Matthew 5:16

"Even so let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." (ASV)

When most of us hear the word "evangelism" we cringe. We think of it as a guy standing on a soapbox on a corner with a bullhorn. Of course, that's one option for sharing the gospel with the world, but it's far from the only one. The Bible tells us that simply living out our faith can turn others toward God.

Just as in other parts of your life, often what we do is more important than what we say. People learn from example and actions speak louder than words. Even sound preaching is weakened when your walk isn't also in line. We all know those people who claim to be Christians and preach to anyone who will listen, but don't live any differently from the rest of the world. If we don't take their faith seriously, why should the rest of the world? We need to let God's light shine through every part of our lives, not just the easy ones.

So how do we share God with a fallen world? Learn to walk in Faith. Learn to lean on God in times of struggle. Love your neighbor. Love your God. Do all these things in a transparent way, and let those around you see the change in you. True, you're bound to slip up from time to time, but don't be discouraged. We all fall now and then, and allowing the world to see that you messed up but you kept going can be a powerful testimony in itself.

If you learn to reflect God's love and let it shine in your life, you'll soon find that you don't need to preach to strangers. People in your everyday life will want to know why you're so different. They'll see your joy and want a piece of it for themselves. They'll want to know the source, and you'll be ready to share it.

James 4:15

"For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall both live, and do this or that." (ASV)

Years ago, I heard the old Yiddish Proverb, "We plan, God laughs." It struck me at the time as being somewhat silly because of course, we have to have plans. Otherwise how would we ever move forward in life? That was before God got hold of my plans and I wound up living half a country away from my family and never having accomplished any of the goals I held then. And I'm all the happier for having followed God rather than following my own plans.

Each of us thinks we can run our own lives. We think we know what we want. We spend years, decades or even lifetimes chasing dreams that in the end can't fulfill us. We work so hard to attain goals that just end up making us more miserable. All the while the path of our lives is already laid out for us -- all we have to do is follow it.

You see, God has a plan for each of our lives. He laid it out for us before we were even born. He knows what will truly fulfill us and he knows what we need and want more than even we do. When we make plans, we don't know what tomorrow will bring. We can't even accurately predict the weather more than a few days in advance, so why should we think we can predict the circumstances around us for the rest of our lives? God on the other hand knows what is to come. And His plans never fall through. "But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations." (Psalm 33:11 NIV)

So maybe it's time for us to stop trying to direct our lives. Time to put aside our own feeble plans and look for a path that is more trustworthy. Time to reach out to the Author of Life, and ask for His guidance in all things.

Psalm 34:19

"Many are the afflictions of the righteous; But Jehovah delivereth him out of them all." (ASV)

A lot of people have an unfortunate misconception about becoming a Christian. They think that once you're saved, your life should be trouble-free. Then they look at the Christians they know, see that this is not the case, and are put off by it. In truth, salvation does not ward off earthly troubles. In fact, sometimes it multiplies them. The good news though is that through every problem we may face in our Christian walk, we can hold the assurance that we are not alone. God will see us through.

Think about that thought for a moment: God will see us through. We all know what a blessing it can be to have a friend or family member by our side in times of trouble. We've seen the comfort to be gotten from a hug or a kind word. How much greater then is the comfort we can have from the Creator of us all? How much more will His loving kindness soothe us when we hurt or calm us when we are upset? And He is never more than a prayer away!

Rejoice then, fellow Christians, at the marvelous love of our God. Don't try to hide away your troubles or pretend that they don't exist. Rather reveal your deepest darkest fears to God and let him shine a light on them. Tell Him about your sorrows and allow Him to help ease the pain. Cry on His shoulder and know that He holds your life in the palm of His hand and nothing gets by Him. There is nothing our God can't do, and no trouble or worry is too great for His awesome power to help us through it.

James 1:12

"Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he hath been approved, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord promised to them that love him."

I've often heard people equate temptation with sin. As if just being tempted to do something wrong is a sin in and of itself. This couldn't be farther from the truth! The Bible tells us that we will all be tempted. Even Jesus was tempted, but we know that He never gave in to sin.

The truth of the matter is, we only recognize temptation for what it is when we are on the right path. An unrepentant habitual liar is never tempted to lie. They just do it. They don't need to be tempted to lie because lying is what comes naturally to them. Only when we are struggling against sin do we truly feel the weight of temptation. When that same habitual liar decides to turn themselves around and try to speak only truth, they begin to feel the temptation to lie, but with prayer and grace they can overcome it.

