My prayer for you today

3 John 1: ² Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.

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DEAR LORD HEAVENLY FATHER

I am so glad YOU are my FATHER and the FATHER to all who believe in YOUR SON. YOU know my heart and YOU know my ways.

Search me O LORD and eradicate any desires that blind me from seeing YOU.

Heal my ears so they may hear what YOU are saying to me. Guide my hands to bless others.

There are many who hurt, please give them peace.

There are many who are physically battling ailments, please heal them.

There are many who can’t make ends meet, please provide for them.

There are many who can’t forgive, please provide mercy.

There are many who are empty, please fill them up with YOUR love.

Please change all hearts toward “that” person, removing contempt for compassion.

Bless this reader today. amen

You mean I have to do what it says?

2 John 1: ⁹ Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.

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“Don’t you want to go to church with us?” was the question I heard many times. My first answer was “No” and my second answer was “heck no!” I just wanted to get some sleep. Church started too early and they were always bringing me down, telling me how bad I was.

I mean don’t they say “you can do what you want to do as long as you’re not hurting anybody?” “Well… if they don’t say that then they should” was my thought. Is that in the Bible?

• Listening to my own opinion can sometimes put me on the wrong path.
• Living the way I want to live can sometimes lead me away from GOD.
• Ignoring what GOD says is only an excuse for me to do more of what I want to do.

Plainly, I didn't want to learn more about GOD because I thought HE had forgiven me anyway and I just wanted to live the way I wanted to live. I mean this is “my” life anyway so “I” can live the way “I” want to, right? Not quite.

• GOD wants me to love people the way HE loves them.
• GOD wants me to practice forgiveness the way HE has forgiven me.
• GOD wants me to tell people about the ultimate sacrifice of JESUS who gave up everything for me.

When I’m living for me I find it very difficult to live for GOD. My eyes get blind to seeing the necessity of learning about GOD. My teaching turns into items that oppose HIM and my focus quickly turns into “getting ahead” versus growing the kingdom. GOD says “take MY yoke upon you and learn of ME. For MY yoke is easy and MY burden is light.”

In other words “Trust in GOD, couple myself with GOD and learn about GOD” and I will be alright.

• Are you living on sheer instinct?
• Have you stopped to check with GOD to see if you are still following HIM?
• Can you turn away from growing “your” kingdom for just a moment to grow “GOD’s” kingdom?
• Won’t you throw away your suppositions about GOD and “learn” about HIM this year?

I know that I know that I know

1 John 5: ¹³ I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. ¹⁴ This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.

¹⁵ And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

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“GOD please wake me up at 5:00 A.M.” I was told to say as an exercise in faith. I woke at 7:00 A.M. “Heal my eyes” I said with hopes of a self-claimed miracle. I still wear glasses to this day. “Please let my fantasy football team win” I lost. I could have used the cash to buy new golf clubs. I wonder if GOD is even listening to me.

·         Sometimes I wonder if GOD is even listening to me.

·         There are times when I doubt HE even cares because it seems like HIS answer is always “no.”

·         Sometimes I think I shouldn’t even pray because it seems like I’m wrong anyway.

My doubt in prayer leads to doubt in GOD.  It’s like a self-fulfilling prophecy of doom when I say to GOD “YOU wouldn’t want to give me what I want, would YOU?” After doubting my prayer then I walk away doubting my relationship with GOD. Then the thought popped in my head, “I wonder if there is a GOD?”

·         GOD says to me “Believe and I will forgive” and HE has never let me down.

·         GOD says to me “I love you and have a great plan for you” and HE has never steered me wrong.

·         GOD says to me “Have a little faith and I will show you MY unfailing, unchanging faith” and I have seen HIS greatness in action.

GOD isn’t a made up being for my amusement and sanity, rather HE is the creator who loves me and guides me daily. I can ask HIM whatever I want that is in alignment with HIS will and HE will provide it abundantly. I have learned to ask HIM “What do YOU want me to have” before asking for my item.

I now know that GOD loves me dearly and HIS answer is usually “yes” but it may be in a form I wasn’t anticipating.

·         Do you believe you will have eternal life through belief in JESUS being GOD and dying for your sins?

·         Do you believe GOD will answer your prayers?

·         Can you start seeking HIS will by asking HIM “is this what YOU want for me?”

I’m slowly becoming me.

1 John 5: Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. ² This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands.

³ In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,

⁴ for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. ⁵ Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

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Combing my hair wasn’t my strength and my clothes may have been a little tattered but I still wanted to participate in “the group.” I changed my clothes, combed my hair and soon found out it wasn’t good enough. I then changed my glasses, lifted weights and I fit in a group I didn’t like.

Will I ever be “accepted” in this world?

·         Sometimes I don’t feel like I fit in.

·         Sometimes I think I would be better off if “that group” would just accept me.

·         Sometimes I fall into the trap of running after people who are not worth running after and I leave GOD out of the relationship.

Many times I beat myself over the head trying to be what someone else wanted me to be. I tried to fit in and found myself not liking “me.” Even in church I had a difficult time being “me” because I felt wrong all the time. I mean it seemed like I was never going to reach my destination anyway so why try? BUT GOD says different.

·         GOD says “Everyone who believes that JESUS is the CHRIST is born of GOD.”

·         GOD says “Everyone who loves the FATHR loves HIS CHILD as well.”

·         GOD says “Everyone born of GOD overcomes the world.”

I then realized GOD made my relationship easy.  HE didn’t lump the burdens of physical buildings and structured programs on me, rather HE gave me a simple message “GOD loves me and HE loves you.” You mean I don’t have to be like those people over there? Yes!

