Interests of Others

Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. - Philippians 2:4

Written in the post “Best Motive for Serving” is that Paul didn’t get compensated for preaching the gospel. He didn’t say it was wrong and claimed that those who preach the gospel should be able to receive their living from the gospel. He made the comparison of a farmer who makes his living from what he produces on the farm.

For Paul, the reward was not for himself but for the interests of others and serving the Lord out of love. There was a freeing aspect in serving the Lord out of personal generosity as his faith expressed itself through love.

In the same way, the path built by our generosity is the best way for it is in giving that we find true joy and meaning. Giving not only our time or money but as pointed out in the song When Love Sees You by Mac Powell, giving our testimony or life story and how we became a Christ follower.

Those that give their story to others are blessed. The story of struggles, of pain, of shame, and that Jesus came to give us a new story for the future. A story of joy, of peace, and even fame because those who follow Christ have their name written in the book of life.

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Reservoir of Wisdom

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. - James 1:5

The post “System of Wisdom” presented ideas for becoming informed. Like in the song

Word of God Speak by MercyMe, the Word of God speaks to us with wisdom from up high that rains down on earth and collects in the reservoir of our heart and mind.

The wisdom we gain from God’s Word from our experiences and from each other brings us knowledge and understanding. Let us take this wisdom, bind it on our finger tips, and write down what we learn in the tablet of our heart.

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If I Knew Then What I Know Now

Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth. – Proverbs 4:5

The post “Wisdom Multiplied” had some thoughts about being wise in what we read, what we see, and what we do. God’s wisdom, purpose, and mystery is all related since He knows everything, sees everything, and controls everything from beginning to end. What is written about in the Old Testament comes true in the New!

The challenge we face in a world that tries to discount the power of the gospel message is to remain faithful. Our growing faith can never be taken away or depleted. The gospel message has a beautiful and refreshing simplicity about it that sets us free and never let us down.

Try this: memorize scripture, think about your day; what good things did you experience and what bad things did you experience that provided a lesson for the future and a lesson to share and help others.

As in the song Dear Younger Me by MercyMe, gather lessons throughout life and strive to be wise.

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Forgiven and Given

If you have anything against anyone, forgive them, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses. - Mark 11:25-26

In the post “The Door is Opened with Grace”, pointed out is that there is a way to be forgiven and given the key to the kingdom. One of God’s qualities is that the door is open to all with eyes ready to see Him. The door is open to anyone with ears that listen to the Gospel message and receive the gift of God’s mercy.

So accept, appreciate, and affirm all who are willing to receive grace. Remember … the cross meant to kill brings the victory and as pointed out in the song Forgiven by Crowder, there is freedom in His amazing grace. His arms are open to receive those who believe.

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Flourish with His Grace

Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. - 2 Peter 3:18

When we grow in the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we receive the nourishment needed to flourish. It’s really just that simple. The Gospel message has a beautiful and refreshing simplicity about it that sets us free and never lets us down.

Take inspiration from today’s song Grace Wins by Matthew West and gain confidence in continuing to flourish with His grace.

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Desire and Power

For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him. - Philippians 2:13

As pointed out in the post “We Call Upon Your Name”, All who call upon the name of the Lord receive the way to freedom and even victory over death.

This day with God, let us call upon His name and just like in the song One Desire by Hillsong have one request and that is to be devoted to His Way.

To obtain the power the Spirit offers, let us have one desire; to call upon the name of the Lord for all of our days. To desire to hear His Word, see Christ at work, and bring the Good News to others.

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Acknowledge the Lord

Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge Him. As surely as the sun rises, He will appear; He will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth. - Hosea 6:3

In the post “Giving all Honor and Praise to God”, the thought brought out is that there is no excuse for not accepting God’s power and divine nature because His invisible qualities can be clearly seen.

I remember a while back driving to work and seeing a double rainbow in the sky. I got out of my truck and started walking up the hill to my office when I realized that I left my badge in my truck so I walked back to my truck and noticed the rainbow again. This time, I took a few seconds to aim my smart phone to get a shot of the rainbow.

If we focus on God’s beauty, we are able to make it through anything and realize that at the end of the rainbow of life, there is a pot of gold because those who give up what’s in the world and follow Christ, receive eternal riches in the kingdom of God.

Watch this video of God’s Beautiful Creation, Awesome Scenery, and song by Brian Doerksen.

The world tells us God is not real but as I go through each day; taking walks and feeling the fresh breeze hitting my face and hearing the sounds of night that sooths my soul, I know the world is telling a lie and the ONE who created the breeze and unique music of the night is telling the truth.

