James 1:2-4 States consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
James doesn’t say if you face trials, but whenever you face them. He assumes that we will have trials and that it is possible to profit from them. The point is not to pretend to be happy when we face pain, but to have a positive outlook (consider it pure joy) because of what trials can produce in our lives, James tells us to turn our hardships into times of learning. Tough times can teach us perseverance. We can’t really know the depth of our character until we see how we react under pressure. It is easy to be kind to others when everything is going well, but can we still be kind when others are treating us unfairly? God wants to make us mature and complete. Not to keep us from all pain. Instead of complaining about our struggles, we should see them as opportunities for growth. Thank God for promising to be with us in our rough times. Ask him to help us solve our problems or to give us the strength to endure them. Than be patient. God will not leave us alone with our problems; he will stay close and help us grow.
Archive for the ‘Inspiration’ Category
Spiritual Training 23 November 2010
Posted: November 23, 2010 in Acceptance, Battle of the Mind, Beliefs, Bible Study, Churches in Maryland, Daily Motivation, Encourgement, Fear, Fear of rejection, Fellowship, Happiness, Healing, Inspiration, Job Opportunity, Justice, Security, and Happiness, Maryland Churches, Personal Growth, Security, Uncategorized, winningTags: Bible Study, Complimenting, Daily Motivation, Encourgment, Happiness, Inspiration, Memorization, Motivation, power, Spiritual Food for the Day
Straight up FEAR
Posted: August 2, 2010 in Acceptance, Battle of the Mind, Fear, Fear of rejection, Inspiration, SecurityTags: Daily Motivation, Encourgment, Fear of rejection, Security
In 1 Chronicles 28:20 we read:(Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Don not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the Lord is finished. David advised Solomon not to be frightened about the size of his task as King and builder of the temple.) Fear can immobilize us. The size of a job, its risk, or the pressure of the situation can cause us to freeze and do nothing. One remedy for fear is found here, don’t focus on the fear, instead, get to work . Getting started is often the most difficult and frightening part o a job.
Completely open with God
Posted: August 2, 2010 in Battle of the Mind, Bible Study, Fear, Fear of rejection, Happiness, Inspiration, Justice, Security, and Happiness, Personal Growth, Security, UncategorizedTags: Fear of rejection, Happiness, Justice, Security, Spiritual Food for the Day
In 1 Chronicles 28:9 We read that the Lord searches every heart. Nothing can be hidden from God. He sees and understands everything in our hearts. David found this out the hard way when God sent Nathan to expose David’s sins of adultery and murder (2 Samuel 12). David told Solomon to be completely open with God and dedicated to him. It makes no sense to try to hide any thoughts or actions from an all-knowing God. This should cause us joy, not fear, because God knows even the worst about us and loves us anyway.
Cooperating with the Holy Spirit
Posted: May 7, 2010 in Battle of the Mind, Daily Motivation, Encourgement, Fellowship, Happiness, Inspiration, Money, Money Issue, Personal Growth, UncategorizedTags: Bible Study, Daily Motivation, Encourgment, Fellowship, Healing, Mind, Money Problems, Motivation, power, Spiritual Food for the Day
Let the Spirit change your way of thinking. Ephesians 4:23 by Rick Warren
Throughout the Bible we see an important truth illustrated over and over: the Holy Spirit releases his power the moment you take a step of faith.
When Joshua was faced with an impassible barrier, the floodwaters of the Jordan River receded only after the leaders stepped into the rushing current in obedience and faith. Obedience unlocks God’s power.
God waits for you to act first. Don’t wait to feel powerful or confident. Move ahead in your weakness, doing the right thing in spite of your fears and feelings. This is how you cooperate with the Holy Spirit, and it is how your character develops.
The Bible compares spiritual growth to a seed, a building, and a child growing up. Each metaphor requires active participation: seeds must be planted and cultivated, buildings must be built – they don’t just appear – and children must eat and exercise to grow.
While effort has nothing to do with your salvation, it has much to do with your spiritual growth. At least eight times in the New Testament we are told to “make every effort” in our growth toward becoming like Jesus. (Luke 13:24 NIV; Romans 14:19 NIV; Ephesians 4:3 NIV; 2 Timothy 2:15 NCV; Hebrews 4:11 NIV; Hebrews 12:14 NIV; 2 Peter 3:14 NIV)
You don’t just sit around and wait for it to happen.
Paul explains in Ephesians 4:22-24 our three responsibilities in becoming like Christ.
- First, we must choose to let go of old ways of acting. “Everything . . . connected with that old way of life has to go. It’s rotten through and through. Get rid of it!” (Ephesians 4:22 MSG)
- Second, we must change the way we think. “Let the Spirit change your way of thinking.” (Ephesians 4:23 CEV) The Bible says we are “transformed” by the renewing of our minds. (Romans 12:2) The Greek word for transformed, metamorphosis (used in Romans 12:2 and 2 Corinthians 3:18), is used today to describe the amazing change a caterpillar goes through in becoming a butterfly. It is a beautiful picture of what happens to us spiritually when we allow God to direct our thoughts: we are changed from the inside out, we become more beautiful, and we are set free to soar to new heights.
