but said nothing. In the grave silence, he watched the flames around the burning logs. After some minutes, the pastor took the fire tongs, carefully picked up a brightly burning ember and placed it to one side of the hearth all alone. Then he sat back in his chair, still silent. The host was captivated as he watched all this in silence. As the one lone ember's flame diminished, there was a momentary glow and then its fire was no more. Soon it was cold and dead. Not a word had been spoken since the initial greeting. Just before the pastor was ready to leave, he picked up the cold, dead ember and placed it back in the middle of the fire. Immediately it began to glow once more with the light and warmth of the burning coals around it. As the pastor reached the door to leave, his host said, "Thank you so much for your visit and especially for the fiery sermon. I shall be back in church next Sunday." Loneliness is a big obstacle to perseverance. Sometimes you can even feel isolated in a crowd. Whatever is going on in your heart and life today understand everybody goes through loneliness at some point in life—even the apostle Paul. Paul was experiencing loneliness. “Who really understands me? How many people do I know that have really walked the road that I'm walking?” In II Timothy 4, Paul is nearing the end of his life. Paul is wrapping up his second letter to Timothy, he writes, II Timothy 4:9, “Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me:.” Now that is a pretty vulnerable request. In a manner of words Paul said, “Son, I don’t mind telling you that I need you ASAP!” Paul had not hidden from Timothy the affection he had for him (I Timothy 1:2; II Timothy 1:2). Sufferers often struggle with feeling isolated and alone. One of their biggest needs is to have people reach out and pursue a relationship with them. If you are a Christian who has faced suffering in your life, then you have probably encountered a fellow Christian who wanted to provide comfort and help to you. Communicating with people going through a difficult time can mean a lot. It really makes a difference to a hurting friend or fellow Christian to know that we are thinking of and praying for them. Even if it’s just a few brief words of encouragement expressing your love and prayer support. And, of course, you could stop by their home or hospital room to visit and pray with them. Human friendships are part of God’s gift to us. As we live in the reality of these truths, and thus, grow in faith and trust, each day that we suffer we begin to recognize some of the ways God shows His compassion for us. We begin to appreciate His compassion in giving us family and friends as well as the beauty and comfort of Your nature; the blessings we so often take for granted. We begin to notice and recognize His "small" compassions, unexpected help from a stranger, an encouraging note, a faithful pet curled up at our feet or in our lap, or a biography of a Christian who has gone through suffering. We begin to thank our heavenly Father for a heightened awareness and a greater appreciation of His loving kindness. We begin to realize that "all things" really does mean all things. And even when we feel that our various needs for comfort and encouragement are not being met as we would like, in any and all disappointing and hurting situations we can take hope in the midst of our hurts because we know that God is faithful to His commitment to our welfare--today and forever. Finally, we have all the Biblical promises of an eternal future with our Lord in heaven. This life is only a brief moment compared to eternity. The hurts of today will soon be gone forever. For the Christian, there is surely hope in the midst of hurt! Sometimes all it takes to help someone who is lonely is a kind word, a card or letter, or just an occasional short visit. Prayer: Father, we thank You that You came to us in the person of your Son, Jesus Christ. You did not forget us, and You did not leave us alone. We bless You for remembering us in our misery and coming to save us through Christ the Lord. You clothed Your Son with human flesh so that he might be our Saviour. Amen. If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Visit webpage again for – Part 7. 5. When Relationships Reach a Roadblock
Conflicts! We have all, at some point in life, faced conflicts head on with others. Most people hate it. In a perfect world, we’d all get along; but we live in a fallen world where people are misunderstood, feelings are hurt, and agendas are pursued. When our relationships with others reach a roadblock the Holy Spirit constrains us to reconcile the quarrel. God wants us to live in harmony with our brothers and sisters in the Lord. We should seek peace with others. However, sometimes it not always possible. Romans 12:18, If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Sometimes you have to deal with difficult people. When conflict arises, pray that God will give you the wisdom to deal with it Biblically. I’ve had to deal with conflict over the years. And while I haven’t been perfect, I’ve learned many valuable lessons about handling disagreements. Hopefully some of these suggestions can help you in your life: 1. Try not to provoke the other person. Even if you are right and the other person is wrong, do your best to keep your feelings in check. 2. When you are right, use humility and grace. 