Tag Archives: impulsiveness

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Humility Leads to Blessing

1 Comment

Charles Stanley

Luke 14:7-11

The Lord promises to exalt believers who live humbly, but we often look at our circumstances—job situation, finances, or lack of material things—and question whether He’s coming through on this pledge. However, it’s important to view things from His perspective rather than the world’s. While God may choose to give us material blessings, such benefits are hardly comparable to the greater rewards He longs to bestow, like a deeper understanding of who He is, or prayers answered beyond all imagination.

Certain attitudes prevent our receiving the Father’s intended blessings:

•Impatience. We want it now and are unwilling to trust that God is in control.

•Insecurity. We feel that if certain things don’t happen, we simply cannot continue.

•Identity in the wrong things. We feel good about ourselves only if we are a success by societal standards.

•Ignorance of the Word. We decide for ourselves what is right.

•Impure motives. Discontent or jealousy causes us to push ahead of God and use manipulation to get our way.

•Impulsiveness. Without asking God, we assume every seeming opportunity is a door He has opened.

•Ingratitude. Lack of thankfulness for what He’s given skews our perspective.

Notice these obstacles all start with “I”! Humility doesn’t come naturally. It requires deliberate, ongoing effort to remain in God’s presence so we can see how worthy He is of our total submission. Begin by “bowing” your heart before the Lord and surrendering everything. Then wait patiently for His promised blessing.

Uncategorized

Greg Laurie – In His Eyes

Leave a comment

 

I was with my granddaughter Stella and she said the cutest thing. She looked deeply in my eyes, then pushed her little nose right up to mine and said, “Papa, I can see myself in your eyes!”

What Stella was saying was that she saw her reflection in my eyes. I responded, “Stella, you are always in my eyes, and in my heart too!”

Do you ever wonder how God sees you?

I think you might be surprised. We may think that God looks askance at us or with anger or disappointment—or that He may, as my friends in Hawaii like to say, be “giving you the stink eye!”

The fact of the matter is God looks at you with love.

We read in Scripture of that rich young ruler who came to Jesus. He was brash and proud and demanded to know what he needed to do to enter God’s kingdom. Before Jesus would reveal the answer, we read, “Jesus felt genuine love for this man as he looked at him” (Mark 10:21 NLT).

That is also the way He looks at you. With love. He sees you for what you can become, not just what you are.

Jesus gave to Simon the fishermen the new name of Peter. The name Peter means “Rock.” If there was anything Simon was not, at this point, it was a rock. He was legendary for his hot-headedness, impulsiveness, and willingness to speak his mind on pretty much everything. But Jesus saw that Simon would grow into that new name of Peter.

In the same way, we look at our own lives and see a lump of clay. God sees a beautiful vase.

We see a blank canvas. God sees a finished work of art.

We see coal. God sees a refined diamond.

We see problems. God sees solutions.

We see failures. God sees potential.

We see an end. God sees a new beginning.

Yes, you can see yourself in His eyes, just like Stella saw herself in mine. But to do so, you need to get really close.

“Come close to God, and God will come close to you” (James 4:8 NLT).