If we want to become more Christ like in our life, our daily walk should be patterned after Him. “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” (1 John 2:6) 

Becoming more like Christ is the result of our surrender to God. Romans 12:1-2 says: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. ² And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” 

We are to be like Jesus in the purity of our lives. Peter writes “but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, ¹⁶ because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:15-16) and John states “And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” (1 John 3:3) 

And “if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7) 

Furthermore we are to be like Him in love. “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. ⁸ He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” (1 John 4:7-8)

We are to be willing to suffer unjustly without revenge because “Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: ²² “Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth” (1 Peter 2:21-22)

Being like Jesus involves a life of service and being humble. “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. ¹⁵ For I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.” (John 13:14-15)

If we want to be like Jesus we need to deal with our pride and any boastfulness and “let this humble mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 2:5)

To be more like Jesus is to be a person willing to put others before ourselves, to seek wisdom from God, and to care about how we interact with the people we come across in life. We need to be considerate in all that we do. 1 Corinthians 13:4 says that love is always patient and kind. And Hebrews 12:14 states: “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.”

We need to care for other people and treat others as we would like to be treated (Matthew 7:12); we need to think beyond our self.

Jesus forgave Peter even though Peter betrayed Jesus. Christ has forgiven each of us many times, even though our sins grieve Him deeply. He stands ready to forgive and restore fellowship, and so should we. With His help, we can emulate Him, even when we are wronged. Therefore, “be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32)

Scripture teaches us to be like our Lord and Savior in “all manner of conversation,” therefore we need to watch our tone of voice and the words that come out of our mouths.  As born again believers we are Christ’s earthly witnesses, and we must act as a reflection of Him. 

Like John the Baptist said: “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30) This should be the attitude of every born again Christian.  As my husband always says, “hide me behind the cross, may Jesus be seen and not I”. 

Christ mined Christian always remember: “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)

“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” (Matthew 6:19-21)

Here we see Jesus contrasting “treasures on earth” with “treasures in heaven,” and He teaches that our earthly possessions and acquisitions are vulnerable and temporal, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal.

Jesus instructed believers to “store your treasures in heaven” rather than on earth. The Lord’s use of the term “store up” is important, for it implies a dedication of energy and effort over time to acquire resources. The pursuit of earthly treasure, while certainly honorable and worthy if used to provide for your family like food, clothing and a home, will simply not last. Only treasure of the heavenly kind with Kingdom purposes will endure, for it will never decay, nor can it be stolen from God’s mighty hand.

Jesus wants us to know that:  Wherever our treasure is, there the desires of our heart will also be. 

In Proverbs 4:23 we read: “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”  Here Solomon is telling us to guard our heart above all else, and to focus on those desires that will keep us on the right path with our heavenly Father. 

The issue of the heart was something that Jesus had to bring up quite often in His teachings, as later He gives another example in the story of the rich young ruler in (Matthew 19:16-22). Here we see a young ruler who obeys the Old Testament commandments; however his heart is controlled by his possessions. He is wealthy and supposedly has a lot going for him, but he is not willing to let those things go in order to follow Jesus. When it came down to loving the Father and having no other gods (things) before Him, he is not willing to let go of the wealth he obtained here on earth, in order to gain eternal life.  

Earthly treasures are those that potentially can be stolen, destroyed or consumed. Jesus refers to them as the moth, the rust and the thief. The moth is a tiny little butterfly-looking insect that doesn’t appear harmful at all, but it will destroy the most expensive fabric you could ever own. Rust destroys things that are thought indestructible. And the thief is always looking to break in and steal.  

All through the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches us to repent, to change our minds and our attitudes. Jesus is talking about laying up eternal treasures that will be with us forever. Our outlook needs to be like the Old Testament saints as described in Hebrews 11:13-16, who trusted in the promises God gave them.  

So, “how do we lay up treasures in heaven?” The answer is by living the way God has taught us to live in His Holy Scripture. The greatest commandment in all the Bible is: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ ³⁸ This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Matthew 22:37-39)  

We need to understand that when our focus is on the things of this earth, so that we have put our treasures above God, and are serving them instead of our Savior, we need to search our heart and ask ourselves:  

• Are we earthly-minded or heavenly-minded?

• Are we investing in the future eternity, or are we investing in the here and now?

• Are we engrossed with the temporal or are we focused on the eternal?

• Are we pursuing greed or do we seek to walk in humble obedience to God?

