Just a person

An Ordinary Person
Matthew 4:18-20

The apostle Peter was an ordinary person who lived in an extraordinary time. His was the generation during which Jesus lived on the earth and died for the salvation of mankind.

Peter (who was originally called Simon) met the Lord through his brother Andrew (John 1:40-42). When Jesus invited him to become a disciple, he immediately left his fishing trade and placed himself under Christ's authority (Matt 4:20). He became a passionate follower who consistently demonstrated an eagerness to be near the Savior and in the middle of whatever was going on. Whether meeting Jesus on the water during a storm (Matt. 14:27-29) or speaking to Him during His transfiguration (Matt. 17:1-5), Peter was devoted to his Master's service.

In the beginning, the former fisherman was quick to speak and to act, and this impulsiveness created problems for him. For example, when Jesus was talking about His imminent suffering and death, Peter objected, as if he knew better than the Lord. Christ's rebuke was swift and direct (Matt. 16:21-23). The apostle learned from his mistakes and was later given great responsibility. He's a good example of how we should let go of personal desires, wholeheartedly embrace Jesus' way, and walk closely with Him (Mark 8:34).

The Lord chooses unexceptional people like Peter and you and me to build His kingdom. He asks His followers to love Him above all else and fully commit to obeying Him. When we do, He will accomplish more through us than we could ever imagine.

Praying for eternity.....

Avoiding Obstacles to Effective Prayer
James 1:5-8

Some of King David's prayers are recorded in the Psalms. There we read how he praised the Lord, confessed sin, and cried out about his troubles. He also asked God to hear his prayers and not be silent (Ps. 28:1).

We all want to pray effectively like David. To do so, we must avoid certain hindrances, such as:

• Wavering faith. Doubts about God's character or dependability diminish our trust in Him. Therefore, we must not allow feelings to dictate what we believe.

• Wrong motives (James 4:3). Petitions motivated by selfish desires won't receive an affirmative answer. God wants us to pray for His will to be done--not ours.

• Conflict in relationships. Being resentful or argumentative with others will affect communication with the Father.

• Lack of generosity (Prov. 21:13). God is displeased if we ignore people's needs or give begrudgingly to the church. He hears us asking for a blessing yet sees us refusing to obey Him in our giving (1 Tim. 6:17-19).

• Indifference (Prov. 28:9). Apathy to the Scriptures is another stumbling block. God has given us the Bible so that we might know Him and serve Him wholeheartedly. Failure to read and apply His Word consistently will diminish our ability to maintain a godly lifestyle.

To develop a strong prayer life takes effort and commitment, but the rewards are great. If your prayers have not been answered, consider which, if any, of the above issues may need correction. Then, start by personalizing the prayers you read in the Psalms or elsewhere in God's Word.

God....just Him

SUCCESS COMES IN CANS, PART II

Romans 1:17
The righteous man shall live by faith

Believing that you can succeed at Christian growth and maturity takes no more effort than believing you cannot succeed. So why not believe that you can walk in faith and in the Spirit; that you can resist the temptations of the world, the flesh and the devil; and that you can grow to maturity as a Christian. Allow the "Twenty Cans of Success" you began yesterday to encourage you.

Twenty Cans of Success (continued) Why should I ever be in bondage knowing that there is liberty where the Spirit of the Lord is (2 Corinthians 3:17)? Why should I feel condemned when the Bible says I am not condemned because I am in Christ (Romans 8:1)? Why should I feel alone when Jesus said He is with me always and He will never leave me nor forsake me (Matthew 28:20; Hebrews 13:5)? Why should I feel accursed or that I am the victim of bad luck when the Bible says that Christ redeemed me from the curse of the law that I might receive His Spirit (Galatians 3:13, 14)? Why should I be discontented when I, like Paul, can learn to be content in all my circumstances (Philippians 4:11)? Why should I feel worthless when Christ became sin on my behalf that I might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21)? Why should I have a persecution complex knowing that nobody can be against me when God is for me (Romans 8:31)? Why should I be confused when God is the author of peace and He gives me knowledge through his indwelling Spirit (1 Corinthians 14:33; 2:12)? Why should I feel like a failure when I am a conqueror in all things through Christ (Romans 8:37)? Why should I let the pressures of life bother me when I can take courage knowing that Jesus has overcome the world and its tribulations (John 16:33)?

Prayer:

I rejoice in Your eternal promises, Lord. You are a Rock that never crumbles.

the justice of God....

July 18-19, 2009
When God Doesn't Seem Just
Deuteronomy 32:1-4

Have you ever felt that a situation in your life was an exception to the promises of Scripture? In today's passage, Moses declares that the Lord is faithful and all His ways are just, but we have all been in circumstances that seemed wrong and blatantly unfair. And because God did not intervene, we've struggled to reconcile our experience with Moses' statement about Him.

Scripture is filled with examples of godly people who faced hardships that seemed totally unfair. Joseph was sold as a slave, David was hunted like an animal by King Saul, and the apostle Paul suffered with a "thorn in the flesh" (2 Cor. 12:7-10).

Situations like these can cause us to question whether God is good and just. If left to fester in our minds, these doubts may give way to discouragement. We can easily start thinking, What is the use in serving the Lord? Look what it has gotten me--suffering!

It's important to remember that what we know about God from His Word is more accurate than what we feel. Scripture tells us that God is good and just, so we can know with certainty that He has a fantastic purpose for us in whatever we experience.

God allows each of us to face some trials that we won't understand to our satisfaction this side of heaven. Our job is not to comprehend everything He does and permits, but to know how to respond. He'll make all things right in eternity. In the meantime, trust the Rock when all else is shaky.

Botez in Poieni...