Keeping Your Spiritual Tank Full
Psalm 63:1, O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; About 5 years ago while I was pastoring in MS. I went into town to run a few errands. On my way back home it was very late and I was tired, I stopped by a service station to fill my tank up. I removed my gas cap and inserted the gas pump into the tank, swiped my card through the reader. The Card reader on the pump was broke, so I went inside to pay, and made the transaction, had my usual brief cordial conversation with the attendant and walk out to the car and hung up the pump, replaced the fuel cap, drove away home. Suddenly, a few minutes later, my fuel light came on. At first, I thought the fuel light indicator was broken. Then I realized what I had done. I failed to refuel. I argued to myself, no way! How is this possible. I purposefully went to the gas station for a fill-up however, my mind was on other things and I failed to fill up. It was the first time this had happened. My dismay is similar to what we do in our own Christian lives when it comes to keeping our spiritual tanks full. Sometimes we let them drain out although we have recently left the “Spiritual” service station – church service. Sometimes we get so busy in life – we can be at church physically but mentally we are miles away. We miss out on receiving what the Lord has for us. All of us want to be powerful, effective believers. But don’t forget how easy it is to drift away. This doesn’t mean that you will lose your salvation, but rather it means that you will lose that desire if you don’t regularly spend time alone in God’s Word to refill your spiritual tank. Time spent in God's Word gives us the spiritual fuel we need to live as He has called us to. To be filled with the Holy Spirit we must be like a car pulling up to a filling station to receive a full tank of gasoline.
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STRIVING TOGETHER IN UNITY AND HARMONY (Matthew 18.20)
Matthew 18:20, For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. Jesus is powerfully attracted by the love and unity of His disciples. It is here where the presence of Jesus, alive in the fellowship of His loving, praying disciples, gives united prayer its power. The context surrounding this verse is dealing with conflict between the brethren. Jesus taught when brethren are in unity and harmony, there His presence is. Nothing will remove the power and presence of the Lord more quickly than Christian brethren who are at odds one with another, having hardened hearts toward each other. As God’s people are in harmony, the presence of Christ is there in power. Here our Lord teaches that His name must be the center and the bond of the union that makes them one, just as a home contains and unites all who are in it. We should ask ourselves if our actions are contributing to the unity within our church. John describes how walking in the light produces the source for fellowship with God. I John 1:7, But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.. Notice: Not only His truth, but also His righteousness and purity of life. This is made possible in the first place because “the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” Both our relationship as well as our fellowship are based upon the fact that Jesus Christ has cleansed us from all sin. Notice: It is the blood of Christ which cleanses from sin (Hebrews 9:13-14; Titus 2:14; Revelation 1:5; 7:14). The confirmation for fellowship with a holy God is having been cleansed through the precious blood of Christ. It is not baptism which cleanses from sin, only the shed blood of Jesus Christ. On the sixth day of creation, The Bible teaches us that God created both man and woman in His image (Genesis 1:27). The Bible teaches us that God then blessed Adam and Eve and gave them dominion over the whole earth (Genesis 1:28). From the very beginning, it was God’s intention for couples to be completely committed to each other and to Him. Whether in the home, church, or place or employment, God promises to bless us as we strive to come as one into His presence. He is eager to give us the wisdom and understanding we need to live together in harmony. Each day, allow Him to place you and to use you in whatever fashion He needs to carry out what He needs to in the body. We need to ask ourselves how is my fellowship in the Spirit today affecting the way I see and relate to other believers? What am I doing intentionally to maintain this unity? Keep in mind that God intentionally created all of us to be different, yet sometimes we don’t know how to interact with one another and end up creating divisions. Please help us get this right! Prayer, Lord, I know that unity is so important within Your church. You ask so earnestly for the unity of Your people. Teach me how to encourage unity with Your precious promise. Point out anything in me that disrupts or blocks the unity that Your Spirit is going for in my church. Show me what it looks like to join with other believers in love and desire, so that Your presence is felt among us as we give You our requests. Amen. Season’s Of Suffering (I Peter 4:12)
