Enemies

"If only you would slay the wicked, O God!

Away from me, you bloodthirsty men!

They speak of you with evil intent;

your adversaries misuse your name.

Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD,

and abhor those who rise up against you?

I have nothing but hatred for them;

I count them my enemies.

Search me, O God, and know my heart;

test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting."

Psalm 139:19-24

"Love your enemies

and pray for those who persecute you,

that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.

He causes his sun to rise on the evil

and the good,

and sends rain on the righteous

and the unrighteous."

Matthew 6:43-44

I have something to talk about today that makes me uncomfortable.  It is the topic of enemies.  Usually, when I think of enemies in the context of today's verses, I think of those who have hurt me personally.  But in light of the book I am reading that warns about the threat of radical Islam to Western society, I am thinking of a more global enemy.

There is no doubt, we are being hunted.  And it's not because of America's free society or our work in spreading democracy, although that is something that radical Muslim's hate about us.  We are being stalked because we do not conform to their belief system as laid out in the Qur'an.   We are targeted because we do not worship Allah and spread the teachings of Mohammad who commands that infidels be annihilated.  (Koran 9:5)

I don't know what to do with this information as a follower of Christ.  On the one hand, I'm with David.  I want to pray for the destruction of my enemies.  I desire to see them destroyed for the sake of freedom-loving people everywhere.  I want to warn everyone, especially those in power, to wake up and smell the coffee. . . that death is on our doorstep and we are welcoming it in with open arms in the name of tolerance and religious freedom!

Then I look at my heart as I read on in Psalm 139 and the words of Jesus found in Matthew 6.  My heart is anxious and offensive to God.  I remember that He is good to all. . . even to those who kill in the name of Allah.

When I give my heart back to God, He fills it with love for my enemy.  And He shows me some things I need to know about my enemy.

Lost

According to the UN, 1.25 billion people in the world claim to be Muslims while just over 2 billion profess Christianity as their religion.  Islam is growing at a rate of 6.4% worldwide as compared to a rate of 1.46% for Christianity.  At this rate, Islam will soon overtake Christianity as the most popular religion.  

This means there are millions of people who are being deceived by a teaching that leads away from the One True God.  They are giving their lives in the hopes of collecting on a promise of reward from Allah when all they will receive is separation from God and an eternity of suffering.  

I have friends who are Muslim, and they passionately believe that Islam is the one true religion.  They believe with all their heart that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is his prophet.  

As they talk about their struggles, I see that they are the same as me, trying to do right but failing miserably.  They need a Savior just as much as I do. They need the assurance of salvation that only comes from accepting Jesus as their Savior, just like I do. They need to know God loves them despite their less-than-worthy performance, just like I do.

If I can think of those who follow radical Islam in the same way, I can learn to pray for them as lost souls who desperately need Jesus instead of as ruthless killers who will stop at nothing to wipe out Western civilization as we know it.  ". . .when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son."  (Romans 5:10)

We all deserve God's wrath because of our sin, but are offered salvation out of His great love for us.  

Freedom

As an American, freedom is important to me and I think of it as a God-given right.  But God doesn't offer freedom as a way of life.  Instead, He offers freedom from the bondage of sin.  "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." (Galatians 5:1)

When something as sinister and merciless as radical Islam is threatening Democracy around the world, I want to fight it.  I think it is our duty as freedom-loving Americans to take a strong stand against it.  But maybe that's not an attitude I can take to God.  Who says all Christians have a right to live in a free society?  God does not.  Is that His priority when He looks at the state of the world?

As I read and study the Bible, it seems to me that God is all about reconciliation.  He is all about relationship.  He created us so that we could be connected to Him on a personal level.   I see many Christians around the world who are living in oppressive societies where their faith grows stronger and stronger.  

Perhaps I'm getting it mixed-up.  Freedom is a wonderful blessing, giving me the opportunity to worship God.    But political freedom for all people should not be my prayer.  Instead, freedom from the bondage of sin that is offered through faith in Jesus Christ should be my greatest desire for all people.  Even for those who want to kill me.

As Oswald Chambers wrote, "Freedom is the ability not to insist on my rights, but to see that God gets his."  My enemies cannot kill this kind of freedom. . . and they need it just as much as I do.

