Fantastic Friday #456 - Shout

Good Morning,

Shout

3 Sing to him a new song;

play skillfully, and shout for joy.

4 For the word of the Lord is right and true;

he is faithful in all he does.

5 The Lord loves righteousness and justice;

the earth is full of his unfailing love.  Psalm 33:3-5

Faith is hard.  Faith requires trust.  Faith requires obedience.  So, why do we doubt so much when the obstacles are placed before us? This week I saw God's involvement over a handful of things that I had doubted in the past, some were small and some were large, but in each result I was able to see His imprint.  We spend so much time in doubt in our lives that we tend to forget how God is in the most minute detail of our life.  Whether it be the accident he saved me from or the important meeting I had that went off without a hitch, God was there.  It takes only a moment to recognize how Big God is and how much He cares for us.  Faith is hard. Faith requires trust.  Faith requires obedience.  So when His faithfulness is seen, don't forget to shout for joy and don't be afraid to sing for His unfailing love is even seen in the smallest of things.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #455 - Neighbor

Neighbor

We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. 2 Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up. 3 For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.” Romans 15:1-3

Do you ever stop to think about your neighbor and how you might help them?  Maybe your neighbor is the person who lives next door to you or the acquaintance you know, or even a close friend. Helping a neighbor with something physical or financial is nice, and even helping those living far-away is something that makes most people feel good.  However, can you think of a nearby neighbor that might be weak and possibly see how you can build them up.  Many times people focus on the people they know really well or they people on the other side of the world, and they forget the hurting people that are right around them.  Don't get me wrong, I find nothing wrong with helping build up those around the world, but what about building up the people in your "little" world not for your benefit but for theirs.  Take a moment to see how you might build up your neighbor and focus on the space around you, it might make a difference in someone else's search for Christ and help build His Kingdom.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #454 - Endure

Endure

⁴ For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.
⁵ May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, ⁶ so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Romans 15:4-6

While the world around us continues to change, a lot towards the negative, I often think what positive things are going on where God is seen and not properly thanked.  Think about the things you have had to endure this week, the bad traffic, the annoying co-worker, the cashier that is more interested in talking to their neighboring co-worker then focusing on your needs, or the hacking/coughing person who just should have stayed home.  While all these are minor annoyances, other people have endured bigger things this week like the loss of a friend, their chemotherapy treatment, the loss of a job, or doubt of God's involvement in their life has crept into their thoughts.  As this scripture says, God gives the encouragement and endurance that we need. Many times we turn to those around us for encouragement because maybe they have that listening ear, but our real encouragement comes from God through His Word.  While I hope these weekly devotionals encourage people, remember it is the Word of the Lord that each devotional starts with and not my own.  Now is the time to endure whatever hardships we may have by turning to our Lord and Savior for the encouragement we will receive.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #453 - Confidence

Confidence

¹⁴ This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. ¹⁵ And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him. 1 John 5:14-15

When you walk through your day, do you do it with confidence or doubt.  We can all take a look around us and see those people who walk with confidence.  Their shoulders are not slumped, their head is held high, and their demeanor is one that is strong.  While the people who doubt themselves or anything, you can look at them and definitely see a physical difference.  So, my question to you is how is your prayer life with God.  Do you approach God with doubt or with confidence.  The scripture clearly says that if we approach with confidence, and if it is according to His will, He hears us. Does it mean that we get everything we ask for, or that our prayers are immediately answered? No, but it does show us that God hears us and if it is within His will, we will receive what is asked of Him.  What happens when we approach God with doubt?  While the scripture doesn't state this, my thought is that God doesn't completely hear us, and doesn't give what is in his will until we pray with confidence in Him.  Maybe we should be more confident in our approaches to God, for He is everything and knows exactly what we need.  Don't doubt that God can do amazing and wonderful things, be confident that He can change anyone, or give anything as a long as we realize it is within His will and not ours.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #452 - Wasteland

Wasteland

¹⁸ “Forget the former things;
    do not dwell on the past.
¹⁹ See, I am doing a new thing!
    Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
    and streams in the wasteland. Isaiah 43:18-19

Do you sometimes feel like you are lost in a wasteland with the enemy trying to batter you and remind you of your past failings?  That is one of the enemy's greatest tactics to tell you that you aren't good enough, you don't know enough, that you really should focus on the bad and not the good.  Scripture tells us to forget the former things and not dwell on the past but we all know this is not easy.  At this time of the year when people set resolutions and goals, remember to focus on the positive and all that God has already done for us so we don't have let the negativity of the enemy's wasteland weigh on us.

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #451 - Love

Love

²⁵ On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
²⁶ “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”
²⁷ He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
²⁸ “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” Luke 10:25-28
Do you think much about this command from God?  It is pretty easy to think it as something simple, but in the end how simple is it?  You can probably say it is easy to love God because He gave us life, gave us this creation, and gave us His Son.  But look at the second part of the command. If you can't love your neighbor, can you really love God fully with all your heart, strength and mind?  I used this is an example to two young men this week, and I think it hit home more to me as I was discussing this with them.  It is very important to love others because I think this only helps us love God more.  We need to find where we fall short in our love and remember how we should love.
Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #450 - Herald

Herald


⁵ For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, ⁶ who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time. ⁷ And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a true and faithful teacher of the Gentiles. 1 Timothy 2:5-7
 
Hark the Herald Angels sing.  That song is a wonderful melodic verse, and when you really break down the phrase, it says the following. Listen, the Announcing Celestial Beings Vocalize Melodically.  Now that doesn't have the same ring to it or roll off the tongue like Hark the Herald Angels Sing, but it does have the same meaning.  When we look at this scripture the Herald, Timothy, was bringing the Word of God to the Gentiles about how Jesus Christ is our mediator between God and us.  Can you think of how many Heralds there are in the Bible who announced the coming of Christ to be that mediator for us? What kind of Herald are you regarding Christ and His return.  You don't have to vocalize melodically the return of our Savior, but you can announce to others how He has changed you.  Be a Herald to people you meet and if you so choose, sing of His Grace.

Have a great weekend.