Drawing from the Source of Life

“My people have committed two sins: they have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water” (Jeremiah 2:13).

For believers of Jesus Christ, contentment should be governed by their inner attitude and decisions rather than by external circumstances. The Apostle Paul had learned this truth that in any kind of situation he was in, regardless of in plenty or in need, or surrounded by friends or isolated in prison, he was able to experience joy and peace. Paul learned to draw from the source of life.

Paul understood what it meant to live in Christ and to have Christ living in him (John 15:1-9; Gal. 5:22-23). He had made a simple but profound faith decision to draw his life from the Lord and, as a result, had the calm assurance that what he possessed inside could never be stolen. He was confident in his identity as a child of the Almighty, with full access to the abundant life Jesus offers.

When something threatens to steal your joy and contentment, choose to draw from God. Decide to stop drawing from other sources and trying to be in control. When you find yourself becoming flustered, anxious, or angry, stop and say, "Lord, You are my source, and I draw from You. From the capacity to be kind. I draw from You. From the forgiveness I need to extend right now, I draw from You. The love I need to express I draw from You.” This decision is a matter of simple trust: put your faith in God’s sovereign control into action.

Watch and see how God will quiet your spirit and provide confidence when you draw only from Him as your source. When you respond from within rather than from reacting to the external, you will come to know and understand that only Jesus will give you the ability to respond as He would.

Check out this related post:http://goodeyeconcepts.blogspot.com/2012/08/a-heart-for-god.html

Setting Goals is Key to Success

“I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things” see Philippians 3:7-14.

What three goals would you set for your life if you knew that you could achieve them? Would any of them be spiritual in nature? The apostle Paul was one of the most goal-oriented people in the Bible, yet he understood which pursuits were the most important. His chief ambition was to know Jesus, His resurrection power, and the fellowship of His suffering.

We would do well to adopt these goals, but they sound so broad. How do we put them into practice? First, it's important to comprehend that a goal is a purpose or direction toward which we work. This concept is fairly easy to understand when we're talking about specific objectives like going to bed earlier or losing ten pounds, but what steps would you need to take in order to achieve spiritual goals like Paul's?

Success requires steps that are specific, reasonable, and measurable. For example, if you want to know Christ more intimately, you might commit to spending a reasonable amount of time each day praying and reading His Word. After developing your plan and the steps to accomplish it, put your desire into action. If you don't take the necessary steps, it will simply remain a wish. Intimacy with Christ requires commitment, diligence, and perseverance.

If you feel as if your faith is lacking strength, it may be that you've become spiritually lazy. Faith requires action. Unless you set specific goals and work to achieve them, you'll drift through life and miss the greatest accomplishment of all, learning to know the Lord intimately.

Feasting on the Word

“Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good” (1 Peter 2:2-3).

Have you ever watched an infant take a feeding? They thoroughly enjoy their nourishment, clutching the bottle, smacking their lips, and make soft contented noises. As they mature, there comes a time when milk isn’t enough to satisfy their appetite.  That’s when they begin to develop their tastes, and a whole new world of culinary possibilities opens up.

Comparing new believers to babies, Peter said that they “long for the pure milk of the word” (v. 2). You wouldn’t feed a newborn steak and spinach, would you? Well, baby Christians must sip scriptural truths that they understand. Then, like a growing child, they shoot up as they feast on Bible passages, gradually taking in more and meatier principles and topics.

Believers are not left alone to make sense of Scripture any more than babies and young children are expected to get their own meals. The Holy Spirit, who indwells God’s followers, illuminates the Word. The Holy Spirit makes the meaning clear to those who seek to understand. Moreover, according to Ephesians 4:11-16, God has given gifted Christians to the church to act as pastors and teachers. They are charged with equipping the saints for service (v. 12). These leaders instruct, clarify, and motivate people to grow in their personal faith and to fulfill the church’s purpose of reaching the lost.

God’s Word is a feast for our heart, mind, and spirit. This is one banquet table where there is no such thing as taking too much. In fact, the advice many parents give their children at the dinner table applies to the Christian life as well: “Help yourself to more because Scriptural food makes you grow strong.”

Expressions of Praise

“I will extol the Lord at all times; His praise will always be on my lips. My soul will boast in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the lord with me; let us exalt His name together” (Psalm 34:1-3).

Glorifying the Lord is not limited to worshiping in church. In fact, praise ought to penetrate the believer’s life. One obvious way that we praise the Lord is with our voice. We can either speak or sing our worship. The writers of the book of Psalm put adoration into words and set their love to music. True worship also flows from the mouths of believers who are focused upon God’s attributes. They desire to honor Him because of who He is, what He has done, and what He has promised for the future.

