Knowing what He would endure, He came anyway to rescue and reconcile us to our Heavenly Father. He is the greatest gift we will ever know.

Because of this Gift, I walk as a free man; free from the bondage of sin and death. I’m no longer a slave to sin and fear, I am now a child of God; joint heirs with Christ. What have I done to earn this gift? Nothing. For it is a gift of amazing grace that my Heavenly Father has bestowed on me that I may know, be reconciled, and glorify Him.

Reflection

Enjoy yourself fully today making memories with your family, but Make sure to take time to remember the greatest gift ever given. Reflect on your life without Him and the state you were in; that you may praise Him fully for who He is, the work He has done, and the victory that was won!

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we praise you with all of our heart for the greatest gift we have ever received in Your Son, Jesus. He has transferred us from darkness to light and from death to life. Let our hearts never cease to be filled with joy and Our lips with praise. For this is good news and great joy that a Savior was born for all people including us. Thank you for loving us and having an amazing plan for our salvation. In Jesus’ name we pray and praise, Amen!

It may be the loss of a loved one, a current battle with cancer, a prodigal son or daughter. In any event, the struggle is real. If we focus on the struggle, we will only see the struggle and negative. If the struggle is long term, this can lead to prolonged periods of grief and even depression.

So what’s the solution? Focus on what brings joy. Scripture is clear that what is being revealed to us, is greater than the struggle. So much so, that the trials are not worthy to be compared.

I’ve been in a place where I didn’t want to get out of bed. Everything seemed horrible and not worth doing. I hung the labels of failure on myself regularly. Friend, this is not God’s design. When we are in that place we need more Jesus time. We need to take every extra moment and dive into His word and worship at His feet. We need to surround ourselves with people doing that same thing.

When we see who God is, what He has done, and what He wants to do through us, it transforms our thinking and reshapes our definition of love. We can no longer fit into a depressive shell. Though our situation may be grievous, remember, our Lord has conquered even death!

Reflection

Where are your eyes fixed right now? Your situation or on Christ and His finished work?

Are you spending quality time with Jesus daily? (Jesus:The Word – John1:1-14)

Who around you at church or in your community has true joy and could help you on your journey? If you can’t think of anyone, intensify your search until you find someone.

Prayer

Father, for Your have purposed our joy to be full in Christ. Open blinded eyes to see and set the captives free. May all those who read this be overwhelmed by the joy we have in Christ. Lift them from the dark place and let them be filled with Your loving light. May it be said of them and may they truly believe that their trials are not worthy to be compared to the joy that is being revealed to them in Jesus, Amen!

This worked well until I was introduced to God’s standard. Suddenly, I was no longer a superstar. Instead, I couldn’t measure up, as hard as I tried. It all came to a head as I listened to the gospel being shared when I was 15yrs old. My world crashed and I realized clearly that I needed Christ so I surrendered my life to Him. 

If our standard goes no further than ourselves, we will falsely think we are good.  We can see a clear picture of our heart,who we are, and our need of Jesus, only when we view ourselves in light of God’s law.  It’s part of His plan for us to see that we come up empty. We must see our need for His wonderful Savior.  Only then can we receive Christ who does measure up and meet every standard.  For His heart is pure and His righteousness is excellent!

Reflection

Who/what standard do you compare yourself to?

If the answer is self or others, your standard isn’t high enough.  God has given us the standard of His law in His word.  

In what ways have you or are you currently trying to measure up to His standard in your own strength?

Can you see that you are left lacking?  Do you see your need for a Savior?

Rejoice out loud for what Christ has done!

Prayer

Father, Your standard is Holy and righteous; perfection at its finest. For though we cannot achieve it, Jesus perfectly satisfied every part by His finished work at the cross.  We rejoice that You have made a way for us to enter into relationship with You!  Moreover, you have made us Your sons and daughters!  We have the Holy Spirit living in us testifying to our adoption!  Our lips will never cease praising You in the name of Christ, Amen!

When we are found and rescued by Christ, our greatest need has been met for all eternity.  Is this not greater than the perceived lack of any of those areas?  Paul was a man who experienced great abundance and accolades and yet had also endured hardship and persecution.  What was his secret to contentment?  Focusing on His greatest need being met in Christ. We ought to do the same. 

When Jesus is in this rightful place and our hearts are content in Him, we are at peace. Yes the light bill still needs to be paid, the car still needs new tires, but our hearts are filled with joy that surpasses any need. May you be found filled with that joy today!

Reflection

What are you most content with?

What if Christ was really the #1 object of your affection and source of contentment? How would your life be different?

Prayer

Father, we are so easily distracted by the physical realm. Open our eyes to see the amazing eternal gift in Christ.  May our hearts be filled to overflowing with joy in every area of our lives. Let us be content above all else in Jesus.  Give us this day our daily bread that it may not distract our worship but expand it all the more.  We trust in you and love you LORD!  We lift this to You in Jesus’ name, Amen!

It can; however, lead to Spiritual blindness. We can get so wrapped up in our knowledge and self dependence that we deny the One who gave us the ability to learn.  We can pursue truth to the extreme and miss the ultimate truth altogether. 
I spent years being the straight A student, mastering every topic in my path. God is not a topic to be mastered, but instead, a relationship to be enjoyed.  Knowing God is not the same as knowledge of him 

Reflection

In what ways have you pursued knowledge of God instead of knowing Him. Reset you pursuit to knowing and enjoying Him starting today

Prayer

Father we confess that we have treated you like a topic to be mastered at times.  Help us not to exchange knowing You for the knowledge of You.  May Your love abound in us as we carry out the good works you You prepared for us to walk in. 

