Blossoms

"Many people will praise God because you obey the Good News of Christ...and because you freely share with them and with all others"- 2 Corinthians 9:13 (NCV). 

"Influence often isn't noticed until it blossoms later in the garden of someone else's life. Our words and actions may land close to home, or they may be carried far and wide" (Pam Farrel). How many times have you blossomed and made a statement, then realized they were your mother's words, a friend's words or a teacher's words? Our words and actions are seeds we give to those we influence. As branches of the Vine, we produce fruit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). This fruit produces seed freely scattered into the garden of others. Your words and actions lead to blossoms of Godly praise on the lips of those you influence. God is creating a beautiful blossom-filled garden through the obedience of His children.

Be Still

"I cry out to God Most High, to God who will fulfill His purpose in me"- Psalm 57:2 (NLT).

Just as God's ways and thoughts are not our ways and thoughts, so is God's timing not our timing. In a world of immediate gratification we struggle with God's seemingly slow revealing of His purpose in me. Believers, take heart and wait for the Lord (Psalm 27:14); the Lord will give us strength to wait; to endure (Isaiah 40:31). The time may pass slow, but wait for it; it will come; it will not delay (Habakkuk 2:3). His purpose will be fulfilled in all of creation and in you. You were set apart when you were born and called by His grace (Galatians 1:15). Be still (Psalm 46:10a).

Work Ethics

"For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat."-2 Thessalonians 3:10 (NIV).

Paul instructs followers to work with their hands, not to be dependent on others, and to walk properly before non-believers (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12). Paul had set the example when he had visited them. Believers in the church of Thessalonica must have had a problem with work ethics, since Paul mentioned it in both letters. Christians are not to be lazy and live off of others for their provisions; nor are they to only do a halfway decent job in your work. Proverbs 18:9 says he who is slack in his work is brother to him who destroys (the devil). What statement does that make to non-believers? Believers are to work heartily, like we are working directly for the Lord (Colossians 3:23). We are promised that God has plans for us, for our prosperity and future (Jeremiah 29:11). So, whatever you do, do it to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). Your hard work will lead to profit, strengthening the message to non-believers; however, mere words will lead only to ruin (Proverbs 14:23).   

Freedom

"You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love"- Galatians 5:13 (NIV).

You are called to be free! Do you want to be great? Serve! Do you want to be first? Take the position of a slave! That's not the definition of freedom in today's society. Jesus didn't come to be served, but to serve and endure the cross, paying our ransom; setting us free (Mark 10:43-45). We are called to serve God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength (Luke 10:27); not slothfully; with passion (Romans 12:11). Jesus purchased our freedom, but, not to be used to indulge the flesh. That the deceit of the devil: "For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit...you will live" (Romans 8:13). The benefits of serving God far outweigh what this life has to offer; your freedom, used in serving, leads to holiness and eternal life (Romans 6:22).  

Take His Hand

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight"- Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV).

"We have ample evidence that the Lord is able to guide. The promises cover every imaginable situation. All we need to do is to take the hand He stretches out" (Elizabeth Elliot). My daughter wouldn't take my hand when we walked. Obviously, I either walked too slow or she didn't want me to control her path. For a mother this can be disconcerting because it appears your child doesn't trust your guidance. This analogy is applicable to adults who don't trust, nor yield to God's hand. If you've taken hold of God's hand, your confidence in is this: Though you stumble, you will not fall; for the Lord upholds you with His hand (Psalm 37:24). Trust and yield to the outstretched hand of Almighty God; for He will lead you into His truth (Psalm 25:5).    

Gifts

"To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds:- Daniel 1:17 (NIV).

We are not to neglect the gift God has given us (1 Timothy 4:14). Our gift came with a responsibility tag; the gift is be used for its designed purpose. Being a good steward of God's gift, we are to use it to serve one another (1 Peter 4:10). Putting our gift up on the proverbial shelf, either to be admired or to gather dust, is a woefully bad decision. We will each be held accountable for how we utilized His gift. Even if we are thankful and acknowledge He gave us the gift, if left unused, God will call us disobedient and lazy! (Matthew 25:26). Then our gift will be taken from us and given to someone who has demonstrated their obedience in gifts (Matthew 25:28). Use your gift: if prophecy, if service, if teaching, if encouraging, if generosity, if leading, if acts of mercy...in proportion to your faith, use them (Romans 12:6-8). Your ears will not hear rebuke; instead, "Well done, good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25:23). 

“Christians who understand biblical truth and have the courage to live it out can indeed redeem a culture, or even create one. This is the challenge facing all of us in the new millennium.” 
― Charles W. Colson, How Now Shall We Live?

The Invitation

"When Jesus heard this, He was amazed and said to those following Him, "Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven"- Matthew 8:10-11 (NIV).

Jesus was admiring the faith of the Roman centurion, who had just demonstrated his trust in Jesus' power and ability to answer his petition. This had to be an alarming revelation to the Israelites, God's chosen people...not invited to the feast! To add to their growing concern Jesus went on to say that the children of Abraham would be cast out of the kingdom, into darkness, and "in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (v.12). The parable of the wedding feast is in Matthew 22. Those intended guests, once receiving their invitations, had paid no attention and went about their business, continuing in ungodly behavior. The King's anger burned. He destroyed them and then invited the most unlikely guests to take their place at the King's wedding feast. The invitations to the feast Jesus was referring to have been sent out. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob will be in attendance. We all have an invitation. Everyone gets one. Let us be properly robed, in our right mind, alert and ready for the call that He is ready for us to come.

Ambition

"And to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody"- 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 (NIV).

Whatever our hands find to do, we should work at it with all our might (Ecclesiastes 9:10), but our ambitious effort should be measurable to working for the Lord; not for man, nor for ourselves (Colossians 3:23). You become dependent upon those you work for. We are to put His kingdom, His righteousness, first in our lives (Matthew 6:33), not trying to win the approval of this world. You can't pursue pleasing people and be a servant of the Lord Jesus (Galatians 1:10). Choosing to be a friend of the world is choosing to be an enemy of God (James 4:4). What is your ambition? Deny the world's definition and take up the cross each day (Luke 9:23). 

Beautiful Sound

"It is good to praise the Lord and make music to Your name, O Most High, proclaiming Your love in the morning and Your faithfulness at night"- Psalms 92:1-2 (NIV).

Do you ever wake up to a song in your head? You wonder why that particular song? Was it the last song you heard before bedtime? Did your brain just pick the song by random...or was it a song you heard during your sleep? Scripture says God takes great delight in us and rejoices over us with singing (Jeremiah 3:17). It would be great to start a journal of the songs when you awake each morning; because, there's usually one in my heart. This mornings was "How Sweet the Sound" by Citizen Way. A part of the lyrics say, "Amazing grace how sweet the sound. I hear You singing over me...Amazing grace how sweet the sound, it covers every part of me...And it's a beautiful sound." Indeed, God singing over us could never be anything less than beautiful and so much more. It makes you want to sing along.