Christian Life » Christian Articles

Five Great Needs Only God Can Fulfill

Robert — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:01:53 +0000

Everyone has human needs that go beyond the physical. If we have food, water, and shelter, we can survive. But to truly thrive, there are spiritual and emotional needs that we all have. We all strive to find ways to satisfy our need for Love, Acceptance, Security, Identity and Purpose. Some of us seek these in ourselves, in others and from society, but none of these needs can be truly fulfilled except by God.

Love

God’s love is always present and unconditional. If you’ve ever had a friend or loved one that you felt you could trust completely, you’ve had a faint taste of what its like to be able to rely on someone without worry or fear. But even the strongest relationships can end , loved ones can die, circumstances can destroy our faith in others. Not so with God and His unconditional love because He is never-ending and never changing. Nothing in this world that you can do or say will alter His love for you. He will never leave you or forsake you. You can always, always find comfort and security through your relationship with God because it is, like Him, eternal.

No matter what you do, no matter how you look, now matter how many mistakes you’ve made, you can never let God down because He loves you without conditions, without measure and with no reservations or any hidden agenda. God is guiding you through every experience of your life – not because you have earned it, but because God loves you no matter what. When the dark clouds settle and all others abandon you, the light of God will shine bright and show you the way. His guiding light is unconditional love.

“I trust in God’s unfailing love forever and ever “
— Psalm 52:8

“ For great is your steadfast love toward me”
— Psalm 86:13

“I am with you always to the end of the age”
— Matthew 28:20

Acceptance

From the time we are born, we search for acceptance. The sense of belonging to another person or to a group of people is a powerful affirmation. We try to please our parents as toddlers so that they will accept and love us. When we are in school, we hope to be accepted into the “popular crowd.” At work, we want to be on the best project team or be accepted by our boss and coworkers. We enter into relationships because the other person accepts us.

But relationships fail, groups change over time and even our parents may be disappointed in our actions. The only true, unconditional acceptance is that offered by God. He loves us no matter what. He doesn’t care what we look like or about the mistakes we’ve made. As His creation, He loves and accepts us unconditionally.

To the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein
He hath made us accepted in the Beloved.
- Ephesians 1:6

Security

There is such a sense of security that overwhelms us when we are safe in the arms of God. Although our circumstances can change from day to day, God is eternal. Many of us accumulate money and power, hoping these will keep us secure, but we can lose our money and our power so easily! The person who is on top today may be in the gutters tomorrow. No power we gain for ourselves can protect us from the many possible problems of this world.

God, however, is our eternal protection. He is our security and shelter in any storm because He will not leave us in times of trouble. No matter what happens, He will guard our souls and direct our footsteps if we ask Him to. Let yourself be secure in God’s abiding presence and you will always feel safe.

“You will be protected and take your rest in safety.”
- Job 11:18

“Never will I leave, never will I forsake you.”
- Hebrews 13:5

Identity

Do you put on a mask for others so that they will see you in a particular way? Do you have different identities for different people? We are always trying to define ourselves in relation to other people. Are you a father? Employee? The best friend? The fun one? Our identities are often tied to what we can provide to others, and it can be difficult to be all things to all people.

God knows our true identity – the one that is whole and complete, the hidden most part of our heart and soul. We are uniquely, fearfully and marvelously made children of God! When we discover the power and presence of God within ourselves, we have found our true identity, one that doesn’t depend on what others see. We are, and always will be, unique creations of the Master Creator.

“I am a member of God’s household”
- Ephesians 2:19

“I am God’s child.”
John 1:12

Purpose

We all wonder why we are here occasionally. Do we have a purpose to fulfill? Is being a parent our ultimate role? Are we supposed to be achieving great things at work? Do we have a destiny to fulfill? We can spend our lives worrying about what our purpose is, but it will be an exercise in futility unless we turn to God for guidance. No one on earth knows what you should be doing.

