In God's Eyes

Your view of yourself and of others shapes your world. You may see the world as bleak, troubling and full of doubt or bright, joy-filled and abounding in grace. The way you see and experience things is a result of many factors. As a follower of Jesus you are called to see the world through the eyes of Christ.

How do you see yourself? Are you a person that feels insignificant or do you stand tall knowing you are a child of the Most High God? No, there is no reason to feel superior to others but there is cause to feel significant, full of purpose and called to make a difference. 

How do you see others? Are you a person that judges and sees the worse side of others or do you have a glimmer of the vision God has and see the good and light in others? Yes, there are people in the world with less than honorable intentions but God sees them as they can when they give their life to Jesus. 

It's of course impossible to have the eyes of God. Still, be challenged to live for even one day seeing beyond the window dressing of the human soul. Look deep and be open minded. There you may find a common thread to make a connection and change the world for just one person. You see, you may not be able to have the eyes of God but someone else may be saved and come to know Christ by seeing God in your eyes.

"...and you have been filled in him, who is the head over every ruler and authority." 

Colossians 2:10

And in This Corner........

There you are. Up against the ropes. Tired, bruised, and giving it your all but feeling a bit defeated. You may be fighting to regain your health, finances, a relationship, your reputation or even your mind. It's been an uphill battle but no matter what hits you, you are up and ready to take the hits and fight back. Still, as time passes you realize that you may be fighting a losing battle. In all honesty, it has crossed your mind that it may be better to throw in the towel, take off the gloves and give up.

You are not fighting the battle alone. Oh, it may seem that you are. You may feel you have no support, back up or even a single person cheering you on. That could not be further from the truth. See, you may be fighting to get ahead, win or survive but the one holding you up, giving you the spirit to go on and protecting you in the battle is Jesus Christ. He, in fact, is in your corner fighting the battle for you. 

Do you think you could have done all you have so far by yourself? Don't think that for a second! Your tenacity, will and drive are all because of the Lord. He knows you are tired. He sees your battle scars. Let Him handle this. He is more than capable, knows the enemy better than you do and loves you so much He will fight the battle for you. The hardest thing you have to do is to be still.

This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s." 2 Chronicles 20:15

So He Sent His Only Son

Photo Credit Gail Lindsay
In Matthew 12:1-11, Jesus shares a parable of a man that planted a vineyard and leased it to tenant farmers and moved to another country. At grape picking time he sent one of his men to collect his share of the crop. The tenant farmers beat up the man and sent him back empty handed. The owner sent another man and he was beaten even worse. He sent subsequent men that were beaten or killed. 
Finally, the man sent his only son thinking the farmers would give him their full respect. Instead, the farmers saw the son as a threat thinking he surely would own the farm when his father died, so they killed him as well. Jesus went on to ask those listening to him what they thought the father would do next. The answer was that the father would kill them and lease the vineyard to others.
Jesus knew the story and the outcome because it was more than a story. He was sharing the truth about exactly what had taken place and was about to take place as a result of the evil hearts and minds of mankind. What the listeners of the story didn't know was the truth that you now know. God's perfect plan was for Jesus to sacrifice His life and overcome death for you and other believers. God's perfect plan allowed the gift of grace and salvation to extend to many. This is a true reflection of the lovingkindness of the Almighty. 
Lift you heart and voice to Him in gratitude and praise for The Rock the builders had thrown away become the Cornerstone, the most honored stone in the building. This is the Lord's doing, and it is an amazing thing to see! Matthew 12:10-11

When I Am Weak

Photo Credit Gail Lindsay

Feeling insufficient? Feeling like you are not enough? Maybe you are dealing with life's shortcomings and questioning where God is. When things go wrong and you can't see the light at the end of the tunnel it can become overwhelming. You may begin to wonder if God knows what He is doing. Why are things happening the way they are and why isn't God there when you need Him? 

God sees you. He hears your prayers and knows the details of your life. He wants to fill the void, calm your fear, and be your comfort. He is fully ready to provide you grace that is sufficient to close all the crevices of your aching soul and flood you with light. No, your life isn't perfect but the Living God of Perfection is caring for you. He is all you need and is certainly enough for you today, tomorrow and forever.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 
2 Corinthians 12:9

Mergers and Acquisitions

The competition is heating up. It is becoming more and more common for corporations, health care organizations and businesses to merge. In some cases a large company acquires a smaller one or two companies join together to become stronger and able to survive in a competitive market place. These strategies are often based on pure survival and provide a solution to allow for growth and improved services and profitability.

Some Christians embrace God as an opportunistic experience. They join a church to fulfill their needs and join forces on a religious journey. Like other strategic relationships, they align themselves with the right church community at the right time. The truth though is God is not a merger or acquisition proposition. He doesn't need a partnership and will not benefit from any relationship arrangement. God is not fooled by "what's in it for me" thinking. He sees right through self serving behaviors and knows the truth and state of each and every heart and every single intention. 

Maybe you have been treating your interaction with Jesus like a merger rather than a holy and blessed relationship. You may have determined the rules of engagement, marginalized the relationship to your terms and timeline, even considered renegotiating with Him when things don't go your way. Isn't it about time to fully surrender to His majesty and grace? Don't you deserve to know Him totally and fully? Let go of the parameters and rules you set on your relationship with Christ. Lose yourself in Him and discover the awe striking wonder of the Almighty God of the Universe.

"Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." Psalm 46:10