What Should We Fear?

The Lord is on my side, I am not afraid!
What can people do to me?

Psalm 118:6 

 

"Ugh, if it weren't for people life would be so much better." Such was the comment from a priest friend of mine.  We then went into a discussion about people in general.  We concluded that, as people, we can aggravate the tar out of each other, make each other so angry that we want to smack them, we can use our position to bully others, we can use our intellect to belittle others, we can commit horrendous acts on each other.  Yet, as people, we can also be kind to each other, be compassionate with each other, we can encourage each other, we can do and say things that bring laughter to each other, we are capable of incredible acts of love to each other.

 

Soon our discussion about people turned to Job, who, if you remember, had quite a bad experience and yet endured.  In Job 19:25, he provides us the key to remember when we are enduring trials at the hands of others, "But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and He will stand upon the earth at last."  Fear comes when our focus is changed from God to our situation, when we remember that our Redeemer truly does live, what do we have to fear?

Does Your Past Control Your Present And Your Future?

No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

Philippians 3:13-14 

 

In Philippians 3, Paul reminds the church at Philippi that he hasn't yet arrived in life. He will still make mistakes. But he doesn't let his past dictate his future either. He strives forward with the goal of Christ at the forefront. And the Apostle Paul's resume has mine beat. He tortured, imprisoned, and murdered Christians before his conversion. Just imagine how much shame and guilt he could have had around that portion of his life. Instead, he doesn't let his past wounds and sins dictate who he is in the present.

 

When we choose freedom from our past, it's because we see ourselves as Christ sees us—holy and blameless due to his life, death, and resurrection that covers our past. We're not fatherless. We're not alcoholics or addicts. We're not even victims. All those words people and society have lobbed at us no longer hold any power over us because Jesus gives us a new heart and a new mind that breathes his unending love into our being. But that's the hard part also, because it's a choice. We can hand over our identity to Christ and let him impart a new one, or we can continue to believe the lies the accuser whispers to us.

 

But like Paul reminds us, we will stumble along the way. The life of faith and our identity in Christ is a marathon, not a sprint. The goal of a marathon for most people is just to complete the race. As long as you keep running, you'll reach the finish line. Don't forget to keep your eyes fixed on the finish line and the way Christ continues to cheer for you. The past is behind you, but the future looks bright.
 

Rescued!

Have you ever had someone come to your rescue? In elementary school, I was the smallest kid in class thus, as you might imagine, I was the target a LOT.  I cannot tell you how many times I got pushed into the wall, stuffed in the trash can, tossed into the dumpster, knocked down so my pants tore (leading to punishment from my Mom for tearing up my school clothes). Then came the day when a new student arrived.  His name was Ricky McCall and he was the biggest person in the class.  For some reason, Ricky thought I was good friend material.  And suddenly, I didn't have anyone picking on me anymore.

As I have gotten older, I have learned that I am a child of God.  And because of that, there is nothing for me to worry about because God has promised to rescue me and take care of me.  What better gift can there be?

Be A Blessing To Others

Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will grant you his blessing.

1 Peter 3:9 

 

This marks the 1000th Cup of Joe, and as such, Joey Pellicci's life is a GREAT example for this devotional.  Joey Pellicci was one of those people who was a blessing to others, even if he didn't agree with them.  He made it a point to encourage others.  He made it a point to do his best to make others' day better.  He truly lived the example of Christ by treating others the same way he wanted to be treated.

 

We see the love of Christ radiating in Joey's life.  Let's strive to radiate the love of Christ through our lives as well.  BE A BLESSING to others! 

How Do You Handle The Success Of Others

The vizier was second-in-command to the pharaoh. He also acted as the chief judge in cases, and was supposed to remain neutral on issues.

 

Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the entire land of Egypt.” Then Pharaoh removed his signet ring from his hand and placed it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in fine linen clothing and hung a gold chain around his neck. Then he had Joseph ride in the chariot reserved for his second-in-command. And wherever Joseph went, the command was shouted, “Kneel down!” So Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of all Egypt. And Pharaoh said to him, “I am Pharaoh, but no one will lift a hand or foot in the entire land of Egypt without your approval.”

