“Oh, to live a simple life…one without all the hustle and bustle that makes us fret and worry …one that is pleasing to the Lord …one that is peaceful and satisfying.”
That thought seems to permeate my every waking minute these days as I watch the TV and the plethora of political advertisements that are played before me…each one designed to bash the opposing candidate and make me want to vote for the candidate that is “approving this message.” It seems that from the messages that are being relayed by the candidates that a simple life these days is strictly out of the question….
Unless you turn the TV off and turn to God’s word…and Paul's writings to the Thessalonians. Paul tells them, in a loving but forceful manner, the secrets to a simple life in Chapter 5, verses 14-22.
“And we exhort you, brothers: warn those who are lazy, comfort the discouraged, help the weak, be patient with everyone. See to it that no one repays evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good for another and for all.”
And then, as Paul continues, he lists six of what I like to call “stepping stone” fundamentals. Each of these fundamentals is written with the express design to help us across the quagmire of a hectic life. If we are willing and able to follow these simple steps, we can achieve our goal to have a walk of peace and serenity with our Lord ….a simple walk of faith that dispels fret and worry and gives us the life we desire.
Even if we falter or fail to achieve each of these steps, our lives will be richer and more rewarding if we only accomplish a few of the following….So, go on, take the first step to
REJOICE ALWAYS….in all things find the joy that passes understanding.
PRAY CONSTANLY…remember, God is in the small stuff, He’s just waiting to hear you ask for His help.
GIVE THANKS IN EVERYTHING…for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
DON’T STIFLE THE SPIRIT…. He is living inside you to help you become like Christ.
DON’T DESPISE PROPHECIES…..rather test all things and hold fast to what is good.
STAY AWAY FROM EVERY FORM OF EVIL….the Bible says “FLEE”; however, if you steer clear of evil, you won’t have to run from it.
These six simple guidelines will permit you to live a God-fearing, God-honoring life …..And what can be simpler than that!
REMEMBER……God has called each of us to cast all our burdens on Him, to seek His face and to walk in daily communion with our Lord….and quite simply put, that’s THE LIFE WE WERE CREATED TO ENJOY!
Walking His Way….Living the Simple Life,
WPQ
Friday, October 24, 2008
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
LOOKING BACK TO FORGE AHEAD
I don’t know about you, but sometimes I have difficulty in letting go of the past.
I guess it's for that reason alone that Paul admonishes us in Philippians 3 to forget what lies in the past and to strain forward to what lies ahead in order that we might press on toward the goal for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus……
And believe me, I’m all for that; but sometimes my lack of faith keeps me frozen in the position I’m in…. neither moving forward nor sliding back. It is in times like these that I must look back in order to forge ahead.
Let me explain….God has been so very, very, VERY GOOD TO ME. It is when I look back that I can see the providential hand of God at work in my life and I know that the God of my past is still in control of the present and knows what lies ahead in my future. So, I ask myself,why do I stand there frozen in complacency, when God has called me to serve Him in expediency. The answer, simply put.....I’ve forgotten all that God has done for me, and through me, in my past.
Now,we all travel through the valley of adversity wondering if we will ever come out of the other side; yet, when we place our faith and trust in God, WE ALWAYS DO…often scarred, broken, even bitter that our travel and travail have been so deep; but, our Father who loves us with an unwavering love, ALWAYS, ALWAYS HAS OUR BEST INTEREST AT THE HEART OF HIS HEART.
So, the next time adversity rears its ugly head in your life or things seem to have come to a standstill, I encourage you to do what I do ….look back to the faithfulness of your Heavenly Father and all that He has done for you; the blessings that have been yours; the divine intervention that kept you safe and secure in this evil and despicable world.
You will see as revealed in His Holy Word in Job 12:22, “He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings deep shadows into the light."….and as you stand, firmly grounded on the mountaintop and cast a glance to the valley below, you will see all that God has brought you through. Maybe then, you will understand that in each situation, God has made a spiritual deposit in your life upon which you can draw and that because of this and the tough times that God has seen you through...your faith account in Him can never be overdrawn.
