Acts seven is a powerful chapter on what it really means to stand up for God — even to the point of death!  Stephen was the first to "stand and deliver" the powerful message of the Gospel to a totally hostile crowd making sure all the glory went to God.  This bold presentation of God’s truth led to Stephen’s death and the first martyr of the early church.

PROGRESS:  Living for today, planning for tomorrow

Day 10 of 28 (start at day 1 by clicking HERE)

The Joseph Mindset:  Day 3

What you need to know about the past is that no matter what has happened, it has all worked together to bring you to this very moment.  And this is the moment you can choose to make everything new.  Right now.  ~Author Unknown

PROGRESS:  Living for today, planning for tomorrow

Day 9 of 28 (start at day 1 by clicking HERE)

The Joseph Mindset:  Day 2

The past is our definition.  We may strive, with good reason, to escape it, or to escape what is bad in it, but we will escape it only by adding something better to it.  ~Wendell Berry

I have one life and one chance to make it count for something . . . I’m free to choose what that something is, and the something I’ve chosen is my faith. Now, my faith goes beyond theology and religion and requires considerable work and effort. My faith demands — this is not optional — my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can with whatever I have to try to make a difference.

-Jimmy Carter

God’s first promise of a coming Savior is found in Genesis 3.  The second major promise comes in Genesis 12.  Look at these amazing words:

And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.

What are you known for?  Take a moment to read Colossians 1:3-4 and note what the people of Colosse where known for:

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints— Colossians 1:3-4

For your steadfast love is great to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. — Psalm 57:10

 Understanding the Fruit of faithfulness, I believe, requires us to understand the faithfulness of God.  Since it is God who produces the Fruit of the Spirit in our lives, understanding His faithful nature will help us to better understand what He desires to produce in us.

*This is part 8 of a 10 part series on the Fruit of the Spirit that started on November 23, 2009.  You can access past material by using the calendar archive button on the right side of the screen.

How do you define success? God measures our success by our obedience, our faithfulness, and our love for Him. Successfulness by the world’s standards has to do with our personal gain, but God is concerned with our personal sacrifice for Him and His Kingdom. He is in complete control of our success or lack there of. Our success is not based on possessions but on position. Being positioned in God’s presence changes everything. When we are obedient to Him, God puts us in a position for success.

Examine your heart as you ponder these verses…

These are words that we long to hear.

Well done, good and faithful servant!

- Matthew 25:21

Lamentations 3:22-24

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,

for his compassions never fail.

They are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;

therefore I will wait for him.”

One of the dangers of following Jesus is becoming complacent: Grace becomes ordinary. Jesus’ sacrifice becomes familiar. God’s love becomes normal. The power of the Spirit becomes something we teach about but never experience. Prayer becomes boring. Life becomes mere existence.

The faith we are a part of is no less than extraordinary. Unless we constantly remind ourselves of the enormous lengths of God’s everlasting love, we will miss out on the life that God designed for us.

Today as you ponder these verses, your life, and God Almighty, let God remind you of the deep and remarkable life He has for you.

Words inspire us. They motivate us. They shape our culture. Today I want us to think about a very specific word, a wonderful word. It’s such a fun word. It’s used in a variety of ways. The word is- whatever. Here are a few "whatevers" from God’s Word.

How do you determine what to do today? What steps to take? Who to call? What to say yes to and what to say no to? Do I go this way or that way? Which direction does God want me to go?

These are deep questions that we have on an ongoing basis. Today, I want us to think deeply about some verses, and ponder the implications of these passages on our lives.

May the God of HOPE fill you

with all joy and peace AS you trust in HIM,

so that you may overflow with hope 

by the power of the Holy Spirit. 

- Romans 15:13

In this passage, we get to glimpse into a conversation with Jesus and a woman going out to draw water from a well. If you pay close attention, you can hear Jesus’ love, passion, and challenge to this woman. Stop when you get to the part where Jesus says, "Believe Me". Ponder the significance of those words and the implication of those words for our life.

THINK about this passage. Take time to allow God to speak to you through His Word. Let it sink from your thoughts into your HEART.