James 4:6: But he gives more grace. Wherefore he says, God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.
We work in a culture that is bent on reaching goals. As a believer in Christ, we need to make sure that our goals match His!
Our goals can sometimes be:
- I want life under control and on my terms
- I want life to be pain free
- I want to be happy and a life full of pleasure
- I want God, people and circumstances to meet my goals
Somehow we believe that we deserve to reach these goals and that we can control our worlds to reach them.
God does not exist to meet our goals! Our lives are to be about giving glory to Him...no matter what!
Meditate On This!
Do you ever ask if your goals are biblical? Are they selfish?
Remember that God does not promise to meet our goals or perceived needs.
Sometimes he puts pain and roadblocks into our lives to be a ladder to reach back up to Him!
Pride is a roadblock...Humility, Obedience and confession are rungs in the ladder to Him.
There are times when we all need a gentle reminder of what is important...I know I do!
May your day be blessed as you evaluate where God has you...and why.
Please continue to pray for our President and troops as the war has begun!
Proverbs 16:9: A man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.
God has a sovereign plan for each of us, but He allows us to prayerfully make decisions. We tend to stay so busy, and forget to take time to ask Him what his plan is for us! Have you asked God what he has for you ....His mission statement for your years remaining on earth? A mission statement that is over all opportunities and decisions that come your way. A well thought out missions statement can give you better understanding of involvement in areas where you need to invest your time and efforts. This is not a business plan, but rather a prayerful question to God about why you are hear on earth and what He will is for you.
Meditate On This!
What is God's strategic plan for your life? Have you asked Him that recently? He has given each of us the Word, a brain, life experiences, fellow Christians with vast amounts of wisdom, people who need to hear the message of the gospel and others that need to grow. He has made each of us for a purpose. He has also given us knees! I am not asking you to consider a career move, but rather to think through how you can be most effective in moving for Him where you are! How will you live out the remaining days of your life.
We can spend our lives anywhere...the question is where will we invest them!
Matthew 6:33: "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
How would you define the American dream? If you are 50 or over, you might define it differently than the college-age person would today. Fifty years ago, the American Dream may have been freedom, justice and equality. Today, it is more materialism. The great American dream have a house - a nice car - a good job - good pay - be somebody. Going back even further in our history, our forefathers left the comforts of materialism to come to a wilderness. Why? They came for spiritual reasons. They wanted to establish communities in which they could have freedom to practice their faith.
What should be the great Christian dream - in any culture? The answer is the above - seeking after Christ and His kingdom - getting our eyes off the things on earth and onto our eternal destiny - having His laws supersede the laws of any society. "Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our salvation." (Hebrews 12:2)
Meditate On This!
It is so easy to get caught up in the American Dream. Running after material goods can get our focus off what our first love should be. Have we lost our first love? Are you past the point of "looking good" for other people to gain value for yourself? How important are the trappings of this world to you? Do you determine your worth by your "toys"? Think about this one for a while: If Jesus were in your situation, how would he handle the money, authority and the American system? Remember what Solomon asked? He asked for wisdom (2 Chronicles 1:10). May we gaze not on the things of this world only, but look heavenward and see how we can serve our Father and seek Him with all our might.
Matthew 22:37: "Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'"
Those of you who were athletes understand the thrill of the game. The emotional, physical, and mental strength it took to start and finish a contest. There was a real thrill in competing, and even a greater joy in winning, wasn't there. How we long for those days--so we try to play softball, "horse", golf, etc., to keep those competitive juices running.
When you look back to your motivation, did you play for pride, or for love of the game? Much took place before you could take to the court, didn't it? In a very real sense, all your heart, soul, mind and effort needed to go into competing in that contest.
Meditate On This!
Jesus is not homework! It saddens my heart as I see Christians around the world thinking that to have a loving relationship with God, you just need to read the Word and gain knowledge. That would be the same as reading about basketball for three months, and then, without exercise, getting out on the court and playing your first game. A relationship with Jesus is much more than just knowing about Him. It is much more than just academic. God wants all of our emotions, strengths, soul and mind. If you are studying the Word of God . . . praise God . . . but that is not true spirituality. Confession of sin, witnessing and sacrifice are all parts of the make-up that say, "I am serving Christ with all my strength."
This week think about areas of your game that need to be stepped up a notch. This is not a guilt trip at all, guys . . . this is the reality for those who want to compete and work out, not work for, their salvation.
