“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace.”
Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT) It’s not easy to stop worrying about the often-scary, everyday parts of our lives, but God tells us how to do it: “Pray about everything . . . thank him for all he has done” (Philippians 4:6 NLT). Grateful prayer brings peace. God says that when you start to worry, stop to pray. Parents understand the power of gratitude. Most parents wouldn’t appreciate their children always making requests without saying “thank you” for what they’ve already received. God sees it the same way. He wants us to ask him for what we need and want. More than 20 times in the New Testament, we’re told to “ask” him. But he wants us to ask with gratefulness. The Bible urges us to be specific in our requests—and our praises. Instead of a simple “thank you for everything,” he wants us to tell him what we’re grateful for. When I say to my wife, “I’m so grateful for you,” she tells me to be specific. She likes to hear what I appreciate about her and what I’m grateful for about her. God wants to hear the same things. So when you pray, tell God what you’re thankful for. Prayer is one of the most important ways we tell God “thank you.” Thanking God in advance is a big step of faith. The Bible says that when we have the faith to thank God ahead of time for an answer to our prayers, miracles happen. The more thankful we are, the more God works in our lives. The Bible says that God inhabits the praise of his people. He empowers and uses our thanksgiving as an instrument of power in our lives.
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“Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. . . . Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.”
Romans 6:12-13 (NLT) Every day you are controlled by something. You may be controlled by your ego or by the expectations of other people. You may be controlled by fear, guilt, resentment, or bitterness. You may be controlled by a substance or a habit. But you are controlled by something every day. Freedom comes when you choose what’s going to control you. If God is not number one in your life, something else is, and it will control you to a negative degree. When Christ is in control of your life, he always moves you in the right direction. Romans 6:12-13 says, “Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. . . . Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God” (NLT). What are the steps in this choice to let Christ have control?
Do you really want to change? You may say, “I’m so tired of trying and failing.” Stop trying. Instead, start trusting. God gives you the option to either depend on him or depend on yourself. The result is either freedom or frustration. Why not give it all to Christ? What do you have to lose? “Who can say but that God has brought you into the palace for just such a time as this?”
Esther 4:14 (TLB) After you identify your gifts and the needs that stir your heart, there is a third step to fulfilling your destiny: Take the time to hear God’s call on your life. God doesn’t recruit you without a calling. God calls everybody to use the gifts and the passion they have, but not everyone picks up the phone. The only way you’re going to hear is if you listen. You’ve got be quiet. You’ve got to get alone and spend time with God. When Mordecai sent Esther word that the Jews were going to be annihilated, he basically told her in Esther 4:13-14, “Don’t think that you can just ignore this disturbing trend. Yeah, I know it’s been tough, but this is your destiny. God put you here. It’s no accident that you are a Jewish woman and now the queen of Persia.” It’s important to read on and see Esther’s response to Mordecai in Esther 4:16: “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susan, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days . . . I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law” (NIV). Esther knows confronting the king is likely to mean certain death. She’s going to have to use her gifts of beauty, intelligence, and personality to persuade him. But before she goes to see him, she sets aside three days to retreat, fast, and pray before God. When you are seeking God’s call on your life, you need to follow Esther’s example. First, get all the support you can. Esther had Mordecai and the Jews pray for her. You need to get your small group to support you in prayer. If you don’t have a small group, now is the time to find one. And second, you need extended time alone with God. Schedule a retreat with God. Whether it’s an overnight, a weekend, or longer if you can, you won’t hear God’s call on your life if you don’t get alone with him. “We fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
2 Corinthians 4:18 (NIV) God created us to live in heaven with him for eternity. Heaven is our home, not Earth. That’s why we sometimes experience discontentment and dissatisfaction in life. We’re not completely happy here because we’re not supposed to be! Otherwise, we might think we can live without God. He created us to long for something much better—a home in heaven with him. A fish would never be happy living on land, because it was made for water. An eagle could never feel satisfied if it wasn’t allowed to fly. You will never feel completely satisfied on Earth because you were made for more. You will have happy moments here, but nothing compared to what God has planned for you. This is also why some of God’s promises seem unfulfilled, some prayers seem unanswered, and some circumstances seem unfair. But this is not the end of the story. Realizing that life on Earth is just temporary should radically alter your values. Eternal values should influence all your decisions. As C.S. Lewis observed, “All that is not eternal is eternally useless.” The Bible tells us to “fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18 NIV). “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”
