AwAreness: Selfish

Which interests you more—who Jesus is or what He can do for you? I’m afraid that too many of us are more concerned about what He can give us than we are about getting to know who He is. But this is nothing new—Jesus had this problem when He walked on earth. The crowds often sought Him out for what He could do for them. Even though their needs were quite often legitimate, Christ knew their motives.

There is a fine line between selfishly trying to use the Lord to get what we want and humbly coming to Him with our needs and struggles.  We must remember that our needs will come to an end, but Jesus Christ will remain forever. If our prayers have dealt only with presenting our requests to the Lord, we’ve missed a great opportunity to get to know the One with whom we’ll spend eternity.

John 6:27 – “Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”

 

AwAreness: Believe

Faith isn’t something we can lay claim to because we were born to believing parents or have citizenship in a Christian country.  Nor can we attain it by attending or even teaching Sunday school.

The following should be true of genuine believers: A clear understanding of the gospel; a definite decision at a particular point in time serves as a sort of landmark of the heart and mind. People do not just slip into Christianity, faith in Jesus must be chosen;  a blessed assurance follows the clear-cut decision so that believers can be certain of their salvation. God wants confident, assured children;  a man or woman of faith chooses to surrender to Christ, embraces the Word of God, and lives fully for the Lord.

John 3:3 – Jesus answered  and said to him: “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

AwAreness: Faith

The most precious thing we can pass down to children is our faith–the confident conviction that God is who He says and will do all He has promised.  Here are ways we, too, can hand down a rich legacy to the next generation:

Teach practical biblical principles; model character through lifestyle; serve God by serving others; intercede for them; and communicate love.  As parents, we must be intentional about leading and inspiring our sons and daughters to follow Christ. But even those without children of their own can leave a legacy.

Proverbs 3:5, 6 – Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, in the sight of God and man.

 

AwAreness: Schedule

Most of us enjoy feeling in control of our own schedule and grow frustrated when things don’t go according to plan. Yet if we truly desire to walk in the center of God’s perfect will, we must become willing to cooperate with His time frame.

Consider how you pray about situations in your life. Without realizing it, you may be demanding that God follow the schedule you’ve constructed according to your very limited human wisdom. Yet if we believe He is who He says He is, how can surrendering to His way not be to our benefit? Think about His unique, praiseworthy qualities:

1. Unlike us, the Lord has complete awareness about our world and the details of every individual life–past, present, and future.

2. God understands man’s every motive, whereas none of us are able to accurately discern people’s intentions. We make choices based on partial information, whereas He has the wisdom to take action based on truth.

3. Our Creator is always motivated by love and constantly has our best in mind.

4. At just the right time, God will provide us with everything we need to carry out His plan.

Submitting to God’s timetable requires faith and courage. Believe in the goodness of His heart and His plans–and determine to wait until He gives the signal to move forward. Then, as you follow His schedule, you’ll experience the joy of watching Him make all things beautiful in His timing.

Romans 11: 33 – Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!

AwAreness: Heart

Most people long to be understood. This is because we were created in God’s image–He also desires to be intimately understood and loved by us.  He wants us to learn how He thinks and feels, what’s important to Him, and what His purposes are.

We can better understand God’s heart and character by seeking Him and learning day by day from His Word. If we genuinely desire to walk in His ways, we must first genuinely know Him.  God wants you to seek Him with all your heart, and He promises that when you do, you will find Him.

Jeremiah 29:13 – And you will seek Me and Find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

AwAreness: Failure

We can all relate when it comes to falling short of expectations. Obedience to God is a learning process, and failure is a part of our development as humble servants. When we yield to temptation or rebel against God’s authority, we realize that sin has few rewards, and even those are fleeting.

Failure is an excellent learning tool, God doesn’t reward rebellion or wrongdoing. However, by His grace, He blesses those who choose repentance and embrace chastisement as a tool for growth.  Failure teaches believers that it is much wiser and more profitable to be obedient to the Lord. That’s a lesson we all should take to heart.

PSALM 73:26 – My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

AwAreness: Firstfruits

1 Corinthians 15: 20, 21 – But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.  For since by man came death, by Man also  came the resurrection of the dead.

Jesus is the firstfruits of all others who believe in Him.  This is an Old Testament image of the first installment of a crop which anticipates and guarantees the ultimate offering  of the whole crop.  Because Christ rose from the dead, those who are asleep in Christ have a guarantee of their own resurrection.  The first man Adam, transgressed God’s law and brought sin and death into the world; the second Man, Jesus Christ, was the perfect sacrifice to take away sin and to bring life and resurrection to those who believe in Him.