Temptation is also often a tool of the enemy. When he sees that we are doing something for God or we're trying to improve our walk, Satan delights in frustrating our efforts. He will throw temptation after temptation in our path to try to distract us. He simply wants us to turn our eyes away from Christ and pay attention to more worldly concerns. These are the times when it is most important that we continue to focus on God. If we reach out to Him in prayer, He will help us through anything the enemy may drop in our path.

Notice that in the above verse from James, we are not called to destroy, defeat, or remove the temptation, but rather to endure it. The longer we endure temptation without giving in, the less power it can hold over us. Unless we are capable of controlling every aspect of our lives (and none of us are), we can't effectively remove temptation altogether. We may be able to clean all the sweets out of the refrigerator at home, but eventually someone is going to bring donuts to work to share or invite us to dinner where they are serving lavish desserts. Of course, this doesn't mean we should seek out temptations. Instead, we should spend our efforts in prayer, asking God to strengthen us against such attacks. Only with the strength that He has to give us can we be prepared for future struggles.

Hebrews 11:6

"And without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing unto him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that seek after him." (ASV)

It's easy for a Christian to believe in God. If we didn't believe that God exists, we wouldn't bother ascribing to ourselves the term "Christian" after all. More difficult for many though is to believe that God rewards all of those who seek Him. We struggle to believe that God has good things in store for us. Yet this is a basic tenet of the Christian faith.

Many people still think of God as a harsh taskmaster, a stern judge, a big bearded guy up in the sky whose main purpose is to keep us from having too much fun. Their view of God is distorted. They are trying to follow a God they don't even know. Others have trouble with the concept that an all-knowing, all-powerful God could possibly love them. For these people, it's their view of self that is out of line. They are allowing their own self image problems come between them and God.

Central to knowing God is knowing who He is. One of His most demonstrable characteristics is love. In fact, the Bible even states that God in fact IS love. (1 John 4:8) God is also the great provider. In fact, one of the names of God, Jehovah-jireh, means God provides. He is also a God who has a plan. "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV)

The Bible also tells us who we are in relation to God. John 1:12 says "But as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God, even to them that believe on his name:" (ASV) As believers, we have been adopted into the family of God. We are His children, co-heirs with Christ. And like a good father, God wants only the best for us.

So the next time you begin to have doubts about what God has in store for you, remember who He is, remember who you are, and rest assured that He has it all under control.

1 Corinthians 6:20

"For ye were bought with a price: glorify God therefore in your body." (ASV)

Self esteem is a huge issue in our society today. Television and magazines tell women that we have to be six feet tall, thin as a rail, and perfectly dressed and styled. Men are supposed to be thin but muscular, powerful, strong, and always in charge of their emotions and the world around them. Eating disorders, steroid abuse, plastic surgery, botox and other forms of self-destructive behavior are on the rise. And all the while we take it in. We wish we could look more like the celebrities on the screen. We strive for the "ideal" body. We forget that we have already been "fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psalm 139:14)

In an age when even the Pope wears designer labels, it is time for Christians to cast aside the molds and standards of the world and remember the God who made us and who loves us just the way we are. It is time for us to remember that we are not our own. We belong to God. He paid for us with Christ's death on the cross, a very dear cost indeed. All He asks in return is that we love Him and strive for His glory above our own.

Every imperfection we see in the mirror, every time we tell ourselves we're not good enough, we allow Satan a foothold in our lives. We make the ideals of beauty and perfection our idols. We spend more time thinking about that extra five pounds than we do thinking about the God who loves us or the calling He's given us. We search for the perfect diet instead of searching for purpose. We waste our efforts trying to get rid of gray hairs instead of working toward ridding ourselves of sin. And we bask in our vanity, assuring ourselves that it's normal because it's what the rest of the world is doing.

Christians are not called to be just like the rest of the world. We are called to be a holy people. The simple definition of the world holy is "set apart". We are to set ourselves apart from the corruption and pride of the world in which we live. How are we to show them the difference God has made in our lives if we really are no different? It would be an act of hypocrisy to even try.

