Newness of Life Includes Everything We Need.

  Did I get everything?  I regularly have to ask myself this question after leaving the grocery store.  Well, not so much anymore, because I have an app on my phone that my grocery list is on that I can check off by item while I cruise the aisles. Generally, I just have a basic number of the same staple items to get me by during the week.  But, I also try new stuff every now and then that goes above and beyond my small list of "everything".  This last week I tried Blueberry Lemonade made by Simply Orange Juice Company.  Pretty good stuff.
  I got to thinking about how I might not quite get everything at the store on my list, but as a child of God I truly do have everything I will ever need in Him and from His gracious hand.
  Here is what He lets us know in 2 Peter 1:3:
  "...as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue..."
  All things.  No worries.  This is His way.  This is the King of the universe who backs up every promise and never changes.  Because of His extravagant love, our walk in newness of life is fully funded, packed full, with joy and opportunities abounding to share His gospel, which is what we are here for after all, to know Him and make Him known. Even better, it isn't just the basic staples that He has given, but everything.  This includes the extras, the extravagantly good gifts, even those blessings we have not even thought about yet, because He gives far above all we could ask or think about.  Isn't He good?
  Warren Wiersbe has written, "God had not only given us all that we need for life and godliness, but He had also given us His Word to enable us to develop this life and godliness.  These promises are great because they come from a great God and they lead to a great life.  They are precious because their value is beyond calculation."
  Tonight I saw a beautifully brilliant sunset.  Tomorrow holds untold riches in blessings too numerous to count.  Mine the treasures in His Word and let Him show you Himself and what is included in His "everything", motivating you to walk joyfully in newness of life with Him.

 
  A prayer:
  Father in Heaven, You have provided it all.  Help me to remember this and to learn more about your good and perfect gifts.  I love you, LORD. In the name of Jesus I pray, amen.

 

Newness of Life in Encouragement Amidst Challenges.

  As I write tonight I am overwhelmed with gratefulness, thankful for some gifts from God that I was able to experience.  One was only a few minutes ago as I took a very late walk that I initially found difficult to do (getting myself out of the comfort of my recliner), where I saw a shooting star.  It is a mysterious and altogether beautiful sight to see, and always immediately turns me toward my Creator in awe and wonder and causes me to think about how glorious He really is and how I can live to please Him.  If I had not been prodded to get out and take that walk, I would have missed it.
  I also had the fantastic opportunity to attend a Promise Keepers in event in Phoenix, AZ that left me longing to trust and obey God, awaken from complacent and comfortable slumber, and make commitments to be courageous in life's battle(s) and be encouraged by His Word EVERY single day.
  As we face the battles of life, as we extend ourselves in providing for our families, as we are caring for others, as we faithfully pray for those we love and our enemies too, as we strive and struggle - there is comfort.  Sometimes that comfort comes from a somewhat unexpected source, the prodding of the staff of God.
  Take a look at Psalm 23, one of the most often quoted passages from Scripture:
"The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.  He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.  He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow if death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me..." - Psalm 23:1-4

Most times I key in on the "still waters" and "green pastures" parts.  But the staff and rod comforting us captured my attention lately.  That staff shows us so much about God, and how He is with us:
To rescue us.
To protect us.
To guide us.
To prod us back into battle when the hard things of life cause us to run away.
  As Jill Briscoe says, "We may be facing tough challenges, but God's compassions never fail us.  They are 'new every morning,'" she says, and great will be His faithfulness (see Lamentations 3:22-23). If things are right when we are on our knees, they will be right when we are on our feet."
Briscoe admits that she has run away from hard things and felt the unmistakable prodding of the Good Shepherd's crook. She says, "This is how He 'encourages' me back into the midst of the battle to do my part."
  As we walk in newness of life, we need not lose heart as the tougher days come and go. If you have trusted in Jesus, you can know and draw upon His endless Strength.  Actually, He is our Strength.  He is your ever present help in troubles.  His grace, sufficient in our weakness, enables us to walk and walk strongly and confidently into the great unknown future.  He can handle it.  He is in complete control.  He's got this.  He is holding on to you, so hold on too, to His mighty hand and be still and know, He is God.  He will never leave His people, never forsake them, never make them fend for themselves.  Please be encouraged, even when we must be prodded back into the fray,  Be comforted, knowing you can run to Him and lean on His everlasting arms.  He is good.  Believe Him.  Trust Him.

