Forgiveness is not optional. Christ gave all that we might be free from the condemnation of our mistakes. It is our job to walk in His footsteps and do the same. “Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.” Colossians 3:13
One thing I have reluctantly had to admit is that I don’t always have Abraham faith. When one really delves into his story, his story was laden with change. Change, often times, is something I have been pretty resistant to.
Let’s face it, leaving your own home is no small feat (Genesis 12:1), especially during the Bible era. In our day we have options to hop back on a plane and usually, there are provisions and backup plans that are available if that adventurous leap of faith didn’t work out. And, this could all be done in a matter of hours.
I imagine it wasn’t quite that easy back then. But, then again, maybe that’s a good thing. Maybe not having easy access to falling back into one’s comfort zone is a blessing in disguise for it forces that venture forward. It forces us to take on new terrain and enter new callings as we try to acclimate and navigate our new surroundings and circumstances.
Often I feel the ease of looking back hinders our progress. Unchartered territories can be scary, uncomfortable, and demanding of our time, talent, and emotions. But what if it leads to something greater? What if that step of faith allows you to do something miraculous that you could never see yourself doing? What if it opened new doors of opportunity that you never could have imagined being able to walk through?
I guess that’s why it’s called faith. Almost blindly, without full perception and without knowing where every piece of the puzzle already fits, we are asked to play along anyway. Engage in the unknown no matter what the current reality says. After all, according to the Bible, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen,” (Hebrews 11:1).
Comfort zones, though they appear safe, are in fact very dangerous. Walking in the land of familiarity may seem like a sure bet but in them lays unexpected traps. Traps where dreams lose their freshness. Traps where ideas lose their strength to be propelled forward. Traps where talents get wasted in this pit of unseen snares.
God has always wanted the best for all His people. But, when He calls, it is up to them to make the move. He may not be asking you to leave your homeland, but where or what do you feel Him pulling you toward? What area of your comfort zone has become so stale that now it too is very uncomfortable, yet, you’re still too afraid to make a move?
If Abraham had not put action behind his calling, he would have never been dubbed the father of faith, and so many things in our biblical history would not be traced back to his stepping out moment.
I wonder if we boldly step out today, what miraculous future events will point back to our time when we chose to leave the safety of our comfort zones?
One thing is for sure if we stay where we are, and if we keeping doing the same thing over and over again, nothing will ever change. Don’t substitute comfort and reluctance to change for what can be. Who knows what God wants to write in your future story? Step out of your comfort zone and let Him write something amazing!
LEARN TO SEE YOU HOW GOD SEES YOU – “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.”
Psalm 139:14
Incomplete really speaks to the idea that I, we, us, don’t really have it all together like we think we do at times. We often feel so short from where we need to be; from where God wants us that we can sense a dragging of lack in our spirits. If we were really honest with ourselves we would see within us the deficit our humanity brings without any real way of adding up to that holy mark of perfection our soul so desperately longs for. If left to ourselves and our own ingenuity we would find that we are an incomplete mess.
But, thanks be to God that our completeness is not dependent upon us. Rather, it is in Christ alone where we find everything that makes us one hundred percent whole in Him. In our relationship with Jesus as our Savior, there is no lack. The Bible assures us, “And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:” (Colossians 2:10). On the cross, Jesus secured everything we need to have a full relationship with God Almighty, leaving nothing out. Jesus Christ really does become more than enough for believers to rest in His salvation. Through Calvary’s sacrifice, Jesus turned our incomplete mess into something completely beautiful.
We may feel like we’re not there yet, but we are being renewed day by day (2 Corinthians 4:17). Like a caterpillar in transition to becoming a butterfly, I can’t wait to see the beautiful end results of what we all will be in Christ Jesus.
More encouraging verses:
2 Corinthians 3:5 “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God.”
John 1:16 “And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.”
Colossians 1:19 “For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell.”
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You are beautiful just the way you are. You are a created masterpiece in the hands of the Almighty. “Your hands have made me and fashioned me . . .” Psalm 119:73, NKJV. You are a designer original.
Do you ever wonder why Christians have to deal with so much stuff from people? Why does it seem the rights of everyone else are important all the while our rights are trying to be diminished by opposing forces? Why does it seem that we are singled out to be somebody to mess with when the cut-ups of this world get by on a free pass.
I’ll tell you why.
Things are set in motion like that to try to discourage us from our walk with Christ; our belief. The fact of the matter is our lives are convicting to those who fight against God and His plan for humanity. God, through His Word, tells of a holy requirement He desires to see played out in the lives of each and every individual. Those who seek after the flesh and revel in carnality and sin don’t want the same desires as He. Rather, they fight vehemently against it and anything that resembles it (i.e. Christians).
Once Jesus taught, “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid,” Matthew 5:14. You shine for Him. You magnify His brightness and glory in the midst of degradation and sin. You are a beacon to show people the way to this wonderful life in Him through the darkness and disparity of this world. As a Christian, you look like Him (in character), you talk like Him and that bothers those who oppose Him.
In a life that has been transformed by His renewing power, it becomes a living testimony to grace, mercy, and the power of salvation working itself out in humanity. Although these wonderful things are available to all for the asking, few choose to look to Him for those wonderful gifts. They would much rather pursue the things of the flesh than that of the Spirit causing war and contentions with those who walk and talk differently then them.
