Tag: purpose

The One In You Is Greater

1 John 4:4 NIV, “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”

The Holy Spirit who lives within us is greater than any opposition that tries to come against us. We can look to Him to give us the strength we need to overcome the obstacles that we must face. He will empower us to victoriously live for Jesus and follow the plan God has for us. He will give us eyes to see beyond the difficulties that attempt to hinder our progress for the Lord, so that we can stay focused on God’s greater purpose.

As you go throughout your day, remember that the Holy Spirit who lives inside of you is greater than the enemy who tries to steal your peace. God’s light always shines through the darkness, and He is with you every step of the way.

Is It A Facade?

Proverbs 17:1 NIV, “Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife.”

When I read this verse, it reminded me right away that things can appear to be one way on the surface, but can actually be something else in reality. People can appear to have it all and be on top of the world, but on the inside they are discontent, hurt, and empty.

We live in a world where it’s easy for people to put up a facade, but their reality is less than pleasant. Not only is it easy to put up a facade, but doing so is also celebrated. The more perfect a persons life appears on the outside, the more accepted they feel. But then, they must work tirelessly to maintain that illusion of happiness, so they can continue to feel accepted.

This verse tells us that a lifestyle of peace is better than one that invites strife. Sometimes less is in fact more. Regardless of what we have or don’t have, our main goal should always be to honor God, and keep His commandments.

If our focus is not primarily on the Lord, things will get out of line. Our focus will then be on ourselves, other people, and the ongoing pursuit of material things, which will ultimately lead to pain.

I pray that as Christians, our main focus will be on having a lifestyle of love and worship toward the Lord, as we pursue the purpose He has for us. May we also share His unconditional love and acceptance with those around us, because true acceptance is found in Jesus Christ.

Ecclesiastes 12:13 NIV, “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.”

Take Heart As You Wait

Psalm 27:14 NLT, “Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD.”

I can remember a time when I never wanted to wait on the Lord. When I would pray, I wanted immediate answers and immediate comfort from whatever difficulty I was facing. I didn’t care much about God’s purposes. I didn’t take time to think about the fact that He had to work in my heart, and or the hearts of other people before the answers to certain prayers could come. When we pray, we should wait expectantly like the Psalmist did…

Psalm 5:3 NIV, “In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.

Although there are times answers come quickly, there are also times when we must wait. I’ve come to understand that part of being committed to Jesus Christ means that we will often have to wait. He freely gives us His love, strength, and peace so that we can stand firm while we wait.

Being willing to wait on Him, is a testimony of our faith and trust in Him. It shows that we honor Him, and realize that His understanding far outweighs our own. He is eternal, therefore He can see way beyond the surface of the issues we face.

With the help of the Holy Spirit, we are able to learn to wait patiently. Not because we have all the answers, but because we know our God is the Answer. He is perfect and He is just.

Deuteronomy 32:4 NIV, “He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.”

Hidden Safely With Christ

Colossians 3:2-3 NIV, “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.”

I’ve been meditating on these verses over the last couple of days. They remind me that my priority should be on eternal things. Earthly things should not take precedence over the things that matter most to the Lord.

It can definitely be a challenge trying to stay focused on what matters most to the Lord. The responsibilities we have in our personal lives, along with the allure of the world, make it difficult to set our minds on things above. It’s like we’re in a constant game of tug of war. Although we want to do what is right, we sometimes choose what is easy instead. Following Jesus is not usually an easy path. Staying committed to Him takes perseverance.

Placing our focus on Jesus, will help us to have a better understanding of what it means to diligently seek God. We will see life and people from His perspective. There will be many impostors throughout our journey, but when our minds are set on Him, we won’t be fooled by a counterfeit.

Our lives are hidden with Christ in God. The covering that the Father has over us, will protect us. The Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth. Don’t be discouraged. When things get tough, look up to Jesus! He is an ever present help in times of trouble.

Jesus Will Give You Peace

Isaiah 26:3 (NLT), “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!”

Trusting in Jesus and keeping our thoughts fixed on him, will keep us living in perfect peace. When everything around us is spinning out of control, we can depend on Him to be steady. God is very much involved with the details of our lives, even when we feel otherwise. Just because we may not understand how He is working, does not mean He is not working.

Keeping our thoughts fixed on Him by meditating on scripture will remind us of His sovereignty over our lives. When we give our situations over to the Lord, His perfect peace will comfort us. He is with us no matter what it is we must endure.

Sometimes we wonder why God allows us to go through certain challenges, but we must trust His plans. Everything that He allows into our lives is for a reason. He can see way beyond the surface. His purposes stretch all the way into eternity. His faithfulness to us is also eternal, it will never end. Be encouraged. The Holy Spirit of God is with you.

Rest For The Weary

Matthew 11:28 NLT, “Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”

There is a lot that we are up against on a daily basis, but Jesus offers us rest. We can give Him all our burdens in prayer. We can tell Him about all of our fears, and uncertainties. It doesn’t matter how small or insignificant our problem may seem. If it bothers us, then it matters to our God. There is no need to hold back anything from Him.

Jesus also gives us rest as we strive to know Him better. He wants us to trust Him with every step of our spiritual journey of becoming more like Him. No one is perfect, and growing in Jesus is a lifelong journey. We must trust Him with the process. There are times where we will feel like we’re doing better than other times. But as long as we are seeking the Lord daily, then He will help us to grow. The important thing is that we don’t give up.

The rest our Savior Jesus gives us, is a rest that can only be found in Him. He offers us His peace in a world full of chaos. His Spirit will lead us on level ground.

Psalm 143:10 NIV, “Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.”

In Jesus Christ We Gain

1 Timothy 6:6 NIV, “But godliness with contentment is great gain.”

I have come to realize that I am most content when I choose to simply trust God. Trusting in Him, brings me to a peaceful place that is free from anxiety and fear. Both anxiety and fear cause us to take our eyes off of Christ, and instead put them on the things or people that we cannot control.

Jesus definitely set the ultimate example of contentment for us. He chose to walk in the purpose God had for him. He didn’t allow himself to be distracted by what was going on around him. As a matter of fact, when his parents became anxious because they could not find him, he said…

“Why were you searching for me?”….“Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” (Luke 2:49)

He definitely knew how to keep his eyes on God and not get sidetracked. We must do the same. The truth of God’s Word will keep us growing in godliness. Godliness will lead us to contentment because our hearts will become more and more thankful for who God is and all that He has done. We will see things from His perspective, instead of the worlds.

In Christ we gain, because nothing can compare to the privilege of knowing Him…

Philippians 3:8 NIV, “What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ.”