“For the body is not one member, but many.”– 1 Cor. 12:14

As you might expect, being a preacher I love to preach. But, what might surprise you, there is something else that I love almost as much, sometimes more! I’m not talking about a hobby. I’m talking about studying God’s word, which is essential to preaching. By the way, that isn’t natural for me. The reason I love preaching is because that’s what God called me to do, not something I chose. As Paul said, “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” ( Phil. 2:13).. Both the desire and the doing comes from God.

I mention this because that’s the way you should feel about what God has called you to do. My wife would tell you that God’s will for her life has been and is to be my helpmeet and a homemaker. And she does both extremely well. And from all appearance she loves it. She keeps going even when I beg her to stop. It isn’t God’s plan for every man to be a preacher, but God has a plan for every man. And I can tell you that we would fail as a church if everything depended on me, or you, or any other person. No one can do everything. Under the direction of the Holy Spirit, Paul likened the church to a body– the whole of which is dependent upon the function of the different members. That being the case “That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.”(1 Cor. 12:25).
 
No member of the Lord’s church should feel inferior or superior to the other members. “God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.” ( 1 Cor. 12:18). We are all different and all are important. Regardless of how God chooses to use you it should be considered a great honor and it deserves your best. There’s an old song that says, “ Do what you do do well boy… Give your love and all your heart. And do what you do do well.”. If you are doing the will of God from the heart you need never feel inferior to anyone. — HDS

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346

“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.“- Matt. 22:37-38

If God loved you as much as you love Him where would you be? Let that sink in and be honest when you answer. It’s easy to sing, “O How I Love Jesus”, or to testify, “I just love the Lord so much”, but it’s another thing to prove it. And if there’s no proof there’s no love. God proved His love by giving His own dear Son, heaven’s best, for sinful man. But where is the evidence that we love Him?

Have you ever considered what the Bible says about the evidence of love? If nothing is more important than that we dare not refuse to examine ourselves. Love for God will show itself in our worship, our work, our words, and our walk. A person’s lifestyle reflects what they think about God. Sadly, from all appearance, some don’t think much of Him.

Now, back to our question–” If God loved you as much as you love Him where would you be?”. Naturally we could never love Him as much as He loves us, but we could sure love Him more than we do. We ought to love Him as much as possible. Do we? Do you? Be honest!

God demands our love–it is the first and great commandment, and God deserves our love as well. To love Him less than we could or should is a sinful insult to God–a crime of the highest order. Yet, amazingly, He loves us still. His love is unconditional, undeserved and unending. Is that not all the more reason why we should love Him? No one ever has a reason to not love God. No one could ever do anything greater than to love God. This is the one thing that affects everything. If we fail here we have failed altogether.– HDS

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346

“He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”– Isa. 40:29-31

We all need strength. Life is tough, our enemies are many and mighty, our duties are difficult, and the flesh is frail—we need strength! Fortunately God promises and provides what we need. One of the most precious of God’s many promises is found in Isaiah 40:29-31.

In the face of our grievous problems we see God’s glorious promise and gracious provision of strength. Those who “wait upon the Lord“–submissively, prayerfully, attentively, and expectantly, “shall renew their strength“. The result is three-fold. Those who exchange their weakness for God’s strength shall:

1. “mount up with wings as eagles“. They are enabled to rise above the circumstances, do the impossible, and meet the extra-ordinary!
2. “run and not be weary”–enabled to fulfill their crucial duties, the obligations that call for diligence and haste.
3. “walk, and not faint”–enabled to bear up under the daily grind or ordinary usual things of life.

It is for this reason the famous missionary Hudson Taylor said,” God’s work, done in God’s way, by those in God’s will, never lack God’s supply”. Dear friend you might not be a famous missionary, but if you are a child of God in the will God you can rest assured that God will give you the strength to conquer your enemies, cope with your trials, and complete your duties. He who is able will enable you–so much so that you will not lack any good thing! As the storms rage around you, calm your trembling soul by resting upon His “exceeding great and precious promises”. They will not fail you!-HDS

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346