Tag: Concern

Judge Yourselves

Romans 14:10-12

Why do I judge you, when I see flaws in myself? Why do I take time to worry about your life, when mine has its own issues? Why do you get away with the same things I’ve been punished for doing? Why is it so hard to leave you alone, and focus on me? These are valid questions that come from those who have devalued their self-worth. When a man knows his place in God, he’ll spend most of his time working to keep himself humble, and less time worrying about others and their issues or criticisms.

The time will come, when all men will stand before God, and give account of himself, and how he lived in the earth. So, rather than waste precious time concerning yourself with the affairs of others, and how they choose to live, keep your mind on the things of Christ. This way, your inevitable meeting with the Father will be peaceful and pleasant, rather than hopeless and dreadful.

“Real men don’t make excuses, they make adjustments”

-Ell

Weary Worry

Luke 12:22-34

Aside from death, taxes, and corrupt governments, there’s another thing men can’t seem to avoid in this life. If you were able to survey every sensible person on the planet, and ask if they harbor worry in their minds, I’m apt to believe, your results would be a resounding “yes” for most of them. When we worry, we actually give way to anxiety or unease, while allowing our minds to dwell on difficulty or troubles. On the surface, worrying seems inevitable, and unavoidable, because there are times when we experience moments of unease and stress. For example, parents often worry about the safety of their children while away from home, whether at school or participating in other activities. Men and women who are poor and destitute, worry and wonder, whether or not someone will take time to offer them food, clothes, or a monetary gift. The longer we live on this earth, the harder it seems to escape worry, but Jesus offered a solution, in our text, to help us worry less (especially concerning things we can’t control), and refocus our thoughts on matters that are relevant to kingdom business.

The longer we cloud our minds with thoughts of food, clothing, drama at work, keeping the children safe and healthy, keeping ourselves healthy, whether we are doing enough good deeds, or whatever the case is, Jesus commanded His disciples to think not on those things, but have faith in the God who knows what they have need of, and will supply all of them, as long as they remain in His will.

While it’s necessary to work and plan responsibly, dwelling on how your plans could go wrong, or not work out, is unwise. Besides, worrying is pointless, because it can do absolutely nothing except bring harm to your physical and mental states of being. God made all things, and He knows what we need, before we ask, so it’s foolish and unhealthy to allow worry to invade the beautiful mind God placed in you.

God isn’t oblivious to what we experience in this life, despite how bad things seem to be, and He promised to supply all our needs, not necessarily our wants. But, Psalm 37:4 reads, “Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” When we think on those things that are relevant to God’s plan and purpose, He’ll take care of our earthly issues, while at the same time, prepare us to take care of His spiritual assignments during our journey.

If you struggle with worry, and are seeking the strength and wisdom to regain your faith and confidence in God, empty all thoughts that cause you to doubt. After you’ve cleared your mind of worry, practice thinking on things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report. God watches every moment of your life, and He’s rooting for you to endure.

“Place all your trust in God, and allow Him the chance to prove that His words are true, and you mean the world to Him.” – Ell

At The Cross

John 19:25-30

Even while bearing the weight of all the sins of men, a brutal scourging, and hanging from a cross, Jesus was still concerned about his family. Enduring pain and struggles are difficult by default, but God offers strength that can help a person maintain focus on those things we tend to shun away when we suffer, but are of vital importance.

In our text, Jesus was at the tail end of His time in the earth, and wanted to make sure His mom was taken care of. From the cross, Jesus looked upon His mother with eyes of eternity, and made certain she would be cared for, despite all that was taking place. The disciple whom Jesus loved (John), was also near the cross, and took on the responsibility of housing Mary. It’s good to know that at least one of the disciples stayed near Jesus, when all the others were away in hiding. Jesus also had brothers,  so some may wonder why He didn’t leave his mother with them. Well, John stayed with Jesus all the way to the cross, and this was enough for Jesus to know that he was the perfect person to entrust with His mom.

The moment you need people most, is when they scurry away into hiding, but those who are bold enough to stand with you, even if it causes them to suffer, will not hesitate to be strength to you, until the end.

Because He Cares

John 4:1-15

Have you considered lately, how special you are to God? The Lord loves you so much, that He daily loads you with benefits, keeps you filled with His Spirit, and protects you from seen, and unseen danger every day. That’s enough to lift your head to the sky and say, “Lord, I Thank You!” God made every man and woman unique, yet He loves them all the same. What the Father will do for one, He’ll also do for the other, because He is no respecter of persons. There’s no matter too great, or small, that God won’t take time to help us get through it. Like a loving father who cares for his children, God makes sure that the body of Christ is properly cared for, on a daily basis. Even during moments when God has to remove all our distractions, so that He can have our full attention, this proves that He is not too sovereign, until He can’t have private moments with His children. A good father listens to his children, and allows them to build faith and trust in their credibility. To the believer, there’s no one more credible than the One who created all things, and sustains His creation without assistance. Saints have the liberty to come to God anytime, anywhere, and with any issue, and He’ll always provide some means of understanding of how to handle the problems we face in life. Learn to appreciate God, not because of what He does for us, but just for who He is.

“He died for me… I’ll live for Him.” – Ell

Eternal Emotions

Genesis 42:35-38

What is it about the human heart, that allows for it to experience both ends of the emotional spectrum and all the roller coaster feelings in between; sometimes all within mere moments of time? Being made in the image of God the creator, and after His very own likeness, mankind was designed in a very unique, and incomparable fashion. Without trying to sound braggadocious or anything of the sort, but God made us super special, in a variety of ways! Man has the ability to think, think about what they’re thinking about, then decide which thought to act upon. We can feel hurt, pain, and shame on the inside, without any physical signs of its occurrence on the outside.

