Lives

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2 Kings 12:6 Failing To Make Repairs

But by the twenty-third year of King Joash the priests still had not repaired the temple. 2 Kings 12:6

Making repairs is something that many people do not really like to do. They know that they need to be done and see it staring at them all the time, but busyness, costs or just plain laziness keeps them occupied otherwise.

Rather than make the necessary repairs, many will let things fall apart and trust that those things will still work and work with them in the delipidated condition. Others expect other people to make the repairs.

Prior to Joash becoming king, the temple had fallen into disrepair. As king he asked the priests to have it repaired. After twenty-three years the temple was still not repaired.

Most believers will meet together on a regular basis in a building for church services, to worship God and to be trained to do the work of the Lord in their communities. In many of these churches, the people will strive to keep the building in good repair in order to attract others and to look nice.

While they are willing to repair the physical church, many do not put much work into the new temple of God–their hearts and lives. Some believers will go for many years continuing to hold on to and practice some sinful practice with no intention of stopping. They refuse to really grow in the Lord, staying as they were and are in a fallen state of disrepair. Failing to make repairs is denying the power of God in one’s life.

Every believer needs to work on growing in God. There are always areas in one’s life that need to be repaired. God will touch the believer with His Holy Spirit revealing where changes and repairs need to be made.

Regardless of where you are in your walk with God as a believer, there are probably more areas that need to be repaired in your life. Do not allow yourself to settle with where you are but continue to grow and mature in the Lord.

Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you in changes that need to be made so that you may be more like Jesus every day. As He shows you areas that need to be repaired, make those necessary repairs. Do not allow yourself to stay in a state of disrepair and sin.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will be the temple of God; that God will reveal to you areas in your life that need to be repaired for His glory; and that God will give you strength and direction to grow in Jesus.

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Acts 16:10 Are You Willing To Go Immediately?

After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. Acts 16:10

The pizza delivery person must be ready and willing to leave the work place to deliver the pizza immediately upon getting the request and the pizza is made. He does not get to choose when he should leave. If he does not leave immediately, the restaurant will most likely quickly lose all business.

Many different services work with the same principle, that one must be ready to leave or do the work quickly.

Paul had received a vision of a man calling for help in Macedonia. He immediately got ready to leave, with the mindset that God was now calling them to Macedonia to preach the gospel.

Being willing to get up and go to a new place immediately can often be very inconvenient. Sometimes it may not even make any sense.

People are often very comfortable were they are and do not want to make any major changes. Often they are unable to see the real value in the move or action.

The believer who has his heart and mind set upon the things of God, will be able to see value in going to a new place. It is an open door to spread the gospel message to a new group of people.

God, in His all-knowing ways, can see the bigger pictures. He knows when it is best to move someone to reach someone else.

Instead of fighting to do his own thing, the believer must trust God and be willing to pick up and move forward to the new place for service to God. It may be a major move, or just going to a new store, but a life may be at stake.

As a believer, there will come a day when God asks you to change direction so that you can reach someone with the gospel message. He may give you a vision, or it may be just a small quiet voice in your spirit that guides you to a new location.

Do not ignore God’s call, but be willing to get up and immediately go where He is leading you. Trust that He knows what He is doing and will provide for all of your needs on the way. Then be willing to be used by Him to spread the gospel message there. A life is at stake.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Savior; that you will hear and know God’s leading; that you will trust God’s leading; that you will go where God says to go; and that lives will be brought to Jesus because of your obedience.

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2 Peter 3:11 What Kind Of Person Are You?

Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 2 Peter 3:11

One common thought among many people around the world is to eat, drink and be merry today because tomorrow you will die. Most people will only live for the moment with no regard or thoughts about tomorrow and even less about eternity.

Worldly “successful” people are those who kept in mind their goal for their future each day. They focused on doing something today with tomorrow in mind. However, most do not give a moment’s thought about eternity.

Peter just described how God would destroy the world in the end. With that in mind he asks what kind of people they should be. He tells them that they should live holy and godly lives.

One thing that should set the believer apart from the rest of the world is that he has a focus upon eternity, not just the here and now. In order to have life in that eternity, one must also have his focus upon God.

God has given the directions on how to live life in order to get life for eternity. The process is simple–live a holy and godly life. In other words do what God has said to do.

The first step in this is accepting what Jesus had done on the cross. Doing this wipes away all wrongs. Then one must put on the righteousness of Jesus, not his own. And finally, do what God calls him to do. Doing these three things will cause a person live a holy and godly life.

Too many in the church believe in Christ, but refuse to live a holy life. They want the best of both worlds and in the end will lose everything.

Only you can examine your life closely and determine how you are living your life from the inside out. Fruit will bear witness as to whether you are striving to live the holy life God called you to live or not.

Although it may be painful right now to live a holy life, in the end you will gain eternity.

Live your life for God with the gift of eternity that He has promised you. Allow His Holy Spirit to strengthen and guide you in how to live that life. Be set apart knowing that Jesus is returning to bring you to heaven for eternity.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Savior; that you will live as God has called you to live; that your life will be a holy life, separated unto God; that the world will see that you live for God; and that you will hear the Holy Spirit guiding your thoughts, words and actions.