Reaching Maturity

From the moment we’re born, we tend to associate love with what others do for us and the speed with which they do it. We learn to feel loved when we get our needs met—quickly. Sadly, many of us carry the same childish, demanding spirit into our relationship with God. But He knows that if He indulged our insatiable desire to have instantaneous help at every juncture, we would never
grow up. Instead we’d be crippled emotionally and unable to stand, let alone walk, on our own.

Growing to maturity means learning to accept delayed gratification. Part of putting childish ways behind us, spiritually speaking, involves subduing the whiny, demanding part of our flesh that insists that, if God loves us, He must act according to our specifications, our scripts, and especially our time lines.

Excerpted from At the Feet [ … ]

Be a Reflection

In the Bible, James said that our actions, not our words, are the proof of our faith. He wrote in James 2:18, “Now someone may argue, ‘Some people have faith; others have good deeds.’ But I say, ‘How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.’ ” I’ve heard it said that our actions are to our faith and beliefs as our bodies are to our spirits. Your body is the housing of your spirit, the evidence of its existence. In the same way, your actions are the evidence of your faith and beliefs. You have no doubt heard the term “walking the talk.” Your family, friends, teachers, bosses, coworkers, customers, and clients all expect you to act and live in alignment with the beliefs and [ … ]

Got Laughter?

Hattie covered her mouth, but the giggle escaped anyway. Boney Hughes lay under her kitchen sink, his upper body concealed by the cupboard. His legs sprawled over her linoleum flooring.
Boney scooted out from under the sink and peered up at her. ‘You think me rappin’ my old knuckles on these leaky pipes is funny?’
Unable to stifle her amusement, Hattie nodded. ‘You look like a . . .’ She fanned herself, trying to regain her composure while he stood. ‘Like a fish out of water.’
Boney’s winter-white eyebrows arched. ‘A big old river catfish?’
Giggling, she studied him from his wiry beard to his worn boots. ‘A smaller fish perhaps, but surely one with a big heart.’”

The proprietor of Miss Hattie’s boardinghouse and Mr. Boney understand the gift of a merry heart.
[ … ]

Called

“During peacetime, pre-9/11, it wasn’t a popular decision to join the military to protect your country,” says Mark Kramer, “so my decision was sort of validated that day. Adam and I were going around trying to find coverage to call home, and he was right with me, saying, ‘Get us out there—let’s get some payback.’ Adam had this intense love for his hometown and state, which is really what patriotism is. We had both been competitive in sports, talked about the frustration of watching a game from the sideline, so we were hoping and praying that the powers that be would let us go out and do what we were trained to do.”

Kelley, just back from an early morning trip to Wal-Mart for diapers, was holding Nathan tight and watching the news when Adam finally got through.
“It’s [ … ]

Right Relationships

What does God want from you and me? Does God want us to think the right thoughts or to do the right things? Of course. But above all God wants us to be involved in right relationships. When the Bible says, “God is love,” it is saying that God is a relationship. Love has no value or meaning in a vacuum. Right relationships are not produced by right thoughts or right actions. Just the opposite. Right thoughts and right actions are produced by right relationships.

Excerpted from Real Church in a Social Network World by Leonard Sweet

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Daily Reflection:
What changes do you need to make in your relationships (with others and with God) to create relationships that foster the right actions and thoughts?

God Wants to Use You

There was the Philippian jailer in Acts 16:27–34. God could have reached him without human help. Instead, He allowed Paul and Silas to be incarcerated in his jail. From these two prisoners, the jailer heard the gospel, and he and his family came to faith. I think also of Cornelius in Acts 10, a centurion searching for God. An angel told him he needed to meet someone named Simon Peter, and the angel explained where to find him. Interesting. The angel could have given him the gospel. Instead God chose to use Simon Peter. And what about Saul (later the apostle Paul) in Acts 9? While it’s true he was converted through an encounter with Christ Himself on the Damascus Road, God sent Ananias to confirm this with Saul and to pray for him to receive the power of the [ … ]

A Life of Joy and Energy

Jesus did not endure his days on earth out of a sense of obligation. His life was characterized by joy and energy; it was spent in relationship with others. Today, too many Christians line up to follow God out of duty or guilt, or even hoping to win a ticket to heaven. They completely miss the warmth and richness of the experience of living with God. They fail to pick up the aroma of what God is doing in their part of town.

Here’s the truth: God has set up shop where you live. The doors are open and the coffee is brewing. God is serving the refreshing antidote to the conventional, unsatisfying, arms-length spiritual life—and God invites you in. God won’t make you stand in line.

Excerpted from The Gospel According to Starbucks by Leonard Sweet

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Zeal for Good

Sometimes you’ve got to be zealous for what is good and not worry about the outcome. When I go out on a limb, I ask myself, “What is the worst thing that could happen here?” Usually, it’s not that bad. It’s things like, “I’ll be embarrassed”—well, that’s nothing new. Or, “I’ll lose their friendship”—risky, but many times by taking a stance you earn their respect and strengthen your friendship.

Then, I consider, “What is the best thing that could happen if I do this zealous, good thing?” Lives could be improved, hearts could be changed—it could be incredible!

Excerpted from Rise and Shine by Liz Curtis Higgs

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Daily Reflection:
What zealous passion is God calling you to act on?

Dealing with Anxiety

When anxiety strikes and blurs our vision of God’s glory and the great­ness of the future that he plans for us, this does not mean that we are faith­less, or that we will not make it to heaven. It means our faith is being attacked. At first blow, our belief in God’s promises may sputter and swerve. But whether we stay on track and make it to the finish line depends on whether, by grace, we set in motion a process of resistance—whether we fight back against the unbelief of anxiety.

[. . .] Psalm 56:3 says, “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.” Notice: it does not say, “I never struggle with fear.” Fear strikes, and the battle begins. So the Bible does not assume that true believers will have no anxieties. Instead, the Bible [ … ]

Faith to Action

My physical challenges are easy to see, yet people only have to talk to me or hear me speak for a few minutes to understand how much joy I have in spite of that. So they often ask me how I stay positive and where I find the strength to overcome my disabilities. My answer, always, is, “I pray for God’s help, and then I put my faith in action.” I have faith. I believe in certain things that I have no tangible proof of—things I cannot see, taste, touch, smell, or hear. Most of all, I have faith in God. Though I can’t see or touch Him, I believe He created me for a purpose, and I believe that when I put my faith and my beliefs into action, I put myself in a position for God’s blessings.

Excerpted [ … ]