Friday, March 17, 2017

Jesus & Others

     God put this thought in my heart today: we're not here to serve ourselves. It's Jesus first. It's others second. There's a church song that I've taught to the kids: "Jesus and Others and You, what a wonderful way to spell joy!" If you want true joy, you have to put a few other things ahead of yourself.

     Jesus never put Himself first: His entire life was about others. Obviously, we cannot get to this level because we're not God, and we will never be perfect, but Jesus is our example.We should strive to put Him first and others before ourselves.


     Today, I could feel this ringing in my heart. It is something I need to work on, and I'm beginning to see that it isn't overnight. I'm not going to become less self-centered overnight. But if I continue to ask the Lord for His help, He is faithful and will continue to change me.

     So as you read this little piece of my heart today, be blessed and try to do something that would put someone else ahead of yourself. Maybe this quote from Oswald Chambers will help to inspire you: "Have you ever realized that you can give things to God that are of value to Him? Or are you just sitting around daydreaming about the greatness of His redemption, while neglecting all the things you could be doing for Him? I’m not referring to works which could be regarded as divine and miraculous, but ordinary, simple human things – things which would be evidence to God that you are totally surrendered to Him."

~ Abby

Thursday, March 9, 2017

Do we do this?

     This thought keeps running through my head - "...encourage one another and build one another up..." How often are we actually encouraging each other? Do we build each other up? It is one thing to have an open ear and be a shoulder to cry on, but do we ever take it to the next step? Do we earnestly push each other to continue in our relationship with Christ?

     We're a family. If someone you love is hurting, we want them to feel better, to move forward. Why are we not always like that with our fellow Christians? You don't have to be this way for every person you come across - we cannot be that for everyone in our circles, but we can be that encouragement for a few. Pick a few. Be that builder-up. Text them that Bible verse. Call them up and check on their walk with God. Pray for them. Send a note of encouragement. You never know who needs that little extra push today.

~ Abby