Genesis 41:41-44

 

Imagine you are one of the laborers helping with the endless building projects in Egypt.  You were born in Egypt, you were raised in Egypt, you pay taxes to Egypt and one day this foreigner comes by in an Egyptian Chariot and the command is given by one of the soldiers for you to "Kneel Down" in front of this guy from out-of-town.  Would you be thinking "Wow, look at this....this outsider has made good. Pharoah has put him in charge of everything, including me, my family, my crops, my land, my income."

 

Chances are that would not have been your response.  Pharaoh had put Joseph in charge of the entire Kingdom of Egypt.  Pharaoh had taken his royal signet ring off of his own hand and put it on Joseph's finger, sealing Joseph's position.  There was no one more powerful in Egypt now except Pharaoh.  Why was Joseph raised to such high status?  Because God had ordained it to happen!  

 

What about us?  When someone has success in their life, do we acknowledge that God knows what He's doing or do we wonder if God's has lost His marbles?  Let us celebrate the plans of God, because they are the plans of God!  God doesn't consult me on His plans, so why should I be upset by them?

Be Patient

Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.

Ephesians 4:2 

 

I will be honest, I'm not exactly the most patient person.  I get irritated in traffic. I get irritated with people who want to chat with the cashier while the line waits. I get impatient with myself as well.  But God has been working on me to be more patient.  Let me tell you, it's not a fun lesson to learn.  But in learning to be patient, He has shown me that I can see all the peculiarities of the world and be okay with them...that's where happiness begins.

 

God never promised that things would always go my way, that was me trying to take God's place.  God promised to walk with me through every moment of life.  Therefore, I am learning more and more that when I am patient, I learn more, see more, and appreciate more.

Be Someone's Gift

Have you ever had people cheer you on to reach a goal?  Have you ever had people cheer you on to be your best?  Have you ever been someone's cheerleader?

 

Think about this, we are continually bombarded with negative messages every single day.  "You need to lose weight."  "Unless you have this new car, you're a loser." "Buy our grooming products so you don't scare others."  We are constantly being hammered with negative!  But it doesn't have to be that way.  God has given us a CHOICE to be an encourager, to BE that person who builds up others!

 

Let's be about the work of God and build each other up!

What's Found Within

Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.

Hebrews 10:24

Michelangelo said he saw the figure of David within the block of marble and carved it out.  Encouragers do the same thing; they see your best self and draws it out with words of encouragement and affirmation.

Think of the people you see.  Do you have the Michelangelo effect on them by drawing out their best selves?  Let's start this very day and become the positive encouraging artist! After all, God created them in the same way He created you.

Too Much!

When doubts filled my mind,
    your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.

Psalm 94:19 

 

Think about this, how many advertisements have you seen for sleep aids?  How many different types of sleep aids are you aware of?  It's as though there is a pill, patch, device and concoction for every situation of our feeling overwhelmed.  You know how awful it is to feel as though you are drowning in your own thoughts and schedules, yet....we just keep on struggling.  Mostly because we're stubborn.  We don't like change.  And even though the answer is right here with us, for some reason we just won't use it.

 

The answer?  God, who knows every thought we have, every stress we hold, every hair that turns grey, knows exactly what we need and when we need it.  He is right here with us, yet we forget that He willingly listens to us when we talk with Him, He willingly touches us with His comfort, He willingly calms our fears.  So why are we so stubborn to talk with Him? 

What Say You?

When you talk, you should always be kind and pleasant so you will be able to answer everyone in the way you should.

Colossians 4:6 

 

Don Rickles was an Insult Comic who made his living with his sharp tongue and sharper words.  There are many of us (yes, I admit it) who have a sharp tongue and wield it with the proficiency of a fencing champion.  Why do we value a sharp tongue instead of a kind word?

