Where is My Time Spent

Whatever we give our greatest time, our greatest energies, and our greatest resources to is a good indication of where our convictions lie.

“For we know, brothers loved by God, that He has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction.” – 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5a

Everyone lives a life of conviction. Whatever we give our greatest time, our greatest energies, and our greatest resources to is a good indication of where our convictions lie.
*Some live a life of conviction about sports-work-hobies.
*Some live a life of conviction around pleasure.
* Still others live a life of conviction about very little that matters at all.
**So what does MATTER??

Whenever GOD chooses to do a deep work in a life, a strong conviction is born of the Holy Spirit.
Conversions in the early Church resulted in changed lives that held to a deep, life-transforming conviction regarding what they believed and how they lived out that belief.

Paul explains that the gospel they received came not just in words, but also in power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction.

**The greater the challenges to our spiritual life, the more likely the attributes of God will stand out -as problems are solved with HIS Guidance.
*Attributes of God: All- knowing, All-Powerful, All- Present,Eternal, Faithful, Forgiving, Good, Holy, Infinite,Loving, Merciful, Patient, Righteous, Self-Existent, SElf-Sufficient, Sovereign, True and unchanging to mention a few.

In order to impact the workplace for Jesus Christ, each of us must be reflecting a faith that is demonstrated through deeply held convictions.
Are you living a life of deep conviction that spurs you on to reflect the power of Christ in your life and the lives of others?
Paul was willing to suffer great persecution for his faith in a living God. *God calls each of us to a life that is supernatural, not simply a good, moral life.
The early Church understood the role the Holy Spirit played in demonstrating this power of the gospel.
**It was this deep work that resulted in living the gospel with great conviction. If you are not living the gospel with great conviction, ask the Holy Spirit to so fill your life today that the power of His Spirit is truly reflected in your life so that you may impact others.
Eph. 3:16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.
Galatians 3:5: “Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith?”

The answer is that God supplies the Spirit by hearing with faith. That is, the Spirit moves in our lives and helps us pray and do everything else God calls us to do, not by being coerced by works, but because we are trusting God on the basis of Christ alone for this help.
We don’t work our way into the Spirit.
* We trust God that, because of Christ—because of the blood and righteousness of Christ—the Spirit comes to help us and guide us.
Romans 8:14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba,  Father.”

Agape love not only lets us be who we
really are, but it also frees the ones
we love to be fully themselves. All
our relationships will be affected when
we love like this.
“Let love be without hypocrisy.”        Romans 12:9

Paul, Silas, and Timothy were filled with joy when they heard the gospel was spreading because of the faith in Thessalonicia. (1 Thes.)
* The Gospel was spreading because of their ACTIONS.
*The Gospel was spreading because of the way the LIVED there day to day lives. ****Their lives, and actions of faith, had become the Gospel.  AMEN!
* Living out the Gospel everyday and seeing the effects on those around you is definitely “something special”(supernatural).

Embrace the one day at a time simplicity of letting the Gospel play out in your life. Stop worrying about what your “something special” is, and realize that YOU already HAVE it.

Take some time today to think of ways you can let the Gospel be more evident in your day to day activities.

*Do you have a mentor friend who can see the activity of God in your life when you cannot see it? (I am so blessed to have Laura my wife, Bruce, Step-father and mother and many of You).
* We ALL need to have somebody we can trust to help us see the activity of God.
* It is often difficult for us to see what God is really doing because we are so consumed by the circumstances of the moment.
* Ask God today to help open your spiritual eyes that you might see Him in your circumstances.
If you want to grow in your Christian life, ask God to lead you to a man or woman who is far ahead of you spiritually and simply start hanging out with them.
***As you walk alongside them:
* You will begin to catch what they have.
*You will begin appropriating the anointing that is on their lives that will mix perfectly with your unique gifting and talents.

1 Thess. 1:3 We remember before our God and Father your work produced by FAITH, your labor prompted by LOVE, and your endurance inspired by HOPE in our Lord Jesus Christ.
*Labor motivated by love is JOYOUS!
*It is Love in ACTION!

Ezra 7:10Ezra had committed himself to studying the Revelation of God, to living it, and to teaching Israel to live its truths and ways.
Ezra was an effective leader and greatly used of God because he was faithful to God’s Word:
1. He studied the Word (like the Bereans in Acts)
2. He obeyed the Word (doer, not a hearer only, as James instructs)
3. He taught the Word to others

Where am I in God’s program? I can be more faithful and diligent in all areas. I need more consistently to teach the Word to my children, Grandchildren, friends— But I also need to live it out and model obedience to them.
Lord help me always return to faithful sowing and plowing into the fundamentals of my Faith Life – Prayer, Word, Service, Holiness, etc.
Lord help us daily Come back to the Fundamentals of our lives again and ask You Lord for discipline, self-control and faithfulness in the sowing process.
Lord Point out this week another mentor You have for me so I  can Grow more in my relationship with You.
Amen