From Dryness To Life Giving - July 29, 2016

S.  Isaiah 58:11-12

"The Lord will guide you continually, giving water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well watered garden, like an ever flowing spring. Some of you will be known as a re-builder of walls and a restorer of homes."

O. God is able to restore our strength when dry (unfruitful or unproductive) times happen so that life giving blessing can flow through us to encourage and build others up.

A. I will take the blessings I receive from the Lord and allow Him to use me as His conduit, as His stream to bring life giving blessings to others to restore them.

P. Thank you Father for blessing me in my dry times - and for encouraging me that I can be a life giving source to others that blesses and restores others.

Calm in the Storm

Calm in the Storm -- July 19, 2016

 

S. Psalm 46:1, 10

“God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble…”  V. 10 “…Be still and know that I’m God…”

O. God is our safe place and He wants us to come to Him in troublesome times. The description of some hard times are incredible – earthquakes, mountains crumbling, flooding and despite all of that, despite all the acts of terrorism (read the entire chapter which mentions warfare), God is our refuge and desires us to simply be still and know that He’s God (Elohim – the Creator God) (and that we are not).

A. I will be calm despite what is happening around me that I cannot control – economy, tragic events, political happenings, wars, hardships of others.. Everything that our culture is immersed with by the media..  I can come to God.. He’s my refuge. I’m still. I know He’s got it and then I pray others will see the life of peace He blesses me with and desire to have that as well.

P. Father, thank you for this Word today. Thank you for the reassurance that I need to let you be God and understand that I’m not.  And thank you for bringing me the song “Oceans” as I read your word today.. “Spirit lead me when my trust is without borders.”

Faith That Produces - James 2:17

Faith That Produces

 S. James 2:17 “So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.”

O. Faith, that act of believing, isn’t enough. Enough for what?  I think the context is clear; it isn’t enough for practically demonstrating the love of God.   In the broader context, James is talking about not showing favoritism; rather, demonstrating love and mercy to all people regardless of their position in life.

Faith should be active producing.. Working, not for attaining salvation, but for the practical workings of caring for people. 

I do think it’s possible for people to have a season in their life in which they come to Jesus and place their faith in Him. They rejoice in all that He has done for them but they do not nurture and develop this faith (act of believing) and don’t then invest it back into the lives of other people.  So what good is it (in that context)?

A.  My faith – my act of believing in Jesus, will be nurtured by practical disciplines of prayer, reading the Word, corporate worship and small group fellowship andthe result will be a dynamic outworking of this emboldened faith that I pray will bless people.

P. Father, I pray that my life will be a demonstration of my belief in you and expressing your love toward others