Very early in life (almost from birth) we are trained to be successful according to the world's definition of success. We are driven by goals and accomplishments from the day we take our first steps and ride our first bike. As we grow older, we are pressured to accumulate knowledge and "things" in order to prove our success.
In our Christian walk, Jesus calls us to a new definition of success - one determined not by what we accomplish, but by our obedience. The disciples walked and talked with Jesus, but they still faced many challenges with faith and obedience. One morning after fishing all night without a catch, Jesus called from the shore. John 21:6 "He said, 'Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some {fish}.' When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish." The disciples were successful that morning. But we must understand that the large number of fish did not define their success. They would have been successful even if the nets remained empty. They were successful the moment they were obedient and threw out the net. One thousands years earlier, King Saul was told to "attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them," (1 Samuel 15:3). But Saul allowed the Amalekite king and the best livestock to survive. He tried to cover His disobedience by saying the calves and lambs were for a sacrifice to God. "But Samuel replied: 'Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.'" (1 Samuel 15:22). In any task we undertake for God, it's easy to become discouraged by our apparent lack of success. We often feel inadequate - and those feelings increase when our goals seem to be elusive. But we must remember, the outcome of the task is secondary to our obedience. God doesn't need our "fish" - He wants our devotion and trust. He desires that we love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Let's take our eyes off the accomplishment of the "catch" and what we can produce. Rather, let's focus on walking each step according to His leading. Let's concentrate all our effort on obeying His call to cast out the net. Man Kills Self Before Shooting Wife and Daughter
This one I caught in the SGV Tribune the other day and called the Editorial Room and asked who wrote this. It took two or three readings before the editor realized that what he was reading was impossible!!! They put in a correction the next day. Something Went Wrong in Jet Crash, Expert Says No crap, really? Ya think? Police Begin Campaign to Run Down Jaywalkers Now that's taking things a bit far! Panda Mating Fails; Veterinarian Takes Over What a guy! Miners Refuse to Work after Death No-good-for-nothing' lazy so-and-so's! Juvenile Court to Try Shooting Defendant See if that works any better than a fair trial! War Dims Hope for Peace I can see where it might have that effect! If Strike Isn't Settled Quickly, It May Last Awhile Ya think?! Cold Wave Linked to Temperatures Who would have thought! Enfield ( London ) Couple Slain; Police Suspect Homicide They may be on to something! Red Tape Holds Up New Bridges You mean there's something stronger than duct tape? Man Struck By Lightning: Faces Battery Charge He probably IS the battery charge! New Study of Obesity Looks for Larger Test Group Weren't they fat enough?! Astronaut Takes Blame for Gas in Spacecraft That's what he gets for eating those beans! Kids Make Nutritious Snacks Do they taste like chicken? Local High School Dropouts Cut in Half Chainsaw Massacre all over again! Hospitals are Sued by 7 Foot Doctors Boy, are they tall! Typhoon Rips Through Cemetery; Hundreds Dead Did I read that right? Abram and Sarai got tired of waiting. They became weary as they waited for the promise of a child to come, so they decided to take control of the situation. In Genesis 16:2 “We read how Sarai gave permission to her maid servant, Hagar to sleep with Abram in order to conceive a child. Does this sound familiar, when we ourselves become weary of waiting for the promises of God, we also sometimes take things into our hands Once Ishmael was born from Hagar, he was not the promise child, so it took Abram and Sarai another 14 years before the promise child was born. This shows us that when we take a situation into our hands, we first have to deal with the consequences and then the promises is manifested Psalm 127:1 “Except the Lord builds the house, the labourers work in vain”. This means that God will bring in your promises only in His time Do not overwork to be rich. Proverbs 23:4
There is a saying, “The best things in life are free.” There’s a lot of truth in that. Some people, however, believe that the best things in life are expensive or perhaps elusive. Recently I saw a sign saying, “The best things in life are not things.” What a great way to say it! The value of family, friends, and faith points us to the realization that what matters most in life is all wrapped up in people and the Lord. Solomon was well qualified to speak about material things because he “surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom” (1 Kings 10:23). His advice? “Do not overwork to be rich; because of your own understanding, cease! Will you set your eyes on that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away like an eagle toward heaven” (Prov. 23:4-5). His recommended course of action was, “Apply your heart to instruction, and your ears to words of knowledge. . . . For surely there is a hereafter, and your hope will not be cut off” (vv.12,18). The best things in life are the eternal riches that come from God’s goodness and grace in Jesus Christ. We do not hold them in our hands, but in our hearts. Our greatest riches are the riches we have in Christ. Be kinder than necessary for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle. Let us love one another, for love is (springs) from God and he who loves(his fellowmen) is begotten (born) of God and is coming to know and understand God (recognize and get a better clearer knowledge of Him) 1 John 4:7
