Thought for the day...

April 29, 2019
Verse of the Day
“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”
Revelation 4:11

 

By Franklin Graham...

WALK IN STEP WITH CHRIST

My father made a profound impact on me and my siblings through his example. I remember when he was home, he would sometimes gather us up, grab his walking stick, and take us on a hike up the mountain. He used his walking stick to check out the ground, warning of what was ahead. He led the way, and we followed in his steps.

I have often reflected on how this is what God does. He walks before us with warnings and encouragement to follow in His steps. Falling into step with the Lord in this way requires feasting on His Word. As Christians, we should be able to look back and see a progression of growth in our daily steps. Walking with Christ in this way will make us fit for the Kingdom, help us reach out to others, and refresh our spirits. The best part is we can take every single step with Him.

In the Gospels, we read how Jesus walked the dusty roads every day. His feet trudged rocky ridges and hillsides laden with lilies. And as He walked, He taught His disciples. He did not give them the big picture at first, but in time it was revealed that each step of Jesus was purpose-filled. Each step was a teaching tool. Each step led them into a deeper understanding of Christ.

God is concerned about the steps we take, and His Word is the instruction manual for how we should walk. While many find it difficult to determine whether a path is right or wrong, the Bible is clear: anything that does not glorify the Father is the wrong path to take. As the author of Hebrews said, “Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1 NKJV).

Over the years, I observed my father avoid snares. I learned, by watching his steps, that I can’t do everything. I get invitations all the time to be part of various causes—many that are good but wrong for me because they distract me from what I was called to do. For me, I was called to preach the gospel. These are the steps God has ordained for my life. And the heavenly Father gave me the great gift of an earthly father who exemplified this throughout his lifetime.

My father would be the first to say, “Let God speak to your heart and then be obedient to His call.” Many people, like me, have been inspired to consider God’s call to the ministry because of my father’s steps. Countless numbers are pastors, missionaries, and evangelists because God used my father’s life to challenge them. But Billy Graham preached, “Follow the steps of Christ. Accept the burdens that come, for God will carry them on His shoulders. Accept the blessings that come, and humbly give them back to God.”

We are all called to walk in step with Jesus and in the steps of Jesus—wherever that may lead. We are called to follow His example and model our lives after His ways. And Jesus has promised that if we follow His steps on earth, we will follow His steps in the life to come.

Respond

What does walking in Jesus’ steps teach you about His love for you and for the world? In what ways has Jesus’ example helped you make right choices in your life?

What is a path in your life right now that you need to choose whether or not to follow? How will you discern whether this is the correct path to take?

What does it look like in your life to follow Jesus’ steps wherever they lead? How is God calling you to walk in step with Him today?

 

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord , And He delights in his way.
Psalms 37:23 NKJV

 

Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.
Ephesians 5:1‭-‬2 NKJV

 

For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:
I Peter 2:21 NKJV

 

April 30, 2019
Verse of the Day
For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
Matthew 6:14

 

How to Choose Faith over Fear

BY RICK WARREN — APRIL 21, 2019

1.5K


“That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! ‘Peace be with you,’ he said” (John 20:19 NLT).


Fear always limits you. You can’t experience God’s best for you if you’re living in fear.


Think about the first Easter evening nearly 2,000 years ago. The disciples hadn’t seen Jesus, but they heard he had risen from the dead. They didn’t know if they could believe the news or not. They were scared to death!

The Bible describes it like this: “That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! ‘Peace be with you,’ he said” (John 20:19 NLT).

Notice that they locked the doors because they were afraid. That’s what fear does. It locks you out of all the doors God wants you to go through.

Maybe you’ve had your heart broken, and you’re telling yourself you’ll never let anyone get close to you again.

Maybe you took a risk on a new job, and you bombed. Now you never want to try a new career path again.

Maybe you’ve been hurt by a church, and you’ve locked God out of your life because of it.

You can’t protect yourself from pain. It’s foolish to even try, because we live on a planet broken by sin.

My friend Rick Muchow had every reason to be afraid when he discovered he had inoperable brain cancer. But instead of fear, Rick consistently chooses faith.

He gets asked all the time how he has dealt with the fear since the diagnosis. I love his response. He mentions six specific resources that have helped him that can help you, too:

1. God’s presence. Rick knows God as a personal and close friend and not some distant deity.
2. A history of watching God at work. Rick has seen miracles before, and he knows he’ll see them again.
3. The promises of God in the Bible. For years Rick has written songs based on the promises of God. Now they come back to him and strengthen his faith.
4. He’s learned that if you’re going through a tough time, you need more worship in your life.
5. He has leaned on his church family for support.
6. The goodness of God’s plan. Rick claims the promise of Romans 8:28: “We know that in all things God works for good with those who love him, those whom he has called according to his purpose” (GNT).

What would you do if tomorrow you discovered you had inoperable brain cancer? Would you lock yourself up in a prison of fear? Or would you choose faith?

You don’t get the kind of confidence you need in situations like that from a self-help book. You get it from knowing God.

 

Authentic Friendships Happen in the Light

BY RICK WARREN — APRIL 23, 2019

1.8K


“But if we live in the light, as God is in the light, we can share fellowship with each other. Then the blood of Jesus, God's Son, cleanses us from every sin. If we say we have no sin, we are fooling ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:7-8 NCV).


In Christian fellowship, people should experience authenticity.


Authentic fellowship is not superficial, surface-level chit-chat. It’s genuine, heart-to-heart, sometimes gut-level sharing.

It happens when people get honest about who they are and what is happening in their lives. They share their hurts, reveal their feelings, confess their failures, disclose their doubts, admit their fears, acknowledge their weaknesses, and ask for help and prayer.

Authenticity is the exact opposite of what you find in many churches. Instead of an atmosphere of honesty and humility, there is pretending, role-playing, politicking and superficial politeness, and shallow conversation.

People wear masks, keep their guards up, and act as if everything is rosy in their lives. These attitudes are the death of real friendship.

It’s only as we become open about our lives that we experience authentic fellowship. The Bible says, “If we live in the light, as God is in the light, we can share fellowship with each other . . . If we say we have no sin, we are fooling ourselves” (1 John 1:7-8 NCV).

The world thinks intimacy occurs in the dark, but God says it happens in the light. We tend to use darkness to hide our hurts, faults, fears, failures and flaws. But in the light, we bring them all out into the open and admit who we really are.

Of course, being authentic requires both courage and humility. It means facing our fear of exposure, rejection, and being hurt again.

Why would anyone take such a risk?

Because it’s the only way to grow spiritually and be emotionally healthy. The Bible says, “Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed” (James 5:16

 

I read this morning Psalms 95: 1 - 7

Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.
For the LORD is the great God; the great King above all gods.
In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him.
The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.
Com, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker;
for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.

 

Thank you.

 

May 1, 2019
Verse of the Day
fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:2 NIV

 

May 2, 2019
Verse of the Day
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
Colossians 4:2

 

“Love one another. Just as I have loved you.” John 13:34
-National Day of Prayer
http://www.if714.org/?p=25060

 

I just found this thread. You guys post some awsome stuff.

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