Trusting God

Trusting God more….

1 Timothy 6:10: "For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows."^[1]

 

 

         Be content living for God for this will bring you great gain (see 1 Timothy 6:6). God will provide for his children better than you can provide for yourself. Do not love the world more than you love God. Do not love money and follow it to your destruction (see 1 Timothy 6:9).

         To understand what is meant by "the love for money" is to understand it meaning to allow the great desire for greed to lead your life in always trying to gain more wealth. This great evil desire is able to destroy your priorities, marriages, households, companies and even the economy.

Loving money will lead you away from the true faith, Jesus Christ. The writer says that those who go this way of seeking after money end up piercing themselves with many sorrows. Not just one sorrow but the pain of suffering many sorrows. Jesus knows all about your life and knows what is best for you. Trust him to provide for you and see how faithful is God to his children.

Hebrews 13:5:

Don't love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said,  "I will never fail you.  I will never abandon you."

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^[1]Tyndale House Publishers., Holy Bible: New Living Translation., 2nd ed. (Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers, 2004), 1 Ti 6:10. All scripture cited is NLT.

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Clear Consicence

Clear Conscience

Acts 24:16 So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man. (NIV)

 

         How is your conscience? Is it clear before God and man? Having a clear conscience before man is easy because man's standards are not God's. God has a higher standard that he has set which is called righteousness. God is righteousness and he alone can define this, and therefore he has shown us this through his only son.

         Jesus showed righteousness is honoring God over man. Jesus did his father's work. The apostles in Acts say they have testified for what they have seen and what they have heard. This was keeping a clear conscience. Knowing the right that should be done and it is being done. Our conscience reminds us of our past actions and that will either bring forth guilt or peace. Jesus and the apostles wanted peace to come to mind and for that reason they worked on living for God daily. Guilt comes from knowing better and not doing what should be done. When the quiet time comes in the day your conscience will let you know you should have done better.

         Having a clear conscience is having a good relationship with God the loving father through Jesus the Christ. Knowing Jesus you know that obedience to the commandments of God is the way to live with peace. 

         So strive to always keep you conscience clear before God and man. Do it now.  God is waiting for you and is always ready. So let Jesus truly reign in your life as Lord, and surrender to his will. 

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LISTENING TO THE RIGHT VOICE

 

John 10:27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. ~NIV

 

Listen for Jesus voice. Hear his voice above all the others sources that you can search on the Internet, at the library and from your friends and family. None of those sources have the ability to give life and life more abundantly. Jesus speaks the truth, because he is truth. Jesus' tender mercy is filled in every word he says to you. He has come to show you how great his love really is by laying his life down for you.

Stop and listen to him.

Take the time to reflect on Jesus grace in your life. Take the time to count your blessings in life, how you are able to read this, how you are able to hear this or how you are even able to hold this. The day-to-day activities that you can do are reasons to praise God for the life he has given you through Jesus His Son.

Are you listening?

Pray to God. Communicate to him and ask him to speak to your heart.  Allow Jesus to lead you with his message of love in your heart. See how Jesus' love will show you how to love your neighbor and improve your relationships. Jesus love is strong enough that it hopes and endures all things. Love never fails. Will you Let Jesus be your Shepherd and follow His every Word.

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Who Is Like the Lord…

 

"Who is like unto the LORD our God, who dwelleth on high, Ps 113:6 Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth!" (Ps 113:5-6 KJV)

 

Praise the Lord our God for his great work for man. Who can be compared to God? God's great power and glory is evident through the world. God's great love toward man is a wonderful expression to behold. God's great love is worthy to be praised.

 

God takes care of the poor and the needy. God blesses the house of a barren woman into a house of children (Psalm 113:7-9). Be encouraged that it matters not how limited are your resources or if your bank account does not exist, this does not limit God. ""Who is like unto the LORD our God, who dwelleth on high, Ps 113:6 Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth!" (Ps 113:5-6 KJV)

 

Server God and praise his holy name and see how your obedience allows God to bless you. Your situation is neither out of God's reach nor out of his sight. He sees you and he is high above and loves this much, "That he gave his only begotten son (see John 3:16)."

 

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Who Jesus Calls Friend

Who does Jesus Calls Friends?

"You are my friends if you do what I command."

(John 15:14 NIV)

 

         Jesus does not call just anyone friends. Jesus says, "You are my friend if you do what I command." Jesus specifies what it means to be his friend in the obedience to him.  Jesus as Lord could exercise Lord and servant role, but Jesus desires to share with his followers. When we fail to obey we are betraying Jesus friendship.

What is Jesus commanding for you to do in your life that you are struggling to do? Why is this an issue? Jesus will not ask you to do anything that will harm you in your life. Jesus has come to so us the way to life and life eternal by dying to the world and living for him. Friendship with Jesus will cost you, but Jesus shows us how it is all worth it.

         Jesus shows us that friendship involves sacrifice, humility, forgiveness and love. Those are just to a few characteristics of friendship. Jesus showed this and more by forgiving us our sins, the humility in washing feet, the sacrifice of his life all because he loves us so.

         What greater love is there, than Jesus laying his life down for you so that you may have eternal life. What greater friend is there than Jesus who represents you before the father? There is no greater love than the love of Jesus Christ who commands our life and by our obedience we are qualified as friends.

Ties that Bind

 

Col 3:14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

 

Love will bind and keep unity and harmony. Above all use love to lead in showing forgiveness. This will show Christ ruling in your heart that in daily task love is shown first. Jesus said, "John 13:35 "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35 NAS95S).

 Let love be the center point in your relationships and all that you do. Let love be that compass that guides your decisions and points you in that right direction. God's love toward us is that great that he daily shows it to us and He has commanded us to do the same to others.  Follow Jesus lead and show love.

 Prayer:

     Lord, purify my heart and show me how to love more in my life. I want to be more forgiven and patient with all that I meet. No more excuses but it is time for me to make that change and show my love to you how I love your world you made. Amen. 

"Building a Better Community"

Zion Baptist Church

323 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr

Peoria, Il 61605

wk: (309) 676 4828

fax: (309) 676-8195

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Meeting Jesus

"When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today."" (Luke 19:5 NIV-G/K)

 

You may have met a teacher, a relative, friend or even a stranger that changed your life. You have come into contact with some people who have in turn left an impact in your life. You may have told your closest friends about this person and now they would like to meet this person that changed your life.

You can do that now. You can introduce someone to Jesus. Did he change your life? He changed Zacchaeus life. This is what happens when Jesus found it necessary to stay in Zacchaeus house. Zacchaeus went on to correct his wrongs and made them right. He repented when he accepted Jesus into his life. Just like Zacchaeus you too can change. Allow Jesus to come into your life and live with a clean heart.

Living with a clean heart is to actively seek Jesus every day. Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem passing through Jericho and Zacchaeus wanted to see him. He climbed a sycamore just to see Jesus. Just seeing Jesus put him in the place to welcome Jesus. Everyday make an effort to see Jesus and welcome him into your house. See how your life will change. Make haste and let Jesus come live in your heart. 

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