God Looks at Our Motives

Reading for the Day: Proverbs 16:1-2

We can make our own plans,
but the Lord gives the right answer.

People may be pure in their own eyes,
but the Lord examines their motives.

No one likes lie detector tests. They have a way of revealing what we would like to keep hidden. It is precisely those hidden things that God looks for. There are people who have devised ways to fool the lie detectors but you can’t fool God at all.

Motivation is important. On one hand, it helps you continue on in a task until you succeed. It can mean the difference between success and failure. On the other hand, motivation can lead to poor decisions that take us down dangerous roads in life. Those who take that tack often call it “self-preservation.”

God is not swayed by any of that. King David asked God to search his mind and know his thoughts. For most of us, that is the very place we don’t want God to be. We say one thing but do another. David was coming clean with God because he wanted to be understood just as much as he wanted to understand God.

The mind is the last frontier. It is here that God works to change not only what we do but why we do it. The Word of God says that He loves a cheerful giver. If you give to others to gain attention instead of obedience, He will know and it will not be credited to you as righteousness.

Prayer Suggestions: Ask God to show you when your motives aren’t pure. Then, allow Him to work to change them.

Robert Moment is a personal growth strategist and inspirational life coach. Author of highly acclaimed book, God Will Always Be There For You. Robert is very passionate about teaching individuals how to experience God’s love, joy, peace, power and prosperity in their lives. Visit http://www.ChristianInspirational.org and sign-up for the FREE life-changing online bible study titled, Christian Living. Follow me on Twitter www.twitter.com/Christiansfaith.

Copyright ©  2010 by Robert Moment. All rights reserved. You may forward this article in its entirety to anyone you wish.

God Knows Your Situation

Reading for the Day: Psalm 139:16

You saw me before I was born.
Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
before a single day had passed.

Would it surprise you to know that the one person that knows all about you is God? There is nothing that we can ever hide from Him. It states earlier in the same psalm that darkness is just the same as light to Him. That means that God can see in the dark without the benefit of night vision goggles!

As humans, we desire closeness with others. We want someone else to share the journey on this Earth with whether a love interest, family or a dear friend. This covers the three types of love talked about in the Bible: Eros, agape and philos, respectively.

It is through the second, agape, that God sees and cares what happens to us. His unconditional love is just like that of a parent. When we go through trials and tribulations, He is affected also. He sheds tears when we are hurt. He laughs when we are joyful.

So, it would stand to reason that there is not a situation in our lives that would either surprise Him or deter Him from helping us. Trouble that comes our way due to our actions has consequences but God is there to also restore us and make sure we understand the lesson. When it is no fault of our own, He picks us up and carries us through the storm.

Prayer Suggestions: Don’t hesitate to tell God everything that is going on – He already knows anyway. Your confession is a sign that you trust Him.

Robert Moment is a personal growth strategist and inspirational life coach. Author of highly acclaimed book , God Will Always Be There For You. Robert is very passionate about teaching individuals how to experience God’s love, peace, joy, power and prosperity in their lives. Visit http://www.ChristianInspirational.org and sign-up for the FREE life-changing online bible study titled, Christian Living. Follow me on Twitter www.twitter.com/ChristiansFaith.

Copyright ©  2010 by Robert Moment. All rights reserved. You may forward this article in its entirety to anyone you wish.

God is With You Always

Reading for the Day:  Matthew 28:20

“Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Remember when you were young and your friends challenged you to a dare? Maybe it was to walk up to the house of the scariest neighbor in town and ring the doorbell. The scariest part was that you had to do it alone.

You may not be ringing any scary doorbells in the moonlight, but there are situations that we encounter that we would rather not face alone: divorce, death of a family member, eviction, new job, and new location. Just having someone there makes all the difference.

Friends can do a lot of things but they can’t be everywhere at once. Today your friend may be able to accompany you to court but two weeks from now, they may be busy. It doesn’t mean that they don’t care but they have a life to. We are, after all, only human.

But, there is someone who will be there always if you let Him. God told His disciples that even though He was sending them into unknown places to proclaim the Gospel, He would be with them. The Holy Spirit is our protector and God’s constant presence in our lives. Welcome His presence and help always but especially in difficult times when you need someone to weather the storm with you.

