It is very common in our human nature to dwell on our problems. We can describe in great detail how big the problem is, how long it has been going on, how it runs in our family, etc…..

One interesting thing about successful people is that they spend much more time, energy, and thought avoiding, ignoring, and overcoming their problems than thinking about the problem.

As Christians also, we need to spend more time and energy remembering how big and strong our God is rather than the size of our problems.

Deuteronomy 1:28-31 tells part of the story of the Israelites coming to the Promised Land, “What are we getting into? Our brothers who spied out the land have frightened us with their report. They say that the people of the land are tall and powerful, and that the walls of their cities rise high into the sky! They have even seen giants there—the descendants of the Anakim!’
“But I said to you, ‘Don’t be shocked or afraid of them!

The Lord God is your
leader, and he will fight for you with his mighty miracles, just as you saw him do in Egypt. And you know how he has cared for you again and again here in the wilderness, just as a father cares for his child!’ But nothing I said did any good.“They refused to believe the Lord our God”

They put more faith in their obstacles than in God’s ability to support them moving toward where He was leading them.

We need to remember that the will of God will never lead us where the love of God will not support us.

Dear Lord, you are bigger than any obstacle we can ever face. Help us remember to believe that and put our focus on your power to support us rather than the obstacles we face. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

The bible often writes about how as humans we are “slaves to sin.” Without the salvation we have from Jesus, we cannot overcome the influence of temptation in our lives.

Peter writes something interesting in 1 Peter 4:1,2 about how we can overcome sin in our lives. In the Living Bible translation he writes, “Since Christ suffered and underwent pain, you must have the same attitude he did; you must be ready to suffer, too. For remember, when your body suffers, sin loses its power, and you won’t be spending the rest of your life chasing after evil desires but will be anxious to do the will of God.”

I think what he means when he says to have the “same attitude as Christ,” is that no matter how difficult it will be to overcome the desire to do the wrong thing, which is what he means by “be ready to suffer”, once we overcome, then that desire no longer has power over us. It is like a starving person being manipulated by someone who offers him food, but someone with a full stomach cannot be manipulated this way.

Dear Lord, Thank you for saving us from our slavery to sinful desires. Help us have the will power to “suffer” denying our sinful wants so that we can remove that temptation’s power over us. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Henry Ford is quoted as saying, “If you think you can do a thing, or think you can’t do a thing, you’re right.”

I have heard the same concept said this way, “If you believe something is not possible, it is not possible, for you.”

What these quotes are emphasizing is the importance of belief; but the belief in ourselves. Belief in ourselves is important and useful in our lives, however, belief in God has unlimited power. Jesus tells us in Matthew 19:26, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible,” and when Jesus healed the blind man in Matthew 9:29, Jesus said, “According to your faith let it be done to you.”

God created everything, how can we question His ability to do anything. Sometimes it is our doubt an disbelief that puts limits on the things God wants to do for us.

Dear Lord, help us come to You with faith in Your power. Strengthen our belief in You to act in our lives and in our world. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

We use the word “good” often in our day to day speech. If we think about what it means, we realize that it needs a standard or measurement to have meaning. Most of the time, the person who says, “that is good” is the one who is setting the standard. For example if you hire someone to complete something, when you say, “it’s good,” then it is based on your standard.

Matthew 19:16-17, says, “Someone came to Jesus with the question: “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” Jesus said, “There is only One who is good, But to answer your question, if you want to receive eternal life, keep the commandments.” In this story, the standard Jesus is describing for “good” is perfection; No minor deviations, or little mistakes, “perfection.”

Can anyone but God achieve perfection?

This leads us to why Christianity is not like any other religion. Other religions have their lists of actions and behaviors that must be performed in order to achieve the goal. In Christianity, there is nothing we can do to be saved.

God saves us.

Dear Lord, only you are “good.” What a joy it is to know that we don’t have to be good to be saved, we just have to accept the gift you offer us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

There are some people that are so good at writing or delivering a speech that they can change people’s perspectives and behaviors enough to change the course of history; People like Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill, John Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., Margaret Thatcher, and Ronald Reagan.

Isaiah was given this type of capability by God to influence people’s lives as well. Isaiah 50:4 says, “The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary.”

God may not give us visions, and the ability to prophesy, like Isaiah, but he can use any of us to offer encouragement and hope to those that are weary, distraught or discouraged. Proverbs 16:24 says, “Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” Any of us can be the one to provide the needed “gracious words.”

Dear Lord, give us the insight and understand to see those in need of healing words, and provide us the words that can make a difference in people’s lives. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.