God decides our life’s plan and purpose here on earth. He created you to fulfill a divine purpose, no matter how large or small, that is part of His eternal plan. Isn’t it reassuring to know that what you do and say matters in the grand scheme of things? Our purpose is essential!

“The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me.”
- Psalm 138:8

Tonight as you say your prayers, thank the Lord for providing everything you need and all that your heart desires, including unconditional love, acceptance, unfailing security, a unique identity and a true purpose !

Robert Moment is a personal growth “throw the box away” inspirational life coach , speaker and author of best-selling Christian 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. Visit www.ChristianInspirational.org and sign-up for the FREE life-changing 7 day online bible study titled, Christian Living. Follow me on Twitter www.twitter.com/Christiansfaith .

God Can Give You Wholeness

Robert — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 04:01:28 +0000

Many of us are struggling every day just to get by. Our lives are unbalanced, out of control. Sometimes this lack of balance is caused by situations outside of our control, such as the economy, our jobs, responsibilities and obligations. However, in many cases, our unbalanced lives are caused by our own habits and lifestyles.

In many cases, our struggles can be categorized into seven symptoms or excesses that involve:

Erecting walls
People pleasing
Overspending
Chemical dependency
Thinking too much
Always rescuing people
Working too much

Does this mean that you shouldn’t try to please others, or help people in need? Does this mean you shouldn’t work overtime for the extra pay? Not at all. We should try to please others, help those in need, and work to support our loved ones.

However, God can help us find a balance and a sense of wholeness in our desire to both help others and to protect ourselves against stress and anxiety. Chemical dependencies can often be blamed on stress or pressure to excel. When we feel weak, frightened, or worried, we often retreat behind walls we erect to keep the hurt and the disappointment away. Feelings of shame, embarrassment, and failure isolate us from our loved ones and create distances between married couples, parents and children, and friends. Many of us feel incapable or unable to live the lives that others expect of us. In such cases, God is our salvation.

Place your troubles in God’s hands. Rely on Him to guide your life. By doing so, you may find you’re not only able to help others, work hard, but also to resist temptation and strive harder to live a healthy and balanced life while at the same time enjoying the benefits of God’s grace.

God’s love, wisdom, compassion and understanding offers each of us a place of retreat and refuge when life’s pressures become too heavy. You don’t have to put up walls with God. He knows you. You don’t have to go one shopping sprees, eating binges, or rely on alcohol or chemicals when you’re feeling depressed, unworthy, or afraid. Instead, lean on God. His strength can carry us through life’s most difficult situations. God accepts us, faults and all.

Many people think they have to belong to a church in order to benefit from God’s grace, but the truth is, you can seek or commune with God anywhere, even from your solitary refuge at the back of your closet. While you can certainly pray for support and wholeness from a church sanctuary, you can also talk to God in your backyard, while driving, or going for a walk. Communication is the key to seeking a relationship with God, and it’s up to you to let Him know how you’re feeling. The truth is, God probably already knows how you feel, but He likes to hear you say it. He wants us to ask for help when we need it.

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble”
– Psalm 46:1

Asking for help from God isn’t a sign of weakness, but of faith. Pride and stubbornness don’t help us find peace and stability in our lives. On the contrary, the inability to ask for help, to be open to new options, or believing that we can only rely on ourselves are a few of the obstacles that prevent many individuals from experiencing a peaceful, balanced life.

“Have faith that you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
–Matthew 21:22

God can provide balance to those of us struggling to make ends meet, resolve issues, or overcome tragedy and grief. God can give us wholeness with open hands and a loving heart. All you have to do is ask.

How Faith Works

Robert — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 04:01:45 +0000

You don’t need any special equipment or knowledge to have faith. Faith is believing in something you can’t see, or something you haven’t experienced, yet you know it’s there. Faith is the assurance of the answer to all we take to God in prayer. The three basic tenets regarding faith include:

Asking
Believing
Receiving

Does this mean that you’ll get everything you ask for from God? Not necessarily. God, in His own infinite wisdom knows what we need. However, by asking for help, support, love, or understanding, and sometimes, even material things, we should humble ourselves and ask with a sincere heart. How do you ask for faith from God? Open your heart. Dig deep into your soul and know that you’re asking for salvation. Asking anything from anyone requires believing that the person is there. The same goes for God. When you ask for faith, you must believe that God exists, and that He can hear and respond to you.

