With All Your Heart

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as though you were working for the Lord and not for people.”  (Colossians 3:23)

What do you do with all your heart?

No matter what it is that we are doing; work or play, fellowship or stewardship, entertaining or having quiet time, no matter how ordinary, boring, or unimportant it may seem, we have to work at it wholeheartedly.  There are just some things in life that we don’t get to choose, and situations that we simply can’t control; some work we will like doing, but some won’t be as attractive. Nonetheless, we should have a certain pride in the way we do things, because the true test of our character is when we fulfill all of our responsibilities and commitments with all our heart. What this means is…we must be genuine and sincere and give it everything we have got!

“Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flows the springs of life.” (Proverbs 4:23)

God does not accept grudging service from anyone; everything we do is an opportunity to glorify God. But what about when we are called to do something that we absolutely dread? Do we let out a loud sigh and put on a fake smile, roll our eyes when no one is looking, and perform the task with just enough effort to get us through it? How often do we live complaining, murmuring, demanding, and only doing what is necessary to meet our obligations? Wouldn't it be more beneficial to everyone if only we would cheerfully perform any act of obedience wholeheartedly? God gives us everything we need to have, and lots of things we want to have, and yet we still complain when we…

…are called to serve in an area that is uncomfortable to us

…perform a task that we feel is beneath us

…feel that we don’t have the time or energy for another obligation

…or simply dislike the assignment or situation…

…but If we only give or perform out of duty with a grumbling approach, our heart attitude is all wrong!

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

With all our hearts we can do anything; even something we are not really good or well equipped for. We should never let anything stop us from reaching for higher goals and expectations, because if we put our heart and our mind into everything we do, nothing can stop us. To be good at whatever God has called us to do requires our faith and endurance to accomplish the task. It doesn’t mean the absence of mistakes, but it means conviction and determination with a faithful heart. So right or wrong, good or bad, every item on our agenda should be done with joy, confidence, and a heart that is sincere and grateful. Everything we think, everything we say, and everything we do, is to be God-centered. Regardless of the task or circumstance, it becomes worship when we dedicate it to God and perform it with an open and authentic heart, and we should thank God for the gift of being a part of everything we do in life…the gift of making everything matter. 

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Follow The Leader

“Follow my example as I follow the example of Christ”. (1 Corinthians 11:1)

Are you a leader or a follower?

History has proven that if you want to be a great leader, you must first become a great follower. It is just as important to know how to follow (with a passion and commitment) as it is how to lead (with a desire and determination). We are all born leaders in many areas of life, but I am pretty sure that a good leader is one that remembers that without followers he has no one to lead! As long as there have been leaders, there have also been followers, and great leaders could never accomplish what they do without devoted followers.

Followership

Then Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross.” (Matthew 16:24)

Did you know that most people spend more time following than leading? Followers are defined as someone who supports and is guided by another person; someone who is one in the service of another; someone who imitates another. But following is not all about carrying out any task that is asked of us, it’s about being active individuals who contribute not only through our actions but also through our ideas. It’s about cheerfully supporting who we have chosen to believe in and demonstrating passion to daily live out faith in every area of life through consistent obedience. We have a specific goal while at the same time respecting our leader with a positive attitude and showing integrity. Effective followers recognize the importance of making an active decision to contribute towards the achievement of a goal with enthusiasm and to work with others in the pursuit of the goal. Our attitude for following the leader should always follow along the lines of humility, seeking unity, while giving our leader support and love. Jesus built into every one of us the desire to be led and taken care of; never are we at a point in our lives where we no longer need guidance and help.

Leadership

“I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” (John 3:15)

When it comes to leadership traits, passion is a vital characteristic to engage the hearts and minds of followers. A fervent leader has the ability to create and share their love and enthusiasm to achieve a specific goal. A leader with passion and sincerity has the ability to motivate their followers in a well-intentioned direction because they are committed to something more important than their own individual glory. Most important; a good leader leads by example, and to lead by example, leaders must follow the model of Christ. Jesus led by being a servant and serving alongside of His followers. To be an effective leader we must follow His example in serving with an impassioned heart, regardless of the time and effort it takes. Our attitude toward the people we lead should be with a humble heart rather than of importance and influence over others. Spiritual leadership can have powerful results when we understand the importance of praying to God for wisdom and relying on Him to give us the strength. Our personal relationship with Him is the most important basis to become an effective leader.

“Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.” (Mark 10:43)

Followers are just as important to leaders as leaders are to followers; the skills that make for good followers also make for good leaders. Whether we are following the leader or leading the followers, we have to do it with an undivided heart toward God, with integrity, passion, and humbleness. When our spirit is one of true humility and love in either role, we are able to bless and to be blessed! 


Linking up with these lovely bloggers this week:

Think Happy!

“Happy are the people whose God is the Lord!” (Psalm 144:15)

Have you ever noticed that for many people (maybe you have even been one of them), happiness can be an elusive thing? But the definition is clear; happiness is our emotional and mental state characterized by our reactions and attitudes which can range from contentment to pure joy! And what about our physical state? Just as studies have shown, our happiness not only influences how we feel today but can have a powerful impact on our health for years to come. Having a happier disposition, being positive and optimistic, living with hope and faith, are key components of health and longevity. When in the mental state of joy and happiness, our bodies release endorphins and chemicals that repair and heal us on its own. Evidence has shown that happier people have fewer health problems, have more energy, and a better quality of life.

