A Prayer against Shying Back and Hiding Your LightBy Kelly Balarie Bible Reading"In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." – Matthew 5:16 NIV Scripture clearly teaches that we are to shine our light before others. When our light shines, God is glorified. That's how it is supposed to work, anyway... But why does my reality often feel far different than God's truth? Why does it feel like when I shine, people hate it? I release my teaching gift; they get jealous. I tell a testimony of God's goodness; it appears that I am showing off. I go all out in my gifting; eyes glare and rarely cheer God. I stand strong in how God made me; I am seen as self-centered. I release a testimony of God's goodness in my life; it appears I am boasting. It is hard to shine bright when people don't think it looks humble. It is hard to go big for God, when you have been repeatedly taught to stay small, go low, and to stay in the hidden place. The judgment feels tangible; it crawls up one's arm. Ever been there? Have you ever felt that tangible feeling of a person's presumptions on you? Have you ever wanted to share things of God yet held back out of the fear of man? Have you ever wanted to step out in a big way yet remained hidden because you didn't want to be called "too big for your britches"? Only when we cast off man's judgment will we ever obey God's Word to shine bright! Let's dig deeper... I can't help but notice that there are two parts to Matthew 5:16: "Let your light shine before others." "That they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." In dividing these verses in to two parts, we can find freedom. Notice that we have a role, and others do too. Our sole role, in part number one, is to: "let our light shine before others." That part is a command given solely to us. In the same way, part two belongs entirely and solely to others. The hearers of our testimony, the seers of our light, are entirely and solely responsible for noticing and recognizing the good deed and for glorifying God. This part is their business, not ours. We cannot force them to do it, and we are not responsible for their actions. This scriptural calling is for them (or for us when others shine brightly). What does this mean for us as we shine? Just because others aren't doing their part doesn't mean we shouldn't do ours. We must still shine! This is freeing. Why? Other people's sins should not block our obedience to God. We should still proclaim His Word if our gift is teaching. We should still set our tables beautifully if our gift is hospitality. We should still tell His truth if we are teachers. We should still tell that testimony if He showed up in an awe-inspiring way. We should still be bold in our personality if that is how He made us. In this, we personally take responsibility to guard our hearts against pride, self-absorption, and wrong motives; it is not the hearer's job to judge us or to set us straight; the hearer's job is to glorify God. Only when we step out of fear of man will we shine bright God's testimony. Only when we release the beauty of how God made us will others get the chance to release the glory of God through their praise. Let's give them the chance to do this. We are responsible to shine; they are called to give God glory. Let's meet God in doing our part! Let's pray: Father, it is scary to shine my light bright. It feels like I am too much. I am afraid I am taking up too much space. Everything in me tells me that I am making things all about me. But, Father, will you heal these fears? The truth is that I have more fear of man than fear of God. I don't want to hold back or step back from letting you shine. I want you to get all the glory. I want your story to be made known. I want people to be encouraged by the good things you are doing. In this world that doesn't see you, let me be like a city on a hill.In Jesus' mighty name. Amen. Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/kieferpix Kelly uplifts believers with boosts of faith; be encouraged weekly by getting Kelly's blog posts by email. Kelly, a cheerleader of faith, is a blogger, national speaker, and author of Take Every Thought Captive, Rest Now, Battle Ready, and Fear Fighting. Kelly loves seeing the power of prayer in action. She loves seeing the expression on women's faces when they realize – their God is faithful! Kelly's work has been featured on The Today Show, CBN's 700 Club, Relevant and Today's Christian Woman.  Related Resource: Remember God’s Enduring Love for You in this Guided Meditation on Psalm 100! This guided Christian meditation from Psalm 100 will help you experience and praise God for his unending love for you. Become aware of God's presence with you, and praise God for his loyal and enduring love from the beginning of time and into the future. Listen to every episode of the So Much More Podcast on LifeAudio.com, or subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode! Now that you’ve prayed, are you in need of someone to pray for YOU? Click the button below! Visit iBelieve.com for more inspiring prayer content. The post A Prayer against Shying Back and Hiding Your Light – Your Daily Prayer – August 27 appeared first on GodUpdates.

