Go Giving!

29Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, everyone who has left his home, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children or fields for Me and for the Good News 30will get a hundred times more than he left. Here in this world he will have more homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and fields. And with those things he will also suffer for his belief. But in the age that is coming he will have life forever."

Mark 10:29-30 (The Everyday Bible)

• Part of what it means to live life for Jesus and the Good News (Gospel) is to be willing to give up things.
  
• This scripture tells me that Jesus needs to be placed first. Living a Christ-led life means making it a top priority over everything else.
  
• When my priorities are in line and Jesus Christ is placed first and I am willing to give up and surrender everything, He promises that the reward will be a hundred-fold. A blessing like that from God is so great, it's beyond comprehension! What more incentive do I need to be willing to give it all up?!
  
• God promises that we will have it "here in this world", meaning NOW, -that's when we can receive a blessing by God. Therefore we need to act upon his instruction NOW!
  
• The Lord also tells us here that we will suffer, or be persecuted for our belief. I believe that this is a form of discipline from our Heavenly Father. For with belief comes a heed to God's instruction, with the obeying of His instruction comes blessings, and with these blessings must come discipline so that we may steward them well and not squander them.
  

Dear Heavenly Father please help me to be willing to give up everything that I have in this life and help me to endure persecution. Your rewards far outweigh any suffering because I know that every blessing and every gift that You give is worth more than anything in this world. Help me Jesus to always stand up and be a soldier for You. ~Amen

Great Knowledge... Available to ALL!

All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.
John 16:15 (NIV)

• I really love this scripture. Jesus here explains the connection that we all have, the connection to God the Father.
  
• Jesus has an understanding of God that is so vast, and yet He (by the Spirit) wants to share it with us and make Him known to us.
  
• God's generosity and love is so great! He wants to give us all He has, and make things known to us that will only deepen our relationship with Him.
  
• A love for Jesus, and trusting in Him with all your heart will allow God to love and work in your life. Jesus himself tells us this in verse 27: "the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God."
  
• We need to keep the Spirit within ourselves, always. For it is through the Spirit we are guided and through the Spirit we can hear and learn truth from God.
  
• Keeping the Holy Spirit within keeps the connection to God.
  
• Jesus is God's gift to the world, and the Spirit is God's gift to each and every one of us as individuals.
  
• Jesus enables us to have a direct-to-God connection. God sent Jesus so that we may know Him and His ways.
  

Heavenly Father, Thank You for sending Your Son to be that excellent example for us, to give us teaching that otherwise we would not know, and to ultimately pay for our sins. Thank You so much Lord, for it is through Jesus and the Holy Spirit that we may have a close relationship with You. I pray that I may always keep You near, and forever keep the Holy Spirit within me.  ~Amen

14Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that."

James 4:14-15 (NIV)

• This scripture is a reminder to me that not only is life so short, but tomorrow isn't promised. Therefore I must carpe diem, or "seize the day"!
  
• This is a lesson to me to live for today and accomplish what I can accomplish today, and not put it off until tomorrow. That's not to say I won't have any long term goals, as there will be many things that I would like to do that are long term. But by reaching the daily goals in an immediate fashion instead of a save-it-for-later fashion will only help to achieve those long term goals.
  
• Our lives are described here in the New International Version as "a mist", in the New American Standard Bible it's described as "a vapor", and in the New Living Translation it's "like the morning fog", in any case, it's a good reminder of just how temporal life is on this earth.
  
• As I read this passage, Romans 8:28 comes to mind... in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.  ...to be called according to God's purpose, love God, praise and give glory to Him and bring others to know Him, now that's making the most of our short life time!
  
• Verse 15 says 'If it is the Lord's will we will live' It's only through the grace of God that I have my life, and it is such a precious gift that He gives.
  

Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that I always take  your lessons to heart and apply them in my life, and in this case let me seize opportunities when they arise and not put them off. Let me not take for granted the day and time that I am given. Thank You Lord for Your gift of life through Christ Jesus, and never let me forget to thank You each and every day. ~Amen

Brilliant Light

"Therefore if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be completely lighted, as when the light of a lamp shines on you" Luke 11:36 (NIV)

• Our eyes are the lamps of our bodies, and to keep them illuminated by God is to keep them focused in on the things in this world that are fair, right and just.
  