Our focus determines our priorities. If our treasure is in heaven, our heart will be there as well. We will be concerned about God’s holiness, becoming more Christ like, and sharing the gospel. We will be eager to build His Kingdom and not our kingdom. We will recognize that we are steward’s who are entrusted with the management of earthly possessions and that they are not ours in the first place. Furthermore, we will be constantly reminded that as true born again believers we are strangers in this world and that our real home, is in heaven with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Ultimately, the focus of Christ’s message can be found in the final sentence. “Treasures,” here, indicates the position of the heart. How we spend our time, our energy, and yes, our money, reveals the true nature of our desires. How humbling and convicting! Truly, the Word “is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)

This parable from Luke 12:13-21 of the rich fool has a very important lesson for each one of us.

Jesus was teaching the multitude when someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”

By such an interruption it is obvious that this man did not come to hear Jesus Christ teach. He had come for other motives. The man apparently thought that he might use Jesus to mediate his inheritance case. We need to know that at that time it was customary for people to take their disputes to the rabbis for settlement but this was clearly an act of selfishness and greed.

Jesus immediately refuses and replies, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?”

Then, Jesus turned to the multitude and said to them, “Watch out!  Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

We need to remember that greed and covetousness is mentioned in the Ten Commandments because it is a warning to one of the major human problems. Where greed is involved there is never enough and there is the constant desire to want more.

This was a subject that everyone needed to be aware of, so Jesus warns not just the one man, but the entire crowd. Then He proceeds to tell them the parable of a farmer, who had great success in farming.  (Luke 12:16-21).

“The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest.” (v. 16)

As we read the parable, we discover there were three problems with this man.  First, you will notice that he only thought of himself.  Secondly, he did not think about God and thirdly he had no plans to help his fellow man.

He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ ¹⁸ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. ¹⁹ And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’

This man assumes that his life consists in the abundance of things he possesses; the crops are his and they will provide for his well being for many years to come, so he thinks. And he will enjoy life and eat, drink and party.

“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ (v. 20)        

The foolishness and selfishness of the rich man is seen in that he fails to think about his “body” and that it is mortal, and that his life can end at any moment. He also does not consider the needs of others, because the needs of the poor are not even taken into consideration. He thinks only of self as it is denoted by the number of “I’s” and “my’s” in these verses. Not once does he thank and glorify God for the abundance of the harvest.

This man lives as if God did not exist, and God is not a factor in his life or in the decisions he makes. He does not look for holy advice and he does not pray. He rationalizes and determines that he will keep everything and then will consume it in self-indulgences. In his mind, his land, his possessions, and his life are all under his control. The tendency is that the more successful a person is the more their focus is on the now, and they see their security only in their riches.

We need to be very careful how we live, since we never know when our time here on earth will end.

As Jesus continues He explains that those who lay up treasure for themselves, and are not rich toward God, are like this rich fool! (v. 21)

If our plans for the future are focus only on self, and not on God and the needs of others, we are no different than the rich fool. It is wise to plan but we should do it wisely with God’s help through the Holy Spirit guidance, through prayer and reading his Word.

The rich farmer is a fool not because he is wealthy or because he saves for the future, but because he appears to live only for himself, and because he believes that he can secure his life with his abundant possessions.

The lesson of the parable is that the rich man did not prepare for eternal life and he did not realize that everything is created and owned by God. He had no relationship with the living God. In his planning he had no regard for the God that created him and had given him possessions and stewardship of the land.

This parable teaches us that earthly riches are not the answer to our eternal security. The important thing is that we must be rich spiritually to inherit eternal life.

We need to ensure that our heart is in the right place. Jesus said:  “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  (Matthew 6:19-21)

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

The Biblical message inspired by God is His revelation in written form, in order to precisely preserve and propagate the truth. The word revelation means an uncovering, a removal of the veil, a disclosure of what was previously unknown. Revelation of God is God’s manifestation of Himself to humankind in such a way that men and women can know Him and have fellowship with Him.

The Bible declares, hundreds of times, to be the written Word of God. The Old Testament Scriptures were acknowledged by Christ and the apostles as divinely inspired and completely infallible. When Jesus said: “The scriptures cannot be broken” (John 10:35), He was speaking of God’s written word. The events, actions, commandments, and truths from God are given to us and cannot be broken.

The Lord Jesus Christ identified truth with the written Word. In His great, high priestly prayer (John 17:17), He said, “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.” This was consistent with the declarations in which the Holy Spirit continually proclaims that the revelation from God is truth: “The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever” (Psalm 119:160). There is no other source than the Scripture to which this statement applies. Only this source, the Holy Scripture, is the standard of truth for the believer. Actually, the Bible is the only foundational source of truth.

