So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work
enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for
the Lord is ever useless.
Category: Scripture
God Is Crazy About You
God even knows how many hairs are on your head. —Mat_10:30
There are many reasons God saves you: to bring glory to himself, to appease his justice, to demonstrate his sovereignty. But one of the sweetest reasons God saved you is because he is fond of you. He likes having you around. He thinks you are the best thing to come down the pike in quite a while…
If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it. If he had a wallet, your photo would be in it. He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning. Whenever you want to talk, he’ll listen. He can live anywhere in the universe, and he chose your heart…
Face it, friend. He’s crazy about you.
A Gentle Thunder
Grace for the Moment
(e-Sword version)
Max Lucado
February 23
God’s Help Is Near
Faith means being sure of the things we hope for and knowing that something is real even if we do not see it. —Heb_11:1
Faith is the belief that God is real and that God is good… It is a choice to believe that the one who made it all hasn’t left it all and that he still sends light into the shadows and responds to gestures of faith…
Faith is the belief that God will do what is right.
God says that the more hopeless your circumstances, the more likely, your salvation. The greater your cares, the more genuine your prayers. The darker the room, the greater the need for light.
God’s help is near and always available, but it is only given to those who seek it.
He Still Moves Stones
My Manna
"He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." 1 John 4:4.
As a guest on Larry King Live a few years ago-
Billy Graham was asked to comment on the rash of violence on high school campuses as well as other problems in our culture.
He said, "One thing that is being missed by many people is the devil is at work."
The devil is at work!
When you get down to it, it is the only logical and plausible explanation for the madness that humanity is capable of.
Just as surely as there is a God in heaven who loves you-
- there is a devil from hell who hates you.
Jesus said, speaking of Satan, "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." John 10:10.
There is our choice in life, really:
God or the devil.
A lot of people say they don’t choose either.
But in reality-
- by not choosing God,
- they choose the devil by default!
There are no other choices.
One of Satan’s most brilliant strategies is to convince people he does not exist-
- when all the while, he is manipulating their lives.
Humanity is basically bad.
And it is the devil who works through the fallen nature of human beings-
- getting them to do the evil things that he does.
God gives us a choice in life.
We are not forced to choose Him.
Nor are we forced to choose the devil.
But God has given us something called free will.
We can choose sin-
- which leads to death.
Or
we can choose obedience to God-
- which leads to righteousness!
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Friending
February 14, 2011
Our Daily Bread is hosted by Les Lamborn
READ: John 15:9-17
You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. —John 15:14
The social networking Web site Facebook.com was launched in 2004 as a way for college students to connect with each other online. It is now open to people of all ages, and currently there are an estimated 500 million users. Each user has an individual page with photos and personal details that can be viewed by “friends.” To “friend” a person means opening the door to communication and information about who you are, where you go, and what you do. Facebook friendships may be casual or committed, but each one is “by invitation only.”
Just before Jesus was crucified, He told His disciples: “You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you” (John 15:14-15).
Unselfishness, oneness of purpose, and confident trust are the hallmarks of true friendship, especially in our relationship with the Lord. Christ has taken the initiative by giving His life for us and inviting us to know and follow Him.
Have we responded to the Lord Jesus’ invitation of friendship by opening our hearts to Him with nothing held back? —David McCasland
Friendship with Jesus,
Fellowship divine;
O what blessed, sweet communion—
Jesus is a Friend of mine. —Ludgate
Jesus longs to be our Friend.
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father encourage you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say. —2Th_2:16
"Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me alone to do all the work?" (Luke 1:40 )…
Martha’s life was cluttered. She needed a break. "Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things," the Master explained to her. "Only one thing is important. Mary has chosen [it]" (Luke 11:41-42 ).
What had Mary chosen? She had chosen to sit at the feet of Christ. God is more pleased with the quiet attention of a sincere servant than the noisy service of a sour one…
What matters more than the type of service is the heart behind the service. A bad attitude spoils the gift we leave on the altar for God.
He Still Moves Stones
Grace For The Moment
Grace for the Moment
(e-Sword version)
Max Lucado
January 3
Worthless Worry
I was young, and now I am old, but I have never seen good people left helpless or their children begging for food. —Psa_37:25
We worry. We worry about the IRS and the SAT and the FBI… We worry that we won’t have enough money, and when we have money we worry that we won’t manage it well. We worry that the world will end before the parking meter expires. We worry what the dog thinks if he sees us step out of the shower. We worry that someday we’ll learn that fat-free yogurt was fattening.
Honestly, now. Did God save you so you would fret? Would he teach you to walk just to watch you fall? Would he be nailed to the cross for your sins and then disregard your prayers? Come on. Is Scripture teasing us when it reads, "He has put his angels in charge of you to watch over you wherever you go"? (Psa_91:11 ).
I don’t think so either.
In the Grip of Grace
My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the
strength of my heart; he is mine forever.
–Psalms 73:26, NLT
You know as we enter a New Year, it always gives me time to reflect on the past year and maybe even further back. Being only 28 and going through three back surgeries within the past 9 years has been such a challenge. Even the recoveries and the disabilities that I am left with are a day to day struggle. But as I read this Scripture today, I was reminded that our Lord is always my strength, my solid rock that I can lean upon, in good and bad times. I wonder how much differently my recovery would have went if I did not allow Christ as to be the Lord of my life? My back problems, something meant to harm me, have changed hearts and lives for Jesus. I recently told my wife that if I had to suffer all of these back problems just so even one person could allow Christ as the Lord of their life, then I suffer with joy and praise God for using this to His glory!
This body is temporary, weakness is temporary, but God is eternal. Even as someday we all leave this earth, the eternal inheritance allowed for us by the suffering and resurrection of Christ will be ours. In the bad and good times to come in 2011, allow God to be your strength in ALL things. As you do, you will joyfully proclaim as the Psalmist did “He is mine forever.” May God bless you all with a Happy, Healthy, and blessed New Year.
Rev. Charles Wells
You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
–Isaiah 26:3, NLT
Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all
circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ
Jesus.
–1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, NLT