I don’t know about you, but there are too many things in my past that still plague me; however, I am so thankful that I am leaving these in the rear view mirror as I travel life’s highway with my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ….and now, I try to only look back when it will help me forge ahead.
I hope you’ll do the same….after all, God’s counting on each of us in the days that lie ahead to be SALT & LIGHT to His world…
Looking forward …straining for the prize,
WPQ
I guess it's for that reason alone that Paul admonishes us in Philippians 3 to forget what lies in the past and to strain forward to what lies ahead in order that we might press on toward the goal for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus……
And believe me, I’m all for that; but sometimes my lack of faith keeps me frozen in the position I’m in…. neither moving forward nor sliding back. It is in times like these that I must look back in order to forge ahead.
Let me explain….God has been so very, very, VERY GOOD TO ME. It is when I look back that I can see the providential hand of God at work in my life and I know that the God of my past is still in control of the present and knows what lies ahead in my future. So, I ask myself,why do I stand there frozen in complacency, when God has called me to serve Him in expediency. The answer, simply put.....I’ve forgotten all that God has done for me, and through me, in my past.
Now,we all travel through the valley of adversity wondering if we will ever come out of the other side; yet, when we place our faith and trust in God, WE ALWAYS DO…often scarred, broken, even bitter that our travel and travail have been so deep; but, our Father who loves us with an unwavering love, ALWAYS, ALWAYS HAS OUR BEST INTEREST AT THE HEART OF HIS HEART.
So, the next time adversity rears its ugly head in your life or things seem to have come to a standstill, I encourage you to do what I do ….look back to the faithfulness of your Heavenly Father and all that He has done for you; the blessings that have been yours; the divine intervention that kept you safe and secure in this evil and despicable world.
You will see as revealed in His Holy Word in Job 12:22, “He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings deep shadows into the light."….and as you stand, firmly grounded on the mountaintop and cast a glance to the valley below, you will see all that God has brought you through. Maybe then, you will understand that in each situation, God has made a spiritual deposit in your life upon which you can draw and that because of this and the tough times that God has seen you through...your faith account in Him can never be overdrawn.
I don’t know about you, but there are too many things in my past that still plague me; however, I am so thankful that I am leaving these in the rear view mirror as I travel life’s highway with my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ….and now, I try to only look back when it will help me forge ahead.
I hope you’ll do the same….after all, God’s counting on each of us in the days that lie ahead to be SALT & LIGHT to His world…
Looking forward …straining for the prize,
WPQ
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Unto these Hills
I just returned from my early morning walk around my neighborhood and let me just say, WOW!!!!! WHAT A GLORIOUS MORNING.
To see the changing of the trees as they shed summer’s green for fall’s foliage of red, yellow, orange and crimson is truly a sight to behold. I can just see our heavenly Father, with brush in hand and the earth as His canvas, making stroke after tireless stroke as He paints His masterpiece in the hills and valleys of our world.
There is a high ground in our neighborhood that allows you to look north and see the mountains in the Upstate and into North Carolina’s Blue Ridge chain. Even from this great distance, you can see the changing of the color guard as the mountains take on the palettes of fall. This morning, I was truly mesmerized by the crystal blue sky as it seemed to kiss the top of each mountain peak. Now, I have lived before, as many of you do now, in an area that was “vertically challenged” and each fall, I felt like something was missing …that somehow, fall was not truly fall (my favorite time of the year). It was the lack of those mountain peaks that left the fall experience somewhat diminished.
But not today….My heart seemed to sing and before I knew it my step had slowed and I was standing still, just taking in the sight of those mountains …stretching, straining toward Heaven and their Creator. It was then that I realized that even in the midst of all that is strangling our country and perplexing us on every side, there is peace to be found on the mountaintops.
God’s word says it best in Psalms 121:1-2, “I lift my eyes unto the hills. From where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.” But there’s even more comfort in the rest of the passage… “He will not let your foot be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day or the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all evil; He will keep your life. (My emphasis) The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.” Psalm 121:3-8.
