Are you trustworthy?

Luke 16:10

Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.

Are you dependable? When you volunteer to do a job, can people be assured you will do what you said you would do? I just read a blog by Neil Pollard about being dependable. Sometimes things happen that are beyond our control. We get sick, our car breaks down or we can't leave work on time. But do we realize that when we say we will do something and then just don't do it, for whatever reason, we are not trustworthy?

Colossians 3:9-10

Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

What is your soul worth?

Mark 8:34-37

And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

Mercies In Disguise

James 1:2-4

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,  because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Have you heard the song Blessings by Laura Story? If not, be sure to use that link and listen. If you have, listen again. That song is really speaking to me these days. Life is hard. But this life isn't the end. It's just the beginning. Because of Jesus, the best is yet to come! 

Blessings 

by Laura Story

We pray for blessings 
We pray for peace 
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep 
We pray for healing, for prosperity 
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering 
All the while, You hear each spoken need 
Yet love is way too much to give us lesser things 

'Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops 
What if Your healing comes through tears 
What if the thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near 
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise 

We pray for wisdom 
Your voice to hear 
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near 
We doubt your goodness, we doubt your love 
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough 
And all the while, You hear each desperate plea 
And long that we'd have faith to believe 

When friends betray us 
When darkness seems to win 
We know the pain reminds this heart 
That this is not, this is not our home 

What if my greatest disappointments 
Or the aching of this life 
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy 
What if trials of this life 
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights 
Are your mercies in disguise

Revenge Or Not

Matthew 5:38-45

 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also.  And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.

 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

Romans 12:17-19

Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.  Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. 

Chuck Webster's blog today is titled "Get 'em back" and deals with Jesus' command to turn the other cheek. As he points out, that's a phrase oft repeated but seldom practiced. Following Jesus isn't something that comes naturally. Most of the things we are to do as Christians conflicts with our natural instincts but as Chuck points out, Jesus never said it would be easy. He said it would be worth it!

Loving God

1 John 4:20-21

If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?  And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.

His Eye Is On The Sparrow

Matthew 6:25-27

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life ?

Matthew 10:29-31

 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

The song "His Eye Is On The Sparrow" is taken from the verses above. If God knows when a single bird falls to the ground we can be sure He watches over us.

He Knows And He Cares

Psalm 56:8

You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.

(New Living Translation)

He Is With Us

Isaiah 43:2

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.

Our Refuge

Psalm 46:1

God is our refuge and strength,
    an ever-present help in trouble.

Raindrops

Matthew 5:45

He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

The context of this verse is Jesus telling us to be good to our enemies because God blesses everyone, the good and the evil. If you've never heard of Casandra Martin you'd be blessed to follow her blog. Her post today is about Prayers and Raindrops.

Love Your Enemies

Matthew 5:44-48

But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.