Have you ever heard beautiful music, produced by a sympony orchestra? With all the instruments playing together but often with different notes, it builds such an immense, beautiful sound. But the instruments have to be shaped different to get that kind of full, rich sound. If all the instruments were shaped like a trumpet and played the same note, what kind of sound would that be? Probably a little overwhelming. Or what if they were all violins? Even as beautiful as the violin is, it needs the grounding bass of the cello, the rhythm of the drums, the high timber of the flute to balance and contrast its haunting sound.
It’s the same with you. God shaped you the way you are on purpose. Psalm 119:73 says, “Your hands made me and formed me.” You may not be a violin; you may be the bass drum. And you may look at the other instruments and wish you were more like them. “Why can’t I be the flute?” But God made you just how you are to bring great glory to Him. Don’t try to be like the others that you are not made to be. Be who you are.
How do you do that? The key is to have peace in who God made you to be—to settle with it and thank Him. Romans 9:20 says, “Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who created it, ‘Why have you made me like this?’” But we are shown the right heart response in Isaiah 64:8: “And yet, O LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. We all are formed by your hand.” You can rest assured that God is pleased with how He made you; you are not a mistake.
Take a moment and thank God for how He made you. Then ask Him what sound He created you to make for His glory. Your sound may just be the one the symphony needs to balance itself out. Your sound may be the one that is going to draw someone to come and hear the symphony of God.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
God can help you laugh again
Laughter feels good, doesn’t it? Recent health studies have shown that just 1 minute of laughter boosts your immune system for 24 hours. But 1 hour of anger can depress your immune system for the next 6 hours. Wow. Sure makes you want to laugh more, right?
But sometimes life and its worries steal our laughter. Remember how easy it was as a kid to laugh about anything? But now as adults, it’s so much harder to be carefree and laugh, with all of our worries and concerns. Who will pay the bills? What about finding my future spouse? How can I fix my kids’ problems? The list goes on.
But God laughs at His enemies—and that means we can too. Psalm 2:4 describes God’s attitude toward His enemies: “The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.” Can you imagine God laughing? A wonderful image. Sometimes we picture God in heaven worried or mad about the current circumstances. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. Yes, God gets mad at injustice, but He is certainly not worried about the future—because He sees the end from the beginning. He knows He will set up His glorious kingdom and all His enemies will perish. Revelation 7:17 says, “For the Lamb on the throne will be their Shepherd. He will lead them to springs of life-giving water. And God will wipe every tear from their eyes."
Take a minute and thank God for the end result. Even take a minute to laugh at your current troubles, because they will soon come to an end. Ask for God’s perspective, seated victoriously in heaven with Jesus. He has a great plan for you and is not at all worried about your current—or future—enemies. He will defeat them, and in the meantime, you can laugh off whatever worries may come your way.
But sometimes life and its worries steal our laughter. Remember how easy it was as a kid to laugh about anything? But now as adults, it’s so much harder to be carefree and laugh, with all of our worries and concerns. Who will pay the bills? What about finding my future spouse? How can I fix my kids’ problems? The list goes on.
But God laughs at His enemies—and that means we can too. Psalm 2:4 describes God’s attitude toward His enemies: “The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.” Can you imagine God laughing? A wonderful image. Sometimes we picture God in heaven worried or mad about the current circumstances. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. Yes, God gets mad at injustice, but He is certainly not worried about the future—because He sees the end from the beginning. He knows He will set up His glorious kingdom and all His enemies will perish. Revelation 7:17 says, “For the Lamb on the throne will be their Shepherd. He will lead them to springs of life-giving water. And God will wipe every tear from their eyes."
Take a minute and thank God for the end result. Even take a minute to laugh at your current troubles, because they will soon come to an end. Ask for God’s perspective, seated victoriously in heaven with Jesus. He has a great plan for you and is not at all worried about your current—or future—enemies. He will defeat them, and in the meantime, you can laugh off whatever worries may come your way.
Take Inventory First
Have you ever tried to bake a cake or put together a piece of furniture, only to find out that you don’t have all the necessary ingredients or pieces? How frustrating! Not only have you wasted time, you have wasted all the products you used without anything to show for it. And what if you had told people about it and they were expecting the finished product? That would be doubly embarrassing.
