Don’t Get Tired of Doing the Right Thing

In review of Galatians 6:9, I'm reminded “Let us not get tired of doing what is right, for afer a while we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t get discouraged and give up” (TLB).

It can be discouraging to continue to do what is right and receive no word of thanks or see tangible results. Paul challenges not only the Galatians, but myself to keep on doing good and to trust God for the results. For in due time I will reap a harvest of blessing.

If things don’t happen right away or when I think they should, that doesn’t mean I should give up and quit. I need to be diligent. I need to have endurance. I need to keep on.

Today’s verse tells me, “Let us not get tired of doing what is right, for after a while we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t get discouraged and give up” (Galatians 6:9 TLB).

This Christmas, I should consider if there is anything or area I feel like giving up? Perhaps my career / job. I’ve tried and tried and tried to make a difference, and it just isn’t happening. Perhaps I feel like giving up on my dream or a goal. Maybe I even feel like giving up on myself.

But consider this. A thousand years before I was born, God knew I would be reading this today, and his message to me is simple: Don’t do it. Don’t give up.

Don’t ever give up. The tunnel seems incredibly dark right now, but there is always a light at the end. It may be just around the corner! I am known, I am loved, and I have a purpose. So don’t get tired of doing what is right. Don’t think that what I’m doing doesn’t matter. Don’t think anyone would be better off without me. Those are lies from the mouth of the Devil himself. Remember what God has said about me. Remember that he wants to bless me.

Don’t give up. Look up. Look up to God. Find a spiritual family, a church and a small group, to help me through the tough times. Meditate on God’s Word for encouragement.

Never give up on God. He promises to never give up on me!

In summary, Don't get tired, discouraged or give up on doing what is right At the right time I'll reap a harvest. While it may be discouraging to not see any results keep on doing it and trust God for the results. Be diligent, have endurance, keep on keeping on. God knows and loves me. What I do matters and he wants to bless me.  He promises to never give up on me.

Today I thank you Father for this reminder. Yesterday I was given some confirmation of this from my leader. I pray that during my time off, that you help re-energize me and give me clarity. Thank you for caring and loving me. This I ask through your Son Jesus name, Amen! 

I Only Need God’s Approval

In review of 1 Peter 4:16 it reminds me that  “It is no shame for me to suffer for being a Christian. In fact I should praise God for the privilege of being called by his name!” (NLT).

It is not shameful for me to suffer for being a Christ follower. When Peter and the other apostles were persecuted for preaching the Good News, they rejoiced because such persecution was a mark of God's approval of their work. I shouldn't seek out suffering, nor should I try to avoid it. Instead, keep on doing what is right whether or not it brings suffering.

I should never be embarrassed for standing for the truth and doing what’s right.

Will insult, putdown or name calling kill me? I don’t need other people’s approval to be happy.

No matter what I do in life, somebody’s not going to like it. I can’t avoid disapproval. So, if I’m going to have people’s disapproval either way, I may as well have their disapproval for doing the right thing rather than for doing the wrong thing.

As I face opposition, if I let other people’s opinions matter more to me than God’s, then I’m going to crumble when those people attack me because of my faith in Jesus. But if I focus on God and what I know is right, then I can make a firm stand.

1 Peter 5:9 reminds me to “Stand firm against [Satan], and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are” (NLT).

In summary, it's no shame for me to suffer for being a Christian. I should praise God for the privilege. Such persecution is a mark of God's approval of their work. This doesn't mean that I should seek out suffering, but I should not try to avoid it. I must keep on doing what is right whether or not it brings suffering. I should never be or feel embarrassed for standing for the truth and doing what is right. I don't need other people's approval to be happy. No matter what, somebody's not going to like it. If I'm going to have people's disapproval either way, I may as well have their disapproval for doing the right things rather than for doing the wrong ones. I need to focus on God and what I know is right, then I can make a firm stand.

While this mornings verse speaks to sharing the Good News, I see it’s application beyond this. For instance in my daily work life, I face not always keeping everyone happy. This passage is a reminder that I don’t really need to please everyone, however, I should do what is right in the situation. I need to not focus on pleasing or getting approval or even trying to make my self and my teams reputation look good. I just need to focus on standing for the truth and doing what’s right. This morning Father I thank you for this reminder. I ask that your Holy Spirit remind me of this fact. I also ask for your wisdom and guidance for my day, my leadership and my interactions with others. I pray this through your son Jesus name, amen!

