As we start our 5 part series on God and Money, we are reminded about the impact that mishandling of finances/financial stress has on our lives. In 1 Timothy 6, we can see that money itself is not a bad thing but rather how the LOVE of money can cause discontent and sin. There is a struggle within each of us regarding money and we must keep our eyes/mind open to how this struggle is reflected in our attitude so our heart remains focused on God.
Our outreach can actively help people to understand the saving message of Christ. We need to ensure our focus is on Christ (not so much that we become narrow-minded/ judgmental but in a way that allows us to make good choices). Ultimately, these 7 rhythms (along with other healthy Christian habits) are intended to keep us from withering and to help us bear fruit.
Three more habits of effective disciples: having relationships that lift us up; being embedded into a community of faith; investing your heart into servitude of others.
Our series on being effective disciples continues. We are reminded that God is always with us. However, it is us who allow things around and within us to separate us from him (not the other way around). By putting on God’s yolk of grace and focusing on one thing at a time, we can bring ourselves back into a right relationship with God.
We learn that prayer requires devotion and humility. Then, we understand that we need to be grounded in scripture and imbibe it as equal to our daily bread. Therefore, if we want to be effective disciples, we must start with devotion to prayer and scripture.
Stories play a fundamental role in our lives by reminding us of who we are and connecting us to those around us. These stories often don’t go the way we planned (or would like) but if we stop in the middle we might miss an amazing ending.
If your happiness is based on earthly things, you will be stuck in the “Prison of Want”. Psalm 23 shows us how we can be free from this prison by following the lead of our Shepherd who loves his sheep and gives his life to protect them and ensure their happiness. We are reminded that there is a part of us that only God can fill and, like sheep following their shepherd, we need to follow God’s lead because we can’t get to where God wants us if we are only focusing on ourselves.
Like Jesus, we need to choose to pardon – not punish, – and to focus on God, not ourselves. If we do this, and, ultimately, follow God in faith, we can trust Him to do the rest.
Welcome to 2023! How we are going to move forward into the new year? Our fresh start in 2023 should be the start of an impactful year reflecting in who Christ is and that His strength in us can turn obstacles into targets.
It is not about how much we have been forgiven but about how much we REALIZE we have been forgiven. Our human nature tends to get in the way of God’s grace. We are reminded by both that when we trust God’s will for our lives, we will be reminded of God’s grace and filled with gratitude for what he has done.