Make Time for God

In Christian living, like water-skiing, you have to hang onto the rope.

It is not your power that will make you fly, it is God's - that will give you life.

"We must hold tightly to the hope that we say is ours. After all, we can trust the one who made the agreement with us."

Count on it! Hebrews 10:23

Jesus Christ had a purpose, a focus, and a finish line.

He completed his race, and the end result was that those who receive his love and forgiveness, in faith, will have eternal life.

You are a sinner, but... "'Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.'

This saying is true, and it can be trusted. I was the worst sinner of all!"

Count on it! 1 Timothy 1:15

There is nothing we can do to earn our way onto God's team.

It is merely a "free gift". Our actions and lifestyle may be impressive in comparison to some. If we compare ourselves to Hitler or a church-going drug dealer we look pretty good.

But when we try to make it on God's team by the standard of a righteous life we 'fall short'.

The good news is, it is a free gift.

You were chosen for the team because God loves you. He values you. He even likes you and wants you to spend time with Him. But you do not make the team because of your skill as a player.

"All of us have sinned and fallen short of God's glory."

Romans 3:23

Count on it!

Let's say you ask for forgiveness for doing a bad thing.

You ask for forgiveness and forgiveness is given!

You still feel bad and you go back to God and ask forgiveness again.

God will say, "What bad thing? My Son took it away; now go and live for Me! When you are forgiven, you are clean!"

"But thanks to God's gift of undeserved grace, He freely accepts us and sets us free from our sins because of Christ Jesus".

Romans 3:24

Count on it!

When you give yourself to Christ you become brand new.

You get a new set of clothes, a new race to run, and a new finish line to run toward.

"Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new."

2 Corinthians 5:17

Count on it!

Some days I wish Philippians 4:19 read "my God will take care of all your wants!" But it says "needs".

Sometimes what I want is not the thing I most need.

Some people will always be richer than you are, some people will always be more skillful than you and some less.

But God is rich, it is all his!

And out of his wisdom, he will take good care of you.

"I pray that God will take care of all your needs with the wonderful blessings that come from Christ Jesus!"

Philippians 4:19

What team should I play for?

What classes should I take?

What church should I go to?

What job should I take?

What person person should I marry?

Most decisions take time and prayer. If you are living in obedience to God and in fellowship with some wise believers, you are in good shape to allow God to speak to you and give you guidance. Go slow, and as my old coach used to say, "Stay on your knees! Our God is like this forever and will always guide us."

Count on it!

Some people are terrified by the fear of failure.

"If I can't win, I will not run!"

Others can compete with reckless abandon knowing:

"The Lord helps me! Why should I be afraid of what people can do to me?" Count on it!

Hebrews 13:6

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It might be at school, it might be at work or when you are on the road. It could be when you take that shot in a championship game. But if you love Christ you will never walk alone!

"Stay joined to me, and I will stay joined to you." Count on it!

John 15:4a

Cool under pressure.

There are many that just have that touch, a gift that keeps them in the zone and focused. God does not promise that he will give you every physical gift in the world. He doesn't promise that you will get faster or taller - he is not some genie in a bottle. But he does promise peace under pressure.

"I give you peace, the kind of peace that only I can give. It isn't like the peace that this world can give. So don't be worried or afraid."

John 14:27

We can never make ourselves completely perfect on our own.

But we are made perfect through Jesus Christ.

When you have faith in Christ you are complete.

"By His one sacrifice He has forever set free from sin the people He brings to God."

Hebrews 10:14

We in Christ have been chosen to be on God's team.

We wear his colours, his uniform.

We carry all the responsibilities of playing for Christ, for we carry his "seal".

When we sin we let down his team.

But the Holy Spirit will give us power.

He is committed to building us into useful players for the Father.

"God was kind and decided that Christ would choose us to be God's own adopted children."

Ephesians 1:5

The Christian life is not easy!

There will be times when you are laughed at, when you want to lash out against someone and when you are unfairly treated.

But this is a huge opportunity to witness!

"Even if you have to suffer for doing good things, God will bless you. So stop being afraid and don't worry about what people might do. Honour Christ and let Him be Lord of your life.. Always be ready to give an answer when somebody asks you about your hope. Give a kind and respectful answer and keep your conscience clear. This way you will make people ashamed for saying bad things about your good conduct as a follower of Christ.

1 Peter 3 14-16

Wouldn't that suggest you need to get rehydrated?

Have you ever felt hungry?

Wouldn't that suggest that you need some nutrition?

Have you ever felt lonely?