In the temptation, the Lord Jesus resists Satan three times saying, “It is written” (Matthew 4:4-10). In stating “It is written,” the Lord used the exact same phrase that is used in the Holy Bible numerous times. Therefore, the persistence of the repeated phrase underlines its importance.

People need to be very cautious regarding religious traditions, because quite often they attempt to give human traditions higher authority than God’s Word. This was true of the Jews of Jesus’ day and unfortunately it is also true of many religions today. In refuting the errors of the Sadducees, the Scripture records the Lord saying, “You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures nor the power of God.” (Matthew 22:29). Jesus continually reprimanded and rebuked the Pharisees because they gave their traditions equal power to the Word of God. By doing so they were corrupting the very basis of truth. So Jesus declared to them: “You are invalidating the word of God by your tradition which you have handed down; and you do many things such as that.” (Mark 7:13)

Since Scripture alone is inspired by Almighty God, it alone is the ultimate authority and not tradition.

The Word of the Lord says as a commandment: “Every word of God is tested; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.  Do not add to His words or He will reprove you, and you will be proved a liar.” (Proverbs 30:5-6)

God commands that we are not to add to His Word; this shows emphatically that it is only God’s Word that is pure and unadulterated. Jesus has some stern warning for us also in Revelation 22:18-19.

We need to realize that Scripture can only be understood correctly in the light of Scripture, since it alone is uncorrupted. It is only with the Holy Spirit’s light that Scripture can be comprehended correctly. The Holy Spirit causes those who are the Lord’s to understand Scripture and Jesus promised us that: “The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you” (John 14: 26). Therefore “It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth” (1 John 5:6).

If you want to be true to God in this important matter, follow His instruction, “Turn to my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you” (Proverbs 1:23). Be assured that if you are longing for truth the Lord will not despise a broken and contrite heart. (Psalm 51:17)

When we look at Scripture versus tradition we read that Scripture is the authoritative record that God has given His people. Therefore, to appeal to a tradition for authority, when God did not give it, is futile. The idea that somehow sayings and events from the Lord have been recorded in tradition is simply not true. If you want to get your theology straight, read and study the Bible carefully.

 “Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me.” (John 14:23-24)

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Matthew 24:35).

Jesus Christ looked only to the authority of the Scriptures, as did His apostles after Him. They confirmed the very message of the Old Testament. “For the word of the LORD is right and true; He is faithful in all he does.” (Psalm 33:4).

The believer is to be true to the way of the Lord, following only what is written, because, “The Word of the LORD is right and true.” AMEN

“Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; whoever believes will not act hastily.” (Isaiah 28:16)

Behold I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation. God is the one who lays a stone and we are asked to behold God’s foundation and build our life upon it.

It is so easy to rush ahead of God instead of waiting for His leading. With good intentions and admirable zeal, Christians plan many things and become involved in a thousand-and-one good activities, all in the name of Christ and for His kingdom. Many feel and urgency, because they believe, that time is short and they feel they must hurry. The problem is that they forget to first consult with the Lord and then wait for His answer and directions.

What is this foundation? 1 Peter 2:6 applies this passage directly to the Messiah, Jesus Christ. He is the foundation for our lives and only with a secure, stable foundation can anything lasting be built. Anything “added on”, not built upon the foundation, is sure to end up in ruins.

The chief cornerstone carries the weight of the structure. If laid properly, the weight of the building is evenly distributed and the structure remained sound. A solid, level foundation is a must, because without that strong base, the wall will eventually fall.

Jesus taught us this principle in the parable about the house built on the rock (Jesus) versus the one built without a foundation on the sand and great was its fall. (Matthew 7:24-27)

In this great Messianic prophecies of the Old Testament, God promised a Savior who would be the sure foundation of the eternal temple of God; yet it was 700 years before the promise was fulfilled. God did not “act hastily,” but His promise, nevertheless, was fulfilled. No doubt many believing Jews wondered why it was taking so long, “but when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son…” (Galatians 4:4).

Our Messiah was a tried stone. Jesus was tried, was tested, and was proven to be the glorious, obedient Son of God in all things.

Jesus a precious cornerstone. Our Messiah is precious and our cornerstone. The cornerstone provides the lines and the pattern for all the rest of the construction. The cornerstone is straight and true, and everything in the entire building lines up in reference to the cornerstone.

Our Messiah a sure foundation. Jesus is our sure foundation and we can build everything on Him without fear.

