Staying On The Right Path

"Let your eyes look straight ahead, and your eyelids look right before you. Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established. Do not turn to the right or the left; remove your foot from evil."
Proverbs 4:25-27 (NKJV)

Proverbs chapter four has a lot to say about our life.  There are several things in this chapter that when applied can help to make our life, our path, much better.  We are told not to enter the path of the wicked; that the path of the righteous is like a shining light that gets continually brighter; and that we need to ponder the path we are on.  So many times people have problems in life that can be traced back to the path of life they have taken, it is vitally important for us to stay on the right path.

First, Proverbs 4 tells us to stay away from the path of the wicked, in other words we need to keep ourselves out of obvious things that will lead us into trouble.  Some people are not really even paying much attention to the path they are on now, they are thinking about the path they took to get where they are today and often they are wondering about the path they will take in the future.  If we are not putting the proper focus on the path we are on now, if we are getting distracted, it will be easy for us to stray from our path and get into trouble.

Proverbs 4 also tells us that the path of the righteous is like the shinning sun that shines brighter and brighter while the path of the wicked just gets darker.  Immediately after this we are told that we need to focus on God's Word, that is a good way to help us stay on the right path.  Next we are told to put away, to get away from, the wrong kind of words; we need to avoid the words that will lead us down the wrong path.  Finally we are told to keep our eyes looking forward and not to go aside to the right or the left, this is how we ponder, or literally, prepare our path in life.  Saying the right things, focusing on God's Word, and not being distracted from what we are doing now will all help us to stay on the right path and have success in life.

Why Do You Do What You Do?

"And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ."
Colossians 3:23, 24 (NKJV)

There are a lot of things that motivate people: popularity, money, guilt, needs, and even fear.  But what should our motivation be for the things that we do?  Should we just do something because we can or because someone else wants us to do it?  Should we do something because it will make us popular with other people or just because it will be beneficial for us?  Colossians 3:23, 24 gives us the proper motivation for what we do; everything should be done for God because ultimately He is the One we serve and He will reward us for our work.

Sometimes people want us to do things, and they may even try to pressure us into doing something because there is a need or they might say if we don't do it something bad will happen, but again these are not reasons we should do things.  Or if our motivation is simply one of personal gain we can be sure that there is not going to be much reward from God in that.  Certainly God wants to bless us and give us good things but if we are selfish and only thinking about ourselves then we have the wrong motive.  Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 13 that if what he did was not done in love it meant nothing and he gained nothing.

God has a plan and a purpose for each and every person and we are at our best when we are following that plan and purpose.  We can always start with the general will of God that we find in the Bible and from there we can go on to the specific will of God, this is where we get our motivation.  God will show us what we need to do to fulfill His will and He can also show us what we should not get involved in.  If we follow God's plan and allow Him to direct us then we will live a life that is focused on God and doing His will, this is the best motivation and it brings the best rewards!

Keep God And His Plan In First Place

"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you."
Matthew 6:33 (NKJV)

Many people live life with their ideas, goals, and desires in first place trying to find happiness and success without ever considering God and His will.  One thing that will help us greatly is if we put God and His plan in first place in our life and we pursue that.  Jesus said in Matthew 6:33 that if we put God first then God would add all of the things we need to our life.  You could say that if you put everything else first God won't add the things you need to your life; you will have to do that yourself.

We need to trust God with everything in our life and let Him guide us.  We sometimes get the idea that we are so smart and we have it all figured out as to how we can get all of the things in life that will satisfy us and make our life complete.  The sad truth is that we can pursue our own desires for our entire life, and wear ourselves out doing it, and still never really get to the place of having a satisfying life.  God is a lot smarter than we are and if we would put Him first in everything and trust Him He will guide us along the best path that will bring us joy, peace, and contentment as well as everything else we desire.

Jesus said it was the people who did not have a relationship with God who were always concerned about the daily needs of life.  People who don't put God first are relying on themselves to meet their own needs, as well as their desires, and this will never work.  When we learn to relax and trust God and stop trying to do things on our own it is amazing how well things will work out.  God is a good God and He will always take care of His children.  We all need to put our trust in God and put God and His plan in first place in our life; He will fulfill the desires of our heart (Psalm 37:4).