The one who made those mountains is still in charge ….and He’s just waiting for us to turn from our wicked ways and acknowledge Him as Lord. God is ready to help; in fact, He’s already done His part ….the rest is up to you and me. Do we trust our God and His sovereignty in our lives or do we want to wear the crown and be the one in charge? That’s a question that we must answer everyday if we truly want to know the “peace that passes all understanding.”
I am so thankful for my walk this morning….it allowed me a glimpse of God’s majesty and it calmed my trouble soul. Those “hills” will be etched in my mind as I look to my Lord and Savior for his direction today….I trust and pray that you too will find that peace that only God can give and you will know that our God never sleeps, never slumbers …FOR HE IS ALWAYS JUST A PRAYER AWAY !
Living Large in His Family,
WPQ
To see the changing of the trees as they shed summer’s green for fall’s foliage of red, yellow, orange and crimson is truly a sight to behold. I can just see our heavenly Father, with brush in hand and the earth as His canvas, making stroke after tireless stroke as He paints His masterpiece in the hills and valleys of our world.
There is a high ground in our neighborhood that allows you to look north and see the mountains in the Upstate and into North Carolina’s Blue Ridge chain. Even from this great distance, you can see the changing of the color guard as the mountains take on the palettes of fall. This morning, I was truly mesmerized by the crystal blue sky as it seemed to kiss the top of each mountain peak. Now, I have lived before, as many of you do now, in an area that was “vertically challenged” and each fall, I felt like something was missing …that somehow, fall was not truly fall (my favorite time of the year). It was the lack of those mountain peaks that left the fall experience somewhat diminished.
But not today….My heart seemed to sing and before I knew it my step had slowed and I was standing still, just taking in the sight of those mountains …stretching, straining toward Heaven and their Creator. It was then that I realized that even in the midst of all that is strangling our country and perplexing us on every side, there is peace to be found on the mountaintops.
God’s word says it best in Psalms 121:1-2, “I lift my eyes unto the hills. From where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.” But there’s even more comfort in the rest of the passage… “He will not let your foot be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day or the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all evil; He will keep your life. (My emphasis) The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.” Psalm 121:3-8.
The one who made those mountains is still in charge ….and He’s just waiting for us to turn from our wicked ways and acknowledge Him as Lord. God is ready to help; in fact, He’s already done His part ….the rest is up to you and me. Do we trust our God and His sovereignty in our lives or do we want to wear the crown and be the one in charge? That’s a question that we must answer everyday if we truly want to know the “peace that passes all understanding.”
I am so thankful for my walk this morning….it allowed me a glimpse of God’s majesty and it calmed my trouble soul. Those “hills” will be etched in my mind as I look to my Lord and Savior for his direction today….I trust and pray that you too will find that peace that only God can give and you will know that our God never sleeps, never slumbers …FOR HE IS ALWAYS JUST A PRAYER AWAY !
Living Large in His Family,
WPQ
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Praying for November 4th
It has been several weeks since I lasted posted a daily devotional here at Salt & Light. I wish I could say that I have been too busy trying to learn the ins and outs of a new job or that I was caught up in many spiritual endeavors that kept me from my keyboard; however, the simple truth is that I have been too despondent with our situation here in America to think clearly and write plainly.
That ended yesterday while having my quiet time and reading from my devotional book, TGIF by Os Hillman. Os’ wrote concerning the need to pray for those in authority via Paul’s exhortation to young Timothy in 1Timothy 2:1 which reads, “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made for everyone- for kings and all those in authority.”
Paul tells his young protégé to make the first work of the church prayer and intercession for those in authority….and I believe he was not only speaking of our elected officials, but also your boss, your pastor or anyone that has been placed in a position of leadership and authority. We have probably all believed that those in politics, military, religion and economics have somehow always controlled the earth; but, in our society today, we are seeing the transfer of God’s anointing upon all the saints in the body of Christ in order to get His will accomplished here on earth.
