Celebrate God Everyday!

Bob had multiple skills when it came to mechanical things. He made craftsmanship look easy.  When I tacked some project, he was the ‘go to’ guy for me if there were questions. He just knew- the right kind of paint, the best tool, the way to put it all together. More than once I attempted to do something that was way beyond my natural skill set because I knew that I had someone who would guide me.

We are all taking on ‘life’ this Monday morning and in the course of the day, if we are living the way God planned, we will find ourselves challenged;  asked to deal with situations and people for which we feel inadequate. Who’s is your resource?  Who guides you?

If you feel that you can manage life all by yourself, there are two possibilities. 

1. You have settled for a life that is much less than God planned.  Or,

2. You are overly confident and likely to fail because of that.

Paul calls us “Christ’s ambassadors” representatives of God’s rule. Peter says we are living as “outsiders” in this world, resistant to the culture, yet inviting others to life. God wants you (and me!) to ‘make Him known.’  We will have conversations that point others to hope. We will find temptation roaring at us and we will need to find courage to face it and defeat it. We will be working not only at our ‘job’ but in a way that allows the Light to shine through us.  We are not mere mortals pushing through another week. We are children of God living with a commission to reveal Christ in our world. Take that charge seriously and you will find yourself asking the same question that Paul did – “Who is equal to such a task?”

We are when we are living in step with the Holy Spirit, when we open our heart to Him, when He is our ‘go to’ Person for wisdom and guidance.  Jesus says, "When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you." (John 16:8-14, NIV)

Lean into Him today.  Discard fear that would keep you from living for the Lord.  Resist that urge to do it your own way.  Invite Him to lead, listen, learn, and love.  

Here is a word from the Word.  I am excited to embrace it as my commission today, because I am not alone. Will you take this challenge, too?

“Go out into the world uncorrupted, a breath of fresh air in this squalid and polluted society.
Provide people with a glimpse of good living and of the living God.
Carry the light-giving Message into the night so
I’ll have good cause to be proud of you on the day that Christ returns.  …

Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him!
Make it as clear as you can to all you meet
that you’re on their side, working with them
and not against them.
Help them see that the Master is about to arrive.
He could show up any minute!"

(Philippians 2:15-16, 4:4-5, The Message)

_________

All My Hope

(a great song by David Crowder)

I've been held by the Savior

I've felt fire from above

I've been down to the river

I ain't the same a prodigal returned

All my hope is in Jesus

Thank God that yesterday's gone

(Yes) All my sins are forgiven

(Oh I've) I've been washed by the blood

(Come on and sing)

I'm no stranger to prison

I've worn shackles and chains

But I've been freed and forgiven

And I'm not going back I'll never be the same

That's why I sing

There's a kind of thing that just breaks a man

Break him down to his knees

God I've been broken more than a time or two

Yes Lord then He picked me up and showed me

What it means to be a man

Come on and sing

David Crowder | Ed Cash

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