I Peter 4:12, Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: We all will go through seasons of sufferings. The truth is, God told us not to be surprised when suffering hits. He ordained it for His own Son; He works through the trials to grow and shape us. Adversity and trials can be expected in the Christian life. I Peter 4:12, Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: Most of us go through life thinking that we can dodge the difficult things; illness, bankruptcy, job termination, etc. We also convince ourselves that these things might get the other person but it’s not going to get me. Then before we know it, we are hit right between the eyes. Most of the time we are unprepared both emotionally and spiritually. Isn’t it true that this furnace helps to clarify what’s important? Suffering pushes everything else aside and provokes us to say, “I want to live my life in a way that honors and pleases God.” We’re to live for God’s purpose. Suffering makes that very real. Are you in that season of suffering right now? Some people have suffered the same thing you’re experiencing right now and they have become great instruments for the glory of God. Other people go through the very same trial and become hard and angry for the rest of their life. It has been said, “The same sun that melts ice also hardens clay.” The choice is really ours - How do you view your trial? There is a purpose for your trial. You either have gone through a trial, are currently in a trial, or will be facing a trial soon. Don’t be surprised when suffering come. In fact, expect it and plan for it. There is no better time than this moment to prove the promises of God. The test for God's people has always been adversity. When we study the lives of Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, Elijah, Paul, & the Disciples, we realize that God often leads us through great trials in preparation for some greater service or blessings. Whenever bad things happen to a believer, God can bring good things out of them. God may be using the trials to test and strengthen our walk with Him. He may be testing us so that we can see whether we are truly determined to do His will or not. It's the shells that are found in the depths of the sea are the ones much more valuable than debris washed up on a beach. It's what the people of God learn through trials and sufferings far outshine anything discovered anywhere else. Prayer, Father, everything that comes from You is for Your glory and ultimately my good. That includes my suffering. Help me to see suffering as a gift from You to grow me and make me more like Your Son, Jesus Christ. Too often I crave comfort in this world. Too often I crave ease. Too often I crave the path of least resistance. Forgive me for looking to comfort in this world when true and lasting comfort can only be found in You. Help me not to waste my suffering but to use it to glorify You. In Jesus’ name. Amen. My Promise to You,
“I Will Always Be With You” (Deuteronomy 31:6-8) Deuteronomy 31:6-8, Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou must go with this people unto the land which the LORD hath sworn unto their fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it. And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed. It has been said, “The darker the days, the darker the nights.” Due to the trials we face that seem to never end, we need to cling to this promise. God is always with us. More specifically, God is always with you. Now say it to yourself, “God is always with me.” We see this clearly in Moses’ speech to the children of God. Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Moses had summoned all the people together. Moses encouraged Israel and gave them a very straightforward charge, to be “strong and of a good courage” because their God would not fail them nor forsake them. He had personally experienced the mighty hand of God using him to deliver the people out of Egyptian slavery. He had walked hand in hand with the people for forty years, while suffering through the wilderness wanderings. He had experienced both victory and defeat with the people, and he knew that they were basically a stubborn and stiff-necked people toward God. Moses loved God’s people and encouraged them to follow God wholeheartedly. He then turned to Joshua and encouraged him to be strong and courageous. He further directed that “the LORD, HE it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.” This was a two-fold promise: We are to be firm and fearless. We are to be firm, "Be strong and of a good courage." This command says do not quit, be dedicated, be steadfast, be dogmatic, don't throw in the towel when you see the mighty armies in Canaan. We are to be fearless, "Fear not, nor be afraid of them." Fear would weaken them for the task. Israel was not to be cowardly but courageous. NOTICE: Whoever the “them” is in Deuteronomy 31:6, “they” don’t stand a chance. Moses and the children of Israel were standing on the border of the Promised Land. Moses knew he was about to die and Joshua would soon lead them over. God was with them and would protect them when they entered the Promised Land. As you journey on your course for the Lord, do not fear, nor be terrified by the enemies who oppose you. The Lord your God will be with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. We must be strong and courageous. Notice: Our strength and courage do not come from our power and performance but from God Himself. We are to be focused upon God and not upon the enemy. We must not fear nor be terrified by the enemies who confront us throughout life. We can be strong and courageous because of God's presence and guidance. As we face the enemies of this world, God will be with us and never forsake us. As you go up to face those giants in the land, you might