Put Things In Order

Do you have your acts together? Are your things in order? What does it mean to you to have your things in order? Does it mean to have your retirement plan in order? Does it mean a plan for your relationships, job, and children? Have you left someone out of your plan?

Often, when we think of putting things in order, we think of planning our life, developing a plan in our jobs, or making final arrangements as we near end of life. Far too often we only think of worldly possessions and our finances. But there is more to putting things in order than what we normally think of.

The Apostle Paul closes out his second letter to the church in Corinth with a simple message to put things in order. He clarifies it with a couple pieces of advice. He tells them to agree with one another. Let’s not misunderstand that statement into thinking he means they can never disagree. After all, not everyone will agree that steamed broccoli is an awesome side dish. He is speaking about agreeing who Jesus is and serving Him. He is telling them to not quarrel over the how of worship but agree on worshiping in truth and spirit.

Paul tells them to live in peace. This is not just peace with one another but peace with those in their community and the Roman authorities. Functionally, he is talking about obeying the law and not purposely stirring up discord. He is also speaking of accepting the peace of God into their lives. This happens as they allow the Holy Spirit to guide their lives more.

We can make our lives much, much more pleasant if we were to follow his guidance. When we all agree that Jesus is the most important part of our worship, we are less concerned about the order. When we seek God’s peace and peace with one another, we allow the Holy Spirit to work in our lives and look at things from one another’s perspective. Make no mistake, it takes a commitment from us and a surrender to God to achieve these.

I pray we all submit to God. I pray we allow the Holy Spirit to work in our lives. I pray each one of us will strive to agree with one another and live in peace with one another. Put your life in order. Submit to God. Listen to the Holy Spirit. Be in agreement with other Christians. Live in the peace of God. Be at peace with others.

2 Corinthians 13:11 Finally, brothers and sisters, farewell. Put things in order, listen to my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.

Consider God

What is your perspective of who you are? Where do you stand in relation to the world? Have you thought about it all? Do you realize you are just one among billions? Is that a depressing thought? Is it a scary thought? Have you considered how awesome God is?

We often think rather highly of ourselves. We like to put ourselves on a pedestal to boost our self-esteem. Being a big fish in a small pond can inflate our ego. It is once we get out into the bigger ocean of people that our eyes open to see the sea of humanity.

By recent estimates, there are more than 8 billion people on this earth. Wrapping our minds around a number that large is hard to do. Even if we were to consider everyone we see on television or movies, only see a drop in the bucket of humanity. Suddenly, when we consider the numbers, we are not nearly as important as we would like to think.

Not only has God created all people but he has created all plants, animals, and insects. Add to that all the stars, planets, and moons in the universe. Getting the picture? God is far greater than we might imagine. Then we add into this grand picture of God the fact that he wants a relationship with each one of us.

It is no wonder the Psalmist writes with an attitude of amazement. He writes with a realization that mankind is just one tiny piece of God’s creation. Yet he also realizes that God cares greatly for mankind and has allowed them to rule over creation…and he is in awe.

It should be humbling for us to consider the awesomeness of God. We should be humbled to think that God has put his wonderful creation in our hands to care for. Our responsibility goes far beyond ourselves. We are to be good stewards of all that God has blessed us with.

I pray we all are in awe of God’s creation. I pray we are humbled by his desire to have a relationship with us. I pray each one of us will strive to care for what God has blessed us with. Be in awe of God. See his wondrous creation. Be humble before God. Be a good steward. See the blessings God has blessed you with.

Psalm 8:3-4

When I consider your heavens, 

the work of your fingers, 

the moon and the stars, 

which you have set in place, 

what is mankind that you are mindful of them, 

human beings that you care for them?

Wonder of God

Have you ever wondered how everything was created? Have you pondered how it might all have happened? Was the first one small dust particle? Did the inspiration for creating the entire universe come after God had created a single bit of dust? Or did he always have a grand plan?

