Caleb’s Choice

By Carin LeRoy –

Have you ever been around negative and complaining people? They are not pleasant to be around. Many years ago I knew a friend who had a negative outlook on most everything. You name it, she complained about it. I liked this friend, but when I was around her I felt dragged down, too. Her pessimistic attitude had become a way of life, and she refused to look at the positive side of anything. From my perspective, her life was miserable because she chose to make it that way.

Negative attitude sees the worst scenario or the gloomiest outcome. Discouragement, unhappiness and cynicism can take hold in our hearts. God is not seen as being in control, and our faith becomes shallow as we choose to perceive life from this angle.

Grumbling and complaining against God resulted in the Israelites wandering 40 years in the wilderness. Because of their negativity and lack of faith, God prevented all but two from entering the Promised Land. “How long will this wicked community grumble against me? I have heard the complaints of these grumbling Israelites. So tell them, as surely as I live, declares the Lord, I will do to you the very things I heard you say: In this desert your bodies will fall—every one of you twenty years old or more who was counted in the census and who has grumbled against me. Not one of you will enter the land” (Numbers 14:26-30 NIV). God sees complaining and negativity as a serious offense.

But Caleb was different. He followed God with his whole heart. “But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to” (Numbers 14:24 NIV). When others around him were frozen in fear and grumbling against God, Caleb spied out the land knowing he trusted a God who would conquer all the difficulties the Israelites faced. He was allowed to enter the land as his reward. Caleb made a choice to trust in a God who was much bigger than his circumstances.

Negativism not only affects us, but influences those around us—our family, friends or coworkers. Be like Caleb; have a spirit that is willing to trust in an all-powerful God. Challenges will come, but what attitude will you have? It is a choice. Decide to be positive.

PRAYER: Lord, help me not to be a complaining and negative person. Give me a heart that sees You bigger than my circumstances and a willingness to be positive.

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think on these things” ( Philippians 4:8 NIV).

Today’s devotional is by Carin LeRoy, wife to Dale and mother of three grown children and one almost-grown teenager. She has been a missionary with Pioneers since 1982. Her passions are family, missions, piano and writing to challenge others to live faithful lives for God.

Singular Focus

By Kathy Carlton Willis –

Every year I try to come up with a singular focus for the year to keep me disciplined in the direction I believe God wants me to take for the year. The past few months as I’ve prayed over my focus for 2011, a phrase kept coming to me. I started hearing it everywhere. In sermons. In books. Even in commercials. And it’s not a typical goal-oriented phrase to motivate me to grow in Christ like most years. My 2011 phrase is:

REST ASSURED

There’s a lot to be said for this year’s focus. Last year I found myself trying to fix too many dilemmas in attempting to provide for my own needs. I ended up “worrying my prayers” rather than walking in complete faith. I wasn’t hot and bothered in my worry, but it was a silent pressure always weighing down on me.

This year’s rest is a different kind of rest. It’s not a blind rest or a doubt-filled tossing-and-turning type of rest. No, God wants me to rest assured that He’s handling my life. Rest assured that He is in control. Rest assured that if He leads me to do something He will equip me for the challenge. And rest assured that I don’t have to be involved in every good opportunity that comes my way. I knew all of those concepts already, but I’m not sure I was really living them.

So, this is my challenge, and I choose to accept it! Would you like to join me?

AUTHOR QUOTE: Rest assured, Jesus has it covered.

“How blessed the man you train, God, the woman you instruct in your Word, providing a circle of quiet within the clamor of evil, while a jail is being built for the wicked. God will never walk away from his people, never desert his precious people. Rest assured that justice is on its way and every good heart put right” (Psalm 94:11-13 MSG).

Today’s devotional is by Kathy Carlton Willis, Christ-servant, wife to Russ, editor, publicist, certified CLASSeminars speaker and faculty member. Kathy Carlton Willis Communications encompasses her many passions. Kathy’s tagline captures her essence—Light & Lively: His Reflection/Her Laughter. She shines, whether she’s shining the light on others through her communications firm or reflecting God’s light during her speaking opportunities. Schedule Kathy for a speaking event or contact her firm for promotional assistance.

Loving Feeling

By Elaine James –

Did you wake up tired? You look around the house and perhaps there are clothes on the floor from your loved ones. Maybe something is lying around that you asked someone to put away. Maybe dishes and wrappers are lying out on the counter, because someone did not put them away. Frustrating, huh? If relationships with those in your home are strained already this kind of stuff adds fuel to the fire.

You may be thinking, I’ll tell her or him this or that. You’re ready to fight. Your argument is rolling around in your head.

This person is driving me crazy. How can I love them the way the Father loves?

Remember it is a command to love one another. It is not a choice. I have heard some say “I don’t feel like being in the relationship any longer.” Or this one: “I don’t want to be nice to him or her because they were not nice to me.”

