Without Him

Today is the day to focus on the One thing that we need most in life – it’s Jesus!

We need food, water, health, strength, protection, peace of mind, warm shelter…and on it goes but the thing we need most is a personal relationship with God’s Son.

 “I am the way, the truth, and the life!” Jesus answered. ‘Without me, no one can go to the Father. If you had really known me, you would have known the Father. But from now on, you do know him, and you have seen him.’” John 14:6-7 CEV

Our daily lives are completed when we put our faith and trust in Him. A relationship with Jesus isn’t just so we go to heaven when we die; it’s so much more than that. Jesus came to give us life to its fullest.

 A thief comes only to rob, kill, and destroy. I came so everyone would have life, and have it fully.” John 10:10 CEV

Our heavenly Father doesn’t want us living in stress and fear; He has ordained a great life for our earthly existence.

“I will bless you with a future filled with hope—a future of success, not of suffering. 12 You will turn back to me and ask for help, and I will answer your prayers.” Jeremiah 29:11-12 CEV

 I tell you not to worry about your life. Don’t worry about having something to eat, drink, or wear. Isn’t life more than food or clothing? 26 Look at the birds in the sky! They don’t plant or harvest. They don’t even store grain in barns. Yet your Father in heaven takes care of them. Aren’t you worth much more than birds?… Don’t worry and ask yourselves, “Will we have anything to eat? Will we have anything to drink? Will we have any clothes to wear?” 32 Only people who don’t know God are always worrying about such things. Your Father in heaven knows you need all of these. 33 But more than anything else, put God’s work first and do what he wants. Then the other things will be yours as well.” Matthew 6:25-33 CEV

In Christ, we have been given everything we need and more. We don’t need to worry about life! Christ has made us complete, whole, sound, transformed.

 I say this because all of God lives in Christ fully, even in his life on earth. 10 And because you belong to Christ you are complete, having everything you need. Christ is ruler over every other power and authority.” Colossians 2:9-10 ERV

It’s time to stop with the worry, the strife, the anxiety. It’s time to recognize that He has made us complete. He cares and provides for the birds and we are much more important to Him than they are. He is our Father and He lovingly and graciously provides for every need in our lives.

As I started writing this, there was a song in my heart, “Without Him”.

“Without him, I could do nothing
Without him, I’d surely fail
Without him, I would be drifting
Like a ship without a sail

Jesus
Oh Jesus
Do you know him today?
Do not turn him away
Oh Jesus
Oh Jesus
Without him, how lost I would be

Without him, I would be dying
Without him, I’d be enslaved
Without him, life would be hopeless
But with Jesus, thank God I’m saved”

Without Him life is hopeless, With Him life is complete!

Be – Attitudes

Did you ever notice that one of the biggest adversaries we face is our own attitude?

We start out planning to have a good day and then life happens. We spill coffee on our new blouse; the dog knocks over our favorite plant, we get stuck in traffic, and the news, oh the news.

Things can spiral out of control quickly and it’s all being ruled by our attitudes.

Shortly after Jesus met up with Peter, James, John and Andrew on the seashore and they left their nets, He began His life of ministry. People were touched and miracles happened.

“Jesus went all over Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the good news about God’s kingdom. He also healed every kind of disease and sickness... 24Some of them had a lot of demons in them, others were thought to be crazy, and still others could not walk. But Jesus healed them all. 25 Large crowds followed Jesus from Galilee and the region around the ten cities known as Decapolis…” Matthew 4:23-25 CEV

People came by droves to see the miracle worker.

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on the side of a mountain and sat down. Jesus’ disciples gathered around him, and he taught them:

God blesses those people who depend only on him. They belong to the kingdom of heaven!
God blesses those people who grieve. They will find comfort!
God blesses those people who are humble. The earth will belong to them!
God blesses those people who want to obey him more than to eat or drink. They will be given what they want!
God blesses those people who are merciful. They will be treated with mercy!
God blesses those people whose hearts are pure. They will see him!
God blesses those people who make peace. They will be called his children!
10 God blesses those people who are treated badly for doing right. They belong to the kingdom of heaven.

11  God will bless you when people insult you, mistreat you, and tell all kinds of evil lies about you because of me. 12  Be happy and excited! You will have a great reward in heaven. People did these same things to the prophets who lived long ago.” Matthew 5:1-11 CEV

This is the beginning of a message that continues for three chapters.

Jesus takes the time to meet people where they live. And the first thing He dealt with was the attitude of the heart. People in the crowd came because they were seeking answers to life’s problems; they were grieving, insulted, mistreated, dependent, hungry for a change, looking for peace.

His message to us is the same. There is not one thing that happens in our lives that He doesn’t see or know about.

“Only people who don’t know God are always worrying about such things. Your Father in heaven knows you need all of these. 33 But more than anything else, put God’s work first and do what he wants. Then the other things will be yours as well.” Matthew 6:32-33 CEV

This is all part of the message that Jesus delivered that day.

Don’t worry – God knows our needs. He wants to provide for us; He wants our attitude, our heart’s focus, to be one of trust in Him and His love. Then everything else will fall in line.

Be conscious of God’s mercy, peace, provision, loving care and then our be-attitudes will be right.