Maybe today's devotional was a little off-the-wall.  It was hard for me to write and I am struggling with the idea of loving an enemy that is so bent on my destruction.  But I believe God has a plan.  I believe He loves us.  I believe He is a good God.  In light of all these things, I know He wants me to pray for my enemies as I remember that they are lost and in need of the kind of freedom faith in Christ can give.  

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can look to God for help in loving my enemies.

How do I put people in categories, deciding who deserves the gospel message and who doesn't?

How would loving my enemies change my heart attitude?

Extraordinary Life

"O LORD, you are my God;

I will exalt you 

and

praise your name,

for in perfect faithfulness

you have done marvelous things,

things planned long ago."

Isaiah 25:1

Routine.  Mundane.  Predictable.  Monotonous.  Tedious.  These are words that sometimes describe my life.  Henri de Lubec, 20th Century theologian has said that, "Habit and routine have an unbelievable power to waste and destroy."


It feels like that sometimes.  Even though I am a person who loves routine and thrives in the ordinary, everyday stuff of life, I do sometimes feel weary of the usual and long for a diversion. . .an interval of the uncommon.


Feelings can get me in trouble.  When my life is rooted in the regular, I must embrace it with passion and delight.  This is the position in which God has placed me for this time.  How do I keep from becoming worn-out with the commonplace that is my life?


Remember my God!  He is far from ordinary, mundane or predictable.  He has done marvelous things.

Creation 

There is no time as extraordinary as springtime.  New life is all around, beckoning me to take a deeper look.  Tiny buds are popping out of dead-looking branches, giving hope when I feel dull and lifeless. 

Robins busy digging for worms herald an awakening of the earth, much as my heart is roused by the hope found in my Savior.  

Happy daffodils spring forth from the dormant soil, trumpeting the entrance of new life where once was only death. "I once was lost,  but now am found. . .

Looking at the marvelous intricacies of God's creation is one way to remember His greatness in the midst of the common.

His Mighty Hand

I enjoy Charlton Heston's portrayal of Moses in Cecil B. DeMille's epic The Ten Commandments, especially when he stretches his staff over the Red Sea and proclaims, "Behold His mighty hand!"  

I may never witness a miracle like the parting of the Red Sea, but the work of His mighty hand is all around me.

It is in the tiniest bit of softening occurring in a loved one's heart, only perceptible upon the closest of scrutiny.

Or it is perceived as I awaken one day realizing the fog has lifted from my soul and I am free to step into the sunshine.

Perhaps His mighty hand is found in the tender comfort of a much needed word of encouragement.  

God is busy all around me.  Jesus reminded me in John 5:17 that, "My Father is always at His work to this very day. . ."  Do I notice?

Searching for the miracles found here and there is another way to remember His greatness in the midst of the common.

Redemption

I am a fallen creature without hope of a future in and of myself.  I cannot save myself from the problem of sin.

God expects perfection.  That is His standard for my life.  If I want to have a relationship with Him and spend eternity in His presence, I must perfectly obey every law, statute and commandment He ever put forth. 

Knowing my own inability to love my family, I know I can't even begin to meet this expectation.  Thankfully, God loves me enough that He made a way for me to get to Him despite my failures.

Jesus Christ is my hope!  He took the punishment for my sins, for all the times I fall short, and in so doing, made a way for me to get to God through faith.  I have been redeemed!  My life has been saved from certain death in the sacrifice Jesus made for me. . . and for you.  We now can reach the state of perfection through faith in our Savior, Jesus Christ! Not that we are perfect. . .but that the blood of Jesus covers our sin making us white as snow. 

Astounding.  Unspeakable.  Shocking.  Mind-boggling. 

Remembering the redemptive work done in great agony and sacrifice by Jesus Christ on the cross is another way to remember the greatness of God in the midst of the common.

In light of God's amazing creation, His miraculous works, and His indescribable gift of redemption, my common life is not so ordinary after all.  If I really pay attention to all He is doing around me, I can honestly say my life is extraordinary!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can remember to look for all God is doing around me at any given moment.

How do I choose to ignore God's mighty hand in the midst of the mundane?

When do I adopt a spirit of ungratefulness despite His many blessings?

