Faith, Hope, and Love: a life application devotional by Kay Cameron from I Corinthians 13:12-13

We are never sure about why things happen to us. But we can be sure of this, people are watching how we react to our circumstances. While we are Christ-followers, we are also human. So, when we fall down, we have to get back up again and keep on going. This is what Jesus did as He carried His cross to Calvary. And then someone helped Him to carry it. That is what friends and church family do: they see you in a difficult-to-deal-with situation, and they not only encourage you, sometimes they help you carry your burdens. God sends those people into our lives for a purpose.

When we look in a mirror, we see our own reflections. When people look at us, they need to see Christ reflected. If someone sees me handling a problem in a way that glorifies God, and that person gets saved, then the problem in my life was actually not a problem at all--it was a way to show Jesus to someone without opening my mouth. And if someone is seen helping me carry the problem, then the world will see love in action, won't it?

Faith to persevere, hope that there are better things ahead, and love to carry us through. That's what life with Christ is all about.

from 1 Corinthians 13 (Life Application Study Bible)

12"For now we see things imperfectly as in a poor mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God knows me now. 13 There are three things that will endure--faith, hope, and love---and the greatest of these is love.

What do you see when you see me.....blogpost by Tammy Konneker

What do you see when you see me? Few of us go through life wondering how we are perceived by those around us. I've thought alot about that lately, as my pastor reminds me that people see how we handle adversity in our lives....people are watching those of us that call ourselves Christ followers. What will we do when our world is turned upside down by circumstances that are beyond our control? What do we become when we are hurt or insulted by someone around us? What does our day to day life say of our love and devotion to a God that sent his son to take away my sin and your sin. I choose joy! I choose to praise God in the good and in the bad. Job said in Job 6:10 "then I would still have this consolation-my joy in unrelenting pain-that I had not denied the words of the Holy One."

I want to show in and through my life that no matter what this world throws at me that I never gave up on the promises God has given me. Promises of life.....everlasting life. Promises of prosperity....oh, not in what the world sees as prosperity....but that my life was prosperous, that the way I lived my life made positive and impactful changes in those around me. That just as Solomon had asked God for wisdom in 1 Kings 3:9.....not for wealth, nor for revenge upon his enemies but for wisdom to do the right things and make wise decisions...God granted Solomon with his request. I don't need wealth....I need wisdom. I don't need health.....I need strength to persevere under poor health. I don't need recognized.....I need to know that God is recognized through me.

When I look in that mirror....I see what most people see. I see my past mistakes, I see my past pain, I see someone broken but rebuilt by the grace of God. I see someone that has totally surrendered to God and said "your will be done in my life" and I live day to day knowing that his will is the only thing I need to prevail in this life until I join him in eternal life. For what we see in our reflection is far from what God see's in our reflection. He see's the potential that he's given to us, he see's the love that we so often fail to show, he see's goodness and grace. Perhaps its time we start to see ourselves as God see's us....perfect and pleasing in His eye.

Fire Insurance--a life application devotional by Kay Cameron from John 10:4

There are some people I know who would tell you that they accepted Jesus as their Savior simply out of fear, the fear of hell and what it would be like. To them, Jesus was their "fire insurance". Once they had that insurance, they felt spiritually secure. Many dutifully sit in church on Sunday and try to do what is right in God's sight. They think that by following His laws and going to church on Sunday they are fulfilling their part of the salvation covenant with God.

Yes, God wants you to follow His path. Yes, God wants you to fellowship with other believers. But more than that, He wants a daily relationship with you. He wants you to talk to Him, and He wants to talk to you. He wants to spend time with you, and you want to spend time with Him. This relationship will change you daily. You will become a pruned vine, bearing much fruit. You will be like refined gold. You will be molded by the Potter into a vessel for His purposes.

It's not just about the fire insurance. It's about relationship, getting to know the nature of God. We may never know Him as well as He knows us, but we have a wonderful chance to experience life with Him at our sides. What a ride!
God and man converse continuously throughout the Bible. And God still talks to us today. Listen!

John 10:4
And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.

KJV