think they are too strong for you. Hold on to this promise that God is with you. You’re going to battle some violent opposition; you might be tempted to retreat. But remember, God is with you. If your heart is breaking, remember, God is already rushing toward you giving you the peace, comfort, and strength you need. You’ll face overwhelming odds; you’ll be incredibly outnumbered. Fear would be your natural response. But hold onto this promise, God is with you. NOTICE: This promise is a reoccurring theme seen all throughout the Scriptures - Joshua 1:5; Psalm 23; Isaiah 41:10; Matthew 28:20; Hebrews 13:5. Keep in mind that the worse the days get, the more God is with you. The harder the trial, the closer He moves toward you. Are you feeling overwhelmed? He is pursuing toward you to stand by your side and help you. When you’re going through hardship, or when you’re heavyhearted and burdened, at times like these God moves toward you in a way that’s unlike any other time. It doesn’t matter if you can’t see Him working. His approach may not cause you to feel any different. But it’s the truth--God is right there with you. The harder the days get, the closer He leans in so you can hear His voice. Sometimes it feels like God backs away from you when you hit hard times, but that’s not true. “the LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit” (Psalm 34:18). Is your heart breaking today? God is rushing toward you. He is always with you. Remember, God hears answers our (righteous-upright living) prayers. He does this by delivering us from crises. God is embracing towards those whose heart is broken. What a precious promise when facing great loss! God has promised to save those who are of a “contrite spirit.” The word contrite refers to being crushed into dust or as low as the dust. This is true not only of spiritual salvation, but with physical deliverance as well. Always Remember, God is with you. How have you experienced God’s presence in hard times? What comfort do you draw from this truth? How is our confidence (“FEAR NOT”) rooted in God’s presence (“HE IT IS THAT DOTH GO WITH THEE”)? How are those connected in your mind? This is one of the most precious promises from the Word of God. Always remember, He is with you. Remember, He is always with you. He lives with us. If we grieve, He grieves. If we suffer, He suffers. This Person is the Holy Spirit of God. Also called the Comforter (John 14:16; 26). He is an unseen Friend. He is with us where ever we go. Prayer, Lord, I admit there are times that it seems You is not with us. Times of depression, difficulty, doubt, restlessness, or loneliness. Thank You for the precious promise that You are with us wherever we go and whatever we face. Thank You for showing me that the circumstances aren’t nearly as important as Your constant and faithful presence in my life—no matter what, no matter when, and no matter how long! Amen. Let Your Light SOOOOO Shine (Matthew 5:16)
Matthew 5:16, Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Nothing is more useful or necessary to man than light. Without light there would be no life. The same in true in the spiritual since. The light that we shine originates from the giver of light Jesus (John 8:12; 9:5; 12:46). When Jesus said that we are to be lights in the world, He was not talking about us producing light, but rather reflecting His light to those around us. The only way we can do this is to live in close communion and fellowship with Him day by day. There is no greater experience in all the world than walking in the light with Jesus Christ. Our light is of no benefit unless it is displayed for all to see. It is the nature of the child of God to do good works because that is what God is all about (Ephesians 2:10). We are called of God to shine the light of the Gospel. Jesus instructed His disciples that their lives were to be such that men may see their good works and glorify their Father which is in heaven. The word good here means ‘honest’. There are few things more spiritually harmonious with light than honesty. The result is that our Heavenly Father is glorified by our good works (our honesty) that reflect the light of the Gospel. You may feel that your light may seem very small, however, others see the greater light of God behind your sacrificial actions. The result of the good works that you do to others will cause them to look up to God and behold His glory. Jesus told us to let our light so shine that others may see our good “works”, not our good “words”. May your light shine through your good works (life-style) to others, not just through good words (lip-service). The most powerful way to overcome darkness in a room is to let the light in and the most powerful way to transmit the light of Christ is by doing Godly works in such a way that HE will get the glory for them. Keep in mind, Christians are the light of the world, but the light switch must be on. When the children of light do not separate from the children of darkness they lose their most powerful witness (Philippians 2:5). John 3:19, And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. All Christians are lights shining in different strengths and power. God has never saved a person that He has not had a work for that person. Light always travels in straight lines. As the light of the world, Jesus came to guide us by a straight path into the very presence of God. We are commanded by the Lord that ignited us as a light to shine forth in the world. Good works