Men are physical, spiritual, and soulful beings, created to exhibit the most incredible works of the One who made all things. I’ve often wondered, why did God make us so emotional, or allow for us to feel things, some of which aren’t favorable. For example, losing something, or someone that holds a special place in your heart, brings a hurt that is unlike anything else. In the Bible, Jacob thought he had lost his “favorite” son, Joseph, which left a huge hole in his heart. This pain caused him to cling even more tightly to his youngest son, Benjamin. In the same way a physical scar heals, yet continues to reveal a scar, Jacob carried the scar of supposedly losing his son, for years (until he discovered he was actually alive).

Losing a loved one never feels good, especially if they left us with unresolved issues. For this reason, I advise all men to appreciate those who remain in your life, and love them unconditionally, because you never know when will be the last time you’ll see them. In addition, sympathize, and emphasize with those who may have lost someone dear to their hearts, because it’ll never be easy for them for the rest of their life.

We live this life for purpose and reason, but not too long, for only a season.

Ell

A Moment With The King

Matthew 24:3-14

If you could spend a day with Christ, what questions would you ask Him? Would your concerns cater more to events from your past, present, or future? Would you want to know the answers to why certain things happened in your life, that no one could explain, or would you prefer to know how your life would eventually end up? If I could ask Jesus anything, I’d first question His unyielding love for a people, who continually dishonor His name. I would also want to learn the full extent of the love He has for all men. I would then ask Him for advice, on how to remain strong in difficult times, as He once experienced in the Garden of Gethsemane. Being in the presence of Christ, would cause my mind to be filled with a multitude of thoughts, questions, and concerns, but I would probably just enjoy being near Him, until my day in His presence was over.

The disciples of Jesus, were always at liberty to bring to Him, any and all concerns they had. One day, as the Son of God sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him secretly, with a matter they didn’t wish to share with others. The disciples were concerned about the words Jesus had previously spoken in reference to the eventual destruction of Jerusalem. These men also sought clarity on the signs of Jesus’s second coming, as well as the end of the world. These were actually legit concerns that Jesus didn’t hesitate to respond to.

As His disciples, Jesus always made sure to make things clear for them, even when they didn’t fully believe, nor understand His words. Jesus explained, the beginning of sorrows will be made known during the time of great deception; when many shall come in His name, and deceive many saying, “I am Christ”. In addition to great deception, the world will experience wars, rumours of wars, nations rising against one another, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. If the disciples thought those signs were hard pills to swallow, Jesus was just getting started. Not only would the world experience deception and earthly devastation, but the disciples themselves, would face harsh persecution, and even death, for Christ’s name sake. But, in the midst of all this sorrow, they are commanded to continue preaching the Gospel of the kingdom of God, to all the world.

I’m not sure whether or not the disciples were motivated to preach while walking down from the mount of Olives that day, but Jesus’ words were nothing but truth, and some have already been manifested to this day. In the year 2020, many have claimed to be messengers of God, while deceiving hundreds and even thousands into believing their wicked doctrines. Also, the earth has experienced all types of famines, earthquakes, viruses and diseases, and all other types of devastation.

We are truly experiencing the prophetic end-times, and like the disciples, we too must strive to spread the Gospel of God, to all nations. Whether we are scheduled to face persecution, affliction, or even death, the duty of all believers is to endure unto the end. Only through perseverance, can the race be won, and all who wait on the Lord, will be saved.

Why does the living man complain?

Ell

Concerned about the family

Genesis 18:16-21

When was the last time you took a moment to actually consider how awesome God is? Are you consumed in your day-to-day agenda, until you forget to acknowledge God in all your ways? I must confess, I’m guilty of working so much, to the point I forget to even pray at times, but my forgetfulness doesn’t deny the fact that the God who created the entire universe is simply amazing! There are times, in Scripture, when God would inhabit a body capable of standing, sitting, looking, eating, and performing other human actions. God is a spirit, and they that worship Him, must worship in spirit and truth, but God sometimes visits mankind, for purposes of bringing instruction, direction, or correction.

Our text continues from the previous lesson, when God and His angelic companions, visited Abraham, to give him good news that Sarah would soon bring forth a son. After spending quality time with Abraham and his wife, God looked toward the city of Sodom. It’s been noted that the purpose of His visit to earth was to see if Sodom was as wicked as His scouts had reported to Him. God also considered whether or not to tell Abraham His intentions for the wicked cities He was planning to visit. God is not too big where He can’t come down to the level of men, and receive knowledge of true conditions, while becoming acquainted with facts of things that are taking place. In verse 21, God said, “I will go down, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know”. In other words, I know all things, but I want to go see what’s going on from a human perspective. That’s actually pretty cool, if you ask me. God can do anything, so why not come to earth and check things out for himself?

God chose Abraham to be the beacon of truth to his children, and the nations that would be birthed from his offspring. God knew that this man would indeed obey His commands, and teach his family to follow in the ways of holiness, so He contemplated spoiling his thoughts with His judgment on the neighboring cities. Sin has consequences, and God judges everyone accordingly. Even in our own families it is wise that we teach the Word diligently, and not allow sin to creep into our homes unawares. The sins of Sodom and Gomorrah were great and grievous, to the point where they were no longer conscious of true repentance. What a sad state to be in. Never allow sin to dwell in your heart long enough to make you comfortable in it, while causing you to drift away from God to the point of no return.

Walk in love,

Ell