God is Able - Ephesians 3:20

Have you ever heard the statement "God is Good...All the Time!"? How do you feel about it? Do you agree or disagree? (I'd enjoy any comments to post regarding your responses) Sometimes we just cannot agree because we are wrapped up in our circumstances. Life is not going well, so we cannot view God as good - especially not at "this" particular time.

It took me a while to fully embrace the statement above, after I heard it. Basically, I missed the point of the statement, along with its depth. I viewed it selfishly. I am sure I wasn't the only one to view it this way. However, now that I do fully embrace the statement I can see the goodness of God in situations. He is not only good, but He is able. Yesterday, we looked at the phrase "God is able" and below are some areas where He is able. May they be useful in your spiritual walk this week...

God is able...

1. To Keep You From Falling - Our ten-month old is beginning some early phases of trying to walk. He is starting to take his hand off of an object to stand long enough to realize he's on his own, then to plop down. As we walk with God, there are times when we aren't going to be having it all right to walk freely. We need to have several components to be able to walk. May you be continually working on the elements found in II Peter 1:5-7 in order to keep your walk balanced and you from falling.
   
2. To Deal With Problems on Earth - Police lineups are generally about 6-8 people. A witness must try to pick out the one they think committed the crime. It can be very difficult because they may look similar. How about trying to pick out someone in six billion? We generally think that we're not important...but God could pick you out easily. You are very important to God. He is so able to deal with the difficulties on this earth that He can easily deal with us, individually!
   
3. To Free Us - When it comes to plans like cell phones, I love the word "unlimited". It makes it so freeing to know you don't have to worry about how much you use. One of our early plans we had a "regional" plan, but it still was "hit and miss" about what our area was once we got outside our immediate area. Plus, we still had a limited amount of minutes to talk. Our plan now includes nationwide service, and to certain numbers the minutes are unlimited. Under the old law, you had a limited amount of time before you broke the law. Once broke, always broke. Under the new law, there is an unlimited amount of grace that is available to those who walk in the light. How freeing it is to know that as we walk with God we can lay our head down at night with assurance.
   
4. To Supply Our Needs - Christmas time brings about a lot of "want". We want so many things...But how many of them are needs? Needs aren't always fun, but we need them. We're in a situation that I don't want to be in, but I may need to be in it. There are lessons to be learned through waiting. You may have a similar story...not wanting to be in your situation but needing to be in it. Ponder your situation and look deep to see if it is one you "need" to be in.
   
5. To Offer Hope - God is able to provide a hope that is beyond all hopes. One with an assurance that is completely comforting. If you don't know Jesus, you need to reevaluate how much hope there is in Christ! IF you do know Jesus, praise God for the hope you do have in Christ!
   
6. To Completely Save - The word "complete" can offer a lot of assurance. When you are insuring your house, you don't want to have certain parts of your house uncovered with your policy, you want complete coverage. If you were to find out that you weren't able to have complete assurance that you would go to heaven when you do what God asks, you wouldn't think it is a very good deal. However, God does save with an offering of complete salvation. Jesus' sacrifice was a one time sacrifice that gives us the assurance of knowing we can have complete salvation! Praise God for His completeness!
   

God is able to do more than we can ask or imagine...that's for sure! May that verse be a sense of encouragement as you start your week (or just go through your week).

Praising God For His Awesome Abilities...

A New Found...Distribution - Acts 2:45

We all need things. For optimal living, we need food, water, air, and rest every day. For as long as man has been on this earth, we have needed things.

Those in the "early church" were no different. However, some were without their needs. What did they do? Those with things gave to those without. A great example for us...giving of what we have to those who do not have. Yesterday, we continued with our look at the "early church" and looked at the concept of "distributing to those who have needs". Here are a few applications to choose from to use this week...

1. What is your definition of "poor"? Is a different view from a biblical perspective? The bible does describe "poor" in other ways. Take some time to look up the idea of poor...here are some helps from BibleGateway.com... "poor" a keyword search and "poor" a topical index search (click on either one to go to that particular one).
   
