How do we know if God is working in our lives? We have favor with God and man, we have (mostly) blessing upon the work of our hands, we are guided by the Spirit of God at important times resulting in a better outcome, and people (mostly) honor us as opposed to totally ignoring us. Additionally we (usually) desire to go deeper with God, we feel love for other believers and people in general, and we often see love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, humility and self control growing in our lives. If we do not see these things to our satisfaction, there are some things we should do. Primarily make sure we are trusting God for our salvation and not thinking we need to work for redemption. Then spend more time in periods of prayer and praise. Spend more time in the word and obey all you are aware of that God wants you to do. This is no time to be caught slacking. Salvation is free and your specific purpose will occur, but you must Earnestly pursue the deeper walk which will keep you strong to the end. 2 Peter 1 tells us: 5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities and continue to grow in them, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But whoever lacks these traits is nearsighted to the point of blindness, having forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. 10 Therefore, brothers, strive to make your calling and election sure. For if you practice these things you will never stumble, 11 and you will receive a lavish reception into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Work as Unto The Lord
Gen 2:15 The Lord God took the man & put him in the garden of Eden to work it & keep it. John 6:12 When they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” Ex 23:10-11 “For six years you shall sow your land & gather in its yield, but the seventh year you shall let it rest & lie fallow, that the poor of your people may eat; & what they leave the beasts of the field may eat. You shall do likewise with your vineyard, & with your olive orchard. — God put them in the garden to WORK & KEEP IT! God also believes in leftovers! And God believed in supporting the poor, however, it is up to them to WORK the land to gather so they may eat. —Eccl 5:18 Behold, what I have seen to be good & fitting is to eat & drink & find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot. Colossians 3:23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord & not for men. — We are to enjoy our WORK & to do it as unto Him! But don’t forget to rest on the sabbath! It is there to regenerate us! Love Mel
An Amazing Story
A story worth sharing from WWII! “Elmer Bendiner was a B-17 navigator during WWII. He tells the story of a bombing run over Kassel, Germany, and the unexpected result of a direct hit on their gas tanks. “Our B-17, the Tondelayo, was barraged by flak from Nazi antiaircraft guns. That was typical, but on this particular occasion our gas tanks were hit. Later, as I reflected on the miracle of a 20 millimeter shell piercing the fuel tank without touching off an explosion, our pilot, Bohn Fawkes, told me it was more complicated. On the morning following the raid, Bohn asked our crew chief for that shell as a souvenir of our unbelievable luck. The crew chief told Bohn that, in addition to that shell, another 11 were found in the gas tanks. Eleven unexploded shells where only one was sufficient to blast us out of the sky. It was as if the sea had parted for us. A near-miracle, I thought. Even after 35 years, this awesome event leaves me shaken, especially after I heard the rest of the story from Bohn. Bohn was told that the shells were sent to the armorers to be defused. The armorers told him that Intelligence had then picked them up. They couldn’t say why at the time, but Bohn eventually sought out the answer. Apparently when the armorers opened each of those shells, they found no explosive charge. They were clean as a whistle and just as harmless. Empty? Not all of them! One contained a carefully rolled piece of paper with a scrawled message in Czech. The Intelligence people scoured our base for a man who could read Czech. Eventually they found one to decipher the note. It was amazing! Translated, the note read: “This is all we can do for you now. Using Jewish slave labor is never a good idea.” — We can all do something! Love Mel
Seek the Lord While He May Be Found!
Matt 7:7 Ask, & it will be given to you; seek, & you will find; knock, & it will be opened to you. Psalm 34:4 I sought the LORD, & He answered me & delivered me from all my fears. Jer29:13 You will seek me & find me, when you seek me with all your heart. Deut4:29 From there you will seek the LORD your God & you will find Him, if you search after Him with all your heart & with all your soul. Psalm 27:8 You have said, “Seek my face.” My heart says to you, “Your face, LORD, do I seek. — Seeking Him must be our focus with all of our heart! Love Mel
Overcome Evil with Good!
Rom12:9-21 (NIV) Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless & do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. —Such wisdom in this book called the BIBLE. Love Mel