Please do not misinterpret my questions. They are not to insult or make fun of God. Rather, they are simply curiosities that cross my mind. You see, I like to dig to the bottom of things and am curious how and why things are done. After all, God could have gone forever without creating us.

My curiosity sometimes gets the better of me. I start wondering about how God created everything and why. Then I start spiraling down a rabbit hole that never seems to end. Or, more precisely, I can never know the answers to the questions I raise in my mind. I am much better at understanding how he works in the world today than determining how he originally created it and why.

Let’s clear one thing up. The scientific community is not counteracting the story of God creating everything. First, science has yet to be able to create something from nothing. Only God can do that. Second, the Hebrew writers often used allegories to explain to people what we do not understand. Therefore, the creation stories in Genesis are not to be taken literal but are to express the magnanimity of God in human terms, even though expressing him fully in human language is not possible.

I pray we continue to believe that God created everything. I pray we understand enjoy the mystery of God. I pray each one of us will spend time wondering about the mighty acts of God. Believe in God. Wonder about God. Know that God is our Creator. Trust in him.

Genesis 1:1-2 In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters.

Holy Spirit Filled

Have you been filled? Do you know what it is like to be filled to the point of overflowing? Have there been times when you have eaten too much? Have you had that same feeling from the Holy Spirit?

Most of us can relate to eating too much. This is especially true on holiday’s such as Thanksgiving or Christmas. We want to have a taste of almost everything laid out on the table, including all the desserts.

Being filled by the Holy Spirit can have a similar feeling to it. When we eat too much we feel as though we will burst. When the Holy Spirit fills we may overflow with the goodness being poured within us.

The apostles certainly knew what it was like to be filled to the point of overflowing. They began speaking in languages they didn’t know. If you can imagine it, the Holy Spirit gifted them with an ability to do something they were incapable of just a few moments before.

Perhaps the closest we can relate to it is the adrenaline that can come over us when a loved one is in danger. There are reports of people who have lifted a car off a trapped loved one. They could not normally do that. However, when the adrenaline kicks in, the impossible becomes possible. The Holy Spirit makes the impossible possible in our lives, even today. We merely need to ask and believe, then wait for the Holy Spirit to gift it to us according to God’s will.

I pray we all seek to be filled by the Holy Spirit. I pray we ask the Holy Spirit to do the impossible. I pray each one of us believe the Holy Spirit can and will overflow us according to God’s will. Be filled by the Holy Spirit. Accept him into your life. Allow him to guide you. Allow him to take over your life.

Acts 2:4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.

God’s Purpose

What are your talents? What are your skills? What are your abilities? Have you taken time to assess them? Have you determined how you will use them? Are you allowing some of your talents, skills, and abilities to go unused? Do you know each of them are gift?

We all have talents, skills, and abilities, whether we think we do or not. We may acknowledge them. We may believe ours are not as good as others. We may even be jealous of the talents, skills, and abilities others have. We may long to have different gifts.

When we are not satisfied with the talents, skills, and abilities we have been given, we grumble against God. More specifically, we grumble against the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit distributes these gifts as he chooses (1 Corinthians 12:11). He grants these gifts for a reason, for a purpose. Each person receives gifts to be used to carry out God’s plan. Therefore, when we moan and groan about not having the gifts that others have, we grumble against the Holy Spirit.

In the same way, when we do not use our gifts, we are being rebellious children. Each gift is given to be used to accomplish God’s plan. Not using our gift for the purpose it was given is being disobedient. What are we to do?

The key to being obedient to God is opening our eyes, seeing the gifts he has given us, and being willing to use them for his purpose. We are given different gifts, but we all serve the same Lord. It is the same God who has decided to distribute gifts as he sees fit. We should accept his gifts and put them to good use.

I pray we all assess our talents, skills, and abilities. I pray we are thankful for the gifts we have received. I pray each one of us will use our gifts for the purpose God gave them to us. Know your talents. Know your skills. Know your abilities. Use them according to God’s plan. Use them for God’s purpose.

