Edification is a word we often hear in church, but what does it really mean? It means we should build each other up spiritually, helping each other to grow in Christian wisdom and holiness. When we work towards the spiritual well-being of each other, it is pleasing to God. Romans 14:19 says: “Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.” Why not pick up the phone today and call someone and encourage them in the Lord! God bless you!
The Fruit of Our Labor
As many of us get older, we look forward to retirement: receiving our social security and cashing in on retirement accounts. We consider it the reward for years of hard work. Psalm 128:2 tells us, “For thou shall eat the labor of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.” This verse reminds us that our hard work will pay off. The same applies as we faithfully serve God. He promises that when we put in the effort, we’ll enjoy the results. It’s a beautiful picture of the connection between our labor and the blessings we receive. Let’s be thankful for the blessings that come from our labor. God bless you!.
What To Do On The Hard Days
Let’s face it, some days are harder than others. On the hard days, we need to trust God’s timing and believe we will experience his goodness and not give in to discouragement. Psalm 24:13-14 says, “I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.” In a word that prioritizes instant gratification, we need to resist impatience and wait for God’s perfect timing. As believers, we should trust that God is working, even when we can’t see it. God bless you!
Serving with Grace
When we work in our everyday jobs, we appreciate the thank yous, raises, and promotion opportunities. We work to support our families, which is our biblical duty. Working for our Lord is our duty, but we shouldn’t strive for rewards or accolades. Serving God is a privilege and should be done in humbleness of heart and mind. Philippians 2:3 KJV says, “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.” When we work at church, we are serving each other while serving Him. Let’s serve in humbleness and joy, amen? God bless you!
Should Praying Be Hard?
Is praying hard? Some people think so. Even the Apostles had to ask Jesus how to pray. The truth is: it’s just a simple conversation with God. He wants, even desires to hear from us. He wants to know how we feel, what troubles us, what we need, and what we are thankful for. It doesn’t have to be long or eloquent, just heartfelt. Prayer is part of the relationship that we have with him and the privilege we share with Him. Of course, Jesus in Matthew 6:9-13 gave instructions on how to pray to His apostles, and those instructions can apply to us as well. Most importantly, just pray; God wants to hear from his children. May He bless you and answer you
Why So Negative?
We are surrounded by so much negativity these days it is sometimes hard to look for the good around us. In those dark times, scripture provides to us a refuge and provides us encouragement. Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” If we replace worry with God’s word, we can see the positive in everything. God bless you!
Faith – Defined
A popular phrase says, “Seeing is believing.” A lot of people believe that philosophy. We, as Christians, have a different point of view. It’s called faith. Faith is believing in something that we can not see. In John 20:29, Jesus admonished Thomas about having faith. Scripture says: “Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” Let’s be sure to share with others our belief in what we can’t see. God bless you!
Humbleness
There are some people who work quietly in the background, never wanting or expecting thanks or rewards. On the other side of the coin are those who only desire recognition and earthly gains for the work they do. I think which one we want to be defines who we are. 1 Peter 5:6 says, “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he might exalt you in due time.” I pray all of us will strive to be humble like Jesus so that someday we will receive His thank you. It’s the only reward we need. Amen? God bless you!
Forgiveness
At some point in our lives, we have all had to apologize for something or to someone, asking for forgiveness. Whether it be for an innocent remark that hurts a person’s feelings, betraying a confidence, or for physical or emotional damage as in a car accident. Asking for forgiveness can be hard, as in David’s case. He gave a heartfelt apology, begging for forgiveness. In Psalm 51, he said, “Have mercy upon me, O God….For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only have I sinned….” When we sin and repent, we are doing the same thing as King David. The important thing is that we need to ask for forgiveness daily. Have you spoken to Him today? God bless you!
Hedges of Protection
How many of us, when we pray, ask God for a hedge of protection around our family and friends? With so much spiritual warfare going on around us, we sure need it! However, because we can’t see it, it is easy to forget about it. In Job 1:10, Satan asked God, “Hast not thou made a hedge about him, and about his house, and about all he hath on every side?” God then removed the hedge to prove Job’s faithfulness – which Job proved. Could you be as faithful if God removed the hedge from you? Let’s pray He doesn’t and will always protect us, amen? God bless you!
