Encouragement for Daily Living

 

Encouragement for Daily Living

For the past few years, Ron has kept a journal containing short paragraphs describing what he learned from the Holy Spirit during his daily quiet time.  He kept these to himself - just a reminder of his time with God. In time, he allowed his wife to read them and she urged him to share these little gems of wisdom and insight. 

Ron began to post them on his FaceBook page and they were a great hit with his friends and family members.  After a little convincing, he agreed to share them with our Touching Lives friends.  

Below are a few entries to start us off.  We'll be adding more on a regular basis, so check back to see what's new.  We're confident that God will speak to you the same way He spoke to Ron!

© 2010 Ron Lambros

 

Do you really trust God? God is not a spiritual vending machine where you insert your prayer, pull a lever and receive an answer, and if you don't like that answer, you insert more prayers and keep pulling levers until you get the answer that you want. That's not God! If your prayer is made with faith, trust and thanksgiving, He'll give you the right answer the very first time. Trust me, He knows what He's doing!

Weariness - that feeling we often face at the end of far too many days. Life simply saps our energy. Marriage problems. Prodigal child. Financial burdens. An unfaithful spouse. Sickness. An anxious spirit. Soon, all energy is gone and we simply slump over in an emotional heap. But God says to come to Him all who are weary and He would give us rest. Rest. God's answer for life's trials. And all we have to do is come.

The most beautiful Valentine's Day card didn't come from Hallmark, but was designed by God Himself. It had no frilly lace, satin hearts or pretty ribbons. On its cover, a blood-stained Roman cross, three rusty spikes and a crown of thorns. On the inside, eight life-changing words, "I love you and did this for you."

I hope you've received God's special gift for you. An empty tomb beats candy and roses any day!

We all need encouragement, that pat on the back, that lets us know that we're loved, wanted and appreciated. Have you ever stopped to consider that's exactly what the cross is doing? On the cross, Jesus Christ, the very Son of God, is telling you and me that He'd rather die for us than live without us. Now THAT'S a pat on the back!

Faith is always tested at the intersection of "Why?" and "Trust Me!" We come to God with those situations and problems that make us ask Him, "Why?" He answers with a simple, "Trust Me!" You cannot trust God in those things which you choose and not trust Him in others. You either trust Him with it all or with nothing. The conclusion will be a faith that will enhance daily living and that you can live an eternity

The strength and power needed to persevere in the Christian life is not revealed in moments of crisis by accident. They are nurtured in the quieter days of faith, Scripture study and private prayer. Then, when the moments of trial do come, we are prepared to react and overcome through the "training" which was done in secret. Prepare your heart today for the trails that are just around the bend!

There's a huge misconception in the Christian life that believes that God is only interested in what we do for Him. While these acts may be done with the best of intentions, God is far more interested in what we BECOME than what we DO. If we spend more time growing in faith, learning more about Him daily, our lives will become living testimonies, and our impact will be far greater as we live out our life each day!

Life doesn't come with a GPS, but it does come with a Shepherd. When we come to our forks in the road, when we seek answers to questions we alone can't answer, when we don't understand why we're going through what we're going through, we, like sheep, simply trust the Shepherd and follow His voice. He will lead us beside the still waters of peace as He assumes the responsibility for our every care.

God's greatest blessings are sometimes dressed as trials, tests and suffering. Sometimes these circumstances are of our own making, sometimes the result of the actions of others for which we have no control. However, nothing happens in the life of a child of God that He does not allow, so He can use even the most difficult situation to bless us. Remember, what man often intends for evil, God intends for good!