Stepping out in Faith

In 1 Samuel, the story of David and Goliath takes place. The Israelites are in battle against the Philistines and each morning Goliath, a nine foot giant with all the best armor comes out to threaten the Israelites. He claims that if anyone can kill him, the Philistines will become the Israelite's servants, but if he kills whoever fights him, the Israelites must become the Philistine's servants. David decides he wants to fight Goliath and this is the exchange that happens between Saul and David.
 "Don't worry about this Philistine," David told Saul. "I'll go fight him!"
"Don't be ridiculous!" Saul replied. "There's no way you can fight this Philistine and possibly win! You're only a boy, and he's been a man of war since his youth."

Saul, an authority figure in David's life tells David that he can't do it. Can you imagine someone in authority over you telling you that you couldn't do something you think you could overcome? Maybe you have had someone in your life tell you that you couldn't do something that you were determined to do. The story continues and David convinces Saul to let him have a shot at trying to kill Goliath. In the end, David overtakes Goliath and claims victory over him. David is courageous and pushes through the doubt of those around him to claim victory through Christ! Think of something that you are having trouble mustering the courage to overcome because of someone else's opinion of your capability. With God's help you can overcome anything you set your heart and mind to. Saul also looked down on David because of his age. However, in 1 Timothy 4:12 it says, "Don't let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. Don't let anyone look down on you because of your age, young or old. Be an example in all you do and others around you will be inspired to do the same.

Joy Comes Back

"For somehow, not only at Christmas, but all the long year through, the joy that you give to others, is the joy that comes back to you." -John Greenleaf Whittier

Give joy in abundance to those that are around you! Be someone whom people enjoy being around, someone that makes those around you feel better after they've spent time with you. Bless others and God will in turn bless you! Put a smile on your face and be the joyful person that other people aspire to be!

We Are Overcomers

1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV)  No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

1 Corinthians 10:13 (Message) No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he'll never let you be pushed past your limit; he'll always be there to help you come through it.

I included both translations of this verse because both translations have a unique way of giving a message to God's people. The first message is that God will never tempt us beyond what we can walk away from. He always gives us a way out of a situation that is tempting us to go down the wrong path or make a wrong decision. Any situation that we let God help us out of is going to become a victory. Lean on God to help you out of situations that may be tempting you right now. The second message that these verses give us is that God never puts us through any trial or test that He knows we won't be able to overcome with His help. God's very nature is loving, faithful and kind. He never wants to see His children fail or give up and that is exactly why He will never give us more than we can handle at one time. Even though there are times in life when we may feel like we are at the end of our rope and there is nothing left, we have to dig a little deeper because the strength we need to get through our circumstance is there! Trust God and depend on Him to help you through!!

Stability

2 Samuel 22:33 It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure.

Many kids and adults in today's culture have been through a traumatic experience in their childhood years such as divorce, abuse, sexual harassment, and the list goes on. They experience instability and are lost in a world with so many troubles that it seems hopeless. However, there is a solution. Our Heavenly Father. He is our stability. He never changes, He is forever steady and faithful. In a world where people and circumstances change every day, there is a God in whom we can put our hope. He is the same today as He was yesterday and the day before that. He is our stability in an ever-changing world!

Who Will Love Me?

We have great freedom in the fact that God loves us EXACTLY how we are. No more, no less. He rejoices in His creations and YOU are one of God's masterpieces. Be confident that God loves you with all of your faults, all of your mistakes and all of your shortcomings!! He is calling out to you, wanting you to draw near to Him so He can continue to shape and mold you into the wonderful person He's created you to be. You never have to doubt God's love for you because it never fails, it never gives up and it never runs out! He loves you for you!!

