Archive | Spiritual Growth

Give generously to him(fellow brothers) and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore, I (God) command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land. (Deuteronomy 15:10,11 NIV) God’s promises The Bible is full of God’s promises. God’s Word is like a blueprint to build our life upon. When we follow His instructions with pure motivations, God is pleased to pour […]

The King will reply, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:40 NIV) Help The Labor Day poem made me think. Jesus calls for us to help the poor and the widower. Here in Matthew, we learn that Jesus will separate individuals one from another like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. Sheep will be on Jesus’s right and the goats on His left. The left will be cursed into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. The right will be […]

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9 NIV) Get ready! Can you imagine how exhilarated Joshua felt with God’s command to get ready? It was time to cross the Jordan River into the land God promised the Israelites. A promise God made to an earlier generation. Recall Joshua and Caleb believed they would be successful entering when they first went as spies. Why would these two men have to endure the extended years of hardship when […]

The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins. (1 Peter 4:7,8 NIV) Move forward? How has your weekend moved forward? Hope you were able to replace vengeful thoughts with acts of kindness. It’s Motivating Monday! How can we reach the level of love God desires from us, if we do not first grasp the importance of kindness? With the possibility of removing irritated thoughts, kindness is like a progressive step towards unconditional love. Love covers a multitude […]

  If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil. but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:17-21 NIV) Possible? We know all things are possible in Christ to those who […]

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. (Psalm 139: 13,14 NIV) People People. Where do we start? We start from the center of our creation. Every human being has been developed within their mother’s womb. King David preferred to look at this as knitted together. God created our inmost being, we are fearfully and wonderfully made. We are made by God’s design of perfection. He did not make any mistakes. Adam and Eve lived […]

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition,with thanksgiving, present your request to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Colossians 4: 6,7 NIV) Anxiety Ah, reasons to be anxious. Life in general can cause anxiety. Schools in our area begin their first full week. Our children begin school later this week. This new school year for my oldest could not be more exciting. First children endure first time parents. Boy, can we make mistakes. Anyone can look at this child now […]

“I have revealed and saved and proclaimed- I, and not some foreign god among you. You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “that I am God. Yes, and from ancient days I am He. No one can deliver out of my hand. When I act, who can reverse it?” (Isaiah 43:11-13 NIV) Powerful-remove doubt Powerful. This week we looked how good works were prepared in advance for us to complete and God’s example of wineskins for us to change in preparation for our purpose. Many times throughout our walk with Christ, satan will attempt to place doubt in our minds. We […]