And nowhere will that be more evident than on Tuesday, November 4, 2008 when we, as followers of the one true God, go to the poles to cast our vote for our future leaders. We should be praying for the anointing of the one that God has chosen to lead us through these difficult and trying days…our nation is under fire from all sides. In fact, our ability and right to worship freely; our ability to decide our own economic fate based on our efforts and hard work; our right to be a sovereign nation…..all these and so much more hang in the balance on that day…..a day that may well decide whether America will continue to be the land of the free and the home of the brave.
What can you do you might ask? First, do what Paul told young Timothy to do….PRAY, PRAY AND CONTINUE TO PRAY WITHOUT CEASING FOR THE LEADERSHIP OF OUR NATION!!!!! Secondly, go to the poles early and vote for John McCain….he may not be all that we would like for him to be, but he is SO MUCH BETTER THAN THE ALTERNATIVE. Thirdly, in a humble and loving way, encourage everyone you know to pray for the election of John McCain and to do their part to make this happen. This is not one of those times that you can sit idly by and hope that someone else will do what must be done ….you are that SOMEONE!!!!
And lastly…..don’t forget to thank God for the opportunity to stand in line to cast your ballot….so many across this world have NO idea what that is like…to actually have a voice in choosing who will be their leader. If you take this opportunity to vote for granted, it may very well be taken away in the not too distant future.
THIS ELECTION IS THAT SERIOUS….don’t be fooled or lulled into a false sense of security regarding what lies ahead for our great nation…your vote will determine who leads this country through the worst economic times we have ever faced …..My prayer is simple ……God help us as only He can!
Voting for God’s leader ….praying for those in authority,
WPQ
That ended yesterday while having my quiet time and reading from my devotional book, TGIF by Os Hillman. Os’ wrote concerning the need to pray for those in authority via Paul’s exhortation to young Timothy in 1Timothy 2:1 which reads, “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made for everyone- for kings and all those in authority.”
Paul tells his young protégé to make the first work of the church prayer and intercession for those in authority….and I believe he was not only speaking of our elected officials, but also your boss, your pastor or anyone that has been placed in a position of leadership and authority. We have probably all believed that those in politics, military, religion and economics have somehow always controlled the earth; but, in our society today, we are seeing the transfer of God’s anointing upon all the saints in the body of Christ in order to get His will accomplished here on earth.
And nowhere will that be more evident than on Tuesday, November 4, 2008 when we, as followers of the one true God, go to the poles to cast our vote for our future leaders. We should be praying for the anointing of the one that God has chosen to lead us through these difficult and trying days…our nation is under fire from all sides. In fact, our ability and right to worship freely; our ability to decide our own economic fate based on our efforts and hard work; our right to be a sovereign nation…..all these and so much more hang in the balance on that day…..a day that may well decide whether America will continue to be the land of the free and the home of the brave.
What can you do you might ask? First, do what Paul told young Timothy to do….PRAY, PRAY AND CONTINUE TO PRAY WITHOUT CEASING FOR THE LEADERSHIP OF OUR NATION!!!!! Secondly, go to the poles early and vote for John McCain….he may not be all that we would like for him to be, but he is SO MUCH BETTER THAN THE ALTERNATIVE. Thirdly, in a humble and loving way, encourage everyone you know to pray for the election of John McCain and to do their part to make this happen. This is not one of those times that you can sit idly by and hope that someone else will do what must be done ….you are that SOMEONE!!!!
And lastly…..don’t forget to thank God for the opportunity to stand in line to cast your ballot….so many across this world have NO idea what that is like…to actually have a voice in choosing who will be their leader. If you take this opportunity to vote for granted, it may very well be taken away in the not too distant future.
THIS ELECTION IS THAT SERIOUS….don’t be fooled or lulled into a false sense of security regarding what lies ahead for our great nation…your vote will determine who leads this country through the worst economic times we have ever faced …..My prayer is simple ……God help us as only He can!
Voting for God’s leader ….praying for those in authority,
WPQ
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