…and one thing we know for sure; we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day…

“But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.” Psalm 5:11)

Virtually everyone wants to experience true happiness; we spend a good part of our time and energy seeking fulfillment and eternal joy. Sometimes our problem is that we just can’t seem to grasp it! However, God provides us with a roadmap to happiness, and when we are living in accordance to His will we can free ourselves from the need to seek it out. According to the bible if we seek to know Him, we will find the happiness that has eluded us for so long. We will never find true happiness until He is the main focus and counselor of our lives. Rather than asking Him to give us more, we need to ponder on the abundant blessings and opportunities He has poured out on us and be grateful. God designed us to seek Him to find our fulfillment and joy in a relationship with Him. Happy are the people whose God is the Lord; He brings joy to the life of the believer!!

“Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous: the Lord’s right hand has done mighty things! (Psalm 118:15)

Another way to gain happiness and joy in our lives is to help make others happy. We are often so concerned on how to make ourselves happy, but ironically when we bring joy and laughter to others, it cultivates happiness that’s contagious! One of the very best ways to bring joy into our lives is to make the effort to spread joy wherever we go; a little extra time out of our day and a few kind words is all it takes to enhance our lives as well as the lives of others. Once we start spreading happiness to others that’s contagious, it becomes addictive, and we are filled with continuous joy!

“But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful.” (Psalm 68:3)

Our positive attitudes in life allows us to maintain happiness in every stage of our life; we can see the good in the bad and the light in the dark when we fix our gaze on God and acknowledge His role in our lives. It can change everything we do and everything we say when we find something good and positive in every situation. Our faith in God is a constant reason for joy and thanksgiving no matter what temporary situation we are in; it sets us free from the past, gives us faith for the present, and hope for a glorious future!

Linking up this week with:

Embrace it!

 

Embrace…

To take or receive gladly or eagerly…

To avail oneself of…

To take in the eye of the mind…

To encircle or enclose..

Change is coming…its right around the corner. It is an invitation to experience something new that may affect your life in a positive way.

Are you ready to embrace it?

“Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; He changes times and seasons; He sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; He knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with Him. (Daniel 2:20-22)

God is in the business of changing people, and He is ready for us to break camp, let go of the familiar, break some bad habits, and move on! Change is a part of life and requires our willingness to accept it even though it isn’t always easy to do. We tend to get a little too comfortable with our routines, and we rarely deviate from them. But let’s face it; there is nothing in our lives, except God, that remains the same. From time to time we find ourselves in a place of change, and rather than resist or resent it we need to embrace it. God is always looking to take us to a higher level, and He wants us to grow and increase in every area of our life to keep us from getting stuck in a rut.

“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17)

When we walk by faith and not by sight, it’s amazing where God will lead us. When we allow Him to use, transform, mold, create, and prepare us…things happen! New things…bigger things…God things!  When we learn to embrace change and accept it as part of our life, we grow and discover new insights about different aspects of our lives. We learn to…

…embrace our passions…embrace the unknown…embrace failures and successes…embrace the mysterious and the adventure…embrace the old; embrace the new…

Specifically, we learn to embrace God’s wonder and His splendor, and His amazing grace! He will turn uncertainties and uncomfortable situations into milestones along our walk with Him. Embracing God’s change today is knowing that He is using it to take us higher to achieve our full potential. We will celebrate what God has done in us when we recognize the positive changes He has wrought in us and we can do it right now with the changes He is making in us, around us, and through us!

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28)

Just because God has blessed us in the place we are today, doesn’t mean we can just settle back and stay in that place. He wants to do something new in us and through us; to grow, succeed, and flourish. Embracing the changes He brings to us, those doors He opens and closes in our lives, are part of His big design. He has great plans for our lives, and even when we are doubtful and scared we need to jump in with both feet, because with Him we will be alright!

 

Joining these link-ups this week:

 

Helping Hands

“My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; He is mine forever. (Psalm 73:26)

Do you ever find yourself with too much to do and not enough time and energy to do it? You’ve stared at your “to-do” list for days, but the list just keeps getting longer. It seems like these days there is so much to do, so many priorities, that we don’t even know where to start. There are just times when we feel so tired, worn out and stressed, that we think we are done and cannot take even one more step. And the funny thing is … when we feel overwhelmed we are usually busier than ever! I think we all know the feeling, and maybe we are even feeling it now.

But we are not alone, nor left to fend for ourselves …

 

God is our refuge and strength, and ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the sea.” (Psalm 46:1-2)

Who do we look to to supply our wants and needs? Do we reach out to others or even ourselves to meet our physical and emotional needs? Having family, friends, or others to lean on and give us support is comforting and uplifting, and even though God places these relationships in our lives to bless us, there will be times where they will lack the capacity to support us. Likewise, our independence and desire to meet our own needs can often fail because of our own human weakness. Sometimes we forget to let God be the source of strength in our lives, and we think we must do it all for ourselves. But it was never the Lord’s intention to for us to have our needs met by others or ourselves all the time!

 

“But 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.” (Isaiah 40:31)

Even the strongest people get tired and fragile at times, but God’s power and strength never weaken. God is our source of strength; nothing or no one else can give us that…only Him! The comfort of God’s helping hands is our ultimate source when we are overburdened and weak. The process of God’s amazing ability to strengthen us will only be effective when we slow down and listen for His voice. When we slow down, we are reminded of our complete dependence on His strength. And when we communicate to Him in prayer, we should be able to cast away fear and anxiety, and focus on what is important. With God’s help we will find alternative ways to deal with our challenges and have enough energy to cope with them.

 

“My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

 

Whatever challenges we may find ourselves in, we must remember that God is a God of strength and power, and He wants to reach out with helping hands and lead us out of any burdens or struggles we may be in. He is our refuge even in the midst of our busiest and most chaotic days; He is not just a temporary retreat, He is our eternal shelter and can provide strength in any circumstance.

Linking up with these wonderful blogs this week: