Hebrews 13:5-6 – “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”   6 So we may boldly say: “The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”  NKJV

In my years of ministry and life, I have learned that without contentment, a person lives in an unending miserable state.  Covetousness is a vicious companion, as are Envy and Greed.  No wonder the apostle Paul told us that he had learned to be “content in the state he found himself.”  He knew how to abound, and he knew how to be abased.  His confidence was not in Things but in GOD, which is where ours should be.  If we focus on What We Do Not Have rather than who We Have, we will live lives filled with “What If Moments” and be continually dissatisfied with virtually every aspect of our lives.

In the above passage, I see that courage is one of the by-products of contentment.   There is courage for life, facing obstacles, ministry, and attempting the difficult and even impossible.  It provides the foundation by which we can rise to the heights that God has designed and desired for our lives. 

We move from the condition of victim to the place of victor because of the statement in verse six: “THE LORD is my helper; I will not fear.  What can man do to me?”  You will come to the condition and position that your life is “hidden with Christ in God,” and nothing or no one can touch your eternal spirit.  Oh, they may inflict wounds on your body, and if you allow them on your emotions but your eternal spirit cannot be touched, it is in God’s Hands, safe and secure.

I no longer worry about those things that I can do nothing about.  I work to change my circumstances when they are contrary to what I believe God would have them, but I do not fret over the present or live in the past.  I keep my eyes firmly fixed on the Ultimate Goal and Objective.  I press toward the mark of the prize of the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus.  I realize that whatever state I am in is temporary and that My God will supply all my needs according to His Riches in Glory.  He will grant me the wisdom to know what to do, the ability to accomplish the task, and the provisions to sustain me in times of plenty or lean.

So, as you go through your day, go with God allowing the Holy Spirit to bring a spirit and sense of contentment, not complacency, into your hearts.  As you do, you will quickly rise above the circumstances and stand victorious in mind, body, and spirit. 

May God be with you as you go through your day!

Jeremiah 32:17 – “Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You.” NASB

When we view God as Who He is – Creator of the Heavens and the Earth, we quickly conclude that “Nothing is too difficult for Him.”  When we examine the record of the Bible and see His exploits, we quickly realize that He is Omnipotent and His power unlimited.  When we recall the times in our own lives when God has demonstrated His Power and His Grace, we realize that There is None Like Him in all creation.  No wonder the prophet of old would say – “Ah, Lord GOD, you are creator with infinite power and can do anything!”

Life experiences help us develop faith.  I have faith that when I sit in a chair, it will hold up under my weight, and I will not fall to the floor.  I have tested chairs before, and almost all of them have held me up. I trust that the airplane I get into will rise from the earth and soar through the skies to its destination because I have ridden in numerous airplanes, and they have done just that.  I trust that when I flip the light switch, there will be light in the room because previously, I have done so, and it worked. 

Life experiences generate confidence in us that something will be as it is supposed to be or as expected.  The same is true with God in that we have tasted His goodness, seen demonstrations of His power and might, experienced His mercy and grace, and therefore We Believe!  We believe that He can.  We believe that He will.  We believe that He wants to.

It would be beyond my human ability to recall all the times that God has demonstrated His supernatural power in my own life, not to mention the countless other lives that I have personally witnessed Him in.  So, I, along with the prophet of old, declare, “Ah, Lord GOD!  You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm!  NOTHING is too difficult for you!”  I trust you and quietly live confidently that You are and will ever be My GOD!

I don’t know what you might be facing today, but I know God is more than enough for whatever that is.  I love the song Joel and LaBreeska Hemphill wrote, “When Jesus Says It’s Enough.”  In that song, they declare that when Jesus says it’s enough, it will be enough, and I know He’s aware, and He really cares about all that pertains to me.  I’ve had my share of troubles and trials, and sometimes the going gets rough, but when Jesus says it’s enough, it’ll be enough.   I say AMEN!  So, whatever you are facing, cast your care on the Lord, and when He speaks peace to your situation, all your sorrows and troubles will have to flee. 

May the Lord be with you as you go through your day!

Psalm 6:9 – “The LORD has heard my supplication; The LORD will receive my prayer.” NKJV

There were many times in his life of David that he was under pressure, and stress or distress filled his days.  God called David a man after His own heart, and I believe that one of the reasons was that David always had a heart for God.  He could look around and recognize the wickedness and desire other than that.  He truly desired to please God and was confident that if he turned to God, God would turn to him.  Thus, the basis of this prayer and hope in the Lord is that God not only heard him but received his petition!

