Pride of Life

“Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.”

~Matthew 11:28-30

Life can become a burden that weighs us down with worry and stress as we try to take care of everything that needs taking care of, but that’s not how the Lord would have us go through life. We carry our burdens like badges of honor, whether it’s our physical ailments, having to care for others, lack of money to pay bills, or whatever it may be. We choose to allow those things to weigh us down rather than choosing to cast our burdens on the Lord and rest in Him.

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you (1 Peter 5:6-7).”

Choosing to carry our burdens comes out of pride. It’s as simple as that. We think carrying our burdens, wearing them for the world to see, talking about how they weigh us down shows how strong we are, how we endure, and what a selfless life we live but it doesn’t. It is nothing more than the pride of life that leads to arrogance, ostentation, pride in self, presumption, and boasting. It is a negative part of who we are as humans and it is in total opposition to God. Carrying those burdens is what people who don’t know the Lord does; as Christians, we are to follow Christ’s example and there is no place in the Bible where Jesus chewed His fingernails worrying about what the day would bring. Humble yourselves and cast your cares on the Lord. You cannot go with God if you keep allowing the world to drag you down.

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:4-7).”

Read 3 John

©2018 Marie McGaha

Chasing The Wind

“Yet when I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended to accomplish it, behold, it all was futile and chasing after the wind. There was nothing to be gained under the sun.”

~Ecclesiastes 2:11

Solomon was the richest king to have lived, not only that, he was upright before the Lord and had great wisdom. But when it came to the end of his life, he knew that everything he had on earth, everything he had done, was “futile” and useless as “chasing the wind.” I think we all want to leave something behind so that we will be remembered, and there’s nothing wrong with leaving an inheritance for our children, in fact, it’s biblical (Proverbs 13:22). While it might be nice to leave an inheritance such as a life insurance policy, the family business or a home, our legacy should be something far more important than monetary value.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in or steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also (Matthew 6:19-21).”

What we pursue, whether good or bad, our children learn what is most important to us. When we pursue the things of the Lord, like righteousness, love, peace, and virtue, they learn those things as well, and even if they stray at some point in their lives, those things remain as their foundation and they will return to them (Proverbs 22:6). The things we leave behind for our children may be a nice for them to have, but the legacy of faith, hope and love in Jesus Christ is the most important.

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any virtue and if there is anything worthy of praise—dwell on these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—put these things into practice, and the God of peace will be with you (Philippians 4:8-9).”

Read 2 John

©2018 Marie McGaha

Doing Good

“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.  So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.”

~Galatians 6:9-10

This time of year, there is a huge push for cash donations, and often, those who are unable to give, can feel as if they aren’t helping others. However, there are others way to do good that doesn’t involve donations. Each of us has the opportunity to do good no matter where we live or what is going on in our lives. Doing good is something that has a direct effect on the lives of others and does not necessarily involve donating money or time to a charitable cause. Doing good for others can be as close as your next-door neighbor who needs a ride to the store, or a babysitter for a doctor appointment. Doing good can be as simple as listening to someone who is having a rough time, taking a meal to someone who has been ill, or helping an elderly neighbor rake leaves or shovel snow. There are many opportunities and practical ways to do good every single day that shows the love of Christ in our lives.

“Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you (Luke 6:38).”

You’ve probably heard the phrase, “You can’t out give God.” It’s absolutely true. God has given us so very much, but His giving continues in everything we do. When we give, God gives more to us, and it becomes a lovely continuous circle of giving and receiving. When we accept Christ, He pours His love into us, and we then pour out that love on others, and as we do, He pours more into us! It’s like a fountain that continues to circulate and pour forth and allows us to continue to give to others and do more and more good. So, as we go into this season of giving, remember that you have so much to give, so many ways to bless others and show the love of Christ in real, helpful ways.

“But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing (James 1:25).”

Read 1 John

©2018 Marie McGaha

Change Someone's Life

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

~Matthew 5:14-16

The above verse from the Sermon on the Mount is to all believers both then and now. We are to be a light that shines the glory of what Christ has done for us to the rest of the world. Our light is the love of Christ within us. It is there to draw others to us so we can share the joy of the Lord and tell them the Good News of Jesus Christ. We live in a world that is quite literally going to hell—a world without love, hope, or help. But as followers of Jesus, we have love, hope, joy, and peace—all the things this world longs for and can’t seem to hold on to for more than a few seconds at a time.

“Again, Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life’ (John 8:12).” 

The world around us is darkness, but in Christ, we have light. His light brings us peace and life free of the worries of this world. We don’t have to fear the future because ours is secure in Him. His light frees us from fear and worry of what might happen because our peace and security lie within the light of His glory. And once we are filled with the glory of Christ, we can’t help but shine like a beacon in the night. That light attracts others and gives us the opportunity to share what Christ has done for us. In a hurting world, you can be the light that changes someone’s life.

