There are hundreds and even thousands of small, common, and practical ways that we are given to fulfill God’s purpose in our relationships and actions. And as we demonstrate obedience to our earthly masters in the small things, we find that it is the training ground for the much greater work God has prepared for us.
“We both believe and disbelieve a hundred times an hour, which keeps faith nimble.”—
Emily Dickinson
I certainly want God to be pleased with my life and say: "Well done, good and faithful servant!" However, there is a big difference between doing things to please God and trying to earn His favor.
When we first were born again, we were justified by faith. And it continues from yesterday, through today, and into tomorrow as well. The blessings of God are not conditioned upon what we do or don't do. We receive His blessing only because the sin that separated us from Him was washed away by the blood of His Son. Not by our work, but by His love. Therefore, everything we do should solely be our loving response to His great sacrifice for us.
Maybe you've been fearful to share your story of faith with others. Maybe you've been hesitant to tell your co-workers or some of your family members about what Jesus Christ has done for your life. In just a few short verses, Jesus tells the disciples to "go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15). It's simple; wherever you are, just go and do it. It doesn't take a master's degree to simply share what Jesus did for you. Just go, and go for it.
During his ministry, which included extended pastorates in Chicago and Toronto, Dr. Tozer was often referred to as a prophet. That doesn't mean he predicted future events, but rather he spoke God's truth to believers and the culture, even if it meant disrupting the status quo. Even in the Bible, prophets were much more likely to hold God's people and their leaders accountable to the truth of God's Word than to foretell the future. The encouragement in Voice of a Prophet is that the church today is in desperate need of the kind of prophet Tozer embodied and describes in this important book. Using the lives of such prophets as Elijah, Elisha, and John the Baptist, Tozer underscores the importance of the ministry of the prophet in our world today.
A great read!
God knows everything that we have done, and He wants us to admit our sins, to confess them. Sometimes God will ask us a question designed to do that.
Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.
~Abraham Lincoln~
“I set myself on fire and people come to watch me burn.” ― John Wesley
It's relatively easy to do things for people we know and love. But what about those we don't? When was the last time you did something for a neighbor that was unfettered, unrequired, and unselfish? Do you place your needs above those around you? The "me" generation will need to change its focus or there will never be enough laws to protect anyone's interests.
Satan knows that if he can get families to be torn apart, then the churches will be torn apart. The enemy knows that if he can keep hatred in the family, then there will be hatred in our nation and our world. But on the flip side, if the home can be turned around towards God, then our churches, nation, and our world could all be turned around. If the littlest guy on the pecking order of our society could turn his own home around, then we know that all the working class could be turned around. If the professors on the campuses would turn their homes around, then the classes they are teaching could be turned around, too. It starts with the heart of the home. What leaves your front door in the morning is what is going to affect our society.
Marriage is under attack and is losing ground by the day. Many now walk into marriage asking, "How can he or she fulfill my needs?" With that kind of attitude and perspective, our marriages fail before they even start. We need to start fighting to restore love back into our relationships. Remember the marriage vows: "For better and for worse, richer and poorer, in sickness and in health." Nowhere does it say, "as long as we're both fulfilled." Self-fulfillment has become an underlying principle for the reasons people do many things in our society. So until we can crucify those thoughts, there cannot be a revival in the body of Christ and in our nation.
We should be ready to hear from God and respond in the same way. After the same pattern, we say to God, "Speak LORD, for Your servant hears." We must respond this way because we must
hear from God. The preacher may speak, our parents may speak, our friends may speak, our teachers may speak, and those on the radio or television may speak. That is all fine, but their voices mean nothing for eternity unless God speaks through them.
The authority for faith is the revelation of God. ~G. B. Foster~
Goals are made, achieved, and new ones set according to the will of God but the Lord never changes. Like Jesus, we too must have steady plodding to endure life. A firm grip on it comes with balance and a true understanding of your calling.
No more games the vacation is over~ Lego
FOCUS, OBEDIENCE, CONFIDENCE
Focus on the Lord the author and finisher of our faith~
GET READY, GET GOING, GET FOCUSED, PACE YOURSELF TO BE ABLE TO ENDURE ~ RUN THE RACE TO WIN...
FAITH IN WORD, IN DEED, AND SERVICE, TO LOOK TO THE FUTURE
WITHOUT FAITH IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE GOD.
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