USING GOD?

When we were kids, we probably each had one - a lucky charm. We made sure we had it with us for tests, stressful times within the family or during an illness. We just KNEW that the lucky charm, if we had it with us, would do wonders for us.

Now we are “grown up” and, if we aren’t careful, we will use God as our grown-up version of a lucky charm. Instead of seeing God as the Almighty King with whom we are to have a relationship, to obey and serve, we treat God as if He is supposed to serve us - paying our bills, even giving us the house, cars, vacations and trinkets of our choice.

Let’s be cautious. God is not a lucky charm to be used. God is the King of the universe who delights in our love and demands our obedience.

If you love Me you will obey Me. -Jesus in John 14:15

Heavenly Father, please forgive my wrong attitudes toward You. Please help me to see You as You are. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

TO-DO LISTS

Some days, don’t you feel like your “to-do list” is so long, it will never be finished - ever? As you scurry around caring for your family, heading out to work, trying to please your boss and co-workers, arriving home tired with more “to do”, don’t you just wish there could be a portion of your list which said, “REST”?

The good news is that, if you will read your “to-do list” more closely, you will see that Jesus wrote down something for you to see:

“Come to Me all who labor and are heavily laden, and I will give you REST.” Matthew 11:28

Let’s avail ourselves of His offer!

Heavenly Father, thank You that You knew about "to-do lists” before one was ever written. Please show me how to come to You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

TRAINING

Sometimes something as simple as a lack of a good night’s sleep seems to throw us off the path in closely following Jesus. We become irritable, grouchy and out of sorts. Then, perhaps, we feel like the apostle Paul did in I Corinthians 9 when he states:

“. . . lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.”

I think we all wonder, at one time or another, whether we can endure to the end of time, faithful to the Lord Jesus.

The good news is that God is training us day by day (if we allow Him) so that, when difficult times arise, we are ready for them and are able to walk with Him through the difficulties, victoriously. We need to believe that He has prepared us (yes, even for the unexpected) and then . . . keep walking.

. . . you are not lacking in any spiritual gift, as you wait the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. I Corinthians 1:7-8

Heavenly Father, I thank You that, even before I was born, You made provision for me to finish well, bringing honor to You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

INSTANT MESSAGING

We all know what email is. Someone sends you a message at their convenience through cyberspace. When you have time, you check your in box - maybe even a few days have passed but you receive the message. Then, at your convenience, you respond.

Instant messaging, on the other hand, is a “right now” kind of thing, full of back and forth communication, responses on both sides are immediate.

What type of relationship do you have with your Heavenly Father? Is it like regular email where he communicates with you but, at your convenience, you respond? Or is your communication with God a “now” kind of communication like instant messaging - God sends you a message, you receive it immediately and respond immediately. I think instant messaging with the Father is the type of communication He enjoys and prefers!

O God, Thou art my God, I seek Thee, my soul thirsts for Thee; my flesh faints for Thee, as in a dry and weary land where no water is. Psalm 63:1

Heavenly Father, I thank You that You desire to communicate with me, a mere human being. Please turn my ears “on” so that I hear and immediately respond to You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

CLEANLINESS

We had just moved into a new home. The walls were freshly painted. The carpeting was clean and fresh. The new refrigerator was spotless. Oh, how hard we worked to keep everything as clean as possible. Every spill was immediately wiped up. Any scuff marks on the kitchen floor were immediately removed. Any speck of dirt on the rugs was removed. We polished, vacuumed, dusted, scrubbed . . . continually, it seemed.
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Have you ever wondered why we don’t take as much care to keep our souls as spotless as we do our homes? After all, it is our souls which matter for an eternity. Let us , for every sin we commit, go to our heavenly Father and ask for forgiveness and cleansing by the blood of the Lamb - Jesus. Let’s keep our lives and consciences cleaner than our homes will ever be.

Only take heed, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things which your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life . . . . Deuteronomy 4:9

Heavenly Father, please forgive me for the neglect of my soul. Please empower me to come to You for cleansing daily. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

KEEPING ON

We’ve all done it. We start a new diet, but within a week we find ourselves blowing it by making poor food choices and deciding not to exercise - again. We think: since we have done so badly that particular day, we will throw in the towel and decide to begin again next year when we feel more disciplined.

Or we diligently try to please God in our homes, really we do. Then we lose our temper at our children . . . again and we decide to just coast along . . . until next year or whenever we feel passionate again about the things of God.

These two scenarios point to the lack of endurance on our part. We shouldn’t become so easily discouraged. When we fail in any area of our lives, let’s look to God for endurance in our innermost being.

For you have need of endurance, so that you may do the will of God and receive what is promised. Hebrews 10:36

Heavenly Father, I thank You that one mistake doesn’t determine my eternal destiny. Please give me the endurance to keep on keeping on with You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

PREPARING

When we moved from the country into the village, I was reminded how preparing to move is similar to how we should daily prepare for our move to our eternal Home.

Just as we de-clutter our earthly home in preparation for moving, shouldn’t we also keep our spiritual lives de-cluttered? Shouldn’t we get rid of all of the excess - anger, jealousy, envy and every other ungodly characteristic which won’t be allowed Home? Shouldn’t we plan to take along only those characteristics pleasing to God - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control . . . .)? Shouldn’t we, in addition to keeping our earthly homes clean, also keep our souls clean?

Let’s go to God so that He can show us the excess we need to be rid of. Let us allow Him to provide us with those godly attributes we want to “pack” to take along. And, of utmost importance, let us go to Him for cleansing of our souls so we will be ready at a moment’s notice.

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! Revelation 22:20

Heavenly Father, I come to You in need of so much. Please make me ready! In Jesus’ name. Amen.