In modern times people use the expression “keeping up with the Jones’,” to describe how people worry about how they compare to someone else, whether their income, the car they drive, size of their house, position at work, or many other ways. Our human perspective makes us believe that winning these “competitions” makes us “better.”

However, God tells us through Paul’s writing in Galatians 6:4, “Let everyone be sure that he is doing his very best, for then he will have the personal satisfaction of work well done and won’t need to compare himself with someone else.” TLB

Our motivation should not be the competive spirit, it should be the satisfaction of doing and being our best. God has made us each unique, and gave us unique skills, talents, interests, and personalities. He tells us that the important thing is to do our best with them.

Dear Lord, thank you for the unique people you have made us. Help us make the most of what we have, and in doing so, we give glory to you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

What does it really mean to be a Christian? First it means we accept that we need forgiveness and repent of our disobedience to God (sin). We say the Creeds, which outline what we believe as Christians, “I believe in God the Father Almighty…..I believe in God the Son who died and rose to save us… and I believe in the Holy Spirit.” Also, when we become Christians, we begin our journey of changing from being led by our human wants, to being led by God’s will.

This change takes place because we accept the Holy Spirit. We can only believe what we say in the creeds because the Holy Spirit works in us. Paul writes in Romans 8:8-9, ” That’s why those who are still under the control of their old sinful selves, bent on following their old evil desires, can never please God. But you are not like that. You are controlled by your new nature if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that if anyone doesn’t have the Spirit of Christ living in him, he is not a Christian at all.) TLB

We are Christian and we are also human; as a result, we have a battle going on inside us. The battle is between our human desires and God’s will. The more we surrender our lives to the Holy Spirit inside us, the better we become at following God’s will rather than ours.

So Christians are those who have asked for God’s forgiveness, accepted the Holy Spirit into their heart, and can therefore believe Jesus Christ gives them eternal life. As a result, they live their lives by God’s direction and can experience the Joy and Peace of God’s will.

Dear Lord, Thank you for giving us your Holy Spirit to live in us and connect us with you. Help us surrender more fully to do your will and experience the Peace and Joy it provides. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

The bible uses the word “grumble” to describe complaining. Shortly after God brought the Israelites out from slavery in Egypt, and miraculously parted the Red Sea, the people grumbled, or complained, to Moses, about not having water, God solved it, they complained about not having food and God miraculously gave them manna and quail. God heard their complaining and gave them what they needed. You would think that they would get the message and realize God was there to support them if they only asked. However as a result of their behavior and lack of their faith and obedience, God turned what would have been a short journey to the Promised Land into a 40 year struggle, and none of the adults ultimately were allowed to enter the Promised Land.

Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 10:10, “And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.”

We “grumble” too. When we are complaining, “grumbling” and feeling sorry for ourselves, we are showing a lack of faith. We are indicating that we don’t believe God has a plan for us or cares about us. It shows also that we don’t believe God listens to our prayers, or that he doesn’t have the power to help us with our situations. Obviously that is not how we are to act and think.

When we are tempted to complain and feel sorry for ourselves, instead, we should stop and remember to ask God to help us; trusting in him, then waiting in peace for the answer to our prayer. Psalm 84:11 says, “For Jehovah God is our Light and our Protector. He gives us grace and glory. No good thing will he withhold from those who walk along his paths.” TLB

Dear Lord, at times you let us struggle to strengthen us and teach us. At those times, rather than complaining and feeling sorry for ourselves, help us ask for your help to get us through our struggle, and have faith in you answering our prayer. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Here is a test. You are driving on the expressway and a sign says left lane closed ahead, so you move into the center lane, and someone else continues in the left lane until the last possible moment, then slows and puts their turn signal on to move into the center lane right in front of you. Do you let them in?

In Luke 6:27,28 Jesus says, “…Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” NIV

OK, so we can bring ourselves to be gracious to the self centered person on the expressway. Here is another test. This one is very difficult, gut wrenching for some of us. Can you love and pray for the people of ISIS? Jesus says in Luke 6:35, “love your enemies, be good to them….. and then you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.”

Remember what Jesus said while hanging on the cross after being beaten and humiliated. “Father, forgive them for they know do not know what they are doing.”

Dear Lord, you set a standard for love that we could never achieve. Help us try. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

Have you seen the movies, or read books describing situations requiring complicated plans that have to be scheduled and executed precisely in order to succeed. Like the robbery in the Italian Job, or the escape in the Great Escape. Every detail, timing, step in the sequence of events, is figured out so the characters can succeed. In a similar way, God has plans for us that may include things we could never expect, but are critical to his plan.

Jeremiah 29:11 says “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Sometimes the steps in God’s plan for us include negative events that could easily discourage us or make us question whether God actually cares; like losing a job, an illness, accident, or even losing a loved one. We can never know how God is working things in our lives, to put us in the right situation to do what he calls us to do.

Isaiah writes God’s words in Isaiah 55:9, ” For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts” God has a plan for each of us. Our job is to commit ourselves to following His plan, and listen for his direction.

Dear Lord, sometimes it is difficult for us to understand what good can come from bad things that happen in our lives. In these difficult circumstances, help us maintain our faith that you are working your plans for us and will protect and prosper us. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.