Tuesday, June 30, 2020
Looking Into God’s Face
Looking Into
God’s Face
1 Corinthians 13:12---For
now, we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part;
but then shall I know even as also I am known.
We cannot
see God.
We cannot
see Christ.
We can see
only the images of Christ created by human beings.
Images of
Christ created by human beings are poor images.
For if we
could see Christ in real life and real-time, His real image would make the
pictures, statues, and icons seem to be just a poor reflection.
Although we
see Him only as a poor image now, someday we will see Him.
Perhaps we
will soon see Him coming to us on the clouds.
Someday we
will see Him face to face when we reach Heaven.
When we see
Him in Heaven, our being, our spirit, and our soul shall beam out in infinite
joy.
When we
finally, see Him face to face, all our suffering will be gone…all our worry,
doubt, anxiety, fear, depression, and darkness shall have passed away.
Monday, June 29, 2020
Staying Focused On God’s Truth
2nd Timothy
4:4-5---And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned
unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of
an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
There will
come a time when life erupts into chaos.
Each of us
has a time when life seems to come apart at the seams.
Some of us
may live to see a time when all of life on earth is plunged into chaos.
However, we
need not fear. In times of chaos, when things seem to come unraveled, we need
to keep our focus.
In times of
chaotic happenings, we are to keep our heads and our wits about us.
Our ability
to control our life is of critical importance.
We must,
when things turn dark in life, maintain our focus, and preserve our
self-control.
We cannot
witness or help others in Christ's name if we have turned helpless and have
lost control over our life.
When tough
times come, we are to endure. We are not to wilt under pressure.
When
difficulty rages in our life, we are to humbly be in prayer each hour, humbly
go where Christ leads us as we show His love.
Chaos comes
into a person's life and ends up being a test of faith.
Whether we
pass or fail a test of faith depends upon how much we are willing to endure.
We pass or
fail according to how much effort we put into living a life of faith.
Sunday, June 28, 2020
Seeing And Acting On God’s Blessings
Psalm 107:1-3---O give
thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Let the
redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy; And
gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the
north, and from the south.
We can count
our blessings in a grand and glorious mental exercise.
However,
counting our blessings in our hearts and minds is often not enough.
We become a
blessing to God as we actually see His blessings poured out in our life.
Just
thinking about how God blesses us with the freedom to worship is not enough.
We become a
blessing to God when we actually do worship.
Just
thinking about praying and how we can come close to God in prayer is not
enough.
We become a
blessing to God when we actually do pray and come close to Him in prayer.
Blessings
are poured out in our life not just to be counted.
God pours
blessings out in our life so we can see His blessings, absorb them, and take
them in.
When we see
His blessings, when we absorb His blessings, and when we take His blessings in,
we can fully become His work and witness.
Living in
His blessings give us His power to be humble, contrite, and forgiving.
Saturday, June 27, 2020
The Blessing of Christ's Compassion
Psalm 24:4-6---He that
hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted his soul unto vanity,
nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and
righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is the generation of them
that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob.
Christ's
compassion is pouring over us every moment.
We cannot
find Christ's compassion by physical or mental effort.
We cannot
find His compassion on our own with just our effort.
To receive
Christ's compassion we must have the heart to receive His compassion.
A heart able
to receive Christ's compassion is a heart already giving compassion.
Receiving
Christ's compassion requires we open our hearts to Him and others.
We must open
our hearts to His love for us. We must open our lives to His will.
We must open
our minds to His tenderness.
To receive
Christ's compassion we must not only open up our heart, we must also be wise
enough to close off our mind to the darkness seeking to destroy His touch
within us.
Receiving
Christ's compassion means we open our arms to Christ because He opens His arms
to us.
To receive
Christ's compassion we must give up our selfishness.
We must then
give in to His call upon our hurting heart to receive His love and Holy Spirit.
We must give
away His compassion to receive His compassion.
In everyday
life, the more compassionate and caring we are toward others, the more
compassionate and caring Christ will be toward us.
Friday, June 26, 2020
Reaching Out To Help Others In Trials
1 Thessalonians 5:14---Now
we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded,
support the weak, be patient toward all men.
When we are
besieged and under attack within the trials of our life, the natural activity
is to not do anything or to pull back into a protective mode.
Certainly,
the last thing we want to do when we are under attack is to reach out to help
someone else.
When we are
undergoing great trials, the first thing our instincts tell us to do is to get
others to reach out to help us.
Yet in our
faith and in our trust of God, we must go against our instincts and reach out
to help others rather than having them reach out to help us.
When we are
wounded, according to God's supernatural laws and ways, we are to reach out to
heal others with no thought about our own pain.
How can we
do this?
How can we
go against our instincts?
How can we
do what is so unnatural?
How can we reach
out to help others with no thought of ourselves at a time when all we want to
do is think about our troubles?
We can reach
out to help others in our trials with no thought for ourselves only with
supernatural help.
In the eyes
of God and in the will of God, we are to always go against our human instincts
and reach out to others in our trials.
We are to
reach out to help others in our trials because when we reach out to help others
in our tragedy and trauma, great and mighty supernatural things happen for
others and for us.
We can only
do what is truly unnatural with supernatural help. When we reach out to help
others in our trials, then blessings will flow.
The
blessings will flow but not always as we want or when we want.
Sometimes
the blessings may not flow at all in our lifetime.
However, the
blessings will surely flow when we get to heaven.
In Heaven,
we are immersed in our Lord's healing stream of love and grace.
Thursday, June 25, 2020
Having Perseverance and Courage to Stand Against Every Evil
Hebrews 10:36---For ye
have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might
receive the promise.
Many people
want to deny evil exists in the world.
For many
people, denying evil exists in the world is easier than trying to stand against
evil.
Christians
must make commitments if they want to lead victorious lives against evil and
darkness.
Christians
need perseverance and courage to be victorious over the evils wanting to
destroy us.
Lasting
perseverance and courage against evil are possible only through Christ.
Having
Christ alive within you is necessary to muster up perseverance and courage.
One of
evil's ways of destroying you is to erode your perseverance and lessen your courage.
Evil wants
to make you give up and be fearful.
With Christ,
you can find the courage to stand against evil in all its forms because you know He
is with you.
In Christ's
presence, you can find a reason for living.
Your reason
for living then gives you the power to fight against the dark ways of evil.
Christ gives
you power and courage when you experience fear, doubt, or anxiety.
With Christ
living in your heart, you can live in perseverance and courage as you glorify
God while you do battle against the evil one.
Wednesday, June 24, 2020
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