Joy

"And see, now I go bound in the Spirit to Jerusalem,

not knowing the things that will happen to me there,

except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city,

saying that chains and tribulations await me.

But none of these things move me;

nor do I count my life dear to myself,

so that I may finish my race with joy,

and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus,

to testify to the gospel of the grace of God."

Acts 20:22-24 NKJV

Birds flit outside my window, fluttering here and there throughout the tree in front of my house. Their happy songs float through the closed window where the cat sits as a hunter stalking his prey, tail flitting back and forth and chattering his excitement.  Watching the scene play out before me, I think that the Lord must be pleased seeing His creation doing what He created them to do.  They are living according to His plan for their lives.

I can please the Lord in the same way, by doing what He created me to do.  Each of us has a calling in this life; a specific ministry in which He has invited us to take part in.  Whatever that service happens to be, there are certain virtues which identify us as followers of Christ as opposed to a person doing good things for others out of human compassion.  

What sets us apart from the rest of the world?

Clothing

Many jobs require a certain dress code specific to the task required of the profession.  Medical personnel don white coats or scrubs, mechanics wear coveralls while police officers sport uniforms complete with badges and holsters.  

Ministry is no different.  God calls us to a certain line of service within our regular lives, but each of us is instructed to put on the same attire.  "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." (Colossians 3:12) 

Just as a uniform is usually supplied by the employer, so these virtues come from God as a result of submitting myself to Him.  Unlike the cat who naturally behaves in the way God created him to behave, I have the problem of sin to contend with.  

Either I can follow my sinful nature and act according to what comes naturally, or I can submit myself to God and let Him have His way in each situation.  When I let Him win out, the fruit of the Spirit develops, setting me apart from the rest of the world.

So when the doctor's office personnel inadvertently drop my appointment, frustration rises within me.  Then humility calls me to apologize for my huffy attitude, thus displaying the gospel through my actions.

I am set apart as a follower of Christ in the uniform I wear.

Manner

I live in a harsh, unforgiving world.  Garrison Keillor, host of The Prairie Home Companion, said, "What else will do except faith in such a cynical, corrupt time?  When the country goes temporarily to the dogs, cats must learn to be circumspect, walk on fences, sleep in trees, and have faith that all this woofing is not the last word."  

Just as cats know how to get around and live their lives as felines despite the presence of vicious canines, Christians need not become like the world in order to fit in.  Instead, I can work to forgive and let go of hurts in order that God be glorified.

For instance, if my focus is on defending my own rights, I will constantly be taking up for myself when someone steps on my toes or offends my liberties.  But if I take on the attitude like that of Christ Jesus, I will let offenses go, pardoning others' actions just as God forgave me.  

Carrying an unforgiving attitude shows how little I understand how much God forgave me.  He has pardoned me of all of my sins: past, present and future. 

The merciful attitude I carry through life is one of the greatest testimonies of God's forgiveness.  The apostle Paul exhorts me to, "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."  (Ephesians 4:32)

I am set apart as a follower of Christ in the manner I bear.

Glue

I remember a worship song from the 70's based on John 13:35 called, "They will Know We are Christians by our Love."  It talks about our unity as believers and how our hallmark is to be love.  

Observing the state of the church today, I'm not sure I see much love as we fight over the color of the carpet in the sanctuary and the way the money should be spent.  These quarrels happen when I put my own interests above those of my brothers and sisters.  

To understand love, I can look to 1 Corinthians 13 where it tells me:

"Love never gives up.

Love cares more for others than for self.

Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.

Love doesn't strut,

Doesn't have a swelled head,

Doesn't force itself on others,

Isn't always 'me first,'

Doesn't fly off the handle,

Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,

Doesn't revel when others grovel,

Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,

Puts up with anything

Trusts God always,

Always looks for the best,

Never looks back,

But keeps going to the end."

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 MSG

This love that comes from God is the glue that holds the whole package of my Christian life together.  

I am set apart as a follower of Christ in the glue that binds these virtues together in perfect unity and shows that God cares.

Joy comes not from living a life free from difficulties, but by living as God created me to live.  He calls me into a ministry where I must clothes myself with His uniform, exhibit a manner like the attitude of Jesus, and bind it all together with love.  

This is what pleases my Father in heaven and brings joy to my heart!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I will remember to put on my uniform.

