When we see opportunities to help someone, only to benefit ourselves, to get something back in return, we are saying; “I am my neighbor”. We’re only thinking about ourselves. This is not an act of kindness. We have eyes, but they only see inward.

We are to love our neighbors as ourselves. When our eyes are focused on someone else’s needs, without wanting anything in return, we show mercy, compassion, and grace towards them. We are loving our neighbor.

If you find yourself stumbling, ask yourself; “are my eyes turned outside in?”.

Am I my neighbor?

Matthew 19:19 (KJV) – honor thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

When you look at the obvious, most choices are a no-brainer. Would you rather have $10 or $100?

Ask yourself this; would you rather be a liar or poor?

It is better to be obedient to God.

Proverbs 19:22 (KJV) – the desire of a man is his kindness: and a poor man is better than a liar.

We hide behind fear because we either, don’t want to fail, believe we will fail, or worried about what others think.

What God has put in your heart to do, he has already went before you, set the stage for you, and equipped you to do it.

Do it, and expose your faith.

Deuteronomy 31:8 (KJV) – and the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.

Why do we try to make people do what we say, rather than what God wants?

Don’t jeopardize yourself with God, for man. God is greater than man.

Acts:5:29 (KJV) – then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

Job 33:12 (KJV) – behold, in this thou art not just: I will answer thee, that God is greater than man.

God has given us gifts and talents, but we don’t use them because of fear. We’d rather bury our gifts and talents, and show our fear, rather than face our fear, and show our gifts and talents.

Your gifts, your talents is what God put in you, not just for yourself, but for others. It’s your legacy, your blessing, and to bless others.

Don’t lose your gifts and talents, by not using them.

Matthew 25:18, 25, 28 (KJV) – but he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money. And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.

Most people do not fear God. Our actions say so. We fear so many other things, but not God. We do more wrong than right.

You are to fear one thing . . . and that’s God. Not to be scared of him, but to fear him out of respect for who he is, and instruction for wisdom.

Fear God enough to do right, because you love him too much to do wrong.

Deuteronomy 8:6 (KJV) – therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways and to fear him.

Proverbs 15:33 (KJV) – the fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom: and before honour is humility.

Leviticus 25:17 (KJV) – ye shall not therefore oppress one another; but thou shalt fear thy God: for I am the Lord your God.

There are so many that question God’s goodness. God is good to every one of us.

That includes you!

Psalm 145:9, 17 (KJV) – The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works. The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.

Do you have friends and family that only call you when they need something? They don’t want to spend time with you, or do for you, but only want what you can give them.

The next time you receive a call from one of them, ask yourself, “is this how I am with God?”

Philippians 2:4 (KJV) – look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

We want everything . . NOW! We don’t want the lessons, the speeches, the waiting. We just want it now.

Without patience, you miss the promise.

Hebrews 10:36 (KJV) – for ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

When someone runs a race, they try to run as fast as they can to be the first across the finish line.

When we run the race that is set before our lives, we are to run with patience, otherwise we will miss the mark, and what God is doing in our lives.

Stop trying to rush through your life as though it’s a race, but run with patience to observe all that God is doing in and through you.

Hebrews 12:1 (KJV) – wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.