"Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything.” (Col. 1:18 NLT)

John the Baptist said it best

“He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30 ESV)

Seek God first to solve anxiety about things – He’s got you covered!

“Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matt. 6:31-33 ESV)

Whatever you want God to bless, put Him first in that area!

“Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” (Prov. 16:3 ESV)

“As God is exalted to the right place in our lives, a thousand problems are solved all at once.” – A.W. Tozer

 “The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold.” (Acts 28:2 NIV)

Be kind to others because God is kind to you

“Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” (Eph. 4:32 NASB)

Find others to show kindness to

“David asked, “Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” (3 Sam. 9:1 NIV)

And you will be rewarded by God’s kindness

“May the LORD now show you kindness and faithfulness, and I too will show you the same favor because you have done this.” (2 Sam. 2:6 NIV)

You can never be too kind!

“In life you can never be too kind or too fair; everyone you meet is carrying a heavy load. When you go through your day expressing kindness and courtesy to all you meet, you leave behind a feeling of warmth and good cheer, and you help alleviate the burdens everyone is struggling with.” -  Brian Tracy

The problem with showing kindness

“One of the most difficult things to give away is kindness; it usually comes back to you.” - Anonymous

“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.” (Luke 16:10 NIV)

Faithfulness leads to strength

“I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service.” (2 Tim. 1:12 NASB)

Be faithful and don’t waver because God is faithful to you

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” (Heb. 10:23 NASB)

Your work for the Lord is not in vain!

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.” (1 Cor. 15:58 NASB)

“For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.” (Heb. 4:12 NKJV)

Precious and very great promises

I spoke recently with a friend about God’s many promises scattered throughout the Bible. I told him God has put thousands of them there to meet every possible need he could have, physically, mentally, socially and spiritually. And, that all the promises are “yes” and paid for by Jesus Christ. (2 Cor. 1:20). And that the Bible calls them “precious and very great promises” for us to be “partakers of”. (2 Pet. 1:4). He just shook his head and told me he didn’t believe all the promises in the Bible are for us today. I asked him which ones he thought aren’t for us today, and he had quite a list of them, including healing, miracles, and even God's personal provision for us. It was sad to listen to him say this because he could have benefited greatly from God’s wonderful promises! He was always going through some kind of personal problem that the promises of God clearly addresses and takes care of, yet he didn’t think they were for him!

If you don’t believe them, they WON’T work for you!

The promises of God are all faith activated! Hebrews 4:12 tells how two groups of people heard the same gospel preached to them (which is God’s promise of salvation), but, only one of the groups profited from hearing it! That’s because one group failed to mix faith with it when they heard it.

“But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord." (James 1:6-7 NIV)

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Heb. 11:1 ESV)

“Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God (Heb. 13:16 ESV)

Helping those in need

In the story about Ebenezer Scrooge, usually told at Christmastime, he is asked to contribute to the needs of the poor. He angrily reacts to their request by saying, “Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?” It's easy to judge Scrooge for what he said, but he is like many today, even Christians, who think it’s the government’s responsibility to take care of the needs of the poor. But, God expects His children to take care of the needy. We are told many times in the Bible to help others in need on His behalf.

Show your faith by your actions

“What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.” (James 2:14-17 NLT)

Value others above yourself

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” (Phil. 2:3-4 NIV)

Open your heart to others in need

“But whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him.” (1 John 3:17 NASB)

When you help others you are helping Jesus

“Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’” (Matt. 25:37-40 NASB)

You're Lending to God and He will repay you

“If you help the poor, you are lending to the LORD--and he will repay you!” (Prob. 19:17 NLT)

“In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.” (John 14:2 NASB)

Heaven is a wonderful place!

The words to a song often sung at youth groups and camps are, “Heaven is a wonderful place, filled with glory and grace. I wanna see my Savior’s face, ‘cause Heaven is a wonderful place. I wanna go there!”*

In Heaven, we will have transformed bodies!

