God doesn’t waste anything!

It’s comforting to know that God doesn’t waste anything. Every piece – broken, incomplete or whole – in the collections of our lives is made beautiful and significant in His hands. Just think about this story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 hungry people in John 6. Once everyone was fed, it seemed the story would end, but Jesus had one more lesson to teach. He instructed the disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted” (John 6:12b). It wasn’t enough for Jesus to feed the people until they were full. He wanted every last crumb collected.

There’s nothing that escapes the notice of God. Everything matters to Him. Not only does it matter, but if you are His child(a born-again believer), He promises that every part of your life will be used for your good and His glory.

Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” This verse tells us that God uses our grief, our joy, our loss, our gain, our trials and our triumphs. Nothing is wasted.

Today may hold hard things for you—a sick child, a difficult day at work, an unforgiving friend. Or it may hold beautiful things—a new love, a chat with an old friend, a job promotion. Either way, we can trust God that He is collecting the pieces of our life in His hand and creating something more beautiful than we can imagine.

Have a wonderful Christ-centered day.

Dear Lord, we trust You with every circumstance and moment of our precious lives. Help us to see glimpses of how You are making our lives beautiful for You. we trust that You don’t waste anything, but You use everything. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

 

 

 

Advertisement

Without Faith it’s Impossible to Please God!

Even though I don’t know where God is taking me I choose to move forward in Christ. I may not know any details of the journey or the destination; nonetheless, I am not discouraged from continuing to walk on, through faith in God. The New Testament believer is commanded to walk by faith and not by sight. Even so, what exactly does that mean to us who have placed our trust in Jesus? It simply means that we have chosen to surrender control of our lives to Christ on earth, both now and in our future, and to allow the Holy Spirit to guide our steps. Have a wonderful day walking by faith and pleasing God.

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” ~~Hebrews 11:6

What are we really giving up or surrendering when we finally yield our plans and desires to the Lord? Do we actually have the ability to determine just how long we live or how well our life will be in future years? We absolutely do not! We are not God; however, we can be rewarded if we will seek God first and please Him by faith.

I bring up the issue of having plans to point out to you a deeper truth. Even though you have plans for your life, and though you may be on track to fulfill most, if not all, that you have purposed in your life, it doesn’t mean that your life is pleasing to your heavenly Father. There is no eternal value in our plans unless we come into an agreement with God’s plan and will for us.

The Word of God tells us that we have no promise of tomorrow. God only promises us today. “Today, if you will hear His voice and not harden your hearts…” Just having plans doesn’t mean we will have a hope or a future, but when we surrender our agendas and dreams to include God’s will, then He can guarantee us both fulfillment in this life and eternal bliss in the life to come. The great reward that I have learned from trusting the Lord and obeying His plans over my own plans is this: I don’t have to sweat the details. I simply obey what He requires of me, and I leave the rest up to Him to work out for me and my family.

Psalm 23 Devotional

Psalm 23 is a popular Psalm that describes God as our shepherd. The job of the shepherd was first and foremost to keep and protect their sheep. They led their sheep to food and water, and the sheep were dependent upon their shepherd. Shepherds protected the sheep from wild animals and would even risk their lives for the sheep. Jesus is called the Good Shepherd (John 10:11). “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” ~~Psalm 23:4

 

When we think of being protected by the shepherd we often think of green pastures and flowing rivers. We know from our Christian walk though, that life isn’t always like that. In our lifetime there will be times Jesus LEADS us through valleys as the beginning of Psalm 23:4 describes. Our paths to these green pastures aren’t always safe. While we are in these valleys and feel as though Jesus is not there, we can be comforted with no need to fear. We do not fear because we know the Good Shepherd is leading us and will protect us with his rod and staff. As you go through these valleys remember that the Good Shepherd has already laid down his life for you and is leading you to greener pastures.

Scripture/Devotional

Deuteronomy 28:13 And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath…

When God makes you the head, you will end up on top of your circumstances. Consider the story of Joseph. (Genesis 39) Even when he was a slave, he was the head and not the tail because God prospered everything that he did. You maybe saying like I did, “When I look at my life, there are times when I am up and there are times when I am down. Yet, the Bible says that I will be above only. I don’t understand this.”

