Many people in today’s world are concerned with what they can get and what they can acquire. That same attitude has also crept into the church. People go to God for what they can get. As long as He continually gives to them, they serve Him. But, if the going gets a little rough, they quit serving God. There is no commitment.
People go to church for what they can obtain. As long as they believe that the minister is giving them The Word that they like, everything is okay. As long as the church does not require anything from them, they are happy. If the music ministers to them, they are pleased. It is what gives them pleasure not how they can give to others. It is not how can we serve or bless the church, but what can we get.
The next thing we see is that people look to people around them for what they can acquire from them. How can this person benefit our lives? We have become a very selfish society. Instead of looking for what we can get, we need to ask ourselves what can we give.
It is time for an attitude change. What can we give back to society? What can we offer to God? What can we give to the church? What can we provide or bestow to those around us? How can we be a benefit to those we meet? In what ways can we use our talents, abilities, time, and treasure? We are blessed in so many ways. How are we perpetuating those blessings?
Our lives grow as we give. We increase as we give. Giving is a living thing, it continues and spreads. Giving is a fruit with many seeds in it. How does giving spread from one person to the next person? As you reach out and touch others, your lives will never be the same. Giving will not only bring blessing to you but also blessing to others. II Corinthians 9:9 “As it is written, He [the benevolent person] scatters abroad; He gives to the poor; His deeds of justice and goodness and kindness and benevolence will go on and endure forever!” Amplified Bible The more we give, the more we are enriched and the more we have to give. We need to realize that it is God who gives us seed to sow and then in turn increases us as we give, so we can continually give.
Copyright @February2025 Carol Wright/Oasis Worship Center
Society counsels’ people to “look out for themselves”. Paul points out we need to get our eyes off of ourselves and start helping others, building them up. It is by serving and helping others we will find fulfillment and happiness. We are not called to tear each other down but build each other up.
Romans 15:2 (AMP) “Let each one of us make it a practice to please (make happy) his neighbor for his good and for his true welfare, to edify him [to strengthen him and build him up spiritually].” This is a challenge to put others first. Paul later wrote much the same thing in Philippians 2:3–4: “Do nothing from factional motives [through contentiousness, strife, selfishness, or for unworthy ends] or prompted by conceit and empty arrogance. Instead, in the true spirit of humility (lowliness of mind) let each regard the others as better than and superior to himself [thinking more highly of one another than you do of yourselves]. Let each of you esteem and look upon and be concerned for not [merely] his own interests, but also each for the interests of others.” Just as we are concerned for self, we should be concerned for others.
Copyright @February2025 Carol Wright/Oasis Worship Center
Love is the key to all our relationships and walk with the Lord. All people need love, support, and patience. As believers, we should never give up on individuals. With love, support, and patience, anybody can completely turn their lives around, the answer is Jesus. We are to be the light and give hope and love.
The question is how can I encourage and bless others? We should ask the Holy Spirit to lead us in touching those we love (family), individuals we work with, together attending church, and others who come across our path. Romans 13:8-10 (NKJV) “Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” We cannot say we have loved enough because love is a permanent obligation. We are to love the people we meet and deal with every day. We are all called to love, be patient, kind, etc.
Copyright @January 2025 Carol Wright/Oasis Worship Center
We can appear to be fine and have it all together, but our foundation is revealed in the storms of life. Just hearing the Word of God is not sufficient to provide us with a strong stable foundation. It is necessary that we also are doers of God’s Word. We need to consider the foundation we are building in our lives. Every time we hear the Word we have a choice to do it or not do it.
The foundation of a building determines the ability of the structure to withstand the elements whether they be rain or winds etc. John 7:24-27 (AMP) “So everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts upon them [obeying them] will be like a sensible (prudent, practical, wise) man who built his house upon the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not do them will be like a stupid (foolish) man who built his house upon the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great and complete was the fall of it.” The foundation of the rock represents the truth of the Word of God which we must let transform our lives by adhering to it.
Copyright @January 2025 Carol Wright/Oasis Worship Center
How will we press on toward the mark of the high calling? How will we prosper, flourish, and succeed as believers? It starts with the Word of God and prayer (our fellowship with the Lord.) James 1:22-24 (AMP) “But be doers of the Word [obey the message], and not merely listeners to it, betraying yourselves [into deception by reasoning contrary to the Truth]. For if anyone only listens to the Word without obeying it and being a doer of it, he is like a man who looks carefully at his [own] natural face in a mirror; For he thoughtfully observes himself and then goes off and promptly forgets what he was like.”
We need to hold to Jesus's teachings, and then we will know the truth. The truth can set us free if we apply it, doers of the Word. We cannot just hear the Word; we must do the Word. We deceive ourselves when we just hear the Word of God and then do not do the Word of God.
Spurgeon wrote, “I fear we have many such in all congregations; admiring hearers, affectionate hearers, attached hearers, but all the while unblest hearers because they are not doers of the word.”
Copyright @January 2025 Carol Wright/Oasis Worship Center
What is the source of strength for us believers? What gives stability? It is the grace of God. Our strength and ability lie in God’s grace as we trust Him, not in actions of will-power, or any of our self-efforts or what we believe is our ability. We need grace daily. So, we must rely on the Holy Spirit to give us grace. We should ask daily for the grace that we need for that day. Grace God’s enabling ability.
II Corinthians 12:9 (AMP) “But He said to me, My grace (My favor and loving-kindness and mercy) is enough for you [sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully]; for My strength and power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and show themselves most effective in [your] weakness. Therefore, I will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses and infirmities, that the strength and power of Christ (the Messiah) may rest (yes, may pitch a tent over and dwell) upon me!” The Message Bible states II Corinthians 12:9 “My grace is enough; it’s all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness.” When we understand that we are incapable of what is needed, God’s grace will operate for us. God’s grace is available all of the time. In 2025, we can thrive in God’s grace.
Copyright @January 2025 Carol Wright/Oasis Worship Center