 

Proverbs 15:1 reminds us, "A gentle response defuses anger, but a sharp tongue kindles fury."  A GENTLE response!  No sharp words. No sarcastic retort. Gentle....Kind....Gracious.  If we follow the teachings of Jesus, we should use the same speech we want to hear.  It's time to be gracious!

Light And Salvation

The Lord is my light and my salvation; I will fear no one.

The Lord protects me from all danger; I will never be afraid.

Psalm 27:1

 

As a child, I was afraid of the dark.  Not because I had been told there were monsters roaming about in the darkness, but because I could not see in the dark.  My parents always insisted that I put my toys away before I got in bed.  The purpose for this became all to clear when I got out of bed to get a drink of water and stepped on a Lego in the dark.  Lesson learned, toys were picked up before bedtime.

 

Think about this, when we are at our darkest point in life, God is our light and our Savior.  We have nothing to fear with God on our side.  God will always be our light and nothing can ever so much as dim His light.  When we are going through dark times, and we will, remember to cling to God because He loves us so much that He becomes our light. 

Plans

The Plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations.

Psalm 33:11

 

No matter where you find yourself today, know that God's plan for you is still being completed.  God's plans for you cannot be thwarted!  Nothing and No one can stop or alter God's plans for you.  Rest in the knowledge that God's job is to fulfill His plans in your life, and know that He will not stop until He gets you there!

Reflection of

So God created human beings in his image.

Genesis 1:27 

 

When God created the world, notice that the only part of His creation made in His image was us?  God created us in HIS image.  He created us with the potential to reflect Him to others....do we?  Sometimes we give a shimmer of reflection, and sometimes not so much.  You see, God is love (1 John 4:8).  Because God is love, we should share God's unconditional love with others.

 

If we look at the news, we see just how cruel and inhumane we can be to each other, yet John 13:34 reminds us that we are to "Love each other as I have loved you."  Granted, some of us are more challenging to love than others, but we have not been instructed to love only those who are easy to love, rather we are to love each other (all inclusive) as God, through Christ, loves us.  If we need help loving someone, ask God to fill you with His love to the point there's no room for anything less.

Best Words To Hear

When Jesus saw their faith he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”

Luke 5:20 

 

I was sitting in a Seminary Class with a lot on my mind, when the Professor said something that cut through my foggy mind. "You can only love to the extent you have experienced love.  You can only forgive to the extent you have experienced forgiveness."  Honestly, I didn't really hear the rest of the lecture because my mind grabbed those two statements and began pondering them.

 

How many times do we say "I love you" without ever meaning it?  How many times do we say "I forgive you" yet we refuse to?  If you have ever known the forgiveness of Christ, you know what an indescribable feeling that is.  Why would we not want to share that with each other?  If you have ever experienced the unconditional love of God, you know what joy it is to know that you are accepted and loved in spite of our past, present and future.  Why would we want to withhold that from each other.

 

 Today, I issue this challenge: Let us love and forgive each other as we are loved and forgiven by God through Christ. 

Train Your Brain

Be careful what you think,
    because your thoughts run your life.

Proverbs 4:23

 

Have you ever stopped to consider who controls your mind?  Who controls what you think?  Our minds are sponges, absorbing whatever we allow into them. And, once absorbed, these thoughts come back as words and actions.

 

If we allow negativity to fill our minds, guess what? We will be negative people. Always seeing the negative in others.  If we allow anger and bitterness to fill our minds, guess what?  We will be angry and bitter people, constantly tearing down others.  However, if we allow positivity to fill our minds, guess what? We will be positive people building others up.

Remember, "What's in you well, comes up in your bucket."  Yes, I'm speaking to me too.

 

  

Enthusiasm...It's Contagious.

Whatever you are doing, work at it with enthusiasm, as to the Lord and not for people, because you know that you will receive your inheritance from the Lord as the reward. Serve the Lord Christ. 

