Matthew 9:9-13
I desire to see people in the way God sees them, without judgement but rather with love. When Jesus told Matthew to follow Him Matthew was probably thinking, "Why me? I'm a tax collector, people hate me, why would the Son of God want anything to do with me?" Jesus gives us the answer, "For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." Sometimes I feel I don't deserve what God is freely giving me, that I should have to be better, work harder, or love more to receive His blessing and favor. But those thoughts of inadequacy are from Satan, they are not the truth. Because God has given us authority we can declare these thoughts gone in the name of Jesus and be freed from the devil's grasp. To prevent these lies from affecting us in the future we should put on "the full Armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes." (Ephesians 6:11. Ephesians 6:10-20 fully explains what the Armor of God is and what it is capable of.)
Each day we should wake up and put on the armor of God so that we will be ready for the battle, so we are living with Him and not susceptible to the devil's lies. Last night I was talking to a friend about how our attitudes and days turn out differently when we spend time with Jesus in the morning versus when we put it off until later in the day. We agreed that our days go much better when we devote time to God in the mornings, when we wake up early to spend time to worship, pray, and to dig into the word. On these days I have joy, peace and love that carry me through the day. On days when I leave my time with God for later in the day (often before bed) or don't spend time at all I find myself battling through the day. I often have to fight to stay positive and struggle to love others, when I could have taken 5 minutes to praise, pray, and read that could have changed the entire course of my day. My challenge for you is to set your alarm 15 minutes earlier in the morning. Get up and spend some time with God before you start your day and see how your outlook changes. Maybe you'll start seeing people through love rather than judgement. Maybe you'll have the opportunity to witness and bring lost sheep to Christ. Anything is possible with our God.
Let today be a day of praise! God is Love.
~Paige Marie
Friday, January 14, 2011
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Give Us Each Day Our Daily Bread
Luke 11:1-4
Jesus tells us to pray "Give us each day our daily bread." As a child learning the Lord's prayer I thought this was a request for food but in actuality this statement is a request for daily filling of the Spirit, a desire for the presence of God to be with us each day. In the past I would go to church on Sunday and felt like I had spent my time with God and I was good until next week. This mind-set is so far from what Jesus tells us in verse 3 because to be in a relationship with God we are to seek Him daily. In my closest relationships with friends it is rare I go more than a couple of days without spending time with them. If we spend so much time building a relationship with friends, how much more time should we spend with our Father who gave us life and set us free?
My New Year commitment to God is to spend time with God daily and to track what I've read and learned that day in a journal. Having a record not only holds me accountable to spend time and write every day but it also gives me a chance to look back and praise God for the work He's done. Looking back to where I was when I first attended Chi Alpha in August, I barely remember the person I used to be. I have grown so much through spending time with God, through worship, and through spending time in Bible study with friends. He has put His favor on me and has blessed me abundantly. Because our God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20) we should seek to see His face daily, to know His love in a greater way, to grow into an intimate relationship with our Savior and Lover.
My desire is to grow into an intimate relationship with God, one where I am more in love with Him and need Him more every day. To grow I need to spend time with Him; reading His word, praying, worshipping, living a life of praise, serving, listening.
Father I pray for a passion for you to rise up in our hearts. That we could not go one more day without seeking your presence. That your Holy Spirit would live in us and we could serve you all the days of our lives. Would you open our eyes to see your face in places unexpected, open our ears to listen for your voice, and break our hearts for the things that break yours. Jesus we desire to know you more, let us praise you till the ends of the earth. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
God is Love. 1 John 4:8
Jesus tells us to pray "Give us each day our daily bread." As a child learning the Lord's prayer I thought this was a request for food but in actuality this statement is a request for daily filling of the Spirit, a desire for the presence of God to be with us each day. In the past I would go to church on Sunday and felt like I had spent my time with God and I was good until next week. This mind-set is so far from what Jesus tells us in verse 3 because to be in a relationship with God we are to seek Him daily. In my closest relationships with friends it is rare I go more than a couple of days without spending time with them. If we spend so much time building a relationship with friends, how much more time should we spend with our Father who gave us life and set us free?
My New Year commitment to God is to spend time with God daily and to track what I've read and learned that day in a journal. Having a record not only holds me accountable to spend time and write every day but it also gives me a chance to look back and praise God for the work He's done. Looking back to where I was when I first attended Chi Alpha in August, I barely remember the person I used to be. I have grown so much through spending time with God, through worship, and through spending time in Bible study with friends. He has put His favor on me and has blessed me abundantly. Because our God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20) we should seek to see His face daily, to know His love in a greater way, to grow into an intimate relationship with our Savior and Lover.
My desire is to grow into an intimate relationship with God, one where I am more in love with Him and need Him more every day. To grow I need to spend time with Him; reading His word, praying, worshipping, living a life of praise, serving, listening.
Father I pray for a passion for you to rise up in our hearts. That we could not go one more day without seeking your presence. That your Holy Spirit would live in us and we could serve you all the days of our lives. Would you open our eyes to see your face in places unexpected, open our ears to listen for your voice, and break our hearts for the things that break yours. Jesus we desire to know you more, let us praise you till the ends of the earth. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
God is Love. 1 John 4:8
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)