Balance does not happen by accident; it is intentional. It takes practice and effort. Paul lists three things critical for balance. The first is humility. To be balanced, one must be humble and not arrogant. The second characteristic Paul mentions is long-suffering. The word used in this text references patience that never gives up. It is steadfast and consistent. Next, Paul says to before bearing in love. We have to encourage and pick each other up. The final characteristic of balance is the unity of spirit. Our world tells us to find peace; Jesus tells us to make peace. Choosing to have peace can change the world around us. Our world does not value balance, especially spiritual balance. We must choose balance in our lives.

Balance does not happen by accident; it is intentional. It takes practice and effort. Paul lists three things critical for balance. The first is humility. To be balanced, one must be humble and not arrogant. The second characteristic Paul mentions is long-suffering. The word used in this text references patience that never gives up. It is steadfast and consistent. Next, Paul says to before bearing in love. We have to encourage and pick each other up. The final characteristic of balance is the unity of spirit. Our world tells us to find peace; Jesus tells us to make peace. Choosing to have peace can change the world around us. Our world does not value balance, especially spiritual balance. We must choose balance in our lives.

Luke 12 is a chapter of warnings. Jesus was talking to educated people, and they were experts in the law and God’s covenant with man. Despite all they supposedly knew, they missed the true identity and nature of Jesus. He tells them that they understand the weather signs but that they have missed the signs and evidence of His ministry.

The King James says time, but in the Message Translation, Jesus asks how they can miss the change in the season. There is a difference between time and season. Time is a segment of the chronological sequence of life, and it has a beginning, and it will have an end. We can measure and quantify time in minutes, days, and years. The word in Greek that Jesus uses refers to a season. A season is a segment of the time continuum set apart by God for something unique. God has planned for us the things that occur in the seasons, not in the days, weeks, and months. Seasons are a time for accomplishment and opportunities. These learned men could predict the weather, but they could not see the fulfillment of prophecy in the Messiah standing right before them.

How could these men who were experts in the law and prophecy be blind to what God was doing right before them? The answer is in Jesus’ opening statement to them. He called them hypocrites. In that one word, He revealed why they missed what they had been waiting on for so long. The word hypocrite that Jesus used means the accepter of faces. It literally means that they were looking at the surface of the things around them. What a shallow way to live. They needed to get their eyes off of what they could see in the natural world and look for the supernatural. It is a dangerous and discouraging thing to live by sight. The bible says we do not live by sight; we live by faith.

Understanding the season is critical. Each season has a purpose. Some seasons are for preparation, some are for planting, and others are for reaping. If we try to reap in the wrong season, we waste our efforts and frustrate ourselves.

Some seasons of life bring trouble and pain. In every season of adversity, there is a lesson or reason that God has ordained. We must learn to discern these lessons and reasons and allow God to have His way. The only way to do that is to get our eyes off the surface and look for the more profound, spiritual thing.

Luke 12 is a chapter of warnings. Jesus was talking to educated people, and they were experts in the law and God’s covenant with man. Despite all they supposedly knew, they missed the true identity and nature of Jesus. He tells them that they understand the weather signs but that they have missed the signs and evidence of His ministry.

The King James says time, but in the Message Translation, Jesus asks how they can miss the change in the season. There is a difference between time and season. Time is a segment of the chronological sequence of life, and it has a beginning, and it will have an end. We can measure and quantify time in minutes, days, and years. The word in Greek that Jesus uses refers to a season. A season is a segment of the time continuum set apart by God for something unique. God has planned for us the things that occur in the seasons, not in the days, weeks, and months. Seasons are a time for accomplishment and opportunities. These learned men could predict the weather, but they could not see the fulfillment of prophecy in the Messiah standing right before them.

