It’s ironic, isn’t it?  For some people…  God receives all of the blame for everything bad that happens and none of the credit for anything good that happens.   God is questioned when things don’t work out right in the end, but He wasn’t asked in the beginning about what things are right.   God gets treated as if He isn’t there most of the time and as if He should show up when summoned at any time.  God is met with disbelief that He ever shows His love and disbelief in the cross where His love was most greatly shown. But… No matter how He is seen, God still does good, still works things out, still shows up and still loves.

God wants us to be happy.  When He tells us in the Bible to do, say, correct, believe, feel, think or share something, it is not to take away our happiness. Instead, it is to take away things in the way of our full and lasting happiness in Him.  We must trust that God is after our happiness, that He knows best how to bring about our happiness, and that what He tells us in the Bible is designed to lead us into happiness.  Doing what God tells us is not always easy, popular or instantly gratifying.  But it is always for good, always better in the end than sin, and always the best option for making us truly, ultimately, and eternally happy.

One of the primary aims of Christianity is to invite as many people who are far from God into the joy that we have in Him so they can experience it with us. To fight the good fight, finish the race and keep the faith means not only enduring in the gospel ourselves until our homecoming, but also equipping others with the gospel so they can fight on, race on, and keep on when we have gone on, until there is no place left that has not heard the good news of Jesus.  A life well-lived means we press on in the faith ourselves and pass on the faith to others so that God is honored in more of us and more of us are happy in Him.

No matter how much we grow to look like Jesus, there will be countless times when we don’t look much like Him at all.  Because Jesus never sinned, and we often will.  The natural response for us when we think wrong things, say wrong things and do wrong things is to hide.  Hide the truth.  Hide our responsibility. Hide from God.  But because God is gracious, we don’t have to do any of these things.  When we sincerely repent, He is faithful to extend grace.  Every. Single. Time.  He isn’t reluctant.  He doesn’t have a shortage.  He won’t turn you away. Run to God with joy knowing this… His fountain of forgiveness will never run dry.

We are to be generous with our words, actions, time, money, forgiveness, kindness, hospitality, patience, service, friendship, compassion, skills, truth-telling and love.  Even as we enjoy what God does for us and gives to us, we can confidently share every good resource in our lives as He leads us, knowing that even as we give away, there is always enough.  God is continually pouring out more forgiveness, goodness, kindness and blessedness so we can be more of a witness to His generosity by giving away part of what He gives to us.  Overflowing cups are not for us to choke on, but for us to let others drink from too.

What you and I have is ultimately not our own; it all belongs to God. Our time is His.  Our Talent is His.  Our Treasure is His.  Little or much, temporary or lasting, tangible or unseen, everything in our lives is the property and possession of God. We have been entrusted to steward it faithfully, dispense it liberally, and credit it clearly to the One from Whom all blessings flow. Our stewardship will not be judged by the amount we are able to give, but by the readiness, cheerfulness and faithfulness of our giving. It is not a matter of how much we have to be generous with, but how generous we are with how much we have.

Praise doesn’t take away from our enjoyment of something; praise adds to our enjoyment of it.  Think about it… We can’t wait to share great news.  We can’t help but cheer a great play.  We can’t stop singing a great song.  We can’t keep quiet about a great result, great movie, great experience or a great meal.  Praising is the natural response to something that excites and delights us, and it always increases and intensifies our enjoyment of that thing. So, above all, let us admire and applaud our God for Who He is and what He does, that our hearts might explode over His greatness with the greatest of all joys.

God didn’t reluctantly choose you because there was an empty space in His family tree, and He was down to His last option in you.  He readily chose you because that spot in His family was reserved especially for you.  He doesn’t regret it for a moment, even in those moments when you feel like He does because you have fallen short and failed Him.  Because of the moment you put your faith in Jesus… He delights in you.  He rejoices over you.  He is pleased with you.  Whether you stand by His grace and get it right, or fall into His mercy when you get it wrong, you were chosen by God. And He’s happy with His choice.

People go to great lengths to safeguard their money, health, jobs, computers, phones, homes, families, and minds against dangers that threaten their well-being.  They look for security in a variety of places like their bank account balances, home alarm systems and workplace seniority.  But all of the security measures people take have one thing in common:  they can fail at any time, which means they don’t really offer security at all.  Real security is having something which guarantees a good future for you that can never be lost by you or taken from you.  And that kind of security is only found in the love of Jesus.

A semi-painted canvas doesn’t show the whole picture.  A rough draft doesn’t tell the whole story.  A list of ingredients doesn’t look like the whole entrée.  Similar to these things, you and I are works-in-progress in the transforming hands of our loving Father.  And He will continue changing us from who we used to be into who we will be.  We are… Unfinished, but not unsaved.  Unfinished, but not unfixable.  Unfinished, but not unloved.  Because God will finish what He starts in you, you don’t have to give in to despair when you stumble in your faith or give up in trying to live out your faith. He isn’t done yet.  And neither are you.