2. Give something away this week. Does someone ask you for something - give it to them. Maybe surprise someone with a "gift" you give them. You could give something as small as a smile or compliment. Something bigger as buying lunch or buying a present. Or, even something bigger than that...you fill in that blank. Just give something of yours away.
3. Share your "story" with someone - how you became a child of God.
   
4. Give yourself to God. You have talents and abilities that are not just "yours" but they are God's that He is letting you use while you're here. Use what He has given you to His glory!
5. Look out for those who are "poor" - those who don't necessarily need money, clothes, etc., but for those who need Jesus!
   

We need (no pun intended) to reprogram our minds to think of needs as more than material. Needs are anything that someone is lacking. So many are lacking a relationship with Jesus - even Christians, sometimes.

Have a great week of open opportunities to share with others!

Looking for opportunities...

Fullness of Christ - King - Luke 23:2-3

Have you ever anticipated the arrival of someone or something and, upon arrival, you were disappointed? Be it a surprise that wasn't what you expected, a person you pictured differently, or a package that arrived broken. I've been there before in the case when I was expecting a package to give as a gift, and it came, at the nick of time, but wasn't what I expected. It was heartbreaking. I bought it without seeing the actual item and when it came...disappointment.

I wonder if people felt like that at all when Jesus came on the scene? They had anticipated the coming Messiah, royalty. They didn't get a "great" son of a well-known family. Instead, the people received a "carpenter's son". A blue-collared Savior was not what was expected. Disappointed, probably (at least by some). "This is it. I've been looking forward to a Messiah, and he is it?!" Not a very good welcome into the world, would you agree? Yesterday, we looked at Jesus as a King. Here are some applications to choose to use this week...

1. Jesus wasn't a disappointment, after all. We see only what we choose to see. See a forest or an adventure? A mountain or extra time to spend with God? May we recognize Him as the "ruler" that He is and submit to His authority, as "all authority" (Matthew 28:18) has been given to Him.
   
2. Jesus' Kingdom is not bound by earthly limits. Kingdoms bring about a sense of protection and security. Praise Him for setting up His Kingdom and giving us the chance to be a part of it!
   

Christ is the king of many things: truth, salvation, grace, peace, righteousness, glory, saints, the ages, kings, and is eternal. (Matthew 21:5; Zechariah 9:9; Luke 19:38; Hebrews 7:2, 1:8; Matthew 25:31-34; Revelation 19:16, 12)

May we appreciate Him all the more as He is, hopefully, the King of our lives, as well!

Seeing Jesus even "fuller" and letting Him rule...

Danger Ahead - Putting Them Behind

Do you think there is anyone in this world that could honestly say they are not afraid of anything? Common areas of fear are heights, public speaking, spiders, snakes, and drowning. What are you afraid of? I am a bit fearful of heights and any kind of death that involves suffering. However, as long as I'm afraid, the danger will always be there..

In this world there is always danger for those who are afraid of it. ~ George Bernard Shaw

The basic way of overcoming fear is to face your fears. So, as long as you do not do anything to conquer your fear, there will always be a danger looming in the midst. When it comes to being active in sharing our faith, we all have a certain amount of fears too. What fear(s) in this area do you have? The danger will always be there as long as you are afraid of it. Our challenge is to find ways that we are sharing Jesus and that comes so natural to us, that there is no longer any fear involved. When you do not have fear - you will go about it like crazy.

Think of it like riding a bike or swimming. Each ability had a sense of danger that came with it, but if/when you mastered it, you can be "crazy" with the talent. You may learn to do tricks on a bike (my best was riding without hands for several yards). You may learn how to do all kinds of specialty dives or hold your breath for long periods of time, with swimming (I never did anything more than a front flip).

Once you learn to look at opportunities in life as a chance to share instead of fear, you will go "crazy" with looking forward to each encounter. Don't be afraid, that involves danger, with sharing Jesus, there should not be any danger, just salvation!

Removing danger ~