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? (Psalm 27:1).”

Read 2 Peter 1-3

©2018 Marie McGaha

Everlasting Life

“I will give to the Lord the thanks due to His righteousness, and I will sing praise to the Name of the Lord, the Most High.”

~Psalm 7:17

Whether we live in a mansion or apartment, city or country, have everything we could dream of, or just dream of everything we could someday have, we all have a reason to give thanks to the Lord and sing His praises. While we all have “stuff” that we are thankful for, it should not be the main reason why we give thanks or sing praises to the Lord. Our “stuff” is meaningless in the long run and will all be left here when we leave this planet. Like the psalmist, our thanks and praise is for the Lord alone, for who He is, because of His righteousness.

“The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of Heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything (Acts 17:24-25).” 

The Lord is worthy of our praise and thanksgiving for no other reason than who He is, but each of us have many reasons for being thankful—salvation and everlasting life being at the top of the list. That alone is worthy of our gratitude, but He does so much more for us. As you get ready for Thanksgiving, look around at the family coming to visit, the food being prepared, the people who are working so hard to prepare that food, the home that keeps you warm, and give thanks for those things. But as you bow your head, remember what the Lord has done, His sacrifice for our salvation and the love He has given each of us by bringing us from where we were in the darkness into His marvelous light.

“You turned my mourning into dancing. You removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy.  So my soul will sing to You and not be silent. Oh Lord my God, I will praise You forever (Psalm 30:12-13).”

Read 1 Peter 3-5

© 2018 Marie McGaha

No Matter What

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

~1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

I call these verses God’s marching orders for each of us. The will of God in Christ is for us to rejoice, pray and give thanks always and without ceasing. How many of us actually do that? From the shape of things, not many, at least not always and without ceasing. We tend to look at our circumstances and pray when we need God to lend a hand. We tend to rejoice and give thanks when God answers that prayer or handles that need. But that isn’t the way God wants us to do things. He wants us to look to Him and not our circumstances. He wants us to rejoice in every situation, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in every circumstance, which includes those we’d rather not be in.

“Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving (Colossians 2:6-7).”

When we accept Christ as our Savior, we are given an unimaginable gift of everlasting life, eternal and full of glory. As we live our lives rooted in Christ, that is, to accept the fullness of the Word of God and practice it in our daily lives, we become rooted in what Jesus teaches. From that we abound in thanksgiving that flows from our hearts onto everything else in our lives. So we can be thankful in every situation knowing that our present circumstances are of no real concern. We are subject to life’s ups and downs, just like everyone else but because of who we are in Christ Jesus, we can rejoice in all things, pray without ceasing, and give thanks no matter what our circumstances look like.

“Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ (Ephesians 5:17-21).”

Read 1 Peter 1-2

© 2018 Marie McGaha

Give Thanks

“Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into His presence with singing! Know that the Lord, He is God! It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise! Give thanks to Him; bless His name! For the Lord is good; His steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness to all generations.”

~Psalm 100

In 1621 the Pilgrims and Wampanoa Indians held the first feast that our modern-day Thanksgiving is drawn from. The Pilgrims gave thanks in prayer as part of their religious service on a daily basis, but it wasn’t until that first harvest and abundance of food that the first feast was held. Our Thanksgiving Day has evolved over the years, and we don’t necessarily celebrate Thanksgiving for the same reasons the Pilgrims did. Most of us don’t have to till the land for food, or hope we kill an animal so our kids don’t starve—we go to the grocery store where food is abundant. Most of us celebrate Thanksgiving because it’s what we do every year, and we don’t give much thought to why or for what we have to be thankful for.

“Let them thank the Lord for His steadfast love, for His wondrous works to the children of man! For He satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul He fills with good things (Psalm 107:8-9).”

We live in one of the most prosperous times in history in one of the most prosperous countries, but as Christians, we have much more to be thankful for than material belongings. We still must be thankful for the home we have, the job, car, and all of the things the world puts so much value on but being thankful for our place in Christ is the most valuable part of our who we are. Holding on to our faith, salvation, and our love for the Lord must always be more important than anything else in our lives. And what Christ did for us on the Cross at Calvary is not just worthy of our thanks on a certain day of the year, He is worthy of our praise and thanksgiving every single day of the year.

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods, for His steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for His steadfast love endures forever; to Him who alone does great wonders, for His steadfast love endures forever; to Him who by understanding made the heavens, for His steadfast love endures forever; to Him who spread out the earth above the waters, for His steadfast love endures forever; to Him who made the great lights, for His steadfast love endures forever; the sun to rule over the day, for His steadfast love endures forever; the moon and stars to rule over the night, for His steadfast love endures forever (Psalm 136:1-9).”

Read James 1-4

©2018 Marie McGaha