Wisdom Of Life

What Do We Do? In the world we live in, we are going to have all kinds of problems, frustrations and difficulties. That's just life. So knowing this, what do we do? We must remain steadfast and persevere. In other words, the answer is never give up! No matter what's going on in our lives, the victory is in refusing to quit. Keep in mind that in the heat of our struggles, the Holy Spirit is probably doing His greatest work within us. He is not moved by the circumstances. If you and I really trust Him, we shouldn't be either! He's not in our lives for good times only, but for the difficult times as well. He will lead us through anything if we'll just hang in there and follow Him. This means being diligent in prayer, relentless in our resolve, unwavering in faith, and determined to stand firmly on God's Word and His promises to us. So many times we can be sidetracked by how slowly things seem to be going. In fact, the enemy loves to point that out! But remembe...

Salvation Is God’s Gift Genesis 3 recounts the story of the fall of humanity, when Adam’s sin condemned the world to a cycle of sin and despair, punctuated by death. It is because of Adam’s actions that we inherited the proclivity to sin (see Romans 3:23). But rather than leave us doomed to the consequences of sin, God has promised us rebirth and new life (see Romans 6:23). This is not something we deserve; rather, it is a gift that is given to us — an example of the true and abiding love that God has for his creation (see Ephesians 2:8 – 9). Take some time to consider the enormity of that statement. Even though we failed God’s commands, even though we fell short of God’s expectations for us, God still had enough love for us that he offered us a way out of the cycle. That way out is Jesus Christ, who bridges the gap between human and divine as the mediator of a new relationship between God and humanity: a covenant of life rather than one of de...

Jesus Is Our Example Love is something that can be seen. It is seen in the fruit of the Spirit working in our lives, in our behavior and how we treat people. Love has many facets, or different ways we can see it. For example, when a diamond ring is held up to the light, it can sparkle in various ways depending on which way it is turned in the light. I believe love also sparkles in different ways depending on how we look at it. I Corinthians 13:4-7 gives us examples of the many facets of love: Love endures long, it has the ability to put up with stuff for a long time. Love is never envious, it doesn't want what it doesn't have. Love is not boastful or vainglorious, it doesn't call attention to itself. Love is not conceited or rude. Love doesn't insist on its own way. Love pays no attention to a suffered wrong. Love never gives up! These are just a few ways we're supposed to love others...and it's also the way God loves us. First John 4:8 says that ...

"It Is The Lord!" Jesus said to her, ‘Give Me a drink’” (John 4:7). How many of us are expecting Jesus Christ to quench our thirst when we should be satisfying Him! We should be pouring out our lives, investing our total beings, not drawing on Him to satisfy us. “You shall be witnesses to Me . . .” (Acts 1:8). That means lives of pure, uncompromising, and unrestrained devotion to the Lord Jesus, which will be satisfying to Him wherever He may send us. Beware of anything that competes with your loyalty to Jesus Christ. The greatest competitor of true devotion to Jesus is the service we do for Him. It is easier to serve than to pour out our lives completely for Him. The goal of the call of God is His satisfaction, not simply that we should do something for Him. We are not sent to do battle for God, but to be used by God in His battles. Are we more devoted to service than we are to Jesus Christ Himself? I praise You for that word “Like as a father piti...

The Best Way to Begin in Prayer No matter what we pray for, thanksgiving can always go with it. A good habit to develop is starting all of our prayers with thanksgiving. An example of this would be: “Thank You, Father, for all You have done in my life; You are awesome and I really love and appreciate You.” I encourage you to examine your life, to pay attention to your thoughts and your words, and to see how much thanksgiving you express. Do you murmur and complain about things or are you thankful? If you want a challenge, just try to get through an entire day without uttering one word of complaint. Develop an attitude of thanksgiving in every situation. In fact, just become outrageously thankful and watch as your intimacy with God increases and He pours out greater blessings than ever before. Prayer of Thanks: Thank You, Father, for the way You guide me in prayer. Help me to come to You in thanksgiving before I do anything else. Let gratitude be the foundation of my pray...

Blindly Stumble - Dennis Fisher Stephen Kuusisto grew up feeling a stigma about being legally blind. For him, sight consisted of a kaleidoscope of shapes, colors, and shadows. Privately he would press his face close to the page of a book and memorize street names in an exhausting attempt to appear more able to see than he really could. When Stephen was 39, his life changed after he acquired an affectionate and carefully trained guide dog named Corky. In learning to use Corky to lead him, Stephen reflected on the growing trust in their relationship. He said, “Faith moves from belief into conviction, then to certainty. We are a ...powerhouse!” When Stephen admitted that he needed the help of a sighted companion, a new world of freedom and mobility opened up to him. Many believers blindly stumble their way through the Christian life in their own strength. Seemingly, they are unaware that God has provided a supernatural Guide to lead the way. Jesus said He wo...

Relying on God I believe every time we feel frustration, it means we've really stopped relying on God. That might sound like a bold statement to you, but think about it: God's given you and me His Holy Spirit and His grace to help us walk through anything that comes our way. Frustration hits when we stop depending on Him and try to make something happen our own way. Understanding this really helped me. Every time I became frustrated, I reminded myself that what I was really doing was trying to take the place of the Holy Spirit. I was trying to be Holy Spirit Junior! Do you struggle with an independent spirit? When you refuse to depend on God, in essence, you're saying, "Okay, God, I appreciate that You're around, but watch me do this." Depending on God for everything may be difficult, but it's the key to the victory we need every single day of our lives. When God saved us, He didn't help us and then say, "Ok, that's it. You're on your ...