What Personal Strengths Safeguard Your Integrity?

When the Hebrew people wanted a king to rule them, God chose Saul for that position. Samuel, who was their priest and judge, anointed him at his coronation. While Samuel sought God’s help and leadership in every situation, Saul impulsively relied on his own judgement.

God does expect us to use our intelligence for accomplishing the tasks before us, but like Saul, we tend to approach God for help only after everything else has failed and we’re experiencing pain and suffering. We fall into this trap by permitting our weaknesses to overtake our strengths.

This happened to Saul. He would impulsively make unacceptable decisions; then instead of admitting his mistakes, he permitted humiliation, pride, and discouragement to dominate his life. Placing faith and hope in Christ Jesus is a priority, and seeking God’s leadership first provides confidence and encouragement to face whatever life brings.

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For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.

~Hebrews 4:15 New American Standard Bible

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What Incentive Is Prompting You to Change?

New beginnings are often a matter of choice so if you could make a new start in your life, what would be your choice? Feeling trapped by circumstances could initially be perceived as a barrier, but this can actually be the incentive for making a change.

Early in Jesus’ ministry he saw Matthew sitting in a tax collector’s booth doing work most people despised. In Matthew 9:9 Jesus issued Matthew a summons, “Follow me,” and Matthew made a choice that changed his life. Evidently Matthew was ready for a change, and this could be you.

God’s word gives us a formula for feeling confident when change is necessary. “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all of these things will be given to you.” This basic step is supported by Jesus in Matthew 7:7. “Ask and it shall be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door shall be opened for you.” Are you prepared?

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Turn to the Lord! He can still be found. Call out to God! He is near.

~Isaiah 55:6 Contemporary English Version

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Our Greatest Joy

One of the greatest joys of life is being loved by another person and then loving them in return. The Bible is replete with examples of love stories. When Isaac first saw Rebekah, he loved her immediately. The moment Jacob got a glimpse of Rachel he was so awestruck he worked fourteen years for her.

Parents and children love each other as God designed them to do. Love solidifies long-term relationships. The word contented conveys the idea of being satisfied with what God has provided. Yet so many people feel discontented because they perceive their relationships as insufficient to meet their needs.

God the Father is all-sufficient in every imaginable way to meet your needs. His name, El Shaddai, translates God Almighty, the all-sufficient one. Jesus promised, "Seek first The Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all of these things will be given to you.” Take a moment to let that truth sink in.   

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Your constant love is better than life itself, and so I will praise you. I will give you thanks as long as I live; I will raise my hands to you in prayer. My soul will feast and be satisfied, and I will sing glad songs of praise to you.

~Psalm 63:3-5 Good News Bible

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Finding God's Purpose in Difficult Times - Part 3

Surviving or just getting by isn't an acceptable lifestyle for most people. Striving for something better is driven by a need to succeed. Marginal existence is unacceptable because it violates an internal code that says we're capable of reaching higher. Parents want their children to excel, for under-achieving creates sadness and frustration for most parents.

Survival is defined differently by those who comprise each socioeconomic class. Survival can be an issue even for those living in opulence. The 1960's produced a generation of young people who found little meaning in their parents' lifestyle. Survival meant rejecting the status quo as well as the conventionality of their parents.

For survival to have a full, rich meaning, it must include an acceptable purpose for life. Jesus said, "I have come that you might have life, and have it to the full." Jesus is referring to a rich spiritual life that anchors the heart and soul.  He challenges us to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. This objective gives survival a new meaning and purpose.  

Work: A Gift from God - Part 1

The wonder of the human species is that we're perpetually in transition, even if changes exist unnoticed. This may be difficult to accept for those who appreciate constancy. God created us for transitions even though change can be disruptive. For those who have reached mid-life, disruptions may be a frequent occurrence whether at work, in the family, or in personal lives.

Turmoil is a time to make needed changes that were previously overlooked. What would you say personally defines you at this stage of your life? What are your major concerns? Jesus asked a related question in Matthew 6:25, "Is not life more important than food for the body, more important than clothes?" How could this question be re-framed for today?

Change could include redefining what you want to pass on to others who observe you, listen to what you say, or use you as a model for their lives. Jesus gave us this guideline: "Seek first God's Kingdom and his righteousness and all these other things will be given to you." This might be a difficult choice, but in reality there could be no better decision.