Luke 21:33 (NIV) Many times we wonder if an idea that came to us is an instruction from God, a deception from Satan, or just something we want to do. It is extremely important to recognize the difference and know how to discern God’s voice, because it can have eternal consequences. In fact, sometimes evil gets blamed on God when people say, “God told me to do it!” The Bible says in 1 John 4:1, “Don’t always believe every message you hear just because someone says it is a message from God; test it first to see if it really is” (TLB). God will never contradict his Word. God doesn’t say one thing and then change his mind and say another thing. If he said it, it’s true, and it will always be true. God is consistent. He isn’t moody. He will never tell you to violate a principle that he’s already given in his Word, the Bible. So the first question you need to ask is, “Does this thought line up with what God has already said?” If what’s in your mind contradicts something that God has already said in the Bible, then you know it’s wrong. Jesus said in Luke 21:33, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away” (NIV). God’s Word is eternal, because truth never changes. If something was true 5,000 years ago, it was true 1,000 years ago, it is true today, and it will be true 5,000 years from today. People might say, “God said it, I believe it, that settles it.” No! God said it, and that settles it! Always ask yourself, “Is this idea in harmony with the Word of God?” “Things that are seen don’t last forever, but things that are not seen are eternal. That’s why we keep our minds on the things that cannot be seen.”
2 Corinthians 4:18 (CEV) Everything you see around you is temporary. It’s what you can’t see that will last forever. And those realities are what truly matter. The truth is, spiritual realities are more real than physical ones. We need to focus on the spiritual ones--what’s really real. There are five spiritual realities all of us need to take to heart.
We live in uncertain times, so if you haven’t already made the choice for Jesus, don’t hesitate from doing so today. “Two are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.”
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (NLT) Is there a temptation you keep stumbling with over and over again? Maybe it’s related to jealousy, worry, lust, gossip, gluttony, or the overuse of electronics and social media. Whatever it is, you won’t have victory over a persistent temptation if you try to overcome it by yourself. Who’s helping you fight temptation? While you’re spending more time alone during the pandemic, who’s checking up on you? Who have you invited to help you grow spiritually? Who do you allow to ask you the tough questions? Who are youchecking up on? The Bible says, “Two are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 NLT). You don’t have to tell everybody about the temptations you struggle with, but you do need to tell somebody. That person can support you and help you overcome your struggles. When someone says, “I’ve never told this to anybody before . . . ” be quick to listen and pay attention because it may mean they are taking the first step toward freedom. Remember this: Revealing your feeling is the beginning of healing. Talking about your temptations is the way you overcome them. How serious are you about changing? Wouldn’t you like to come out of the pandemic with a stronger faith, having overcome a persistent temptation? Why not reach out to a friend, who can help you be accountable. You can connect through text, direct message, video chat, or even a good, old-fashioned phone call. There are some bad habits in your life you’re just not going to get over until you get support from a committed friend. Find that person, and then be that person for someone else. “We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV) The reason we are easily defeated by temptation is because we try to resist it instead of refocusing. What you resist, persists. The more you think about something, the more you’re attracted to it. So, if you want to defeat temptation, don’t fight it. Change your focus! “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21 NIV). If your mind is filled with good thoughts, there’s no room for ones that may tempt you to sin. During the pandemic, while you’re staying home more, you may face recurring temptations. Whatever those areas are for you, you’ll get discouraged if you keep trying to fight against them, particularly if you continually give in. The key is to refocus your attention on something else. Here’s an example—if you’re tempted while watching TV, don’t keep telling yourself, “I’m not going to watch this.” Instead, pick up the remote and change the channel. Temptation always starts with a thought. If Satan can’t get your attention, you can’t be tempted. Advertisers use the same tactic. They get your attention and then engage your emotions. So you move from attention to emotions to action. Have you ever experienced this: Someone asks you, “Are you hungry right now?” And even though you’re not hungry, you start to feel hungry. Or they ask, “Are you tired?” And you answer, “You know, I hadn’t really thought about it, but now that you mention it, I am feeling a little worn down.” Whatever gets your attention, gets you. That’s why, when you’re tempted, you need to change your focus. Philippians 4:8 says, “ . . . My friends, fill your minds with those things that are good and that deserve praise: things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and honorable” (GNT). The more you fight a tempting thought or feeling, the more it controls you. So don’t fight it! Refocus and replace your thoughts with things that are good and make you more like Jesus. “Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.”