If we trust, obey and believe we will not act hastily and God will be exalted: “The Lord will wait, that He may be gracious to you; and therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for Him” (Isaiah 30:18). And once we get the complete assurance of His leadership we must not fail to follow Him, because He will lead us through the Holy Spirit and His Word. 

We need to be absolutely sure that we are following the Lord’s leading, because all too often decisions made in haste results in confusion and regret.  

Next time we are tempted to act before we have heard or considered all the facts and circumstances, let us remember God’s profound admonishment and encouragement found in His Word.

“Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!” (Psalm 27:14).  

“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.” (2 Chronicles 16:9)

 

Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. (Psalm 25:4-5)                   

When we wait on God it shows a spirit of trust and humility, of loving obedience, of hope and confidence, of a most intimate friendship and of the deepest reverence for our Creator. 

Waiting on God was one of the reasons David was called “a man after God’s own heart”. God was his security and he trusted Him in every aspect of his life. He trusted Him for guidance and instruction (v. 5), for help and defense (Psalm 33:20), for victory over his enemies and vindication (Psalm 37:7-9), for deliverance from trouble and destruction (Psalm 40:1), and so much more.    

Nothing proves our faith like waiting on God for answers to prayer, because when we wait we are demonstrating our submission to Him. 

Waiting does not necessarily mean abstaining from all activity; it is obedience to God because He has the right plan for us. Waiting on God means that all of our life is brought under God’s authority and direction. If we run ahead of God, we will experience anxiety, exhaustion, and failure. When we take matters in our own hands there can be some irreparable consequences and there are many examples in the Bible like Abraham and Sarah getting ahead of God and Saul’s usurping the role of a priest. 

The Word says, “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). So what do we learn while we are waiting? We learn to trust in God in expectation of His revelation because God is in charge of every detail of our life. His timing is perfect if we really want Him to show and teach us His ways. He is omniscient, and gives us confirmation of His omnipresence through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit who guides us and teaches us if we let Him. 

God gives us assurances of His real power and He gives the grace to await His purposes until the precise moment when He gives evidence that He was working all along. Without this faith, it is impossible to please Him, for all who come to God must believe that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6) 

The answer to waiting is through prayer, with strength and courage (Psalm 27:14). And we rejoice and trust in His Holy Name and in His unfailing love (Psalm 33:18-24).  

Our greatest desire should be to learn to be patient and obedient, desiring to know God’s truth. We need to expectantly and faithfully believe His promise and know that if we ask and expect with the right motive we will receive. 

The Lord declared: “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.” (Jeremiah 29:11-12) 

And Isaiah 40:31 tells us: “They who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” 

Waiting is not easy but, if we can learn to wait on God we will live a more rewarding and stress free life. Having patience and trusting in the Lord is one of the greatest life principles we can ever learn.  

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10) 

In this verse God is speaking with tenderness and is promising us; fear not, for I am with you. The first thing that the Lord wants to impart to us through this verse is that He doesn’t want us to be afraid. “I am with you.” He is with us at all times, everywhere we go. Just like God told Joshua: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9). And Jesus said, “I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20) 

“Be not dismayed, for I am your God.” When we give the Lord His rightful place in our lives, He becomes responsible for our welfare and well-being. He becomes our Protector and Provider. He fights our battles for us. And He makes Himself available to us every moment of every day. If we let God be God in our daily life, He will fulfill His purposes for us, and bless us beyond our expectations. 

“I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you.” Sometimes, we may feel as though we’ve been attacked by a sudden blow or dilemma, but nothing that happens in our life is a surprise to God. That should give us great comfort in distressing moments. Before we ever have a problem, God already has a solution prepared for us. And we know that no matter what happens, we can endure and overcome anything when we rely on God to strengthen and help us.  

The Lord knows that while faith in Him and His Word opens the door to His plans and purposes for us, fear can open the door to Satan’s. If we keep these things in mind when adversity confronts us, we will do everything in our power to resist becoming fearful, including praying, praising, and immersing ourselves in God’s Word. 

“Yes, I will help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” The Bible tells us repeatedly that our God is a God of justice. For this reason, He is committed to seeing that those who are faithful are upheld by His righteousness. As we look at the lives of Joseph and Daniel we see two great encouraging examples for our life. God upheld both of these men in His righteous right hand and He will do the same for us if we like Joseph and Daniel trust in Him and obey His commandments.  

Memorize this precious promise and claim it with faith. By doing so we will open the way for our loving and mighty God to reveal Himself to us like never before! 