1 Corinthians 12:4-6 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone.

God’s Plan Fulfilled

Do you like to plan for the future? How far do you plan ahead? Have you gone through the exercise some planners teach, meaning to plan the next five to ten years? What if you were told about things that would happen in twenty years? Do you believe it would be beneficial?

We like to plan things out. We develop schedules for our family vacations. We set aside a certain amount of money each month for our retirement. We plan how we will raise our children. Some of our plans are written down and others are simply done in our heads.

Our plans may or may not work out. In fact, what I have found over many years of making plans is they are often adjusted along the way. Something happens that requires us to change our plans, even if minutely. When I was a Marine, we used to say that war plans are only valid until the first shot if fired.

But God’s plans go just as he designed them. God informed the prophet Joel through his Holy Spirit that he was going to pour out his Holy Spirit on everyone in the future. Though he did not give Joel the timeline, he provided him the prophecy hundreds of years before Jesus Christ was born. Jesus, in turn, restated it to the apostles.

On Pentecost, God fulfilled that promise and continues to fulfill it today. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are gifted the Holy Spirit. He has been provided to guide us in our lives as we choose to follow Jesus by teaching us, revealing God’s plan to us, and speaking on our behalf through prayer. What are we to do? Reach out to the Holy Spirit, listen for him, and follow the guidance he provides.

I pray we all choose to follow Jesus. I pray we seek out the Holy Spirit for guidance. I pray each one of us will listen to and follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit as we grow in Christ. God’s plans work. God fulfills his promises. The Holy Spirit is given. He provides guidance. Listen for the Holy Spirit. Follow his guidance.

Joel 2:28-29

Then afterward 

I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; 

your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, 

your old men shall dream dreams, 

and your young men shall see visions. 

Even on the male and female slaves, 

in those days, I will pour out my spirit.

Overcome by the Spirit

Have you been overcome by a seemingly uncontrollable feeling? Have you felt pushed to do something good for someone you would not normally do? Did you chalk it up to a sudden urge? Or did you consider it could be something more powerful than you?

Sometimes we act on impulses. Those impulses can drive some to buy things they don’t need. For others, it may drive them to eat when they are not hungry. Still others may experience an impulse take a walk in the woods. These are examples of our preferences or desires surfacing.

For those of us who have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, there is someone else at work in our lives. The Holy Spirit can, and does, work within us. He may provide guidance in a situation we are facing. He may help us better understand the Word of God. He definitely intercedes on our behalf when we pray and do not know what to pray for.

The Holy Spirit also can overtake us and cause us to do something we would not normally do. We see examples in Scripture of him gifting people to speak in languages they did not know. He has given some people prophecy of the future. He caused Paul to go to certain places during his missionary trips.

The Holy Spirit can cause us to step in to pay for a lunch for a stranger. We never know how he will act in our lives. We do know he has been given to us as Jesus promised. We know the Holy Spirit is active in this world and active in believers. As Luke explains it in the book of Acts, we are full of the Spirit, and we may experience an overwhelming dose of him temporarily.

I pray we all know the Holy Spirit is at work in this world. I pray we know he was given as Jesus promised. I pray each one of us increase our awareness of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Be guided by the Holy Spirit. Listen for him to speak. Know that he intercedes for us. Be aware of the Holy Spirit. Know that he is always with you.

Acts 10:44-45 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles.

Diversity Given

Do you like variety? Do you like diversity? Or do you prefer the same things over and over? Do you like doing different things on different days? Or do you prefer doing the same thing every day? Have you thought about where your desire for something different comes from?

All of us like to eat something different from meal-to-meal. We do not want to eat the same meal three times a day, seven days a week. We like variety in our meals. We also like to take vacations in different places and have different experiences.

Yet, we like our routines. We likely get up at the same time every morning. We may drive the same route to work and leave our home at the same time. Even if our work is a little different, we want it to be planned and predictable. We become comfortable in our routines and may even depend on them.