God's Word Never Changes, It Is Always True

"Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven."
Psalm 119:89 (NKJV)

There are many things in life that are subject to change.  The weather changes from day to day, technology progresses and changes, political leaders change, economic conditions change, styles change, and opinions change.  There are a lot of reasons that things change and often what was once widely accepted changes and is now no longer relevant.  A good example of this is when was the last time you listened to your favorite music on a record or a cassette tape?  Many things in life change but one thing that never changes is God's Word; His Word is forever settled!

Many people are confident that God's Word is it true and wonderful as long as everything is fine and they feel good.  But then, something happens, something changes in their life and a problem comes that they did not expect and their confidence is shaken.  Too many Christians believe God's Word is true up to a point but then they are not so sure; we are sometimes so used to things being subject to change that we take this same view about the Word of God.  No matter what the situation, no matter how we feel, no matter what others might say, God's Word is always true regardless of our circumstances.

We need to settle it within ourselves that no matter what comes our way and no matter how we feel God's Word is settled and it will not change.  One reason we are sometimes not as convinced as we need to be about the truth and validity of God's Word is because we do not spend enough time with it and we do not know God's Word like we should.  Make it a regular practice to spend time reading and studying God's Word and in every situation instead of first checking your feelings, circumstances, or even what other people say, find out what the Bible has to say.  God's Word never changes, it is always true!

What Do You Do When You Don't Know What To Do?

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."
Proverbs 3:5, 6 (NKJV)

At one time or another everyone has had the experience of not knowing what to do.  There are several times I can think of where I was at a loss for what to do next, I needed some direction but did not know which way to go.  Not knowing what to do can be very frustrating but how we deal with these situations can mean the difference between coming through to victory or going down deeper into confusion and defeat.  The good news is that there are some keys to successfully coming through these challenging times of not knowing exactly what to do.

First of all we need to be patient; often in this kind of situation we feel pressured to do something but that can be the very reason we are in our current situation!  We need to find God's direction for every area of our life and not just move for the sake of moving.  Secondly, we need to listen and find out exactly what to do so we don't do something that just creates a bigger problem.  Instead of panicking and getting frustrated, get quiet and spend some time with God to see what He has to say about what is happening. Thirdly, we should take a look around and see what we can learn in our current situation.  Why did we get into this?  What can we do in the future so we don't end up here again?

It is good to remember that everyone deals with these situations.  It is also good to realize that God is ready and willing to help us with whatever we may be facing, even if we are the reason the problem developed.  If we put our trust in God and seek His wisdom then no matter what situation we are in He will help us take the right step, in the right direction, at the right time.  Don't just try to figure everything out on your own, look to God and the guidance He will give through His Word and the Holy Spirit; this is the best thing to do when you don't know what to do.

A New Focus For The New Year

"Let no one seek his own, but each one the other's well-being."
1 Corinthians 10:24 (NKJV)

Each year around the end of December people begin to make projections about what they expect the next year to bring.  In the past I have seen things like, "This will be the year of increase", "This will be the year of the double portion", and "This will be the year of abundant provision".  The thing I notice here is that all of these predictions for the New Year are very self-centered, the focus is on what will happen for us and how can God bless us in the New Year.  But, instead of thinking about what we can receive in the next year why not think about what we can give?

While I have no problem with the fact that God wants to bless His children and give them success in every area of life, God does not want us to prosper just so we can sit on a pile of money.  God does not want us healthy just so we can take a vacation and go mountain climbing.  God does not want to reveal the truth of His Word to us just so we can fill our mind with facts.  God blesses us so that we can live the best kind of life AND so that we can be in a position to help others.  Our goal for this next year and every year should not be just to see how we can be blessed but to find a way that we can be a blessing to others.

As we approach a New Year I believe it would be good to have a new focus and start looking for what we can do for other people.  Let's make this next year the year where we are a greater blessing to others than we have ever been before.  In the coming year let's take the focus off of ourselves and what can we receive and let's look for what we can do to improve the lives of other people around us.  Imagine what our churches would look like if we all had this kind of attitude.  If we have a new focus in the New Year and do what we can to bless others we will find that we will be blessed as well and it will be a great way to start the New Year!

What Kind Shape Are You In?

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."
Romans 12:2 (NKJV)

People spend a lot of time and money trying to look a certain way.  Some people go to a health club to get into shape or to maintain a certain level of fitness.  There are some people who have surgery to alter how they look to maybe impress other people or to change what they see in themselves as something that is less than desirable.  Some people will watch what they eat because they know that certain types of food have so many calories or this or that health benefit.  But what is even more important than the physical shape we are in is the shape our life takes based on what influences us.

