Some people are born “Sales People,” they have no trouble spending lots of time trying to convince someone else of their idea, sell them their product, or in the case of Christianity, walk through the neighborhood knocking on doors telling people the Good News. Praise the Lord for those folks! For the rest of us, the idea of being “pushy” with our faith seems impolite and overbearing.

Good news for us introverts, the Bible tells us that just living as a good example is witnessing. Among other passages, 1 Peter 2:12 says “live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he returns.” In 1 Peter 3:15 Peter writes ” always be prepared to give an answer to anyone who asks the reason for the hope you have.”

So one way to witness is to live as a good example and be prepared to talk about your hope and faith when you are asked.

Dear Lord, help us feel the immortal value of our hope in you and be anxious and prepared to share it with others when the opportunity arises. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

One thing that will cause frustration in our lives is comparing ourselves to others. God made us all so unique, in our skills, circumstances, relationships, and so many other ways that there truly is no way to make an accurate comparison. We can often fall into the trap of comparing individual aspects of our lives to other people’s. The trouble occurs when we believe we are “better,” than others, or when we believe we are “inferior,” to others. Both of these situations cause trouble.

God made each of us uniquely for his purpose. In Galatians 6:4,5 Paul writes, “Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. For we are each responsible for our own conduct.”

He also wrote in Romans 8:28, “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”

We need to focus on where God is leading us, and be happy for others who do the same in their lives.

Dear Lord, You made amazing plans for each of us, but we must trust you to see where they lead. Help us do that, by just taking each step forward in the direction we hear you calling, and not compare ourselves to others who are on their own paths. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

You have probably heard this before, but I think it is fitting to hear again today as we recognize Veterans Day in the United States.

“There are only two defining forces that have offered to die for you; Jesus Christ and the American Soldier.”

Jesus said in John 15:13, “Greater Love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”

Soldiers don’t join the service with the expectation of being killed, but all know the possibility exists.

Two key articles in the US Military Code of Conduct express why we give our respect to veterans today.
I. I am an American, fighting in the forces which guard my country and our way of life. I am prepared to give my life in their defense.
VI. I will never forget that I am an American, fighting for freedom, responsible for my actions, and dedicated to the principles which made my country free. I will trust in my God and in the United States of America.

To those who have served. Thank you!

Dear Lord, You have done something special in America, and our veterans chose to put their earthly lives at risk to maintain it. Thank you for them, and help us all have the courage to defend our Faith and its critical place in America. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

The Bible writes about idols in many places; writing about how people turned from God and worshiped idols. Isaiah 2:8 says about Israel, “Their land is full of idols; the people worship things they have made with their own hands.”

I think we often get the picture in our minds of idols being a statue with people standing around it singing praises. However, idols can be anything that we put above God in our hearts and minds. Worship doesn’t necessarily mean bowing down in front of it. The big bank account, the boat, the sports car, the sport, the TV or social media celebrity can all be idols. We need to look at ourselves to make sure we have our priorities in the right order; making sure we put no other gods before God, as the first commandment says.

What are we doing Sunday morning?

Dear Lord, we know we should not have other gods before you. Help us think about what this really means, and make sure we devote our time, thoughts, energy, and resources toward your will first. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

It has become pretty clear in recent medical studies, that continuous stress is dangerous to our bodies. Not only does it raise our blood pressure, it causes other changes in our system that deteriorate our physical condition. It is interesting that this phenomenon was written about in Proverbs thousands of years ago.

Proverbs 14:30 says, “A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.” NIV So how do we eliminate stress in our lives? We can also find directions for this in the bible. Romans 8:6 says, “Following after the Holy Spirit leads to life and peace.” TLB

When we search for God’s guidance, and surrender ourselves to God’s will by following the Holy Spirit’s guidance, we can be at peace knowing that the one who controls everything is also helping us.

Dear Lord, help us surrender our concerns to your power, and follow the Holy Spirit’s guidance so that we may have peace. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.