Nonetheless, I urge you brother and sister in Christ, keep walking the holy walk. No matter the fighting. No matter the contentions. Keep showing this world, through the life you live, what a mighty God we serve. Philippians tells us we are, “In the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world,” (2:15). By the continual light of Christ beaming from your life, you are helping others to draw nearer to Him; you are helping others to see the hope that is available if they would but turn.
The life we live may cause us discomfort at times, but the reward of having others see Christ in us is immeasurable. You and I can positively effect change in the lives of others for eternity. I think, my friends, that far outweighs the opposition we may face today.
And, as we are living, let us always remember we have nothing to boast or be arrogant about. We are saved today because somebody else stood up as a light for us showing us the way; somebody else’s lives were convicting, pricking our hearts to want to know Him more. Our salvation is NEVER anything for us to glory in. We can only glory in our Savior who gave His life that we might have new life in Him. We are now vessels filled with His grace that we might positively pour into and shine in the lives of others.
The day before Sunday is like no other. It’s the day that comes at the end of the workweek and comes before the day of worship. There are so many possibilities with this day. Sleep in or go out? Veg out in front the TV or seek adventure? Clean or do you say forget it, “I clean every day and today I’m taking a break!” How will you spend your time?
Time. That’s a four little word with great impact. Time is something we can never get back. Time is something that will keep moving forward whether you are ready to go with it or not. Time is precious. Time is valuable. How one spends their time can either add to their life or take away from it.
Time. Extra time is not promised. We can’t buy more time. Rather, we must lay hold of with an iron grip the time that has been allotted to us and make the best use of it for our lives, our families, and our ministries.
Time. What will you do with it? We deserve rest because we worked hard. Take the time. We deserve adventure, something that will heighten our senses because we have stayed the course of the mundane all week. Take the time. Clean? . . . well, we’ll just leave that one alone for now.
Time. As crazy as it seems to us, it goes by in a flash when you don’t want it to and it drags when you wish it would speed up. That’s why every moment counts. Every opportunity should be seized. Every second savored.
Time. We don’t have as much of it as we would like, and yet God blessed us with the amount we need. How we choose to use it is up to us.
What will you do with your time today? There is no right or wrong answer. If you worked hard and want to sit in front of the tv because your brain needs a few hours vacation, then do so. If your body has been stuck in the office all week and you feel a need to stretch and exercise to get it moving, then do so. If you chose to let the house go one day so that you can have time for yourself, then do so. It’s Saturday! It’s your time! Make the most of it for you!
Keep in mind, once this Saturday goes by, it will not come again. Oh, yes, there will be other Saturdays, but not this Saturday. There will be other chances and opportunities, but not like today. Today is for you – it’s your Saturday, what will you do?
Ephesians 5:16 encourages us to redeem the time. Grab hold of today and make the most of it! It’s only here today. So, what will you do with today?
Whatever you do, make today count! It’s Saturday, enjoy “you” on this day!
God bless you and enjoy your Saturday 🙂
God is the only constant in our lives. He never changes. He is the stable force behind all that we are and believe. He is the only one able to bear every burden we bring to Him and carry us through the turmoil of it all. I lift my soul up to God, and in Him do we put our trust
Races can take you through many terrains. Running uphill, it’s hard. The more you go, the steeper the incline, the harder it gets. Breath after breath your chest heaves for relief. Push after push your muscles cry out for mercy. And, just when you thought you had no more in you; just when you thought you couldn’t go any farther, from behind there comes these hands out of nowhere that steadies your stride and helps propel you forward some more. On the side of you comes smiling faces with encouraging words grabbing hold of your arms and help pull you up that incline that you might finish your race. They want to help you make it.
The Apostle Paul often described our Christian life as a race (1 Corinthians 9:24-27). We run it. We press for it. But, sometimes the way gets hard and if it had not been for the grace of God, we would not have made it.
As the community of racers pushed and pulled the struggling runner uphill, so God will minister to us to help us go through our race. Often this is done through the community of believers that will come alongside the one that needs support.
In this world the struggle is real. May we, as a community of believers, recognize the support that each one needs. May we join up with our fellow Christian race runners and offer the help and encouragement they need to make it. May we see beyond our own race and allow God to use our hands and smiling faces to help bolster someone’s faith as they are striving to make it up the inclines of this life.
We all have the same goal in mind: to finish the race. We need each other to do it. As a community of believers, our job goes beyond spreading the gospel and being a light in this dark world, and all the other spiritual stuff it entails. Our job is also to seek the welfare of one another. We need to be there for one another. We need to be present and involved in the process of what they are going through “that there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it,” (1 Corinthians 12:25-26).
More encouraging verses and quotes:
“Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11
“Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2
“Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow . . .” Ecclesiastes 4:9-10a
“God has chosen us to help one another.” Smith Wigglesworth
“The first question which the priest and the Levite asked was: ‘If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?’ But… the Good Samaritan reversed the question: ‘If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?'” Martin Luther King, Jr.
God knows every person who has ever lived. We are not just faceless members in the thousands of years of humanity. To God, we are each special, we are each unique, and Jesus knows His people by name. “To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.” John 10:3
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