Years End

Well here we are at the end of another year. What would make the highlights of 2011 in your life? What would make the low lights? The better question might be, just what did we learn through the easier times and the difficult times of 2011? Are we the same person that started 2011 or have we grown in grace and the knowledge of the Lord? It is always good to think back over your year and evaluate it. I hope and pray that we all are closer to the Lord and to our families and those in the body of Christ and our neighbors. The scriptural goal of our lives is to love God with all we have and are, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Blessings to you all. May we all have a blessed and fruitful New Year.

You Get Love

One of our young grandsons told his Mom, "Patience will lead you to God's heart and when you get to God's heart, you get love."

The Will of the Lord!

The will of the Lord is hard to find yet more precious than a gold mine.
It seems to evade me many a day so all I know to do is stand steady and pray.
And yet when it's path crosses mine I have no need to look behind, nor up ahead
the road to see, only to rest this day in His words, "trust in me".

Is our gentleness known unto all men?

In Philippians 4:5 it says, "Let your gentleness (moderation in KJV) be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand." Are we known as gentle people? Do people like to be around us because of our brokenness and gentle ways? In Psalm 18:35 David said, "Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath held me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great." God certainly has been gentle with all of us. When we have deserved to die, God has given eternal life through His Son. In the last part of Romans 2:4 it says, " the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance." Are we following God's example of gentleness and goodness?

His Time!

Psalm 55:6 says, "And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest." If you could fly where would you fly to? Do you think that you would find rest there? I think that if we haven't found rest right where we are, we won't find it by flying to a different place. Resting in the Lord is the result of having a heart full of God's peace, the kind of peace that enables us to wait patiently for God. God will move in your life and mine when it's His time.

The Future

Today is the beginning of yesterday's future. Aren't you thankful that the future only comes at us one day at a time.

Humbleness Needed

In our attempt to live life God's way, I wonder if we are taking note of our actions under the microscope of God's word. The sermon on the mount in Matthew 5-7 is a great starting place. How many Christians have you known who are poor in spirit, meek, hungering and thirsting after righteousness, merciful towards others, pure in heart, and peacemakers. You know the type, folks who are able to stand in grace when persecuted and reviled by others. We should all have all of the grace we need to do and to endure. Where does grace come from? It comes from God and is extended to all who humble themselves. Just how humble are we? Our lives and how we live them will testify of this matter.