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TGIF Today God Is First, by Os Hillman
Let the morning bring me word of Your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in You. Show me the way I should go, for to You I lift up my soul. - Psalm 143:8
David is the only person in the Bible whom God describes as a man after His own heart. Despite David's many setbacks he continually sought to know and do God's will in his life. Like many of us, his will got in the way of a sinless life.
In the morning hour, David sought to hear from God. I can imagine David sitting on the open deck of his palace looking over the hills of Jerusalem, listening to God. There, in his morning watch, he felt God's unfailing love. He reaffirmed his trust in God. He also understood that the key to knowing God's will lay in spending such moments alone to reflect on what God had done and was doing in his life.
Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; may Your good Spirit lead me on level ground (Psalm 143:10).
Sometimes we fall prey to believing that God is not concerned, and that He does not lead us in our work life. We are tempted to think that He leads us in other areas, but not in our daily workplace. The truth is that God is in every aspect of life and desires to direct us.
Do you need direction in your life today? If so, David provides the best example of gaining direction. Set aside the morning hour to draw close to His presence. There, you will sense His unfailing love for you. His direction for your life will be a natural by-product of this time of communion with Him. Ask God to lead you by His Spirit today.
TGIF Today God Is First, by Os Hillman Praise be to the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle. - Psalm 144:1
David was a man skilled in war. From his days as a shepherd boy to the days of serving in Saul's army to leading his own army, David learned to be a skillful warrior. How does one become a skillful warrior?
The only way one can become a skillful warrior is to be trained and placed in the middle of the battle. It is only when we are placed in the furnace of battle that we truly learn to fight the real battles. Practice doesn't make you battle ready. War games won't prepare you for facing your real enemy in the battlefield. The stark reality of being in the midst of the battle makes us effective warriors.
Simply reading your Bible will not make you a warrior for the Kingdom. Knowledge without experience is mere folly. Only when you are placed in situations where there is nothing or no one who can save you but God will you learn the lessons of warrior faith. This is the training ground of God, which will make you into a soldier for Christ in the workplace. Consider it to be suicidal faith - faith that says I want to be dead to anything that keeps me from fulfilling God's purposes for my life. It is when your efforts can do nothing to change your circumstance and you are at the mercy of God. These are the real training grounds of God. Do not shrink back from the battle that God may be leading you to today. It may be a training ground that is necessary for the calling He has on your life.
If you can trust Him in these times, you'll know that you have gained a faith that will move mountains and will sustain you in the most difficult of circumstances. "Praise be to the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle."
TGIF Today God Is First, by Os Hillman Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. - Colossians 3:23-24
"I didn't know you were in full-time Christian work," said my close friend as we were driving. "I didn't realize that," she went on. I responded, "Every person who has followed the will of God in their life is in full-time Christian work." God calls some to the mission field, others to be accountants, and others to be advertising executives, and still others to be construction workers. God never made a distinction between sacred and secular. In fact, the Hebrew word avodah is the root word having the same meaning of "work" and "worship." God sees our work as worship.
We have incorrectly elevated the roll of the Christian worker to be more holy and committed than the person who is serving in a more secular environment. Yet the call to the secular workplace is as important as any other calling. God has to have His people in every sphere of life. Otherwise, many would never come to know Him because they would be separated from society.
I learned this lesson personally when I sought to go into "full-time" service as a pastor in my late twenties, only to have God thrust me back into the business world unwillingly. This turned out to be the best thing He could have done for me, because it was never His will for me to be a pastor. He knew I was more suited for the workplace.
We are all in missions. Some are called to foreign lands. Some are called to the jungles of the workplace. Wherever you are called, serve the Lord in that place. Let Him demonstrate His power through your life so that others might experience Him through you today and see your vocation as worship to His glory.
Shared from another site
There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to Judge things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away.
The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third In summer and the youngest son in the fall.
When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe what they had seen.
The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted.
The second son said no, it was covered with green buds and full of Promise.
The third son disagreed; he said it was laden with blossoms that Smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful Thing he had ever seen.
The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and
drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfillment.
The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because They had each seen but only one season in the tree's life.
He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one Season, and that the essence of who they are and the pleasure, joy, And love that come from that life can only be measured at the end, When all the seasons are up.
If you give up when it's winter, you will miss the promise of your Spring, the beauty of your summer, fulfillment of your fall.
Moral lessons:
Don't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest.
Don't judge life by one difficult season. Persevere through the
Difficult patches, and better times are sure to come some time later
Happy moments, PRAISE GOD.
Difficult moments, SEEK GOD.
Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD.
Painful moments, TRUST GOD.
Every moment, THANK GOD.
Isaiah 63:15-17
Lord, look down from heaven and see us
from your holy, glorious home. Where is the passion and the might you used to show on our behalf? Where are your mercy and compassion now? Surely you are still our Father! Even if Abraham and Jacob would disown us, Lord, you would still be our Father. You are our Redeemer from ages past. Lord, why have you allowed us to turn from your path? Why have you given us stubborn hearts so we no longer fear you? Return and help us, for we are your servants and your special possession.