Jesus warned people about starting something they couldn’t finish. He said, “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish'” (Luke 14:28-30). Jesus was talking about planning to follow Him for your whole life—not just for a season when it feels good and is easy.
So how do you know if you have enough? That’s the beauty: Everyone has enough; it’s just a matter of what you are willing to give. Jesus went on to say, “In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:33). Everything he has. Not a certain unattainable quota; just whatever you have, you need to be willing to forsake it.
This should be comforting and not comforting. Yes, it will take sacrifice to follow Jesus your whole life, but at least it will be a sacrifice that you are able to make! Say God required you to give one million dollars and you never were going to be able to get it in the first place! That would be really hard. But all God is saying is, “Give me whatever you have. I will bless it and multiply it in ways you can’t imagine.” Take Abraham, for example. He was willing to give up his promised child, but God blessed him and made him the father of a great nation—and eventually everyone who would believe in Jesus.
What do you have to give up? Is it status? A relationship? Your pride? God can help you sacrifice it and build the greatest life you can imagine, based on His Word and following His Son. Take inventory right now and commit your life to Jesus. It will be worth it.
Jesus warned people about starting something they couldn’t finish. He said, “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish'” (Luke 14:28-30). Jesus was talking about planning to follow Him for your whole life—not just for a season when it feels good and is easy.
So how do you know if you have enough? That’s the beauty: Everyone has enough; it’s just a matter of what you are willing to give. Jesus went on to say, “In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:33). Everything he has. Not a certain unattainable quota; just whatever you have, you need to be willing to forsake it.
This should be comforting and not comforting. Yes, it will take sacrifice to follow Jesus your whole life, but at least it will be a sacrifice that you are able to make! Say God required you to give one million dollars and you never were going to be able to get it in the first place! That would be really hard. But all God is saying is, “Give me whatever you have. I will bless it and multiply it in ways you can’t imagine.” Take Abraham, for example. He was willing to give up his promised child, but God blessed him and made him the father of a great nation—and eventually everyone who would believe in Jesus.
What do you have to give up? Is it status? A relationship? Your pride? God can help you sacrifice it and build the greatest life you can imagine, based on His Word and following His Son. Take inventory right now and commit your life to Jesus. It will be worth it.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Hero
What is a hero? A hero is someone who does something worthy for someone else, often at great cost or sacrifice to themselves.
Jesus Christ is the greatest hero of all times. He came to this earth and sacrificed Himself for the sins of the world. He gave the greatest gift His own life. He took on Himself the punishment for your sins and mine when He hung on the cross and died. He was ridiculed, and humiliated, and beaten all for us.
Sometimes for a family member, someone might give their life, or even for a very good person. But who would give their life for a criminal for one condemned to death? Yet God in His great love sent His own Son Jesus Christ to die for us, who are worthy of death because of our sins. How great is the love of God!
There is a story of a judge who was sitting in court, and one day his own son was brought before him on a charge of stealing; and his son was guilty. The judge pronounced him guilty, but then came off the bench and paid the fine himself. Jesus Christ paid our penalty for sin all we need to do is turn from our sins and receive Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord and we receive the gift of eternal life. Praise God for His great love!
Jesus Christ is the greatest hero of all times. He came to this earth and sacrificed Himself for the sins of the world. He gave the greatest gift His own life. He took on Himself the punishment for your sins and mine when He hung on the cross and died. He was ridiculed, and humiliated, and beaten all for us.
Sometimes for a family member, someone might give their life, or even for a very good person. But who would give their life for a criminal for one condemned to death? Yet God in His great love sent His own Son Jesus Christ to die for us, who are worthy of death because of our sins. How great is the love of God!
There is a story of a judge who was sitting in court, and one day his own son was brought before him on a charge of stealing; and his son was guilty. The judge pronounced him guilty, but then came off the bench and paid the fine himself. Jesus Christ paid our penalty for sin all we need to do is turn from our sins and receive Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord and we receive the gift of eternal life. Praise God for His great love!
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Persistent in Prayer
God asks us to be persistent in prayer.
