Maybe it’s hearing someone’s answer to pray…maybe it’s a praise report…or maybe it’s hearing that someone you’ve been praying for has finally come to know the Lord. Whatever it is, joy and thanksgiving almost explodes from us as we listen to others praising and thanking our Heavenly Father. Sharing God’s miraculous works is so important to all of us. For when we share…we all become encouraged and uplifted!
Tag: faith in Jesus
I Corinthians 1:9 ” God, Who has called you into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.”
God is faithful…keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations. (Deuteronomy 7:9) He is trustworthy, just, and true, unlike anyone else on this planet. For others will betray you…even those professing their love for you. But God will never go back on His Word. He can be trusted…so in turn, we can believe in Him. And in that confidence, springs hope. (Hebrews 10:23)
Proverbs 10:4 ” Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.”
Having been in Nursing Administration most of my life, I’ve interviewed and hired a lot of staff. And the one thing I always looked for was a good work ethic. A first-rate candidate needed to be hardworking, thorough, and patient…while someone who seemed inconstant, lax, and careless would be looked over for the position. Proverbs 12:24 tells us that, “Diligent hands will rule but laziness ends in slave labor.” Developing a good work ethic will get you far, not only in your career, but your life.
Psalm 118:22-23 ” The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.”
The story comes out of Matthew 21:42 where Jesus is quoting this Scripture to the chief priests and elders of the Temple…whom were not too happy about Him accusing them of rejecting the Messiah…namely Himself, Jesus. Continuing in the next verse, Jesus countered with, “Therefore, I tell you that the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.” Jesus was offering the gift of salvation to Gentiles…building His Church from those willing to accept Him as Savior. And as Believers in Christ, we are the Church. To paraphrase Ephesians 2:20, We the Church, are God’s people, built on the foundation of all martyred apostles and prophets, with Jesus being the chief cornerstone.
I Timothy 4:1 “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.”
Whether you agree we’re in the end times or not, this verse points out the subtle and indirect way we can be lead astray. We don’t have to rebel outright…turning our backs on the Gospel, to be caught up in deception. In fact, in casual listening, what we hear may not sound wrong at all. For twisted and corrupted “religious beliefs” are all around us…with new and even more Holy Spirit grieving ones popping up everyday. As a Believer, you need to carefully discern what you hear…does it line up with the Bible, not just a little, but totally?
I Corinthians 9:19 “Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.”
Paul wasn’t legally, socially, or personally obligated to anyone…but he willingly relinquished his freedom for the sake of winning others to Christ Jesus. And as Believers, we too are free…but that freedom was bought with a heavy price. And in realization of that mind-boggling freedom…it compels us to submission…first, to yielding our will to His… and then, to thinking of others before ourselves. Yes, we are free indeed…but in love, we need to submit one to another.
Revelation 20:10 ” And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”
The ending has already been written…Satan’s doom is inevitable, and he knows it. The Accuser and Slanderer of God is well aware of how his story will end…and it’s not pretty. Satan knows that his time is short and so he’s bound and determined to take as many deceived souls with him into that abyss. Pray then, that people’s eyes and ears will be open to the Truth…the Truth of the living God.
Deuteronomy 26:18 ” And the Lord has declared this day that you are His people, His treasured possession as He promised, and that you are to keep all His commands.”
Later, in Titus 2:14 it says, “Who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people who are His very own, eager to do what is good.” If as a Believer, we could fully grasp just how valued and cherished we are in the Lord’s sight, we would be radically changed. But we can grasp it in a fashion. Jesus Christ died in our place on that Cross…taking upon Himself our sins, in order that we may have a pathway to God. You want to know how precious you are to the Lord? Take a look at His hands and feet…He willingly endured that for you.
Exodus 3:3 ” So Moses thought, ‘I will go over and see this strange sight – why the bush does not burn up.’ “
Moses was not frightened by the extraordinary phenomenon he saw before him. Neither was he hesitant or doubtful in his mind that this was a supernatural happening. It says in the next verse, that God called to Moses from within that burning bush as he got near. The Lord gives us visions…such wonderful and great concepts that are almost too much for our feeble minds to take in. But if we approach that vision with boldness and not doubt or fear…God will speak into our hearts…and extraordinary things will happen.
Luke 10:29 ” But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’ “
This question stemmed from an expert of the Law who had asked Jesus how he could obtain eternal life, and where could it be found in the Law. Jesus recited Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18…basically saying, love God and love your neighbor. But the man wasn’t satisfied with the answer, and wanted Jesus to be more specific as to just who ” his neighbor” was. In other words, he was asking – what is the bare minimum requirement of who represents “my neighbor”. In most of our minds,” our neighbors”, are anyone in close proximity to us…either by blood or bond. But Jesus wants us to realize that “our neighbors” go far beyond mutual ties of kinship or nation. Our love and concern for one another should be pro-active…not passive or stingy, and should extend far from our imagined boundaries of just who “our neighbors” are.
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