What Does the Lord See?

What does the Lord look for in what we do? What is He most concerned about? Is it that we got it right or the way in which we attempted to do it?

Luke 18:13-14 says, "The tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, "God, have mercy on me a sinner." I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." NIV

We're reminded here that the Lord is more concerned about what is going on in our heart. We can have the actions down. We can appear to be doing the right thing, but not be justified before the Lord.

The answer is simple, but the doing isn't. We live in world where we're told to look out for ourselves. The Lord is looking for humility...do we have it?

Father, create within us humility. Amen.

Priorities??!!

How has your day and week been? If your a mom, you're getting your children off to school or prepared soon for when they do go. If you are like most, your life is filled with the hustles and bustles of one priority after another.

As I'm packing up all of my belongings to move into a new home in two short weeks, the Lord reminded me of this verse:

I beseech you therefore, brethren,by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. - Romans 12:1 (KJV)

In all we need to accomplish today, let's not forget what is to be our "reasonable service" everyday!

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Want to Know

It's nice to know what is happening, but especially what's going to happen next. We ask the questions, looking for the answers.

Luke 17:20-21 says, Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, "The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observations, nor will people say, 'Here it is.' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you." NIV

The Pharisees missed the truth. The kingdom of God is not a place one can go to see. It isn't seen by the naked eye. It's observed with spiritual eyes, Jesus explains, because it's the Spirit living in us and through us.

Let's pray that when people want to see the kingdom of God they see it in us. May we be that city on the hill for all to see.

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How Much Faith?

How encouraging to know that the Lord isn't alway asking us to take giant leaps of faith! He knows where we are and understands what we can handle. He says even small faith can accomplish much.

Luke 17:6 says, "If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamore tree, be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you." KJV

Big or small in our eyes, let's take the leap and then watch what the Lord will do!!

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