I believe that Scriptures like this one and the truth presented was the basis of John’s words in 1 John 5:14-15 – “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.” NKJV The early Christians had a confidence in God that propelled them to achieve great things for the Kingdom and should do the same for us.  It kept them steadfast amid the storms of life and gave them a deep, settled peace and assurance that God heard them, and the answer was on the way.  We should have the same confidence, and as the writer of Hebrews declares in Hebrews 10:35 – “Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward.” NKJV

I firmly believe that God loves us so much that He carefully listens to our cries or prayers.  He wants to respond to our petitions, and when he finds a heart filled with expectation and confidence in Him, He is moved with deep compassion.  There is something about having the assurance that God has not only heard you but received your petition and is responding to it.  You may not know when the answer is coming or even how it is coming, but in your heart, you know it is coming.  There is something not only comforting about that but will embolden your spirit and quicken your resolve to continue your walk and work in Him.

Don’t look at man. You will grow despondent.  Look to God, and your heart will rise above the problems of this life and soar into the presence of the Almighty.  There will come a peace within your inner self that will enable you to enjoy His Grace and peace amidst the storms of life.  Remember, God is on your side and always on the side of right!

May God be with you as you go through your day!

Hebrews 10:23-25 – “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; 24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.”  NASB

Those of us who have confessed or professed Jesus as our Lord and Savior need to hear this passage in the deep recesses of our spirits!  We dare not waver in our commitment to that confession or profession. The devil would bring doubt, questions, and vain discussions about the Bible’s validity, supposed errors, and interpretations, but Jesus is The Son of God!  If you believe He is, remind the devil there is nothing more to discuss regarding your Confession of Faith. 

We need to seek to stimulate or encourage each other in that commitment and profession or declaration of our faith.  We do so through Love and Good Works.  We do so by becoming a part of a local assembly where we can unite with other believers and use the strength of numbers to help us make it through both good and bad times.  We are part of each other.  None of us are islands to ourselves and need each other.

It is more than just getting together for fellowship and mutual sharing; it is a time when the Master Builders that God has chosen for that Body can fitly frame us into a Spiritual House through the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  It is a time when we, as living stones, are assembled into a fully functioning army of the Lord to accomplish His purposes.  Does that mean you will agree with everything that the church leadership does?  I doubt it!  I doubt they will agree with everything you think, do, or say.  We all are still human, in case you have forgotten. 

When I find people who cannot or will not submit to legitimate spiritual authority, I find people that are easy targets for the devil in deception and are easily swayed into wrong and even false doctrine. Does any local congregation have it all absolutely right?  No! Is the local assembly needed, and does it serve a ministry?  Yes!  Do I think there is room for improvement in becoming more in harmony with the pattern of the New Testament Church?  Absolutely!  So how do we accomplish that?  We work together, encourage each other, and refuse to allow schisms and divisions among us.

May God be with you as you go through your day in Him!

John 6:33-35 – “For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world.”  34 Then they said to Him, “Lord, always give us this bread.”

35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.” NASB

Jesus addressed the crowd and informed them that he was fully aware that they were following Him as a result of the loaves and fish miracle.  He used that moment as a classic teaching opportunity to bring them to the ultimate spiritual truth regarding who He was.  He reviewed their history about the “Manna” from heaven in the wilderness and the miracle He performed in their midst and advised them that the bread from heaven did not come from Moses or any man but from The Father.

That Bread brings life, not just momentary sustenance, and satisfaction.  It gives Eternal Life, and the crowd was so moved that they cried out for Him to provide them with that bread, and Jesus stepped forward saying: “I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE.”  He brought them to a moment when they had to decide who He was and what He had to offer.  It was like when He asked the disciples, “Who do you say that I am?”  Peter’s immortal response is the only acceptable: “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”

We live in challenging times materially, socially, emotionally, politically, and spiritually, but our concerns and fears about what we will eat, wear, drive, or where we will live pale in comparison to the ultimate question – – WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH JESUS?  Will you receive Him as the Lord and Savior of your life, or will you list Him as a prophet, a good man, or some figure from history?  It is an old cliché but true – – Jesus is either Lord of all or He is not Lord at all! 

Today I encourage you to come to Him and receive the Bread of Life, never hunger spiritually, and believe in Him and never thirst.  You will feel complete and total satisfaction when you accept Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior.  Make that day of acceptance today!

May God be with you as you go through this day!