When do I tend to slip into an attitude of self-preservation or defending myself instead of forgiveness?

How often do things fall apart because I forgot to use the glue of love to hold it all together?

God's Voice

Jesus said:

"No one can come to me unless the Father

who sent me draws him, 

and I will raise him up at the last day.

It is written in the Prophets: 'They will all be taught by God.'

Everyone who listens to the Father

and learns from him

comes to me."

 John 6:44-45

"My sheep listen to my voice;

I know them,

and they follow me."

John 10:27

A friend once said to me, "Too bad God doesn't communicate via text message.  Then at least I'd know exactly what He wanted me to do!"  We laughed because it is common to feel unsure about God's will in many areas of our lives.  

I want to follow God's lead, but many times I'm unsure of where He is located.  It's like I'm playing a game of "Marco Polo."  I call out "Marco" to Him, then I listen for Him to respond, "Polo," but I don't always hear anything.  I call out again. . . nothing.  I feel frustrated.  Where is He?

I know His voice because I heard Him when I first came to Christ.  He called me and I responded, but He was the one who called. He initiated.  I didn't ask Him, "Is this something You want me to do?"  I simply responded to His calling.

Maybe that's where I get mixed up.  I try to put the cart before the horse and ask God if He's calling me.  In reality, He is calling me but I am getting distracted by all that's going on around me.

How does God call me?

His Word

When I read, study and meditate on God's Word, I am not merely learning important truths.  I am taking God Himself into my being and letting Him change me, guide me and teach me.  

God uses scripture to call me to let go of harmful habits, attitudes and actions, and to take up godly ones instead.  He speaks through His Word.  If I merely study His Word and then go about my day without another thought as to what I read, I am doing what James taught about when he said, "Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like."  (James 1:23-24)

God's Word is meant to be dissected, analyzed and searched as I look for His message to me.    It is meant to be applied to my life; I should constantly be asking, "What is God saying to me here?"

God promised that I will find Him when I seek Him with all of my heart.  This applies to His Word, as well.  I must approach the Bible with a seeking heart. . . then I will find Him!

God calls me through the careful and intentional incorporation of His Word into my life.

Opportunity

Dozens of opportunities present themselves to me weekly.  Activities, missions, group studies, outreach, service, etc.  The list can go on and on.  But surely God does not mean for me to be involved in all of them!

Henry Blackaby and Claude King described it this way in their powerful study Experiencing God:  "If you keep your life God-centered, you will immediately put your life along side His activity.  When you see God at work around you, your heart will leap within you and say,'Thank you, Father, thank You for letting me be involved where You are.'

The key is to pay attention to God, not all the opportunities that constantly pop up.  Then, I will recognized His Hand at work around me and I can join in with confidence, knowing that it is where God wants me at that moment.  

The Apostle Paul teaches in Philippians 2:13 that, "It is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose."   God initiates!  He gives me, "the desire and the power to do what pleases him." (NLT)

God calls me when I pay attention to Him and what He is already doing around me.

Heart

We sing a powerful worship song called, "Hosanna" by Hillsong during corporate worship in our congregation.  While the entire song is moving, there is one line in particular that stands out like a beacon.  "Break my heart for what breaks yours."

I can't hear God's voice when I am only concerned about my own welfare.  Seeing things from God's perspective gives me a tender heart that breaks when I see suffering around me, and I am drawn to action.  But that kind of perspective is a supernatural work of God on my heart.  

David was considered to be a man after God's own heart but he fell away into sin for a time.  When he came back to the Lord, He asked God to, "create in me a clean heart, O God." (Psalm 51:10 NLT) 

It is easy for my heart to become corrupted by the beliefs of this world, hardened by the difficulties of life, and jaded by all the disappointments I have experienced.  But God can cleanse, soften and readjust my heart so that It is more closely aligned to His. 

Oswald Chambers points out that there is a difference between possessing the heart of God, and acting out of human compassion.  "Beware of counterfeiting the love of God by working along the line of natural human sympathy, because that will end in blaspheming the love of God."  

God calls me when my heart is intimately associated with His.