Third, we must put on the character of Christ by developing new, godly habits. Your character is essentially the sum of your habits; it is how you habitually act. The Bible says, “Put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:24 NIV)
God’s point of view
Posted: March 22, 2010 in Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, UncategorizedTags: Bible Study, Daily Motivation, Encourgment, Fellowship, Spiritual Food for the Day
| Perspective: see from God’s point of view by Rick Warren |
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| Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong. Hebrews 5:14 (NLT)
Perspective is understanding something because you see it from a larger frame of reference. It is the ability to perceive how things are interrelated and then judge their comparative importance. And, for believers, it means seeing life from God’s point of view. In the Bible, the words “understanding”, “wisdom”, and “discernment” all have to do with perspective. The opposite of perspective is “hardness of heart”, “blinded” and “dullness.” Psalm 103:7 says, “He (God) made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel.” The people of Israel got to see what God did, but Moses got to understand why God did it. This is the difference between knowledge and perspective. Knowledge is learning what God has said and done. Perspective is understanding why God said it or did it. Perspective answers the “Why?” questions of life. The Bible says that unbelievers have no spiritual perspective (1 Corinthians 2:14). Likewise a lack of perspective is a mark of spiritual immaturity (1 Corinthians 3:1-2, 13:11, 14:20). God’s reoccurring complaint about the nation of Israel was that they lacked perspective. Many of the prophets rebuked this weakness (Isaiah 44:18, Jeremiah 4:22, Micah 4:12). In contrast, having perspective is evidence of spiritual maturity and our ability to recognize the difference between right and wrong. |
The Church Family
Posted: March 22, 2010 in Acceptance, Daily Motivation, Encourgement, Fellowship, Inspiration, Personal Growth, winningTags: Bible Study, Daily Motivation, Encourgment, Fellowship, Inspiration, Job Opportunity, power, Spiritual Food for the Day
| A church family is a laboratory for love by Rick Warren |
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| All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it. 1 Corinthians 12:27 (NLT)
You are not the Body of Christ on your own. You need others to express that. Together, not separated, we are his Body. A church family moves you out of self-centered isolation. The local church is the classroom for learning how to get along in God’s family. It is a lab for practicing unselfish, sympathetic love. As a participating member you learn to care about others and share the experiences of others: “If one part of the body suffers, all the other parts suffer with it. Or if one part of our body is honored, all the other parts share its honor.” (1 Corinthians 12:26 NCV) Only in regular contact with ordinary, imperfect believers can we learn real fellowship and experience the New Testament truth of being connected and dependent on each other. (Ephesians 4:16, Romans 12:4-5, Colossians 2:19, 1 Corinthians 12:25) Biblical fellowship is being as committed to each other as we are to Jesus Christ. God expects us to give our lives for each other. Many Christians who know John 3:16 are unaware of 1 John 3:16: “Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.” (NIV) This is the kind of sacrificial love God expects you to show other believers—a willingness to love them in the same way Jesus loves you. |
Show you believe by belonging
Posted: March 22, 2010 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Fellowship, Happiness, InspirationTags: Daily Motivation, Encourgment, Job Opportunity, Motivation, power, Spiritual Food for the Day
| Show you believe by belonging by Rick Warren |
| Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples. John 13:35 (NLT)
The Bible says a Christian without a church home is like an organ without a body, a sheep without a flock, or a child without a family. It is an unnatural state. The Bible says, “You belong in God’s household with every other Christian.” (Ephesians 2:19b LB) Today’s culture of independent individualism has created many spiritual orphans—”bunny believers” who hop around from one church to another without any identity, accountability, or commitment. Many believe it is possible to be a “good Christian” without joining (or even attending) a local church, but God would strongly disagree. The church is so significant that Jesus died on the cross for it. “Christ loved the church and gave his life for it.” (Ephesians 5:25 GW) Except for a few important exceptions referring to all believers throughout history, almost every time the word church is used in the Bible it refers to a local, visible congregation. The New Testament assumes membership in a local congregation. The only Christians not members of a local fellowship were those under church discipline who had been removed from the fellowship because of gross public sin. (1 Corinthians 5:1-13; Galatians 6:1-5) The Bible offers many compelling reasons why you need to be committed and active in a local fellowship. A church family identifies you as a genuine believer. I can’t claim to be following Christ if I’m not committed to any specific group of disciples. Jesus said, “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” (John 13:35 NLT) When we come together in love as a church family from different backgrounds, race, and social status, it is a witness to the world. (Galatians 3:28 MSG; see also John 17:21) |
Love your spiritual family
Posted: March 22, 2010 in Beliefs, Daily Motivation, Encourgement, Fellowship, Inspiration, Personal Growth, UncategorizedTags: Bible Study, Daily Motivation, Encourgment, Fellowship, Inspiration, Spiritual Food for the Day
