Christian Reflection and Prayer

Scripture:

1 Peter 1:18-19

For you know that it was not with perishable things
such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from
the empty way of life handed down to you from your
ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a
lamb without blemish or defect

Reflection:.


Silver or gold! Money, greed, having more, not having enough.
It is so very difficult for us to grasp the concept that these things
are perishable. Ultimately they are meaningless in our lives.
What makes them so perishable is that we can't get enough,
we are never satisfied with these things, they stand before us
and make us empty. These kind of very perishable things
so often make us empty and lonely.
Well if these things make us empty, What fills us up?
I have discovered in my life something that totally fills me up,
it is not perishable, and it is purer than silver and gold.
That which fills me up and gives my life meaning is Jesus Christ.
You know I can just hear the wheels turning now and you're saying
here it comes. Well I guess you're right this means too much for me
not to talk about.

I can emphatically state without any reservations that Jesus Christ fills
me up.  His life, his miracles, his teachings, his death, his resurrection,
and his promise of his return, is absolutely what gives me meaning in
my life.  All other things are perishable.

Now I know that some of you think this sounds like a sermon, or lecture,
or some kind of conversion process.  It is not!  It is, however,
my reflection. I am very simply passing along to you my reflection of what
gives my life real meaning.It doesn't make me better than you., As a matter
of fact it doesn't make me right. It is simply how I feel! And I want to pass
along my reflection of how I feel to you.

JESUS CHRIST FILLS ME UP!  JESUS CHRIST GIVES ME LIFE!

Prayer:

O heavenly father I have nothing but praise and thanksgiving to my heart
for you. Thank you Almighty God for not being perishable. Thank you.....
thank you for giving me life, filling my life, being in my life, and for being
the reason for my life. Thank you Jesus for what you have given to me.
AMEN!

Scripture:

But as I looked at everything I had worked so
hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless--
like chasing the wind. There was nothing really
worthwhile anywhere.
Ecclesiastes 2:11, NLT

Reflection:

Solomon summarized all his attempts at finding
life's meaning as "chasing after the wind.
" We feel the wind as it passes, but we can't
catch hold of it or keep it. In all our
accomplishments, even the big ones, our good
feelings are only temporary. Security and
self-worth are not found in these
accomplishments, but far beyond them in the
love of God.
Think about what you consider worthwhile in
your life--where you place your time, energy,
and money. Will you one day look back and
decide that these, too, were a "chasing after
the wind"?

(Life Application Daily Devotion)

Scripture:

People may be right in their own eyes, but the LORD
examines their heart.    Proverbs 21:2, NLT

Reflection:

Do you know what I'm best at? I am so good at giving excuses.
I can have an excuse for almost anything that comes my way.
I have an excuse when I'm late, I have an excuse when I don't
have a certain task done, I have an excuse when I forget a birthday,
in other words, I have an excuse for everything.

But there's a problem here, I may think in my own mind that I
am getting away with something with all my excuses, but I'm not.
Because I happen to believe in a God that looks behind the excuses
to the motives of my heart.

I guess as I get older I have discovered that I have made certain choices
where the right action was very difficult to discern. Because I believe
that ultimately there is a bottom line to every decision I need to make,
this makes the decision even more important and much more difficult
to arrive at.

I've got to asked myself this question, "How do I arrive at this decision?
Well I have discovered that I can help myself come to a decision
by first identifying the motives I have in making a decision. And then
when I am able to specifically define the motive I simply do this;
WWJD. That's right I'm one of those guys who still ask the question
"What Would Jesus Do?" I also want to know would God be pleased
with my real reasons for making this decision. I have certainly discovered
that God is not pleased when we do good deeds and make decisions
only to receive something in return.

Yes I have discovered, in myself, that when I go to the above process
that I do make the right decision not only for me, not only for all involved,
but also to glorify God.

Prayer:

Oh Lord please continue to be the biggest part of my decision
making process. And to always ask the question "What Would
Jesus Do?" I realize Lord that by doing this it brings me much closer
to the "Right" decision according to your will.
Thank you God for being my God
in Jesus name   AMEN