Give God the Credit

How well do you give credit to others? Do you give credit to someone who assisted you? Or do you take all the credit for yourself? Do you prefer to be in the spotlight by yourself? Or are you willing to share it or even give it away to whomever deserves it?

Some of us like to be the center of attention. We like to be in the spotlight. We like to receive credit for something we’ve done…and sometimes take credit that isn’t due us. Others of us prefer to stay out of the spotlight, stay in the shadow.

But how do we go about giving credit when the credit should go to God? We have been given talents, skills, and the ability to think. We can use our skills to do any number of things. When we create something or do something that is special, but uses the gifts God has given us, shouldn’t we give credit to God? Even if we know we should, we don’t always do it.

Peter and John were walking by the temple when some folks brought a man who had been lame from birth. He had never walked. He would lay by the gate and beg. Peter told him that he had no money he could give to him. But what he did have was the authority of Jesus and the ability to heal the man, allowing him to walk and earn a living.

Others were amazed that Peter healed the man. But Peter was not taking credit for it. Instead, he gave the credit to God. Not only that, he told them it was by the authority of Jesus, whom they killed, that he was able to heal the man. He let them know that it was not by any special power of his own. He pointed them to Jesus, using the situation to preach the gospel.

We can use our own talents and skills, that are given to us by God, to point people to Jesus. We can give Him the glory rather than taking it for ourselves. It won’t be easy at first, but once we do it a few times, it will become natural. So, give God the credit he is due.

I pray we all realize our talents and skills are gifts from God. I pray use our gifts to do good for others. I pray each one of us give God the credit for our abilities and point others to Jesus. Know that God has given you talents and skills. Use your abilities for good. Give the credit to God.

Acts 3:12 When Peter saw it, he addressed the people, “You Israelites, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we had made him walk?”

Sin Taken Away

Why did Jesus come into the world He created? We all know the answer, don’t we? But have we forgotten? Do we presume He came for some other reason? Do we think He came to make our lives free and easy? Do we think He came to give us everything we want?

We know Jesus came to take away the sins of the world. He came to take away our sins…and we often count on that far more than we should. We continue in our sin and say, “It’s alright. Jesus came to take it all away.” The statement is true, but it is inappropriately applied.

But Jesus didn’t just come to take away our own sin. He came to take away the sin of the world. Have you spent any time thinking about that? Imagine, all the sin in the world, both past and present. Think about how many billions of people have lived and how many more will live. Think about how many sins have been committed. We may not have a number large enough to count them all. And yet, Jesus came to take them all away.

Jesus came to take away the smallest and the most egregious sins. Of course, we are the ones who categorize them. To Jesus, they are all egregious. Even if there had only been one sin committed, He would have gone to the cross. Think about that. For any one of your sins, Jesus died for you because you deserved death.

How could Jesus pay the price we could not pay? He was sinless. Think about how difficult that would be. No sinful action. No sinful language. No sinful thoughts. Nothing! Yet His life was adventurous, eventful, interesting, joyous, loving, instructive, and timeless. Sounds like the kind of life many of us want to live. Perhaps we should all attempt to be more like Jesus.

I pray we all know that Jesus came to take away the sins of the world. I pray we know He took away our sin. I pray each one of us will strive to be like Jesus and live a life like His. Jesus takes away sin. Your sin. The sin of the world. Seek to be like Jesus. Live a life like His.

1 John 3:5 You know that he was revealed to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.

Be Like Christ

Have you ever wondered what it will be like when Christ returns? Have you wondered how you will look? Do you think you will look the way you do today? Will you look like the best version of yourself? Have you thought of yourself as being pure? Any thoughts at all?

Wondering what we will be like is something we can ponder, but we cannot come to any conclusions. Anyone who claims to know is fooling themselves. So, don’t let them fool you. The only thing we can say with certainty is we will be like Christ, which will be perfect.