There are many good things in the world but we cannot allow ourselves to just follow whatever society values because those values may contradict God's values. God wants us to follow the pattern for life that He has given us in the Bible.  If we fill our life, our mind, and our words with what God has said we will be "transformed".  The word "transformed" here in Romans 12:2 comes from a Greek word where we get our English word "metamorphosis".  Our life can be transformed as we focus on God and His Word, we can be changed and take on an entirely different shape than we have ever had before.

So, what shape are we in today?  Are we thinking, acting, and talking like the world or are we thinking, acting, and talking like God?  Whatever we are allowing to influence us is going to have an effect on us and cause us to be shaped in a certain way.  If we find that a lot of the things in our life are there due to a wrong kind of influence and the shape we are in is more like the world than God, then we need to make a change.  Check up on yourself and see what shape you are in and make sure that the pattern you are following is from God.

God's Word - Quality Or Quantity?

"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,"
2 Timothy 3:16 (NKJV)

God's Word is profitable and valuable for us; I like to say that the Bible is our blueprint for life.  Everything recorded in the Bible can be helpful to us, and at different times some parts of the Bible are more relevant to us than others.  One thing I have noticed over the years is that some people get the idea that more is always better, especially when it comes to the Bible.  Now I am certainly not saying that people need less of God's Word but my question is, do quality and quantity always go together, especially when it comes to the Bible?

For example, just because I have read the Bible once or more, does that automatically mean that I really have an understanding of it and I know how to apply what God's Word says to my own life?  This is an issue for a lot of Christians.  When you tell some people what the Bible says about their situation they will say things like, "Well yes I know the Bible says that!"  But if we really do "know" what the Bible says and we understand it doesn't that mean that we will then act on it and it then becomes a part of our life?

We need to know what the Bible says but our goal should not just be amassing quantity, we should strive for quality.  When we know and understand even one verse from the Bible it can change our life.  Just knowing a lot of facts without a practical understanding of the facts is useless.  We should all make sure that we have a regular time of reading and studying God's Word but we don't want to just hurry through what we are reading so we can check a chapter or book off of our reading list.  We need to come to God's Word with an understanding that all of God's Word is beneficial and it can change our life, that is a good way to get quality from God's Word.

What Has God Revealed To You?

"The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law."
Deuteronomy 29:29 (NKJV)

God is a revealer of truth; God wants us to know His will.  Over and over again in the Bible we see God showing people truth and helping people see the direction they should go.  Today as Christians we even have the Holy Spirit living in us!  Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would lead us into all truth and the Holy Spirit would remind us of things that Jesus has said (John 14:26).  Jesus did say that we must ask to receive, seek to find, and knock to have something opened (Matthew 7:7), but we should remember that God is not trying to hide His plan from us but rather God wants us to know His will.

Too many people focus on the questions they have and what they don't know instead of what they do know.  Many times when some tragedy has occurred or something has not happened the way someone hoped it would there are questions.  We can sometimes get so focused on the questions we don't have the answers to that we lose our focus on what we do know.  If we are not careful we get so caught up in asking "Why?" that we don't do what we do know to do.  It has been said that analysis brings paralysis and that is what happens if we just stay in the place of asking questions without moving forward with what we do know.

What has God revealed to you through His Word and what are you doing with it?  What are you doing about what God has led you to do in your life?  We want to have answers to all of our questions but we should remember as it says in Deuteronomy 29:29 that the things that are secret and unknown to us are in God's hands but what has been revealed is given to us so we can do God's will.  Instead of staying in the dark, so to speak, with the questions we don't have answers to we should walk in the light of God's Word that we do have; God will always let us know the things we need to know so we can do what we need to do.

Simplicity In Christ

"But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ."
2 Corinthians 11:3 (NKJV)

When Paul wrote his second letter to the Corinthians he warned them about being deceived and getting away from the "simplicity that is in Christ".  Too often people have taken the simple Gospel message and complicated it with man-made rules and regulations.  The fact is that God sent Jesus to die on the cross for humanity and to become our substitute to pay for sin; that is the Gospel message, the good news.  God and His Word are really not as complicated as people sometimes make Him and His Word out to be.