Prayer Suggestions: Welcome God into your life and He will stay by your side through the laughter and the tears.

Robert Moment is a personal growth strategist and inspirational life coach. Author of highly acclaimed book, God Will Always Be There For You. Robert is very passionate about teaching individuals how to experience God’s love , joy , peace , power and prosperity in their lives. Visit http://www.ChristianInspirational.org and sign-up for the FREE life-changing online bible study titled, Christian Living. Follow me on Twitter www.twitter.com/Christiansfaith.

Copyright ©  2010 by Robert Moment. All rights reserved. You may forward this article in its entirety to anyone you wish.

The God of Impossibility

Reading for the Day: Ephesians 3:20

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.

I like surprises don’t you? The good kind I mean. You are looking to buy a car that will get you from point A to point B (four wheels, at least two doors and a working engine) and you wind up with a new car for what you were going to spend on a basic model. Surprise!

How about this one: You are looking for a job to help pay the bills and end up with a management position at a company that you didn’t even think you were qualified to work at. Surprise!

As humans, most of us have one of two shortcomings: Either we think too much of ourselves or we think too little. Today we are focused on those who think too little. God created us in His image as His children. For this loving Father, He wants the best for us.

As Creator of the Universe, the world is literally at His feet. We can ask for anything so why do we insult Him by asking for so little? Do we think He can’t provide the top-notch job or the best car on the lot?

No matter how impossible our situation seems, that doesn’t have a thing to do with our God. Don’t look at how big the problem is; look at how big your God is. For His children there is nothing that He wouldn’t or couldn’t give us. The sky’s the limit!

Prayer Suggestions: When you go before the throne of grace, ask God for what you want. Anything less is an insult.

Robert Moment is a personal growth strategist and inspirational life coach. Author of highly acclaimed book, God Will Always Be There For You. Robert is passionate about teaching individuals how to experience God’s love, peace, power , joy , and prosperity. Visit http://www.ChristianInspirational.org and sign up for the FREE life-changing online bible study titled, Christian Living. Follow me on Twitter www.twitter.com/Christiansfaith.

Copyright ©  2010 by Robert Moment. All rights reserved. You may forward this article in its entirety to anyone you wish.

God Loves You as His Greatest Creation

Reading for the day:  Genesis 1:26-28

“Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground….’”

We sometimes tremble before God when we’ve done wrong, or are afraid to go to Him with our burdens.  We may even turn from praising Him because we look at His many wonders and feel insignificant.  But this goes against everything that He has told us about His love for us.

God created us in His image. Imagine that!  He created us as a reflection of Himself – we are the greatest of all His creations, more powerful and beautiful and more wonderfully made than anything He created, including the sun and planets and all of the amazing varieties of plants, animals and creatures He has ever made.

God even told us to, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.” He didn’t choose any other creature for this momentous task.  So the next time you feel small in God’s eyes, remember that you are truly wonderfully made and cherished as God’s image on earth.

Prayer Suggestion: Thank the Lord for His creation and your special role in it.  Promise that You will return the blessing of being created in His image by bringing glory and honor to your Creator.

Robert Moment is a personal growth “throw the box away” inspirational life coach, speaker and author of bestselling book, God Will Always Be There For You. Robert is passionate about teaching individuals how to experience God’s love, peace,  joy , power and prosperity in their lives. Visit http://www.ChristianInspirational.org and sign-up for the FREE online bible study titled, Christian Living. Follow me on Twitter www.twitter.com/ChristiansFaith.

Copyright ©  2010 by Robert Moment. All rights reserved. You may forward this article in its entirety to anyone you wish.

You Cannot Hide Your Sins from God

Reading for the day: Proverbs 28:13

“He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.”

Have you done something that you know is wrong in God’s eyes?  Have you confessed your sin with a contrite heart, or are you avoiding the issue, hoping the problem will go away?

Toddlers often do this.  They may take a cookie they weren’t allowed to have, or push down a playmate.  When we ask them if they did it, they look innocent and say, “No!  Not me!” even when we saw them do it.  As parents, we know that we can’t let them get away with lying about what happened, because even if they deny it, they did something wrong and they must admit it and learn from their mistake.  We may even say, “It’s okay that you pushed your sister, but lying about it is wrong.  I’d rather you tell me the truth even if you did something bad than lie to me.”