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
— Hebrews 11:1

Believing as another powerful aspect of faith. We’ve heard the story of Doubting Thomas and his need to see the wounds of Christ before he would believe He had risen from the dead. As the Bible says, “Blessed are those who believe without seeing.” Belief is a powerful concept, one that carries great depths of emotion and strength.

“We walk by faith, not by sight”
— 2 Corinthians 5:7

Believing that God is the only one that can help or save us means placing our entire trust and loyalty in Him and His power. Does that mean that you shouldn’t try at all? Not at all. While we should place our burdens and concerns in God’s hands, we also need to take courage to make changes in our own lives. Trust and faith in God that you have the ability to do so, no matter your circumstances, is as important as asking for help and believing you will receive such help.

Believe in yourself. Believe that God is there for you. Believe that no stress or worry is too little for God to deal with. God cares for everyone.

Receiving a gift is easy, most of the time. You extend your hand, receive the gift, and offer thanks. However, receiving the gift of faith goes a little deeper than that. It means relinquishing human pride and opening your heart to the workings of a mysterious power that we cannot see. Faith requires believing without seeing. It requires trust.

“Ask , and it will be given to you; seek and you will find, knock , and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”
– Matthew 7:7-9

Sometimes, the gift of faith is received through constant seeking, or it may be immediate. The key is to search your heart, to ask in sincerity, to believe deeply and truly, and to be open and receptive to the receipt of faith.

God tells us that we should believe without doubt, because God is pleased by such depth of faith and rewards the faithful. “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be open to you,” says Jesus.

Asking, believing, and receiving faith goes way beyond asking for temporary favors, but requires an effort by the individual doing the asking to truly attempt to understand and know God, to live a life that will please God, and to continually place your life under God’s guidance and control.

“Listen to me ! You can pray for anything and if you believe you will have it.”
–Mark 11:24

Faith works in mysterious ways, and not everyone will ask for help the same way, believe in God the same way, or even receive gifts from God in the same manner. While you may not receive a physical or material package, the act of asking, believing and receiving faith requires open arms, open heart, and open mind. Faith has the power to change your life. Open your arms, ask, believe, and receive. Be assured that with God there is always a way, with God there is always right answers.

Robert Moment is a personal growth “throw the box away” inspirational life coach, speaker and author of best-selling Christian Book titled, God Will Always Be There For You. Robert is passionate about teaching individuals how to experience God’s love, joy, peace and prosperity in their lives. Visit 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 .

Choose to Be Free from Your Past

Robert — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 04:01:54 +0000

I don’t know many people who live entirely without regrets. Unless we’ve been blessed with a significant bump on the head, most of us carry around memories we’d rather forget. But it is up to us to decide whether we strain our muscles dragging this baggage around or whether we unpack our issues and deal with them. (We can always repack, right?)

In Chapter 8 of the Book of John, Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, and some teachers brought in a woman who had been caught cheating on her husband. They made her stand in front of everyone and they said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?”

Have you ever felt like this woman? I know I have. Not that anyone has ever attempted to stone me, thank God, but I’ve had metaphorical rocks hurled at me plenty of times. Do you know what Jesus said to her accusers? He said, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” The teachers wandered off and the woman stood where she was, until Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

There are many lessons to be taken from this simple story. First of all, Jesus calls the teachers out: Hey, we all have a past. We all have issues. Every one of you has something you’d rather not share. Then he tells the unnamed woman, “I do not condemn you.” This might not have meant as much to her then as it does to us now. We don’t know whether or not she was aware that she was receiving a pardon from God Himself. But we can look at this scene and know that Christ was saying to this woman, “I am not judging you, go on now, get on with your life, and stop cheating on your husband.”