Why do all our prayers not get answered the first time that we pray them? We do not really know, but we know that God our heavenly Father knows best and He is all powerful and all loving. In the Bible it tells a story about a widow who comes before a judge, and the judge hears her because she keeps coming back to him.
God loves you and He knows what is best for you. He sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for you. Jesus said "Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." A better translation might be "Keep on asking and you will receive; keep on seeking and you will find; keep on knocking and the door will be opened to you." You can bring your requests to God every day and He will not mind. But ask in faith and trust that God loves you and He will provide what is best.
Do you have a family member that does not yet know Jesus Christ? Keep on asking God to bring that person to Him. Do you have a sickness that has not yet been healed? Keep on asking God to heal your body. Ask in faith; ask in humility; ask in reverence to God who knows what is best; but bring your requests to God! He loves you.
Why do all our prayers not get answered the first time that we pray them? We do not really know, but we know that God our heavenly Father knows best and He is all powerful and all loving. In the Bible it tells a story about a widow who comes before a judge, and the judge hears her because she keeps coming back to him.
God loves you and He knows what is best for you. He sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for you. Jesus said "Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." A better translation might be "Keep on asking and you will receive; keep on seeking and you will find; keep on knocking and the door will be opened to you." You can bring your requests to God every day and He will not mind. But ask in faith and trust that God loves you and He will provide what is best.
Do you have a family member that does not yet know Jesus Christ? Keep on asking God to bring that person to Him. Do you have a sickness that has not yet been healed? Keep on asking God to heal your body. Ask in faith; ask in humility; ask in reverence to God who knows what is best; but bring your requests to God! He loves you.
Persistent in Prayer
God asks us to be persistent in prayer.
Why do all our prayers not get answered the first time that we pray them? We do not really know, but we know that God our heavenly Father knows best and He is all powerful and all loving. In the Bible it tells a story about a widow who comes before a judge, and the judge hears her because she keeps coming back to him.
God loves you and He knows what is best for you. He sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for you. Jesus said "Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." A better translation might be "Keep on asking and you will receive; keep on seeking and you will find; keep on knocking and the door will be opened to you." You can bring your requests to God every day and He will not mind. But ask in faith and trust that God loves you and He will provide what is best.
Do you have a family member that does not yet know Jesus Christ? Keep on asking God to bring that person to Him. Do you have a sickness that has not yet been healed? Keep on asking God to heal your body. Ask in faith; ask in humility; ask in reverence to God who knows what is best; but bring your requests to God! He loves you.
Why do all our prayers not get answered the first time that we pray them? We do not really know, but we know that God our heavenly Father knows best and He is all powerful and all loving. In the Bible it tells a story about a widow who comes before a judge, and the judge hears her because she keeps coming back to him.
God loves you and He knows what is best for you. He sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for you. Jesus said "Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." A better translation might be "Keep on asking and you will receive; keep on seeking and you will find; keep on knocking and the door will be opened to you." You can bring your requests to God every day and He will not mind. But ask in faith and trust that God loves you and He will provide what is best.
Do you have a family member that does not yet know Jesus Christ? Keep on asking God to bring that person to Him. Do you have a sickness that has not yet been healed? Keep on asking God to heal your body. Ask in faith; ask in humility; ask in reverence to God who knows what is best; but bring your requests to God! He loves you.
Persistent in Prayer
God asks us to be persistent in prayer.
Why do all our prayers not get answered the first time that we pray them? We do not really know, but we know that God our heavenly Father knows best and He is all powerful and all loving. In the Bible it tells a story about a widow who comes before a judge, and the judge hears her because she keeps coming back to him.
God loves you and He knows what is best for you. He sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for you. Jesus said "Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." A better translation might be "Keep on asking and you will receive; keep on seeking and you will find; keep on knocking and the door will be opened to you." You can bring your requests to God every day and He will not mind. But ask in faith and trust that God loves you and He will provide what is best.
Do you have a family member that does not yet know Jesus Christ? Keep on asking God to bring that person to Him. Do you have a sickness that has not yet been healed? Keep on asking God to heal your body. Ask in faith; ask in humility; ask in reverence to God who knows what is best; but bring your requests to God! He loves you.
