You have heard people say how they love this thing or that, like “I love my IPhone,” or “I love my new car.” Of course this is just a figure of speech, but we need to be careful where we place our focus.

John writes in 1 John 3:17-18 “If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person? Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.”

The expression, “Love people and use things, not the other way around,” is a good reminder of God’s direction for us.

Dear Lord, we thank you for all the wonderful things we have. Help us remember, however, to put people before things, and show our love in our actions. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

When the police encounter a situation too big for one officer, he or she calls for backup. the military uses QRF’s, Quick Reaction Forces, or Aircraft that are on “Alert” ready to support others in need.

In a similar way God says in Psalm 50:15, “Then call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory.” God is always there for us if we honestly call on him. He will not ignore us. This is not to say that life will be without challenges. Often challenges or tests are what God gives us to bring us closer to him. Sometimes we have been the ones ignoring God, and the only way for him to get our attention is to put a challenge in our lives.

More importantly however, is not just rescue and help in our lives on earth, but rescue of our souls. In Romans 10:13 Paul writes, ” For Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” God will not ignore people who call on him for salvation.

Dear Lord, Thank you that we can always know that you are there for us in our times of need, and that through Jesus Christ anyone who calls can be saved. In Jesus’ name. Amen

The internet has become such an amazing resource for so many productive activities, such as education, collaboration, shopping, sharing and connecting with others. However like so many technological advancements, it is also used for wasteful, destructive, and distasteful activities.

Proverbs 15:14 says, “A wise person is hungry for knowledge, while the fool feeds on trash.” NLT

It is up to each of us to decide how we will use the resources God gives us. Every day, even each minute, we are making decisions whether to pursue the positive or “feed on trash.” Will we click on that trashy headline about some celebrities’ arrest, or drunken misadventure, or the keep our minds on higher things?

Paul writes in Philippians 4:8, “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”

Dear Lord thank you for the incredible technologies that we have today, help us to use them for good and focus on the best you things you have created. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Have you ever learned one of those things that are impossible to do unless you commit completely and expect success; something that you cannot do “kind of” or “a little.” For example learning to do a flip off the diving board, if you don’t commit, you end up landing on your back; How about getting up out of the water when water skiing, if you try to do it slowly, you end up with a face full of water, and the rope yanked out of your hands; Or stepping onto a boat as it is slowly moving from the dock, if you don’t get both feet and your body all the way onto the boat, you end up doing the splits and falling in the water.

In ways, our Christian faith is similar. In a number of bible stories, Jesus tells people that it is their faith that heals them. Matthew 9 includes the story of Jesus healing two blind men, and in verse 29 he says, “Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it done to you.”

Acts 9 tells the story of Saul’s conversion from persecutor of Christians to Apostle. Saul was on his way to Damascus to find, imprison or kill the early Christians, but on his way Jesus comes to him in a bright light and makes him blind. In another part of the town, God came to a man named Ananias in a vision and said to find Saul and heal him. Ananias was aware that Saul was persecuting Christians and did not know Saul had been converted. Ananias had to act in faith and trust that God would protect him.

In Deuteronomy 31:6 God says, “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.” He will not leave us or forsake us if we move forward boldly to do what we hear him calling us to do.

Dear Lord, Thank you that we can know that you are always with us and will protect us. Give us the courage to do the scary things we know we should, trusting in your protection. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

We have all seen examples of high profile “Christians” who by their publicly bad behavior give those who oppose Christianity anecdotes to demonstrate hypocrisy and paint all Christians with that brush. For every one of those bad examples, there are thousands of Christians who do amazing things that bring great glory to God, through their churches, charitable organizations, missions, and hundreds of other places and means.

Peter writes in 1 Peter 2:15, “It is God’s will that your good lives should silence those who foolishly condemn the Gospel without knowing what it can do for them, having never experienced it’s power.”

We need to be those positive, helpful, and hopeful people that show how being saved by Christ makes us different and “silences” those who would criticize Christians in general.

Dear Lord, what amazing things you have done for us through your love. Help us reflect that love and confidence in you to those around us, So that your Spirit might also work on them. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.