Jesus talked about spiritual things in a very simple way that anyone could understand.  Jesus did not use complex terminology to try and further complicate a God that many people did not really know or understand. The religious leaders of Jesus time also spoke about God, but not like Jesus did.  One reason for this was because those religious leaders were more focused on the rules and regulations of following the Law than they were about having a relationship with God.  In Matthew 23 Jesus said that the Pharisees would even tithe from the herbs they grew but they neglected justice, mercy, and faith.  In other words, the Pharisees missed the point of the Law while trying to keep the regulations of the Law.

God wants a relationship with us, but some Christians have gotten away from the simplicity in Christ and have complicated it with rules, doctrines, and traditions which leave people with no joy and an ineffective Christian life.  We need to spend time with God in prayer, not trying to sound sophisticated or super spiritual but just talking to our Heavenly Father.  We need to spend time with God in His Word, not so we can learn more facts or find some new revelation but just to get to know God better and to discover who we are in Christ.  If you have gotten into the rut of just following the rules then maybe you need to take a look to see where you have gotten away from the simplicity found in Christ and get back to the basics of a focusing on a relationship with God and not living by a set of rules.

Missionaries Need To Share Their Vision

"Then the Lord answered me and said: Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it."
Habakkuk 2:2 (NKJV)

Raising support is a part of missionary life.  This support can be in many different forms, such as: financial support, prayer, donations of materials and so on.  For missionaries to be successful in connecting with people to help raise this support it is necessary for a missionary to be able to share with others what God has called them to do, their vision.  There may be people who are interested in supporting some work that a missionary is doing, but if those people do not know the missionary or understand their vision they won't get involved.  Unless a relationship is built between the missionary and the potential supporter the thing that the potential supporter has will not get to the missionary.

The vision God has given to me is to teach God's Word and to help people learn how to put it into practice in their own life. This may sound like a very general thing because every minister should be able to teach God's Word.  But some missionaries are more focused on evangelism, some missionaries are more focused on establishing churches, some missionaries are helping to meet the natural needs of people while also evangelizing or teaching people.  Whatever area it may be the missionary needs to find a way to share their vision and make it clear so that anyone who is interested in helping the missionary can make the necessary connection and give their support.

Every missionary needs to stay with the work that God has called them to do and trust God to supply all of their needs.  If missionaries get away from their primary calling and spend an undue amount of time raising support or getting involved in projects just trying to get people to support them it can be a negative thing because the missionary is getting away from the direction that God has given them.  Our part is to make our vision plain and easy for others to hook up with and get involved with in the area of support.  Whatever God has called a missionary to do is what the missionary needs to focus on and then find a way to make the vision clear to give people a way to become a partner with them in the work that God has called them to do.

What Did You Bring?

"How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification."
1 Corinthians 14:26 (NKJV)

When Paul wrote his first letter to the church at Corinth he had to correct some things that were out of order there.  Paul said several times that everything in the church needs to be done for edification, to build up others.  Here in 1 Corinthians 14:26 Paul mentioned that everyone in the church at Corinth came with something to contribute to the meeting but even then everything had to work together for the good of the whole group.  It would be like being invited to a party where each person is asked to bring something to eat so everyone can enjoy the evening.

If Paul was writing to churches today he might say that when everyone came together it would be nice if someone besides the pastor had something to contribute or maybe Paul would say that everyone came with a big need.  Although there were some problems in the church in Corinth, people having something to contribute was not one of them. What is really interesting is if you go back to 1 Corinthians 3:1-3 you see that Paul said these were not spiritual people but they were carnal!  A group of carnal people, who had problems, but they still came with something to give!

How about us today, do we come together ready to give something?  Do we have something to bring that will contribute to the edification of others? We do of course come to church to receive something edifying from God, and that will come through other people, but shouldn't we be able to give something as well?  There are plenty of places to get involved in the local church and share the things that God has given us.  How can we come ready to give?  Spend regular time with God in His Word and by talking with Him in prayer.  If we do this we will have something in us that God can use to help edify others through us.

If You Don't Work (Spiritually) You Won't Eat (Spiritually)

"For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat."
2 Thessalonians 3:10 (NKJV)

When Paul wrote his second letter to the Thessalonians he encouraged them in several areas including personal responsibility, which is what he was talking about in 2 Thessalonians 3:10.  Some people did not have their own food to eat and they had to depend on others.  While there is a good natural principle here what I want to look at is a spiritual application for this verse.  The reason some people don't have much to eat spiritually is because they are not doing much spiritually.