Why do all our prayers not get answered the first time that we pray them? We do not really know, but we know that God our heavenly Father knows best and He is all powerful and all loving. In the Bible it tells a story about a widow who comes before a judge, and the judge hears her because she keeps coming back to him.
God loves you and He knows what is best for you. He sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for you. Jesus said "Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." A better translation might be "Keep on asking and you will receive; keep on seeking and you will find; keep on knocking and the door will be opened to you." You can bring your requests to God every day and He will not mind. But ask in faith and trust that God loves you and He will provide what is best.
Do you have a family member that does not yet know Jesus Christ? Keep on asking God to bring that person to Him. Do you have a sickness that has not yet been healed? Keep on asking God to heal your body. Ask in faith; ask in humility; ask in reverence to God who knows what is best; but bring your requests to God! He loves you.
Who is Jesus Christ to you
Who is Jesus Christ to you today? If you have truly accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, then:
Jesus Christ is now your Savior. He died for your sins and paid the penalty so that you could go to heaven. He loves you and wants only the best for you.
Jesus Christ lives in your life by the power of the Holy Spirit. He said He would never leave you or forsake you. Christ is in your life; He is alive in you today. Jesus is not with you only when you go to church, or only at special times; when you accept Christ as Savior He comes and lives in your life.
Jesus is alive in the world today. He is spiritually present in all true Christians; these Christians are called the body of Christ. Jesus lives in us spiritually today.
Jesus is in heaven seated at the right hand of God the Father. He has all power and authority in heaven and on earth. Someday Jesus Christ will return to this earth in bodily form with the armies of heaven, and then every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Until that day, we have the privilege to choose to worship and serve Jesus Christ our wonderful Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ is now your Savior. He died for your sins and paid the penalty so that you could go to heaven. He loves you and wants only the best for you.
Jesus Christ lives in your life by the power of the Holy Spirit. He said He would never leave you or forsake you. Christ is in your life; He is alive in you today. Jesus is not with you only when you go to church, or only at special times; when you accept Christ as Savior He comes and lives in your life.
Jesus is alive in the world today. He is spiritually present in all true Christians; these Christians are called the body of Christ. Jesus lives in us spiritually today.
Jesus is in heaven seated at the right hand of God the Father. He has all power and authority in heaven and on earth. Someday Jesus Christ will return to this earth in bodily form with the armies of heaven, and then every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Until that day, we have the privilege to choose to worship and serve Jesus Christ our wonderful Lord and Savior
Who is Jesus Christ to you
Who is Jesus Christ to you today? If you have truly accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, then:
Jesus Christ is now your Savior. He died for your sins and paid the penalty so that you could go to heaven. He loves you and wants only the best for you.
Jesus Christ lives in your life by the power of the Holy Spirit. He said He would never leave you or forsake you. Christ is in your life; He is alive in you today. Jesus is not with you only when you go to church, or only at special times; when you accept Christ as Savior He comes and lives in your life.
Jesus is alive in the world today. He is spiritually present in all true Christians; these Christians are called the body of Christ. Jesus lives in us spiritually today.
Jesus is in heaven seated at the right hand of God the Father. He has all power and authority in heaven and on earth. Someday Jesus Christ will return to this earth in bodily form with the armies of heaven, and then every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Until that day, we have the privilege to choose to worship and serve Jesus Christ our wonderful Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ is now your Savior. He died for your sins and paid the penalty so that you could go to heaven. He loves you and wants only the best for you.
Jesus Christ lives in your life by the power of the Holy Spirit. He said He would never leave you or forsake you. Christ is in your life; He is alive in you today. Jesus is not with you only when you go to church, or only at special times; when you accept Christ as Savior He comes and lives in your life.
Jesus is alive in the world today. He is spiritually present in all true Christians; these Christians are called the body of Christ. Jesus lives in us spiritually today.
Jesus is in heaven seated at the right hand of God the Father. He has all power and authority in heaven and on earth. Someday Jesus Christ will return to this earth in bodily form with the armies of heaven, and then every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Until that day, we have the privilege to choose to worship and serve Jesus Christ our wonderful Lord and Savior
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