Value Life

Posted on janLeave a commentPosted in Love, Relationship, Value

                                 Is someone on your mind, today?

 
Having others uppermost on your mind,
… is not just about birthdays, anniversaries or Christmas,
… but they should daily be on our minds.
Others should be special to us,
… not just because of what they are having,
… but because of who they are!

But how is it possible to live that kind of life?
Well there is a biblical principle that tells us how…

      ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and,
      ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'”
      Matt 19:19

So how is this helping us know what to do?
It is simply telling us that it all starts with how we see ourselves.

      Start by seeing yourself as special, as special to God,
      … as someone who God loves and who God wants to bless
      As you do that, seeing a value in yourself,
      … not because of what you have achieved,
      … but simply because God sees you as valuable.
      Once that becomes real to you,
      … it becomes easier and easier to see others as special,
      … as it is not in response to their actions or words
      but simply because you have decided to see them as valuable!

This is the love that passes understanding,
… which supersedes words or circumstances,
and responds to a value which you see in yourself,
… enabling you to see it in others!

      This valuing of life,
      … which sees a value in life
      is what reveals and releases the ability to love, in you.

 

Be what you are …

Posted on janLeave a commentPosted in Character, Life


 
Is what you say of yourself,
… a title or a reality?

      If you say you are a ‘Christ’ian,
      … then you’re saying that you’re a Jesus person!

If you are a Jesus person,
… then you should be living as He is!

      Love has been perfected among us in this:
      that we may have boldness in the day of judgment;
      because as He is, so are we in this world.
      1 John 4:17

Jesus in John 10:10 specifically said,
… I have come that you may have life!
For that life to be real in my life,
… I have to be living love the way He did,
and I should be doing what He did and still does,
… living for others!

How will I do that?
Again, do it the way Jesus did …

      Then Jesus answered and said to them,
      “Most assuredly, I say to you,
      the Son can do nothing of Himself,
      but what He sees the Father do;
      for whatever He does,
      the Son also does in like manner.
      John 5:19

And you will be living,
… what and who you are (in Him)!
 

If there’s no real choice

Posted on janLeave a commentPosted in Character, Life, Responsibility

                                           … there’s no real life!

The need to choose … Life or Existence?

          If you don’t have a choice,
          … then there will be no real life,
          … no real faith and no real future,
          but merely a pointless existence!

Sure you can accept the Big Bang theory,
… then your future is as sure as,
here today, gone tomorrow.

God said …
          For I know the thoughts that I think toward you,
          says the Lord,
          thoughts of peace and not of evil,
          to give you a future and a hope.
          Jer 29:11

Yes, there is a choice, there is a future,
… and the choice is yours.
You are responsible to choose your future,
… to choose what your life is going to be.

          I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you,
          that I have set before you life and death,
          blessing and cursing; therefore choose life,
          that both you and your descendants may live;
          Deut 30:19

A choice you will never regret …

          I have come that they may have life,
          and that they may have it more abundantly.
          John 10:10

 

Eternal Life!

Posted on janLeave a commentPosted in Life, Potential

                                           … is all about NOW!


Understanding that eternity is all about now,
… opens such potential and opportunities!       (see   Eternity    &    Eternity now )

          Just think of it … now is forever!
          I can do anything … now!
          I have all of now to do everything, anything.

          Equally important though is,
          … what I don’t do NOW, I will never do,
          … because the only time I have is NOW!

However, what about eternal life?
What is eternal life that we have in Jesus,
… and how does it differ from life as we know it?

Well, what does the Bible tell us about eternal life?

          Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said:
          “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son,
          that Your Son also may glorify You,
          as You have given Him authority over all flesh,
          that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him.
          And this is eternal life, that they may know You,
          the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
          1 John 17:1-3

Eternal life is about knowing God the Father,
… and living His will in your life!
So in reality, eternal life is about,
… what you are doing now with your life!
Or in simpler terms,
… with whom are you spending eternity?

          What are you doing with the life God has given you?
          With whom are you living your life,
          … and for whom are you living your life?

If it is with and for God … it’s eternal life!

Let God show you

Posted on jan3 CommentsPosted in Challenge, Grace, Trust

                                                             … His Picture!

 
Every thought, every plan, every action we take,
… is based on a picture (not just some words)
So also the circumstances we find ourselves in,
… pictures that often are a challenge to deal with.

Important therefore is the perception of those pictures,
… and to know that any picture is subject to change!
Therefore …

Don’t let the picture carry you,
… let God carry you through the picture.
Don’t let circumstances influence you,
… but let God direct your steps.