Then why do we so often try to ignore our own sins?  Perhaps we’ve fudged a bit on our tax return, or gossiped behind someone’s back.  Maybe we have cheated on our spouse or been unfair to our children.  But whatever the sin, we cannot hide them from God.  Like a watchful parent, He sees our sins even if we don’t acknowledge them ourselves.  But we need to confess them openly and honestly; only then will we learn from our mistakes and gain God’s mercy and forgiveness.  God asks us to confess so that we can move on – the burden of a ‘hidden’ sin is one we don’t have to carry.

Prayer Suggestion:  If you have been avoiding confession of your sins, don’t wait another day.  Lay all of them before God and ask for His mercy and forgiveness.

Robert Moment is a personal growth “throw the box away” inspirational life coach, speaker and author of bestselling book, God Will Always Be There For You. Robert is passionate about teaching individuals how to experience God’s love, peace,  joy , power and prosperity in their lives. Visit http://www.ChristianInspirational.org and sign-up for the FREE online bible study titled, Christian Living. Follow me on Twitter www.twitter.com/ChristiansFaith.

Copyright ©  2010 by Robert Moment. All rights reserved. You may forward this article in its entirety to anyone you wish.

God is Bigger than Your Problems

Reading for the day: Mark 4:35-40

“…Jesus got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’  Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
He said to the disciples, ‘Why are you so afraid?  Do you still have no faith?
’They were terrified and asked each other, ‘Who is this?  Even the wind and the waves obey Him!’”

Have you had days when you’ve wondered if God could really help you through the low points in your life?  Perhaps sometimes you feel like the many problems you face are so many and so overwhelming that you can’t imagine how He could find a solution for you.

In moments like these, when you may be facing an illness in the family, the loss of a job, a bitter divorce or a child who has gone down the wrong path in life, you need to see your problems as God sees them rather than looking at them through your own eyes.  Although you may not be able to come up with an answer, God will lead you toward a solution and shelter you during times of trial.

It can be hard to remember that, but putting aside your own fears and sorrows and looking outward rather than in will put things in perspective.  Take a walk and enjoy the beauty of God’s creation.  Think about how He keeps our world spinning safely on its axis and controls the sun, moon and stars.  Remember the many miracles He has performed, even to controlling the storms!  It’s much more difficult to calm a raging storm than it is to lead you toward a resolution for work woes, parenting problems or even the loss of a job.  Yet He loves us so much that no problem is too small for His loving kindness.  We aren’t insignificant to God – He is powerful enough to take on all of our cares and more!

Prayer Suggestion: Ask God to help you, reminding yourself that no problem is insignificant to our Lord, who commands the wind and rain.

Robert Moment is a personal growth “throw the box away” inspirational life coach, speaker and author of bestselling book, God Will Always Be There For You. Robert is passionate about teaching individuals how to experience God’s love, peace,  joy , power and prosperity in their lives. Visit http://www.ChristianInspirational.org and sign-up for the FREE online bible study titled, Christian Living. Follow me on Twitter www.twitter.com/ChristiansFaith.

Copyright ©  2010 by Robert Moment. All rights reserved. You may forward this article in its entirety to anyone you wish.

God Knows Where You Are

Reading for the Day: Psalm 139:7

“I can never escape from your Spirit!
I can never get away from your presence!”

When you’re a kid, no matter where you go, it seems like your parents always can always tell where you are. It’s that uncanny ability that amazes and frustrates you at the same time, especially when you don’t want to be found. It’s the same with God. He’s our Heavenly Father and He can always find us even if we don’t want to be found.

In the verse above, it sounds like David is trying to escape from God. He realizes that it is useless and starts to yell in desperation. In actuality, he is happy that God can always find Him. You might not want to acknowledge it now, but when you are lost, all you want to be – is found.

God can see us when we sin and when we do good. Yes, He is disappointed when we don’t follow Him, but in His love, He still protects us. And, most importantly, He is always, always ready to accept us back into His fold.