3. Consider yourself. Don’t allow yourself to say, “I would never have done what this person did.” 4. Apologize. Be the first to seek reconciliation. You’d be surprised at how disarming a genuine “I’m sorry” can be. 5. Sacrifice where necessary, but not your core values. Be willing to give of yourself if it means resolving the conflict. The Church is the place where people must bear with one another in love. We are not yet what we are going to be, and we need to "bear with one another" as the process goes on. Colossians 3:13 tells us, “Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye”. It is putting up with one another in a spirit of love. Forbearing one another means a person tolerates others when they irritate him or to put up with things we don't like in other people. Forbearance has a touch of tolerance, or a component of compassion, to defer a rightful demand out of consideration for the weakness of a fellow believer. The idea is not only of putting up with each other, but indeed forgiving each other. Even as Christ forgave us, we in turn ought to forgive others. In the context of longsuffering, Paul expounds that we forbear one another and forgive one another. More specifically, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. Forbearing one another speaks of longsuffering. Even as Christ forgave us, we in turn ought to forgive others. Forgiving one another carries the idea of the gracious removal of sin and the gracious treatment of the sinner who is unworthy to receive it. He qualifies forgiveness by saying that believers should forgive in the same way the Lord forgave us. How did the Lord forgive us? He forgives us in such a way that He no longer holds our sins against us. Many Christians are historians. They are constantly bringing up what someone did to them last month, a year ago, or two years ago. Their forgiveness is worldly instead of like Christ. They forgive, but only as long as it suits them. Believers should forgive like Christ did. Christ doesn’t forget because He can’t forget anything. When Scripture says, “their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more” (Isaiah 43:25; Hebrews 8:12; 10:17), it simply means He no longer holds it against us. Are you holding on to a record of wrongs? Are you holding on to past sins that someone committed against you? One of the things that should identify us as Christians is our Christlike forgiveness. How can we do these things suggested in Colossians 3:13? How can we put up with things we don't like in others? How can we let go of things others have done to us? We can do these things because this is what Jesus did for us. He put up with things in us He did not like. He let go of the things we have done to Him. Since He did that for us, we should be willing to do that for Him. Since He did that to us, we should be willing to do that to others.
Prayer, Father, I want to have Your heart about reconciliation. You sent Your Son to reconcile me to Yourself, help bring reconciliation to those around me. Thank You for Your Word that gives me wisdom and direction in handling conflict between people I love. Give me Your words and wisdom as I reach out to those that are hurting as You lead. Your principles for handling conflict remind me again of the importance of living out my relationship with You in relation to others. In Jesus’ name, Amen. If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Visit webpage again for – Part 6 4. Encourage Someone who is Discouraged.
The person who sets out to be an encourager will never find a shortage of people to help. The word encourage means to put courage into another. Now more than ever, people are more discouraged due to the pressures in life. One of the overlooked needs that people have is to be encouraged. Often it is easier for us to read the physical needs of people rather than their emotional needs. A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver (Proverbs 25:11). The right word spoken at the right time can make all the difference to someone whose world is crashing. William Arthur Ward said, “Flatter me, and I may not believe you. Criticize me, and I may not like you. Ignore me, and I may not forgive you. Encourage me, and I will not forget you.” You Can Encourage Others by Extending Friendship- In Acts 9 we read of Saul who had been an enemy of the early Church—even having some Christians killed. He became a believer, but the Church was still hesitant of receiving him into fellowship. Acts 9:26-27 says, “And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that He had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.” Barnabas encouraged Saul by extending love and friendship to him. He befriended this new believer. I am constantly reminded of how much new Christians need encouragement in their spiritual journey. “People grow the best when there is a attitude and an atmosphere of acceptance present.” We need the influence of others in our lives if we are going to grow spiritually. Proverbs 27:17, “Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.” You have found a good friend if they are sharpening you in your spiritual development. The one Bible character who personified this was Barnabas. Barnabas was such an encouragement that the apostles changed his name from Joses to Barnabas—which means, “Son of encouragement.” In the New Testament, the word most often translated “encouragement” is the word paraklesis. It comes from two Greek words: para, “alongside of,” and kaleo, “to call.” So the word encourager means “someone who is called to come alongside of you to help renew and comfort you.” Think about it. What is one of the Greek words for the Holy Spirit? Parakletos—which is very similar to the word for encouragement; paraklesis. When a Christian is yielded to the Holy Spirit, then he can be a source of encouragement to others. Barnabas was a man greatly used by the Lord to reach many people for Christ. Acts 11:24 For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord.” Barnabas was mightily used to reach and disciple new believers for the Lord. Barnabas was known for encouraging Saul. In so doing, God used Saul (Paul) in an unbelievable way to impact the world for God. You