Can this apply to any mistakes we’ve made in our pasts? Christ sacrificed Himself on the cross so that we could be forgiven our sins. If we wallow in unnecessary, harmful guilt, then we are not fully accepting His sacrifice, His selfless gift. If He wanted us to feel guilty, to spend time, and muscle power, dragging that baggage around, He wouldn’t have made the ultimate sacrifice. He gave His life to buy our freedom. Our freedom from sin, our freedom from death, and our freedom from our own pasts. Later on in this same chapter, Christ says, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Jesus Christ is this Truth.

So, you’re asking, what about those of us who have suffered due to no fault of our own? Yes, painful things certainly happen to innocent people. Victims of disease, oppression, rape, child abuse, adultery, the list goes on. Life is not fair.

Faith is easier said than done. It is difficult for those who have truly suffered to believe that their suffering can lead to a greater purpose. In the Book of Ephesians, Chapter 1, Verse 11, the Apostle Paul writes, “In him we are also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will.” Believers are chosen by God. Sometimes, when we are suffering, or when we have suffered, we wish we hadn’t been chosen, but the truth is, it feels good to be chosen, especially when we are able and willing to believe that our suffering, our pain, is going to work out for the purpose of His will. God is love. God’s will leads to love, even if there are some unlovely bumps in the road.

Writer George Bernard Shaw wrote, “If you can’t get rid of the skeleton in your closet, you might as well teach it to dance.” This is an apt metaphor for creativity, and that’s how this quote is usually interpreted, but it also reminds me of God’s Will. Oftentimes, we are able to use our past, our mistakes, or our time spent as innocent victims, to love others, to glorify God. Recovering alcoholics can minister to those struggling with alcoholism. Ex-convicts can go minister in the jails. Rape victims can counsel other rape victims.

Suffering is difficult, but we need to know that God is not judging us. Psalm 103 reads, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” That’s a long way! That’s infinity! God has forgiven us. In light of His sacrifice, it is the least we can do to forgive ourselves. He has also asked us to use everything in our power for His glory. Is it possible to use your past to bless others? Is this the way to truly be free of it?

Robert Moment is an innovative forward-thinking “throw the box away” inspirational life coach, marketing expert, speaker and author of God Will Always Be There For You. Robert is passionate about empowering individuals on how to experience God’s love, peace, 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.

How to Be Happy in Life Today

Robert — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 04:01:36 +0000

Happiness is a choice. Everyone is in the pursuit of happiness. Entire sections of bookstores are devoted to finding it. Women’s magazines feature quizzes with titles like, “How Do You Rate on the Happiness Scale?” People climb mountains, take Pilates, and run marathons. People drink, take drugs, and take unsafe risks. All in the quest for happiness.

Obviously, happiness is not easily obtained. Some people believe it is a myth. Yet some people claim that they are truly happy. People have been claiming this for centuries. The truth is, happiness can be found in a life with Jesus Christ.

Bad things still happen. Happy people still get sad, still get angry, but they have somewhere to take these feelings. They have a personal relationship with a personal God, a God who knows all their wants, all their needs, before they even ask. When they feel unhappy, they are able to go to God. This brings peace. This brings joy. This makes them happy.

In the Book of John, Chapter 15, Christ tells us that He is the vine, and that God is the gardener. We, the believers, are the vine’s branches, and we bear fruit. This is an apt metaphor, because it shows us that God wants us to be fruitful. Verse 8 says, “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” By living well, by bearing fruit, we glorify God. God wants us to be happy. Our happiness glorifies Him. Our happiness makes God happy. In this same chapter, Jesus tells us that we cannot bear fruit unless we remain in the vine. Is it possible that true happiness is actually impossible, unless we try it via the vine, via Jesus Christ? In Verse 7, Christ says, “If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given to you.” This sounds too simple, doesn’t it? If we remain in Christ, if we meditate on His Word, keep His Word in our hearts, we can ask for anything our hearts desire. And according to this verse, it is God’s true desire to grant us our desires. In Verse 11, Jesus says, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”