Instead of trying to be just like the world, we should strive to be just like Jesus. That is the true nature of being a follower -- seeking to emulate our leader in all things. Nowhere in the Bible does it say that He was on the cutting edge of fashion. He was a humble man, a carpenter's son by outward appearance. It was not beauty or physical presence that attracted people to Him. The crowds flocked to His side because of the love He showed and the miracles He performed. People wanted to be near Him because they could see God in Him.

We can have the same effect on our world, if we only try. God wants to shine through us. He wants us to be the light of the world. He wants us to be the salt of the earth, giving flavor to an otherwise bland existence. But the way to do this is not found in a beauty magazine. We can't attain it through long hours at the gym. Rather, we simply have to seek after God, "and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6:33)

Psalm 27:8

"When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; My heart said unto thee, Thy face, Jehovah, will I seek." (ASV)

How many of us are truly, completely obedient to God? It is a hard thing to achieve. David had the idea when he penned this verse. When God tells us to do something, we should not complain, whine, or put it off. We should simply do it. And we should put our hearts into it. The best example of this type of obedience can be seen in the end of Jesus' earthly life: "and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross." (Philippians 2:8 ASV)

Obedience to God is something that even the great figures of the Bible have struggled with. It's difficult for us to put aside our own wishes and desires to do God's bidding when we don't know what the outcome may be. It requires a lot of trust to just let go of all of our uncertainties and remember that God knows the outcome, and has a good reason for asking us to do whatever it may be He wants from us.

Unlike human authority figures, God will not force us to obey in most cases. If we refuse, He will allow us to do so. But refusal to play our parts in His plan for us can have horrible effects. At the very least we miss out on all that God has in store for our lives, and that is a grave circumstance to be sure. At times, disobedience to God's will for us may mean we will have to deal with painful consequences of our actions.

One of the reasons that God doesn't make us do it His way, "or else..." is that He doesn't want us to follow him out of fear or obligation. He wants us to follow His ways out of love. When Jesus was asked which is the most important commandment, "And he said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." (Matthew 22:37 ASV) When we love God the way Jesus describes it here, we strive to obey. We want nothing more than for Him to look upon us and be pleased with what He sees. We are His willing servants because we desire His glory above our own.

Still, even the most willing servant can have difficulty discerning what God's call for their life may be. That is why we need to study the word of God, so that we can know Him better. We can also become closer to God through other spiritual disciplines such as prayer, fasting and meditation. In these ways we can grow closer to God, and eventually learn to hear His still, small voice.

So when you hear the call of God, when the Holy Spirit tugs on your heart, when God instructs you in what to do, what will your answer be? Will you miss it altogether? Will you ignore Him? Will you obey grudgingly? Or will you give yourself over to God's instruction, wholeheartedly and without regret?

1 John 3:1

"Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are. For this cause the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not." (ASV)

Many Christians are timid about sharing their faith, or even letting the world know that they are Christians. They afraid of what a secular world will think, say or do. They don't want to offend non-believers by proclaiming that God exists and He loves them. While it is true that many people may make fun of us, or even get angry with us because of our faith, that is no excuse for becoming a closet Christian.

The world does not understand Christianity. They won't until the day of Christ's return when "every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear." (Isaiah 45:23) They can't understand Christians until they begin to understand Christ. So yes, if you tell your coworkers about God, you may hear giggles in the lunch room or be stared at by some of them, but is that so high a price to pay?

Christ made it very clear that He wants us to talk about Him and about our faith. "Every one therefore who shall confess me before men, him will I also confess before my Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 10:32) He wants us to let the world know that we belong to Him, and this is not because He was not able to foresee the reactions we might get. Rather, He had this advice for those who face persecution in His name: "Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets that were before you." (Matthew 5:12) And the ridicule or judgement of our peers is a far lighter sentence than the persecution He spoke of.

In the end, when we choose to hide our faith, we are telling God we are ashamed of Him. We are not willing to be associated with Christ, who bled and died and defeated even death for our sake. Instead, we should be shouting from the rooftops that Christ is Lord and we are His!

1 Chronicles 28:20

"And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed; for Jehovah God, even my God, is with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until all the work for the service of the house of Jehovah be finished." (ASV)

Most of us know the name of Solomon. We know him as a great king, an incredibly wise man, a powerful leader, and a man of God. While it's true that all of this can be said of him later in life, there was a time when he was simply King David's son, heir to the throne, and fearful of the tasks that lay before him. In the passage above, David has just revealed to the princes of the tribes of Israel plans for a great temple. He has also revealed that though he had planned to build it himself, God has instructed him to pass the task on to his son because David is not clean enough in God's eyes to do it.

