I have heard it recommended that we schedule vacations and special events on our calendar’s several months in advance. The expectation of this pleasant experience in our future can give us enjoyment each time we think about it.

In the same way, the hope and expectation of our salvation should give us tremendous peace as we live our lives.

Paul says in Romans 15:13, “I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Dear Lord, thank you for the hope of our salvation with you. May we live our lives in the peace and joy that this hope brings. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

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Sustaining anything requires maintenance. To stay alive we need to eat and drink; to stay fit we need to exercise; to stay effective at our jobs we need to maintain our skills. In the same way, to sustain our faith we need to spend time with other believers, grow our knowledge of God’s word, and show praise and gratitude for what God has done for us. We do this by attending Church services.

In the Old Testament, the Jewish laws dictated when to go to the temple, and all the rituals needed to please God. Jesus Christ removed the burden of these rituals and Old Testament rules; so going to church is no longer about doing good deeds to win favor from God, it’s about engaging with other Christians to worship God, learn, sustain and support each other.

Acts 2:42 says about the early Christians, “They joined with the other believers in regular attendance at the apostles’ teaching sessions and at the Communion services and prayer meetings.” TLB

Our churches are the places we do this. We all need a church that is comfortable for us so it can be a core part of our lives.

Dear Lord, help us each find a church home, and attend regularly to sustain our faith in You. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen

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Paul writes in Ephesians 5:20 “Always give thanks for everything to our God and Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Give thanks in everything? The flat tire, the IRS audit, the poor test grade? Why?

When we commit our lives to God, he works in us, and on us, if we let Him. He is trying to make us better able to do the things He wants us to do. Some of the experiences we must go through are not pleasant, but they are necessary to become the people God wants us to be

In 1 Corinthians 2:9 Paul Writes, “However, as it is written: ‘What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived’ the things God has prepared for those who love him.”

We may realize shortly why we had the flat tire or other negative experience, but we may never know; however, we do know that God is working on us, if we let him, to become the person He wants us to be

Dear Lord, thank you for working on us, making us better. Help us understand, and also be thankful even for the difficult things in our lives. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

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Sometimes reading different bible translations helps with our understanding of the message, or gives us a different way of looking at it.

The New Living Translation NLT of Psalm 37:3 gives us a great and concise formula for how we should live and a promise of the outcome. It says, “Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.”

This is a pretty simple and straight forward message by which to live.

Dear Lord, help us truly put our trust in you and be good, by sharing your love with others. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen.

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Do ever have a thought that appears in your mind, a terrible thought of revenge, rage, envy, greed, or lust, and wonder where it came from? I believe that this is one of the ways we are drawn into temptation by the devil.

Paul teaches us what to do when this occurs, in Colossians 3:5, he says, “So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.”

How do we put these thoughts to death as Paul describes, we starve and suffocate them from our attention, and change our focus to something better. In Colossians 3:2 Paul says, “Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.” We should pray for deliverance from the temptation.

Dear Lord, we are human, subject to temptation, and routinely fail to avoid it. Help us, and give us the strength to think of the things of heaven, and kill the sinful thoughts planted in our minds. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

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