August 27, 2024 Prioritizing Our People and Our ProjectsKAREN EHMAN Lee en español "Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others." Philippians 2:4 (AMP) I settled on the front porch with my iced tea and my laptop, hoping to make the task at hand more pleasant: renewing my driver's license online. Just then, my phone began to buzz with a text from a friend who wanted to talk. I had a decision to make. Would I stop my task to call this person? Since I knew the conversation might run long, I decided I'd call when my online work was finished. We all have obligations and people in our lives that need our attention - it's a balancing act that won't ever go away. So how do we navigate spending time on both our work and our humans? The letter of Philippians is full of advice for living in harmony with others by humbly emulating Jesus. The writer of the letter, Paul, urges, "Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others" (Philippians 2:4). It is a simple sentence yet a significant truth. The verse doesn't say to look out only for the interests of others, neglecting our own needs. Nor does it say to watch out only for ourselves and ignore the needs of those around us. Paul used the Greek word skopeó, translated as "look out for," which means "to keep an eye on, to consider, to contemplate or to scrutinize carefully and then act." When it comes to our tasks, activities and daily responsibilities, we do well to keep a watchful eye on them to make sure they get done. However, we can also mindfully observe the relationships in our lives, knowing there are times when others need us and when we need them. Think of wearing bifocal glasses: Sometimes you look far away at what's happening in the distance, but other times you focus on what is right before you. Similarly, we can toggle our focus between our people and our projects. What does this look like? Maybe we put our phone in "do not disturb" mode when we are at work, allowing messages from family only and returning texts and calls to others later. Maybe we teach our kids that when we have an important online meeting, we'll have the door shut, and they are only to knock in case of emergency. On the flip side, when we hear that our widowed neighbor needs help weeding her yard, perhaps we ditch our plans for an afternoon of shopping and help her instead. God empowers us to love our people well without neglecting the duties He has called us to perform. May we love others deeply and perform our work diligently, trusting God to help us creatively find the bandwidth to do both. Lord, please give me the wisdom and energy both to love my people well and to do my work with excellence, giving You all the glory as I do. In Jesus' Name, Amen. OUR FAVORITE THINGS If you'd enjoy a resource that will help you with both your relationships and your responsibilities, grab Karen's new book, coauthored with Ruth Schwenk: The Love Your Life Project: 40 Days to Prioritize Your Passions, Cultivate Productive Habits, and Refuel with Times of Rest. For a biblical, guided journey toward living your priorities and loving your life, check out the book here. When we're in an uncomfortable or unfamiliar season, we're often left wondering, Why am I in this place? What is God trying to teach me? Where is He leading me? Friend, we understand. That's why we created our new First 5 study guide, Where Do I Belong? Finding Our True Home Through the Study of Exile in the Bible, to help you gain a biblical perspective as you navigate questions just like these. And as an added bonus ... When you purchase your study guide, you can go even deeper with six bonus videos and discussion questions. Get your copy, and we'll start studying together on September 9! ENGAGE To celebrate the release of The Love Your Life Project: 40 Days to Prioritize Your Passions, Cultivate Productive Habits, and Refuel with Times of Rest, Karen is giving away a bundle of organizational and Bible-study tools along with some other treats. Head to her Instagram for details. FOR DEEPER STUDY Psalm 37:5, "Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act ..." (CSB). What about your relationships and your responsibilities this week do you need to commit to the Lord, trusting that He knows best and will act? Using Philippians 2:4 as a springboard, craft a prayer about looking out for the interests of others while you also tend to the interests of your own life. Ask the Father to grant you discernment for how to respond when the needs of people and projects seem to clash. We'd love to hear from you! Share your thoughts in the comments. © 2024 by Karen Ehman. All rights reserved. Proverbs 31 MinistriesP.O. Box 3189 Matthews, NC 28106 www.Proverbs31.org The post Prioritizing Our People and Our Projects – Encouragement for Today – August 27, 2024 appeared first on GodUpdates.

