Suffering Well

There is a part of this life of faith that we don't like to talk about. Paul called it "...the fellowship of his sufferings." Most of us want to function in the power of his resurrection, which is the first part of that verse, but we repel every form of suffering. There was no resurrection for Jesus without the suffering of the cross. There will be no knowledge of him in resurrection power apart from our suffering some things. We fight the good fight of faith by believing for the very best from God. We also fight the fight of faith by enduring and overcoming various forms of suffering. We have to know during our sufferings that God is love. We have to know in those times that God is working all things together for our good. We have to trust Him for the help we need to keep our attitudes in check. We have to have enough faith to wait on Him until the change comes. We cannot allow suffering to steal portions of our redemption blessing package. We can remain in love, joy and peace even while we are long-suffering. All these things are part of the spiritual fruit cluster that we have. They can operate simultaneously if we do not slump into despair. Faith in God helps us to suffer well. Have a great day enduring whatever you must.

Do We Really Walk By Faith, Or Sight?

When faith is in it's purest form it does not matter what our circumstances are. We are not living according to what we currently see. We are living based upon what we believe. We have to shake off the doubts that our reality wants to limit us to. God created everything that is around us out of nothing. All of creation sprung forth by the repeated phrase in Genesis "and God said." Faith sees what the eyes do not yet see. Faith stands on what God has said when there is no physical evidence. Faith will not shrink in the face of delay or contrary forces of any kind. Faith is not hindered because there is not enough money. Faith is not deterred because the doctor brings bad news. Faith will not stop because a situation is stubborn. If God said that it is so, than even when it seems not to be so, it is so! Whatever your situation is, grab a Word from God that applies directly to it. Meditate on that Word until begins to burn in your heart. Speak the Word to the situation with the authority that has already been given to us as believers. Keep on speaking it in faith until the situation moves. When we go by what we believe instead of by what we see than that faith will change what we see into what we have believed. Have a great faith filled day!

God Is!

One song that has been strong inspiration to me from way back in the 70s to this present day is "GOD IS." I love that song because it is a declaration of present tense faith. The Bible says "NOW faith is the substance of things hoped for..." We take away part of our most powerful asset when we think of God only based on the mighty things He has done in the scriptures we read. He delivered Daniel from the lion's den etc... We also make the mistake of only forecasting what we believe God will do in the future. He is going to send a great revival. He is going to do miracles among us etc... God is neither a has been, nor a wanabee. HE IS! God is my refuge and my strength. God is my provider. God is my peace. God is my help. God is my healer. God is my joy. God is my hope. God is my door opener. "In the words of the song I mentioned earlier, "God is my all in all." Dear ones, look for the power of God in your right now situations. He is there waiting for you and I to trust Him. Have a great day leaning on His greatness which is constant.

Personal Responsibility

Have you noticed we are in a blame everyone else for my troubles kind of world? It seems that it is always somebody else that is blocking, or stopping the progress we say we want. It is long past time to get off the blame train. We have got to own where we are and take responsibility for where we are going. I don't have the money. I don't have the authority. I don't have the opportunity. I don't have the connections. These and many more things are tired excuses. What we have is better than money, authority, opportunity or connections. We have access to the God who made the universe. He placed some competencies inside of you. He made you with a definite purpose in mind. His wisdom will open up a way for you. He still leads and guides into all truth. He opens doors that nobody can close. He prepares tables for you when there are enemies all around. Even if you have blown it yourself along the way, He grants new beginnings all the time. Personal faith in Christ is far more powerful than we think at times. His blessing can overwhelm and conquer every form of the curse. Believe God and walk cooperatively with Him according to His Word. Be persistent and your life will change significantly for the better. I have tried this over and over and I know it works. He loves you too much to fail you. Work It Out!

Opportunities not Problems

Have you noticed how draining it is to focus on problem solving? There is a natural bent toward negativity when looking at things in that way. A problem pops up. That problem is managed only to be replaced by another situation that needs to be fixed. On and on it goes. A problem orientation pulls us mentally and emotionally downward. There are at the same time multiplied opportunities that can be seized. The sound of seizing an opportunity is so much more appealing than solving a problem. There are positive vibes associated with making the most out of an opportunity. The lesson is all about the approach we take. We can be positive, or negative based on how we look at things. The very nature of a problem suggests there is an opportunity to take advantage of. The energy of everyone involved moves in a much more productive direction when we train ourselves to see opportunities instead of problems. What opportunities are there around you waiting to be seized? Work it out!

Do It Now

No wonder Peter Drucker is considered one of the great teachers on leadership in our times. Listen to what he says. "A degenerative disease will not be cured by procrastination. It requires decisive action." He uses that to illustrate how we put off decisions that we know must be made. There are points of obsolescence in our lives and we just let them linger. They could be things that once worked very well for us, but their effectiveness has expired. We observe these items, relationships, or techniques that are now useless for long periods of time and do nothing. The fact that we continue to depend on people and methods that no longer get the job done is doing damage to our lives. Damage because we are wasting time that could be spent doing things that actually work. Damage because our growth is diverted while we stagnate using techniques that no longer fit where we are going. Damage because we are clinging to people that refuse to press into the future. Why is it so hard for us to act on situations that we know are not beneficial to us? Procrastination is a big part of the problem. We are going to do something about it tomorrow, and tomorrow never comes. Whatever the degenerative thing is that you are looking at, deal with it right now. If it needs to be eliminated then do it. If it needs to be adjusted then do it. There are things that hinder us and we cannot afford to let these hinderances continue. Do what must be done. If we do not take action, that unattended thing will continue to impact us in a negative way.

Work it out!

Discipline

Occasionally, I see the need to hit this topic. It could be because of the reminders I must have in my own life. We live in a society that seeks instant rewards. I know that I have the stains of that kind of thinking in my own heart and mind at times. I wouldn't say it out loud, as many of you wouldn't, but it is difficult to pursue a correct course when the prize to be enjoyed seems to be in a holding pattern. Our experience is like the proverb indicates: "Hope deferred makes the heart sick." When we do not see the reward coming for doing the right things, all that is left to keep us on track is discipline. We must train ourselves to do what is right just because it is right and not worry about what we get out of it. That sounds like an obvious and easy thing. The truth is we want to enjoy benefits from our actions. The longer we go without seeing some kind of positive reinforcement for our correct behavior, the harder it is to continue doing what is right. Do not give up! Whether it is from a spiritual, moral, ethical or practical perspective keep grinding. I happen to believe the Bible verse that says, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. (Galatians 6:9 NIV)"