1 Kings 22:1-8

As Christians we have learned the importance of including God is our daily life as we turn to Him for counsel when faced with important decisions.  God wants to be a part of the ordinary and daily routine of our lives and because of that we should never consider a major decision without having first gone to the Lord for His opinion.

There is a Vacation Bible School song which tells us, "First you pray, first you pray, the second you see a problem come your way."  I am sure God smiles when He sees the children singing this song, for it is one of the best things young folk can learn.

By practicing going to God for guidance we can know that He is always near us.  When we approach the Throne of God for His input we are placing our trust in Him.  Children will learn to trust and turn to Him when there is trouble.  And we know there will be trouble.

But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, "First seek the counsel of the LORD."  (1 Kings 22:5)

When I need to make a difficult choice, instigate a life-changing move, or just face tomorrow with confidence, first I pray and seek God's Word for me.  He will communicate, just listen.

Read 1 Kings 22:1-8 here.

Listen to an audio of 1 Kings 22:1-8 here.

Oaths, retaliation, enemies--Matthew 5:33-48

This past Sunday was the first Sunday of the New Year, and if you were in church you might have listened to a message about new starts. The first of the year is usually about new beginnings and opportunities for a do-over. In my church I heard a message stating how we are going to help others to know Jesus.

We have been challenged to spend 2011 practicing the Great Commission..."Go therefore and make disciples of all nations...".(Matthew 28:19) You will notice I wrote practice. That means we will fail, learn some and then practice again.

The scripture text for today found in Matthew 5:43-48 is about loving your enemies. To me this doesn't just mean loving those who hate me or wish me harm, but it means to seek out those who make me uncomfortable, or are different from me. Now, I have to admit, this idea does not particularly thrill me. It should, but I am not there yet.

I am going to practice praying for God to show me who I need to reach out to; because "first you pray." Then I am going to ask God for opportunity to talk with that person, learn about him/her, and discover our likenesses. Then I will diligently ask God to give me the words to invite, to share my story, or simply to hug for the time being and walk alongside. I think I can do that. Want to join me?

To read the text for today click here.