Get Back to BASIC

It's amazing that as Christians we can forget the basics sometimes about our faith or we can get bogged down in the heavy stuff without basing it on the basics. The basics being God created the Universe, man sinned, Jesus was sent to save us from our wrongs, Jesus died and rose again and that He will come back and we need to be ready!

We can remember the basics by remembering the acronym:

Be

A

Servant

In

Christ

Being a Christ-like servant and imitating Christ is what we should do as our basics - Phil 2:5-11

Jesus wasn't rich

It is interesting to think about how Jesus went about healing the sick, giving sight to the blind, casting out demons, etc. I am quite sure that people would have offered him money to come and heal a friend or to heal them. Jesus never goes after money and even upturns the tables in the Temple because people were doing business there to make money (Matt 21:12)

I wonder how many times we as Christians, individually and/or as a church, are more focused on the financial side of things or gaining from helping/doing - that we actually miss the real heart of giving/serving, etc. It's easy to see celebrities and the rich stockpiling money for themselves (i.e. Steve Jobs) and not giving or sharing it with those in need.

I think it is good to remember what Jesus said when it comes to this and this applies to everyone - "To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away." (Matt 25:29)

Fear of Failure

Reading through Judges 6 and Exodus 3-4 we read the stories of Gideon and Moses and how they both did not immediately do what God had asked them to do.

Moses made up excuse after excuse as to why he shouldn't lead God's people out of Egypt. Gideon tested God not just, or twice but three times! Now we know that God is patient with us and can you imagine if someone did this to you? It would be very frustrating. With Moses story, God got angry with him and sent Aaron to go with him and speak for him.

How often do we not do something that God is asking us to do? Do we then be like Jonah who went the other way and avoided it as much as possible?

You know we want to know God's will for our lives but when he shows us - we probably don't see it because it isn't what we are wanting/expecting! Then when we know it's God's will....we don't want to do it because we have the fear of failure. How much the fear of failure can hold us back from stepping into God's promises and the future He has planned for us!?

If God is calling you towards something or HAS called you to do something - we have the promise and 100% assurance that God will provide our every need - Philippians 4:19 - "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

So fear not!