There at the end of life we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made, how many great things we have done.
We will be judged by ‘I was hungry and you gave me to eat, I was naked and you clothed me, I was homeless and you took me in.’ Matthew 25:35
Hungry not only for bread — but hungry for love.
Naked not only for clothing — but naked for human dignity and respect.
Homeless not only for want of a room of bricks — but homeless because of rejection.
Mother Teresa
Powerful words to live by…
There is only one reality. That reality is God.
The soul of man must contact God, and unless the spirit of man is truly joined to God, there is no such thing as real Christian manifestation.
–John G. Lake
This point is important enough that I am going to say it again…
There is only one reality. That reality is God.
The soul of man must contact God, and unless the spirit of man is truly joined to God, there is no such thing as real Christian manifestation.
–John G. Lake
Ok, now let it sink in… real deep… or else I will say it again : )
I was thinking about how each one of us declares who we are (at the core of our being) many times every day.
It is like there is a “Bass Note” that vibrates through all our thinking and doing.
When that “Bass Note” comes out of hurt, anger, greed than those closest to us are infected.
When that “Base Note” comes out of genuine love, faith and grace those closest to us are inspired and empowered.
A thousand times over our lives declare directly or indirectly what is at our center. Our children know it well.
What would those closest to you say your declaration is?
“Is it possible that people are so hungry for love that they will accept substitutes. Sometimes we embrace material things and expect a sort of hug back. But it never works. You can’t substitute material things for love or for gentleness or for tenderness or for a sense of comradeship. Money is no substitute for tenderness, and power is not a substitute for tenderness.
Since God chose you to be the holy people whom he loves,
you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness,
humility, gentleness, and patience. Col 3:12
What are you trying to fill your tank with?
Has it been working for you?
If not, if may be time to try filling it with something different.
If circumstances are crashing in on your life today, I pray you will find encouragement from this passage of scripture.
Jesus slept on a pillow in the midst of the raging storm.
Mark 4:38
Jesus slept because he knew that His father was in control.
His was a quiet heart.
Quiet your mind and you will hear your heart.
Quiet your heart and you will hear God.
Be still, and know that I [am] God:
Psalm 46:10
For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, Gal 5:17
Did you know the common cold is a viral infection of the upper respiratory tract? I had a cold several weeks ago.
Thankfully, most of the overt symptoms were gone after a week.
I was feeling a little better so I suited up and went to our weekly kick boxing class. I didn’t last 20 minutes.
The cold virus was still alive and well in my body depleting me of my strength.
I was reading this passage in Galatians 5 and thought of how sin is a viral infection to the soul.
The more we act out of our sinful nature the more room we make for this virus to deplete us.
There is an astounding connectedness between our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual energy.
If you deplete one all are affected. If you feed one all are affected.
You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you.
And even though “I am allowed to do anything,” I must not become a slave to anything.
1 Cor 6:12
I believed that God will not call us to do that which we can pull off in our natural strength, rather He calls us to do that which is impossible outside of His intervention
I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. John 15:16
It is for us to pray not for tasks equal to our powers, but for powers equal to our tasks,
to go forward with a great desire forever beating at the door of our hearts as we travel toward our distant goal.
~ Helen Keller
My brothers and sisters, you were chosen to be free…
Many of us began our faith journey totally surrendered and abandoned to Christ – no questions asked.
Then you begin leaning back into the world asking; “what does my freedom in Christ enable me to get away with?” If you are living based on what you can get away with you are leaning the wrong way.
We have been set free from sin, and having become slaves to God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. Romans 6:22
The truth is we live in toxic world and we need to regularly detoxify our hearts. We also need each other in the detoxifying process.
Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, long suffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.
Colossians 3:12