Wouldn't that suggest you need companionship?

Have you ever felt lonely in a crowd?

Wouldn't that suggest that you needed companionship with someone other than another person?

God will be there for you!

"Don't fall in love with money. Be satisfied with what you have. The Lord has promised that he will not leave us or desert us." Count on it!

Hebrews 13:5

We all have tough times, but God has given you way more than you can imagine.

Remind yourself that in Christ you will live forever in Paradise!

This will keep you going!

"If you have ears, listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. I will let everyone who wins the victory eat from the life-giving
tree in God's wonderful garden." Count on it!

Revelation 2:7

You do not have to try hard to get God to love you - he loved you so that you would try hard!

How much does God love you?

Spread out your hands as wide as you can. That much!

God sent His son to the cross so that in the bloody sacrifice of Jesus, you would be forgiven!

Respond to that love in gratitude.

Try hard!

"Christ sacrificed His life's blood to set us free, which means that our sins are now forgiven. Christ did this because God's gift of undeserved grace to us. God has great wisdom and understanding". Ephesians 1:7 and 8

Jesus loved children and used them often as an example of how to trust.

A chold who loves a parent puts their entire life in the care of that parent.

That is what God wants from you.

Like a trusting child, put your whole life in God's hands and allow God to be your Father.

He will not let you down!

"Let the children come to me! Don't try to stop them. People who are like these little children belong to the kingdom of God." Mark 10:14

Have you ever felt like you were too messed up to meet with God?

Have you ever felt some strange resistance keeping you from praying or reading your Bible?

Did you ever feel you had to somehow get your life straight before you could live the Christian life?

Don't worry about it!

Jesus came to help you in your trouble. He is the great doctor. Go to Him with your problems. Not going to Him is like trying to wait until you are cured of a deadly disease before you go to a doctor.

Jesus came to help!

"Healthy people don't need a doctor, but sick people do. I didn't come to invite good people to be my followers. I came to invite sinners." (Mark 2:17)

Have your ever felt so weak that you thought there was no way you could continue?

Are there times in your life when you feel so overwhelmed that you are virtually paralysed?

God will give you special strength in those times. Imagine that your life is a walk along the shore with God. If some days there is only one set of footprints in the sand, it's not because God has left you, but because he is carrying you!

This is referred to in the poem "Footprints in the Sand" (authorship disputed).

"My gift of undeserved grace is all you need. My power is strongest when you are weak."

Put in that extra effort to obey the Holy spirit - that small voice from God.

Work hard at keeping your motives pure.

You may be tempted to cheat or cut corners.

Don't! It will catch up with you.

God is interested in the little things - they become big things!

"You cannot fool God, so don't make a fool of yourself! You will harvest what you plant. If you follow your selfish desires, you will harvest destruction, but if you follow the Spirit, you will harvest eternal life."

If you feel like you are floundering and need to make sense out of your life, remember you have a purpose: to worship God.

In all you do you are to worship God.

In worship, you will find focus and happiness!

"Finally, the devil took Jesus up on a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms on earth and their power. The devil said to him, 'I will give all this to you, if you will bow down and worship me'. Jesus answered, 'Go away Satan! The Scriptures say: Worship the Lord your God and serve only him.'"

Jesus so far in His ministry had recruited disciples, taught and performed miracles.

At the end of chapter 9 we see Jesus very upset as he observed His people who were helpless and without someone to lead them safely.

A weak analogy could be a gifted athlete who has no encouragement, guidance or coaching and is spoiling their health by stupid and poor training.

Jesus is concerned about His people and urges prayer to His Father, the Lord of the harvest, to send out workers.

It is no coincidence that in the next passage we see Jesus training and mobilising His top guys to do ministry.

People and you yourself will eventually let you down. but Jesus Christ will never, never, never let you down.

He is flawless!

"Christ says 'Yes' to all of God's promises. That's wju we jave Cjrost tp say 'Amen' for us to the glory of God".

2 Corinthians 1:20

Count on it.

Think about people or things that are truthful and good and try to do things the right way. When in doubt, think about the life of Jesus.

"Finally, my friends, keep your minds on whatever is true, pure, right, holy, friendly and proper. Don't ever stop thinking about what is truly worthwhile and worthy of praise".

Philippians 4:8

Excuses are like elbows - we all have two of them!

If you can make time for sports, friends and entertainment, you can make time for God.

It will be the best thing you do all day.

"Very early the next morning, Jesus got up and went to a place where he could be alone and pray".

Mark 1:35