GOD made me special and only I can do the tasks HE planned for me. It matters not how accepting the world is of me, what matters is my belief in HIM who saved me.

·         Are you tired of running after people who are not accepting you?

·         Are you tired of trying to please everyone?

·         Can you stop trying to be something different and be what GOD wants you to be?

Where does my fear come from?

1 John 4: ¹⁸ There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

¹⁹ We love because he first loved us.

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“Come into my office” snorted my gruff boss. “We’re sending you to lead a new division” he grunted with a look of dissatisfaction. “Why? Did I do something wrong?” I replied. I mean, I thought I was doing everything right.  I quickly tried to retrace my footsteps.

“This is a good thing! Quit worrying!” was his reply. I had no idea this move was from the head of the department which was my a few levels above my boss.

• Sometimes I think the worst is going to happen to me.
• Sometimes I think GOD is punishing me because I’m not getting my way.
• Sometimes I look into the future and I see problems, fears and doubts.

When I wake up worrying about bills, job status, or acceptance, I had no idea I wasn’t “trusting” GOD. I believe in HIM and even know about HIM but where is my trust “in” HIM? I am a planner with a flaw. I try to “plan” my way out of situations ordained by GOD and instead of trusting that HE knows what HE is doing, I fret at potential losses and casualties. What can I do about this?

• GOD wants me to trust HIS plan even when it seems different than my goals.
• GOD desires that I trust HIM especially during difficult times.
• GOD wishes that I trust HIS unfailing love for me instead of looking at HIM as the great punisher.

I guess that’s why GOD doesn’t want me to sin.  Not because when I sin, HE has to punch me in the face rather when I sin, I run away from GOD in fear of retribution from HIM. My sin causes doubt in GOD’s plan and soon I doubt HIS love and I become a self-fulfilling prophecy of doom.

GOD wants me to trust HIM to let HIM take things away from me as well as give me things when I can handle them. HIS perfect love removes my fear.

• Are you worried about something?
• Do you know GOD has a great plan for you?
• Can you believe HE can’t wait to see you succeed?
• Won’t you accept that the FATHER, JESUS and the HOLY SPIRIT are all pulling for you?

It’s as simple as one two

1 John 3: ²¹ Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God

²² and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. ²³ And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. ²⁴ The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.

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“Could you be in this city at this time?” was the question by my company. “Can you serve?” was another question by another group. Another group asked “Can you give a little more?” Then temptations came rushing at me from all sides. I was trying to read the Bible but it seemed like there were too many rules.

This “Christian” life is too difficult! I mean I just want to “be me” but everyone else keeps taking a piece of me!

• Sometimes I mistake serving for following GOD.
• Sometimes I mistakenly think I can actually act righteous so if I avoid temptations I’m following GOD better.
• Sometimes I mistake activity and giving as the only way to serve GOD even if I am thoroughly reluctant to do HIS work.

There are times where I try to manipulate GOD to get my way.  I mean my service is a feeble attempt to erase some sin and maybe, just maybe GOD will see what I’m doing and not whack me over the head. Every time I serve with reluctance I burn out quickly and cause more damage than good. How in the world can I please GOD with all those rules!?

• GOD said “MY yoke is easy and MY burden is light.”
• GOD said “It is finished” meaning “I have taken care of EVERYTHING.”
• GOD said “Believe in the ONE who rescued you by dying in your place, that HE is GOD and loves you.”
• GOD said “Love one another.”

In other words step 1: Believe and love GOD the FATHER, SON and HOLY SPIRIT and step 2: Love one another. That’s it. But that sounds too simple, there has to be more. I mean pastors, preachers and priests keep telling me to do more. Well, there is always a need but GOD says “Relax, “be you” for a moment and MY love will pour out of you to many.”

• Are you trying too hard to please GOD?
• Are you trying to manipulate HIM to get your way?
• Won’t you simplify your life by serving others the way HE wants you to?
• Can you stop feeling burnt out and love the people GOD has delivered to you?

I’m on my way!

1 John 3:¹ See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

² Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. ³ All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.

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Finally the program I had written was working flawlessly. I felt quite proud of myself for accomplishing such a task. In fact I thought I needed a promotion. “Who else could do work so masterfully?” I thought to myself. Well, maybe not that pompous, but I still thought “I” was pretty good.

My boss’s boss said I wasn’t ready but he would send me to training. I met some very experienced people in the class and I realized, I needed more time to grow.

• There are times that I think “I have arrived.”
• There are times that I think “I deserve whatever I seek to accomplish.”
• There are times that I think “I’m pretty good, why don’t others see my talents?”

Whenever I think more highly of myself than I should, I fall on my face. My confidence quickly turns into arrogance and I acquire a “deserving” attitude that is quite unbecoming. When GOD watches me pout at not getting my way, HE patiently waits on me.

• GOD has lavished great love on me.
• GOD has made me HIS child and is willing to take care of me.
• GOD has built a place for me and is purifying me day by day.

I am on a journey. My destination is to be like the one who created me. GOD knows I have not arrived. HE knows I will continue to sin and be selfish until HIS SON arrives. HE allows obstacles in my life to strengthen me for HIS purpose. Day by day HE corrects my mistakes and lavishes me with HIS love. I have not arrived but I’m on my way!

• Are you hard on yourself?
• Do you think you have failed?
• Can you realize GOD made you special?
• Do you believe you are the only one who can do what GOD made your for?
• Won’t you accept GOD’s tremendous love for you and ask HIM to open your eyes to your purpose?