Can Encourage Others by Re-Building Relationships- In Acts 15:36-41. Earlier in their ministry, Paul and Barnabas had taken a young John Mark with them on their first missionary journey. Somewhere along the way, Mark left the team and went home. Later, when they wanted to retrace their steps, Barnabas wanted to take Mark with them, but Paul refused. Barnabas took Mark one way and Paul took Silas another. Barnabas sought to mend the broken relationship. Later, in II Timothy 4:11, Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry. Paul asks for Mark to come to him. Paul’s relationship with Mark was restored and their ministries continued in part because Barnabas refused to let go of a good man just because he failed. Barnabas was an encourager, and we too are called to be encouragers. In II Corinthians 1:3, the Bible calls God the God of all comfort or encouragement. So for us to encourage others is to be like God. We need more believers like Barnabas. For the glory of God, will you say, “God, make me an encourager?” · Today, who can I come alongside and serve or encourage? What is stopping me? Prayer: Father, thank You for Your Spirit inside me that urges me to “supply what is lacking” in the lives of others. How gracious that You choose to use me to help someone You love. Help me to always see encouraging others as the privilege it is rather than a burden. In Jesus’ name, Amen. If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Visit webpage again for – Part 5 3. Conquer an Overwhelming Fear
We sometimes get tired and lose our enthusiasm for serving the Lord because we face opposition. Sometimes we feel intimidated or helpless, which the Word of God calls the spirit of fear. One of Satan’s most effective weapon in quenching our spiritual flame is fear. Paul told Timothy in II Timothy 1:7, For God hath not given us the spirit of fear;…. The Lord tells Paul to fight fear with His promises. He promises to be with him, to protect him, and to use him to bring people into the kingdom. Now Paul is directing Timothy to the same source of hope. He says boldly, be disciplined, be diligent, be brave, for God is with you. Who has not experienced fear in ministry? If you have ever done street evangelism, perhaps you know this feeling. If you have ever been a part of a church plant, you understand the fear of the unknowns. If you have ever been in a tense meeting where people oppose you, even gang up on you, perhaps you have experienced timidity. Remember: fight fear with the promises of God. The Spirit of God empowering the people of God is enough to accomplish the mission of God. We can all relate to experiencing fear in one form or another. It’s a natural emotion just like grief or anger. You don’t ever coach yourself, “I think I need to feel afraid.” You don’t have to plan it—fear just happens. We have nothing to fear and, yet, we do fear. We need an answer for our worries. What do you fear as you’re going through a storm? It may not be the storm itself, but what’s coming afterward. Or someone who's just been diagnosed with a chronic illness—it’s not the news today, it’s tomorrow and next week. The worry of, ”What will happen to me? Will I be okay?” The unknown results and outcomes may drive your fears. But there is an alternative. In the midst of the storm, you do not have to fear the future. God is with you. Nothing comes into your life but what Almighty God allows. Nothing comes into your life that God doesn’t already know about. And since He is with you, you don’t have to fear. Too many Christians want the benefit of claiming “God is with me,” but spend too little time talking to the God who is with them. Can fear be avoided entirely? Probably not. But Scripture gives us an alternative plan that prepares for and responds to fear. Psalm 56:3, “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.” God's Word gives us hope when we find ourselves overtaken by fear. Instead of wallowing in it, we can put our trust in Him. We can deliberately turn away from fear and toward the Lord. This affirmation is also found in Isaiah 12:2, “…I will trust, and not be afraid...” If you have fear, remember, you didn't get your fear from Him. The word fear means to be "fearful or timid." It is a fear that is produced by a lack of confidence. It is a fear that produced by lack of faith. Many times in the Word of God we see that fear and faithlessness go together. When Jesus dealt with the disciples over their fear of the storm, He asked them Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? (Mark 4:40) Fear is produced by a lack of confidence in the Lord. The disciples' biggest problem wasn't the storm, it was their lack of faith. Why wait for fears to come before you decide to trust God? Practice trusting Him as a daily exercise—spend time in His Word and in prayer. When you do, you may not even notice how many fears you’ll simply pass by, because your attention will be on the One who is not threatened by anything.
Prayer, Father, You are with me, so I never face my fears alone. And You are for me, so who can stand against me? You gave Your own Son for me, and You will graciously give me all I need. When I fear, help me to cling to Your promise that You will never leave me nor forsake me. Help me to speak and live fearlessly because You are with me. I am never alone. You are with me. I commit this truth to my heart right now. May this simple, profound truth sustain me today. In the power of Your name, amen. If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Visit webpage again for – Part 4. In the previous post we discussed that when a false accusation has been made against our character how to wait on the Lord and trust Him with it. (If you have not yet read that post, I’d encourage you to read it before reading this post.)