There is One that has demonstrated love beyond what the human heart can even grasp. Knowing full well my sin, He chose to die willingly on a cross in my place, making me right with God.  There are not enough words to express my gratitude for such a selfless act of love! 

Reflection

Today is typically a day where we think of roses, candy, and paper cards exchanging hands and we call it love.  Let’s take a few moments today and enjoy the true gift of love we have been given in Christ.  He is love that knows no boundaries and never gives up.  He has the power to rescue us from the darkest of places and establish us as children of light. This is love!
May this Valentine’s Day be filled with the true love of Christ!

Prayer

Revive our hearts and renew our minds I. The truth of Your love. Let it control our every thought; that our actions may be pleasing in Your sight. Teach us to love like You love us!  In Jesus’ name, Amen!

Paul came to realize that the real blessing isn’t the gift itself, but the knowledge and confidence that what God faithfully provides through Jesus is enough to get him through no matter the physical need or circumstances.  God’s provision in Christ cannot be compared with the physical needs we have in any moment, yet God in His great mercy chooses to meet those as well. 

What and amazingly merciful God we have that is able to patiently teach us this truth.  Most of us rarely go without anything. Some of us know what it is to scrounge for a meal.  All of us have been given everything we need in Christ. This provision is greater than any other found in the physical realm.  Let us not miss the fullness of the phrase:

I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength ~ Philippians 4:13

Reflection

For which is greater;  to learn to be completely content and strengthened in Christ or temporarily  satisfy our physical needs?  We must master the demands of our flesh and put them in their proper place.  When we do, we see the real provision God has given us through His Son Christ and we ovegrflow with joy in all circumstances. 

Am I content with what God has apportioned to me?

What needs distract you from seeing what God is providing for you in Christ Jesus?

Ask yourself, “Do I really believe that I have all I need in Christ?”

Prayer

Heavenly Father and Great provider, You seek to show me my heart’s deepest need and are teaching me that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.  Your provision in Christ is all I need. Write that truth upon my heart with your permanent marker of Love. May Your truth be the fuel of every thought and may our response be lips filled with praise.  We lift all of this in stour Son, Jesus, Amen!

Let’s face it, there are days where you feel like life is about to swallow you up.  No matter how positive you try to make your attitude, every attempt seems to be met with failure.  You might even feel like things are better for a moment and then reality strikes. 

David was no stranger to this feeling.  He could have justified how he didn’t deserve the Saul’s unrelenting plots to kill him. Afterall, he was the rightful king chosen and anointed by God to rule over God’s people. Instead, he cried out to God. He placed his trust in His Father in heaven to come to his rescue. 

What are you facing today?  Chronic pain? Enemies that are giants? Emotional distress?  Cry out to God. Our Father in heaven will hear your cry and will answer you just as He answered David. He is faithful to walk with you in fire and in rain.  You will not be overtaken nor overcome!

#truthtalk4life #knowlivespeaktruthinlove

@brianfriedlf

THROUGH Him tells me he is a hands on creator with intimate and unlimited knowledge of His creation. The amazing part of this is that in having all of that knowledge, even of our sin, He still wants to have a relationship with us. He was still willing to be sin Himself to rescue us and reconcile us to our Father in heaven. What love!!!

With all the messages bombarding us about living for ourselves sometimes it’s hard to grasp and live out the FOR Him part. If I was created for Him, it means that my life is not my own but was created to surrender to the One who rescued me from sin and death to do with as He pleases. Surrender all today and live for Him!   #capturedandloved

I marvel at the perfect plan of God that gives us free will and yet at the same time demonstrates His sovereignty over every cell in the universe.  Not even death escapes His Lordship.  Praise God-For we have all clearly seen that if God is for us who can be against us!!!

#truthtalk4life #knowlivespeaktruthinlove

@brianfriedl

I’m not against work or giving it everything I have. In fact I have believed for a long time that I could accomplish anything I put my mind and hands to.  This was my coping mechanism for  the rest of my life’s problems and my solution to all of them.  I was in fact a workaholic.  My answer to everything was to work harder.  I would watch Rocky intentionally so I could press on with what I was facing.  After that shot in the arm, I could go back in the trenches and hit it again.  But it always wore off. 

This method seemed to work most days, but not all.  When I was made aware that I had sinned against God, it’s no surprise that my first reaction was to try harder, but Even Rocky couldn’t solve this one. When it happened again, I turned my focus up another notch, and another and yet had the same result.  I had to figure out how to up my game in this battle.  

Eventually, after wearing myself, my mind, and my ego to the point of surrender, I was able to comprehend God’s provision for me through Jesus.  It was His finished work at the cross that rescued me.  My work was not enough. It was not possible in my own strength to fix my sin problem.  When I came to terms with that truth, not only was there an answer to my sin problem, there was a new relationship in my life that brought freedom.  

It’s amazing to me how much time I wasted because I had no understanding the first 3 words of this verse.  

“For with God, nothing shall be impossible” ~ Luke 1:37. 

 I had the second half down but it’s no longer truth when you drop the first part.   Don’t waste your time as I did.  Let go of the “I am the solution” mindset for a moment and see what God has done for you.  Invite Him to be your Lord today and you too will have the victory and freedom you desire.  Those three words change everything!

#truthtalk4life #knowlivespeaktruthinlove

Make sure to like, comment and share to get this encouragement to as many people as possible.  Use the hashtags above so we can see the lives of those that are being impacted.  Thank you!
@brianfriedl