Genuine worship allows the Lord to fill our hearts and minds with His presence. But praising the Lord with wrong motives is an empty act. If we are only lifting our hands and singing loud because it just feels good, then what we’re after is an emotional high, and that kind of selfish “praise” falls short of heaven.

God is praised when we serve Him. People are created for the purpose of bringing glory and honor to His name. Therefore, nothing should limit our willingness to work for the King, particularly when we have a chance to share Him with others. Christ is honored when His followers speak boldly about His grace and His work. The testimonies of the believer are an amazing form of praise that magnifies God’s name.

Jesus Christ is worth more than any treasure this world offers. Loving Him and understanding what He has done for you should be all the motivation you need to praise Him with your life. Don’t just sing, serve His kingdom and share the He has done for you with others. Be a true worshiper. 

Formula for Personal Growth

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” James 1:22

Growing in Christ involves far more than just attending church, tithing, and listening to a sermon. In fact, many believers do these yet remain stagnant in their walk. There are two elements necessary for us to become more like Jesus: instruction and involvement.

The first of these, learning truth, is vital to a healthy walk with God. The Lord proved the importance of instruction by devoting much of His time on earth to it. The apostle Paul is another example, as he wrote letters to educate Christians about godliness.

How can we gain knowledge and understanding? One of the most important and effective ways is to read the Bible. Scripture instructs us that just as newborns crave milk, we are to desire His Word so that we might grow.

Listening only to the truth does not mean that we've acquired it. Many people might actually love attending Bible studies and expanding their knowledge of the truth, but their lives remain unchanged. We have to apply the Word to our lives. Growth requires more than merely acquiring information. It also requires action: "For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead" (James 2:26).

Are we careless, being hearers only, deceived into thinking that we're growing? Or are we listening intently and abiding in the truth? If we're truly maturing, our lives will be increasingly Christ like, and our desires will align more closely with God's heart. Make sure that you are listening and responding to His truth.

For more topics related to Truth and the Bible check out the links below:

http://goodeyeconcepts.blogspot.com/2012/05/bible-one-library-of-living-truth.html

http://goodeyeconcepts.blogspot.com/2011/09/bible-helps-us-grow.html

http://goodeyeconcepts.blogspot.com/2012/04/approaching-truth.html

http://goodeyeconcepts.blogspot.com/2012/04/truth-for-growth.html

http://goodeyeconcepts.blogspot.com/2012/04/grace-and-truth.html

http://goodeyeconcepts.blogspot.com/2012/04/truth-by-design.html

http://goodeyeconcepts.blogspot.com/2012/03/what-is-truth.html

Controlling the Appetite of the Flesh

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.” 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

What words would you use to describe our society today? Materialistic, sensual, impatient, indulgent, undisciplined, are just a few that might come to mind. Society is also a "must have it now" culture. Satan specializes in presenting us with opportunities for instant gratification while promising us that indulging our appetites will bring us the satisfaction we seek to fill the hole deep in our heart and soul that only God can fill.

Human appetites in themselves are not sinful, in fact, they're God-given. However, because of our fleshly weaknesses, they need to be controlled. Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). When we are out of control, our appetites rule us, and we're in trouble. Paul likened the Christian life to that of athletes who are so focused on winning the race that they exercise self-control in every area of their lives.

That's exactly how we're called to live, yet we lack the motivation, determination, and power to do so in our own strength. For this reason, we need to rely on the Holy Spirit within us. If we yield our lives to Him and step out in obedience to His promptings, we'll have the strength to say no when fleshly desires feel overpowering (Galatians 5:16).

Another key to success is keeping our focus on the eternal instead of the temporal. Many decisions that seem mundane are in fact spiritually significant. Are you indulging an appetite that could result in the sacrifice of an imperishable reward in heaven?

When the enemy tempts us, he always tries to keep our attention on our desire and the pleasure of indulgence rather than on the eternal rewards and blessings we're forfeiting. Just remind yourself how quickly immediate gratification fades and how long eternity lasts.

Building Muscles of Faith

1 Kings 18:22-36

"I wish I had great faith." These are words that almost every Christian has said at one time or another. But faith is like a muscle, which must be exercised in order to become strong. Just wishing cannot make it happen.

Christians are to believe God not just for salvation, but for all their needs. Rather than arriving at a spiritual plateau, faith is actually a process that involves increasing degrees of trust throughout life. Having only just a little faith hopes that God will do what He says. A strong faith knows that He will, and having great faith believes that He has already done it.

