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Will You Be My Valentine? ~ God

12 Feb

will you be my valentineAs I watched my wife and son sitting in the floor of the living room preparing for Connors first Valentine’s Day party at school, it brought back memories of when I was a child.  I can remember the anticipation as the minutes seemed to move ever so slowly.  I recall the parents would start arriving at school with frosted cupcakes, little bags of assorted candy, and fruit punch to wash it all down.  The food was all fine and dandy but I wanted the cards!  I couldn’t hardly wait to see if one of the pretty girls in class might give me a special Valentines card to let me know she thought I was cute, nice, or interested in me in some way.  On the other hand, I was a bit nervous at the thought that one of the less attractive girls in my class might express similar interests.  Awkward!

Isn’t it interesting how we have a national holiday which encourages us to give cards to express how we feel about one another?  Last year over 160 million cards were exchanged for Valentine’s Day alone.  At an average price of $1.50 per card, Hallmark alone would profits over $120 million dollars.

Long before Hallmark or Valentine’s Day, the Lord used 40 common men to write to all of humanity the greatest love letter ever assembled.  In this letter he provided mankind with knowledge and understanding of their greatest problem (sin) and the only solution to their problem (Jesus).  He proclaims His vengeance upon those who die in their sin without obeying the gospel and at the same time wants us to realize He is loving, merciful, just, gracious, patient, tender, forgiving, and caring just to name a few.

The most well known and often quoted passage of Scripture declares and reminds us of His love.  In John’s gospel we read, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (3:16).”  Yet there are numerous Scriptures in which God proclaims His love toward us.

Romans 8:37-39 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 5:8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Deuteronomy 7:9  Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations,

The question I was to challenge you to consider is simply, “What are you doing with His love?”  Are you living a life full of sin?  Are you allowing your selfish desires to take up residency within your heart?  Do you make it a point to be compassionate like Jesus?  Are you more concerned with self or others?  Do you value the message of the gospel to the point you can’t help but share it with others?  Does your love for the Lord cause you to look forward to assembling with other believers on the first day of the week to commemorate the sacrifice made upon the cross through the observance of the Lord’s Supper?  Does the love of God cause you to teach your children diligently about Him and His ways?

Reader Feedback:

I want to hear from you.  Aside from the verses I shared above, what is your favorite scripture, quote, Biblical story, etc which reminds you of the love the Lord has for you? What are you doing with his love?  How is your life different once you came to understand His love for you? Please share your answers in the comment box below.

 
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Posted by on February 12, 2013 in Uncategorized

 

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The Giver of Good and Perfect Gifts

12 Dec

Giving a GiftIt truly is one of the most wonderful times of the year.  It is a time of families to get together, enjoy a great time of fellowship and food, and shower each other with expressions of love through gifts.  For many, this is also a time set aside to focus upon the birth of the Savior of the world, and the significance of His arrival to save a lost humanity.

Christmas has taken on different forms of significance for me within my life.  When I was a child, I recall getting together with extended family to behold the largest pile of presents I have ever seen underneath my grandparent’s tree.  When I was in college, this became a time for all the uncles and cousins to eat and then go shoot pistols, shotguns, and rifles for several hours in the afternoon.  All of those things are wonderful memories, but now that I am a father to two beautiful children, Christmas has taken on a different perspective.  It is a time to focus on family and faith and to instill wonderful memories and traditions.

As I have gotten older, I must say that I enjoy showering my family with gifts.  To see the look of suspense as their gift in place in their lap and then witness the look of elation when they receive a gift of something they didn’t expect yet enjoy.

It seems that lately, the art of purchasing the perfect gift for someone has taken a beating.  No longer do we spend time considering the right gift for our friends and family members.  Instead, many people now swap shopping lists.  It goes something like this, “What would you like for Christmas?” you may be asked.  You then reply, “I will think about it (what I want you to buy me), and I will email you my request.”  Both parties seem to feel relieved.  The buyer doesn’t have to wonder what to buy you, and you are excited to get exactly what you wanted all along.

This year I have made the decision that I am NOT buying anyone anything that is on their list, nor am I giving anyone a list of things I want them to buy for me!  This is by far more difficult, yet I find it to be so much more rewarding.  Just like when you were a child and you had no clue what gift was under the tree, the suspense is awesome, and the surprise is going to be outstanding.  Instead of asking others what gift they desire from me, this approach allows me to focus more on my relationship with them.  It forces me to pay closer attention, when I am around them, to things they like and dislike.  It provides an opportunity to get them a gift from the heart, a gift which allows them to know I truly care about them.