| Love your spiritual family by Rick Warren |
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Love your spiritual family. 1 Peter 2:17b (MSG)
As I mentioned yesterday, the church is a body, not a building; an organism, not an organization. For the organs of your body to fulfill their purpose, they must be connected to your body. The same is true for you as a part of Christ’s Body. You were created for a specific role, but you will miss out on this if you’re not attached to a living, local church. You discover your role in life though your relationships with others. The Bible tells us, “Each part gets its meaning from the body as a whole, not the other way around. The body we’re talking about is Christ’s body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body. But as a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we wouldn’t amount to much, would we?” (Romans 12:4-5 MSG) If an organ is somehow severed from its body, it will shrivel and die. It cannot exist on its own, and neither can you. Disconnected and cut off from the lifeblood of a local body, your spiritual life will wither and eventually cease to exist. (Ephesians 4:16) This is why the first symptom of spiritual decline is usually inconsistent attendance at worship services and other gatherings of believers. Whenever we become careless about fellowship, everything else begins to slide, too. The Bible says, “Love your spiritual family.” (1 Peter 2:17b MSG) Membership in the family of God is neither inconsequential nor something to be casually ignored. The church is God’s agenda for the world. Jesus said, “I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.” (Matthew 16:18 NLT) |
Trusting God when I don’t understand
Posted: March 22, 2010 in Acceptance, Daily Motivation, Encourgement, Fellowship, Inspiration, Personal Growth, UncategorizedTags: Encourgment, Fellowship, Inspiration, power, Spiritual Food for the Day
| Trusting God when I don’t understand by Rick Warren |
| “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)
When the children of Israel were finally set free from Egypt after 400 years of slavery, they started marching out to freedom and the first thing they came to was the Red Sea. There were impassable mountain ranges on two sides of them, the sea in front of them. Behind them, in hot pursuit, was the Egyptian army because the Pharaoh had changed his mind about letting them go. The path before the Israelites looked like a dead end. But God knew exactly what He wanted to do. He had not made a mistake. He could see what they could not see. He opened the Red Sea and they walked through to safety. Years later, the Israelites looked back and sang, “Your road led by a pathway through the sea—a pathway no one knew was there!” (Psalm 77:19 LB). You may be facing a dead end right now—financial, emotional, relational—but God can see a path that you don’t know about. If you will trust God and keep on moving in faith, even when you don’t see a way, He will make a way. It will become more understandable as you head down the path he sets before you, but understanding is not a requirement for you to start down the path. Proverbs 4:18 says, “The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter till the full light of day” (NIV). One day you will stand in the full light of eternity and view the big picture. You’ll see God’s purpose behind the path He specifically chose for you. What do I do in the meantime? You do what Proverbs 3 says: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” What does He mean “don’t lean on your own understanding”? You don’t need to try to figure it out. In truth, you’re not going to understand most of the things that happen in your life until you get to heaven. Be patient. God knows what He’s doing. God knows what’s best for you. He can see the end result. You can’t. All those problems, heartaches, difficulties and delays — all the things that make you ask “why” — one day it will all be clear in the light of God’s love. But for now, we’re learning to trust God. |
Just Ask
Posted: March 22, 2010 in Encourgement, Fellowship, Inspiration, Personal Growth, UncategorizedTags: Daily Motivation, Fellowship, Inspiration
| Just ask! by Rick Warren |
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| “If you want to know what God really wants you to do, ask him . . . but if you don’t ask in faith, don’t expect the Lord to give you any solid answer.” James 1:5-6 (LB)
The Bible says when we ask God for guidance, we need to believe he will give us that guidance. Jesus said, “Ask and it shall be given, seek and ye shall find, knock and the door will be opened” (Luke 11:9 NIV). Ask, seek, knock—ASK. God wants you to learn to ask. God is willing to give wisdom: “If you want to know what God really wants you to do, ask him, and he will gladly tell you, for he is always ready to give a bountiful supply of wisdom to all who ask him; but . . . if you don’t ask in faith, don’t expect the Lord to give you any solid answer” (James 1: 5-6 LB). God wants to direct you in life, but two things need to line up: You have to ask the right person—God, and you have to ask with the right attitude—in faith, expecting an answer. Have you ever asked God for something and didn’t expect to get it? That’s why you didn’t get it. God works in our lives according to faith. So many times we say, “God, please guide me!” and we walk away not even waiting for guidance. We just immediately start to work. We say, “God, I want you to give me wisdom, help me make the right decision.” But we don’t really expect Him to do that. We think it all depends on us. God has promised to give us wisdom, if we will ask. Wisdom is seeing life from God’s point of view. Wisdom is the ability to make decisions the way God makes decisions. Think about this: God never makes a bad decision. He never makes a mistake. He says if we trust Him and listen to Him, He will guide us. But we must ask in faith. |
Under Gods command 