Wednesday, January 27, 2010

An Excellent Secret

Commentary: When was the last time you truly felt at peace? The apostle Paul shares an important secret that can be learned. Christ is willing to share his peace with us in every circumstance. However, we must go to him in prayer and have faith in His ability to bear our burdens.

Verse: Phillipians 4:6-13

6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

 8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 9 Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.

11 Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. 12 I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. 13 For I can do everything through Christ,[c] who gives me strength. 14 Even so, you have done well to share with me in my present difficulty.

Monday, January 25, 2010

Alive and Powerful

Commentary: It is great to know that the word of God is alive and powerful. Any and all times when we need a place to turn, His word provides clear and concise answers that have the power to heal and empower our soul.

Verse: Hebrews 4:12 - 16
 12 For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.
 14 So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. 15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. 16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Comfort

Commentary: We are able to receive support and comfort from the Lord so that we are able to share that same support with others. We must do our best not to loose sight of the best ways that we can help others, no matter how difficult our own circumstances might seem.

Verse: 2 Corinthians 1

 3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. 4 He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. 5 For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. 6 Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer. 7 We are confident that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in the comfort God gives us.
 8 We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters,[b] about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. 9 In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. 10 And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us. 11 And you are helping us by praying for us. Then many people will give thanks because God has graciously answered so many prayers for our safety.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Faith

Commentary: Difficult circumstances often challenge what we know to be true. Faith is what allows us to persevere, remembering the sacrifice that Jesus has already made on our behalf. We can have confidence that no matter how difficult the situation may seem, the outcome is already known. The faithful will have peace and reconciliation through God.

Scripture: Romans 5
Faith Brings Joy
 1 Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. 2 Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. 3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
 6 When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. 7 Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. 8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. 9 And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. 10 For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. 11 So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.

Friday, January 8, 2010

Your Plans

Commentary: We all have plans designed to provide more security, joy, or happiness. Here is one question to help guide our actions. How will this next goal bring me closer to God? In the end, the more we rely on God, the more secure each future step becomes.

Scripture: Proverbs 16

3 Commit to the LORD whatever you do,
       and your plans will succeed.
 
4 The LORD works out everything for his own ends—
       even the wicked for a day of disaster.
 
5 The LORD detests all the proud of heart.
       Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.
 
6 Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for;
       through the fear of the LORD a man avoids evil.
 
7 When a man's ways are pleasing to the LORD,
       he makes even his enemies live at peace with him.
 
8 Better a little with righteousness
       than much gain with injustice.
 
9 In his heart a man plans his course,
       but the LORD determines his steps.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

All...

Commentary: We often use the word, "all", when we really don't mean it. The scriptures challenge us to give our "all" to God.

What can we do today to make this aspiration a reality? I am certain the end result will allow us to better serve the needs of others and demonstrate the power to transcend even the most challenging circumstances.

Scripture: Luke 10:25 - 37

 25On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
 26"What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?"
 27He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'[c]; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'[d]"
 28"You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."
 29But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"
 30In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. 35The next day he took out two silver coins[e] and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'
 36"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"
 37The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him."
      Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."