If a person only eats and never does anything physically that person will soon be in a sad physical condition, the same is true spiritually.  I have met people who say that they go to church and read the Bible but they never seem to get anything.  Sometimes these people start looking for a new church or they get caught up in the latest spiritual fad thinking that is the answer.  The real problem could be that while they are taking in spiritual food they are not doing anything with it.  If a person is not working naturally, why should they just keep on eating and eating?  If a person is not involved in any spiritual work, why would they need more and more spiritual food?

God wants to bless us and teach us from His Word but not so we can just sit around and get more and more.  When God teaches us through something we hear in church, or a home group, or somewhere else or when God blesses us it is not just for our benefit, God wants us to do something with what He gives us.  If you are in a place where there does not seem to be much spiritual food coming your way don't just point a finger at your pastor or someone else.  Take an honest look at yourself to see what you have been doing with the knowledge and ability God has given you.  Get involved in your church and where ever else God leads you.  As you give out the good things that God has given you watch how He will continue to teach you and help you so that have even more to give!

Style And Substance

"Therefore let no one sit in judgment on you in matters of food and drink, or with regard to a feast day or a New Moon or a Sabbath.  Such things are only the shadow of things that are to come, and they have only a symbolic value.  But the reality (the substance, the solid fact of what is foreshadowed, the body of it) belongs to Christ"
Colossians 2:16, 17 (Amplified)

One thing I have noticed over the years is the difference between style and substance in regard to someone's personal relationship with God and the teaching and preaching of God's Word.  For example, many of my friends are fellow ministers of some kind and they all have different styles.  But they all have the same goal of getting people connected to God through a relationship with Jesus Christ and helping people grow and develop spiritually.  While the substance is the same the style used is different depending on the person and the situation.

The style of how people serve God may be different too, but if the substance is based on God and His Word then we don't need to be too concerned about the style.  Usually we like our own style and view anything different as wrong, but that is not necessarily the case.  Our goal should not be to find things we disagree about based on a certain style but to find ways to help and encourage each other.  We need to learn to appreciate the differences and find ways to blend the variety we have in the Body of Christ to work together and become as effective as possible.

Colossians 2:16, 17 says we should not be worried about people who would judge us because of what we are eating and drinking or how we celebrate a certain day because these things are about style and not substance.  If there is a problem with the substance of something, if there are some doctrinal problems, then that certainly needs to be addressed; we do not sacrifice substance in favor of style.  Also, we should not just accept a person or teaching because of the style involved without checking the substance.  Each of us need to make sure that our style stems from the truth of God's Word, that way what we are doing will really produce fruit for God and His Kingdom, no matter what the style may be.

Spiritual Identification

"Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an Apostle, set apart to proclaim God's Good News,"
Romans 1:1 (Weymouth)

In his letter to the Romans Paul begins by introducing himself to the Christians in Rome; Paul wanted to introduce himself and tell the Romans about the things he was teaching because Paul had not yet been to Rome.  As Paul introduces himself he goes from the general to the specific.  Paul starts out by talking about his relationship with God through Jesus, a bondservant, and then Paul talks about his calling, an apostle.  After this Paul says that as an apostle he was set apart to proclaim the Gospel.  In other words, in his calling as an apostle there was something specific Paul was called to do.

Paul understood that his identity began with his relationship with God and went on from there.  If Paul was more focused on his calling from God than his relationship with God he would not have been able to do what he did.  Everything we do for God starts with our relationship with God; if we are not a good bondservant, a good Christian, then we will never accomplish the things that God has called us to do.  We must first and foremost develop our relationship with God because everything we do for God comes out of our relationship with God.  Then once we find the thing that God has called us to do there will be some specifics in that calling.

If Paul was like some people today he would have started by talking about his calling as an apostle and then listing all of the things he had accomplished, but that is not what Paul did and it is something we can learn from.  We must put our spiritual identity first and not base our identity on anything that we have done.  Over and over again in his letters Paul talks about his relationship with God and refrains from listing his accomplishments as a way to identify himself.  We need to base our identity on who we are in Christ, that is our spiritual identity.  From who we are in Christ, God will lead us into the specific thing He is calling us to do.  It all starts with our relationship with God so get to know who you are in Christ and let God lead you into the specific plan He has for your life.