Not only will we be perfect, as Christ is perfect, but we are pure. No, our thoughts are not always pure. No, we don’t always act as though we are pure. Yet, we are pure because of our hope in Jesus Christ. Why? Because He is pure. The Father sees us through the Son, thereby we are seen as pure.

Not only are we seen as being pure, but we can pursue purity as well. As we put our hope in Jesus and seek to be more like Him, we stop acting impure and we stop having impure thoughts. It doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a process of allowing the Holy Spirit to be our guide more and more.

We can rely on one thing right now—we are children of God. And because we are children of God, he loves us and sees us just as he sees his Son. So, even though we do not what we will be like when Jesus returns, God the Father already sees us as we will be. Isn’t that both amazing and reassuring? We do not need to worry about it.

I pray we all know that we will be like Jesus. I pray we know we are children of God. I pray each one of us knows that we are seen as being pure and can continue toward purity. You will be like Jesus. You will be perfect. You are a child of God. God sees you as pure. Continue to progress toward purity.

1 John 3:2-3 Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.

Children of God

Do you feel loved? Do you know that God loves you? But do you also feel like you are out of place? Like the people you work with and interact with do not identify with you? Have you thought about why that may be? Could it be because you are a child of God, and they are not?

We all desire to be loved and knowing we are loved is important for our well-being. We can be confident that God loves us. Being a child of God is important for our eternal life. Yet, when we are children of God, we won’t fit into this world, if we are following his commands.

We often overlook or take for granted being a child of God. We should not. Not everyone we encounter have chosen to be a child of God. They do not know what it is like to live in his love and know they are accepted by him. Even those who have accepted being his child, not all of them fully accept his love nor do they live in the confidence of his protection.

Being a child of God includes being loved at all times, being forgiven for falling short of perfection, being confident that God has our best interest at heart, and trusting him with all things. It is easy to say we should live this way, but it can be a challenge to do so. Yet, God has called us to fully trust him and his plan for our lives. His plan is not just a big picture plan but includes every moment of every day of our lives.

When we live as children of God and with confidence in him, our lives become less chaotic and fearful. That confidence releases us of worry, anxiety, nervousness, and fear. Instead, we seek his will, include him in all our decisions, and step out in faith that it will all work out as God has determined. This is the abundant life Jesus promised.

I pray we all know we are loved by God. I pray we trust God has our best interest at heart. I pray each one of us live as children of God, including him in our decisions, thereby living the abundant life. Know God loves you. Know he has a plan for you. Trust in his plan. Live the abundant life.

1 John 3:1 See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

He Vanished

Have you ever thought that God seems to be absent? Do you think he disappears just when you need him most? Or have you been right on the cusp of understanding God and he pulls the rug out from under you? You might not be alone.

Jesus walked with a couple of men to a village called Emmaus. We are told it was about seven miles from Jerusalem. We are not told when Jesus joined them, but it was likely not long after they left Jerusalem. How can we assume that?

We are told by Luke that Jesus started with Moses and interpreted all the prophets to these two men and explained how all of it pointed to Him. To explain all the prophecies that pointed to Himself including the reasons behind them would have taken some time. The average person walks about 2.5 to 3 miles per hour. That would have given Jesus a couple of hours to explain the prophecies.

But after they convinced Him to eat with them and He prayed, their eyes were opened, and He disappeared. They were excited and ran back to Jerusalem to tell the apostles about their interaction with Jesus. They were not disappointed He left, rather they were excited that He had shown up to begin with.

Perhaps we should be more excited when Jesus shows up and less bothered when it seems as though He is not around. We might want to remember that He said He would never leave us. He has kept His promises and will continue to keep them.

I pray we all get excited when Jesus shows up. I pray we are less bothered when it seems He is not around. I pray each one of us will seek to build our relationship with Him and see Him more often. Be excited when Jesus shows up. Enjoy being in His company. Trust that He is always with you. Build your relationship with Him.

Luke 24:31 Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight.