Renewing ones relationship with God is not a flip of the switch, experience that happens in a moment. Hearts are not hardened over night, and hearts will take time to soften. As we draw closer to Him, our relationship will grow deeper. We may not see it at first, but just the same He is there continuing to mold and shape us. Hang on dear one that is on the wonderful road of recovery from self... your journey will have twists and turns, but stay on the path for He will lead you safely home.
Much love in Christ!
TGIF Today God Is First, by Os Hillman
The priests are in mourning, those who minister before the Lord. - Joel 1:9b
The first requirement for being used by God in the life of others is to mourn on their behalf. We must identify with their pain and suffering. Each of us must be broken for others first.
In order to be fully used by God in the workplace, we need to understand what breaks God's heart. When we understand what breaks God's heart, we are able to mourn on behalf of a grieving person, or a nation we are called to serve. What breaks God's heart? When we begin to answer this question, we begin the first step to becoming instruments of change for those things that are important to God. Perhaps it is an overemphasis in our own talent and abilities, or lack of complete trust in Jesus. Perhaps it is the lack of respect for human life that leads to the killing of innocent babies. Perhaps it is the deceit and pride that often rule the workplace of commerce. Or perhaps it is the strife and divisions among His own Body that grieve Him most. When we begin to mourn over our own sins in these areas, God begins to use us as instruments of righteousness to affect these things. It was only when God let me see my own sins in the workplace and how they broke His heart that I began to be an instrument for His purposes.
Today, ask God to show you what things in your world are breaking His heart. Then see how He might want you to be the priest to affect for Him. The first step is identification with what breaks God's heart.
Living one day at a time is a discipline we all have to focus on. It is easy to slip back into worrying about tomorrow, dwelling on the "what ifs" and the "if onlys." Each day brings a host of things we cannot change, there will always be circumstances beyond our control. We must also face the reality of who we are---human beings confined within the slice of life we call today. It is tempting to deny the present, but escaping reality is part of the insantity of a life that is in fear at every turn. Jesus said "Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?" "Don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today." (Matt 6:27;34) The prophet Jeremiah said "The unfailing love of the Lord never ends? By his mercies we have been kept from complete desturction. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each day" (Lam 3:22-23) Since God's grace comes in daily doses, that's the best way to face life. We need to ask ourself at every turn in life, Am I accepting this present moment, or am I pretending-- trying to escape into the past or the furture? Each day there is something to find joy in, and there is strength promised for the troubles of that day. The psalmist wrote, "This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. " (Psalm 118:24) We, too can choose to find joy, strength and sanity when we accept each day's realities.
STEPPING STONES The Lord came to me like a dream one day and asked, "Why do
you sorrow?" I answered, "Lord my life is so full of pain, I can't face one
more tomorrow." The Lord sat down beside me, and gently took my hand. He said,
"Let Me explain to you, and then you'll understand. Each sorrow
is a stepping stone you must surmount each day, And every stepping stone you climb is a sorrow that's passed away." "The road of life is a mountainside, with crevices in which to be
caught, But as you struggle on your way, I, the Rock, will lend
support. Every stepping stone you climb, makes spirit and heart grow strong. Exercising character and faith, this road seems painful and long." "The way is paved with stepping stones, to uplift your heart and soul, Though difficult, they aid your way, to a City paved with gold. I know that you are tired, for I, too, have walked this way, My sorrows did they multiply, but I cleared many stones away. I left My Rock to lift you up, I left behind My story, To give you strength to make your climb, to that special place in glory. And never fear, the Rock is here, you'll never climb this mountain alone. Surmount life's sorrows, continue on, for they are but stepping stones."
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GOD IS
Posted On 02/24/2007 08:25:51
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Here's a great way to spread God's Love through JC Faith ... Copy this whole page ... Click on "WRITE NEW BLOG" that's at the top of this page (It's 2nd in the list of "Categories"). A blank blog page will come up.Paste what you copied there. Now add your answer to this blog (God is ~your answer~) by describing God in 3 words or less. AND... before you click on "Submit Blog" ... don't forget to add your name beside your answer and type "God is..." for the Blog Title. :o)
God is:
1.) Faithful!!! (Jimlas) 2.) Love!!! (BlueAngel) 3.) Forgiving!!! (BStewart) 4.) Full of Grace!!! (Valerie) 5.) All we need!!! (ALwAySaJOY) 6.) Almighty! (grandmamom) 7.)awesome (its_all_about_jesus) 8.)everlasting (hugger1991) 9.) Trustworthy (Nana) 10.) 11.) 12.) 13.) 14.) 15.) 16.) 17.) 18.) 19.) 20.) 21.) 22.) 23.) 24.) 25.) 26.) 27.) 28.) 29.) 30.)
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