Please pray with me:
  Father, sometimes the challenges in front of me seem overwhelming.  Please help me to remember that I can cry out to You and that Your mercies are new every morning, and that includes this morning.  Thank you, LORD Jesus, in whose name I pray. Amen.

Newness of Life In Leaving Regrets Behind.

  Upon emptying out a drawer during some spring cleaning, I ran across some coupons that had expired and therefore unusable.  I immediately thought of how I could have saved money several times if they only would have been in my pocket at the store.  It was a small regret, especially in comparison to other regrets I could name in life, but still.  This also made me think of the valuable truth that if we choose to, we can live a no-regrets kind of life.  This is because God has given us His great and precious promises and His Spirit to be our Helper to guide us to truth.
  As we all have in different ways experienced regret, in failing to resist a temptation or missing a huge opportunity or leaving necessary words unsaid or forgetting a special occasion, we can overcome.  It can be easy to despair or get angry at myself, but before I do that, I could consider a different route.
  Oswald Chambers wrote about this when he said:
  "Arise and go to the next thing.  Let the past sleep.  Go out to the irresistible future with Him."
  God will purify us or enable us with His strength if we will call upon Him for His help.  This is both comforting and exciting in the adventure of life.  The "irresistible future" of this life is straight ahead and those who have trusted Christ as LORD and Savior have also the hope of Heaven.
  One key way to not dwell on past regretful times is to focus on what He directs us to in His Word.
  "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy- meditate on these things." - Philippians 4:8

When we do this, we find the presence of the God of peace that passes all understanding.  Then we walk in newness of life all the more and engage in life's great battles with more confidence and wisdom.

A prayer:
Father, I open myself to Your power and Your perfect will.  Please do not allow my past sins or blunders to keep me from following You. As I know You more, please let me share Your love abundantly. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
 

 

Newness of Life in Prayer, Part 2.

  Since I will be heading to the doctor in a few weeks for a check-up, it makes me think about the symptoms he may look for.  High blood pressure can produce certain symptoms, and he will look to see if any have subsided enough to take me off one medication.  I will be hopeful, but I am also taking action, watchful of my eating habits and exercising.
  Walking in newness of life involves the power and privileges of prayer, communicating with Almighty God.  When we pray, we can be full of hope.  He hears, He cares, He longs to have us run to Him and meet with Him regularly. 
  In addition, we need to remember that talking about praying is one thing, but actually taking action is another.  Just like with my exercise plan, I can more easily talk about it than actually make the necessary effort of following through. 
  I love the verse, Colossians 4:2 - "Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful."
  God clearly gives us the two action points of watchfulness and thankfulness, and also instructs us to never stop praying.
  There are some symptoms of prayerlessness that we see when we examine our lives:
*worry
*fear
*bitterness
*spiritual lethargy (slowness to think and act)
  If we see any of those popping up in regularity, we can make quick changes to our priorities and let the healthy habit of spending quality time with the LORD become of utmost importance.
  On the flipside, we can see symptoms of prayerfulness too.  This is what we want. They include:
*confident faith
*unshakeable joy
*extravagant love
*extensive enthusiasm for life and ministry
  A couple of ways to take further action is to make it your practice to pray:
1. Before dawn while others are still fast asleep.
2. Instead of sleep when faced with crucial decisions or heavyheartedness.

"Remember that God's prevailing power is released through prayer.  He is interested in you and your needs.  He is able to meet any need, and He has invited you to pray.  His Son, Jesus, the expert on prayer, has given instructions so that you know just how to pray.
  For the miracle of prayer to begin operating in our lives, we must finally do only one thing: we must pray.  Then... we begin to live moment by moment in God's presence." - Bill Hybels

We can find Jesus's instructions on how to pray sincerely, sacredly, sensibly and Scripturally in your Bible in Matthew 6:9-13:
"Our Father in Heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the
power and the glory forever.
Amen