Are you worrying about something today? Life always presents cares, concerns, and things that trouble us. No one is exempt. But when we worry about them, Jesus asks, “Will all your worries add a single moment to your life?” (Matthew 6:27). I’ve heard it said that worry is like sitting in a rocking chair. You’re doing something but getting nowhere. You just rock back and forth. But worry does change one thing–it changes who we are. Worry changes our personality and makes us frustrated, suspicious, cranky, and miserable. It causes us to miss the beauty of the moment and to be fruitful in our lives. It literally chokes us spiritually.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Prov. 3:5-6

Heavenly Father, some decisions we make are 100% personal preference, others merely require “sanctified common sense.” But then there are the life-choices in front of us that tie us in knots, rob us of sleep, and fuel our fears.

Should a church require that a pastor be gifted? Yes. Paul indicates that if a man desires to serve as a pastor, he must be “able to teach” (1 Tim. 3:2; Tit. 1.9). A man is not required to produce theological tomes for the ages or to pack out auditoriums with his great oratorical skills, but he must be able to faithfully and clearly communicate the truth of Scripture so that others are able to understand the Bible and act upon it.

We can often misjudge our own seasons by comparing our journey to others. As a quick review, there are one of three seasons that you may find yourself in as you journey through life with Christ:  the Waiting Season, the Writing Season, and the Working Season. 

This article will focus on the Waiting Season.   

Given the pace of life today, you need to take a pause and ask yourself if you’re just rushing through life and running on empty. Too often, we all do it. If we were a car with a gas tank hovering near empty, we’d get to the gas station and fill it up. But what do we do instead? We dash around and forget to stop and breathe in those beautiful moments when our child kisses our cheek or when our husband tells us he loves us. We get a promotion at work…and it’s right back to work. We need to learn to take a minute and breathe it all in and say, “Thank You, Lord!” We need to take the time to stop and be grateful. We need to go outside and gaze at the trees and the big blue sky that God made for us to enjoy. Put life on pause, collect your thoughts, and realize that God created you to enjoy the good things in your life.

One of the great wonders of the Christian life is reconciling who you are now in Christ with who you once were without him. We are like one who marvels as he sees his empty bank account become one with an infinite sum. Life will never be the same. For the Christian, however, our lives have not simply been enhanced as the rich man but resurrected as the dry bones of the valley (Ezekiel 37). We have passed from death into life.

John Piper says, “Romans 6 deals with the kind of life that leads to eternal life: What it is and how to live it.” When we placed our faith in Christ and trusted his finished work to set us right with God, we received his grace. What do we then do with that grace? In Romans 6, Paul points out two opposing options. We can use grace as an excuse for sin, or we can use it as a power for obedience.

Arthur Miller’s famous play, Death of a Salesman, features a pitiful character named Willy Loman. His story is a cautionary tale of a life that is hollow and sad, because the most important thing in life for him is to be well liked and well respected by others. According to Willy, appearing successful matters more than being successful; appearing kind, generous, and virtuous matters more than being kind, generous, and virtuous; and appearing to have one’s act together matters more than having one’s act together.

This article is by Christy Mercer Forbes and published by Team Jesus Magazine   My Page in the Book of Christian Singles I have a little story to tell you.  I don’t gossip about others, so you can take this as a lesson for the books.  I believe everyone’s story can help someone gain life…

Before one of our Night of Hope events years ago, I was walking around the baseball stadium and was surprised to see birds all over the outfield grass. I was told that in order to fix the daily wear and tear and keep the grass growing evenly, the maintenance crew went out every day to throw grass seed, which brought the hungry birds. Despite the birds, the grass stayed beautiful because the abundance of sown seed was greater than the birds.

“He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.”
Luke 24:27

The two disciples on the road to Emmaus had a most profitable journey. Their companion and teacher was the best of tutors; the interpreter one of a thousand, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. The Lord Jesus condescended to become a preacher of the gospel, and he was not ashamed to exercise his calling before an audience of two persons, neither does he now refuse to become the teacher of even one. Let us court the company of so excellent an Instructor, for till he is made unto us wisdom we shall never be wise unto salvation.