What you are going through is only temporal. Keep believing that you are above only and not beneath, even when you have hit rock bottom. It is God who always causes you to triumph in Christ. (2 Corinthians 2:14) You cannot cause yourself to triumph. Only God can and He has promised in His Word that you will be the head and not the tail, above only and not beneath. So believe His Word in spite of your circumstances and expect to see victory!

Scripture

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.

Meditate on His Word!

Anything you want to become good at takes practice. If you want to be good at meditating on His Word, you have to practice it. Just like a great coach takes the time to build up his team and get them thinking in the right direction before the big game, you have to take time every morning to “coach” your thought life, too. You can’t just wait to see how the day will unfold; you have to set yourself up for victory.

Winning isn’t just about ability; it’s about attitude, mindset and internal dialogue. Believe that you are created to win because what you believe about yourself affects your future more than anything else. You have to see yourself as a winner before anyone else will. Fill your thoughts with the truth of God’s word which says, “You are more than a conqueror. You are equipped. You are well able to overcome any obstacle you may face.”

Maybe it’s been challenging to see yourself as a winner up until this point. Perhaps some unfair things happened in your past. Maybe you were wrongfully accused, lost your job, or perhaps someone walked out on you. If you hold on to the past and keep those negative memories in your heart, they will weigh you down and prevent you from becoming all that God intends for you to be. Don’t let the words or actions of others stop you from living with purpose and enthusiasm! Nothing from the past can change your value in the eyes of God. Today is a new day, and now is the time to get a fresh, new outlook on life. It’s time to clean out those negative memories and forgive those who have wronged you.

Today, take some time to examine your thought life. Are there any negative mindsets that you need to change? Do you see yourself the way God sees you—as valuable and important? Look past whatever you may be feeling about yourself and focus on what God says about you. Remember, you are not here by accident. You are created in the image of Almighty God, and your life is full of purpose. You are God’s special treasure. No one can keep you from your destiny, and nothing can disqualify you from your purpose!

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer. ~~Psalm 19:14

 

Blessed Are Those Who Persevere!

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. ~James 1:12

There are times I can say that I hang in there because I am just too stubborn to give up! I refuse to be beaten down! I grit my teeth and dig in my heels! Sometimes I hang in there because…I just don’t know what else to do! Going back is not acceptable and going forward is scary. So I wait. I wait for God to put His hand over mine and guide me on. I am not afraid of the dark (the unknown) when my Father takes my hand.

Going through a difficult situation (a trial) and coming out on the other side of the situation with what will be a stupendous ‘jewel’ in my life! We know it is going to be a precious, one-of-a-kind jewel because God promised it!

My concept of rewards and trials has drastically changed over the years. Before I came to the Lord three years ago I would have thought any perceived constraint on what I wanted in my life would have been a trial. It would have been unacceptable to me! A nice home and cars (yes, plural), whatever clothes I wanted was an expectation.

But today trails are more often found as I attempt to do things my way and direct my life my own way – it’s all about the ‘I’ and ‘me’! When I crucify that ‘I-based’ flesh, I find myself looking into a reward that has been promised and fulfilled long before I knew it even existed! It is eternal and bigger than I can see!

Let us receive our blessings today…not because we deserve them…but because they are promised! Let us run the race that we have each been given with perseverance and gratitude that God will never leave us and always fulfill His promises!

John 14:21

I often hear from people saying they long to have an intimate relationship with God, but they feel like whenever they pray and try to talk to God, all they got was silence. They would say the nature of God that was revealed in the Scriptures didn’t match up with what they were seeing in their own lives. They would ask me how are they supposed to know God’s will for their lives and follow His direction, if they couldn’t even hear His voice? “Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.”~ John 14:21

The thing we have remember that even though God loves each and every one of us, not all of us will experience that love. (That’s our choice) Only those who humble themselves before the Lord with a truly repentant heart can have an intimate relationship with Him. Receiving Christ as our Savior is a part of this process, but we must go further than that. We must make Jesus the LORD of every area of our lives. That means that we must walk in humble obedience to His will for us on a day-to-day basis.

