Unlimited Potential - Christ and God
Every Scene Tells a Story and Often There is A Chance for Improvement
WHAT IS THE POTENTIAL HERE?
Almost anytime the answer to the question would be obvious when looking at this land. Someone who inherited the land or even a passerby would have recognized a couple of opportunities, not just a mess; free building materials, a place to fish and hunt, grazing land for animals, perhaps a location to build and a fine view. These are solutions to situations that could be bothersome or even a danger and are not always obvious. Many people would not have given this a second thought. They would not have recognized the potentials revealed here.
In our day to day living, we all encounter situations that are not part of our regular day. They can be frightening, uninteresting, of no consequence or just a mystery. These are seldom considered opportunities offering potential. By studying our Scripture, we can find that the opportunities in our lives abound for potential to speak of Jesus. They are almost everywhere.
Remember buying your last automobile? Once you had it there seemed to be another one at every intersection, often the same color. You wondered where they had all come from. That is called visual or mental acuity - you recognize the item or event. Here there is not a problem. You have the potential to find solutions to problems even if they are unrecognizable.
You can find opportunities in almost every situation for Christian interaction. You can learn to stop just pushing things aside so that you may get through your busy day. Let’s review some of the Book now, we’ll use the Christian Standard Bible. We will learn that there is powerful potential in God’s being the center of our lives.
HERE ARE SEVERAL VESES THAT ILLUSTRATE POTENTIAL IN GOD BEING IN OUR LIVES
Genesis 40:7-8 We find Joseph while in prison encountering two fellow prisoners who looked concerned, “So he asked Pharaoh’s officers (the two prisoners), “Why do you look so sad today?” ‘We had dreams,’ they said to him, ‘but there is no one to interpret them. Then Joseph said to them, “Don’t dreams belong to God? Tell me your dreams.” The story carries on with Joseph interpreting the dreams. The important take away here is that Joseph could have gone about his business. He did not and, in the end, he benefitted greatly from being helpful. He took advantage of a potential opportunity without knowing the outcome ahead of time.
Mark 6:35-44 Here we find Jesus with thousands of people following him along the shore where he and His disciples were trying to find a place to rest. It was late in the day and Christ told his disciples to give the people food. They did an inventory amongst the crowd and found that amongst them they had five loaves of bread and two fish. An opportunity had arisen with the problem of so many to feed while they were in a deserted place. The people were instructed to sit down. “He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he blessed and broke the loaves. He kept giving them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. Everyone ate and was satisfied. They picked up twelve baskets full of pieces of bread and fish. Now those who had eaten were five thousand men.”
In normal terms that meant there were probably seven thousand people there, man, woman and child. Here we see a situation where there is a problem. Christ used this time to teach his disciples, feed the people with virtually nothing and have a bounty at the end. Jesus was helping the people as a servant then. Immediately thereafter Jesus and the disciples left.
Acts 3:11-16 In the verses just before these we see Peter and John heal a man lame from birth. People saw the man after he was healed and recognized who he was. They were amazed. “While he was holding on to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astonished, ran toward them in what is called Soloman’s Collonade. When Peter saw this, he addressed the people; ‘Fellow Israelites, why are you so amazed at this? Why do you stare at us, as though we had made him walk by our own power or godliness? The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our ancestors, has glorified his servant Jesus, whom you handed over and denied before Pilate, though he had decided to release him… By faith in his name, his name has made this man strong, whom you see and know. The faith that comes thorough Jesus has given him this perfect health in front of all of you.”
They recognized a need and, working through the power of Jesus, they brought forth a solution to the man’s issue. They were open to watch for such opportunities. It was their own new nature, their potential in God, to serve and help where they could. In acting in this manner, they Glorify the Son and the Father.
Ephesians 2:8-10 “For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift - not from works, so that no one can boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.” Any good works they do arise from opportunities to serve and live for Christ. As their former selves they would not have acted this way. Good works are the result and manifestation of their conversion into believer’s spring from their potential.
Philemon 1:11-14 In this Epistle Paul speak on behalf of Onesimus a runaway slave who was with Paul who has come to rely on the slave. He is returning Onesimus to Philemon his owner. “Once he was useless to you, but now he is useful both to you and me. I am sending my very own heart. I wanted to keep him with me in my imprisonment for the gospel he might serve me in your place. But I didn’t want to do anything without your consent, so that your good deed might not be out of obligation, but of your own free will.”