do not save, but they do attract others to Christ. Our purpose is to shine for Him as lights so that others can see the marvelous light in our lives that they may come to know Jesus as Lord and Saviour. Our purpose is to shine as lights so that others can see the marvelous light in our lives that they may come to know Jesus as Saviour and Lord. The ultimate good work is to turn others to righteousness. Daniel 12:3, And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. Jesus, in describing John’s ministry, spoke of John the Baptist as a burning and a shinning light (John 5:35). That is, he was a bright light. In John 1:8, John the Baptist was not the Light, rather a light. He simply reflected the glory of the Light as the moon does the sun. Illustration: Gabriel Mugmal, missionary to Ecuador. For months, the 27n year old faithfully preached from house to house his new found faith that he and his family embraced. Gabriel boldly shared his faith with other Quichua villagers high in the Andes Mountains of northern Ecuador. He challenged them to stop the idol worship that filled the area. One afternoon, 250 of his neighbors with torches in their hands forced him and his family from their home to a mountainside in Ecuador’s Andes. Furious, the crowd demanded that Gabriel denounce his words. When he refused, villagers doused him with gasoline the mob prepared to beat him and then to burn him alive. His idol worshipping neighbors almost burned him alive for preaching the Gospel. The thought, “Don‘t burn me,” raced through Gabriel’s mind. But he wasn’t afraid and began preaching to the crowd from the book of Genesis. Suddenly, the mob fell silent. The priest was so moved by Gabriel’s willingness to die for Jesus that he took Gabriel’s Bible, raised it before the crowd, and declared freedom to preach the Gospel. “The Word of God shall be preached throughout the entire world, “ he shouted. “You all are doing a good thing. Keep preaching the Gospel so that everyone can know Jesus.” Today, less than 200 yards from the location where Gabriel was nearly executed, more than 250 villagers meet for church every Sunday. The people of Naranjito are a light among the 300,000 Quichua people of northern Ecuador. As a result, Gabriel and those he has had the privilege of leading to Christ have started 30 Bible studies and churches in the neighboring villages. Prayer: Father, I know that You desire to shine brightly through my life. Though the world is getting darker may Your Light shine even brighter through me. Help me to reflect Your love so that mankind can see Your love through me. Help me so that my works will point others to You as Christ as our example. Amen. Power of a Godly Testimony (I Peter 3:15-16)
Peter 3:15-16, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.” Sometimes conflict is unavoidable, even between godly people. The Apostle Peter found himself in the middle of conflict quite often. Sometimes it was a consequence of his mistakes. At other times, conflict caught him by surprise. Looking over in Acts 11, the Jewish Christians contended with Peter because he ate with uncircumcised Gentile converts. Peter didn’t retreat when called upon to give an answer. Instead, he rehearsed to them the sequence of events God used to lead him to embrace his convictions. He explained how his vision from God, the witness from the Spirit, and the witness of God’s Word worked together to confirm God's will in this matter. Peter had no choice but to faithfully obey. After his response, his challengers could say nothing against him. Peter didn’t have to say anything to answer his Christian critics. He could have smiled and kept his mouth shut, allowing the Word of God to speak for itself. But this apostle had a testimony and he wasn’t about to let anyone intimidate him from sharing it. When Peter gave his answer he presented a compelling, yet humble, argument which convinced his critics that he had done right to follow God. He dared to be faithful to the truth he had experienced for himself and God blessed his efforts. We should be ready to answer questions about the Lord, our salvation and the Gospel to others. We are to be ready to openly share the hope we have in Christ based on the Word of God, how to be saved and why we know we are saved. We should know Scriptures, that will enable us to show a lost person how to come to the Lord and why the Lord Jesus Christ is the only Saviour of the world. When Jesus Christ is Lord of our lives each crisis becomes an opportunity to witness for Him. The idea is to have the Lord GOD always upon our hearts so that when opposition, or persecution, arises for being a Christian we might properly respond. In other words, we need to be always primed and ready to testify of Christ. Salvation may come quietly but we must not remain quiet about it. At the age of five, Hannah made an insightful statement about her newfound faith. She told her mother, “I think Jesus has moved out of my heart.” With curiosity and concern, her mom asked where Hannah thought Christ had gone. She replied, “He has moved to my throat, because all I want to do is tell people about Jesus.” We too should be constantly witnessing. I recently read a staggering statistic concerning soul winning that convicted me and challenged me to witness and testify more. “Only one person is reached for Christ for every 85 church members in America.” Our church has planned times of soulwinning for people to go out and present the gospel to