When We Put Our Trust In...

Jesus is the One (thing) we can ask for more and more of without being considered greedy…and receive to overflowing.

In our society, we don’t have to look very far to be enticed into thinking that we need more of whatever it is that we see at that very moment.  TV commercials, billboards, internet, radio…we’re surrounded by the idea that we’re not complete or fulfilled unless we have what’s being pushed at that moment. 

Now, don’t get me wrong…although I’m not much of a shopper, I’m not saying that those things aren’t helpful or things that aren’t needed.  It’s when our lives are out of balance and the need for material things around us is the goal in life.  A healthy balance or happy medium is what is needed.  I’ll say it again…Jesus is the One (thing) we can ask for more and more of without being considered greedy…and receive to overflowing.

When we put our trust in money, material things or situations, we may find that our world is whirling out of control.  We need a Center…something…or rather some One to keep us centered and balanced.  That One is Jesus…the Center of all things.  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God. ³ All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. ⁴ In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. ⁵ And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.  John 1:1-5

We were created for God. We were created to need Him.  For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10   If we don’t put the Savior of all mankind as our center, our lives will not be on the course that we were created to be on.  I find it necessary to continually ask God to take things out of me that are not needed and to fill me with Himself.  This brings me peace…true peace…no matter what my circumstances are.  My personal prayer is; I want more of you Jesus…more of You and less of me.  Fill me with Yourself that I might have rivers of living water flowing out of me to all I see and come in contact with.  I pray Your light will shine through me like a beacon of Light to a world of darkness and when anyone else sees Your Light, let them know that it’s You in me and not anything of myself.

Remember to always look to Jesus, not just in the moments when we feel lacking or insecure…look to the One who is and always was intended to be our Center.  He knows everything that we will ever need.  He is always there for us.  He will never fail us.    
     

Do As I Say and Not As I Do?

So…I’m definitely not a fan of the “Do as I say and not as I do doctrine.” If someone in authority asks me to do something, I will do it as long as it doesn’t cause me to sin or compromise my integrity.  I don’t find it necessary to be rebellious simply because someone is asking me to do something, there’s no reason for that.  I do, however, have a problem with folks who like to make their own rules, but then don’t find it necessary to follow the rules that they’ve made.  I actually find that maddening!  I will do what they say, but it actually makes it very difficult for me to have respect for the person(s) who are making these rules and take this form of leadership on a regular basis…and I do mean on a regular basis or a lifestyle of this type of leadership.  I’m not speaking of the occasional random mistakes that we all make! 

This behavior reminds me of the Pharisees in the Bible.  They were constantly trying to catch or even trap Jesus in “wrong doing” according to their rules.  But, what I love about Jesus is that He was always honest and onto their trickery.  Even with the rules that they made, Jesus would serve people by helping or healing them and not in rebellion…He did it with great poise and self control.  Jesus never had an attitude about what He was doing.  He was confident in who He was...the Son of God, the Son of Man…the Savior of the World.

What a great example Jesus is for us.  He is the ultimate example for us.  I don’t want to be someone who makes rules and then doesn’t follow them.  Whenever I experience something like this in my life, I like to take what I see in others that bothers me and examine myself to see if I’m acting in the same manner anywhere in my life.  And, it could be anything that I see, not just this subject in particular.  When…not if…I do see things that need to be corrected, I take it to God and repent.  I ask Him to take whatever it is out of me and ask Him to fill me with more of His Spirit…essentially, more of Him and less of me.

Oh how wonderful it is that we have a loving God that will help us to see our flaws, correct us, heal us and restore us…and all we need to do is ask!  Even when we see these things in ourselves that we don’t like, it doesn’t change His love for us.  He loves us the same yesterday, today and forever because He is love.