When we praise God beyond your feelings that is when praise becomes our faith at work, Heb13:15 Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His Name. Let us praise God in all our circumstances. He is worthy to receive it.
Heb 4:16 encourages us to Boldly draw near to Father God. Receive His mercy and find His Grace. God I declare that You are my God and I exalt You. I praise Your name because You have done wonderful things, planned from long ago for me. You continue to fulfill those purposes in faithfulness and truth in my life. Adapted from Isaiah 25:1 Remember the man who walks with God always reached His destination.
"One thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:13-14
Have you ever seen those Tractor Pull competitions on ESPN? The further the tractor moves down the track, the heavier the weight becomes on the rig that is dragging behind it. There are a lot of people whose lives are like that. Holding on to stuff in their past, or letting stuff in their past hold on to them — the further they go, the more bogged down they become. Until, at length, they can go no further. But we were made for eternity. This means, among a million other things, that TIME and SPACE cannot confine us, and therefore do not define us. You are not a WHAT — but a WHO. Whatever has happened to you in the past, whether good or bad, is not WHO you are. It is merely WHAT happened to you. Who you are is determined by how you respond to what has happened. And herein we discover the power of a forward view. "Forgetting those things that are behind," Paul wrote, "I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." We can follow Paul's example. It doesn't mean that we are experts, or that we have arrived and have it all together. But, while we may not be all we should be, we have still got our eye on the goal and are focusing all our energies on this one thing: to be like Jesus. It is our one aspiration. And so we lengthen our stride and stretch forth our hands, doing our best to reach everything that God has provided for us up ahead. We keep working toward that day when we will finally be all that Christ Jesus saved us for, and wants us to be. When the master comes and finds the servant doing his work, the servant will be blessed. Mat 24:46 [The stadium] is packed today. Since Friday, [Mark] McGwire has hit not one or two home runs, but three. For thirty-seven years, no one could hit more than sixty-one homers in one season; now the St. Louis slugger has hit sixty-eight. And he isn't finished… The fans are on their feet before he comes to bat; they stay on their feet long after he crosses the plate… Not everyone can be a Mark McGwire. For every million who aspire, only one achieves. The vast majority of us don't hit the big ball, don't feel the ticker tape, don't wear the gold medal, don't give the valedictory address. And that's OK. We understand that in the economy of earth, there are a limited number of crowns. The economy of heaven, however, is refreshingly different. Heavenly rewards are not limited to a chosen few, but "to all those who have waited with love for him to come again" (2Ti 4:8 ). When Christ Comes (by: Max Lucado) Everyone who asks will receive. Everyone who searches will find. Mat 7:8
Once there was a man who dared God to speak: Burn the bush like you did for Moses, God. And I will follow. Collapse the walls like you did for Joshua, God. And I will fight. Still the waves like you did on Galilee, God. And I will listen. And so the man sat by a bush, near a wall, close to the sea and waited for God to speak. And God heard the man, so God answered. He sent fire, not for a bush, but for a church. He brought down a wall, not of brick, but of sin. He stilled a storm, not of the sea, but of a soul. And God waited for the man to respond. And he waited … and waited. But because the man was looking at bushes, not hearts; bricks and not lives, seas and not souls, he decided that God had done nothing. Finally he looked to God and asked, Have you lost your power? And God looked at him and said, Have you lost your hearing? A Gentle Thunder (by: Max Lucado) Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. John 11:26
We don't like to say good-bye to those whom we love. Whether it be at a school or a cemetery, separation is tough. It is right for us to weep, but there is no need for us to despair. They had pain here. They have no pain there. They struggled here. They have no struggles there. You and I might wonder why God took them home. But they don't. They understand. They are, at this very moment, at peace in the presence of God… When it is cold on earth, we can take comfort in knowing that our loved ones are in the warm arms of God. And when Christ comes, we will hold them, too. When Christ Comes (Max Lucado) If you're not married yet, share this with a friend. If you are married, share it with your spouse or other married couples and reflect on it. An African proverb states, "Before you get married, keep both eyes open, and after you marry, close one eye."