others. I believe this is important because scheduling soulwinning helps us fulfill this important obligation. But there are many other times when an opportunity may arise and we need to be alert and take advantage of each one of those. Perhaps you have recently been challenged about your Christian convictions. Your family can’t understand why your kids are well-mannered and submissive to your authority. They can’t figure out why you always seem so happy. There is something different about you and they’re curious to find out what it is. Are you prepared to tell them? You have a testimony and God wants you to share it. Prayer: Lord, I know that You gave us a command to share the Gospel and our faith. And I know that You want me to share my testimony. Though at times it may not be the easiest or even the popular thing to do. Give me the courage I need and help me to be faithful. Help me to realize the importance of sharing my faith, being a faithful witness, and the importance of having a godly testimony. Please help me to be alert so that I do not miss an opportunity to give the Gospel to someone. Amen. The Power of God’s Love (I Corinthians 13:4-5)
I Corinthians 13:1-7, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” Before Paul gets to that amazing description of love he first lets us know that without this kind of love in our lives, we are nothing. He goes on to say that although we can achieve much success in life if we miss the most important thing, we gain nothing. As we live each day we are to love God supremely and communicate His deep love to others. True love sacrifices ego for the sake of the other person and the relationship. It allows you to set yourself aside and lift up another. It takes a negative (a wrong suffered) and transforms it into a positive. It reinforces inside you the nature of the love you have for each other. Notice: Agape-love envieth not. The word has the sense to ‘burn with envy, hatred, or anger.’ Agape-love does not. Notice: Agape-love vaunteth not itself. The word has the idea of being rash or of boasting. Again, true love does the opposite. Notice: Agape-love is not puffed up. This has the idea of being inflated by pride (a big head). 1. FORGIVING LOVE (Proverbs 17:9) Proverbs 17:9, “He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.” True love is love that forgives freely. It ignores a wrong done. That idea is simple, yet it is difficult to live with. Human nature seeks justification. It wants the offense acknowledged. The thought is not of covering up one’s own sin, but rather of not advertising the fault of another. When we love someone we will not spread rumors of their shortcomings. As gossip can drive a wedge between closest of friends it is love that covers a multitude of sins (I Peter 4:8). Little offenses become big offenses only when they are allowed to smolder. However, when the power of God’s love rules our hearts they are extinguished. Because we are imperfect people we will at times both give and receive offense. When that happens we must make a choice. We can choose to hold on to the hurt nurturing it and allowing it to grow, or we can decide to forgive, in love, just as we have been forgiven. We do not have to seek vengeance for the wrongs that are done to us, we can choose to forgive. It is only because of the forgiveness that we have received from God, through His grace, that we have ability to forgive others in this way. In essence, the love of God toward us should be repeated in how we treat others. 2. FERVENT LOVE (John 15:12-13) John 15:12-13, “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” We are commanded to love one another to the same degree Christ loved us. Whether we happen to like another or what they have done is irrelevant. We are commanded to love them as He has loved us. The highest fulfillment of love is the willingness to give one’s life for a friend (John 10:11; I John 3:16). The definition of agape love is a giving of one’s self for another. The highest fulfillment of such love is self-sacrifice. Jesus defined His friends as those who would be obedient to Him. It is more than remaining in His Word, it is obeying His Word. Obedience truly is a major key to the Christian life! Obedience to Christ forms not only the proof of our love, but also our friendship to Him. Love plays a vital role in strengthening and maintaining all of our relationships and especially those relationships within the body of Christ. Jesus spoke often of having a love for one another (John 13:34-35) and giving one’s self for another (I John 3:16). The best way to develop a good, healthy relationship with someone is to show compassion for them. Compassion means sharing the same feelings; to be sympathetic; to suffer with the other. It is the idea of suffering with someone and helping them bear their burden. Love is best demonstrated through personal sacrifice. People all around us who don’t know the Lord need us to manifest the love of Christ. We must be willing to make sacrifices to demonstrate Christ’s love. 3. FEARLESS LOVE (I John 4:19) I John 4:18, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” Of our own power, we would not be able to always show God's love. Yet through the empowering of His Holy Spirit, we can show love to those who mistreat us. Not only does Christ desire for us to love others, but He desires for us to let His love flow through our lives. Romans 5:5 says, "And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." God is