Now, Solomon must have been thinking here that if King David, the King of all Israel, "a man after God's own heart" and Solomon's father, is not holy enough to undertake this task, how could he possibly measure up? But David has an answer for his son. He reminds him that God has called him to this task, and God will help him accomplish it. God is unfailing, God will not abandon you, he says.

This lesson is one that we often forget. God calls us to do great things some times. He instructs us to accomplish works that we feel unqualified to even attempt. It is easy to be fearful and tempting to say, "no God, find someone else, I can't do that." We should remember though that God never gives us a calling that He will not personally aide us through. Surely, all of the great Christian men and women throughout history have at one time or another felt unworthy of the tasks set before them. Yet, with God's help, wondrous miracles have been accomplished.

The temple David had designed was built, and it was considered to be Solomon's crowning achievement. It stood for 400 years as a house of prayer and sacrifice, a holy place, and the resting place for the tablets brought down the mountain by Moses on which the law of the Jews was inscribed.

It is also clear that God was present throughout the early years of Solomon's reign. He controlled a vast kingdom, ruled it with wisdom that amazed all those who saw him, and maintained peace for his people. He was wealthy, wise and a fair ruler. He worshipped his God with fervor and sought after truth in all things. Unfortunately, he eventually turned his back on God to seek after the idols that some of his many wives worshiped, and his reign failed.

There are many lessons to be learned from Solomon. Not the least of these is God's faithfulness to all those who seek to do His good works.

Psalm 31:14

"But I trusted in thee, O Jehovah: I said, Thou art my God." (ASV)

Trusting in God is often something easier said than done, but it is so crucial if we want to live the lives He has planned for us. Often we pray to Him and He doesn't answer the way we thought He would. He does things in His own time. His ways are mysterious to us. We see good people get hurt, we see natural disasters decimate entire populations, and we wonder if God can be trusted to handle things.

The truth is, He absolutely can and should be trusted. Things that seem tragic or even evil to us may serve a greater good. There is no way for us to know God's motives for the things He does or the things He allows, but that's ok. It's not up to us to decide whether He should act or not. It's entirely dependent upon His most perfect will. Someday, when we enter through the gates of heaven, all things will be made clear to us, but for now our job is simply to trust and obey.

But how can we trust in a God we don't even understand? How can we allow Him control over us when we don't agree with all of the decisions He might make? It is foolishness to believe that we know better than God what is best. It's like the hobbyist who tries to tell the professional how to do his job. We need to remember that God made us. He made this world. He knows it better than we can even begin to grasp. Who would you trust to fix something more than the one who originally created it? Just because we don't understand what our mechanic is doing under the hood of our car doesn't mean that he's doing something wrong. In the same way, just because we don't understand God's plan doesn't mean it's not what is best for us.

So what should we do then when doubts begin to creep in and we find ourselves interfering with matters we have already given over to God? As Christians, we should be praying every day that God would work His will in our lives. But we also need to pray that he would strengthen our faith in Him so that we can learn to step back out of His way and just trust that He is doing it.

2 Corinthians 10:5

"Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ;" (ASV)

We've all heard the old adage, "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all." While this is certainly sound advice, a quick study of the Bible will show that God actually expects quite a bit more from His followers.

Certainly it is important to remember that our words can cause us great harm. "Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue Keepeth his soul from troubles." (Proverbs 21:23 ASV) We must learn to keep our tongues under control. This includes not only saying spiteful things to other people, but also lying, gossip, and impolite language. It isn't ok to say mean things behind someone's back, it's not ok to tell little white lies, and it's certainly not ok to spread rumors you have heard. All of these activities can hurt those we are called to love. But simply holding your tongue is not enough.

Not only must we be the masters of our words, but our thoughts must be under our control as well. "And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?" (Matthew 9:4 ASV) God knows not only that which comes out of our mouths, but also that which we think in our innermost being. He knows that in order for us to come into line with His perfect will, we must must free ourselves from the bitterness, hatred and wickedness of the world around us, and that means cutting it out at the root. It is not enough to love others with our words and deeds. We must also learn to love them with our hearts. We must learn to see the world as God sees it, with love and compassion.

So the next time you find you need to hold your tongue to keep from saying something that might hurt someone else, go one step further. Pray that God will take that hurtful thought and banish it from your life.