How could these men who were experts in the law and prophecy be blind to what God was doing right before them? The answer is in Jesus’ opening statement to them. He called them hypocrites. In that one word, He revealed why they missed what they had been waiting on for so long. The word hypocrite that Jesus used means the accepter of faces. It literally means that they were looking at the surface of the things around them. What a shallow way to live. They needed to get their eyes off of what they could see in the natural world and look for the supernatural. It is a dangerous and discouraging thing to live by sight. The bible says we do not live by sight; we live by faith.

Understanding the season is critical. Each season has a purpose. Some seasons are for preparation, some are for planting, and others are for reaping. If we try to reap in the wrong season, we waste our efforts and frustrate ourselves.

Some seasons of life bring trouble and pain. In every season of adversity, there is a lesson or reason that God has ordained. We must learn to discern these lessons and reasons and allow God to have His way. The only way to do that is to get our eyes off the surface and look for the more profound, spiritual thing.

Luke 12 is a chapter of warnings. Jesus was talking to educated people, and they were experts in the law and God’s covenant with man. Despite all they supposedly knew, they missed the true identity and nature of Jesus. He tells them that they understand the weather signs but that they have missed the signs and evidence of His ministry.

The King James says time, but in the Message Translation, Jesus asks how they can miss the change in the season. There is a difference between time and season. Time is a segment of the chronological sequence of life, and it has a beginning, and it will have an end. We can measure and quantify time in minutes, days, and years. The word in Greek that Jesus uses refers to a season. A season is a segment of the time continuum set apart by God for something unique. God has planned for us the things that occur in the seasons, not in the days, weeks, and months. Seasons are a time for accomplishment and opportunities. These learned men could predict the weather, but they could not see the fulfillment of prophecy in the Messiah standing right before them.

How could these men who were experts in the law and prophecy be blind to what God was doing right before them? The answer is in Jesus’ opening statement to them. He called them hypocrites. In that one word, He revealed why they missed what they had been waiting on for so long. The word hypocrite that Jesus used means the accepter of faces. It literally means that they were looking at the surface of the things around them. What a shallow way to live. They needed to get their eyes off of what they could see in the natural world and look for the supernatural. It is a dangerous and discouraging thing to live by sight. The bible says we do not live by sight; we live by faith.

Understanding the season is critical. Each season has a purpose. Some seasons are for preparation, some are for planting, and others are for reaping. If we try to reap in the wrong season, we waste our efforts and frustrate ourselves.

Some seasons of life bring trouble and pain. In every season of adversity, there is a lesson or reason that God has ordained. We must learn to discern these lessons and reasons and allow God to have His way. The only way to do that is to get our eyes off the surface and look for the more profound, spiritual thing.

Every new year brings the expectation and hope for new beginnings. There is something about standing a the beginning of the new year that causes us to look forward expectantly. That forward-looking is essential. The pages of the new year are clean and ready for us to begin a new story. How do we start from this blank page and write a better story? The secret is not the blank page, but the had that writes the story. The story will not change if the hand that writes the story is burdened by the same doubts, fears, and past failures. Most New Year resolutions fall flat because they are written by the same hand that is holding on to past junk and failures. Paul helps us to understand in our text from Romans. The first word is buried. Paul says we are buried with Him into baptism unto death. When some people come to God, they feel sorry for what they have done, but they only kick a little dirt over it. The new-birth experience involves burying stuff. We bury things that are dead. If we do not kill it and bury it, it will trouble us again. We need to bury attitudes, mindsets, hates, hurts, and fears. If we are to write a better story, we have to bury these things until they are dead. When we bury things, we then have the opportunity to rise up above those things and leave them behind. Secondly, Paul tells us to rise to a new way of life. When we rise, we can walk a new and better life because we have buried those things that caused us to fail in the past. Finally, Paul talks about the newness of life. Newness can only happen when we put bad things aside and adopt a new way of living, thinking, and reacting to life. If we genuinely want to write a new story, we must make ourselves a new man for a new year.