Sometimes it is not easy to believe in these promises. No, faith is not supposed to be easy. If it were, then everybody would be faithful. Faith requires a willful submission to beliefs that sometimes won’t make sense to us. Hebrews 11:1 tells us, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” It’s not supposed to be easy. But we are called to do it anyway. In Matthew 17, Christ says, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” If faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains, if with faith in God, nothing is impossible, doesn’t that make our individual happiness seem like a fairly simple task? Not only does God want us to be happy, but it is a simple undertaking for Him. He’s the God of the universe, of all that has been and will be. Surely He can make me happy. But I have to have faith.

Even when things go wrong, we need to have faith. The Bible says, “He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” Belief in God does not create a protective bubble around us. We see crime. We see cancer. We see war. We see these things, and we ask ourselves, why? We ask God, why? We wonder, how we can ever be happy in a world so torn? But Romans 8:28 tells us, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him.” All these things happening in the world, all these things that hurt us and confuse us, all these things are somehow going to work for good. How do we know? We have to have faith. We’re back to the mustard seed. When something bad happens, we have to believe that it is for a greater good, that it is all part of God’s plan.

Sometimes, we even feel guilty for our happiness. This is the world talking, not the Holy Spirit. We should never feel guilty for our joy. Our joy is a gift from God, and by letting the world see our joy, even in the midst of so much pain, we let the world see our faith. By showing the world our faith, we show them our God. Our happiness glorifies Him. Our happiness is a gift from Him. All we have to do is reach out and accept it.

When Life Hurts, God Can Heal Your Emotional Wounds

Robert — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 04:01:04 +0000

God is love. It’s in the Bible. We’ve all heard this part. It’s been said so many times, it’s almost lost its meaning. God is love? In a world like this? Well, so what! But if we meditate on the idea, it returns to its profound roots. God is love. The Book of First John tells us that “love comes from God,” that “everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.” Isn’t that a great feeling? We know God because we know love?

So what does this have to do with my emotional wounds? With all of the painful things that have happened to me? Well, love is the only cure. And God is that love.

According to Scripture, God has a soft spot for those who suffer. Psalm 34:18 reads, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalm 147:3 reads, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” According to Scripture, God knows how many hairs are on your head (Matthew 10:30). He knows the condition of your heart (Psalm 139). And He cares about every second of your pain (1 Peter 5:7, John 3:16).

God is an all-sufficient love, and a relationship with Him can and will heal your emotional wounds. Consider the story of Luke 8: Jesus was walking along and the crowds were pushing in on Him and almost crushing Him. All of a sudden he turned around and said, “Who touched me?” The disciples, a bit baffled, were like, well Lord, several hundred people are touching you, and Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out of me.” The woman who had grabbed at his cloak came forward and told Jesus how she had touched Him for healing and that she had already been healed. Jesus said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”

Faith can heal us too. We just have to believe and we have to reach out for Jesus. In John 16:23, Christ says, “I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.” In Philippians Chapter 4, Paul tells us to take everything to God in prayer, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” What a promise is this! We just have to pray about our hurt, we just have to take our broken hearts to God, and he will replace our pain with peace. If the whole world knew this, wouldn’t we be spending most of our time on our knees? It is a peace that transcends our understanding. That is a peace that sounds even stronger than my pain.

God wants you to use your emotional wounds to grow closer to Him. In 2 Corinthians, Chapter 12, Christ says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Paul goes on to write, “For when I am weak, then I am strong.” This is a paradox for many of us, because we all want to be strong. And we can be, in Christ. In God, we can be stronger than we can ever be alone. If our emotional suffering brings us closer to God, and as a result, makes us stronger, maybe our wounds are also blessings.

