Take up Your Cross

 "Then he (Jesus) said to them all: 'Whoever wants to be my disciple, must deny themselves and pick up their cross daily and follow me.'" Luke 9:23 NIV

How different is this verse from the messages we get from our secular society. We are told to get what we want, when we want, no matter how it impacts others.  Even in many churches, this passage is glossed over and a prosperity gospel is preached.  We need to seriously look at the life of Jesus, and the apostles. For them, it was all about being servants and sacrificing for the good of others.  We get discouraged when "the peace that passes understanding" eludes us, but have we been dodging our cross?  The diligent obedience of Paul and his unselfish life lead him to a place where he could say that in "all things" he was content. The fruit of the spirit does not grow without an obedient, focused, unselfish heart.

Lord, we don't like to do hard things.  We think we deserve a happy, trouble free life.  We don't care about others as much as we could. Lord, soften our hearts to your love and let your spirit shine out of us to bless others. Help us to accept our cross, joyfully.

The Lord is my Shepherd

"The Lord is my shepherd..." Psalm 23:1. NIV

There is so much in the opening phrase of the 23rd Psalm.  First, is the declaration of the Lord, God, the I AM, Yahweh.  That after all is the starting point of any life of faith. We need to recognize who the Lord is: the awesome creator of the world, our creator, our saviour, our redeemer.  This God is my shepherd. He is a personal God, not just a general god of the world.  A deep connection exists between God and his people.  And he is described as a shepherd. A shepherd cares for, protects, guides, loves, feeds, searches for and rescues his sheep. He puts his life on the line for his sheep when he fights wild animals that try to kill them.  No wonder so many people love this psalm with its profound imagery. The opening of this Psalm is just the beginning of an amazing song of praise to our amazing God.

Dear Lord, thank you for being our shepherd.  Thank you for inspiring David to write such a beautiful psalm that nourishes our souls. May I always listen to your voice and follow closely by your side.

Faith and Works

 "You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did."  James 2:22

This passage is referencing Abraham who was willing to sacrifice his son because he believed God was telling him to do so. His desire to obey God was a manifestation of his faith in God. When God changes our hearts through his Holy Spirit, our heart's desire becomes to do the will of God.  His will becomes our will.  There is no conflict.  Just as an apple tree produces apples naturally, a person filled with the Holy Spirit will produce the fruit of the Spirit.  What is named first in the fruit of the spirit? It is love - love for God, love for others. When people talk of good works, they often confuse busyness in altruistic endeavours with godliness. The true test of a good work is does it show love.  That is why faith and works are bound together.  The Christian life is all about love.

Dear Lord, thank you for showing us what real good works are.  Open my eyes so that I may see opportunities to share the love you have given me.

Christian Fellowship

"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together."  Hebrews 10:25 NIV 

This passage clearly shows us that meeting with other Christians isn't about us, it's about them. If you go to services or other fellowship meetings expecting that you will be blessed by amazing preaching, harmonious singing and people who think you are wonderful, then you will be disappointed. Christian fellowship isn't about getting, it's about giving.  We are told to keep meeting together.  Some people stop going to church because it doesn't perk them up or entertain them.  Or often they have been offended by someone.  The Bible doesn't say keep going to church if it's perfect.  It just says "keep meeting together." When you change your outlook from what  others are doing for you to what you can  do for others, you will find that Christian fellowship grows deep and blessed.

Dear Lord, give me the wisdom to see where I can encourage others to walk closer to you.  Help me to be a peacemaker and help me to model a kind and loving attitude to even the prickly members in our body. Remind us that being a Christian is all about loving you and other people.  It's not about entertainment.

The Freedom of the Truth

 "I will walk about in freedom,

for I have sought out your precepts."  Psalm 119: 45 NIV

Jesus told his disciples that the truth would set them free.  The psalmist had already written about the freedom that is found in God's word.  How does God's truth set us free? It sets us free from doubts of our worth because God has told us that we are his special creation made in his image.  It sets us free from our fear of death because God promises that we will be with him after we die. It sets us free from the ever changing values of current societies and gives us an unchanging set of values based on love for God and love for other people. It sets us free from loneliness because God is always with us and he gives us a family to belong to even if we don't have a biological family.

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of your Word that gives us assurance, and promises your love. I pray that I will take your Word and hide it in my heart, cherishing its preciousness and truth. Give me opportunities to share your message with those around me.

The Promise of Standing in the Storm

 "Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock...The rains came down...but it did not fall." Matthew 7: 24-27 NIV

At the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told a parable about two house builders.  One of them, who is compared to someone who hears the word of God but does not obey it, builds a house on sand.  In the storms, this house crumbles as its foundation is washed away.  The other builder, who is compared to someone who hears the word of God and obeys it, builds a house on a solid rock. Jesus assures his listeners that this house will never succumb to storms. Here is a special promise that we are safe, secure, unbreachable if we obey God.  We may experience sickness, financial difficulties, broken relationships, but our souls are forever held in God's hand. We will experience storms, and we may be frightened; nevertheless we have Jesus' promise that "our house" will not fall because we are eternally his.

Thank you, Lord, for your promises and for assuring us of your dependability and almighty power.  There is nothing that can prevail against you and your people. I pray that I will remember this promise and rejoice in my ability to stand in the storms of life.

To Be Called

"As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers ...They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.  "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." Matthew 4:18-19 NIV

Peter and Andrew, the two fishermen in this story, were hard-working men who faced challenges much as we do. In a parallel passage in Luke 5, we read that they had an unsuccessful night of fishing before Jesus helped them.  In our everyday lives, we also can have challenges and disappointments in spite of our diligent efforts. Perhaps Peter and Andrew wondered why they kept fishing when sometimes it was so hard to catch any fish.  But when Jesus called them to follow him, he gave them a greater purpose in their lives.  He said that they wouldn't just put food on their tables and pay their bills, but that they would be "fishers of men". He is telling them that they will have a profound influence on other people and their lives will be truly meaningful.

Thank you, Lord, for giving us a deeper purpose to our lives. Thank you for blessing us with an outward- looking life that grows us more and more into the likeness of you. I pray that I will be listening to your word and direction as you show me where the "fish" in my life are and how I can show them your love.