Serving God -John 12:25-26

I haven't been as good posting lately, (I'm blaming that for a lot of school and being on vacation), but I thought I'd get something in tonight.

"He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor."

Fearing the LORD -Psalms 128:1-4

"Blessed is every one who fears the LORD, who walks in His ways. When you eat the labor of your hands, you shall be happy, and it shall be well with you. Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the very heart of your house, Your children like olive plants all around your table. Behold, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the LORD."

God-Who-Forgives -Psalms 99:6-9

This promise talks about how God was faithful to Old Testament "heroes of the faith". The God that was faithful and forgiving to them is the same God that we serve.

"Moses and Aaron were among His priests, and Samuel was among those who called upon His name; They called upon the LORD, and He answered them. He spoke to them in the cloudy pillar; They kept His testimonies and the ordinance He gave them. You answered them, O LORD our God; You were to them God-Who-Forgives, though You took vengeance on their deeds. Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at His holy hill; For the LORD our God is holy."

The Warfare -2 Corinthians 10:3-6

"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled."

The promise I wanted to point out here is that our weapons as a Christian are "mighty in God"...it's not our strength at work here.

Pleasing God -Proverbs 16:7

"When a man's ways please the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him."

The Paths of the Lord -Psalms 25:10

"All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth, To such as keep His covenant and His testimonies."

My Spirit Remains -Haggai 2:4-5

Well, it's time to fast-forward to a month later in the story from the book of Haggai.

You see, God is so good...He encourages us throughout our journey...and this is a good example of that as He uses Haggai the prophet to share with them His promise.

"'Yet now be strong, Zerubbabel,' says the LORD; 'and be strong, Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; and be strong, all you people of the land,' says the LORD, 'and work; for I am with you,' says the LORD of hosts. 'According to the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, so My Spirit remains among you; do not fear!'

I Am With You -Haggai 1:13-14

Haggai the prophet was sent by God to the governor of Judah and the high priest.

Why? Because God was calling them to rebuild the temple! 

After they obeyed what God had said to them through Haggai, God left them with this promise:

"Then Haggai, the LORD's messenger, spoke the LORD's message to the people, saying, "I am with you, says the LORD."

Hopefully reading that promise will have the same effect on us as it did for them.

"So the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and worked on the house of the LORD of hosts, their God,"

Just as they were encouraged through the prophet while they pursued what God was calling them to do, knowing that God is with us should be an encouragement to us as we work out God's will in our lives.

Being Blessed -James 1:22-25

In James we find the secret to being blessed...obey God's Word!

"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does."

To Will and To Do -Philippians 2:12-13

"Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure."

 I really like how this verse is encourages us to keep growing in Christ...and also the reminder that God works in us, both to desire and to do what He wants us to do...what a great promise.

Earnest Obedience -Deuteronomy 11:13-15

"And it shall be that if you earnestly obey My commandments which I command you today, to love the LORD your God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, then I will give you the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, your new wine, and your oil. And I will send grass in your fields for your livestock, that you may eat and be filled."

Whether we are in the farming business or not, this promise reminds us that those whose "earnestly" obey God's commandments are blessed...(whether in this life or in heaven).