Are You Worried?

Everyone we come in contact with voices their worry about their economic situation. Most are struggling paying their mortgage, rent, credit card bills, light and phone bills, groceries, medical bills, along with all the other costs. Most say they have nothing left after paying everything and some say they don't have enough to pay all that they owe.

The Bible says we are to trust in God to provide what we need. We also have a responsibility as believers, if we are more financially able, to help those who do not have enough. I know it is difficult to let go of what you have worked hard to gain. But it is also hard when you sit down with coupons and sales papers trying to figure out how many different grocery stores you will have to go to, which coupons to use at which store to get the most out of them you can, and still not be able to get the groceries you need. Some believers struggle with these situations daily. It can be tiring, discouraging, and at times embarrasing.

We need to follow Jesus' example of compassion to help those fellow believers when they need us. In scripture Jesus often reached out to others because he saw their need or heard their cry. They didn't have to ask for help. He just helped.

Are you worried how you can afford all that you owe? If you are, keep praying for help. God is faithful and just. He knows what you need before you ask. Be faithful to him and in your belief in his promices.

If you aren't in the situation others are in, are you listening to God when he asks you to help? Don't turn your back or walk away when God is asking you to do for others. You may be the one God is using to answer their prayers. Don't fail this test he may be giving you. Be faithful to him to be his light.

Serious! To Be or Not To Be

I had a conversation this week with someone I've known for a long time, but haven't seen in several years. They commented that I had changed so much and questioned my reasons for not reverting back into my old self at least while I was in their company since (as they put it) they would only be around for a very short period of time.

The only reasoning I had for them was, when you give your life to Christ it is not to be taken lightly. It is something you have to be serious about 24/7. Not just in some aspects of your life but in all of your life. Yes, we will still fall short at times. We won't be perfect all the time. But, Christ already knows we will fall, but he is faithful and just to forgive us when we do. But, that doesn't mean we have a free ticket to use his faithfulness to us to just "take time off" from being serious about our walk with him. We also are to be faithful. We represent his faithfulness. We represent the committment he has to us through our committment to him. The only difference is we don't deserve his faithfulness but he does deserve ours. If we receive his faithfulness when we are so undeserving, then we owe a greater debt of faithfulness to him who does.

Isn't it wonderful to know that God can use instances such as this to make us remember just how much he has done for us, what he has brought us out of, and where he has brought us to.