Anchored!

Hebrews 6:18-20

^" God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek."

As long as we stay connected to our anchor we won't go anywhere, however we are always free to let go of the anchor at any time. That is part of His love for us that we can choose to let go and not follow Him at any time. Sometimes it is a diliberate choice other times we may not realize we are drifting away.

Our connection can be lost sometimes without our even realizing we are letting go. How do we cut off our connection? We stop praying, reading His Word, stop going to church, stop meeting with other believers. Usually it starts slowly. When we see this happening to people around us reach out to them and try to reconnect them to the Anchor, because the current of sin is strong and will drag us further away than we had planned to go. We can help reconnect others by showing interest in them, being generous, not judging them, offering to pray for them and talking to them.

Our connection to the Lord is a bond of love. The Anchor is God's love for us and when we obey Him then He is faithful to fulfill His part. Keep running to Him and He will guide your steps.

Prayer: Jesus help me to pray about the difficulties I am having so that we can stay connected.

Read More: Hebrews 12:1

Plan of Action James 1:22 & James 1:25: Return to God.

Fallen short...

I am signed up for e-mails from Max Lucado and I received this today. I thought it was worth sharing.

"Romans 3:23 says all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

 

Worry is falling short on faith. Impatience is falling short on kindness. The critical spirit falls short on love.

 So, how often do you sin, hmm… in an hour? For the sake of discussion, let’s say ten times an hour. Ten sins an hour, times sixteen waking hours, times 365 days a year, times the average life span of 74 years. I’m rounding the total off to 4,300,000 sins per person! How do you plan to pay God for your 4.3 million sin increments? You’re swimming in an ocean of debt.

But God pardons the zillion sins of selfish humanity. He forgives sixty million sin-filled days. He got us out of the mess we’re in and restored us to where He always wanted us to be. And He did it by the grace of Jesus Christ."

In Our Hearts

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus..." Romans 8:1
Once we have been saved we often sincerely want to do the things God wants us to do, but in our human condition it is harder to do than it seems. Inwardly, we have a deep desire to do the will of God, it's just that our humanness gets in the way. I heard a Pastor say, 'we never drift towards God.' Since we are human it takes effort to pray everyday, read the Bible, and get up early for church (Hebrews 10:25).

Remember it is a common experience to struggle with moving forward in our relationship with God. Since this is so common be encouraged. Sometimes we see other people that appear to be so devoted it makes us feel inferior. However, what we are seeing are the results of their perserverance. We can perservere too. In fact, God wants us to perservere (James 1:3-4 & Hebrews 12:1). Trying again when we mess up is His will for us.

'The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.' Ps. 145:8

Prayer: Lord, help us not to give up. When we do mess up, help us to turn back to you knowing that this is a part of the human experience and that You don't condemn us when we are trying and reaching out to You. Revelation 2:19

Read More:
John 3:16-18
Plan of Action (James 1:22 & James 1:25):
Try again, one more time! Don't give up! James 5:11

Testing, 1, 2, 3 Testing!

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." James 1:2-4
God tests us, but not because He wants to put stumbling blocks in our way, or because He really doesn't want us to be successful. He tests us because He wants us to be completely and totally His. (Deut. 13:3). When we come to Him and decide we want a relationship with Him more than we want anything else, it is then and only then that we can be completely His. That is what He is after. Having us completely. He wants us sold out to Him, one hundred percent for Him, because that is how He is toward us (John 3:16). He wants us to perservere and determine to follow Him even if it may mean being offended, and then choosing to let go of that offense. God's testing helps us be fully committed. When we are tested and we decide to seek Him eventhough we have to struggle for it, (James 1:3) that decision and determination helps us get to a place where we can love Him completely.

Loving Him helps us be more willing to do His will, which is to lovingly serve others.

He loves us totally and completely and wants us to return the favor, even when we are not seeking Him, He still desires to be close to us.
Read More: Luke 8:12-14
Prayer: Lord, help me not fall away, but instead remain faithful to You!
Plan of Action: Pray about letting go of past offenses.

My God Can!

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9

First, it is important to realize that our God can! Once we decide to believe the truth that God is our God, that He is all powerful, and that He can do whatever it is that needs to be done, then we can start working on the truth that He wants to use us to do His will.

It is amazing how God will orchestrate our circumstances and how He will work things out for our benefit and His glory! When we think there is no way, when we think it can't be done, when we think we can't do it, He can and does work it out. Often in ways we did not expect and couldn't imagine. Sometimes we just need to stand back and let Him work. That is why the Word says we need self-control. It is so hard to let Him have control so that He can work His way. We often want to 'help' out, but sometimes we can end up getting in the way and hindering His plan of action. That means staying close to Him to identify when He is wanting to use us and to recognize just how much we should do.

Prayer:
God help us to be ready when You want to use us and help us only do what You would have us do and no more.
Read More:
2 Samuel 22:30 & Philippians 4:13
Plan of Action:
Daily prayer and Bible reading.

We are Free to Choose

When Octavia Spencer won the Gloden Globe for best supporting actress she quoted Martin Luther King. Refering to people who serve others she said, "All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance."

If we, in our humanness, can recognize that hard work and serving others has value and honor, then just consider how much more God honors us when we willingly serve Him as, messengers, and ministers sent by Him to accomplish His work (Isaiah 43:4).

We are free to choose God or to let go of Him at anytime. He gives us the freedom to let go of His hand. We don't have to do anything He says; however staying in His will is always the best choice because His plans are to prosper us and not to harm us (Jeremiah 29:11).

Blue Letter Bible & the Gesenius Lexicon define servants as: " Servants of the king; ministers & courtiers, messengers, military captains & common soldiers." Also, "worshippers of God, and the minister or ambassador of God, called and sent by God for accomplishing some service." As we work for Him and see His blessing for others and ourselves then that makes us fall so utterly in love with Him that we voluntarily become His servants. Even a servant of servants. That is when we live and breathe God and want to please Him alone.

Isn't it interesting that when we decide to serve Him by helping others in whatever way He has lead us to serve, yet somehow through our service to others our own needs get met. It doesn't seem like it should be that way, but that is how He has designed it.

Read More: Matthew 25:14-23
Prayer: Thank you for honoring me and rewarding me for faithful service.
Plan of Action (James 1:22 & James 1:25): Make the decision to do whatever He seems to be asking you to do.

Renewal/New Beginnings

Elohim. That one hebrew word describes our Heavenly Father as God and as a Mighty Creator. It is used in Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." He is still creating today. Renewing our minds, our hearts, and our hopes. He hasn't given up on us or forsaken us no matter how bad our situation was or is. With Him we are a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17), we are His children (1 John 2:12), and His mercies are new everyday (Lamentations 3:23). Through this next year His Word promises that He will be with us no matter the situations we face whether good or bad.  '...for You are with me...' (Psalms 23:4).

Blue Letter Bible defines renewal as: 'renovation, complete change for the better'. God has that promise for each and every person who calls on His name (Romans 10:13). Even when we can't see any possible way He is the Mighty Creator, Elohim, who can make a way (Isaiah 43:19). Remember that God's plans are to prosper us and not to harm us (Jeremiah 29:11).

Great is our Lord and mighty in power... Psalms 147:5
Read More: Jonah 1-4
Prayer: God our Creator, thank you for never giving up on us and offering us hope through new beginnings.
Action Plan (James 1:22 & James 1:25):
Don't give up! Reach out to Him through prayer and He will reach in.