The holiest nature.  The brightest glory. The highest authority. The strongest power.  The wisest intellect.  The longest reign.  The surest justice.   The loveliest artistry.  The kindest heart.  The closest embrace.  The greatest mission.  The biggest sacrifice. The finest reward. The fullest grace.  The deepest love.   God doesn’t just have some of these things, He has them all.  He doesn’t just have some of each of these things, He has the fullest portion, capacity, scope and measure of them all.  Let us stand before Him today mind blown, hands raised, head bowed, heart stirred, mouth open and declare Him Worthiest of all.

Life can be stressful.  There are… Problems we can’t solve.  Situations we can’t handle.  Demands we can’t meet.  Changes we can’t avoid.  Troubles we can’t escape.  As Christians, we aren’t exempt from the stresses of life, but we are empowered to endure them. Real relief from stress comes not from the absence of tense and troubling situations, but from the presence of Jesus with us in those situations.  Stressful becomes stress-free when we trust in this:  Jesus will be with me.  Jesus will help me.  Jesus will guide me.  Jesus will deliver me.   Rest in knowing that you’re not the one who holds it all together. He is.

There is an enormous, eternal difference between knowing Jesus and knowing about Jesus.  We can know about someone without being in a personal relationship with that person.  So, how can we be certain that we really know Jesus and we are really bound for heaven?  We look for evidences that He is changing us from the inside out.  Knowing Jesus transforms us into people who increasingly, though imperfectly…  Love His family.  Desire His will.  Value His mission.  Treasure His word.  Choose His way. Long for His return. Delight in His presence. No one who truly knows Jesus is ever left the same.

All times.  All places. All circumstances. That’s when and where Jesus will be there with you and for you if you are trusting in Him.  There are occasions so wonderful that you never want them to end.  There are occasions so painful that they feel like they will never end.  The key to not being distracted by the highs and defeated by the lows is to keep your eyes on Jesus and experience His strengthening, sustaining, satisfying presence in both the ups and downs, the wins and losses, the pleasures and pains. Today, trust and treasure Him.  You can rightly go through all things because Jesus goes right through them with you.

The scoreboard may show us behind, but the game isn’t over yet.   The pieces may be a jumbled mess, but the puzzle isn’t assembled yet.  The road may seem to lead in the wrong direction, but the journey isn’t complete yet. For those who love Him, God is working ALL things together for an ultimate good. That means there is not a bad thing in the universe that isn’t factored into His plan.  Even the difficult things, painful things, unexpected things, and hostile things will work toward a good result, a good fit and a good place for believers.  When things don’t seem to be working, let us remember that God still is.

Take a look around.  That’s all it takes to see that this world and the people in it are broken.   Relationships are broken.  Bodies are broken.  Environments are broken.  Hearts are broken. Communities are broken.  Suffering is a reality that we all experience:  everyone, everywhere, every day.  What helps us get though the suffering is knowing this simple truth:  it will not always be this way.  A glorious day is coming when the broken will be made whole, the wrong will be made right, and the pain will be made into pleasure forever.  No matter what comes next, we know what comes last and longest:  Heaven.  Take a look ahead.

There is no quota to meet.  There is no bar to clear.   There is no stage to reach.  When it comes to serving the Kingdom of God with our lives, there are two things we need to understand. First, we don’t work to get into the kingdom.  Second, we don’t stop working once we get into the kingdom.  We are completely accepted because of the completed work of Jesus, and our faith rests in what He does, not what we do. But that doesn’t mean we rest from doing.  God has ordained that we do good works all the days of our lives, never reaching a stopping point until we reach home.  He saves us and sends us to share His love.

Human beings tend to be treasure hunters.  We are inclined to attach too much value to, and become too attached to, earthly possessions and pleasures.  We often want to have more of these for ourselves and have more of these than others do, so we spend our lives collecting and comparing.  When we remind ourselves of all that we have in Jesus, this frees us to pursue better things.  As adopted children of God, we are heirs to every good possession and endless pleasure in heaven. This means on earth we can be joyous no matter what we have, generous with what we do have, and unenvious of what others have.

Are you praying for God to change the lives of those who are close to you but far from Him?  It may not look promising right now, but don’t lose hope because no one is a lost cause.  That family member, that friend or even that foe can be changed by God no matter how disinterested they are in Him or distant they are from Him.   A rebellious will can surrender to the plans of Jesus.  A closed mind can open to the good news of Jesus.  A hard heart can soften to the love of Jesus.  Keep talking to God about that person and keep talking to that person about God. Remember: He can do for others what He has done for us.