This day with God, let us give honor to Him by noting when His invisible qualities are made plain to us. Let us tell God we are thankful and encourage each other.

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Doers of the Word

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. - James 1:22

Explained in the post “The Power of the Gospel” is that Paul wanted to share the Gospel with the Roman Christians because he knew the Gospel would meet their needs and the Gospel message would spread faster to all parts of the world.

 Today, we look around us in this world and see poverty, sickness, and pain. We may ask God why He doesn’t do something. The thing is, He did by giving us the power of the Gospel to be His hands and feet to the world.

The Gospel message is so powerful because it continues to grow and can never be taken away or depleted. It has a beautiful and refreshing simplicity about it that sets us free and never lets us down. It is like our fuel to energize us to do good works.

Maybe today it’s time for us to take to heart the song Do Something by Matthew West and be doers of the Word.  As the song says, if not us then who?

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Called According to His Purpose

All things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. - Romans 8:28

As pointed out in the post “Fertile Ground for a Great Harvest”, Paul put a lot into his relationship with the Roman Christians. He knew that by teaching them, God’s purpose for him of spreading the Word would take root and the harvest would be plentiful because Rome was the center of communication throughout the world during this time.

Let us also see this purpose of Paul as our great purpose because the only things in life that last forever are the Word of God and our relationships with His people. Therefore, let us do things daily that last forever by getting to knowing God’s Word and creating a stream of compassion that flows from one Christian heart to another.

The song Who Am I by Casting Crowns points out that our forever home is with God. We are just here on earth for a short time. Our life on this earth will fade away into the sunset but our relationship with God and other Christians will last forever.

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Responding to the Facts of the Gospel

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. - Hebrews 11:1

Shared in the post “The Servant of Christ Jesus”, Paul gave the church at Rome some facts of the Gospel; that it was promised from the beginning, that Christ died for our sins on the Cross, and that all who believe in Christ as the Son of God receive eternal life.

There's a special feeling you get when you've been a part of helping bring the message to others. This day with God, let us obediently respond to the facts of the Gospel and fulfill our call as a witness. Here is a song to inspire as we go about our day: My Story by Big Daddy Weave. 

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One Mind and One Voice

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. - Romans 15:5-6

The post “Through His Diverse People” has some thoughts about Christianity and how it is like a relay race. We all help each other out with our unique abilities for God’s purposes.

A diverse group of people has an advantage because with one mind and one voice, they have the opportunity to pull together with various ideas and skill sets. Each day can be amazing when we fix problems together.

This song by Miranda Lambert talks about the pluses of All Kinds of Kinds.

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No Confusion

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. - Mark 1:35

As brought out in the post “Purpose in Saving Each of Us”, being a leader within our families and those we see the most gives us an opportunity to spread the Good News and give glory to God.

Jesus prayed for direction in fulfilling His purpose. We can do the same each morning as we start the day. He will help us to put things in order and then like the domino effect, our items on our task list will start to fall one after another.

We can be confused at times but when we pray, we get direction so as in this song, Thy Will be Done by Hillary Scott & Family we can know that God has placed us in our present circumstances for a reason.

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Call Upon His Name

The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth. - Psalm 145:18

With faith, we can be like Paul as written about in the post “Continue to Cleave to the ONE You Believe” and have confidence in what we believe. There is no fear of mistakes because with God and by accepting the gift of Christ, we receive the peace of knowing we have a clean slate.

Like in the song "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail) by Hillsong United", we can go deeper and walk upon on the waters where our faith is made stronger and stronger. Because we are always in the presence of our Savior, we can trust without borders. God can move mountains and part the waters so we can walk through every difficulty. This day, let us call upon His name with trust in the solid foundation of the Gospel. Following His plan always leads to victory.

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Faith for Every Moment of Every Day

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. - Colossians 2:6-7

As crystalized in the post “Living Out the Truth”, the hardest part of a faith journey is to live out our faith in our daily lives. Let us be grateful today that a sustaining faith is possible if there is a connection to the Vine. A connection to the Vine gives us what is needed to not only believe in the Gospel message but to share about God’s reliable principles that have persevered throughout history.

This day with God, benefit yourself and also lead others to the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit by first believing in the Truth and then living it out on a daily basis. Here is today’s video to inspire: Walk by Faith – Jeremy Camp.