Jesus, Friend of Sinners

I was driving to school yesterday and heard this song on the radio for the first time and it made me listen closely to the words. There is a part of the song that says,

"You love every lost cause; you reach for the outcast
For the leper and the lame; they're the reason that You came
Lord I was that lost cause and I was the outcast
But you died for sinners just like me a grateful leper at Your feet"

Jesus chose to love the least of us so that we could have the freedom that He so graciously gives us. Time after time He never fails to extend mercy that is undeserved, forgiveness that we should not receive, and love that seems unjustified. This song challenges us to take what God does for us and to do our best at doing that for others. It's been said that "Those who are hardest for us to love need it the most." Take what God has done for you and share it with as many people as you can.

Heavenly Environment

Cherish your visions; cherish your ideals; cherish the music that stirs your heart, the beauty that forms in your mind, the loveliness that drapes your purest thoughts, for out of them will grow all delightful conditions, all heavenly environment. -James Allen

Isn't it great to think about your deepest desires and dreams and know that God already knows them because He is the One who put them there? I know that when there is something stiring deep in my heart, God understands and He knows. I read this quote and the last part caught my attention the most because it says "all heavenly environment." I know heaven is beyond human description, but this quote gives us a little taste of the environment of heaven. What a sweet picture of the way God has surrounded us with His love and longing. What are your visions, ideals, the music that stirs your heart, and the beauty that forms in your mind??

Embrace Blessing

 Psalm 23:1-6
God, my shepherd! I don't need a thing. You have bedded me down in lush meadows, you find me quiet pools to drink from. True to your word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction. Even when the way goes through Death Valley, I'm not afraid when you walk at my side. Your trusty shepherd's crook makes me feel secure. You serve me a six-course dinner right in front of my enemies. You revive my drooping head; my cup brims with blessing. Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life. I'm back home in the house of God for the rest of my life.

God always blesses us with much more than we could ever imagine. However, there are times we decide to settle for less than God's best for our lives. We settle for things that don't match up with what God has in mind. We are faced with choices on a daily basis that have the potential to be mediocre or to be the best. Decide to run after God's best. This verse in Psalm says, "my cup brims with blessing." Brim means to be full of and going over. We have blessings in our lives that can filll us up and run over. Be the kind of person that embraces all that God has for your life and choose to in turn bless others.

It All Adds Up

As I was driving home from school yesterday, I looked out the window to see a man who was getting off of a bus with a walking stick, feeling his way around his surroundings. I thought to myself and even voiced to my sister, "Wow! I couldn't imagine being blind!" I then took the time to thank God for my sight. A seemingly simple thing I take for granted on a day-to-day basis, countless people live without. I then realized there are so many things that I take for granted everyday that seem like the most natural functions such as; being able to hear, walk, and breathe normally. Unconscious body functions are easily taken for granted because we often don't think about what it would be like if things were any different. Take time today to thank God for those things that you have been taking for granted.

Walking in His Ways

Psalm 86:11 Teach me your ways, O Lord, that I may live according to your truth! Grant me purity of heart, so that I may honor you.

In today's world it's difficult for things such as television, advertisements, websites, and material things not to clog our hearts and create a block against the things of God to flow. All of these things can be great resources and they are not bad things until our hearts become foggy and clouded by the things of the world. I encourage you to seek the Lord's ways in everything you do and allow Him to show you the truth so you may honor Him.

God-oramic View

Deuteronomy 33:12 "Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in him, for he shields him all day long, and the one the Lord loves rests between his shoulders.

Do you remember what it felt like to be atop someone's shoulders? Whether it was a relative, a friend, or someone you look up to? I know I felt secure and powerful. I could see so much farther than when I was on my own two feet. I felt like I was on top of the world, like no one could harm me up there. That feeling is what we can experience when we choose to rest between God's shoulders. On His shoulders we can see things that we couldn't see before, we can feel peace that we have never felt before and we can experience rest when our lives are chaotic.

Hard Work

Proverbs 13:11 Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows over time.

It can be disheartening to see people who become "rich" overnight through get-rich-quick schemes as the verse above says, however, God will reward those who do diligent work over time. Hard work always pays off, even if it is not in a short period of time or the time period we feel like it should be. Be patient in your work and know that when you work hard and be diligent to follow through, God will come through on your behalf.