Proverbs 13:20 (NLT) When you trust God to make tough choices easier, he gives you wisdom when you ask for it. One way he does that is by directing you to people who know and practice his Word. He gives you connections with godly people who will point you in the right direction. You need to get some godly people in your life who love and obey the Bible. You were never meant to practice God’s wisdom on your own. Proverbs 13:20 says, “Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble” (NLT). This is important because the quality of your life and the quality of your decisions will be determined by who you spend the most time with. Are the people you hang out with the most helping you or hurting you? Are they building your faith or your fear? Are they causing you to worship or to worry? Are they stress relievers or stress generators in your life? This time of social distancing presents some unique challenges to obeying this verse. We’re just not hanging out like we used to! While we’re in a season of uncertainty and isolation, you can still keep company with wise people. For instance, technology allows you to stay in touch through phone or video. Then, be intentional about connecting with people every day—people who will encourage you and point you to God’s Word and help you make wise decisions. “If any of you need wisdom, you should ask God, and it will be given to you. God is generous and won't correct you for asking. But when you ask for something, you must have faith and not doubt. Anyone who doubts is like an ocean wave tossed around in a storm.”
James 1:5-6 (CEV) Are you going through a rough time right now? You’re not alone! People all over the world are feeling the effects of the pandemic, and it’s taken a toll on our mental, physical, and emotional health. There are many uncertainties and questions about how to move on with our lives in this ongoing crisis. Everybody’s struggling. The Bible tells us exactly what we should do when we don’t know what to do and we’re feeling the pressure to do the right thing. “If any of you need wisdom, you should ask God, and it will be given to you. God is generous and won’t correct you for asking. But when you ask for something, you must have faith and not doubt. Anyone who doubts is like an ocean wave tossed around in a storm” (James 1:5-6 CEV). God isn’t holding back wisdom. He gives wisdom to anybody who asks for it. Have you asked God to give you wisdom on how to handle the pandemic? Have you asked him for wisdom on what to do about your job, your future, your kids, your health, or whatever you’re struggling with? God gives wisdom to anybody who asks for it. King Solomon, one of the richest and most successful men who ever lived, had everything he needed and everything you could possibly want in life. But he still asked God for wisdom. He knew that riches and power and comfort meant nothing if he couldn’t make wise decisions. He wanted to honor God—who gave him everything he had—and so he asked for wisdom to know what to do and how to do it. Wisdom helps you learn from any trouble you’re experiencing. It helps you to know what to do and how to move forward in a way that pleases God. He uses every challenge to develop you, not defeat you. It may seem like the world is spinning out of control and circumstances keep changing day-by-day. Your stress, your fear, and your worry may be at an all-time high. But now more than ever is the time to ask “what,” instead of “why.” Ask God what he wants you to learn from this time of crisis and what he wants you to do. He has promised to give you his wisdom in generous portions. |
AuthorTaken from Daily Hope by Rick Warren. Categories
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