Christ gave a sermon on a mountain and it was such an important event that it is described in both Matthew and Luke. In this sermon, Jesus stood tradition on its head. He did so by blessing people who were then considered unlikely recipients. He said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” Are you poor in spirit? Are you mourning? Have you suffered for your meekness? The good news is, if you seek God, you will be blessed. In this famous Sermon on the Mount, Jesus was describing God’s children. God wants you to be His child. He wants you to need Him, and when you allow yourself to need Him, that’s when the healing begins.

“And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” Romans 5:5

It’s Cool to Count on God

Robert — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 04:01:02 +0000

Few things in life are more difficult than being a teenager. From the age of twelve to eighteen, life resembles a rollercoaster. The highs are great, but the lows, well, the lows can be pretty lonely, can’t they?

As if growing up and figuring out who you are supposed to be isn’t enough of a challenge, society puts all this pressure on you to be cool. Look cool. Act cool. Make other people think you’re cool. And perhaps the most preposterous of them all: Believe that you are cool. Our culture does everything imaginable to eat away at your self-esteem, and then tells you that it’s your responsibility to feel good about yourselves. Tricky, isn’t it?

Many teenagers feel that Christianity isn’t cool. Depending on where you live, and the people you’ve been exposed to, maybe you’ve had negative experiences with Christianity. But a negative experience with organized religion is not the same as a negative experience with God. Religion might not be cool. But God is cool. Very cool.

You probably don’t think that rules are cool. (Who does?) Someone may have told you that if you want to be with God, you can’t drink, can’t think about the opposite sex, can’t swear, and have to get up early on Sundays.

God is much more than all that. God is not about rules. God is about freedom.

God is about helping you become who you are.

Here’s why God’s cool:

God is your best friend. At some point, you’ve probably had your heart broken by a friend. Has somebody betrayed you, talked about you behind your back, took something away just because they knew you wanted it? Probably. God will never do any of those things. God loves you and wants what’s best for you.
God will never leave you. Friends come and go. Relationships bloom suddenly and then vanish. But not God. He has been there for you since the beginning and will be there for you through eternity. Don’t you want someone to count on? God is that someone.
God is the only one who truly knows you. You’re changing so fast, you can barely keep up with yourself, right? You don’t even know who you are. Your parents certainly don’t seem to know. And your friends don’t seem to care who you really are. Well, the Bible tells us that God knew you before you were even conceived, that He has a plan for you, and that He knows how many hairs are on your head. God knows your thoughts before you even think them. Tired of feeling lost? Tired of feeling like nobody knows you? You should be tired! Feeling like that is exhausting! But you don’t have to feel like that. God knows exactly who you are, who you want to be, and who you can be.
God wants what’s best for you. While others may seem to be driving you crazy with demands about good grades, good behavior, good clothes, a good boyfriend or girlfriend, good music, God just cares about you.

In short, God is cool because He desires for you to be cool. Life is so much easier when you count on your best friend. So talk to Him. He’s always listening.

God Can Turn Your Life Around

Robert — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 19:24:12 +0000

The Bible tells me that when I invite Jesus Christ into my life, I am invited to become a “new creation.” In 2 Corinthians, Chapter 5, Paul writes, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone; the new has come!” In Christ, I am invited to get rid of the old person, to be reinvented. God promises me a fresh start, a clean slate. Thousands and thousands of people have testified to how God has turned their lives around. He can turn your life around too.

In the Old Testament of the Bible, in the Book of Jeremiah, God said this to a group of people exiled from Jerusalem: “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.” (Chapter 29)

God has a plan for us. And he wants us to prosper. He wants to give us hope and a future. He knows us and treats us as individuals. He can help us find out who we are meant to be. It is in God that we can finally, fully know ourselves.

It doesn’t matter where we’ve been, what we’ve been through, or what we’ve done. Because of Christ, we are forgiven for our mistakes. God cares about where we are right now and where we are going. God wants us to live up to the potential He has planned for us. We are, after all, created in His image, and He wants to help us live up to that image.