Before you get involved and make a commitment to someone, don't let lust, desperation, immaturity, ignorance, pressure from others or a low self-esteem, make you blind to warning signs. Keep your eyes open, and don't fool yourself that you can change someone or that what you see as faults aren't really important. Once you decide to commit to someone, over time his or her flaws, vulnerary-abilities, pet peeves, and differences will become more obvious. If you love your mate and want the relationship to grow and evolve, you've got to learn to close one eye and not let every little thing bother you.You and your mate have many different expectations, emotional needs, values, dreams, weaknesses, and strengths. You are two unique individual children of God who have decided to share a life together. Neither of you are perfect, but are you perfect for each other? Do you bring out the best in each other? Do you compliment and compromise with each other, or do you compete, compare, and control? What do you bring to the relationship? Do you bring past relationships, past hurt, past mistrust, past pain? You can't take someone to the altar to alter him or her. You can't make someone love you or make someone stay. If you develop self-esteem, spiritual discernment, and "a life", you won't find yourself making someone else responsible for your happiness or responsible for your pain. Manipulation, control, jealousy, neediness, and selfishness are not the ingredients of a thriving, healthy, loving and lasting relationship! Seeking status, sex, wealth, and security are the wrong reasons to be in a relationship. What keeps a relationship strong? Communication, intimacy, trust, a sense of humour, sharing household tasks, some getaway time without business or children and daily exchanges (a meal, shared activity, a hug, a call, a touch, a note). Leave a nice message on the voicemail or send a nice email. Sharing common goals and interests. Growth is important. Grow together, not away from each other, giving each other space to grow without feeling insecure. Allow your mate to have outside interest. You can't always be together. Give each other a sense of belonging and assurances of commitment. Don't try to control one another. Learn each other's family situation. Respect his or her parents regardless. Don't put pressure on each other for material goods. Remember for richer or for poorer. If these qualities are missing, the relationship will erode as resentment, withdrawal, abuse, neglect, dishonesty, and pain replace the passion. The difference between 'United' and 'Untied' is where you put the I. I once heard a comedian say, "Life is like a roll of toilet paper — the closer you get to the end, the faster it goes!" Perhaps you have noticed how the pace of Life has picked up over the past few years; things seem to be moving faster and faster; Time seems to be turning into a blur. It was just yesterday, wasn't it, that the big Y2K scare had people building bunkers and stocking up with beans and bullets? And here we are now — already pushing to the close of 2012. With the upgraded pace of Life comes multiple choices of how we will spend our Time — and our lives. What will we do with what has been given to us? How will we steward our talents, resources, and opportunities. What will be the end of all our labours? Shortly before his death, George Bernard Shaw was asked a most curious question by a eager young reporter. "Mr. Shaw," he began, "you have visited with some of the world's most famous people. You've known royalty, renowned authors, great artists, brilliant teachers, and admired dignitaries from every part of the world. You have conversed with scientists and celebrities alike. If you could live your life over and be anybody you've ever known – who would you choose to be?” Shaw answered with hardly a hesitation, "I would choose to be the man George Bernard Shaw could have been – but never was.” Shaw died one month later – died as a man bound within the limitations of a life that did not reach its full potential, that did not achieve its highest purpose. May you so number you days, even in the midst of this blistering pace, so that you have no regrets as your turn the final corner on this thing called Life. May you exit this world and enter the next with a heart of wisdom and a life well-lived. Harry Winston, a famous diamond broker, was excited. And so was the crowd that had gathered around him. He had just purchased one of the most famous diamonds in the world. And he expected it to be delivered at any moment! In the crowd were friends and news reporters and curious onlookers, all anxious for the first glimpse of the famous stone. While they waited, Mr. Winston entertained them with stories from the diamond's past history. The crowd buzzed with excitement. The people kept watching for the armored car and police escort that would make the delivery. Security was sure to be tight. At the edge of the crowd a man in a postman's uniform tried to make his way through, but he was shoved back. The people wanted nothing to distract attention from the arrival of the fabled gem. The crowd grew. Self-appointed sentinels kept their eyes on the roadway, ready to shout the arrival of the armed escort. Again the postman tried to push through the crowd. In his hand he clutched a brown paper parcel tied with string. He said he had to deliver it to Mr. Winston. Imagine! Who was he? Some crackpot trying to get his name in the paper? Finally, with more irritation than courtesy, they let the stubborn postman through. Mr. Winston took the parcel, glanced at the return address, and gave a short cry. With trembling hands he tore the paper away from a small box. Then he opened it and tenderly lifted the precious diamond for all to see. He held it up to the sun and let the gem's reflections play over the amazed crowd. For a few moments they stood in stunned silence. How could such fabled beauty arrive in such a common wrapping? And then they burst into a loud, spontaneous cheer! But no one in that crowd ever forgot how they had almost rejected one of the world's most precious diamonds! How like what happened nearly two thousand years ago when Jesus came to earth. The people were expecting their Messiah. They were waiting for him, longing for His arrival, but they didn't think He would come in a brown paper parcel! "In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death - even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:5-11) |
Ana & Andre Schoonbee God uses us to motivate and encourage the body. Authors
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