• Although my eyes see terrible things in this world,  I do not let those things cast a shadow over me and my way of thinking. I choose not to let my body be full of darkness by what I see and experience. I remember that God's light is everywhere and in every situation, turning negatives into positives.
  
• This is a light that is available to me, and to all! All we have to do is see it, and accept it into ourselves and let it shine.
  
• In order to keep my judgements fair and my decisions wise I keep God close, praying often and learning from Him through His word. The word of God is the propane, or the fuel, or the oil that keeps the light burning bright.
  
• In Luke 11:33, Jesus explains that to light up a lamp and then conceal it would makes no sense at all. His intentions is that we become illuminated by God through His love and teaching, and then let it be a light for others.
  

Dear Heavenly Father, I pray today that I may look with discerning eyes, seeing clearly Your light and allowing it in. May I use that light to guide in the way You intend for me to. Lord, please grant me the wisdom to make good judgements and decisions in what I say and do. Thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus Christ. ~Amen

For the Right Reasons

So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up.

Galatians 6:9 (NLT)

1"Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.2"So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 3But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing"

Matthew 6: 1-3 (NIV)

• Even though it's as if the good deeds that we do go unnoticed, or seem to not make a difference, God notices because he knows all and sees all.
  
• My reasons for doing good things must not be to get noticed, or to get a "pat on the back". Looking for recognition from men can only lead to disappointment and resentment. When I do things with the wrong intention, I miss the blessing.
  
• I definitely don't want to ever give up on doing what is good, and what is for God. He promises that "pat on the back" we receive will be a blessing from Him.
• If the good deeds I do are for my own selfishness, it will make me grow weary in doing so. However when the good that I do is with the intent of giving glory to God, and I let the Holy Spirit flow through me to achieve His will, I shall never grow weary and tired in doing so.
• This scripture verse lets us know that God will bless us with what we need, when we need it as long as we stick with Him.

Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that You may help guide me through my life and help me see the good deeds that I am called upon to do. When I am presented with these opportunities, please give me the courage, strength, and Spirit to do what is right. Let my deeds be for the right reasons, in my heart, so that I never grow weary and tired. Your timing is always perfect, and Your blessings are always the blessings that we need when we need it. ~Amen

Spiritual Awareness

8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things. 9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me - put it into practice, and the God of peace will be with you.

Philippians 4:8-9 (NIV)

• My human, worldly nature can at times cause me to dwell on negative things. Here in this scripture the LORD reminds me to focus in on and dwell on the positive.
  
• God's hands are in everything, so there are always pure and excellent and noble things to be seen in seemingly negative situations too.
  
• When we have God guarding our hearts and minds, He gives us the wisdom and knowledge to recognize these good and positive things.
  
• I must heed the LORD's instruction, and put into practice and exercise such good works in order to keep near to God.
  
• It's God's promise that when we keep Him as our divine guide and counselor, to guide and direct all of our ways, He will remain with us and bring peace in our lives.
• The rewards that God gives us for following after His instruction and excellent example can't be beat!
  

Dear Heavenly Father, I can't even comprehend how great You are and the depths of Your peace. I pray that I may be able to have enough understanding and wisdom to see Your glory in everything and everyone. I pray also that through You I may be able to turn every experience that I have into a Godly one. ~Amen

He Is Awesome!

28Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 29for our "God is a consuming fire" Hebrews 12:28-29 (NIV)

• As a Christian I must not forget just how awesome God is, and have a continuous sense of awe for the work that He does.
  
• Referring to someone or something as awesome, and also referring to God as awesome, puts God alongside the things of this world. Actually, for me, I need to reserve the word 'awesome' for God alone.
  
• Because of  a human, worldly nature, I'm quite vulnerable to many things. To humble myself is to realize that on a regular basis and to come before our Mighty God and accept Him with reverence and awe. Accepting the fact that with God anything is possible, but without God nothing is possible.
  
• I am completely an empty vessel without the LORD, and can only be filled by Him. 
• All powerful God, is the only One who can shake the heavens and the earth.
  
• This scripture is a reminder to me that my faith in God, and my lessons from life and from the word, are not things to be taken lightly, but instead are things to take very seriously and have a great respect for.
  

Dear LORD, thank you for my life, a gift that could only have come from You! May I have a greater sense of awe and profound reverence for You, and may I exemplify that in serving You. I wish to have a true and heartfelt fear and deep respect for You LORD, all of my days. ~Amen