What it Means to Give Your Life for Christ August 27 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God-this is your true and proper worship. – Romans 12:1 The chaplain walked in and saw the soldier lying on the bed. The news was bad. His leg had been terribly injured and had to be amputated. Now, it was up to the chaplain to break the news to the wounded soldier. "Son," the chaplain spoke as the drowsy soldier opened his eyes, "you've lost your leg in a great cause. You'll never walk again. I'm sorry." The soldier's parched lips opened as he struggled to make the words come out, "I didn't lose my leg. I gave it." When we enter eternity, we'll either be known as people who lost our lives, or gave them for a greater cause. And the key factor in how we'll be remembered isn't necessarily our means of departure (we don't have to be martyred to give our lives), but it's how we live every day. If you want to give your life to a greater cause – live for that cause right now. And of course, there's no greater cause, nor a greater King, than Jesus Christ. Live daily for Him and give your life for the sake of His Kingdom! Prayer Challenge Pray and ask God to help you live for Christ daily and give your life for the sake of the gospel. Questions for Thought When you think about those who've given their lives for Christ, what comes to mind? How can you begin giving your whole life for Christ today? Visit the Senior Living Ministries website The post What it Means to Give Your Life for Christ – Senior Living – August 27 appeared first on GodUpdates.

A Prayer against Shying Back and Hiding Your LightBy Kelly Balarie Bible Reading"In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." – Matthew 5:16 NIV Scripture clearly teaches that we are to shine our light before others. When our light shines, God is glorified. That's how it is supposed to work, anyway... But why does my reality often feel far different than God's truth? Why does it feel like when I shine, people hate it? I release my teaching gift; they get jealous. I tell a testimony of God's goodness; it appears that I am showing off. I go all out in my gifting; eyes glare and rarely cheer God. I stand strong in how God made me; I am seen as self-centered. I release a testimony of God's goodness in my life; it appears I am boasting. It is hard to shine bright when people don't think it looks humble. It is hard to go big for God, when you have been repeatedly taught to stay small, go low, and to stay in the hidden place. The judgment feels tangible; it crawls up one's arm. Ever been there? Have you ever felt that tangible feeling of a person's presumptions on you? Have you ever wanted to share things of God yet held back out of the fear of man? Have you ever wanted to step out in a big way yet remained hidden because you didn't want to be called "too big for your britches"? Only when we cast off man's judgment will we ever obey God's Word to shine bright! Let's dig deeper... I can't help but notice that there are two parts to Matthew 5:16: "Let your light shine before others." "That they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." In dividing these verses in to two parts, we can find freedom. Notice that we have a role, and others do too. Our sole role, in part number one, is to: "let our light shine before others." That part is a command given solely to us. In the same way, part two belongs entirely and solely to others. The hearers of our testimony, the seers of our light, are entirely and solely responsible for noticing and recognizing the good deed and for glorifying God. This part is their business, not ours. We cannot force them to do it, and we are not responsible for their actions. This scriptural calling is for them (or for us when others shine brightly). What does this mean for us as we shine? Just because others aren't doing their part doesn't mean we shouldn't do ours. We must still shine! This is freeing. Why? Other people's sins should not block our obedience to God. We should still proclaim His Word if our gift is teaching. We should still set our tables beautifully if our gift is hospitality. We should still tell His truth if we are teachers. We should still tell that testimony if He showed up in an awe-inspiring way. We should still be bold in our personality if that is how He made us. In this, we personally take responsibility to guard our hearts against pride, self-absorption, and wrong motives; it is not the hearer's job to judge us or to set us straight; the hearer's job is to glorify God. Only when we step out of fear of man will we shine bright God's testimony. Only when we release the beauty of how God made us will others get the chance to release the glory of God through their praise. Let's give them the chance to do this. We are responsible to shine; they are called to give God glory. Let's meet God in doing our part! Let's pray: Father, it is scary to shine my light bright. It feels like I am too much. I am afraid I am taking up too much space. Everything in me tells me that I am making things all about me. But, Father, will you heal these fears? The truth is that I have more fear of man than fear of God. I don't want to hold back or step back from letting you shine. I want you to get all the glory. I want your story to be made known. I want people to be encouraged by the good things you are doing. In this world that doesn't see you, let me be like a city on a hill.In Jesus' mighty name. Amen. Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/kieferpix Kelly uplifts believers with boosts of faith; be encouraged weekly by getting Kelly's blog posts by email. Kelly, a cheerleader of faith, is a blogger, national speaker, and author of Take Every Thought Captive, Rest Now, Battle Ready, and Fear Fighting. Kelly loves seeing the power of prayer in action. She loves seeing the expression on women's faces when they realize – their God is faithful! Kelly's work has been featured on The Today Show, CBN's 700 Club, Relevant and Today's Christian Woman.  Related Resource: Remember God’s Enduring Love for You in this Guided Meditation on Psalm 100! This guided Christian meditation from Psalm 100 will help you experience and praise God for his unending love for you. Become aware of God's presence with you, and praise God for his loyal and enduring love from the beginning of time and into the future. Listen to every episode of the So Much More Podcast on LifeAudio.com, or subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode! Now that you’ve prayed, are you in need of someone to pray for YOU? Click the button below! Visit iBelieve.com for more inspiring prayer content. The post A Prayer against Shying Back and Hiding Your Light – Your Daily Prayer – August 27 appeared first on GodUpdates.

