Sometimes, we need to sit and marvel in the presence of God.
We often go through our daily lives busy and preoccupied. Recently, I have found it a great encouragement to count my blessings from the Lord. Blessings He has given me in my personal life, and blessings He has given to all who follow Him. I try to do this often, especially when I’m facing tough life challenges. It helps me to remember that His blessings today and His eternal blessings are much greater than my current problems.
Blessings for Believers:
God knows all about the sins of humans, and He still loved us enough to come down from heaven in the form of man (Jesus).
In His 33 years on earth, Jesus faced all the temptations we face, and He was sinless.
Even though Jesus was completely sinless and undeserving of death, He took on that punishment for us, and He suffered greatly before dying on the cross so that we might be saved.
He rose again, defeating sin, death, and the grave. Now, we can have hope in eternal life in heaven with Him.
Recently, Boise State’s head football coach, Spencer Danielson, stated in an interview, “Thank you, Jesus! And I mean, we serve the champion! He deserves all the glory. He died on the cross, but He rose again three days later. That’s the God I serve! Man, anything is possible.” Isn’t that the God we serve? He has never left us alone! Whether we win or lose in life, He is with us!
Something that we discuss often in our ministry, A Life for Christ, is how we each need the Holy Spirit to walk our Christian walk. We see the Holy Spirit's importance in guiding our lives throughout the Bible. The Bible also makes it clear that we need other believers to be in community and fellowship. Walking with others who can encourage or challenge us when led by the Spirit is essential to our walk with Christ. I, personally, don’t want to go into this wayward world without other Christ-followers walking with me.
Better Together
There are several references to Christians eating together, such as Acts 2:42-47. In fact, Paul states in 1 Corinthians 10:31, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
My wife, Pat, and I are in a home group at our church, where we strive to meet three times a month. Our goal is to spend two of our monthly gatherings diving deep into the scriptures and praying for each other. During the third gathering, we eat together and fellowship with one another. The more we do this, the more I see that we are glorifying God, whether we are studying His Word, eating, laughing, or praying together.
And we need all of these opportunities together to glorify God. Sometimes, life and responsibilities get in the way, and our group is unable to meet to eat and fellowship. When we have to skip those meals, there is a void as we all miss our time together.
Last fall, there were several Bible study groups using A Life Well Lived: Following the Triune God (ALWL). Our friends, Paul and Barbie, led a group from their church through the 8 weeks of ALWL. I had the privilege of meeting with them at their last meeting. I was able to hear testimonies as well as discuss what they learned from the study, and we ate together. I drove home that night excited, knowing how important the Lord is in our lives. I also realized how wonderful it is to learn about God, especially with others, even though many of us may be at different stages of our walk with Him. I told Pat, “I now have some new friends in Christ, even though I might not see some of them again.”
So, if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. (Philippians 2:1-2 ESV)
This last picture is from our recent ALWL study group via Zoom that finished in the middle of December 2024. In this picture, there are three people from California and three from Texas. Even though we were not in the same room together or eating together, the Lord still gave us a real cohesiveness as we learned more about Him and His Word. As I look at this picture, I am amazed at how much joy in Christ we had throughout our study, even though at least four of the people pictured were going through some very difficult things in their lives. They still had joy.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them. (Psalms 126:2 ESV)
Whether you already serve Jesus and want a closer relationship with Him or don’t know Him at all yet, we would love to have you join our 8-week study, A Life Well Lived: Following the Triune God. There is no charge for joining and there are three different options to hopefully fit anyone’s schedule. The next study groups will be starting in March, and signups are open now!
Our desire is to help others grow in knowing and having a relationship with Christ. There is a charge for the book, but if the charge is a hindrance in any way, let us know, and we will send you a free copy.
1. Small Group Zoom (5-10 people) — Meet once a week via Zoom and communicate during the week by group text or GroupMe. Someone from A Life for Christ (ALFC) will lead each group.
2. Personal (generally one person) — Communicate weekly online (text, email, or GroupMe) with someone from ALFC. Zoom or phone calls will be used as needed. This approach allows the ability to get one-on-one feedback throughout each week.
3. In-Person Meeting — This will depend on your location and availability to lead or find someone to lead a group. ALFC will help leaders by providing leader guides and other support the leader or participants may need.
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (Hebrews 10:24-25)
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