Learn from the Master

Do you like to learn new things? Is there something specific you would like to know or understand better? What if you could learn from the best teacher? What if you could learn from the one who wrote the book? Would you take advantage of that?

Some of us are continuous learners. We continually seek to know more. Others of us do not care for learning much, at least not formal learning. But learning can come in many forms. It can be formal. But it can also be informal, through reading and experience.

Personally, I can take or leave the formal education. It has its place in the world, but it is also overrated at times. But continual learning by reading and through experiences is a completely different story. Reading not only teaches us but engages our imagination. It unlocks different thought processes. We see things from a different perspective. We start imagining what we can do with our newfound knowledge.

Two men walking on the road to Emmaus received an education from the Master Teacher. The One who wrote the book taught them what it all meant. He instructed them on the prophecies and how they all pointed to Him. Talk about an education! Can you imagine? What would it be like to have Jesus explain the prophies about Himself for two or three hours? I believe it would be amazing.

Yet, we can learn from Him. He gifted us His Hold Spirit. Why? So we could learn from Him. You see, one of the things the Holy Spirit does is reveal God’s truth to us. How? First, we must open our hearts to listen to him. Second, we should pray before reading God’s Word. Third, expect the Holy Spirit to be there with us, because he is.

I pray we all open our hearts to listen to the Holy Spirit. I pray we seek to better understand God’s Word. I pray each one of us pray that God reveal the meaning of his Word to us. Listen to the Holy Spirit. Seek to understand God’s Word. Ask God to reveal it to you. Expect the Holy Spirit to be with you.

Luke 24:27 Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.

Dig Deeper

Have you been uninformed about events in your area? Have you marveled at someone else who was not aware of something significant that happened? Did you explain to them what they had missed? Were you fully aware of the event or did you misinterpret the significance?

Our world has shrunk over the past three decades. With the advent of the internet and 24-hour news channels, we can research and stay informed of major events all around the world. Yet, there may be times when we miss something of significance in our own city.

Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem a week before His crucifixion had the entire city disturbed in one way or another. For those who were looking forward to the coming of the Messiah, they were celebrating and shouting for joy. For those who were threatened by the idea of a new king coming to power and the possibility of their control would be stripped from them, they were anxious and determined to not allow Him to take the throne.

Jesus’ close followers enjoyed the moment but were very disappointed when He died on the cross. Their visions of a renewed and rejuvenated Israel went down the drain on that Friday. That is what Cleopas and his friend were telling Jesus when they encountered Him on the road to Emmaus. But Jesus was about to enlighten them.

There may be times we misinterpret what we see or experience. Often, that is due to our lack of knowledge. We see things from a distance or only superficially. To more thoroughly understand what is going on, we need to look behind the curtains to know the why. Rather than jumping to a negative or downtrodden conclusion, we should dig deeper to both understand and perhaps see the positive that will come.

I pray we all seek to know the why. I pray we dig deeper to better understand. I pray each one of us ask God to reveal to us his plan and the good that will come from the events we experience. Dig deeper. Do your research. Seek to understand. Ask God to reveal his plan. Ask God to reveal the good that is coming.

Luke 24:18 Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?”

Our Advocate

If you were in trouble, how happy would you be to have someone on your side? What if that someone was regarded as the best in the world? Would you feel confident that you would be pulled out of the trouble you are in? What if I told you that person is available to you?

We can find ourselves in any number of troubling situations. They may include financial, work, vehicle, or relationships. We may not know where to turn for help. If we have broken a law, our situation may be more serious. Finding someone to help remove the trouble can be a challenge.

We know there are laws, rules, and cultural norms to abide by. A situation can be very serious if we disobey some of them, while others are less important. But disobeying any of them can put us in a bad spot. If we think we can overcome them on our own, we may be in for a shock.

Jesus is our advocate when we disobey God. We, as humans, put more emphasis on some sins than we do others. Yet, any sin we commit is the reason we needed Jesus to go to the cross. His sacrifice is the reason we can be forgiven, whether it is a more serious sin or something very minor. But Jesus not only went to the cross for us, but He also went to the cross for the sins of the whole world.