God will hold tightly to those who have accepted him as Lord and Savior. He will not let us go. He will hold us securely in His hands. There is nothing that can remove us from His grasp and that makes it the most secure place we could ever be.  

Jesus said: “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸ I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. ²⁹ My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. ³⁰ I and the Father are one.” (John 10:27-30) 

Free yourself to live the life God wants you to live. Assert that each day is a blessing from God and claim the strength that is yours in the Lord.  

“When we live under His Lordship we are secure in His fathomless love.” 

FEAR NOT FOR GOD IS WITH YOU!

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6) 

If we exercise trust and acknowledge the Lord in every area of our lives, His promise is that He will guide us. 

To know God’s guidance, however, we must put aside our own will and seek the will of God. The basic principle in determining the will of God in any situation is to empty ourselves of our impetuousness and to commit ourselves to seeking and obeying His will.  

If, we claim to want to know God’s will, but we’re not willing to do it unless it agrees with our will, we’re kidding ourselves. All we really want is God’s approval of our plans. But we’ll never know God’s direction that way, because God reveals His will only to those who are committed to doing it. 

So often we don’t experience God’s guidance because we get so caught up doing our own thing that we fail to stop and ask the Lord to reveal His will to us. Or we get into our established routine, and it takes a catastrophe for God to get our attention – so He can let us know what He wants us to do in our life. Therefore, if you want God’s guidance, stop and ask Him for it and wait long enough to listen to what He might have to say. “For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God” (Romans 8:14). 

God says, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you. Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle.” (Psalm 32:8-9) 

We might ask, but what if God doesn’t say anything? The answer is that when we seek and expect God’s guidance, and remain submissive to God’s sovereign ways, He providentially orchestrates circumstances in such a way as to confirm His will.

If we get to a door and it doesn’t open, maybe God is asking us to wait as He has more work to do in us first. Or maybe He is turning us in another direction. We must not gaze so longingly on the door that is closed that we miss the one that God will open at the right time. Our task is to have faith, obey and trust.

How many times have we made decisions that we wish we had not made. While such experiences are not pleasant, the Lord does have important lessons to teach us if we submit to His sovereign ways. But if we think, “I’m going to take matters into my own hands,” we’ll only bring more pain and disappointments into our life. 

To find God’s will we must walk in constant communion with the Lord, taking everything to Him in prayer. “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know” (Jeremiah 33:3). We need to realize that our steps are ordered by the Lord. When we walk with Him and are committed to His purpose, He will work in our life orchestrating everything for His honor and glory. 

If we trust in Him, the process becomes a beautiful union of God’s faithfulness and sovereignty and of our obedient trust in Him.

Our heavenly Father wants the best for us. He has a perfect plan for our life. Our key to living out His plan and being in tune with His will, is not only believing in God, but obeying Him as well. We must simply have faith and obey because: “Without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6).

Remember, where God leads, He supplies all needs! Every promise of God has a condition that we must meet before we can claim the promise.

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:6-7 

This is one of the most comforting and encouraging texts in the Bible. Believers can always find renewed strength here. The wonderful truth is that God is present with us always. He is near to every believer every moment of every day and He knows what we are going through.  

Be anxious for nothing stands in contrast to worrying which reveal a lack of trust in God’s sovereignty and power. As believers, we need to realize that our confidence in life does not come from ourselves but from the all powerful God of the universe. That is why Paul tells us not to worry about anything. If we worry we are basically saying that God cannot handle it.  By contrast we are to take everything to God in prayer and His peace will guard our hearts and minds. Believers, who stand firm in Christ, respond to trials and endure hardship with thankful prayer.  

But in everything by prayer and supplication. Paul emphasizes our great need to take all things without exception to God in prayer. As soon as we have a need or problem we are to take it to the Lord in prayer. We present our requests to the Lord with trust, relying upon His assured and gracious provision to help us in our times of need. 

With thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. The attitude we are to have when presenting our supplications to the Lord is one of thankfulness trusting Him for the answers that He will reveal to us through His Holy Spirit. God causes everything to work together for our good and His glory.  

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” God will give us a peace beyond understanding that will guard our heart and mind as we endure and stand firm in the Lord.  

We can have this wonderful peace as believers. God will answer our requests in His way and time, and will give us His peace which surpasses all our comprehension. It is a peace that is greater than anything we could ever imagine. It is a stable and securing factor that will give us rest in our sovereign Lord. “Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16)  

There needs to be daily surrender, and a renewed commitment to the only One who guides us and keep us strong. Once we have peace with God, we can then go on to enjoy the peace of God, day by day. “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you” (Isaiah 26:3).