You may be reading this and thinking, “That is NOT for me!”  I want to share my desires with those who ask to guarantee I don’t end up with an ugly Christmas sweater or a pile of gifts to exchange at the store.  There are risks involved but I have decided to risk buying my friends and family a gift they don’t desire in hopes to give them a heartfelt present they enjoy even more.

James 1:17 clearly states, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”  God alone is absolutely good (Mark 10:18). Since God is good, he cannot send evil gifts; he gives only good gifts. God gives man everything that we needs physically and spiritually.  God is also the Father of lights. He created the sun, the moon and the stars (Genesis 1:14-19). Not only does God give light, God is light (I John 1:5). God sent his Son to be the light of the world (John 8:12; 1:4-9).

God gives us great gifts.  Please consider some of the following gifts we receive according to Scripture.

LIFE

Job 33:4 says, “The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.”  God has blessed each one of us this year, but none of us would even be here to enjoy it without God’s gift of life. He created us, he sustains us, and blesses us more that we can possible understand or imagine.

JESUS

John 3:16-17 is well known and often quoted, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”  These verses reveals a lot about God.  God is love.  While God hates sin, he loves humankind.  God’s love is proved to us by what he did. He gave his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die upon the cross for the sins of the world.  Jesus made the sacrifice whereby God could punish sin, but save the sinner.

PURPOSE

Paul writes to his son in the faith in 2 Timothy 1:8-9 and shares, “Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began.”  Jesus transforms lives and builds his church, expanding his good and perfect spiritual kingdom on the earth until he returns to take us home with Him forever. By God’s grace, we participate in this mission with Jesus for the good of all people.

EVERYTHING

John 3:27 reads, “John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven.”  Everything we have—including our families, friends, church, finances, jobs, houses, investments, credit, equity, cash, businesses, automobiles, and more—is given to us by God. We are stewards of these treasures, not owners. Good stewards make every effort to manage their treasure according to the heart and will of the one to whom it ultimately belongs.

May we all take the time to consider the perfect gifts we receive from God and live out lives of praise and adoration to display our love for Him and His ways!  May God bless your richly!

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Posted by on December 12, 2012 in Uncategorized

 

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People of the Book? The Decline of Biblical Literacy

30 Nov

tumblr_lka0fbECkF1qgeswwo1_500Recently, Scott McConnell, director of LifeWay Research, released a survey called the “Transformational Discipleship Assessment,” which showed only 19 percent of churchgoing respondents reported reading or studying the Bible on a daily basis.

The study went on to report that only 36 percent engage in Bible study “once a week,” “once a month,” or “a few times a month.” Eighteen percent of the respondents rarely or never read or study the Bible outside of worship.

The Christian Post, in an article titled “Study: Most Churchgoers Do Not Read Bible on a Daily Basis,” reported “that McConnell felt attributes from the modern American culture influenced the responses.  “Too many churchgoers want the benefits of salvation without investing in personally knowing Christ and the abundant life He offers.”

According to the article, McConnell said: “There is a widespread desire among churchgoers to please Jesus, but much less interest in daily wrestling with what pleases Jesus. Instead of Christ being preeminent in the lives of every churchgoer, He is often only the preamble to lives lived apart from biblical truth.”

The last thing I want to do is come across as self-righteous and portray myself as perfect student of the Bible. However; I am deeply troubled by these recent statistics and pray that you are also troubled at the decline of emphasis being placed on reading and study of God’s Word.

Growing up I can frequently recall hearing account after account from those who lived during the 1940’s and 1950’s of how our society as a whole spent time in worship, study, and service to the Lord.  Even though there were (and still are) strong disagreements over doctrine and practice, families were God fearing and held the Word of God in high regards.

So what has happened?  Is it possible for Christians to lack emphasis on the value of God’s Word?  Is it possible for a lack of training in “how” and “why” it is important to read and study?  Is it possible for Christians and the Church to lower our standards in regards to study and memorization?  Have God’s people become too comfortable in what little knowledge of the Bible we have attained?   Has the lack in “good” Biblical preaching caused believers to lose interest in what the Lord has to say to His follower’s today?  Before we can ever teach our children about a relationship with the Lord, we have to love the Lord and His Word passionately.

