God gives wisdom to those who ask...

 

James 1:5-6  "And if, in the process, any of you does not know how to meet any particular problem he has only to ask God---who gives generously to all men without making them feel guilty---and he may be quite sure that the necessary wisdom will be given him.  But he must ask in sincere faith without secret doubts."  (Phillips)

What process?  This refers back to meeting trials and temptations with faith, thus producing a mature perseverance in our faith life.  We are assured that God will help us with this process.  

We needn't be afraid or embarrassed to ask.  God wants to help, wants to teach us and guide us to more mature faith.  That's why he left us the Holy Spirit.

"Sincere faith without secret doubts"---I think we have a fear of having those "secret doubts".  Maybe this is one of Satan's weapons.  If he makes us feel we have weak faith, we will be too ashamed to ask God for anything.  But here it says ask for wisdom anyway---God wants to give it to you.  

So maybe we worry too much about weak faith and doubts.  Come as children and just ask, trusting that our Father wants to give to us what we need!  God loves us and has shown us unmerited kindness and endless mercy.

Thank you Father for your gifts of grace, mercy, love and wisdom.  All we need you are ready to give us when we ask.  amen

God's lavish gift of love...

 

Romans 5:5  "And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit whom he has given us."  (NIV)

"Already we have the love of God flooding through our hearts by the Holy Spirit given to us."  (Phillips)

"We can't round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit."  (MSG)

The Holy Spirit is the source of the great out-pouring of God's love into our hearts.  These 3 translations give a very good sense of just how lavish that out-pouring is.  We see the image of a faucet turned on and left running.  No end!  No stopping this flow of love into us through the Holy Spirit.  No wonder we have great hope!

Thank you Father for your great love poured into us by the Holy Spirit.  Your gifts are always lavish and just what we need!  amen.

God's love and his peace...

 

Isaiah 54:10  "Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed, " says the LORD who has compassion on you."  (NIV)

Mountains may shake, but God's love for us won't!  Hills may be removed, but not God's covenant of peace!  How comforting these words are.  Mountains and hills seem very indestructible to us, but if they all collapsed it wouldn't make any difference to us.  Our real life, our real world is not made of earthly shakable circumstances or based on the strength of earthly strongholds.

Our life is based in a heavenly world, with an omnipotent King.  His love and mercy and peace are what truly sustain us.  Knowing that he says those will never change is where our true hope lies.  

God is God and never changes!  God loves us!  Jesus died for us!  The Holy Spirit lives in us!  Thank you, O LORD God Almighty!  Praise you!

Love and serve others...

 

Colossians 3:12-13  "Since  you have been chosen by God who has given you this new kind of life, and because of his deep love and concern for you, you should practice tenderhearted mercy and kindness to others.  Don't worry about making a good impression on them but be ready to suffer quietly and patiently.  Be gentle and ready to forgive; never hold grudges.  Remember the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others."  (TLB)

Life in God's kingdom requires new attitudes and a new way of living.  Jesus' command to us was to love others.  Everything listed in these verses are ways of showing that love.  

Mercy, kindness, patience, gentleness, forgiveness---all focus on the other person's need.  That is how love works---focusing on another's needs, rather then our own.  Forgiving others and not holding grudges are stressed often in scripture.  Jesus says over and over to forgive our brothers ad sisters in Christ.  Forgiveness was what his whole earthly life was about.  He died so we could be forgiven.  He expects us to forgive others as part of our love for them.  

John 13:15 says, "I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you."  (NIV)  We are to follow Jesus' example to love and serve others.

Thank you Lord for loving us.  Help us to always love others as you have loved us.  You have given us an example to follow, and we need your Holy Spirit to guide us and equip us to live as you lived and serve as you served and love as you loved.  amen

Your faith has healed you...

 

Luke 18:42  Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has healed you."  (NIV)

We always associate these words of Jesus with physical healing and assume when we aren't healed that our faith must be weak.  I'm not sure that is the message Jesus intended. 

 Faith is a starting point that brings us into the presence of Jesus and his healing power.  Faith brings us to the point of asking for his healing.  Faith allows us to regain "sight" spiritually as well as physically.  

Our whole world opens up in wonder, when we "see" Jesus.  When we believe he can touch us and heal us, he will, but it begins inside of us with faith.  Jesus spoke the healing words that were necessary.  The man's faith allowed him to receive the gift.

Give me the faith necessary to receive your healing touch on my entire life.  I need to be healed by you physically, mentally, spiritually, emotionally, or anywhere I am broken and ill.  I trust you to heal me when I seek your face and ask for your help.  Thank you, for your touch of healing grace on my life.  amen

Redeemed...

 

Ephesians 1:7-8  "It is through him, at the cost of his own blood that we are redeemed, freely forgiven through that free and generous grace which has over-flowed into our lives and given us wisdom and insight."  (Phillips)

Redemption, forgiveness---all ours through the grace of God.  How?  By Jesus' blood given for our sins.  I love the descriptive words here---""free and generous"---"overflowed into our lives". 

When God gives gifts, he gives lavishly.  His grace is an overflowing love gift that keeps on giving.  It is a living gift of a living Savior.  It is a hope that is never dimmed.  It is a solution that lasts forever.  It is a promise that has been fulfilled.  It is a reminder of his love and mercy towards us.  It is the love of a Father for his children.  It is our God revealing himself to us.

He has brought everything together in his Son, Jesus Christ, in order to redeem mankind.  We praise and glorify him!  Thank you Lord for your gift of redemption and forgiveness through the loving grace found in your Son, Jesus Christ.  Thank you for all of your lavish gifts given to your children.  Give us your wisdom and insight flowing from this gift of grace.  amen