2. Bury a Deep-Rooted Grudge You are going to have painful things coming at you from someone at some point in your life. Anyone who ever tried to do anything for God has faced opposition. If you’ve been severely criticized without grounds, if you’ve been falsely accused of lies or wrong doing and your now paying for something you never did, never retaliate! If you see no further than your critic and their criticism then you only compound the hurt. Never give up! No matter what you’ve been through-GOD still has a future for you. If you have been unjustly criticized or are dealing right now with a struggle, then you MUST find closure and put it to rest. By doing so you can begin to claim victory in the LORD and all that HE has for you, Harboring an old grudge is never healthy emotionally or spiritually. What are we to do with old grudges? Learn to blow it off, let it go and forgive them. You can choose to reject an offense. If someone attacks, you can choose to respond in a way that reverses the hurt rather than retain and nurse the hurt. You can refuse to carry an offense in your heart, or you can turn it into a grievance story. Here are a few verses that can help deal with this issue (Matthew 6:14-15; Romans 12:17-21; I Corinthians 13:4-8; Ephesians 4:31-32). Consider: The delivery man arrived at your front door with a letter and asked you to sign for it. When you asked what is in the letter, he looks at his clipboard as says, “The form says this is laced with anthrax”. At that point, we understand that God has given us a brain and HE expects us to use it. You hand the letter back to the delivery man and say, “There‘s no way I‘m signing for this. Return it to the sender!” God will take care of those who willfully offend you. Trust HIM to do it. Your part is to refuse to sign up for the offense. Refuse to think about it or to talk about it. When we receive an offense, we may as well be signing for a letter with anthrax. The more we allow offenses to occupy our minds, the more we begin to develop a criticism story. And the more we rehearse and retell that grievance story, we truly do ourselves harm in the long run. Prayer: Heavenly Father, for too long I have been nursing this grudge and refusing to let go of it and allow you to take it from me. I’m now ready to give it to you. Soften my heart so that it does not become calloused. Keep my spirit right so that it does not become sour. In Jesus name, Amen. If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Visit webpage again for – Part 3. 10 Concerns in the Christians Walk with God
Often we may feel as if our purpose in life is futile or wasted. Much of this is due to our busy lives with stretched schedules. At times we may get very discouraged because we realize we are not making an acceptable contribution or positive/productive impact in the lives of the people we encounter each day. Below are ten techniques that can assist you when ministering in the lives of others. May this help rekindle your passion for service as you seek to minister in the lives of others. 1. Terminate a False Accusation with a Trust No one likes to be falsely accused. False accusations are an attack on our character caused by a misunderstanding of our words or actions, that may bring disgrace and suspicion upon us. What are we to do when we are falsely accused? The only thing we can do is stick it out and trust God to make it right. Remember how Jesus responded when He was falsely accused: He said nothing to His accusers, but committed Himself to God (Matthew 26:59-63; I Peter 2:21-23). In the end, who was right? Jesus was, of course. His Resurrection proved His innocence and God’s acceptance of His sacrifice. I have been falsely accused of many things over the course of my ministry. Believe me when I tell you, it hurts. You either have been, or will be, the subject of false accusations. You might have to wait a lifetime before your name is cleared from the false charges. Even if your reputation is in shambles, your friends have believed the lies against you and no one wants to stand with you, the Bible says the evidence will someday prove you right. When you didn’t do it, just commit your way to God and trust Him. He will bring your trial to pass. Psalm 37:5-8 “Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday. Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.”
Prayer, Lord God, I trust You and I’m going to wait for Your timing. I need peace without resolution. The end isn’t in sight, God, and I need rest during this season of hardship. My resources aren’t sufficient, my wisdom can’t plot a way out, and my ingenuity can’t remove the pressure. But You know all about that. You saw it coming, chose to allow it, and promise to use it for my good. I want my thoughts to reflect a greater confidence in You. Forgive me for the times I’ve strived to do too much, and forgive me for the times I’ve worried and doubted You. Teach me to trust and wait. You know when, God. I choose to trust You and wait for You to act. Please give me rest and peace, in the name of Jesus, Amen. If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Visit webpage again for – Part 2. |
AuthorDr. Blackman is passionate about helping others grow in the grace of the Lord. His devotions are centered on how to grow closer to the Lord through a personal relationship with Christ. Archives
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