Elijah was a man of great faith. He saw increased challenges as opportunities for God to do His work and the prophet believed Him for the supernatural. So can you. The Lord may not do every miraculous thing you ask of Him, but He does some extraordinary work in and through each person who is obedient and willing to trust in Him.

You may be thinking, I am not good enough for the Father to use me. The Scriptures are filled with examples of weak and flawed people whom the Lord used to achieve His purposes. He is looking, not for perfection, but for individuals willing to believe Him. He not only works through people of faith; He transforms them.

Start by reading God's Word to learn what He wants you to do. Each day's situations and needs are opportunities to trust Him. Ask the Lord to bring to mind verses that apply to your circumstances. Trust Him and do what He says. Your faith "muscles" will grow, and the Lord will be glorified.

Building Bridges to the Kingdom

Matthew 25:31-34

Scripture refers to "the kingdom of God" frequently, but many people are unclear as to its meaning. Let's look at the past, present, and future reality of this concept.

The first thing we must realize is that the heavenly kingdom refers to everything under Christ's control. At the moment of salvation, we are transferred from the reign of darkness to the bright authority of Jesus. And we are eternally secure in Him.

Jesus' kingdom and reign have been planned since the foundation of the world. From the beginning, God has been preparing mankind for what is to come. One way was by using prophets to foretell how He would redeem humanity and sovereignly rule over heaven and earth.

Once Jesus came and gave His life, He established the "present" kingdom. This isn't a geographical locale, it's a term describing the heart, where God's Holy Spirit indwells believers to guide, counsel, and empower.

But there is also a future aspect of the kingdom, which we can anticipate with excitement. You are probably familiar with the words "Thy kingdom come" from the Lord's Prayer (Luke 11:2 kjv). This speaks of the new heaven and new earth, where we will enjoy freedom from pain and sin. There, we will worship Jesus with gladness and joy for all eternity.

As God's kingdom ambassadors, we who are His children have the responsibility and privilege of sharing the good news: Through Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection, all who trust in Him are forgiven of sin and assured of eternal life with God. 

Choosing to Believe

John 3:1-21

Faith isn't something we can lay claim to because we were born to believing parents or have citizenship in a Christian country. Nor can we attain it by attending or even teaching Sunday school, though some have such incorrect assertions. Instead, the following should be true of genuine believers.

A clear understanding of the gospel is essential for a person to believe and receive the good news of Jesus Christ. His death on the cross was the only sacrifice required to remove our sins. God offers His grace as a gift to anyone who will receive it.

A definite decision at a particular point in time serves as a sort of landmark of the heart and mind. People do not just slip into Christianity; faith in Jesus must be chosen. Believers are those who have made a deliberate decision to trust the Lord and follow in His ways. A blessed assurance follows the clear-cut decision so that believers can be certain of their salvation. God wants confident, assured children (1 John 5:13).

A visible symbol of what happens when someone receives the Savior, namely baptism, illustrates dying to one's old ways and rising to new life in Christ Jesus. Believers are to take this step as a public way of identifying with Him (Matt. 28:19).

A man or woman of faith chooses to surrender to Christ, embraces the Word of God, and lives fully for the Lord. True believers no longer muddle through the practices of religion out of habit, but instead worship and rejoice in a vibrant personal relationship with the Lord.

A Godly Response to Criticism

Proverbs 15:31-33

No one likes criticism, but encountering some is inevitable, so we need to learn how to respond in a godly way. Although you might be tempted to become defensive or angry, remain calm and listen. The words may hurt, but great benefits come to those who carefully consider what is said.

If we refuse to accept reproof, we'll limit our potential for Christlike character development and spiritual growth. Some of life's best lessons come through difficult experiences. If God allowed the situation, you can be sure that He wants to use it in transforming you into His Son's image. Whether the criticism is valid or not, whether it's delivered with kindness or harshness, your goal should always be to respond in a way that glorifies the Lord. Remember that you are responsible only for how you handle yourself, not for how the other person is acting.

When a criticism comes your way, be quiet and listen until the other person has finished. Make direct eye contact to show attentiveness and respect. When your critic finishes, thank him for bringing his concerns to your attention, and tell him that you will consider what he or she has said. Ask the Lord if the accusation is valid. Let Him search your heart and either affirm your innocence or convict you.

Every rebuke is an opportunity from God. It's a chance to let your Christian character shine by showing love to your critic. If he is angrily attacking you, your respect and kindness become a powerful testimony. Criticism is also an occasion to humble yourself and accept the Lord's correction.