Category: Daily Thought

The words "thank you" are mighty easy to say when someone has done something wonderful for you. They also roll off the tongue pretty fast when we have been given a gift of any kind.

Have you ever said "thank you" to the Lord for placing you in difficult situations, even if they are for your own good? What if you were called to go through extreme—maybe even painful— circumstances to help you become more like Jesus? Would you say "thank you?" Have you ever said it to Him in the past?

Moses petitioned the Lord for His presence. Without it, he wondered how he'd be able to accomplish anything of consequence.

Most of us, on the other hand, pray for the "presents" we feel the Lord owes us; you know, those things we feel we deserve to make us comfortable and successful. There's a vast difference between asking for His presence and His presents. One requires a total death to any form of serving ourselves. The other keeps our fleshly desires alive and well, and they're ineffective in accomplishing His real work. Which do you ask for in your prayer time?

So many Christians wait for whatever it is they're waiting for before they feel they can be a representative of Jesus. They're always looking for that "someday" when they will finally be able to be the Christian that reaches out to others in Jesus' Name.

Most of the time those people never find that day. When they come to the end of their days, they wallow in regret, knowing there was so much they could've done if only they had made a start.

Don't be one of those "someday" people! Use whatever you have in your hand right now to be that cup of cold water or attentive ear or benefactor to the needy and hungry. Don't wait until all you have in your hand is regret.

It's really quite simple. If we ever give up on the deep things we know are ours in Christ—things like first love, intimacy with the Lord, and powerful spiritual living in a dying world—we've given in to the lies of the enemy. He loves to have us think that a mediocre life in Christ is the way it should be. Compromise is his domain and lies are his tactic. If we head in either of those directions, we have no hope of being a powerful testimony to a world in his noose—a world that is choking to death.

Why would we, as believers, for one moment compromise our lives and His Gospel for any reason? We need to ask the Lord to never let us give up when things get a little rough. We must resist the lies of the enemy.

One of the most amazing things the life and death of Jesus has given us is that each of us is given one more chance whenever we need it. Time after time, sin after sin, God's grace and mercy flow to us if we repent and submit to them. Without them, none of us would be able to live the life we are being called to.

Our loving Father is a God of second, third, and millionth chances. He promises to walk with us and forgive us each time we ask for it as He leads us to the wholeness of Jesus. It's His promise. It's our amazing gift.