Here is what God tells me. Love is not always a loving feeling. So take some time to speak to God about the lack of love in your house. If relationships are strained the last thing we should be doing is ordering people around and be controlling.

Maybe the advice to “fake it to you feel it” has some merit, since feelings can be so fickle. Combat the lack of feelings with prayer. Prayer is the way to stay. Wait on God.

What happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard. Things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.

Make a list and pray the positive things about that person who is difficult to love. I had a relationship that was strained. Things weren’t changing until I changed.

So if you have an ugly relationship put aside: “Well, if they put their stuff away and do as I say, then I will love them.” Say instead, “I will serve and love this relationship (with God’s help) back to life.” The power is in our actions and tongue.

Keep the peace. Stop looking for that loving feeling. Look instead to the Father and ask for help.

PRAYER:  Dear Father, I don’t feel like loving _________ today. I have been struggling with their lack of love and help. I just can’t go on this way God. Help me! Give me the love to love them. Help me to see them the way You do. Give me the feelings to love them. I want to honor and obey You Father, but sometimes I just struggle. Forgive me Father if I have hurt this other person in any way. Help us to get back to joy and our commitment toward each other.

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. Love never fails” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8 NIV).

Today’s devotional is by Elaine James, author of the tract JOURNEY, certified personality trainer and graduate of Christian Leaders Authors and Speakers Seminars. She is a prayer ministry counselor, accomplished actress, and certified Christian storyteller. Her dramatic performances have made many aware of their problem with Major Mind Overload, and their need to take every thought captive in obedience to Christ. Elaine is a recycler—nothing God teaches her is wasted. www.elainejames.com

Intentional Love

By Cheri Cowell –

One of my favorite photos from childhood was taken Easter morning on the front steps of my grandparent’s home. My sister and I are smiling from ear to ear fashioning our new Easter dresses, hats, and gloves. Each year I looked forward to the month of February when my mother and I would travel to the fabric store to pick out the material for my new Easter dress. And of course, I couldn’t have a new dress without new shoes and a hat to match! God applies the same principle to our “new clothes” in Christ.

“Now that we have been cleansed…” Even if I didn’t get new shoes to go with my new Easter dress, I would have, at the very least, cleaned and polished my old shoes to likenew. As Christians we have a new spirit given to us. We have new clothes for our souls, yet many times we act as if we can continue to wear our old shoes. These old shoes have wear patterns in their soles that cause us to walk in a certain way. This scripture reminds us that we need to put on new shoes to go with our new clothes. Those new shoes are for the love-walk we are to have in our lives. Because of His Spirit of Love within us, we can love others with a sincerity that only comes from Him. Therefore, since we can love, we should love intentionally and with intensity. That is what a love walk looks like—intentional and intensely personal.

PRAYER: Thank You for cleansing me of my sins and for giving me Your Spirit of love. Help me become intentional today about loving others with an intensity that equals Your sacrifice.

“Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart” (1 Peter 1:22 NIV).

Today’s devotion is by Cheri Cowell, who writes and speaks on topics of Christian discipleship. In addition to her books and articles, you can learn about her speaking ministry and sign up to receive her daily devotional at www.CheriCowell.com

Love and the Rubix Cube

By Jarrod Spencer –

The Rubix Cube came out sometime in the 1980s and I was one of millions that had one of those toys. I was also one of the millions who couldn’t solve it “legally” (I would take it apart and put it back together). Turn here—twist there, but I never quite figured it out. I’d get one, maybe two sides right, but getting the other 4-5 sides seemed impossible to solve. Life can be like that. So can love. Brian Cramer says, “Love is like the perfect Rubix Cube. There are countless numbers of wrong twists and turns, but when you get it right, it looks perfect no matter what way you look at it.”

Twist, turn, study, twist, turn, study, intermixed with wrong twists and turns. This is one of many ways to look at life and love. You work on solving a temporary situation and make a couple of adjustments. Then, you notice that on another side there is a jumbled mess of colored squares. So you attempt to solve it again by twisting and turning, trying to get all the sides to correspond to their appropriate color.

As you think about your life right now, how many sides are you getting to match up? Are you twisting and turning with no avail to get the sides to match? As you continue on in life, think about all the twists and turns that come your way. Some may be incorrect, but eventually they will come out where all the colors match up.

Enjoy life and love and look forward to those times when the sides match up!

PRAYER: Father, thank You for watching over me as I may not see what twists and turns I am supposed to make in life. You know how to make the sides match up. Please guide me in making the correct twists and turns as I go about life.

“Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long” (Psalm 25:4-5 NIV).

Today’s devotional is by Jarrod Spencer. He is a seeker of God’s surprises in everyday life, looking for ways to be used by God with anyone he comes in contact with. He has a passion for encouraging people through the written word and exercises that passion with blogging and sending out a weekly text of encouragement. You can read more of his writings at http://jarrodspencer.blogspot.com and his church’s website is http://www.colbychurch.com.

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