This is why He sent the Holy Spirit into our lives, to comfort, to guide, to strengthen and to shape us. The moment that we invite Christ into our lives, we also get the Holy Spirit. They’re something of a package deal. The Book of Acts tells us that we will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on us! (Acts 1:8) Power! Power to change, power to be, power to live! “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” (2 Tim 1:7) Do you think you don’t have the strength to walk away from something that hurts you, something that makes you weak, something you know you don’t want? Think again. Ask God.

When we reach out, when we ask God to change us, a transformation takes place. The Bible calls it a “renewing of the mind.” You will still be you, but you will be more than you. You will be a better, stronger, wiser version of yourself. In Philippians 4:13, the Apostle Paul says, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” By inviting God to strengthen you, you are opening the world up to yourself. You will be able to do anything, with God’s strength.

You will be able to walk away from things or people who have hurt you or made you suffer. You will have the courage to be who you are supposed to be, a happy, thriving, vibrant individual with a purpose on this earth! The gift is there waiting for you. All you have to do is ask. Tell God that you want to change, and that you want to start today. If not now, when?

“But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)

Dare to Be Vulnerable with God

Robert — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 14:17:35 +0000

A life with Christ brings with it a profound personal freedom. Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.” He also said, “And the truth will set you free.” Free from what? Some of us in this world are fortunate to already be free from oppression, free from hunger, free from disease and poverty and abuse. But many of us are not free from ourselves, from those parts of our beings that weigh us down and make us weak. Christ can, and wants to, free us from ourselves, from our debilitating flaws.

But first we must admit that we are weak. That doesn’t just mean we need to say it aloud once, or tell a church leader. That means we must believe that we are weak. We must come to terms with the fact that we need God, that we cannot do it on our own. This requires the ultimate vulnerability. We must humble ourselves and stand (or sit, or kneel) in front of our Creator and say, “I recognize that I am weak. I know that I need you. Please take the reins.”

A relationship with God is often described by using marriage as a metaphor. We want to be loved unconditionally, right? But in order for us to experience this kind of love, we must allow the people in our lives who we love to know the real us. If I wake up every morning playing the part, putting my best foot forward, the people in my life would never even meet the real me, let alone be able to love me. Not only would that “acting” not be fruitful, but it would be exhausting for me. I want to be loved by the people in my life in spite of my weaknesses.

It is the same with God. In God we can satisfy our innate need for that unconditional love, but we need to be willing to present ourselves before God in an honest, humble, and vulnerable state of mind. Sure, we can believe in God and we can pray, and we can go to church and we can give to charity… All of that is good. But all of that will not and cannot provide the same freedom we get to experience if we just say, “Lord, I am nothing without you. Make me something.”

It is painful to think about our shortcomings, our mistakes, our flaws, our wounds. Yet it is precisely because of these difficulties that we need God. What good is it, really, to ask for God’s love if we’re not going to allow that love to penetrate to the depths of ourselves, where we really need it?

So how do we ask for this love? How do we show God our vulnerable sides? Through prayer. Through reading the Bible. Through listening for the Holy Spirit’s voice. The Bible tells us in Philippians 4:6, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” That doesn’t tell us to only pray for the big things, or for the things we’re not ashamed to ask for. It tells us to pray “in everything.” Just talk to God. Just open yourself up for a conversation. Part of that conversation can be found in the Bible. The Holy Spirit uses the Bible to talk to us. But we have to read it, and think about it, with open hearts and eyes, with humility, with vulnerability. We have to admit that we need God’s side of the conversation before we’ll hear it.

Once we allow ourselves to need His love, we not only open ourselves up to more of God’s love, but we are able to love and appreciate God in a new way. Jesus Christ was the poster child for vulnerability. By allowing ourselves to be stripped of our egos and to enter into a personal relationship with Jesus, we can better understand and appreciate just how vulnerably He lived out his years on earth. Christ came to earth to serve, not to be served. He opened himself up to ridicule, disrespect, misunderstanding, and eventually a torturous death. Isn’t “turning the other cheek” the ultimate exercise in vulnerability?

