WHAT I WANT Part 1

Galatians 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, {23} Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

If we are to walk in the Spirit it will take a decision of whether we want to be what God wants us to be or whether we want to let our fleshly desires direct us. I just want to share some thoughts about what I want.

Part 1

I WANT TO BE MORE LOVING:
Help me to love those who need loving the most.
Help me to love those who do not love me.
Help me to love unconditionally.

I WANT TO BE MORE JOYFUL:
TO FIND JOY IN THE SIMPLE THINGS.
TO PROJECT THAT JOY IN SUCH A WAY THAT OTHERS WILL ALSO BE JOYFUL.

I WANT TO ENJOY MORE PEACE:
BY THINKING MORE ON THE SPIRITUAL AND LESS ON THE CARNAL
BY TRUSTING GOD MORE EACH DAY AND REALIZING THAT :

Romans 8:28
And we know that all things work together for good to them that[love God], to them who are the called according to
purpose.

Please feel free to contact me by email at .shilohkosciusko@gmail.com with questions, comments or even suggestions for further devotional studies.

If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know. Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus. I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.

GAIN OR LOSS

Philippians 1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
This is one of the most profound statements in the new testament. It proves that there is no substitute for Christ. Even in this statement if you substitute the word Christ for any other thing that people seem to live for you would also have to substitute the word loss for gain.
For me to live is wealth, to die is loss.
For me to live is fame, to die is loss.
For me to live is power, to die is loss.
For me to live is pleasure, to die is loss.
For me to live is work, to die is loss.
For me to live is family, to die is loss.
Only through Christ do we gain our joint inheritance with Him through death. What do you live for? One day when death eventually comes all you will have will be the treasures you have laid up in heaven.

Looking Toward Home

1Peter 1:4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

One night not long ago I was having trouble falling asleep. When I have this trouble usually I let my imagination run freely and make up stories in my head. Sometimes I mentally write devotionals and try to remember them the next day so that I can write them down. Sometimes what I think is just pure foolishness and doesn't amount to much more than daydreaming at night. On this particular night I began to think about Heaven and what it would be like.
I could see the faces of friends and loved ones who have already gone on before me to their rewards. You might think it depressing to think of those who have died but it was quiet the opposite. In my mind that night each one greeted me with a smile and it was a joyous reunion.
The scenery was beautiful and the air was fresh and clean and as I imagined it an inner peace came over me. My desire was to complete the journey and see Jesus. In the course of thinking of these things I fell asleep and maybe continued to dream a little of the same things.
After falling asleep I don't remember much of what I dreamed but I know it was pleasant and I woke up the next morning refreshed and with a stronger appreciation for what is waiting on those who know Jesus. Maybe if we got in the habit of doing this, of thinking what Heaven must be like, we might be laying up more treasures there by making sure all our loved ones and friends will be there.