IT WILL FEEL BETTER LATER

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.

1 Peter 5:10-11 (NIV)

I have been pretty busy lately. One thing that I have neglected is my personal fitness. I finally got in a little exercise this past week. I feel a bit better. You see, I have seen the result of exercising. I know that if I keep a consistent routine I will be healthier and feel better all around. 

I know this is a bit of a stretch trying to connect the idea of exercising and I Peter 5:10-11, but, let's go with it. Yesterday I was getting in a little cardio. My left calf muscle kept cramping up a little. When I got home and stretched, drank some water and relaxed, I felt a lot better. The connection is that in our lives we may suffer for a while, but, God himself will restore us and make us strong. In the same way that exercise can make us stronger, trials make us stronger in Christ. 

Whatever the trial you are going through know that God's plan is to bring you through it and then restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 

Father, bring us through our trails, restore us and make us strong, firm and steadfast. Praise be to you in us today!

GOT SELF-CONTROL?

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 

I Peter 5:8

The first thing I want to point out is that if the God, in his Word, tells you to do something, then you can do it. So, if the Bible says to be self-controlled (sober-minded in the ESV) then you can have control of yourself. That doesn't mean you won't be tempted. It just means you can choose to keep your mind clear. The idea of being sober in contrast to drunk is pretty clear. When something else is influencing your mind, your decision making and your ability to foresee danger will be weakened or nullified. 

Having control of your mind is really what the enemy wants. If the devil, because that is our enemy, can get you to make decisions based upon desires and fears then he knows you won't make them by faith in Christ. 

Our job is to be self-controlled and alert and to do that we need to be acting in faith, humbly seeking Christ. Casting our cares upon him because we know he cares for us is part of the process. The enemy is roaring, trying to distract us and we need to stay focused on the truth that God loves us and is Sovereign over all. 

Jesus, we cast our cares upon you. Thank you that you are Sovereign and reign over all and will work all things for our good. Praise be to you in us today!

DO YOU NEED A LIFT?

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

1 Peter 5:6-7 (NIV)

I don't know about you, but for me it can be awfully hard to wait for anything. Waiting for God should be easier because I should realize that he is Sovereign and has everything under his control. My problem is I can't see it. Sometimes it doesn't look like he is in control to me. But, the truth is that God is in control. 

What does humility have to do with trusting God? Let's go back to Moses. He got God upset at him twice. Once when God was telling him to go back to Egypt and once when he struck the rock twice and said, "Must we". Think about that. When Moses said "must we bring you water out of this rock?" (Numbers 20:10) he was implying that he and God were bringing the water. No. God was. Moses was just supposed to hit the rock. Before that Moses wrote "Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth" (Numbers 12:3). He could write that because humility is knowing who you are before God. As long as Moses knew his place before God he was fine. But, the moment he thought it was him and God, not God through him, he was not allowed to bring the Israelites into the promised land. 

The point is that faith is knowing, whether you feel it or see it or not, God is in control and trust him to lift you up in due time. 

Father, lift us up! Praise be to you in us today!

GOT SHEEP?

To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed: Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.

1 Peter 5:1-4 (NIV)

I am a shepherd. I am entrusted with a marriage, a family, six classrooms full of kids, and few endeavours where I volunteer. 

You may not think that you have any influence because you are not "the leader" or a minister or evangelist, but, it is the Holy Spirit that moves and works in each of us. You may not know what God is doing, but he does. 

I was blessed to be involved with my youngest son's Cub Scout pack. This year he (we) moved up to the Boy Scouts. When I left several of the other parents told me they looked at me as a spiritual leader. I was just trying to be a good parent and friend as I believe Christ would have me be. I actually didn't think God was using me, but, he was. 

My point is that you should just try to be Christlike and serve in what ever way you can. God will decide how to use you. 

Father, help us to be Christlike and serve.  Praise be to you in us today!