When we observe other people, which can be extremely entertaining, we discover every person is different. Even identical twins will be different in some way. Why? God created us that way. Not only is every person different in physical attributes, but also different in their abilities. God gave each of us different gifts…and he did so on purpose.

Diversity in us is how we accomplish so many different tasks. It is why we see multitudes of inventions. Varieties of gifts is required for our churches to function well. We need musicians, preachers, administrators, missionaries, and workers. All these gifts are given by God in order to equip his church to carry out the work he has given it. Therefore, see the other person as valuable in God’s church. See them as being gifted by God for a purpose.

I pray we all learn to enjoy the diversity God has created. I pray we enjoy the varieties of gifts God has given. I pray each one of us will see one another has been purposely gifted by God. Enjoy diversity. Celebrate God’s gifts. See one another as gifted by God. Go about the purpose for which God created you.

1 Corinthians 12:4-6 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone.

Meditation

Do you meditate regularly? Do you meditate at all? What does meditation mean to you? Do you think of meditation as something foreign or something only monks do? Do you know that meditation can be just a few minutes? Do you know it can be a frame of mind?

I once thought of meditation as someone sitting cross-legged with their palms facing upward and perhaps fingertips touching. The eyes would be closed, and you might even hum. However, that is not the only way to meditate. Meditation can take many forms.

The Psalmist links meditation to singing. We may find this odd, but should we? Music and singing are important methods for praising God. They can help us focus our minds on him. They can take on an attitude of prayer. Focused prayer is a form of meditation.

Another form of meditation is focusing on Scripture. As we read Scripture, when we do not merely pass over the words but take time to focus on them and seek to understand what God is telling us through it is meditation. Contemplating on a subject is meditation. The Psalmist is seeking to contemplate on the things of God.

We can meditate on the things of God throughout our day. It can be five minutes shortly after we wake up. We can take another five minutes during our lunch break. We can focus on him shortly before going to bed. Whenever we can pause for a few minutes, we can meditate on God. We do not need to sit in any specific position. We need our minds to stop thinking about the world around us and focus on God.

I pray we all set aside time to meditate on God every day. I pray we take a few minutes to seek out the things of God. I pray each one of us will use different methods of meditation to please God. Spend time meditating on God. Spend time in prayer. Spend time contemplating. Seek the things of God.

Psalm 104:33-34

I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; 

I will sing praise to my God while I have being. 

May my meditation be pleasing to him, 

for I rejoice in the Lord.

God’s Creativity

Have you ever thought about the number of species there are on this earth? If you had to guess, how many do you think there are? Have you thought that God created them all? What does that tell you about God? Does it indicate to you just how awesome he is?

There are far more species than I ever thought. In fact, there are even more that have yet to be discovered. It is amazing to think that after several thousand years we are still discovering new species on this earth. God has created enough different species to keep us busy for many years to come discovering them.

Depending on which estimate you look at, there are between 3 million and 100 million species on this earth. One estimate believes we have only discovered 22% of them. Another estimate states that 86% of land species and a staggering 91% of water species have yet to be discovered. It is far more than the everyday squirrels, rabbits, dogs, cats, deer, and fish that we normally think of. And God created them all!

Though the Psalmist did not have the advantage of the numerous scientists we have today, he still understood the magnitude of God’s creation. I suggest we take just a moment to think about it ourselves. It may be overwhelming. It may be challenging to do. It will certainly drive home the point that God is far more awesome and creative than we often give him credit for.

Knowing that God has created more species than we have catalogued, far more, provides a glimpse into how awesome God is. It can help put in perspective our place in his creation. To know that he has created millions of species but chooses to be in a personal relationship with us, humans. How can we refuse him reaching out to us?

I pray we all take time to think about God’s creation. I pray we see the awesomeness of God’s creativity. I pray each one of us choose to have a personal relationship with God. See God’s creation. See God’s creativity. Declare God’s awesomeness. Choose a relationship with God.

Psalm 104:24

O Lord, how manifold are your works! 

In wisdom you have made them all; 

the earth is full of your creatures.