The Cry for Personal Study

The apostle Paul wrote to a young preacher named Timothy and stated, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman who needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).  Timothy was to handle the word of God in the right way so that he understood what God meant and that he conveyed this proper understanding to others.  There are several things a person must do to handle correctly the word of God.

  1. He must respect the Bible as the inspired word of God.
  2. He must study the word of God with a pure and honest heart. He must accept what is plainly taught. He must not try to make God’s word fit his preconceived ideas. This is dishonest handling of the word of God.
  3. He must recognize who is speaking. To whom are they speaking? In what Bible age are they speaking? He must understand that the old law has been nailed to the cross and is no longer binding today. Christians must be guided by the New Testament.
  4. He must consider every verse and every word in its context.
  5. He must want to know what God’s will is on every subject.
  6. He must understand, believe, love and obey the word of God.

The Command for Personal Growth

Peter conveys our need for spiritual growth.  “You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 3:17-18)  He also declares, “So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation.” (1 Peter 2:1-2)   Paul adds, “And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.” (Colossians 1:9-10)

One important thing to note; we are not “saved” through Biblical knowledge alone.  We can memorize hundreds of verses. We can learn to quote passages over salvation, the church, and self-discipline but if we do not learn to love Jesus Christ completely it profits us nothing.  For it is one thing to read about Jesus, it is completely different fall in love with Jesus and become obedient to His Word.  “Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” (John 1:17)  “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)  “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all …” (1 Timothy 2:5)  Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6)  Jesus is at the heart of all we are and believe!

The Contribution for Eternal Life

The Word of God is Our Guide – David wrote in Psalm 119:102-105, “I do not turn aside from your rules, for you have taught me. How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. As we read in Psalm 119:133 “Keep steady my steps according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me.”  The Word of God is our spiritual map to an eternal relationship with our Heavenly Father.

The Word of God is Our Source of Joy – “I find my delight in your commandments, which I love. Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day. I rejoice at your word like one who finds great spoil. (Psalm 119:47,97, 162)

The Word of God is Our Source of New Life – 1 Peter 1:22-23 reads, “Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God.”  No other book can grant us the source of new life through Jesus except for the Holy Bible.  There is no other book so good and pure.  Many books claim to be a way to a higher deity but they are nothing more than myths and fables.  Jesus is the only way to the Father and to a new life with Him.

The Holy Bible is the Lord’s love letter to us.  It is His way of revealing Himself to all of mankind so that we may each come to know, love, and obey Him.  We each live such busy lives but we must make sure that we keep the main thing, the main thing.  May the Word of Bible be put in a place of prominence within both our personal and family’s lives.

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Posted by on November 30, 2012 in Uncategorized

 

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The Blessing of Family Worship

02 Nov

I recently completed some research over the growing percentage of young people (ages 18-29) who are departing the faith and some of the primary factors contributing to the issue.  Parents, ministers, Bible class teachers, and church leaders all across Christendom are deeply concerned with this dilemma.  Depending on which research you find to be most viable; it is estimated that between 60-75% of Christian young people will graduate from high school and walk away from their relationship with the Lord.

It is not my intent during this post to get into the reasons given by those who were once on fire for God but now do not feel the need to follow Jesus.  That will be another post at another time.  But I do want to say that I know with every ounce of my being that Biblical home training MUST become a priority once again if our children are ever going to live a life of faith and holiness.

From the beginning of time, God ordain the home to be THE primary place for spiritual training and developing godly character.  Please notice.

Genesis 18:19 – “For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice.”

Deuteronomy 6:6-7 – “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”

Psalm 78:1-11 – “Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth! I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old, things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done. He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children, that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments; and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God. The Ephraimites, armed with the bow, turned back on the day of battle. They did not keep God’s covenant, but refused to walk according to his law. They forgot his works and the wonders that he had shown them.”

Proverbs 22:6 – “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”

Ephesians 6:4 – “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”

Many parents understand the command for home training but still chose to ignore this decree from the Lord.  Many others understand their responsibility but are not sure where to begin or who to implement faith training within their own home.  The need for spiritually mature men and women to help train the younger generation (Titus 2:1-8) how to live and leave a Godly legacy is at a very high level.  Churches can aid in this need by providing resources and encouraging these two groups to come together and minister to one another with a humble heart and spirit.

