It's so easy to encourage people in the wrong manner. Advertisements encourage us on a daily basis to try this new 'product' in order to make our lives better. Television shows us the lives of 'so called celebrities' with perfect lives, encouraging people to want what they cannot have.
However this is the opposite of what the bible tells us to do. While reading 1 Corinthians 8 today, I realised that in order for us to encourage one another we must live holy lives, we need to practice what we preach. How can we tell other's how to live if we choose to do something else. In this passage of scripture it talks about eating food from idols, and imposing those rules on new Christians while ignoring the rules themselves. Let's not be religious, but instead, let's love one another, encourage one another and not be a stumbling block for those around us.
How are you going to intentionally encourage someone today? I don't know how I will do this, but I pray that God, through the power of his Holy Spirit, will guide me to encourage those I meet. That I will share the love of God with them and not pass judgement.
When I think of service the picture that immediately comes to mind is Downton Abbey. In this programme we find Lord and Lady Grantham who have a very large house with a staff of servants. When watching this programme we see the servants doing everything for the aristocracy - from feeding them to cleaning for them, from washing their clothes to dressing them in their clothes. They serve all the needs of the Grantham family.
But what is service to God? Our service to God is our devotion to him. I believe it's not necessarily about the things we do, although they are important, instead I consider how I live to be my service to God.
How am I going to live intentionally today? How devoted to God am I today in the things I do and the things I say? I want everything I do, say and think to be an act of service to my God and king. I know I won't always get it right, but I know if I trust in Jesus and ask the Holy Spirit to guide me that I will become more devoted to God.
Why not ask Jesus to help you in your service of God today? Why not ask the Holy Spirit to guide you through your quiet moments with God today so that you can become more devoted to your heavenly Father too.
Dear God, help me to be devoted to you today. Holy Spirit, fill me with your power so that I can serve you in every aspect of my life. Lord Jesus, help those who read this to come closer to you today. Amen
Yesterday was Sunday, the day we go to church for communal worship. But what does that mean? Do we go to a building, sing a few songs (hymns), listen to someone speak for 30 mins and then go home for dinner? Is that worship? I don't think so. Making sure that I worship God in a manner that brings him glory should be the goal of every Christian. Going to church is not just about going through the motions, but it is about spending quality time with our heavenly Father.
Likewise, worship isn't just about what we do on a Sunday, it's about our daily walk with the Father. If I want to be intentional today about how I spend my day, it must be full of worship. I need to make sure from the very outset of my day, every aspect of my day must point to Jesus. This is a big challenge but I believe Jesus is worth it.
In my bible reading this morning 1 Corinthians 6, Paul writes, 'Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, who you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your bodies.' If our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, then why wouldn't we want to share our day with God? Why wouldn't we want to worship the LORD with every aspect of our day?
I know that being intentional in everything we do is not going to be easy as we are naturally selfish. But if we ask the Holy Spirit to equip us to bring God glory - then why would he refuse? Jesus only did the things that brought Glory to his Father - let's try and do things today that bring God the glory as our act of Intentional Worship to him.
When I think about being a Christian and what that means I don't often come up with the word intentional. However today I was reading my Facebook news feed and came across a website called One Word 365. This website tells you to give up on new years resolutions and instead pick a word and have that word define your year. This got me thinking, what word could I have that would not only define my year, but also define my faith? I prayed about this and the word 'INTENTIONAL' popped into my head.
This word is an awesome word - it means to do something deliberately or on purpose. I want my Christianity to be deliberate, and I definitely want it to do it with purpose. So the question I now ask myself is how can I be intentional for Christ? What can I do in my daily walk with God to be deliberate? I guess the answer to this question may be different each day, but for the most part I want to make every moment count, I want to ensure that I take every opportunity I am given to serve my God.
I wonder how I will be intentional tomorrow? If you are reading this blog maybe God is telling you to be more intentional for him? Ask him to help you find a word that can be your word for 2016 and allow the Holy Spirit to work that word into your life for His Glory!