invisible, but we as His children are visible. While some may not read of God's love in His Word or see His love on Calvary, they may see it through us as believers. The only way some people may see the love of Christ is through our lives. There will be times when it will be difficult and not popular to share our faith with others. Let us not fear those who will not accept the Gospel message. May we not get weary in our service nor get spiritual lockjaw. We have become so careful not to offend others concerning eternity. The Lord wants and desires for us to be a voice. We should take advantage of every opportunity to present the Gospel to the lost. Witnessing can be one of the most difficult things to do. What if that encounter you make with another could be used to lead them to the Lord? You will never do anything that brings greater joy, both on Earth and in Heaven, than to lead someone to Jesus. Because we are Christians people will watch us. They will watch how we live and what we let affect our lives. Many times they will judge Christianity based on our lives. May we not be ashamed of the love of Christ before others. How would someone judge Christianity based on your life? Are you letting Christ's love flow through you? Or will someone never see the love of Christ because of your life? Ask Christ to give you the strength to love those around you and let His love flow through you today. Prayer: LORD, help us to overcome the desires of our selfish nature and give ourselves completely to the power of Your love. I long for that kind of love to be what I exhibit to those around me. Thank You for setting the bar high and then helping me every moment to reach it by Your presence and power. Help me to surrender to Your ways and timing. Create in me Your kind of love, first for You then for others. Help me imitate Your love and to be that example. Remind me that love is the clearest evidence the world can see that what I claim about You is true, not because I love perfectly, but because I love authentically. I know You desire to do something in me today. I want to get out of your way so You can do that in me. In Jesus name, Amen. Forgetting...Don’t Let Your Past Keep You From Serving God (Philippians 3:13-14)
We need grace in order to forget. We are often encouraged to remember and warned against forgetting, but it is just as important to forget as it is to remember. For many, having an excellent memory has lead to heartache and has brought pain and regret. Joseph thanked God that He had made him forget, and Paul often spoke of forgetting as a state of progress. Let’s not misunderstand or lose sight of what he is writing. Obviously, no man can ever forget his past, but as the years of our walk with the Lord increases, we will have many great memories. However, memories do not always inspire. There are many who mourn due to the memory of past sin, regrets, and failures. There is neither strength nor joy in their souls, because they lack the grace to forget. Paul pressed forward for a prize. To him there was something greater to be gained by moving ahead and not lingering in the past. That is true for us in terms of offense as well. There is simply nothing to be gained by going back to past hurts and refusing to get over them. However, by forgiving and pressing forward, we gain a greater attribute of Christ-likeness. We are often inspired by those who are following, reaching, and pressing toward the finish line despite life’s challenges. 1. Remember God Forgets God always remembers to forget the sin He forgives (Isaiah 43:25; Hebrews 8:12; 10:17) God gives the assurance to the sinner who turns to Him that (Ezekiel 18:22). He is so direct in His forgiveness of our sins that He casts all our sins into the depths of the sea'"Into the depth of the sea"! (Micah 7:19). Nothing could be more point-blank. If He blots out, why should we try to remember? Think of it? The devil will offer us any tackle he could in order for us to see if we could fish them up again. The Lord threw them in. Let us always be content to let them be buried there. It is miserable to see some people's nauseating distress over their past when God has already forgiven them long ago. He forgets—why should we request? If we believe in the forgiveness of sins, let us not torture ourselves with useless and needless pain. Forget the things which are behind. Leave sin where He has placed it—under the blood of the Cross. 2. Regrets are Futile In life there are both triumphant victories and crushing defeats. When an opportunity has been missed we observe its worth. Life's lessons on learning about losses should teach us to discipline our mind, but for some people it only gets on the nerves. If I had only listened the first time and acted more wisely, how different life would have been! They sit down and fret over what might have been, all the while other opportunities are slipping by. Forget past chances, and bend your back to the one at your feet. The fire has died in some hearts because they can never seem to forget their past mistakes. Some unpleasant trial has derailed them, and they have never got back on track. The minds of many have become a graveyard haunted by past regrets. Joseph thanked God that He had made him forget not only his travail, but also his father's house. Of course, he never forgot his home entirely, but it ceased to hold him captive. Our lives should be filled with meaning and purpose that its attractive desire compels us to focus on the future, not in the past. Keep in mind, that everyday the Lord offers new opportunities for us to manifest His glory and build up His kingdom. Each day is valuable, and with it presents opportunities that will never come again. Although the past cannot be recaptured, there are pages for tomorrow still blank, waiting to be turned so life journeys can be recorded. 