Maybe you have a lot on your plate right now. Maybe you’re unsure how the next bill will be paid. Take a lesson from some heroes of our faith and remember that God has a plan for you.
Written by: Chris Benjamin
Who are you allowing yourself to hear from? Who are you allowing to influence your life? God is our father and He wants us to recognize His voice at all times.
Written by: Shawn Walker
Even Jesus himself took time away from the noise of the crowds to get away to a solitary place to pray.
So, take a lesson from our Savior, and take time for yourself. Your life and the lives of others are depending on you to do so!
Written by: Glenda White
Each of us leave our fingerprints in this world; a record of who we were and what we did. Are they going to be the kind of fingerprints that shine the light of God’s love and grace?
Do you remember Mary and Martha from the tenth chapter of Luke? Mary is enjoying the company and teaching of Jesus while Martha spends His visit stressing over the preparations.
When I look at this story, I see the struggle that I face every day when work and worship collide. When doing seems far more important than dwelling.
Have you ever been desperate for God to show you a sign? Faith is, “the confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we don’t see.” The evidence of God is all around you, it’s up to you to have an open heart to see.
I’m not a baker, but my grandmother was. When I close my eyes, I see her standing at a wooden banquet table covered in flour.
“I am the bread of life,” said Jesus “He who comes to me will never go hungry”. Sometimes I hear those words and my mind races back to my grandmother’s kitchen.
Maybe you want to break a bad habit or relive a lost dream. Maybe you want to take charge of your finances or start your own business... whatever it is, God could be telling you at this moment to get up and go forward with your dream.
What does the word happy mean to you? The Merriam-Webster definition is that happiness is “characterized by well-being and contentment.”
I’m sure we can all agree that usually the state of being content comes and goes depending on our circumstances. The truth that I’ve discovered is that happiness isn’t a destination but a journey. It’s not something we find, but something we create.
Every day is truly a gift. Sometimes these gifts are obvious. Other times these blessings are hidden in the trials we face. But these gifts are always there waiting to be discovered.
If you’re looking for a key to unlock more happiness in your life- start with gratitude. It helps us appreciate what we have, and therefore helps us stay content. True happiness isn’t found in material things but in the love and peace of God.
Life doesn’t always work the way we think it should. High expectations slam against unwelcome surprises. At those times it’s hard to feel the presence of God.
If He is everywhere and loves us like he says he does, why does he allow the loss of a job or home or a loved one?
God has gone to great lengths to make himself known to us—
through the Bible, through his people, through nature, and through his only Son who died for us.
The author and speaker, Dr. Joel Muddamalle (Mood-am-AL-Lay) says that every time he asks, “Why”, God reminds him,
Who created and sustains all things? Who defeated death? Who comforts us in our pain and sorrow? To all of these questions- we answer, our Heavenly Father.
Joel goes on to say that every time someone asks the question “why do bad things happen to good people” he answers,
“God, I don’t know. But you do. And that will be good enough for me.”
A lot of us avoid reading the Old Testament because we find the God depicted there scary and remote. We look for ways to make Him more tolerant, less stern.
But the truth is that God has always had relationship with people based on their covenant. God seeks intimacy with His people, but it must be on His terms.
When Moses and his people reached Mount Sinai on the way to the Promised Land, God spoke to Moses. It was there that God made a covenant with Moses and the Jewish people that renewed the one he had made with Abraham. But there were a lot of terms to this relationship.
In Christ, we too have a covenant with the Creator of Heaven and Earth. Unlike anything found in the Old Testament. We now have the privilege of approaching God one on one. How is your relationship with your Heavenly Father?
Consider how you introduce yourself to someone new. You might say something like, “Hi, I’m Janine and I’m a school principal.” Or, “Hi, I’m Jake and I’m an engineer”.
In these examples, we say our name followed by our job title or some major accomplishment. It’s easy for us to get so wrapped up in what we do, that it becomes who we think we are.
In contrast, God values us before we do anything. He would introduce us as Janine, Jake and Meagan as dearly loved children of God. To God, who we are is much more important than what we do.
So, certainly, take pride in your work but don’t let it become your sole identity. Before anything, you are a child of God.
Are you in a difficult season right now? Unfortunately, even being a new creation in Christ doesn’t grant us a trouble free life. Do you look at your to-do list and feel overwhelmed? Problems at work? Relationship troubles? I promise, that even if it feels like God has distanced Himself from you during this time nothing could be further from the truth.
So, in the midst of these hard times reach out to God and know He has not forgotten about you. In the Bible, Isaiah chapter 41 in the Message says,
“I, your God, have a firm grip on you and I’m not letting go. I’m telling you, ‘Don’t panic. I’m right here to help you.”
Calm you anxieties by taking refuge in your Heavenly Father. He is right there with you.