Hearing God's voice is not like playing a game of "Marco Polo."  Instead, it involves studying and applying His Word to every part of my life, focusing on Him and recognizing His work around me, and inclining my heart toward Him.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I will let God's Word infect every part of my life.

How do I act out of natural human sympathy instead of with the heart of God?

What can I do to help myself focus on God throughout the day?

.

Unaware

" 'I am with you and will watch over you

wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land.

I will not leave you until I have done 

what I have promised you.'

When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought,

'Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it.' "

Genesis 28:15-16

How many times is God with me and I'm not even aware of His presence?  When I'm worried about the future,  angry at my loved one, grieving over a loss, or brokenhearted at the thought of past sins. . . He is there with me.

After Jesus gave what we call "The Great Commission" as recorded in Matthew 28, he ended with the declaration that, ". . . surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."  (v 20)

God is with me, even when I don't realize it, but if I don't acknowledge Him in all my ways, I will not recognize His presence.

In His Word

There are many people who read the Bible as a book of wisdom and guidance.  It is chock-full of good advice and helpful hints on how to live a good life.  But the Bible is so much more than a self-help book or a manual of guidance!

The Bible is God's Word.  Hebrews 4:12 says, "For the word of God is living and active.  Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."  

God is present in His Word!  Once I accept Jesus as my Savior, His Spirit dwells within me.  As I read God's Word, His indwelling Spirit teaches, rebukes, corrects and trains in righteousness.   

It is important to be steeped in the Truth that is found in God's Word so that I will recognize the lies that our culture constantly puts forth.  As poet Ralph Waldo Emerson penned, "Truth is beautiful, without doubt; but so are lies."  I am so easily deceived and led astray!

If I will take the time to study God's Word, His Spirit will painfully point out the deceptive beliefs I have taken in as gospel and will convict me to purge my thoughts of those deceiving teachings.  

In order to recognize God's presence in His Word, I must take the time to study it as His living Word, giving Him access to my spirit so He can use it to sever ungodly thoughts and attitudes.

Directing My Footsteps  

I remember an old proverb that goes, "He who fails to plan, plans to fail."  While it is good for me to think about my future and plan wisely, I must realize that God is the one in control.  As Proverbs 16:9 reminds me, "We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps." (NLT)

I am easily frustrated when things don't go my way because I forget this truth.  Like when my car won't start, causing me to be late for an appointment.  As I fume in aggravation, God is patiently protecting me from an accident I would have encountered if I had left on my schedule. 

Or when my pregnancy is not going as planned, keeping me on bed rest instead of giving me a chance to continue working as I had intended.  While I sit like a giant incubator, God is teaching me lessons about trusting Him that I could not have learned any other way.

Or when I wanted to eat my favorite dish for lunch, but it didn't work out like I had planned.  As I pout in disappointment, God is working to shield me from food poisoning.  

Plans are good, but trusting God is better.  He is the One that knows the directions for my life so if I follow Him, I won't get lost!

Patiently Waiting

God does not force His way into my life.  Instead, He waits to be invited.  Revelation 3:20 quotes Jesus as saying, "Here I am!  I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with Him, and He with me." 

The picture is of Jesus standing on the threshold of my everyday life, waiting to be invited in among the ordinary things.  He wants to be part of my meals, my conversations, my work, my home, my vacations, my thoughts.  But He won't enter in unless asked.

God is not just a God of the big stuff; weddings, graduations, deaths, births, crises.  He is also a God of the little things: scraped knees, hurt feelings, lost kitties, loneliness, dead batteries.  God cares about me and He wants to be a part of every piece of my life!

God loves me and is with me in so many ways, but I don't even realize it.  In order to become more conscious of His loving presence, I must make an intentional effort to acknowledge Him.  He is present in the reading of His Word, in the direction of my footsteps, and as He waits patiently to be invited into the everyday parts of my life.

Fifteenth Century Catholic theologian Teresa of Avila recorded her thoughts about the concept of God's presence in our lives.  She wrote, "The feeling remains that God is on the journey, too."  

Yes, He's there . . . even when I'm unaware.  

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I will learn to open my life freely to the God who loves me.

How do I unknowingly block God from certain parts of my life?

How do I knowingly block God from certain parts of my life?

Heart Letter

"Clearly, you are a letter from Christ showing the result

of our ministry among you.

