One challenge we all face when trying to accomplish anything good is the will-power or discipline to stick with it. Whether it be, sticking to a diet, exercise, cutting bad language out of our vocabulary, quitting smoking, drugs, or alcohol, changing our habits and building better habits is difficult, but not impossible.

2 Peter 1:3,4 says, “By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.”

We can turn away from bad behaviors and live a godly life, if we so choose. When we say we “can’t” do something, what we are really saying is either, we won’t try, or we don’t really want to. In all comes down to a decision. We-make the decision and ask God to help us follow through.

I heard it said, “Our job is to do the natural, then God will do the super-natural.” This is how we overcome our wrong desires, and build a better self.

Dear Lord, Thank you for giving us everything we need to live the life you desire for us. Help us decide to strive for that “godly” life, and take our step forward then let you carry us further. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

We all have experienced the challenge and frustration of learning something new at some point in our lives, algebra, a foreign language, a new piece on a musical instrument, a trick on a skateboard, tennis backhand, or one of a thousand other skills. The learning process rarely happens with one try and then we have the skill mastered. Most of the time, it takes many attempts to get it right once, then many repetitions of doing it correctly before we can do it right, at will.

In a way, this is what James is describing in James 1:2-4, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

James is saying we build up our skills as faithful Christians by going through the difficult practice testing our faith, but when we do this enough, we will have these “skills of faith” mastered.

Dear Lord, You are always giving us the opportunity to face challenges that improve our skills to serve you. Help us see these challenges as the learning and development that they are, and not irritants for us to complain about. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

When skyscrapers are built they are built on huge foundations dug deeply into the ground where it is solid, ideally solid rock.

Jesus tells those listening to him in Matthew 7:24, “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”

Isaiah 26:4 says, “Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal rock.”

We build the foundation for our life on our beliefs, preconceptions, and world views. If this foundation is built on how we feel about things and popular social and cultural ideas, we are not building our life on solid ground. Jesus’ and his teaching that we learn through the Bible are the solid rock foundation on which we can build lives that enable us to successfully withstand the trials and temptations of the world.

Dear Lord, Thank you for taking the guesswork out of building our lives properly. You have given us the template which starts with following and trusting you. Help us keep you first in our lives build our lives around you, our rock. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

“Praise the Lord, Let all that I am praise the Lord.” Psalm 146

Many places in the Bible we are told to “Praise the Lord,” but what does that really mean? It means acknowledging that God is, well, God. He is all powerful, all knowing, the creator of everything.

Being written two or three thousand years ago, the examples used in the Bible describing the amazing things for which to praise God seem a bit simple to us now.

A psalm written about praising God today might be more like this:

Praise God for making the laws of physics that allow us to travel around the world in hours.
Praise Him for the elegant design of the atom that allows us to transmit information around the world in seconds.
Praise God for the amazing balance in molecules, and elements, that maintain stability of the chemistry in our environment.
Praise Him for the balance of earth’s cycle of life that maintains stability in the earth’s ecology.
Praise God for the astonishing sophistication of the human body that can do wonderful and beautiful things, a body that can be strengthened, and can heal itself.
Praise Him for the amazing creation of the human brain that allows us to learn about these amazing creations and use them to improve the quality of life for all people.

For these and marvels of Your power yet to be learned, we Praise you Lord. Amen.

I chuckle at the expression, “If the only tool in your toolbox is a hammer, every problem is a nail.”

I think this expression describes the way we sometimes look at problems, but also how we can mistakenly approach people. We often fall into the thinking that the same approach to an issue is right for all people, and that the way we do things is the way everyone should do those things.

One, of many, examples is in the way church is conducted. Some say, “get with the times, we need contemporary music and a casual atmosphere.” others think traditional is the only appropriate way. However, often, there are many ways that are appropriate and effective, and different styles connect with different people.

Paul confirms some of these differences in 1 Corinthians 12:4-6 saying, “There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.”

It is always a healthy exercise for each of us to question how we are approaching others. Are we starting with love and care for them, and recognition of the possible differences, before we offer our opinion? Let’s remember that we are all unique and one solution is not always the only solution.

Dear Lord, the variety of people, approaches and gifts are part of the beauty of your creation. Help us see this beauty, and relate to others with love and care first, open to the gifts you may have given them. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.