When we do find God again, we are often scared to tell Him what we’ve been doing. Here’s a news flash: He already knows. He sees what we do in the light and the dark. It is not God’s nature to want to crush us in our sin or ridicule us for what we’ve done.

Yes, He wants us to confess our sins to Him but because we love and trust Him, not because He’s ignorant of what we’ve been up to. And, He will forgive and gather us up into His loving arms to be comforted – forever. How’s that for a welcome home greeting!

Prayer Suggestions: God is always watching you – with love in His heart.

Robert Moment is a personal growth “throw the box away” inspirational life coach, speaker and author of bestselling book, God Will Always Be There For You. Robert is passionate about teaching individuals how to experience God’s love, peace,  joy , power and prosperity in their lives. Visit http://www.ChristianInspirational.org and sign-up for the FREE online bible study titled, Christian Living. Follow me on Twitter www.twitter.com/ChristiansFaith.

Copyright ©  2010 by Robert Moment. All rights reserved. You may forward this article in its entirety to anyone you wish.

God Knows Your Name

Reading for the Day: Luke 12:6-7

“What is the price of five sparrows—two copper coins? Yet God does not forget a single one of them. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.”

There’s a song entitled, “His Eye is on the Sparrow.” It reminds me of these verses. God values all life. He wouldn’t let even a sparrow fall and be harmed.

Yet, He knows how many hairs are on our head. We are made in His image – every man, woman, boy and girl who lives now, have lived or will ever inhabit this earth mirror Him. He loves us even more than those birds.

Fame is something that people want in this world. They want to be noticed by someone, anyone. It can lead to the wrong road in life just for love and attention. God loves us so much that it pains Him when we turn to others for the love that only He can give.

That hole you feel can only be filled by Him. Once He enters your life, then real love can grow. We can learn how to love others and also how to be loved by others.

What do you have to lose? You trust other people who don’t keep their promises. God will keep His. And, He knows you better than anyone else alive.

Prayer Suggestions: God knows your name, but do you know His? When you pray, say “Abba, Father.” He will hear you and answer.

Robert Moment is a personal growth “throw the box away” inspirational life coach, speaker and author of bestselling book, God Will Always Be There For You. Robert is passionate about teaching individuals how to experience God’s love, peace,  joy , power and prosperity in their lives. Visit http://www.ChristianInspirational.org and sign-up for the FREE online bible study titled, Christian Living. Follow me on Twitter www.twitter.com/ChristiansFaith.

Copyright ©  2010 by Robert Moment. All rights reserved. You may forward this article in its entirety to anyone you wish.

God Always Keeps His Promises

Reading for the Day: Acts 2:39

“For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the LORD our God shall call.”

In the book of Acts, Peter delivers a promise to the people directly from God. Most people are familiar with verse 38, but not necessarily the one that comes after. He was talking about salvation and how it is available to everyone.

Many things in our lives are temporary; we just don’t always know it. Jobs that seem permanent go away when the economy gets bad. Love relationships go sour. Unfortunately, it is the nature of this world.

God is not of this world. He created this world. His son, Jesus, came to let us know how much we are loved by the Father. Part of that love comes in the form of promises.

But, how many of us actually believe them? Living this life can make you cynical and untrusting of those who make promises – even God. But, the Father is patient with us. Because He is God, He cannot lie to us like other humans can and do.

In the promise above, when you call on God through repentance and participate in the act of baptism, the Holy Spirit will inhabit your soul and guide your life. You will be in the palm of His hand where no one can steal your joy or your salvation unless you let them.

Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the living Word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God.

-          R. Kelso Carter, 1886

Prayer Suggestions: If God promises it to you, it will come to pass.

Robert Moment is a personal growth “throw the box away” inspirational life coach, speaker and author of bestselling book, God Will Always Be There For You. Robert is passionate about teaching individuals how to experience God’s love, peace,  joy , power and prosperity in their lives. Visit http://www.ChristianInspirational.org and sign-up for the FREE online bible study titled, Christian Living. Follow me on Twitter www.twitter.com/ChristiansFaith.

Copyright ©  2010 by Robert Moment. All rights reserved. You may forward this article in its entirety to anyone you wish.

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