Tossed
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But
when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who
doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. James 1:5-7
Spending the week at an ocean has given me the chance to see many
things that I haven't really focused on in the past. How the ocean
waves roll in was one thing that has been particularly interesting. The
way the waves crash against the shore and bring in sea shells and other
life that reside in the ocean has made me think about our lives. We all
look for the answers to our issues in our lives and if we doubt our
Father, then like the waves that crash against the shore, we are tossed
around and our issues remain unresolved. We all need to believe and not
doubt in our God who is bigger than anything we can imagine, because our
faith in God will help us from being tossed around in the ocean of life
and allow us to ride on the wave to the shore.
Have a great weekend.
Friday, June 28, 2013
Friday, June 21, 2013
Fantastic Friday #372 - Enjoy
Enjoy
18 I also said to myself, “As for humans, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals. 19 Surely the fate of human beings is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; humans have no advantage over animals. Everything is meaningless. 20 All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return. 21 Who knows if the human spirit rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?”
22 So I saw that there is nothing better for a person than to enjoy their work, because that is their lot. For who can bring them to see what will happen after them? Ecclesiastes 3:18-22
If you are like me, when you are in the midst of trials and tests that God places before you, it is very hard to see the reason or the rationale behind it. The thing is God doesn't want us to see the reason or the rationale behind it. We all know that God wants us to trust Him and His plans for us during the test. However, we are all human and God reminds us that we will suffer death just like the animals. However, we have a promise that the animals don't have, and that is what is going to happen after we are obedient to God. So when we think that work isn't going in the direction we want it to, and we are tested at every corner with something that really makes us angry and question why; remember to enjoy your work, for it is where God has placed in you preparation for the next thing to happen. Just remember to enjoy, because within enjoy is the word joy, which everyone needs to experience.
Have a great weekend.
18 I also said to myself, “As for humans, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals. 19 Surely the fate of human beings is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; humans have no advantage over animals. Everything is meaningless. 20 All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return. 21 Who knows if the human spirit rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?”
22 So I saw that there is nothing better for a person than to enjoy their work, because that is their lot. For who can bring them to see what will happen after them? Ecclesiastes 3:18-22
If you are like me, when you are in the midst of trials and tests that God places before you, it is very hard to see the reason or the rationale behind it. The thing is God doesn't want us to see the reason or the rationale behind it. We all know that God wants us to trust Him and His plans for us during the test. However, we are all human and God reminds us that we will suffer death just like the animals. However, we have a promise that the animals don't have, and that is what is going to happen after we are obedient to God. So when we think that work isn't going in the direction we want it to, and we are tested at every corner with something that really makes us angry and question why; remember to enjoy your work, for it is where God has placed in you preparation for the next thing to happen. Just remember to enjoy, because within enjoy is the word joy, which everyone needs to experience.
Have a great weekend.
Friday, June 14, 2013
Fantastic Friday #371- Field
Field
7 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. 9 For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building. 1 Corinthians 3:7-9
Lately we as a family have been spending a lot of
time at and on baseball fields. These fields have kept us at times
away from our church family, and have given us limited access to worship
and messages each week at our church home. As the summer season
approaches and we see friends going to summer camps and mission trips, I
wonder am I really doing what I need to do to support God in building
His Kingdom. I was reminded by a friend this week that not every
mission field is at a summer camp or a country far away. Sometimes our
mission field is the field we play on. Maybe it is where we work or
even in our own town or neighborhood. For those who might feel guilty
about not raising money to go out of country, think about the
un-churched that are your neighbors. The playing fields around you are
full of people you can introduce Christ to, so don't feel like just
because your friends are following their gift by taking Christ to those
overseas, that you can't do something in your own ball field. For the
fields are really God's to groom and prepare for you to play on. Take a
step on the field and play hard and show those around you what it truly
means to play ball.7 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. 9 For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building. 1 Corinthians 3:7-9
Have a great weekend.
Friday, June 7, 2013
Fantastic Friday #370- Giving
Giving
6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. Romans 12:6-8
This week we experienced three significant issues with things we own. Within 48 hours the A/C at the house stopped working, my car broke down by dying three different times on the highway, and our other vehicle began having serious mechanical and A/C issues. So, the first thing my wife says to me after all of this craziness was, I think God is testing to see how you react to these issues. Thanks honey for the words of wisdom. At the time I was like, yeah right because I was really kind of mad. I was given some advice to go outside and scream, but instead I took her advice and trusted in God to provide clear direction and a way to get things fixed. Instead of providing immediate answers, he provided something else that was interesting. He provided friends who were giving and loving. Giving by providing portable A/C units so we could make an educated and well-thought out decision. Loving by providing transportation to and from work, baseball practice and other needed activities. So when I reflect on the last several days, it wasn't just the friends who were giving and loving, it was truly God who was giving several things. He was giving perspective on the important things in life. He was also giving His love through these friends, and He was giving me lessons on how should I act. While screaming wouldn't have been a bad thing, it was certainly not what He intended. While we have not resolved all of our issues yet, the perspective I have gained, far outweighs the issues we have faced this week. Remember to utilize your gifts and you might be shown something you weren't expecting.
Have a great weekend.
6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. Romans 12:6-8
This week we experienced three significant issues with things we own. Within 48 hours the A/C at the house stopped working, my car broke down by dying three different times on the highway, and our other vehicle began having serious mechanical and A/C issues. So, the first thing my wife says to me after all of this craziness was, I think God is testing to see how you react to these issues. Thanks honey for the words of wisdom. At the time I was like, yeah right because I was really kind of mad. I was given some advice to go outside and scream, but instead I took her advice and trusted in God to provide clear direction and a way to get things fixed. Instead of providing immediate answers, he provided something else that was interesting. He provided friends who were giving and loving. Giving by providing portable A/C units so we could make an educated and well-thought out decision. Loving by providing transportation to and from work, baseball practice and other needed activities. So when I reflect on the last several days, it wasn't just the friends who were giving and loving, it was truly God who was giving several things. He was giving perspective on the important things in life. He was also giving His love through these friends, and He was giving me lessons on how should I act. While screaming wouldn't have been a bad thing, it was certainly not what He intended. While we have not resolved all of our issues yet, the perspective I have gained, far outweighs the issues we have faced this week. Remember to utilize your gifts and you might be shown something you weren't expecting.
Have a great weekend.
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