2 Corinthians 4:7

"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves;" (ASV)

Have you ever felt that you're not good enough to accomplish great things for God? Have you looked at other Christians, and felt inferior? Have you not done something you felt God was calling you to do because you were afraid you might fail? This feeling is more common than most people realize. Even Moses, when confronted with the burning bush, worried he could not do what God was telling him to do. "Moses said to the LORD, 'O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.'" (Exodus 4:10 ASV) "But Moses said, 'O Lord, please send someone else to do it.'" (Exodus 4:13 ASV) Of course, God knew who He was choosing then, and He knows our strengths and weaknesses now.

The problem in thinking "I'm not good/smart/strong/well-spoken enough to do God's work" is that we assume that we will be working under our own power. God does not call us to do anything that He will not help us in doing. It's not our own power, but His that we must rely on. No human is good enough to do the things God would have done on this earth. But God working through us is powerful enough to do anything He wants. Just as God told Moses, there on the mountain, "Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say," (Exodus 4:12 ASV) He offers the same aid to anyone who is doing His work.

If the miracles of God could be performed by men, they would cease to be miracles of God. What surprise would it be if a star athlete competed in a triathalon? But if a crippled man were to finish the race, people would know that it had to be by a power that is not his own. In the same way, God uses us in all of our weakness and frailty, to brings glory to His name. He does not call great men to greatness. He calls normal men and makes them great.

So the next time you feel God's calling in your heart and you think "but I can't do that," stop for a moment and remember Moses. Remember that God does not want you to do great works, but rather He wants to do great works through you.

Ecclesiastes 3:1

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:" (KJV)

While many recognize this as a Byrds song from 1966, the original reference is quite a bit older than anything you'll find on your local oldies station. Like so many other phrases we hear regularly and never think about, it's actually a Bible verse. It was written sometime around 935 BC by King Solomon, one of the wisest men ever to have lived. But just as it was relevant enough in the 60's to become a pop hit, the message here is still meaningful today.

Often, when we pray for something and it isn't granted to us immediately, we become impatient. We forget that God's timing is not our own, and He has plans that we can't begin to fathom. Just as it would be a bad idea to try to enjoy the fruits of your garden before they're ripe, it would make no sense for God to grant to us now the things He has planned for us in our future. Sometimes when it seems that God is telling us "no," He's really just saying "wait." We need to learn to trust in the perfection of God's own timing, rather than the "I want what I want and I want it now" of our own sinful nature.

Likewise, sometimes things that we'd rather put off till next week, next month, next year, or maybe the twelfth of never, God decrees should come to pass today. If you leave the apples on the tree past harvesting time, you'll soon find that they will no longer be of any use. In the same way, God knows the perfect time to call home His saints. He knows when we are ready for trials even if we believe we are not. He knows when it's time to close a chapter of our lives so that a new one may be opened. While all of these changes can often feel tragic or painful to us, they are necessary steps in our journey toward God's kingdom. If He allowed us to put them off indefinitely, we might miss out on the wonderful things He has planned for our lives.

So the next time you become impatient or frustrated at God's timing, remember that He knows better than we do what we need and when we need it. He has a plan for each of us, and if we will just sit back and let Him bring it about, we'll find ourselves truly blessed by it!

Jeremiah 17:9

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly corrupt: who can know it?" (ASV)

"Follow your heart." It's advice that we've all been given at one time or another. Perhaps we've even said this to a friend who was faced with a difficult challenge. If you don't think too much about it, it sounds like great advice. While it appears to be wisdom on the surface however, the Bible tells us that our hearts will only get us into trouble and that we shouldn't be deceived by them.

We need to remember that our hearts are corrupted by sin. Our hearts are a part of our flesh, our fallen nature, prone to sin and deceit. While our heart can certainly guide us, it's guidance is selfish, fickle and all too often unwise. Our heart can not tell us God's will for us, only it's own. It can't tell us what's good for us in the long run, as it only sees the circumstances of the moment. Those who make a habit of following this guidance will often find themselves heart-broken.

The good news is that God has given us a better guide for making tough decisions. "But the Comforter, even the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said unto you." (John 14:26 ASV) The Holy Spirit of God dwells in each of His followers. If we learn to listen to Him, we can always be assured of good, sound guidance in any situation. He is a wise counselor, a loving comforter, and a good teacher. If we follow His direction, we can never go wrong.