Here Paul is making sure that Philemon is cleared from any thought that he is being kind by not retrieving his slave out of a need to be helpful to Paul. Paul is working to turn a “problem” into a positive. There is no “winner” here. Paul is taking the higher ground, if you will. Kindness exposes God’s glory here.
None of these examples are extraordinary in their intent. No one is seeking anything other than Glorifying God. To Him goes all the honor. It is the duty of all of us to do the same.
Change a tire, feed a hungry family, stand with a friend at a grave … anything that is helpful, or uplifting, is an opportunity to be a servant. We follow in Christ’s footsteps when we act this way. And to do that one must pay attention. At some point these opportunities become easier to recognize. You will more easily exercise your potential to be a benefit to others.
If all you can do is be a solid prayer warrior for others, you are serving out of love. You are recognizing an opportunity/need and meeting it with a solution. We serve our Lord and Master by acting out of love: “If anyone serves me, he must follow me. Where I am, there my servant will also be. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.” John 12:26
Psalm 19:14 NKJV
“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer”
Pray Unceasingly!
Develop a Devotional Life
Psalm 145 1:1-2 “I exalt you, my God my King, and bless your name forever and ever.
I will bless you every day; I will praise your name forever and forever.”
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7 Points to Support A Solid Devotional Life
Habits dictate how we live. If, something you wish to do is not a habit, it will not remain part of your daily living; it becomes a vapor. If you do not have a devotional life, and want one, you must develop it. This lifestyle does not just happen because you have become a believer. Devotion requires a dedication in personal time and effort to praise and worship God with regularity. How may we do that consistently? The following information will help you with making devotional activity a routine part of your life.
Begin with praying that God, via the Holy Spirit, will continue to draw you nearer.
Study the devotional life of Christ: Matt 14:23-24; Mark 1:35; Luke 6;12; John 6:15 … you will find that Jesus habitually sought communication with God the Father.
Make your devotional life private - it is about you and Him only - Matthew 6:6 “But when you pray, go into your private room, shut your door, and pray to the Father who is in secret. And your Father show sees you in secret will reward you.” This is to be your private time together.
Choose the best time of day for you: Mark 1:35; Ps 5:3, 88:13 … make it fit your schedule to reduce resistance to showing up. No free time? Really, change your life, drop the phone for half an hour or get up 30minutes earlier … if you really want to do this you will commit. Prayer and worship in the car on the way to work is better than nothing of course.
Have a private place. This is repeated because it is critical. You are not putting on a show. Have a place that is off limits to others when the door is closed, or you are in an actual closet … take possession of that space. [find the movie “The War Room” … there are great examples of prayer places therein]
Gather together your bible and any devotional material you may need, like “My Utmost for His Highest,” by Oswald Chambers.
Make a plan to follow. Use a simple calendar on your phone, this does not have to be hard. When will you pray and worship, when will you read your scripture and study? Something as simple as committing to reading 10 verses a day works … be strong and know God.
To know God you must be with Him alone in conversation and adoration daily like Christ!
Galatians 6:9-10 CSB
“Let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us work for the good of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith.”
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Proverbs 3:2-8 NKJV
“Let not mercy and truth forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart, and so find favor and high esteem in the sight of God and man.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.
Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, and strength to your bones.”
All that Christ wants is all you have; for all that He has done for you. He will accept you, where you are and how you are, if you will let Him in.
GO TO THE HEADER AND CHECK OUT “GET SAVED” NOW!
9 Prayers for Children
It seems to many of us that children more than ever are being assaulted by Satan at every corner. Any child needs support from adults, not abuse or abandonment. They need to be treated with love and every kind of protection. Here some things to consider for prayer for any child.
Pray that the Holy Spirit would protect them as they go through their day.
Pray that their fears can be lowered by the presence of loving parents and friends and the knowledge of God and His son.
Pray that you as a parent can find the patience and creativity to teach and lead them.
Pray that they can be protected from Satan and his followers.
Pray for peace and harmony in their lives
Pray that you and your own prayer life will be an example for them.
Pray that the little Christian lullabies you sing to them fill their hearts with a yearning to know God.
Pray in thanksgiving for the gift children bring to us all.
Pray that you have given them enough of the Lord’s wisdom to help them make good decisions even as little ones.
Pray for children you know to receive the care, love and consideration you wanted as a child