The Bible says: “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” (James 4:8) 

We pray that you will draw near to the Lord this year; feel His love and experience the peace which surpasses all understanding which only God can give you in Christ Jesus. 

Have a blessed 2015 

David and Helena

The Bible teaches us that; man’s biggest problem is his separation from God. This problem is solved only when we truly repent of our sins and accept Christ as our Savior and make Him the Lord of our life.

When God created the first man and woman, He placed in them a desire and a need to feel that their counted for something. Adam and Eve were given a work to do. They were to take care of the garden which God had planted for them. They had daily fellowship with their Creator. They had true significance because they knew that they were part of God’s great plan for the world. 

But Adam and Eve rebelled against God. Instead of doing God’s will, they chose to disobey Him. This decision affected all of mankind because Adam and Eve passed their selfish, independent natures on to the whole human race. The Bible says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23) 

Since man has rejected God’s authority and God’s plan, he no longer has a purpose in life that makes him feel worthwhile. Therefore man tries many things in his effort to meet his need for significance. 

The Bible tells us about one man who had everything his heart could desire. His name was Solomon. He was the wisest and richest king who ever lived. 

In the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon tells how he accumulated silver and gold beyond measure. Using his great wealth and power he devoted himself to many projects. He planted gardens and orchards, he built cities, and he built an elaborate palace. His greatest project was building the temple of the Lord. It was the most expensive, most magnificent building that the world has ever seen. 

Yet, with all his possessions and accomplishments, Solomon was not satisfied. His deep inner needs were not met. Solomon said, “But then I looked over everything my hands had done. I saw what I had worked so hard to get. And nothing had any meaning. It was like chasing the wind….So I hated life….” (Ecclesiastes 2:11, 17)  

Today, people are still seeking for something that will give them a feeling of significance. Some people work hard to accumulate money because they feel that money gives them a sense of importance. But money cannot satisfy our deep inner needs. 

Other people seek to satisfy their heart’s needs by accumulating things, such as cars, houses, and property. But “things” can never satisfy the deep needs of our heart. The Lord Jesus said, “… Life is not made up of how much a person has.” (Luke 12:15) 

Many people seek purpose and fulfillment in religion, however religion can never bring satisfaction; yet, a personal relationship with God through Jesus, His Son will bring great purpose, joy and satisfaction.

God’s way of meeting our need for significance is this: He puts us in Christ. He makes every believer a vital member of Christ’s body. God gives believers spiritual gifts and opportunities to use those gifts. In this way every believer is significant because he becomes part of God’s great eternal plan. 

In the book of Ephesians, God tells us that all true Christians are members of the body of Christ. Just as we live and work through our body, so the Lord Jesus does His work through His body. Each born-again believer is different from the other believers, but each is a member of Christ’s body and therefore is important. 

In our body we have many different members, such as eyes, ears, hands, and feet. Each member is different from the other members, but each has a vital function in the body. Our hands cannot take the place of our eyes, and our eyes cannot do the work of our hands, however, every member in our body is important. 

The body of Christ likewise has many members. Each member is different from the other members, but each has a vital function. The Bible says that the body of Christ is “joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” (Ephesians 4:16) 

God not only has a work for every believer, but He also equips them to do that work. Every believer is given a gift and or gifts by the Holy Spirit in order that he may contribute to the growth and health of the body of Christ. The Bible says, “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” (1 Corinthians 12:7) 

We need to know that the local church is not the only place where you can serve God. Many Christians are effective witnesses for Christ in their places of work. Some have Bible studies in their homes. Others give their lives to serve God as missionaries. Still others are winning people to Christ and grounding them in the Word of God by sharing through the Internet. The opportunities for serving are virtually limitless, but you must search for what He wants you to do.

In Christ, God has provided every believer with an opportunity for serving Him. If you are wondering why you have not found the work God has for you, it may be because you have never given yourself totally to Him. God does not require every Christian to lay aside his job and preach the gospel full-time, but He does require us to be totally consecrated to Him. 

We must give ourselves to Him completely as the Bible says, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:1-2) 

God has purchased us with the blood of His own Son and we belong to Him, if we accept Him as our Savior. (John 3:16)

 

Therefore, God expects us to live in such a way that His presence is always before us so that our walk, our lifestyle and behavior is perfect, complete, whole, healthy, with nothing inhibiting our relationship with Him. 

Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy. (Leviticus 19:2)