In this passage above here, Jesus promises that He and the Father will not only love us, but that they’ll REVEAL themselves to us, when we set our minds and hearts on obeying the commands of God. We cannot expect to experience the good plans that the Lord has in store for us if we refuse to obey His Word, or to follow the leadership of His Spirit.

As I would tell anyone that ask this question that even though it is God’s heartfelt desire to bless them more than they could ever imagine, He won’t do that when we are living an ungodly lifestyle, or compromising their Christian walk and have not made Jesus Lord of their lives. When I came to the Lord six years ago I surrendered my life to the Lord, and got serious about studying and obeying His Word, I began experiencing the presence, the power, and the goodness of God on a daily basis. I had to make a lot of sacrifices, and so will you. Is it difficult? Yes. Is it worth it? YES! The Lord wants you to get ready answers to your prayers. But He expects us to do our part.

“God is able”

This message is about how “God is able” This has to be one of the best and most accurate phrases in the Bible. But this time, it’s said about his work in you in me. He is able to do much more than we imagine to work through and in us. What can we say to that? Hallelujah!

“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” ~Ephesians 3:20

Life can be overwhelming at times. Given the perplexity of the times in which we now live, that statement has more relevance than ever before. Perhaps you have had, or you are currently facing a perplexing situation. Just this week, I have spoken with two people who are battling with this type of issue. They didn’t know how their situation was going to be corrected or when it would end. Whenever life hands us a problem that seems to be out of our power or control, we can simply turn to the Lord. At first glance that statement might seem like a clique’. However, throughout the Word of God, we are instructed to turn to Him when we are faced with various trials and troubling (hard to understand) problems. When we turn to the Lord in a trying season, it teaches us to rely on the strength of God. This is a good thing, because the fall of man has caused humans to become self-sufficient or self-reliant. Whenever we are faced with complex and long-term ordeals, if we will seek the Lord for solutions, He will open the realm of possibilities for an answer.  The Lord invites us to bring our cares, burdens, and concerns to Him in prayer so that He will be able empower us to confront our fears and defeat our enemy (Satan) through faith. As we seek the Lord in faith, we are also allowing the Lord’s wisdom an opportunity to be released to assist us in our understanding. Until we open ourselves up to Godly understanding and allow His wisdom to be released to us, self-sufficiency can cause us to see only one way of “unraveling our ball of yarn.” If you’re faced with a situation that seems to grow more difficult each day, then drop to your knees and begin to seek God’s wisdom and understanding. He will direct your path out of the fog and confusion.

Food for Thought

These passages of scripture talk about two things…. giving to the needy and do not worry. It made me think this….. When it says that we are not worry because if God provides for the birds then why should we worry about Him providing for us? Think about this God doesn’t come by and drop the worm in the birds’ mouths..does He build their nests for them.. no! He gave them wings to fly about this world and find the worms that He provides. We as Christians who are saved are not saved to sit around and just wait on God’s provisions at times, but that we should get out and do what He has called us to do. If you are called to ministry then start ministering, you don’t need a church. God will bring and provide that church whether it be a building or a nation. Why did God give you talents that you are not using because of fear or because he has not provided the outlet for you to use that talent? Think about it.

The second passage talks about feeding the needy. People (doubters) ask why does such a good God not help feed the hungry or let people suffer in other ways in this world? He doesn’t! He made us! We are the church. We as Christians need to get up and out of our comfort zone and do with our talents and our calling as Christians and DO SOMETHING!

Isn’t it time for us as God’s children to go out and use those provisions He has blessed us with? Are we waiting on Him to build our nest? Are we waiting for that mission trip til we can afford it to witness to others? or that church to preach in to be built? Stop waiting to live the life you are called for! It’s time to go out of our way and Do Something!

Do Not Worry

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[e]?

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 6 (NIV)
Giving to the Needy

6 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.