August 27, 2024 Prioritizing Our People and Our ProjectsKAREN EHMAN Lee en español "Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others." Philippians 2:4 (AMP) I settled on the front porch with my iced tea and my laptop, hoping to make the task at hand more pleasant: renewing my driver's license online. Just then, my phone began to buzz with a text from a friend who wanted to talk. I had a decision to make. Would I stop my task to call this person? Since I knew the conversation might run long, I decided I'd call when my online work was finished. We all have obligations and people in our lives that need our attention - it's a balancing act that won't ever go away. So how do we navigate spending time on both our work and our humans? The letter of Philippians is full of advice for living in harmony with others by humbly emulating Jesus. The writer of the letter, Paul, urges, "Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others" (Philippians 2:4). It is a simple sentence yet a significant truth. The verse doesn't say to look out only for the interests of others, neglecting our own needs. Nor does it say to watch out only for ourselves and ignore the needs of those around us. Paul used the Greek word skopeó, translated as "look out for," which means "to keep an eye on, to consider, to contemplate or to scrutinize carefully and then act." When it comes to our tasks, activities and daily responsibilities, we do well to keep a watchful eye on them to make sure they get done. However, we can also mindfully observe the relationships in our lives, knowing there are times when others need us and when we need them. Think of wearing bifocal glasses: Sometimes you look far away at what's happening in the distance, but other times you focus on what is right before you. Similarly, we can toggle our focus between our people and our projects. What does this look like? Maybe we put our phone in "do not disturb" mode when we are at work, allowing messages from family only and returning texts and calls to others later. Maybe we teach our kids that when we have an important online meeting, we'll have the door shut, and they are only to knock in case of emergency. On the flip side, when we hear that our widowed neighbor needs help weeding her yard, perhaps we ditch our plans for an afternoon of shopping and help her instead. God empowers us to love our people well without neglecting the duties He has called us to perform. May we love others deeply and perform our work diligently, trusting God to help us creatively find the bandwidth to do both. Lord, please give me the wisdom and energy both to love my people well and to do my work with excellence, giving You all the glory as I do. In Jesus' Name, Amen. OUR FAVORITE THINGS If you'd enjoy a resource that will help you with both your relationships and your responsibilities, grab Karen's new book, coauthored with Ruth Schwenk: The Love Your Life Project: 40 Days to Prioritize Your Passions, Cultivate Productive Habits, and Refuel with Times of Rest. For a biblical, guided journey toward living your priorities and loving your life, check out the book here. When we're in an uncomfortable or unfamiliar season, we're often left wondering, Why am I in this place? What is God trying to teach me? Where is He leading me? Friend, we understand. That's why we created our new First 5 study guide, Where Do I Belong? Finding Our True Home Through the Study of Exile in the Bible, to help you gain a biblical perspective as you navigate questions just like these. And as an added bonus ... When you purchase your study guide, you can go even deeper with six bonus videos and discussion questions. Get your copy, and we'll start studying together on September 9! ENGAGE To celebrate the release of The Love Your Life Project: 40 Days to Prioritize Your Passions, Cultivate Productive Habits, and Refuel with Times of Rest, Karen is giving away a bundle of organizational and Bible-study tools along with some other treats. Head to her Instagram for details. FOR DEEPER STUDY Psalm 37:5, "Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act ..." (CSB). What about your relationships and your responsibilities this week do you need to commit to the Lord, trusting that He knows best and will act? Using Philippians 2:4 as a springboard, craft a prayer about looking out for the interests of others while you also tend to the interests of your own life. Ask the Father to grant you discernment for how to respond when the needs of people and projects seem to clash. We'd love to hear from you! Share your thoughts in the comments. © 2024 by Karen Ehman. All rights reserved. Proverbs 31 MinistriesP.O. Box 3189 Matthews, NC 28106 www.Proverbs31.org The post Prioritizing Our People and Our Projects – Encouragement for Today – August 27, 2024 appeared first on GodUpdates.

