Devotion and Reflection for the Weekend

Spiritual Shortsightedness<<In Touch Ministries

Being humble and being hasty does not go together...now being prideful and hasty, those go together. This past month God has really had to show me that He comes first and trying to accomplished things "my" way will not work, it only leads to an emotional rollercoaster. It had me despising my job, working two jobs and in the process, I moved so far from God by not getting into His word like I should, not praying, not attending church and as the result always behind the 8 ball.

Now you know me by now I am not one to tell followers of Christ, "just sit back and let God bring everything to you." because our Lord does not operate in that fancy but I am telling you that sometimes we can get before God's plan for our lives and in the end it brings you pain and sometimes you may have to begin from the "start" position. This past Sunday was an eye opener for me because on the lesson that our pastor taught on and then the passages and devotions I have read this past week, I can not live my life with Him(God) leading and directing my steps. My pastor said something so profound and he has says this before but sometime one needs to be reminded time and time again (God knows we as Christian are a stiff neck people).

"Living the Christian life is really simple. We as Christians make it difficult."

and we do. Why is it that we hop in our cars and not even praying about knowing that the car is going to start or plop down in a chair knowing that it will hold us or as for me a geek, knowing that when click on the Internet Explorer or Firefox icon that the internet will pop on? But when it comes to trusting the word of God we have to "rationalize" it and try to "help" Him along. We know if we do not check our oil in our car, check the stability of chairs or not pay our cable or DSL bill we will not have transportation, chairs to sit in or the internet to surf...we have to do our part. This is what God tries to tell us day in and day out. I know He has been trying to tell me this message this past month. But by my pride, my being too busy for God caused me to not truly appreciate all what He has done for me and in the end I was transfered to another department, tired day in and day out, being to busy for the word of God and going to His house may have caused me the loss of my step-son by not camping my angels around him day in and day out.

I'm I say this had him murdered, of course not!(I will write on his death later this month). But what I am saying that by putting occupations, striving for more material we forget who has giving us these joys in life, our Creator. The two devotions from today lets me know that God wants me to do my part but sometimes I have to stop and realize I can not do things my way and get the best results and that sometimes God has answers and solutions that come in different ways when we least expect it. I love how pastor Greg Laurie taught on King Naaman and his pride when the prophet Elisha told him what to do in order to be cured of Leprosy. Pastor Laurie believes that many of King Naaman's men did know that he suffered from this disease and worse yet to go and emerge himself in the Jordan River was even worse because this is not the cleanest river in northern Israel but it took one of his men to calm him down and for him to "humble" himself to complete the task told to him by the prophet.

The second devotion from In Touch Ministries is a reminder that making decisions in haste only leads to heartache down the road. Dr. Stanley's "HALT" lets me know that compromise is not an option when it comes getting things accomplished, wanting material things, not appreciating what God has blessed me with in my life. Two times I have taking on a second job calling myself getting "ahead" and both times I have not. Don't get me wrong, it has helped me and my wife and she tells me time and time again how thankful she was by me taking the part time job but God is telling us also, "do it my way and you can survive off of you having one job and your wife having a job." This means not money management, not buying on impulse, giving God what is His(10% is not a lot considering He gives me health and faculties to get up each and every morning to complete my tasks).

Reading His word, spending time with Him, talking and LISTENING to Him is what I must do one a daily basis and just this week and part of last week I have realized that going in and doing what I need to do my job and focus on Him is making my life much more relaxed. I'm I saying they will not be rough days, nope. But what I am saying that God is making me practice what I preach...my job is my job and my home is my home. Where I work is only a stepping stone for what God has for my life ahead. I have a long road ahead of me but this time around, it's not that bad traveling this road.

Be Blessed, Be Safe and Have a Wonderful Weekend/Holiday everyone.

Praying For Our Children
from Christian Embassy Church

Salvation

"Lord, I pray that my children would obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory."

2 Timothy 2:10

Being A Skeptic Doesn't Mean, "I Don't Believe"

Many people think that most Followers of Christ Jesus are these mindless zombies that believe anything, fall for what ever we hear a so called man of God says. Non believers think we just sit back and just wait on our "invisible father" to do everything for us. Some people think of *Jim Jones, David Koresh when they think of Christians but this is so far from a true believer of God. One thing God stresses day in and day out is to read His word, get to know Him, challenge other fellow Christians from time to time because as one wise Christian used to say to me over and over, "You got to know Him for yourself." As you read His word your mind does not turn to mush but the opposite. You begin to see the world for what it is, you begin to see and understand why people do somethings. When learning and trusting God's word I have stop asking "Why?" and begin asking, "What do I need to do now?" meaning what do I need to do to please You and what do I need to better myself.

When you begin to read His word, pray and have intimate conversations with God you learn that you cannot just sit back and let Him do all the work. You get into a covenant with Him and you soon learn to lean on "His understanding" not your own. God teaches you that it's only our job to share His gospel, to plant the seed. When reading today's devotion it lets you know that being a skeptic is not the same as not believing at all. We are all skeptics until we do research, take our time in finding the facts about one thing or another. This is the awesome thing about God. He tells a person, "read my words, spend time with me, research me." It's okay to have questions for God, it's okay to become angry from time to time because He created you and I.

I just realized just this year that when Job was questioning He(God) never answered Job but turned around and began questioning Job. I am learning that when I set my mind to "okay God, I do not like what I'm going through so what are you trying to teach me?" or "I don't understand but You have and always will give me the wisdom to figure this out." my Lord comes through each and every time. What I am learning day in and day out is that I will never know answers to certain questions. I'm learning that sometimes it's best just to trust in Him because He knows from beginning to end and sometimes the journey is not smooth but when I reach the end what wisdom and knowledge I learn from God.

It's funny, the more I look toward God the more I learn about myself and people around me. God teaches me every day that people will let you down, they will betray, they are selfish at times but He also lets me know that this is in our nature and you can forgive but at the same same not become a doormat for these type of people. God also shows me that they are people that are kind, considerate, would go out of their way to respect you. When you are a Follower of Christ you tend to gravitate to strong positive people and likewise. God gives you the understanding that you are not better than anyone because we once a complainer, a gossip, a cheat and once leave that lifestyle behind we become a light to guide others without being judgmental of the person, only their ways because we as Christians can slide back into our lifestyle if we become "to high and mighty". I love what the prophet says in proverbs 30...

"Two things I asked of You,
Do not refuse me before I die:
Keep deception and lies far from me,
Give me neither poverty nor riches;
Feed me with the food that is my portion,
That I not be full and deny You and say, "Who is the LORD?"
Or that I not be in want and steal,
And profane the name of my God."

~Proverbs 30:7-9 (New American Standard Bible)

I can't get too low on myself because He has brought me so high and I cannot get too high on myself because I know how low he can take me.

Be Blessed, Be Safe and have a Wonderful Weekend.