BE DEPENDABLE

1 Peter 5:10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

Sometimes we may not be as dependable as we think we are. We could ask ourselves a few questions. Are we as devoted to God as we are our family? Are we as anxious to hear from God as we are from an old friend or loved one? Are we as faithful to His service as we are to our jobs or school?
It is kind of upsetting to ask ourselves questions that and not really like the answers.
Increase your faith and increase your service by becoming more dependable. Be a face that people can count on seeing in your area of service. (Believe me when I say that people notice you when you are not there)
I once had the priviledge of leading a lady to the Lord who was very excited about becoming a Christian. She came to church on Sunday Morning, again on Sunday Night and even on Wednesday nights. She approached one of her good friends who was a member of the church and mentioned not seeing her one Sunday night and Wednesday night. The Lady responded, "Oh, hardly anyone goes except on Sunday morning."
This was a hindrance to the new Christian lady and it broke my heart to know that someone was really excited about their Christian walk and they were being discouraged by someone who had been saved for years but was not dependable.
If you want to increase your faith you must make a special effort to be dependable. God will bless every effort you make.

BE DETERMINED

1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Many people have great dreams and good intentions but don't lack the determination to really accomplish things for the Lord. They sometimes get all enthusiastic but the minute they run into an obstacle they are ready to quit. I remember when Hurricane Katrina blew through our area I watched large Oak trees being twisted and blown around like willows. It was awesome (and quiet scary) to see God's power in the Hurricane. Many times that day I was sure that those old oaks could not possibly stand the punishment of those 100 mile per hour winds. I was wrong. I see those same old oak trees several times each week still standing in the same spot they were in that day. They were steadfast and unmovable.
When God leads us to do something we need to plant our feet firmly as the roots of those old oaks and be determined to fulfill the purpose of God. The punishment that comes will only strengthen us and make us stronger. If we are to increase our faith then we must have determination. That determination should be based in faith in an all powerful God. If he can not fail, then we can not fail when we are doing His will.

BE DISCIPLINED

James 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

If we are really going to be faithful to the Lord we must learn to discipline ourselves. Undisciplined Christians do not accomplish very much. They mostly do what they want to do or feel like doing regardless of the consequences to their spiritual growth or their Christian testimony.
Self control and restraint must be practiced. Every time we show restraint it strengthens us. When we make a strong effort to resist temptation (and to stay away from situations we know will tempt us) we become all the more strong in resisting future temptations. If we resist them enough eventually they will not even be temptations.
We must set rules for ourselves and set limits if we are to Glorify God. We must learn self control, over our tempers, our tongues and our attitudes. If we learn to discipline ourselves it will increase our faith, multiply our blessings, and enlarge our service to the Lord.

FAITH GIVES THE BELIEVER PEACE

Romans 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing,that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

Anxiety and depression are two very common problems in our society. Let me make it clear that I realize that many people have true medical problems that cause them to have these symptoms. Sometimes chemical imbalances have to be treated with medication and it is foolish to tell someone who truly has a medical problem to just get over it.
There are many though who do not have peace because they do not have faith. They worry about what bad things may happen, even when they have no reason to expect that they will. This type of worry is nothing but negative fantasy. Instead of living in a fantasy world where they can have anything they want, they live in a fantasy world where anything bad can happen to them.
I have known tragedy. I have known sickness. I have lost people I love and I am sure that I will experience some more of these things but I choose not to live my life as if they had already happened. It is my opinion that we should, "Rejoice always" and live each day to the fullest, knowing that God is present and that He cares very much for us. Faith is believing that God can handle anything that comes your way and He can get you through it. When we have that faith it certainly brings peace.

DON'T WORRY ABOUT OTHERS

DON'T WORRY ABOUT OTHERS

Jeremy Burkes

John 21:20-22 Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? (21) Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? (22) Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.

