Worthy Words

From time to time people have asked me the question, "What does God want from me? What am I expected to do?" Surely, there are some things that God wants you to do, some rules that he wants you to live by. Most Christ-followers know about those Ten Commandments. But the question is, what does God most want from us? The writer of the book of Hebrews tells us in chapter eleven and verse six that, “It is impossible to please God without faith.” That's what God wants most from you. It is mentioned several times. Verse 2 “God gave his approval to people in days of old because of their faith.” Also in verse 5, “It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying ...Before he was taken, he was approved as pleasing to God.” Then in verse 7 it talks about Noah, “By his faith he condemned the rest of the world and was made right in God's sight.” Faith is the only way to please God.    I heard a beautiful story recently. A couple was getting married. They were enga

I was afraid of the dark when I was a child. I remember thinking monsters were outside my window because strange sounds would come from that direction while I lay in bed trying to go to sleep. I’m sure children in today’s world when they go to bed at night also fear the dark where the imaginary world of monsters, bogeymen, and things that go bump in the night come to life. The most reassuring word came from my mother who would sit by my side calm my fears and say a prayer with me; “Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray dear Lord my soul will keep…”, that brought back a sense of peace to my troubled heart and allowed for sweet slumber. Adults often laugh off the fears that seem so real to children. But, the fact is that many adults experience something very similar. After the lights go out and the sound of silence fills the air, we are forced to face the things that hide in the busyness of the day. The grown-up monsters of deadlines, pressure at work, addictions, marital strife, abuse, de

Is your life one big frustration? Is that frustration coming from a miserable past? Is the frustration tied to marital strife, failure at work, a self-destructive behavior, or opposition all around you? Are you finding yourself all too often powerless to deal with or overcome your frustration? The answer is to shift your focus away from your frustration to a God seeking focus that makes your life all about him.    There is a verse in the Bible that can bring a solution to your frustration. If you are ready to shift your focus to God. It is found in Hosea 10:12. “I said, 'Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.'”    The prophet Hosea said to “plow up the hard ground of your hearts.” The King James Version says, “break up your fallow ground.” What is fallow ground? It is land that could be productive, but for what

An essential step to seeking God's face and seeking his presence is to come to him in a spirit of gratitude. It was King David who expressed the involvement of his presence this way; “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise.” (Psalm 100:4) If you are controlled by the Holy Spirit of God and the holy Word of God, you will reveal it in the way you worship God. Instead of imitating the world, you will be led by the Word and the Spirit to be joyful in the Lord, obedient to the Lord, and thankful to the Lord, and the world will see the difference. On a personal level, a spirit of gratitude helps you overcome some of the sins that too often invade your life — complaining, idolatry, pride, and ingratitude.   Forget, for a moment, all the good reasons you have to complain. Instead, think back on every good thing that has ever happened. Every blessing. Every success. Every pleasant experience. Now, take a moment to acknowledge the source behind it all.

Many Christians fall into the trap of believing in God but living like he doesn’t exist. Many churches fall into this trap, too. It's not about living a life of sin and debauchery as much as it is going about your life as if he isn't in the room. God wants more than just a Sunday morning religious ritual from you. He even wants more than your mere obedience. He wants your devotion. He wants your heart. He wants — believe it or not — your company. What I'm saying is that he wants you to look at him while he's talking to you! This is where the journey to a deeper life begins: turning your eyes toward him — acknowledging his presence, focusing on his presence. You accomplish this by cleaving to him every day. Parents, do you remember the first time you dropped off your child at a baby-sitter? Do you remember your child's reaction when they realized that they were being left behind? You wanted to give them a little hug and a kiss good-bye, but they clung to you — wrapp