This "letter" is written not with pen and ink,

but with the Spirit of the living God.

It is carved not on tablets of stone,

but on human hearts."

2 Corinthians 3:3 NLT

Her countenance displayed a peace that didn't make sense under the circumstances.  Her son had been diagnosed with a progressive and pervasive illness after a period of suffering and decline in health.  The treatment took time and her son did not respond as quickly as hoped.  Still, her actions reflected the hope she carried in her heart.  The way she handled herself throughout this crisis was a powerful testimony to her faith in Jesus Christ to everyone she came into contact with during that difficult time.


My life is a testimony, and people are reading the story all the time.  Either I am showcasing the peace that only comes in trusting Jesus with all things, or I am revealing the hopelessness I feel as I struggle to go on in my own strength.  


As the old saying goes, "Actions speak louder than words."  The way I live my life speaks volumes.  

Lord of my Life

Who is lord of my life?  Great 20th Century Christian intellectual C.S. Lewis put it this way.  "To love and admire anything outside yourself is to take one step away from utter spiritual ruin; though we shall not be well so long as we love and admire anything more than we love and admire God."  

I cannot live as the woman God created me to be until Jesus is Lord of my life.  Something will always be off.  Fears will creep in and smother.  Despair will rule.

But Jesus told us as recorded in John 10 that He is the gate; the only way to get to God.  He said, "whoever enters through me will be saved.  He will come in and go out, and find pasture.  The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." (v 9-10)

This is a promise that whoever enters into a relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ will experience an abundant life. Not just an existence where Satan constantly steals my joy, kills my hope and destroys my peace.  No. . . faith in Jesus gives me hope where no hope seems to exist.  Like in the hospital room.  Or in the midst of a difficult marriage.  Even in the dark places of my heart.

Making Jesus Lord of my life means that I trust Him fully with all things, not just the stuff I want to give to Him.  He wants all of me.  He said, "Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)  

Before my life can be a testimony for Jesus, my life must belong to Him.

Authentic Living

I know a woman who is suffering deeply.  She stepped away from the faith and into another religion that teaches a false gospel.  Her physical ailments weigh heavily upon her.  The family issues drag her down.  She sounds hopeless.  As she stands on the brink of a difficult separation within her family, I ask her how she feels about the situation.  She tells me what she thinks she's supposed to say, trying to reassure herself that if she focuses only on the good and not the hurt, she'll be okay.

We all know better.  Ignoring pain does not make it go away.  In fact, I would submit that it makes it grow until the hurt cannot be ignored.

God wants me to be honest with my feelings, struggles and fears.  Especially in my conversations with Him.  Think about it: He already knows my feelings, struggles, and fears.  When I try to pretend everything is okay or if I only say what I think He wants me to say, then I am lying to Him for He already knows!  

Honest sharing of feelings is the hallmark of a deep intimate relationship.  If I can't trust God with my difficulties, who can I trust?  He loves me more than anyone. As I share with Him, I will experience His healing touch as He transforms my perspective from one of despair to one filled with hopefulness.

Before my life can be a testimony for Jesus, I must be honest with Him.

Be Ready

The motto of the Boy Scouts of America is, "Be Prepared."  The idea is that if one is well trained, he will be ready to help whenever needed, know how to meet the challenges that life brings, and be able to handle the struggles that will inevitably present themselves. 

It is the same with us as we follow Christ.  I must take training seriously so that I will, ". . .be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect."  (1 Peter 3:15)    

When people see the, "peace that passes understanding, " in the mother's countenance as she waits for the lab results, they will want to know how she can not be worried out of her mind.  The training that she has undergone as she has studied God's Word over the years kicks into gear and she is able to tell why she has hope.  And the gospel is spread. . . .

As my life becomes a living testimony, I must be ready to back my actions up with words.

Many times I get this process backwards, thinking I need to tell everyone about Jesus before it's too late.  But first I must make sure Jesus is truly Lord of my life, live authentically before Him, and study His Word so I will be prepared to speak.

My life is a testimony of God's work in my life; it is a letter He has written on my heart for everyone to read.

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I will give more of myself over to God.

In what ways do I lie to myself, others and God in the way I pretend like everything is okay?

How can I be more honest in my relationship with God?