Even though I am a father of a young family, my wife and I am constantly working daily to impress faith and to live our relationship for our children.  We have come to quickly realize the value and blessing in fulfilling the command from the Lord within our own home.

Family Worship bonds the family together in the Lord (2 Timothy 1:5)

It is a very exciting time for our family to be able to gather around our son’s bed at night and read the Word of God together and spend time in family prayer.  You will be hard pressed to find something more meaningful and heartwarming than hearing your children pray.  Not only is it a time of worship but it can easily provide a great avenue for laughter.  Our son has prayed for some very unique and interesting things.  As a minister, it has provided me some opportunities to talk to my son about preaching, prayer, service, fellowship, and song leading to name a few.  He gets excited when we spend time with other Christians who love him and provide a godly example for his to see.

Family Worship makes the father the spiritual leader (Ephesians 6:4)

Sadly, far too many men are not heeding the call from the Lord to be the spiritual leader of the home.  Many of them are intimidated or discouraged.  By implementing family worship when your children are small, it allows the father to grow in his spiritual walk and abilities as his children grow.  Many times the children will not remember what their parents said but will remember the example they set.  Family Worship allows the father to grow in his role as the spiritual leader of his home.

Family Worship is What God commanded (Deuteronomy 6:4)

Scripture is very clear on what the Lord expects of us as parents.  We are not to live a life of fear, but a life of power, love, and self-control (2 Timothy 1:7).  Regardless of what other parents/families are doing.  We have chosen to take the Lord at His word and are doing our very best to live our His command to teach/train our children about Him and His Ways.

Family Worship Helps us to Learn God’s Ways (Psalm 119:97-103)

What a delight it is to spend in God’s Word.  To realize it has the power to encourage, mold, and help us to become more like Jesus is so refreshing and exciting.  The more time we spend with Scripture the better our relationship will be as a family and as members of the household of God.

Family Worship Will Save Your Family (2 Timothy 3:15)

As parents we go through so many measures to make sure our homes and vehicles are safe.  We do our very best to make sure they are always in a safe environment when they are not in our sight.  Why?  Because we want to protect them from harm and those who could hurt them.  As important as these measures are, they fail in comparison to our role in helping save them from spiritual sin.  When we implement Family Worship, we are doing our part in helping save them from themselves, a life of trouble and heartache, and an eternity of punishment and despair.

By no means is this list exhaustive but I do hope you can see the value and benefits of Family Worship.  May the Lord bless each of you richly as we all strive to develop families of faith and holiness.

 
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Posted by on November 2, 2012 in Uncategorized

 

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“Don’t Be A Moron! – Life Lessons from the Two Builders

28 Aug

I recently asked a large class of teenagers to share what they recall from the greatest sermon they ever heard.  It was encouraging to hear them one by one begin to share where they were, the subject being presented, and how that lesson impacted their lives.  I was a bit saddened to learn that not one of them mentioned one of my sermons; but that is okay.

As we find ourselves sitting beside the multitude listening with anticipation to Jesus preach on “The Sermon on the Mount” we hear Jesus say the following, “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.” (Matthew 7:24-29)

When Jesus finished his sermon the people were amazed!  They had never heard anyone preach like that before.  Jesus spoke as one with great authority.  He called for people to act on what they heard.  He called them to make a life commitment.  He called them to live differently as a result of hearing His sermon.

As I began to study deeper into this familiar text I began to see some strong similarities as well as differences between these two men.

Similarities between the Builders

  1. Both Heard the Words of Jesus – Jesus begins His conclusion by saying, “Whoever hears these words of mine…”  Jesus is not only talking about the words he is about to say but is referencing his entire sermon and ministry.  Notice that both builders were represented in the crowd as Jesus spoke.
  2. Both Built a House – Building a house take great effort.  I recall those times my family aided my dad in building his log home.  It is hard work.  Try as I may, the house did not build itself.  It took personal effort and responsibility.  The same is true with our spiritual house.  No one can build it FOR us, we must build it OURSELVES.
  3. Both Experienced a Crisis -   Notice the words from verses 25 and 27, “And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house…”  Regardless of who we are, we have all gone through our own times of crises haven’t we?