“But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.” (Phil. 3:20-21 ESV)

In Heaven all tears will be wiped away and there is no more death!

“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” (Rev. 21:4 ESV)

In Heaven the Glory of God gives it light, and the lamp is the Lamb!

“And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, transparent as glass. And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there.” (Rev. 21:22-27 ESV)

In Heaven the righteous will shine like the sun!

“Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.” (Matt. 13:43 ESV)

In heaven we shall lift up our hearts to God

“Let us lift up our hearts and hands to God in heaven.” (Lam. 3:42 ESV)

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*Heaven is a wonderful place - © Words and music by O.A. Lambert Copyright 1958, 1964 SACRED SONGS (a div. of WORD INC.) All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured. 

“Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” (Heb. 1:14 NIV)

He was there before I knew Him

When I was in Vietnam, I had many close calls. Bullets zipped past my ears without hitting me. A mortar exploded right next to me, knocking me into the air, but I was unhurt. The timing for missing extreme danger was often miraculous; I arrived to places right after they had been attacked, or I left shortly before they were blown up. I wasn’t a believer yet, and I didn’t understand anything about God being involved personally in human lives.

I was prayed for!

Shortly after arriving back home, the young son of a pastor said to me, “Boy am I glad to see you are back from Vietnam! I was sick of hearing my dad pray for you at every meal for a whole year!” I was shocked to hear that the pastor had been praying for me! A few months later I prayed to receive Christ and began to read and study the Bible. I found a verse that said, “Are not angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” (Heb. 1:14) This verse clearly says that God’s angels are sent to serve those who WILL INHERIT salvation”. God sends His angels to serve those who aren’t saved yet, but who will eventually be! God knew in advance that I would in the future pray to receive Him (inherit salvation). Therefore, He assigned angels to help me BEFORE I had received Him as my savior! Wow! What an amazing, wonderful, all-knowing, sovereign God we serve!

God works out all things because we have obtained an inheritance

“In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will.” (Eph. 1:11 ESV)

Watch out, you may not recognize God’s angels when you see them!

“Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.” (Heb. 13:2 NIV)

 “So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.” (Gal. 6:10 NASB)

A few months ago an old friend of mine came to my mind. I hadn’t thought of him or seen him in some time. I thought to myself, “I should look him up and see how he’s doing.” But, I got distracted by other things and didn’t get around to it. About a month later, I was shocked to read in the paper that he had died suddenly. I went to his funeral and heard from his family that he had been depressed and discouraged shortly before his death. I regretted deeply that I hadn’t gone to see him. I could have, if I’d just done so as soon as he had come to my mind.

Work opportunities while there is still time!

“We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work.” (John 9:4 NASB)

Opportunities come along unexpectedly, make the most of them

“But a Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion.” (Luke 10:33 NASB)

“Making the most of your time, because the days are evil.” (Eph. 5:16 NASB)

What should you do?

While reading today's post, did someone come to your mind that you know you should call or visit? If so, don't put it off! It may be a prompting to you from the Lord. 

“Lift up your eyes on high And see who has created these stars, The One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name; Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power, Not one of them is missing.” (Isa. 40:26 NASB)

They were made by His Word

“By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, And by the breath of His mouth all their host.” (Psalm 33:6 NASB)

And they bow down to Him

“You alone are the LORD You have made the heavens, The heaven of heavens with all their host, The earth and all that is on it, The seas and all that is in them You give life to all of them And the heavenly host bows down before You.” (Neh  9:6 NASB)

You are on His mind and He cares for you!

“When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor.” (Psalms 8:3-5 NIV)

Give thanks to Him, for his loving kindness is everlasting!

“Give thanks to him who placed the earth among the waters. To Him who made the great lights, for His lovingkindness is everlasting: The sun to rule by day, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, The moon and stars to rule by night, For His lovingkindness is everlasting.” (Psalm 136:6-9 NASB)