Every new year brings the expectation and hope for new beginnings. There is something about standing a the beginning of the new year that causes us to look forward expectantly. That forward-looking is essential. The pages of the new year are clean and ready for us to begin a new story. How do we start from this blank page and write a better story? The secret is not the blank page, but the had that writes the story. The story will not change if the hand that writes the story is burdened by the same doubts, fears, and past failures. Most New Year resolutions fall flat because they are written by the same hand that is holding on to past junk and failures. Paul helps us to understand in our text from Romans. The first word is buried. Paul says we are buried with Him into baptism unto death. When some people come to God, they feel sorry for what they have done, but they only kick a little dirt over it. The new-birth experience involves burying stuff. We bury things that are dead. If we do not kill it and bury it, it will trouble us again. We need to bury attitudes, mindsets, hates, hurts, and fears. If we are to write a better story, we have to bury these things until they are dead. When we bury things, we then have the opportunity to rise up above those things and leave them behind. Secondly, Paul tells us to rise to a new way of life. When we rise, we can walk a new and better life because we have buried those things that caused us to fail in the past. Finally, Paul talks about the newness of life. Newness can only happen when we put bad things aside and adopt a new way of living, thinking, and reacting to life. If we genuinely want to write a new story, we must make ourselves a new man for a new year.

Every new year brings the expectation and hope for new beginnings. There is something about standing a the beginning of the new year that causes us to look forward expectantly. That forward-looking is essential. The pages of the new year are clean and ready for us to begin a new story. How do we start from this blank page and write a better story? The secret is not the blank page, but the had that writes the story. The story will not change if the hand that writes the story is burdened by the same doubts, fears, and past failures. Most New Year resolutions fall flat because they are written by the same hand that is holding on to past junk and failures. Paul helps us to understand in our text from Romans. The first word is buried. Paul says we are buried with Him into baptism unto death. When some people come to God, they feel sorry for what they have done, but they only kick a little dirt over it. The new-birth experience involves burying stuff. We bury things that are dead. If we do not kill it and bury it, it will trouble us again. We need to bury attitudes, mindsets, hates, hurts, and fears. If we are to write a better story, we have to bury these things until they are dead. When we bury things, we then have the opportunity to rise up above those things and leave them behind. Secondly, Paul tells us to rise to a new way of life. When we rise, we can walk a new and better life because we have buried those things that caused us to fail in the past. Finally, Paul talks about the newness of life. Newness can only happen when we put bad things aside and adopt a new way of living, thinking, and reacting to life. If we genuinely want to write a new story, we must make ourselves a new man for a new year.

Jigsaw puzzles are a popular activity for many people. One of the big disappointments for people who enjoy completing puzzles is when a piece is missing. For these people, that missing piece makes the entire effort seem incomplete. Some who like puzzles hold onto one piece until the very end to complete the picture. It must feel this way for God too. He watches our lives come together and fall into place, but He gets to hold onto that final piece to complete the picture.

We read the parable about the woman with the ten pieces of silver who could only find nine. The bible says she lit lamps and swept her house until she found the missing piece. She would have no peace while that one piece was missing. Many people lead good lives, but they are missing parts of the picture. Some have lost pieces over the years, but do not even realize that they have lost it. How sad would it be to get to the end and only to find we are missing the last piece of the puzzle. We have to find the missing peace.

Jigsaw puzzles are a popular activity for many people. One of the big disappointments for people who enjoy completing puzzles is when a piece is missing. For these people, that missing piece makes the entire effort seem incomplete. Some who like puzzles hold onto one piece until the very end to complete the picture. It must feel this way for God too. He watches our lives come together and fall into place, but He gets to hold onto that final piece to complete the picture.

We read the parable about the woman with the ten pieces of silver who could only find nine. The bible says she lit lamps and swept her house until she found the missing piece. She would have no peace while that one piece was missing. Many people lead good lives, but they are missing parts of the picture. Some have lost pieces over the years, but do not even realize that they have lost it. How sad would it be to get to the end and only to find we are missing the last piece of the puzzle. We have to find the missing peace.