Learning to listen to the Holy Spirit's guidance can be a difficult task. It's never the loud broadcast of a booming speaker. Rather, the Spirit speaks to us in a "still, small voice." (see 1 KINGS 19:11-12) You see, God will not force his guidance upon us. We have to seek it out. So the next time you have a big decision and you're tempted to listen to your heart, take a moment instead to listen to the voice of the God who loves you, who wants the best for you, and who has wonderful plans in store for your life. You'll find it well worth the effort.

Romans 6:1-2

"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. We who died to sin, how shall we any longer live therein?"

Have you ever met someone who claims to be a Christian, yet is unrepentant about the sins in their life? I'm sure we all have. It's human nature to say, "God's going to forgive me anyway, so I might as well do what I want." As Christians though, we are called to put aside that sinful human response and learn to obey God's commands.

When we become Christians, we are called born-again. "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except one be born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3:3) Our old, sinful selves have been put to death and we are a new creation in Christ. This means we can't return to our old dead lives, but instead we get to start fresh.

Now, of course there will still be sin in our lives from time to time. No one will be perfected here on the earth. That will only happen in heaven. What this does mean though is that we should strive toward perfection. Every day, more and more, we should be relying on God to help us overcome temptation and banish sin. We shouldn't take God's grace for granted because although there is nothing He can't forgive, we should desire to please Him.

Luke 12:8-9

"And I say unto you, Every one who shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: but he that denieth me in the presence of men shall be denied in the presence of the angels of God." (ASV)

Have you ever known a "closet Christian"? There are more of them out there than you know -- people who love and worship God in private, but never speak His name or profess their faith in public. Many are afraid of what their friends will think, afraid of looking foolish, or simply afraid their faith may be questioned if it is revealed. This is not the type of relationship God wants from us.

Imagine yourself in a relationship with that perfect guy or gal. Things are great when you're together. They bring you gifts and shower you with affection. But you never go out to the movies or a restaurant together. You never get to meet their friends or family. You're never seen in public together. No matter how much you love the other person, this charade would eventually get old, and you'd demand that they stop trying to hide your relationship. Yet this is the same way many people treat the God who created them and who loves them very much!

God doesn't want to be confined to Sunday mornings or quiet times when we're alone. He wants to be first and foremost in our lives. "For our God is a consuming fire." (Hebrews 12:29 ASV) If we're truly on fire for Him, we won't be able to hide it. We won't even want to! We'll want to share His love with everyone we encounter. We'll gladly let the world know that we belong to Him.

Luke 12:25-26

"And which of you by being anxious can add a cubit unto the measure of his life? If then ye are not able to do even that which is least, why are ye anxious concerning the rest?" (ASV)

Don't worry. Such a simple thing to say, but not as easy for many people to do. It's far easier to get caught up in the stress of daily living and fret over things as if we have some kind of control over them. Christ told us that we can't add even a day to our lives by worrying, but now we know that not only can't we add, but we may in fact shorten our lives through it.

The root of worry is a desire for control. We want to control the outcome of a situation. We want to control what people will think of us. We want to control our lives. This desire is based in sin. A righteous man doesn't desire control, rather he relinquishes it. When we allow God lordship over us, we give up all control and power in our lives to Him. We become followers rather than leaders. If we are still struggling for control, we are working against Him.

The reason many people have trouble giving God complete control over their lives is they don't trust Him to do what they want. We look at immediate situations and we know how we want the outcome to go, but we don't know what God's plan for us is. We forget that while He may not make everything work the way we want it to, He WILL make everything work for our betterment. We allow our faith in His goodness and His love for us to be shaken.

How then can we defeat the worry that plagues so many of us today? We need to remind ourselves of three things. The first is that God alone is sovereign. He is in control, and that is His right. The second is that God loves us. He wants the best for us in all situations. The third is that He has never let us down before. While He may not have done things the way we wanted them done, if we objectively look at all the past situations that we've given over to Him, we'll see that He has always been faithful. Armed with this knowledge, we can finally give our worries over to God and let Him reign in our lives.

Philippians 4:11

"Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therein to be content." (ASV)

There are few people today who would say that they're truly content in any situation. Often when we read these words, we imagine the author leading a peaceful, serene life, having everything he needs or wants, being surrounded by friends, and generally living on easy street. Of course, that was certainly not the case. The book of Philippians was written by the apostle Paul. He was imprisoned by the Romans when he wrote it, as he had been imprisoned many times before. Yet even from his jail cell, he spoke of contentment.