Colossians 3:23-24 

 

What would happen if we were enthusiastic about every aspect of our lives?  Imagine how much more fun it would be to work around enthusiastic people.  I'm talking about genuine enthusiasm, where people love what they do and are happy they get to do it.  

 

How many of us have dealt with people who didn't like what they were doing, didn't like the people they worked with, and generally were negative people?  When we are genuinely enthusiastic about what we have the opportunity to do with our daily lives (not just work), that enthusiasm is contagious!

 

Remember when we got to go do recess in grade school?  Our enthusiasm could barely be contained.  Slowly, we have lost that.  Ask God to restore your joy and enthusiasm!

 

Share your enthusiasm!

Be Someone's Blessing

The generous will prosper;
    those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.

Proverbs 11:25 

There is nothing quite so refreshing as an ice cold drink when you are hot and sweaty.  There's nothing quite so refreshing as an encouragement when you're feeling a bit down.
There's nothing like a friend asking to spend time with you, even if you don't feel like it, because when you get together the fun and laughter is so uplifting.
There's nothing quite like being someone's encourager, friend, or refreshing them with your care.

Let's face it, today is never going to come again, so why wait?  Let's refresh others, encourage others, care about others!

Life Is An Adventure

The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.
    I will advise you and watch over you."

Psalm 32:8 

 

When I was growing up, my teachers would encourage our class to read, because "when you read, you have so many adventures in your imagination."  Well, it wasn't until later that I began to enjoy reading and enjoying the mental adventures.  

 

This morning whilst enjoying my coffee and a bit of quiet, it dawned on me...I had become a fuddy-duddy.  My idea of "adventure" was getting dessert after brunch.  I had lost my sense of wonder and adventure.  So, on my way to work, I took the time to look at the world God has provided.  I watched the clouds (not while I was driving), I listened to the birds, I took a different way to work (heard you gasp).  And most of all, I prayed that God would reignite my sense of wonder and adventure for His creation.

 

God will guide us and provide for us.  In the process, please take time to enjoy the adventure called Life that God has given us! 

God's Got You!

The Lord will guide you continually,
    giving you water when you are dry
    and restoring your strength.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
    like an ever-flowing spring.

Isaiah 58:11

 

 Have you ever taken a look back at your life and wondered how you made it through?  It's rather intimidating, to say the least.  I have looked back and remembered being terrified wondering how I was going to make it, yet God always provided.  

 

I remembered a time when I worried what would happen with my heart surgery.  Would I survive?  If not, what would happen to my family? How would we make ends meet when I was out for three months of recovery? Would I be able to function fully or be limited?  God heard my fears, concerns, worries.  He sent a nurse who could tell I was stressed and she took the time to pray for me and with me.  She was patient while I unloaded all my anxieties to God and asked for His peace.  She reminded me that when God is our focus, everything else falls into its proper place.

 

I'll admit that I was doubtful, but prayed: "You know I am still concerned, but I know You have everything under control.  You've never let me down and I thank You for that.  Please calm my Spirit."  Next morning, I had quadruple bypass surgery.  While I was in recovery, I felt so peaceful. God did provide for us in ways I could not have imagined.  But here's the kicker, God provides for us even when it's not an emergency.  Take a minute and remember those times.

Building Project

So then, let us pursue what makes for peace and for building up one another.

Romans 14:19 

 

Encouragement.  Building each other up. Peace.  All of these are good.  I, for one, thrive on encouragement.  Why?  Because, like most of us, I am my own worst critic.  Yet when someone sees something positive in you, and reminds you of it, THAT is encouraging.

 

The Apostle Paul was a big proponent of encouraging others, building each other up (with truth, not with flattery), and working together in peace.  Why?  Because our natural bent on this Earth is negative.  We're bombarded with it from all sides.  So when something positive, encouraging, and uplifting comes our way it's like finding an oasis in the middle of the most hostile desert.

 

Let's BE that oasis for each other!!