Can you fathom that? Jesus’ sacrifice covers every sin committed across all of time for every person. We do not often think about how extraordinary that is. In fact, we may even want to condemn others for their sin. Yet, Jesus intercedes for them just as He does for us. Perhaps we would be better off to think that our sins are not minor but very serious. After all, if we sin by merely taking a stick of gum from someone else without their permission, we have contributed to the reason Jesus had to go to the cross.

I pray we all know that Jesus went to the cross for us. I pray we realize the seriousness of our sin. I pray each one of us will spend less time judging others and more time thanking Jesus for forgiveness. Know you are forgiven. Seek to remove sin from your life. Obey God. Thank Jesus for your forgiveness.

1 John 2:1-2 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

Positive Energy

Are you looking to be uplifted? Do you desire to have a positive energy in your life? Do you have an idea of where you can obtain that positive energy? Do you turn to supplements? Do you turn to caffeine and sugar? Have you turned to the source of all positive energy?

As we go through life, we can get beaten down, burned out, and depressed. We see all the bad going on in the world and wonder where the good is. We have a task list as long as our arm and feel overwhelmed. With all this inundating us we seek temporary sources to give us the energy we need.

Temporary sources are just that. They may provide a small boost for an hour or two, but then they wear off. The permanent positive energy we need can only come from God. When John says that God is light, he is speaking of the positive energy we need. We might use an analogy of the sun providing us with vitamin D. We can take supplements to get vitamin D, but the best source is to be outside in the sun. What we receive from being outside will last much longer than the supplement.

Walking in the light of God is more than simply having God light our path. It includes him enlightening us to his will, providing us with the energy we need, and opening our eyes to see our situation as he sees it. When John speaks of the light that God provides, he is speaking of all things good that God provides. When we seek his light, we are seeking more than physical light. When he eliminates darkness; he is eliminating more than physical darkness.

I pray we all seek the light of God. I pray we ask God to shed his light on us in all facets of our lives. I pray each one of us will seek the true source of positive energy rather than temporary sources. Seek God’s light. Ask him to fill you with his light. Seek the true source. Ask God to eliminate the darkness in your life.

1 John 1:5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all.

Believe the Witnesses

Are you willing to believe an eyewitness account? Do you prefer to have someone who saw the event relay to you their firsthand account of it? What if the event seems to be unbelievable? What if the person is trustworthy? Will you believe them? Do you believe the story of Jesus?

We like to hear people tell their stories. Sometimes those stories sound a bit outlandish. But if the person is trustworthy, we likely believe them. We hear family, friends, and co-workers tell us about things they have witnessed or been involved in nearly every day.

In a courtroom, the credibility of the witness is critical to proving the case. When the credibility of a witness is lacking, the case is not as strong, and additional evidence must be found or the witness is not used. Today, we seek hard evidence, and use photographs and video recordings. To prove the event took place, we piece together a variety of evidence.

John puts forth his argument to believe both him and others who were witnesses. He states that they both saw Jesus and touched Him after the resurrection. In John’s case, we also know that he was an eyewitness of the crucifixion. He saw Jesus on the cross. He heard Jesus cry out. He saw Him take His last breath. John is testifying to what he saw, heard, and physically touched.

Though we may not see or touch Jesus physically today, we can believe the eyewitness accounts of those who did. If we want physical evidence, we can seek out archeological evidence that has been discovered over the centuries. No matter what evidence we are looking for, we can find what we need to believe that Jesus is the Son of God and He overcame death.

I pray we all believe the eyewitness accounts about Jesus. I pray we seek the archeological evidence we need so we believe. I pray each one of us believe Jesus is the Son of God and choose to follow Him. Believe the eyewitnesses. Believe the evidence. Believe Jesus overcame death. Believe Jesus is the Son of God.

1 John 1:1 We declare to you what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life