3. Resist Focusing on Former Successes As strange as it may sound, successes in life can do more harm than failures to some. No matter how many victories and successes one has achieved for the Lord Jesus Christ, one is never to cease from the laboring in his service. Some have been known to go on a lengthy leave of absence from God's service after a monumental success. However, each new triumph should inspire a new desire, igniting a passion to perform another task, but, sometimes spiritual paralysis sets inside the soul leaving the servant of God comatose. Paul is stating it is great we have many victories in this life, but don't focus too long on them because know they are in the past, press on the future achievements. Great achievements have been the undoing of many servants because they have failed to forget. If we are constantly focusing on past victories we will only find ourselves stumbling forward as we seek future triumphs. Prayer, Lord Jesus, help me to pursue toward the prize without wavering on life's highway. Thank You for forgetting my past and giving me strength I need to press on. I know that what lies ahead for me are many opportunities to build up Your Kingdom. I look to You as You guide me and provide for me with spiritual stamina for the journey ahead. May I not look back and never give up. I await the day to see Your face and hear these words, "Well Done". Praying In Faith (Matthew 21:21)
Matthew 21:21, “Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If you have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.” Prayer is a major vehicle of faith. As we pray, trusting God and taking Him at His Word that faith can move God to move mountains. It is not prayer or faith that moves mountains. It is God. However, as we trust Him and His Word petitioning Him for help He can, and very well may, move the mountain before us. With God nothing is impossible. Faith is the handle to God’s promises. Faith channeled through prayer can move God to do the impossible, including moving mountains of whatever variety they might be. During a time of great drought, the Scottish preacher, Dr. Guthrie, prayed for rain in the morning service. As he went to church in the afternoon, his daughter, Mary, said, “Here is the umbrella, Papa.” “What do we need it for?” he asked. “You prayed for rain this morning and don’t you expect God will send it?” They carried the umbrella and when they came home they were glad to take shelter under it from the drenching storm. When we pray we should, first of all, pray that God's will would be fulfilled through our lives. We shouldn't pray simply to obtain things for ourselves, but we must pray according to God's will. God only wants what's best for us and we should pray for His will to be done. How long has it been since God has answered a specific prayer request for you? God desires to meet our needs and show His power by answering our prayers, but so often we forfeit this blessing because we neglect our communication with God. Perhaps your hectic schedule has crowded out your daily prayer time. If so, it's time to make prayer a priority again. Your faith will become stronger and your walk with God closer as you see God answer your personal prayers. Friend, many times the reason God does not give us the answer we want when we pray is because we are not praying correctly. We must make sure we are right with God before we pray. Is there unconfessed sin in your life? Confess that sin to God and let Him purify your heart before you pray to Him. Also, are you obeying His commands? We must be obeying Christ and following Him each day. 1. When we pray we should, first of all, pray that God's will would be fulfilled through our lives. We shouldn't pray simply to obtain things for ourselves, but we must pray according to God's will. God only wants what's best for us, and we should pray for His will to be done. 2. We must obey God's commandments as we lay our requests before Him. We must be obedient to Him and live according to His will. Psalm 37:4 says, "Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." When we are following God's commands for our lives, our desires match up with His desires and our prayers are more effective because our requests are in line with His will. 3. We also must make sure there is no unconfessed sin in our lives. Psalm 66:18 says, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me." God will not hear our prayers if we are not right with Him! Before we come to Him in prayer, we must make sure our lives are free of any sin we have committed. Take time today to make sure you are right with God. Make sure your requests to God are according to His will. Then pray and ask God in faith, believing that He will give it to you! Prayer: Lord, today I will ask You for the things I need. In every situation, I will come to You in prayer. You know what I want, Lord, and more importantly You know what I need. And even though I know that You know, I still won’t be too hesitant or too busy to ask. Amen |
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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