Day 362 - Don't Miss Out

"... the team listened to my instruction and improved..."

It is so simple we often miss it. I have overlooked the simplicity many times. In fact I usually want to make it harder on myself than it should be just to be more pious or something like that. It doesn't work though. 

God intended for us to live a blessed and abundant life. There are too many verses to prove it and I won't be convinced otherwise. Even in the Old Testament God was trying to bless the socks off the children of Israel but they weren't having it. (Don't believe me? Still think God is an angry old miser in the Old Testament? Read Nehemiah chapter 9 and then tell me what you think.) 

God made it so simple though. Just hear His word, understand and do it. If we can simply hear, understand and do we will be blessed. When we lack or fail in any of these areas we will not be blessed. I didn't say it was easy, I said it was simple. 

Hearing is probably the easiest part of the process though. You can study the Bible, pray and listen to preaching in order to hear the Word of God for your life. But then comes the understanding. This is where you have to look at what you are hearing with spiritual eyes. You can ask the Holy Spirit to explain it to you. Read it i=over and even ask people who you trust to know the Word of God to explain it to you. This is also one of the many reasons it is good to have a home church where you can hear the systematic teaching of God's word so that you can get a better understanding through repeated messages and built systems of doctrine (that is a fancy way of saying teaching of a subject). 

Next comes doing. Again, not always easy but simple. When we hear we will show how much we understand by what we do. If you know the blessing then you will go after it. If you know the reward then you will labor for it. It just makes sense because it is so simple. I know I personally will endure a workout to feel good and to look good. I will abstain from foods that I like in order to feel good and look good. I know the reward so I will put myself through the pain in order to get to it. With God's word it is no different. If we truly understand what God is offering to us we will endure any hardship and make the changes we need in order to succeed. 

It is so simple and yet we may miss it if we are not careful. Don't miss out. Hear, understand and do. 

Have you seen this work in your life? What are some other ways to have a better understanding?

Day 351 - Seeking

"I will seek the Lord."

The search of man is for God. We grope and reach as in darkness, blind poor and needy. The questions plague us and we try to understand the incomprehensible. 

Then the light breaks through the darkness as the glorious light of the gospel shines on our hearts. The veil of separation is torn and the way opened to us. Our search has drawn us to Him. We have found Him, or more accurately, have been found by Him. 

Our search has changed. We know the Who and that has given us the why of life. We search for our unique purpose and our place in the body of Christ. We search for the will of God. We search for the leading of the Lord. 

Where do we search? If we look to circumstances they will lead us astray. They often are very contrary to God. So we look past these. We look to God the way He has opened for us through prayer, the Word and our times with God in praise. God will lead and He knows how to get our attention. He speaks our language and knows how to communicate His will and way to us. 

Never give up the search. There is always more. God is bigger and we are growing in our wisdom and knowledge of Him. The more we know the more we realize how little we know. So we press on each and every day in the search. 

Is there any other way to search for God that we didn't list here? What do you do when you find the will of God?

Day 19 - Communication

"Communication is so vital to unity and a simple question can calm the storm!"

I remember this day. The devil went to work on a comment that was made and twisted the intent. It could have turned sour but the person who was questioning the intent was mature enough to reach out and ask what was meant by the comment. I answered the question and an offense was avoided. 

The devil will bring confusion and lies in the void of communication. But we can avoid offenses and division by confronting issues in love and believing the best. Too many people have left churches, seperated from healthy relationships and lost sight of what is important in the absence of simple communication. Don't let the devil win. Go and ask, quickly forgive and move forward together!

Have you ever had this happen to you? How did it turn out?