This kind of fulfillment is foreign to our current culture. The world around us tells us to chase after possessions, money, power and sex in order to be content. But none of these things will ever bring true contentment. Even if we are to gain all of the things the world tells us will make us happy, they will not make us content because we will always want bigger, better, more. We will never be satisfied.

The things the world has for us are passing. Millionaires go bankrupt, CEOs find themselves on trial and the hottest celebrity of today will be all but forgotten tomorrow. We're all familiar with the saying "all good things must come to an end." Nothing on this earth is meant to last forever, and the highs we gain from worldly things are matched or exceeded by the lows felt when those things abandon us.

Christ's instructions on this matter are simple: "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth consume, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:" (Matthew 6:19-20 ASV) While earthly gain is fleeting, heavenly treasure is eternal.

So how did Paul remain content despite all the troubles in his life? He worked for a greater purpose than wealth, power or fame. He dedicated his life to God's work, and followed wherever God lead him. This way he knew his treasures would always be secure because his greatest desire was to please his Lord. It didn't matter what circumstances might befall him on earth. He could preach the gospel in shackles just as easily as he could in mansions. And he knew without doubt that God would never abandon him.

Romans 14:13

"Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge ye this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock in his brother's way, or an occasion of falling." (ASV)

Have you ever caused someone else to sin? Most of us don't ever think about this, but it is something we are called to watch out for. Maybe your groans of disapproval at work set the stage for others to badmouth the boss. Maybe the skin-tight shirt you wore last weekend caused people to look at you in lust. Maybe you were just in a bad mood yesterday, and passed your irritability on to those around you.

It's important that we as Christians not only look after our own spiritual walk, but also those of our brothers and sisters. We are supposed to encourage them toward right ways and right decisions, not be the thing that inspires sin in their lives. We are to care for them as our own family, and help them to walk closer with God, just as they encourage us in our own walk.

If you have a friend who struggles with alcoholism, you wouldn't offer him or her a drink. Sin is the same kind of addiction in our lives. It's deep roots go all the way to our very core where it has hold of us. Just like an alcoholic must be vigilant against drunkenness all his life, we must struggle against our sinful natures. Those who allow a drug addict access to drugs are called enablers. This can be either active or passive, but either way it's no less destructive in the addict's life. So too can we become sin enablers by placing our friends and fellow Christians into situations where we know they may be tempted. Whether we intended for them to fall into sin or not, the result may be just the same.

Romans 12:4-5

"For even as we have many members in one body, and all the members have not the same office: so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and severally members one of another." (ASV)

As a Christian it's often easy to feel alone and isolated. Those around us don't understand us and often may ridicule or in some cases even persecute us for our belief in God. I can't count the number of times I've been told I must be mentally lacking to believe in "a fairy tale". We need to remember though, that not only is God always with us, but also through the Holy Spirit we are united with other believers around the world.

This is one of the reasons it is so important for our spiritual development that we gather with other believers to worship God. As human beings we all have a need to feel accepted by our peers, a desire to be well thought of. Often this can lead to behavior that is against God's calling for our lives because we are too busy just trying to fit in. The only way to put this instinct to work for us, rather than against us, is to cultivate friendships with other believers. In a healthy church setting, Christians can encourage, instruct and inspire one another toward the magnificent plans God has for each of us. There we can find the love and companionship that each of us longs for inside.

We also need to remember that we are a global community of believers. It's easy to pray for the people you see on a daily basis, but much harder to remember those on the other side of the world. There are over four dozen countries in this world where Christians are still persecuted for their beliefs. People there can be imprisoned, tortured and killed just for owning a Bible or praying. Christian churches meet in secret because when they are found out they are thrown in jail. We who live in countries where we have the freedom to worship often cry persecution when we are laughed at or not invited to a social event, but we forget about those who endure real persecution for their faith. Yet these people are our brothers and sisters in Christ. They are a part of the body as much as we are. They need our prayers and support as much as our friends, relatives and neighbors.

It's time for the Christians of this world to remember that we are connected. It's time that we stop complaining about church politics and gossiping about each other and learn to work together. It's time that we learn to pray for those who have put their life on the ine for their God. It's time that we remember that in Christ, we are all one body of believers.