Differences in the Two Builders

  1. One is wise; the other foolish – Upon deeper study, we find out the wise man is one who is thoughtful or discreet.  The Greek word to describe this man is φρόνιμος (phronimos).  On the other hand I found it interesting that Jesus describes the foolish man as μωρός (mōros) which literally means stupid or a moron.  Note that neither of these words had to do with a person’s I.Q. but everything to do with his or her willingness to hear the words of Jesus and apply them.
  2. The preparation for the crises is different – In both situations the rains descended and the floods came and the winds blew.  The word for “flood” is used to describe a great river.  To fully comprehend this we need to have some understanding of the terrain in Palestine.  Palestine is comprised of hills and valleys.  In the late winter and early spring the mountain rains come.  The rains channel down between these mountains causing a might river to form, destroying any and everything in their path.  The wise man built his house up on the rock ledge or rock outcropping.  This builder chose the higher ground, the more difficult location.  He built his house on THE rock, which is Jesus Christ.  However; the foolish man built his house in the dry riverbed.  He built it in the direct path of trouble.  Trouble came for both men.  However; only one was able to withstand the storm.
  3. The final outcome – The wise man’s house did not fall.  Why? Because it was founded upon THE rock (2 Timothy 2:19; 1 Timothy 6:19).  The foolish man didn’t fare as well.  In fact, the text says “and great was the fall of it”.  We each must choose where we will build our house.  Prayerfully we will take the time to build a proper house of faith on Jesus and His Word.

I share these points with you today to ask a few simple questions.  How is the construction going?  Are you taking the personal time to build a faith that will withstand any storm you may face?  Are you building your home on a foundation which will fail you or are you putting forth the additional and needed effort to build it on THE rock?  May we each do the things necessary to develop a strong and satisfying faith with our Father, His Son, His Word, and His bride!  May God bless each of you richly!

 
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Posted by on August 28, 2012 in Uncategorized

 

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“Be You!” by Daniel Byard

04 May

The following article is written by my cousin, Daniel Byard.  I know his ‘glimpse of glory’ will serve as a source of encouragement to each of you!  Thank you Daniel for sharing with us. – Kevin

Have you ever thought, “I wish I was a good musician”, or “I wish I had that guy’s public speaking ability?”  How often have you desired to sing like someone famous or have more money so you could help more people in need and spread the Good News?  Me too!!! I’ve even said those very things out loud more than once. I think we all have actually.

Yesterday while waiting in the doctor’s office I encountered a man that has been in a great deal of pain for 3 years.  Due to numerous surgeries he is now unable to work. He is a mechanic, but his real passion is wood working. He told me about some of the things he has made, one being a crucifix. I sensed he had lost a lot of hope, and his faith had grown weak. My wife and I have experienced a similar story since she was hit by a drunk driver 6 years and three major surgeries ago. My car accident was just a year and 4 days ago, but I’ve been there. I have been and seen people in his exact spot! I heard his story and shared our stories.

I believe God used this as an opportunity for me to do what I’m good at; listening and reading people. By the end of our conversation, he was smiling. He had renewed hope and I pray that his faith in the Father is renewed.

Normally I would have been very upset waiting an hour past my appointment time to see the doctor, but I’ll take that extra hour of vacation I used from work and count it as a win! (And be thankful I can continue working) If we had not been through similar circumstances I would not have been there. If I didn’t use the gift of reading people God has given me, would we have even met? Would he have chosen the chair next to me in an otherwise large an empty waiting room? My smile was enough to bring a stranger to my side. I would not have that smile if I did not have Jesus.

I walked away from this encounter as a better person.  I felt great about the opportunity I was blessed to have been given.  I ask that you consider three questions with me.

What talent has God already given you that you need to start using?

Jesus plainly stated in Matthew 25:23, “His master said to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant.  You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much.  Enter into the joy of your master.’”  May we examine ourselves often to understand the gifts and abilities God has granted to each of us so we may use them to His glory.

In what ways do you praise Him for EVERY event in your life.

The psalmist penned in Psalm 100:1-5: “Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.”  God is wonderful and is constantly worthy of our praise.  May we each determine to praise him in each and every experience whether it be on the mountain top or as we walk in the valley in our lives.

Are you looking for ways for God to work through you in order to possibly change someone’s eternity?

Paul told the church to pray for opportunities in Colossians 4:2-4, “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.  At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.”  We need to constantly be on the lookout for opportunities to tell others about Christ through both word and deed.

I encourage you to take time to consider these three questions.  Petition God to bless your heart, motivation, and vision for opportunities to glorify His Son.

 
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Posted by on May 4, 2012 in Uncategorized

 

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