1569 - Pope Pius names Cosimo I de Medici as grand duke of Tuscany 1828 - Uruguay gains independence during Brazil-Argentina peace talks 1902 - US National Championship Men's Tennis, Newport, RI: Defending champion William Larned beats Englishman R.F. Doherty 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, 8-6 1932 - 200,000 English textile workers strike 1955 - Sandy Koufax fans 14 Reds, both teams combine for record 23 strikeouts 1965 - The Beatles spend an evening with Elvis Presley, at his Los Angeles, California home 1979 - Warrenpoint ambush: 18 British Army soldiers killed when Provisional IRA explode two roadside bombs as a British convoy passes Narrow Water Castle 2004 - German kayaker Birgit Fischer wins gold in K-4 500m and silver in K-2 500m in Athens; first woman in any sport to win gold medals at 6 different Olympics, gold 24 years apart, and 1st person to win 2 or more medals in 5 different Games 2013 - "Gravity", directed and co-written by Alfonso Cuarón and starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney premieres at the Venice Film Festival 2015 - Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos names top Supreme Court judge, Vassiliki Thanou caretaker Prime Minister - Greece's 1st female Prime Minister More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1942 - Cuba declares war on Germany, Japan and Italy 1972 - Operation Lion's Den: US Navy bombards Haiphong Harbor, North Vietnam from the sea, firing over 700 rounds in 33 minutes 1979 - Warrenpoint ambush: 18 British Army soldiers killed when Provisional IRA explode two roadside bombs as a British convoy passes Narrow Water Castle 1988 - Dodger Tommy Lasorda wins 1,000th game as manager tops Philadelphia, 4-2 2004 - Timothy Mack vaults an Olympic record 5.95m to win the pole vault gold medal from fellow American Toby Stevenson (5.90m) at the Athens Olympics 2015 - Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos names top Supreme Court judge, Vassiliki Thanou caretaker Prime Minister - Greece's 1st female Prime Minister More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1665 - John Hervey, 1st Earl of Bristol, English politician, born in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk (d. 1751) 1871 - Theodore Dreiser, American novelist (Sister Carie, American Tragedy), born in Terre Haute, Indiana (d. 1945) 1911 - Kathleen "Kay" Walsh, British actress (The Horse's Mouth, Oliver Twist), born in Chelsea, London, England (d. 2005) 1941 - Cesária Évora, Cape Verdean Grammy Award-winning morna singer (Voz d'Amor), known as "the Barefoot Diva", born in Mindelo, Cape Verde (d. 2011) 1959 - Juan Fernando Cobo, Colombian artist, born in Cali, Colombia (d. 2024) 1972 - The Great Khali [Dalip Singh], Indian-born American professional wrestler (WWE), born in Dhiraina, Himachal Pradesh, India More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1521 - Josquin Des Prez, French composer, dies between 66 and 71 [birthdate uncertain] 1963 - W. E. B. Du Bois, American civil rights activist, writer (Souls of Black Folk) and co-founder of the NAACP, dies in Accra, Ghana, at 95 1980 - Douglas Kenney, American humorist (co-founded the magazine National Lampoon), dies at 33 1987 - Scott La Rock [Sterling], American hip-hop DJ (Boogie Down Productions), shot to death at 25 1991 - Vince Taylor [Brian Holden], British rock and roll singer (Brand New Cadillac), dies of lung cancer at 52 2023 - Pat Corrales, American baseball catcher (Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds, SD Padres) and manager (Texas Rangers, Philadelphia Phillies, Cleveland Indians), dies at 82 More Famous Deaths »

Producer and engineer Eddie Kramer looks back on his association with the great Jimi Hendrix