Time

By Jeremy Burkes

Ecclesiastes 3:1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

Time is one thing we all have. It might not seem like it but we each have the same amount of time in a day. Some people never seem to have enough of it while others seem to have too much on their hands.
We spend time with family, time on our jobs, and sometimes we waist a lot of time.
Many people live their lives on a schedule and many just seem to do whatever is pressing at the time.
Some have schedules at work and even schedules at home.
Sadly many do not schedule any time to spend with God. We tend to get so busy with our time and schedules that we can easily leave God out of our day.
Remember that time was given to us by God. Whether you are on a schedule or not you should make sure each day you set aside some time to spend with Him.

FAITH GIVES THE BELIEVER A WISE HEART

Daniel 1:17 As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.

Faith is essentially trusting God's word and his promises. When we truly believe God and His promises it helps us make wise decisions in our life. Faith causes us to seek God's guidance before we make important decisions in our lives.

We live in a society where one in two marriages end in divorce. Many say that it is because divorce is too easy. I think maybe it is because too many enter into marriage without ever seeking God's counsel. Many people spend more time making a decision about buying an automobile than they do in picking a person to spend the rest of their lives with.

We should exercise our faith in God when we make any important decision. Will the outcome glorify God? Is what we want to do in harmony with God's Word? How will what I do effect my testimony? Will my decision draw me closer to God or lead me farther away?

Those are all questions we need to ask, having faith that the decisions God would have us make are the wisest ones. Make wise decisions by having faith in a God who loves you and wants the very best for you.

THE MAN IN THE MIRROR

THE MAN IN THE MIRROR

By Jeremy Burkes

1 Corinthians 13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

We all have mirrors in our homes and in them we can see our reflection. Some people spend more time in front of the mirror than others.
In our mirrors we see the outward reflection but God's Word is a mirror that shows the inward image of to us. When we study God's word it reveals the sins, even the ones we try to hide from others, to ourselves.
We stand face to face with both mirrors. When we look at the one in our homes it is to prepare us to look presentable for the day. When we look into the word it should help us to prepare to stand before God.
It is a good idea to take time to check your reflection in both mirrors.

FIRST THINGS FIRST 6

THE FIRST THING TO GIVE

2 Corinthians 8:5 And , not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.

No matter what else we might have to offer, the first thing we have to Give God is ourselves. We must make a commitment to Jesus Christ by accepting Him as our Savior and then by making Him Lord over our lives and all that we have.

God deserves our very best and even our all. He can only take what you give Him and bless it. Once we Give Him our best then we can begin to give ourselves to others.
I hope you have enjoyed the series on First Things. Remember that sometimes the recipe of life doesn't come out right because we leave out the first steps.

THE FIRST THING TO WATCH

Luke 12:1 In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all,Beware ye of the [leaven of the Pharisees], which is hypocrisy.

Be yourself. God made you special and he made just one of you. I am amazed at the number of people who are always trying to be like someone else or to be what they think someone else wants them to be like. I hear so much about peer pressure being such a big problem when it is really hypocrisy that is the big problem.
There is nothing wrong with wanting to be different. We should all strive to change for the better but putting on a false front is not the way to go about it. It is amazing that some people even try to act worse than they really are to impress people.
Be the best you can be but be what you are. God knows who you really are and what He sees is much more important than what others think about you.

FIRST THINGS FIRST INTRODUCTION

A new bride was trying to cook meals for her new husband but nothing was coming out right. She went to her mother in tears and said she didn't understand why nothing ever cooked right. Her mother, an excellent cook, had spent many hours teaching her how to follow the steps of a recipe so that she would be a good cook. Her daughter had watched her and had done everything she had seen her mother do. Her mother decided that she would walk her through baking biscuits one more time. As she pulled the recipe out she layed it on the counter and then walked to the oven to preheat it to 350 degrees. Her daughter looked up from the recipe and asked, "What are you doing now?"
"I'm preheating the oven. See the 350 degrees above the recipe. That means to preheat the oven to that temperature."
The daughter was shocked, "No wonder I have been ruining my food. I didn't know that and I have been leaving out the first step. I just thought you were supposed to set the oven to that temperature and stick the food in."
Sometimes the first step in anything is very important. The devotionals this week will be on First Things. I hope you enjoy them and get a blessing from them. While you are thinking about how things are going ask yourself if you are sometimes leaving out the most important steps in have a spirit filled walk with Jesus.

IN THIS TOGETHER

Philippians 2:3-4 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. (4) Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

It seems that the me attitude of the last part of the 20th century has not completely gone away. It is a sad thing to say but even in the Lord's Churches there are those who ask, "What's in it for me?" " What does the church have to offer my family?". (There is one answer that will fit most churches. They offer you an opportunity to serve and minister to others.)
Strife in a church is a sad thing. When people argue and want to have their own way without considering how others feel about it or how it impacts others, it brings reproach upon the church.
Instead of wondering how we can get what we want, it is better to pray about how we can give what others need and how we can minister for our Lord so that others can be reached.
One of the greatest lessons I have learned in my life, and I learned it early, is: "It's not about me." We are all in this together and "It Is About Him".

BEING LIKEMINDED

Philippians 2:2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

Paul was telling the church that he would be filled with Joy if they would focus together on what was really important. He wanted them to think alike.
We know that God made us all different and that is truly wonderful. The world would be awful boring if everyone was exactly the same. What Paul was aiming at was their spiritual goals and their doctrinal stand.
When he said be likeminded, he meant that they should try to conform their thinking to the mind of Christ. What would Jesus Do? When he said they should have the same love that was a love for Jesus. It should be a love that is stronger than self and above all others.
Being of one accord meant that their mission and their ministry should be Christ oriented and Christ centered and egos should be left out of it. That would bring them to the point of conforming to the mind of Christ.
How do we know the mind of Christ? Read and learn your Bible. It contains the mind of Christ and the will of God.

THE COMPLETE PICTURE

1 Corinthians 12:27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

Sometimes it is hard for us to realize how much we are a part of something bigger than ourselves. The way we look, the way we act, the way we feel has an effect on others. This is particularly true in the Church because it is supposed to be one body.
Just like the parts of the body though we each have a purpose and we must achieve that purpose in harmony with the rest of the body. Sometimes I would like to make all the rest of the parts do right but the truth is that I only have control over myself.
Once a busy dad was trying to occupy his son while he finished some work so he tore a picture of a world map out of a magazine and cut it into small pieces. He gave the picture and some tape to his young son and told him to put the picture of the world together again. He figured that this would occupy his son for a good while.
To his surprise his son finished very quickly and when he asked how he got it together so fast his son replied, "There was a picture of a man on the other side of the page. When you get the man right then the world comes out right too."
I can't get the other people right but I reckon if I get myself right at least part of the body will be healthy.