Light & Momentary Troubles: Slacking in Service

How much time do you dedicate to serving others?  Is serving your community and people in need important to you?  Did you know that God expects us to care about people in need?  If we say we love God, but we see a person in need and have no pity on them, how can the love of God be in us (1 John 3:17)?  We are to soften our hearts and open our hands to help the poor (Deuteronomy 15:7-8,10-11).  Service is a demonstration of love, and it is through our actions that we show this love (1 John 3:18).  We are instructed to serve one another humbly by loving our neighbors as ourselves (Galatians 5:13-14).  We serve God when we feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, and provide clothes to those in need, because whatever we do for the least of these, we do for Him (Matthew 25:35-40).

So here is your task: schedule a volunteer hour on your calendar in the next month.  Community service doesn't always have to be formal, but if you are unsure about where to start, try searching Volunteer Match or contacting your local United Way.  Remember, people in need don't always live in a homeless shelter or panhandle on a street corner; rather, people in need are sometimes the same people we see each day on the bus, at work, and in our neighborhoods.

MEMORY VERSE: The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor (Proverbs 22:9)

Light & Momentary Troubles: Protection from Harm

Do you believe in angels?  Did you know that they protect us from the daily "near close experiences?  Last week, for example, the wind blew a flame from a sterno under a serving tray and caught fire to the cardigan I was wearing.  The fire quickly traveled upward to my armpit and before I knew it, the flame was taller than me.  I could feel the heat from the flame on my face.  I somehow managed to remove the cardigan before any part of my body caught fire.  The nurse who examined me was surprised by my unscathed body; she was surprised that my eyelashes and eyebrows weren't singed, and that the shirt I was wearing under my cardigan didn't catch fire.  We often try to impose natural reasons to explain supernatural protection, when a natural reason really doesn't fit.  The Bible says no harm or disaster will come near us because God sends His angels concerning us (Psalm 91:10).  Just before danger strikes, we are lifted up by angels (verse 12).  So the next time you hear yourself saying, "that was close," remember that God's angels are guarding us in all of our ways (verse 11).

MEMORY VERSE: The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him (Psalm 34:7)

Light & Momentary Troubles: The Influence of your Friends

Have you noticed that the the number of friends you have now are fewer than the number you had 5 years ago?  10 years ago?  The circle you had in college probably isn't nearly as wide as it is now, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing.  Our friends have a huge influence in our lives.  One of my favorite examples of the influence of friends from the bible is the story in Luke 5 (verses 17-20) when Jesus heals a paralyzed man.  As Jesus was teaching in a house one day, the paralyzed man's friends tried to carry him into the house on a mat.  The house was too full for them to enter, so the man's friends proceeded to carry him atop the house and lowered him through the roof just to get him closer to Jesus.  But here's the wonderful part to the story: Jesus healed the man not because of his own faith, but because of the faith of HIS FRIENDS!  I don't know about you, but I want to surround myself with people whose faith is so strong that my own healing can come from it.  The bible says two are better than one, and you should surround yourself with people who will help you up when you fall down, keep you warm when you're alone, and defend you when it is important (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12).  There is no better time than the present to examine your friendships - you deserve the best.

MEMORY VERSE: A friend loves at all times (Proverbs 17:17)

Light & Momentary Troubles: I Put my Foot in my Mouth!

People often say they admire someone who speaks his or her mind.  But is that really a quality to admire?  The thoughts in our minds don't always need to come out of our mouths.  The bible says that even a fool who holds his tongue and keeps silent is wise and discerning (Proverbs 17::28).  We risk putting our "foot in our mouth" when we fail to practice verbal restraint.  It is far more admirable to consider how your words may offend people than to always want to get the last word in.

MEMORY VERSE: Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech (1 Peter 3:10)

Light & Momentary Troubles: Afraid of the Storms

I'll be the first to admit that I am guilty of freaking out over the proverbial storms in my life.  The moment I hear the rumbling of thunder, I retreat.  Sound familiar?  In Matthew 8:26 when a storm came upon the lake, Jesus asked the disciples: why are you so afraid?  In the natural world, tornadoes occur abruptly with little or no warning, and even in shelter we're not completely safe from their wrath.  Tornadoes have notorious reputations and we fear them because of the risk of serious injury or catastrophic devastation.  When tornadoes enter your life, do you automatically fear the worse?  Perhaps we should take the advice of disaster experts who concur that planning and preparing ahead can greatly reduce your risk for injury during a major storm.  Planning ahead means spending daily time in prayer and scripture well before the skies turn black and the wind speed accelerates.  By doing so, we greatly reduce our risk for serious injury or catastrophic devastation!  Tap into your spiritual resources when a storm arrives, and take refuge by seeking shelter in the Lord (Psalm 61:4).

MEMORY VERSE: When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever. (Proverbs 10:25)