Just before this passage Jesus asked Peter three times, "Do you love me?". He asks us that same thing. When we willingly sin against Him we should ask ourselves that question.
Just as He told Peter to follow Him he tells us the same thing. He has asked us to believe in Him and be saved. After this we are given further instructions. The closer we follow His instructions them more aware we are of His blessings.
Sometimes we wonder why others seem to reap more blessings than we do. Maybe Jesus would say to us as he did Peter, "Don't worry about someone else. You follow me." Your ministry may be different from someone else's so don't worry about what others are doing. Just follow Jesus and do what He would have you do.

DELIVERED ME FROM FEARS

Psalms 34:4 I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.

I can remember that as a young boy I used to fear going to sleep at night and dying in my sleep. The child's prayer that had the line "If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take" was a frightening choice of words to me. Because of sin somehow I realized that if God took my soul in my sleep that it would be so rotten that he would cast it away.
I never shared those fears with anyone. I didn't want anyone to know how worthless I really was. I was the only one in the world who really knew me and I think I even fooled myself sometimes.
When I finally realized that there was nothing I could do about it on my own I gave my worthless soul to Jesus and trusted Him to do what I could not. "He washed it white as snow."
At that time God delivered me from the terrible fear of what He would do with my soul. He cleaned it up and made it worthy of spending eternity of Him. That is something I could have never done myself. Only Jesus can do that.

GRASSHOPPERS

Numbers 13:33 And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.

Moses had sent the twelve spies to bring a report of what they found in the promised land. Joshua and Caleb returned and told them that it was just as God said it was, "A land flowing with milk and honey." It was a land of abundance with clusters of grapes that took to men to carry. They were looking for God's promises and they saw that they were true.
The other ten spies were not impressed with the richness of the land. They were afraid of the inhabitants even though God had promised them that he would give them victory over them. They were as grasshoppers in their own eyes.
Because of the report of the ten they had to wander in the wilderness for 40 years and the only two who ever got to inhabit the promised land were Joshua and Caleb.
Many people think of the Promised Land as being representative of heaven but I don't believe it is. I believe it represents the abundant life spoken of in John 10:10. So many of us spend years wandering in the wilderness just because we are afraid of the obstacles to an abundant life. We must bravely go forward to that life in order to posess our possessions.

WHY WORRY

Matthew 6:31-34 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (32) (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. (33) But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.(34) Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Someone once said that worry is like rocking in a rocking chair. It keeps you busy but it doesn't get you anywhere. Actually rocking in a rocking chair is rather relaxing and enjoyable so you are at least having a good time. I think worry is more like being on a treadmill. Not the usual treadmill you might see at the gym but more like the type in a doctor's office that they use for a "stress" test. It will wear you out and wear you down but it won't get you anywhere.
Worry is paying interest on tomorrow's problems. Anyone can worry but it takes a special person to have real faith.
Most of the things we worry about fall into three categories.

THINGS WE CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT

There is really no need to worry about these things. If you can do something about it - do it and quit worrying. Worrying will not change the outcome.

THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO HAPPEN ANYWAY

We should try to be prepared for the unpleasant things that are going to happen. We should pray, we should do everything we can to prepare ourselves but if they are going to happen anyway worry will not change things one bit. Many people worry about things like getting older. I have come to the point in my life that it is a chief goal of mine, to keep getting older and if that doesn't work our I am prepared for that too.

THINGS THAT PROBABLY NEVER WILL HAPPEN ANYWAY
I heard of a woman who lay awake almost every night worried about burglars breaking into her home. One night she heard a noise downstairs and as usual she sent her husband (who obviously didn't get much sleep either) down to investigate. He turned on the light in the living room and there he was, a burglar. The burglar was about as frightened at being caught as the man was to catch him. He turned to run but the man grabbed him and held him.
The burglar pleaded, "Please let me go.""No," the man said harshly, "My wife has kept me awake for twenty years expecting you and you are not leaving until she meets you."
Hopefully you will never have a burglar and if you do he might not be as afraid as this one was, but the woman wasted twenty years of good sleep being afraid he would come.
Most things of this nature that we worry about will never happen. If they do, they move up into the category of things that are going to happen anyway.
Get off the worry treadmill. Trust the Lord with your soul and everything else will eventually come out alright.