Article by Dr. Les Hollon, Pastor, Trinity Baptist Church
The Lord leads us through each day of each season of life. Are we following His lead? His
leadership quality as shepherd is not in question. Our follow-ship is.
Jesus, the Good Shepherd, explained, “Come and follow me and I will make you …” Daily we are shaped by how we follow Christ. What happens when we follow?
▪ We see the Christ connection in each person (Matt. 25:42-45);
▪ We bless the children and become Christlike; (Matt. 19:13-15);
▪ Our character is characterized by the Beatitudes (Matt. 5:1-11);
▪ We gather with people in His name and know that He is in the midst (Matt:18:20);
▪ We love each other as He loves us (John 13:34-35);
▪ We know how to live by “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6);
▪ Our lifestyle helps seekers to become believers and believers to become disciples (Matt. 28:19);
▪ Our light of good works shines before people in a way that they see the Father as the source (Matt. 5:16);
▪ We live in the humble confidence that Christ will not abandon us but is with us “always, even to the end of the age.” (Matt. 11:28-30, 28:20).
For what are you aiming in your life?
When you wake up in the morning, you aim your body to get out of bed. When riding your bicycle or driving your car, you aim your steering to your point of destination. When writing a letter, you address it to whom you are sending the message. Aimless is not our direction.
God calls us to action through His righteousness. When living your one life on earth, you want to aim yourself in the ways of God so He will lead you through the trials & triumphs on earth and into our everlasting home of Heaven.
Aim your life to God’s leadership and He will guide you into paths of purpose.
Following the Shepherd with you,
Pastor Les
“I have to learn that the aim in life is God’s, not mine. God is using me from His great personal standpoint, and all He asks of me is that I trust Him, and never say — Lord, this gives me such heart-ache…. He simply asks me to have implicit faith in Himself and in His goodness.”
-Oswald Chambers, “My Utmost For His Highest”
This article was written by Les Hollon, Pastor of Trinity Baptist Church. For more information about how God works in your life, or to contact Dr. Hollon, click over to Trinity Baptist Church.
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God promises to meet all your needs…
“And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:19 (NIV)
Article by Dr. Les Hollon, Pastor, Trinity Baptist Church
Stewardship is naming, claiming, and responding to God’s leadership.
Stewardship is being
aware of and becoming a part of what God is doing.
To name the graciousness of God we must be aware of His grace.
Stewardship is being faithful partners to what God provides.
To claim the blessings of God is to respond responsibly by our attitude and actions. There are clear stewardship applications in Psalm 23.
Basic Truths from Psalm 23:4 are:
1. Everyone walks through threatening valleys.
2. We can and are to walk with God in every season of life. God will teach us what we need to know when we need to know it.
3. Everyone faces the certainty that dying is part of our future.
4. God is with us. God does not abandon us.
5. Trusting God during life’s difficulties gives us the strength & wisdom needed for us to get through the valley.
6. We are to be aware of dangers, of evil, and fears tempting us to exchange faithfulness for fearfulness.
7. The “rod & staff” represents God’s skillfulness as the Shepherd to shepherd us through the valley.
8. We need to learn faith skills in following the Shepherd’s lead.
9. In the midst of dangers, God wants us to be comforted, confident, and content in His presence. But we are never to be complacent.
Walking the valley with you,
Pastor Les
“No man is excluded from calling upon God, the gate of salvation is set open unto all men: neither is there any other thing which keepeth us back from entering in, save only our own unbelief.”
-John Calvin
This article was written by Les Hollon, Pastor of Trinity Baptist Church. For more information about how God works in your life, or to contact Dr. Hollon, click over to Trinity Baptist Church.
If you liked this article, please share it on del.icio.us, StumbleUpon or Digg. Thanks!
God promises to give strength, whatever the financial situation…
“I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need.”
Philippians 4:12-13 (NLT)
Article By Kevin L. DeWitt
“… thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself …”
Leviticus 19:18
I have not been very good at living the Golden Rule for a good part of my life. However, this is one of the areas in my life I have been thinking a lot about lately and one I want to improve upon. That’s partly why the title reads “Practicing” as opposed to something that may imply having mastered it … it’s always a work in progress.
While putting the Golden Rule to work in our everyday lives will help to make others happy, the simple truth is that it will make me happier as well. Apply the Golden Rule in all of your interactions with others, help your neighbors, treat your family with kindness, help your co-workers, help a stranger in need.
These actions will help the people around you … however I believe people will treat you better too. Just as importantly, you will find a growing satisfaction in yourself, a belief in yourself, a knowledge that you are a good person. Not that living the Golden Rule requires a benefit or payoff … but these are not small dividends. They are large dividends. Read More »