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Look to the Interest of Others

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

As shared in the post “Aim to Please God Only” Paul, Silas, and Timothy set out to share the Gospel message not for their own interest but for the interest of the new Christians. They took a risk of being persecuted but were courageous and kind to stand in the Light to be seen as who they were with their main ambition being to encourage, comfort, and urge the new Christians to live worthy lives.

As we go about our day, let us also stand in the Light to share this great message: All God wants from us is our heart. Enjoy today’s video: All You’ve Ever Wanted – Casting Crowns.

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Grace Wins Every Time

See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ. - Colossians 2:8

As written about in the post “Steadily Towards Victory”, the Thessalonians overcame violent opposition but succeeded. They made the impossible possible with a faith that was initiated by the love of God and His people. They went the extra mile with the steadfastness of hope.

The world seems to always put us in panic mode; making mountains out of mole hills but we don’t have to follow or listen to what the world tells us … just keep heading steadily towards the victory knowing grace wins every time.

This day with God, have the attitude that we’ve been there, done that because when constantly relying on God’s guidance, the challenges in life are handled victoriously on a regular bases. When they are, people will start looking at us and want what we have; the hope that gives optimism in a time of despair, faith that gives courage in a time of doubt, and the love of God which always brings victory.

The Bible gives us great advice and because victory is assured through Jesus Christ, we will make it through anything. Receive inspiration through this song: Through All of It – Colton Dixon.

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Meditation of My Heart

May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart

be pleasing in your sight,

Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. – Psalm 19:14

Going out in the backyard either at night before going to sleep or in the morning before sunrise with my dog Marlee, we can hear the sounds of a night. Marlee loves just lying in the grass, listening, and enjoying the cool breeze. I look up in the sky and see the stars and enjoy the amazement as God has painted another masterpiece to communicate His glory. The time in the back yard gives inspiration and hope; confidence that that God is with me and will be with me always.

In the post “More Precious Than Gold”, written about was just how precious God’s Word is and the need to share with others the precious insight that can be gained. Also mentioned was the exercise of memorizing scripture so it becomes deep-rooted into our heart and soul.  Another way to receive inspiration and hope is in music as in this video: Light Up the Sky – The Afters.

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Experts Can Have Many Misses

Teach me, and I will be quiet; show me where I have been wrong. - Job 6:24

We can’t be assured of the proper guidance from experts or by using apps or maps. Experts can have many misses as they tell us what is best for us in our life. That’s why the greatest learning in life comes from God’s Word and by following His Way.

That’s not to say that we can’t learn from others but many times, the whizzes in certain fields tend to have an agenda. Keep in mind that those who have our best interest in mind are the ones to follow; people like our parents and grandparents.

One time, my daughter stayed with her cousins in my hometown about 60 miles east of where we currently live. I was going over to pick her up but on the way over, I ran into a downpour.  It was so much rain that a part of the highway that goes under a railroad track was flooded. Being from that town, I remembered my dad and grandfather taking another route nearby that went over the tracks instead of under the tracks and then back onto the highway. I took the route and noticed behind me about five other vehicles following me.

No map or app showed the way but experience and following what I had learned growing up got us to where we needed to go. It is much the same in a life with Christ. The experiences we go through and learning how Jesus lived as recorded in the Gospels will lead us to where we need to go.

Some days seem like a fight. We have doubt and we have things that happen that brings us to our knees. It is during these times that we need to go to the ONE who knows. The experts in various fields may have a personal agenda but God has our best interest in mind so lift up your eyes to Him today and receive inspiration from today’s video: He Knows – Jeremy Camp.

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Stand the Test and Receive the Best

Each one should use whatever gift they have received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. - 1 Peter 4:10

What should you do when people don’t understand or accept God’s message? One idea written about in the post “Discover What You Do Best” is to discover your God given strengths and use them so that people are able to make an association between the Good News and their needs.

As in the video Do Everything – Steven Curtis Chapman, we should do all we can to make sure people hear, see, and understand the Good News.

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The Courage to Crush the Enemy

One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city. – Acts 18:9-10

As pointed out in the post “Always by My Side”, God is the source of Paul’s courage. The courage to admit that he once persecuted Christians and the courage to talk about controversial issues even when placed in a very difficult situation.

We can take this example of Paul and use the courage from God to crush the enemy by turning our issues of the past into opportunities for the future. We can do this by simply sharing about our knowledge of God and sharing about the experiences we have gone through.

It is through our experiences that others can relate and this helps those we share with to accept the gospel message. To inspire us towards that purpose, here is today’s video:

Whom Shall I Fear – Chris Tomlin.

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