Be Teachable

Proverbs 13:10 Pride leads to conflict; those who take advice are wise.

Proverbs 13:14 The instruction of the wise is like a life-giving fountain; those who accept it avoid the snares of death.

Sometimes advice and constructive criticism can be taken with defensive behavior and hurt feelings. Although there are times when people in our life say hurtful things, there are also times when advice and constructive criticism can be taken too personally and it was only meant to help or improve upon what you already have going for you. We all have mentors and authority figures in our lives, some that we look up to and some that we don't. No matter the level of admiration, those that have authority over you are there for a reason. They are there to guide you and to show you the way when something goes awry or could be improved upon. Know the difference between criticism and helpful advice or tips and be a person who is teachable.

Shielded in Forgiveness

Psalm 86:5 O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive, so full of unfailing love for all who ask for your help.

We never have to be ashamed to ask for God's help when we have failed someone or something. He is always there to forgive us and to love us back to the path He had originally set us on. Seek God's help every day and let Him be there for you when you mess up. He's the best comfort there is and He's waiting for you to ask Him for forgiveness and move on to bigger and better things.

Whole Being, Body & Soul

Psalm 84:1-2 How lovely is your dwelling place,
O LORD of Heaven’s Armies. I long, yes, I faint with longing
to enter the courts of the LORD.
With my whole being, body and soul,
I will shout joyfully to the living God

Picture a world of people who had their focus on praising and worshipping God with their whole being, body and soul. What would that look like for you? I'm sure if you asked six different people that question you would get six different answers. The way you worship with your whole being, body and soul is going to be different from anyone else. Take that picture and apply it to your life. Worship and praise God with your whole heart, your whole being. Long to spend time with the God who loves and adores you.

A God Who Answers Prayer

  Luke 18:1-8 One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. “There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who neither feared God nor cared about people. A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.’ The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people, but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’ "Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this unjust judge. Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?”

This story reminds us that there is power in prayer. God always responds to our prayers but it is not always when or how we may be wanting or expecting Him to. I encourage you to never give up on anything you are asking God for. He always comes through and He is always faithful. Be patient in your waiting and be aware that how you want a response may not be how God wants to reveal Himself. Stay open to His ways and His knowledge because He is a God who answers prayers.   

In Step

Colossians 3:15 Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing.

Christ has called us to a life of interaction with other people. In life we encounter several relationships that usually include family, friends, acquaintances, co-workers, bosses, etc. Each relationship in our life is an important one whether it is good or bad. Relationships teach us lessons and often we learn things about ourselves as well as the other person. Maintaining relationships can be a very difficult thing and sometimes it can be easier to give up. However, when we are alone and have no one to interact with we are more suceptible to the attack of the devil. That is exactly where he wants you, alone and vulnerable. God placed people in our lives to stay connected and to keep us accountable to His word and His purpose. Next time you want to throw in the towel on a relationship, think about its importance and the outcome of giving up on that relationship.

Strong Fortress

Deuteronomy 33:26-27 "There is no one like the God of Israel. He rides across the heavens to help you, across the skies in majestic splendor. The eternal God is your refuge, and his everlasting arms are under you. He drives out the enemy before you; he cries out, 'Destroy them!'

It's amazing how God can be everything we need. He can be our protector, provider, comfort. love, peace, etc! There is an endless number of positions that only God can completely fulfill in our lives. The verse above reveals the King and Protector that God is for us. When the verse says that God "rides across the heavens to help you, across the skies in majestic splenor," it reminds us that He not only wants to reach out and lift us up when we are weak but also that He is beautiful in appearance (inside and out) and also that He is powerful beyond measure. This verse also says that His "everlasting arms are under you," and "He drives out the enemy before you." These two phrases remind us that God's strength never runs out, it is always there to catch us and renew the strength that we may be lacking on our own. Have hope today that God is your Strong Fortress and HE never tires out.