The LORD himself will go before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forget you. Deu 31:8 When I was seven years old, I ran away from home. I'd had enough of my father's rules and decided I could make it on my own, thank you very much. With my clothes in a paper bag, I stormed out the back gate and marched down the alley. [But] I didn't go far. I got to the end of the alley and remembered I was hungry, so I went back home. Though the rebellion was brief, it was rebellion nonetheless. And had you stopped me on that prodigal path … I just might have told you how I felt. I just might have said, "I don't need a father. I'm too big for the rules of my family." I didn't hear the rooster crow like Peter did. I didn't feel the fish belch like Jonah did. I didn't get a robe and a ring and sandals like the prodigal did. But I learned from my father on earth what those three learned from their Father in heaven. Our God is no fair-weather Father. He's not into this love-'em-and-leave-'em stuff. I can count on him to be in my corner no matter how I perform. You can, too. The Great House of God (Max Lucado) God will tell us the way to go Psalm 37:23 but we have to do the walking. A Walk with God develops by taking one step of obedience at a time . Some people wants the whole blueprint for their lives before they will make one desision but God leads us one step at a time. By faith we take the step God has shown us and then He will give us the next step. At times we may fall down and must get back up, we may stumble but He will always help us. We continue on by His streangth and His Grace knowing that everytime we face a fork in the road (a place of decision) God will guide us.
JOHN 14:27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you…Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
The night before Jesus died, He gave His peace to His disciples—“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you…” This peace was not just for His disciples, but also for us today. We have His peace. The moment you believe in Jesus Christ, He who is the Prince of Peace comes to live inside you. And when the Prince of Peace resides in you, every blessing that you will ever need pertaining to your soundness and wholeness is already inside you. “Pastor Prince, if this is true, then why do I still see problems in my health, finances, family and relationships?” The answer is a troubled heart. That is why after Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you,” He said, “Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” A troubled and fearful heart works like fingers that clamp down hard on a water hose. The supply of water is flowing from the tap, but little or nothing is coming out at the other end of the hose. God’s ever-present supply of blessings toward you is like the water flowing freely from the tap. But you don’t see the blessings when you allow your heart to be gripped by worry or fear. So when fearful, anxious thoughts come, remind yourself of Jesus’ words: “Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” Even when things appear to get worse, say, “Lord, I refuse to worry about this. In the midst of all this, I see the finished work of Christ. He said, ‘It is finished!’ So my child’s healing is accomplished. My marriage is blessed. My debts are cleared. I will let not my heart be troubled by these things.” Beloved, I cannot “let not” for you. Your family and friends cannot “let not” for you. Only you can “let not your heart be troubled”. So guard your heart from being troubled. You don’t have to guard your career, reputation, children or even health. When you guard your heart, God will guard everything else for you! “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and snow come down from heaven and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish; so that it yields its seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth; it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 54: 9-11)
In the very life of every Christian there are things we do not understand. Very often we do not have all the answers; many things do not make sense and we have to go by faith ignoring what our senses tell us. We trust that God is in charge and whatever is placed in front of us we will overcome. But there will always a part of God’s plan we will not understand, some questions that will not be answered, not in this life anyway. But the Bible teaches us that we must give thanks IN everything but not FOR everything. That is the victory we have is whatever comes our way we are not alone; we have God the Father on our side and that is why we are able to rejoice in the face of adversities. The Bible says: “This is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith.” (I John 5:4) . You might say, “How can this be? What makes me an overcomer?” This is the answer the Bible gives to that: “You, dear children are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one that is in the world.” (1 John 4:4) Dear ones, we are yet facing another week and we know that we will face things that will be difficult to handle, but let us keep this in mind: “What shall we say then to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31) Prayer: Heavenly Father I want to thank You and give You praise for the rain we received this weekend. I pray Lord that not only for the earth to receive rain but I pray that You might rain upon our spirits so we also may be refreshed with Your mercies in Jesus’ Name…amen "I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he shall live forever;" John 6:51
The ultimate "soul food" is the Bread of Life. This food makes you feel satisfied and content, sort of like your favorite meal. But only the Bread of Life provides lasting satisfaction and contentment. Jesus tells us He is the Bread of Life, the ultimate soul food, because only He provides us with spiritual nourishment that lasts. During the Passover meal the night before His crucifixion, He broke bread with the disciples. He said the bread symbolized His body and that He would be broken on the cross. Christ wanted all of us to know He is the Bread of Life: the only food that brings contentment and fulfillment to our souls. The Bread of Life--Jesus Christ. |
Ana & Andre Schoonbee God uses us to motivate and encourage the body. Authors
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