07/17/19 - Daily Hope - (Starbucks, Folsom)

Look for Ways to Bring People Together

2 Corinthians 5:18-19 

“God has restored my relationship with him through Christ, and has given me a ministry of restoring relationships. In other words, God was using Christ to restore his relationship with humanity. He didn’t hold people’s faults against them, and he has given me this message of restored relationships to tell others” (GW).

God brought me back to him (reconciles me) by blotting out my sins and making me right with him. When I trusted in Christ, I was no longer God's enemy, or a stranger or foreigner to him. Now because I have been reconciled to God, I have the privilege of encouraging others to do the same, and thus "task of reconciling people to him."

If I want to repair a relationship where there is conflict, I need to focus on reconciliation, not resolution.

There’s a big difference! Reconciliation means reestablishing the relationship. It means you’re at peace with each other.

Resolution means you resolve every disagreement, and that just isn’t going to happen. Because the truth is, there are some things in relationships that I would never be able to agree on, because we’re all different. But I can disagree without being disagreeable. That’s called maturity and wisdom. That’s being like Christ.

We can have unity without uniformity. We can walk hand in hand together without seeing eye to eye. 

There’s a lot of conflict in the world. It’s filled with wars, division, arguments, prejudice, racism, terrorism, and partisanism. And as a result, we have broken relationships, economy,  government, and broken marriages. We have broken lives and broken hearts.

The challenge for me as a Christ follower is to commit to becoming an agent of reconciliation in a world filled with conflict. Become a bridge builder, not a wall builder. Look for ways to bring people together rather than tear them up.

God’s word in 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 says, “[God] has restored our relationship with him through Christ and has given us this ministry of restoring relationships. In other words, God was using Christ to restore his relationship with humanity. He didn’t hold people’s faults against them, and he has given us this message of restored relationships to tell others” (GW).

As a follower of Jesus Christ, I have a ministry of reconciliation. It’s my job to go out in society and say, “God’s done everything to put you back in fellowship with him. He’s already paid for all your sins. You don’t have to be his enemy. He’s not mad at you. He’s mad about you. Be reconciled to God. Be at peace with God. Then spread that peace with everybody else.”

In summary, God has restored my relationship with him through Christ. In this he has also given me a ministry of restoring relationships. If I want to repair a relationship where there is conflict, I need to focus on reconciliation, not resolution. Reconciliation is reestablishing the relationship and being at peace with each other. Resolution means that every disagreement is resolved, which is not going to happen. We can disagree without being disagreeable. That's called maturity and wisdom. 

Lately my thoughts have been about being wronged left out, being the last one at the table where everyone else has left and I’m stuck paying the check. Today’s passage has helped me understand that I need to turn from this feeling and work toward what needs to be done and bring people together through reconciliation. Father I pray for the influence of the Holy Spirit today to help me with this. I also ask you for wisdom and guidance in handling my day, my leadership and my interaction with others. I ask these things in your Son Jesus name, amen.

God Is The Nourishment I Need

In review of Matthew 5:6 it says, "God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be filled.

In this section I'm introduced to one of Jesus' teachings to his disciples on eight spiritual blessings. Each one is a proverb-like proclamation, without narrative, "cryptic, precise, and full of meaning. Each one includes a topic that forms a major biblical theme".

Bottom Line:

God blesses those who hunger and thirst for what is right.

What this means to me:

God wants me to be concerned for what it right or just. In fact as his follower, I am to hunger and thirst for it. The only way to truly find out what God thinks is right and just is to spend time with him in His Word daily. The blessings he promises for pursuing this is that as I seek and dig in, I'll find it and be filled.

However, in reality it is easy to give in to the temptation to spend too much time on things that will distract me from time with God. After all my day is often filled with responsibilities, which may serve a good purpose, however overextending or spreading myself too thin may result in having no room for God to pour His love and truth into me.

Without taking time daily to meditate or reflect on the Word, I’ll find myself losing spiritual momentum.

So I need to make it a priority to take time to digest God’s word, as if it were food, and so refresh my mind daily with His presence and His love for me.

This morning I pray that You make me an empty container for Your presence. Fill me up with Your love and refresh my mind with your truth. I long to be transformed in my mind and spirit so that I can accomplish the purposes for which you created me.

After all, he has saved me, not because of the righteous things I had done, but because of his mercy. He has washed away my sin, and given me a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. (Paraphrased from Titus 3:5 NLT.)