So not only will vulnerability serve us well in our relationship with God, it will also allow us to understand and appreciate Christ even more. What He went through. The strength it must have taken for Him to be that weak. To hang on that cross when He could have called down thousands of angels. He allowed Himself to be vulnerable so that He could be an instrument of God’s will.

We too, can be instruments of God’s will. But first, we must admit that we need Him. We must acknowledge and surrender all those little things that make us who we are, that make us human, that make us weak. When we give those up, when we say, “I need you God,” the Holy Spirit fills us with a new, holy, divine strength, and that strength sets us free.

God Knows How You are Feeling

Robert — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 04:01:06 +0000

During Jesus’ earthly ministry, He chose twelve disciples, or students. Their task was to learn about Him and follow His example. It wasn’t enough that they saw what Jesus did; they needed to understand why and how.

Why? He loved them. Jesus was human so He knew what they were feeling and how to address their concerns so they would know how to carry on after His crucifixion.

Today, Jesus is teaching us. And, just like His disciples, He understands how we are feeling and just how to deal with it. It’s not an easy thing to find someone who really knows what is going on inside your mind. God knew that and sent our Savior into the world.

The Lonely

We all seek intimacy. It could be sexual intimacy between a man and a woman, the love between a parent and child or the bonds of friendship that Jesus experienced with His disciples. No one wants to travel this earthly road alone and God doesn’t either. He created us to enjoy a relationship with Him. When you need someone to talk to about your problems, He is always there to listen.

You may be thinking that this is all well and good, but you still crave human companionship. When you seek intimacy with God first, He will give you everything that you need including a human friend, parent or parental figure and possibly a soul mate.

The Broken

Our lives can get broken through our own choices and/or that of others. There is a story in the Bible that compares God to a potter. We are the soft moist clay that is on His wheel being shaped into whatever He desires.

The potter doesn’t only create; He also fixes broken things. God takes the broken pieces of our lives and reshapes us with His loving hands. But, before He can do that, you have to be willing to give Him the pieces: your anger, resentment, hopelessness, despair and frustration.

The Victimized

Even though we know that God gives all of us free will, it is still hard to understand why bad things happen. When you’re the victim, you want to find justice for your suffering. The first step begins with your relationship to God.

Getting a guilty verdict from the courts doesn’t necessarily make the pain or the nightmares go away. God works on your heart to help you deal with the situation so that you are can continue to live victoriously.

The Trapped

Have you ever felt trapped in your life? After a while, it seems like you are on auto-pilot and just going through the motions. “Stop the world, I want to get off!”

God can use His transforming power to free you. To truly live a different life, add God to it. He will meet you were you are right now and work from the inside out to affect your emotions, thoughts, speech and your eternal soul.

The Anxious

With the state of the world today, people are worried. They worry about their jobs, homes, families, crime, health care and the like. Jesus told His disciples that they would encounter tribulations in their life but to remain hopeful because the end of the story had already been written. What that means is even though the world is in turmoil at times; your security is assured through God.

As a loving Father, He provides all of our needs when we need them. Take your concerns to God through prayer and trust Him for the outcome. No matter what you see or hear from others, the God of your life is working things out behind the scenes.

The Lost

There is a parable in the Bible about a lost sheep (Luke 15:4-6). When the shepherd realized the sheep was lost, he left the other ones in a safe place and expended his energy looking for the lost one. Once he found the sheep, he cradled him and rejoiced.

God doesn’t want any of His children to wander around in a daze. When you don’t know what to believe or who to turn to that might be how you feel. If you feel lost, pray. Believe that God can help you and He will. He unfolds the correct path before you one step at a time.

Are you worried that God doesn’t understand your situation? Then, tell Him. He already knows but He wants to hear it all from you, good and bad.

Additional Scriptures:

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

- Philippians 4:6

…

Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,

“I will take revenge;
I will pay them back”^]
says the Lord.

- Romans 12:19

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