      A man’s heart plans his way,
      But the Lord directs his steps.
      Prov 16:9

Let God show you His picture that He has for you,
… and let God guide you through the circumstances you are facing.
In other words, let God in on your picture,
… and let God show you His will in whatever circumstance you are in,
… let Him place you in that picture He has for you,

      For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord,
      thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
      Jer 29:11

God is more real than any picture your mind paints,
… let Him show you His way,
don’t let the problem or circumstance become more real than God.

 

God in your life?

Posted on janLeave a commentPosted in Character, Commitment, Trust

                               … or just part of your life?

 
Unless God is God in every area of your life,
… He is not God in your LIFE!

      We want or expect God to be,
      … God in our bodies and in our health,
      … God in our family and in our needs,
      … God of our provision, our peace and protection!

      But when it comes to our work, business and finances,
      … we want to decide what and how things should be,
      … we want to decide how our finances are regulated,
      which simply means that,
      … God is not and cannot be God of our lives!

Whilst there is any part of your life that you have not put in His hands,
… that you control, and that you are the final authority of,
God clearly says He does not know you,
… because there is a part of your life that is not open to Him!

      When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door,
      and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying,
      ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you,
      ‘I do not know you, where you are from,’
      then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence,
      and You taught in our streets.’
      But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from.
      Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’
      Luke 13:25-27

 

Claiming His Promises

Posted on janLeave a commentPosted in Covenant, Life, Relationship

                               … or living His Promises!

 
Ever wondered why God’s promises often seem so elusive?

Quite simply,
… because we have not truly understood God,
… because we have not understood God’s heart!

God does not want us to claim His promises,
… but God wants to live those promises with us!

      I have come that they may have life,
      and that they may have it more abundantly.
      John 10:10

How does God plan for us to live this abundant life?

God wants us close to Him,
… in His presence,
… in His love, under His protection!

God wants a personal relationship with us,
… where He can be Daddy.
A Daddy who showers His children with love,
… who showers His children with His promises!
Why,
… because we are with Him!

      The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
      He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
      He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul;
      …
      Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
      All the days of my life;
      And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
      Psalm 23:1-3,6

 

God saw the need…

Posted on janLeave a commentPosted in Grace, Life, Love

                               Jesus was the Seed!

 
God saw the need (that mankind had).
Jesus was the Seed (sent to do His will).

Jesus did not come because He saw the need,
… or because he saw Himself as the answer,
but Jesus came because God sent Him. (John 3:16)

During His ministry on earth, Jesus did not come to do His will,
… but only said what He heard the Father say,
… and only did what He saw the Father do!

      Then Jesus answered and said to them,
      ‘Most assuredly, I say to you,
      the Son can do nothing of Himself,
      but what He sees the Father do;
      for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.’
      John 5:19

And when it came to confirming and concluding His ministry,
… God confirmed the how,

      For He was cut off from the land of the living;
      For the transgressions of My people He was stricken.
      Isa 53:8

and Jesus became the way!

      Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life.
      No one comes to the Father except through Me.’
      John 14:6

 

Expressing what’s not seen

Posted on jan2 CommentsPosted in Character, Love

                               … the love within!

 
      While we do not look at the things which are seen,
      but at the things which are not seen.
      For the things which are seen are temporary,
      but the things which are not seen are eternal.
      2 Cor 4:18

Everything that is seen, is temporary
… and is the expression of what is not seen.
God, who is invisible, created what is visible,
… it’s therefore an expression of what is in Him!

      By the same token,
      … our spirit man is not visible or seen,
      however, what is in us,
      … is seen in our physical actions.
      In other words,
      what others see in your actions,
      … is an expression of what is not seen, your character

Created in His image
… we should be an expression of Who God is,
for …

      Love has been perfected among us in this:
      that we may have boldness in the day of judgment;
      because as He is, so are we in this world.
      1 John 4:17-19

‘As He is so are we in this world,’
… of course includes all of our being,
but remember, it is founded on love,
… so if His love is in us,
… we will be as He is in all things!

 

A Loving Father…

Posted on janLeave a commentPosted in Grace, Love, Trust

                                    … who gives!

 
If you go to God just as God
… with your needs and expectations,
you are likely to be disappointed.

But if you go to God as Father,
… as the loving Father that He is,
He will bless you and give to you in abundance.

      But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness,
      and all these things shall be added to you.
      Matt 6:33

A loving Father who blesses,
… gives and never takes away.
For His every gift is according to His love,
… and not according to our expectations!

      Every good gift and every perfect gift
      is from above, and comes down
      from the Father of lights,
      with whom there is no variation
      or shadow of turning.
      James 1:17