Daily Dose 9-2-15

Ecclesiastes 3:12-13 I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God.

Life is too short; begin to truly LIVE it! We tend to complain about the mundane routines of the day and whether or not our lives have great meaning or purpose. However, when we approach the minutia and monotony of life as if we are doing it for God and to His glory, our perspective changes. It is possible the ordinary things of our lives may be the things that last the longest. Stop waiting for your circumstances to change to bring happiness. Find happiness despite your circumstances and no matter what they are – your circumstances will change. Waiting and wishing for the “next thing” is the greatest thief of joy. Faith in God as provider, sustainer, and the One who guides your life will enable you to find meaning in the meaningless, joy in sorrow, patience through trials, contentment with less, companionship in loneliness, and true wealth in poverty. Life is not a mere existence; it is a gift intended to be opened each day and lived to the fullest!

Father, Teach me to live each day finding Your purpose in all I do. I love You! Amen

Daily Dose 9-1-15

2 Corinthians 5:17-20 (MSG) Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We're Christ's representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God's work of making things right between them. We're speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he's already a friend with you.

This Message translation makes this beautiful scripture hit home a bit more. We like to read about the new creation and how God made us new through Christ. However, reading this version, which changes the word reconcile to settle, takes a more practical ~ and not always easy ~ approach to what that “new creation” should look like. It’s all about relationships. Because of what Christ endured on the cross for us, He enabled us to have a relationship with God, but He also calls us to settle our relationships with one another. Settling doesn’t mean avoiding. Settling doesn’t mean pretending nothing happened. Settling requires love and sacrifice. Settling requires acknowledging, repentance and forgiveness. Are there people in your life you avoid, thinking you are keeping the peace? As a new creation you should go beyond avoidance to settling whatever caused relationship separations. It’s not always easy – but neither was dying on a cross!

Father, Make me new again. I remember what You and Your son did for me. Help me to know what I need to do for others! I love You! Amen