…Is God working in your life?
…Psa 103:7 “He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel..”
…Moses was close to God because he knew God’s heart, “His ways”. The people of Israel focussed their attention on the works of God, “His deeds”, and were not close to God. As a result, they kept living defeated lives. Knowing God’s heart is infinitely more important than seeing God work. Jesus said it best,
“…Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit,…” (Jn 15:5). Focus on abiding in Jesus today, on knowing the heart or “ways” of God, and He will work in and through you.

… Are there some people that God doesn’t love?
…Pro 8:17 “I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.”
…Does God only love those who love Him? I thought God loves everyone, whether they love Him or not. After all, didn’t Jesus come to share the Father’s love with us before we knew He loved us? God does love us whether we love Him or not, but those who do not love Him do not realize that they are loved by Him. Accept God’s love for you today. You will not only realize that He loves you, but you will also find Him in ways and places that you have not seen Him before.

… Have you heard the latest?
…Phi 3:16 “Only let us live up to what we have already attained.”
… It seems that we are always leaning forward to hear the latest truth, something that could make our lives easier or that could help us do something better. Our greatest need is not to gain more truth to “live up to”. It is to “live up to” the truth we already know. If you will committ today “to live up to what (you) have already attained”, God will do more through you than you could ever imagine.

…How are you doing, Dad?
…Eph 6:4 “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”
…Fathers have their day, and it is important that honor be given them. It is equally important that Fathers conduct themselves with honor. The best place for children to learn about love is in the embrace of an honorable Dad. Love your children today, Dad… and have a happy Father’s Day tomorrow.

… How can you know that you are known by Jesus?
…1Jo 2:3 “We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands.”
…The assurance of knowing that we belong to the community of faith as a follower of Jesus is a matter of the heart and is best expressed by what we do. Your willingness to obey His commandments is not how you prove to others that you are His. It is how you prove it to yourself.

…What has your attention today?
…Isa 40:31 “… those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
…Everyone wants to “soar” above their challenges, “run” ahead of the crowd, and “walk” rested through life. These only come when we focus on Jesus, not our challenges, the crowd, or ourselves. Preoccupy yourself… with your challenges, and you will live your life bound; …with the crowd, and you will live your life small; …with yourself, and you will live your life alone. Preoccupy yourself with Jesus today, and you will live free and large, forever in his embrace.

40 years ago today I had the privilege of marrying the love of my life, Janice. I have been blessed beyond measure. If I could summarize the impact of her life on me these last 4 decades, it would best be expressed in:
Pro 31:26
“She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.”
She has taught me both generosity and kindness. I am a better person for having shared my life with Janice. Thank you, sweetheart. I love you!

Worshipping at Highview East this morning. Looking forward to hearing Kevin Smith preach.

…What are you afraid to face?
…2Ti 1:7 “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.”
…Being fearful about the future is not what God intended for us. For those choosing to live by faith, there is “power” (to handle our challenging situations), “love” (for even the difficult people we must deal with), and “self-disciplne” (to face our own weaknesses). What you are afraid might happen may never occur. Stop fretting about the future, and start trusting Jesus. You may be surprised just how peaceful life can be.

…Where are you tempted to take matters into your own hands today?
…Pro 12:2 “A good man obtains favor from the LORD, but the LORD condemns a crafty man.”
…Acting on the temptation to take matters into our own hands and “craft” a solution, when facing a challenging situation, can result in the loss of God’s favor. The criteria for enjoying the blessing of The Lord in your life is to have a good heart that makes doing good the overflow of your heart. If you need a good heart, you can only find that in Jesus. Today, choose, regardless of your situation, to do good and experience the favor of our Lord.