“My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work” (John 4:34 NIV).
Can you say that is what you are doing for the Lord? Are you finishing the work that the Lord has laid out for you to do? Jesus came to the earth with a specific purpose: to die for our sins and to rise from the dead in order for us to receive eternal life. He came to fulfill many prophecies: to preach good news to the poor, to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. (Isaiah 61:1,2) He knew what pain and agony He would endure on the cross before it happened. When he prayed before He was arrested he was in anguish and prayed earnestly. The Bible says that his sweat was like drops of blood falling on the ground. (Luke 22:44) But even though He knew what horror was ahead of Him, He walked calmly to be the sacrifice for our sins. He did His father’s will.
You have been chosen to do something for the Lord also. It is so important that you fulfill what He wants you to do. You must earnestly pray, just like Jesus did, in order to do His will in your life. It might mean that you will have to step out in faith, or you might be required to give up something that hinders your witness. Maybe your desire for material things outweighs your love of Christ. Jesus was pretty blunt about not worshipping material wealth. Jesus told a rich man to sell everything and give it to the poor and follow him. The man couldn’t do it and Jesus told his disciples that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of Heaven. It can be very easy to love your things more than God. The Lord must be the top priority in your life in order for you to find true happiness. When you are doing His will you notice that others’ needs become more important than your own needs. The Lord came to serve and so your goal must be to find what way God will use your talents to serve others too.
Dear Lord,
I want to do your will. Please guide me as I try to find what you want me to do in order to further your kingdom on this earth. I know there are others who need me to show them your love. Guide me and give me wisdom as I try to live a sacrificial life for you.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Walking in the Wilderness by Ann Elaine Broughton
“Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands” (Deuteronomy 8:2 NIV).
I believe that there are times in our lives when we too can feel like we are wandering in the wilderness just like the Israelites. The Lord made them wander through the wilderness to humble them, and they also learned a lot about how God would help them if they called upon Him when they were in dire need. He provided them with water and food. Their clothes did not wear out. (Deut.8:4)
When we feel as if the world is tumbling down around us, we too must remember that God is with us. Our wildernesses may be illness, depression, lack of money to pay bills, work issues, or problems occurring with the family, too name a few. But even in all these problems, God is there to help us and encourage us. We can learn a lot about ourselves as we are going through our own wilderness walk.
If you feel like you are on that journey than take time to evaluate how closely you have been in touch with the Lord before you were forced to walk in the wilderness. According to this passage the Lord allows you to be in the wilderness to test you to know what is in your heart.
How are you handling your wilderness trip? Are you blaming God or asking Him to give you strength to handle whatever is around the corner? Are you trusting Him to take care of you? While the Israelites were wandering through the wilderness the Lord was with them every step of the way and when they were of the right heart He allowed them to enter the promised land.
On our journey through life there will be many walks in the wilderness, Keep your eyes on the Lord and He will lead you out of your wilderness and someday to your ultimate destination: Heaven.
Dear Lord,
Help us as we walk through our wildernesses. Give us strength to meet the tests and have our hearts tuned into your wisdom to get us through the times when we feel as if we can walk no further. We know that you will be with us and that you will never fail us if we call upon you.
In Jesus' name,
Amen
I believe that there are times in our lives when we too can feel like we are wandering in the wilderness just like the Israelites. The Lord made them wander through the wilderness to humble them, and they also learned a lot about how God would help them if they called upon Him when they were in dire need. He provided them with water and food. Their clothes did not wear out. (Deut.8:4)
When we feel as if the world is tumbling down around us, we too must remember that God is with us. Our wildernesses may be illness, depression, lack of money to pay bills, work issues, or problems occurring with the family, too name a few. But even in all these problems, God is there to help us and encourage us. We can learn a lot about ourselves as we are going through our own wilderness walk.
If you feel like you are on that journey than take time to evaluate how closely you have been in touch with the Lord before you were forced to walk in the wilderness. According to this passage the Lord allows you to be in the wilderness to test you to know what is in your heart.
How are you handling your wilderness trip? Are you blaming God or asking Him to give you strength to handle whatever is around the corner? Are you trusting Him to take care of you? While the Israelites were wandering through the wilderness the Lord was with them every step of the way and when they were of the right heart He allowed them to enter the promised land.
On our journey through life there will be many walks in the wilderness, Keep your eyes on the Lord and He will lead you out of your wilderness and someday to your ultimate destination: Heaven.
Dear Lord,
Help us as we walk through our wildernesses. Give us strength to meet the tests and have our hearts tuned into your wisdom to get us through the times when we feel as if we can walk no further. We know that you will be with us and that you will never fail us if we call upon you.
In Jesus' name,
Amen
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