Archive for January, 2008
Our Father
Although learning to approach God like a child and depend on Him for everything can be challenging, this truth remains, our Heavenly Father is trustworthy. No matter how we might waiver, our Father remains the same. Not only is He unchanging but He delights in and loves His children! We should live each moment with confidence, no matter what trials we might face, because we have a Heavenly Father who loves us. Take joy in your Father!
Psalm 68:4-5 “Sing to God, sing praise to his name, extol him who rides on the clouds– his name is the Lord– and rejoice before him. A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.”
James 1:17 “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”
Psalm 86:15 “But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.”
Psalm 19:7-10 “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether righteous.”
Like a child
After experiencing a baby dedication at church yesterday I was reminded of the importance of reliance on Christ. We are called to approach Christ for every need just as a child depends on his/her parents. I often struggle unnecessarily because I depend on myself or others to meet my needs. Our sin hinders the life of peace and joy that are ours “for the taking” if we would only trust entirely upon Christ.
Matthew 6:25-34 “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 important than food, and the body more important 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? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
Matthew 18:3-4 “And he said: ‘I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.’”
Hebrews 4:15-16 “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
Gratitude and Grace
I was recently challenged through reading this quote to examine my heart and look for signs of gratefulness. In his book, “Ruthless Trust,” Brennan Manning writes:
“The foremost quality of a trusting disciple is gratefulness. Gratitude arises from the lived perception, evaluation, and acceptance of all life as grace–as an undeserved and unearned gift from the Father’s hand. Such recognition is itself the work of grace, and acceptance of the gift is implicitly an acknowledgment of the Giver.”
Colossians 3:15-16 ”Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.”
Psalm 69:30 “I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.”
Philippians 4:6 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
