Trusting God to Shepherd us

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff,

they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

When I was in high school my youth pastor led us through a study of this psalm based upon the perspective of a shepherd. It made the passage much easier to understand but the thing I remember most is how dependent sheep our on their shepherds. If we are children of God and we trust him then we truly shall never be in want. That isn’t to say that suffering won’t be a part of our life, but that is to say that God has promised he won’t leave us, because the greatest desire of our hearts is to find our fellowship in God. His love does make us lie down in green pastures and resting in his peace can lead us to still waters, even when the whole world around us seems unsteady. He restores our soul. No matter what we have been through or what we are going through, we can trust that he is going to restore us regardless of what we walk through in this life. And even his discipline is a comfort to us. It is so hard to trust that the deep trials of this life are meant for our good because when we go through them it is hard for us to see the good that can come from the suffering that we face. Yet, we know that everything we go through in this life has passed through the sovereignty of the God who loves us unconditionally.

I often write about my own struggles with Chronic pain due to arthritis, because it has been the thorn in my side that has made me see my need for God. I recently spoke with other friends regarding the suffering they face and I realize how easy it is for me and all of us to get lost in our own struggles and forgot about the struggles of others. Life is so complicated and when we try to live Godly lives and it wears us down, and even when we desire to do good often the selfishness of our hearts comes out. Sometimes it feels like our shepherd has left us because things in life aren’t working how they should. Our health isn’t what we had hoped it would be, or relationships are more difficult than they should be or our work is constantly wearing us out and it seems like things continue to get harder as times moves on, but the truth is the reason we are so exhausted is because we aren’t finding our rest in God. I often seek God when it is really rough but then take my foot off the accelerator when things get better and it seems like a constant cycle. My deepest prayer and strongest desire is to truly depend on the Lord and not myself. The truth is the Lord is good in all his ways and if we come to him with repentant hearts he will accept us. God never stops loving us and his mercy is new every day. No matter what situation you are facing give it to him and trust him. It is hard when we want things so bad to go to the Lord with open hands and tell him that we desire his will over our will, but if we are going to thrive in this life we must do that. The Lord is a good shepherd and no matter what happens in this life he will always be there for us. Trusting in him is the only we can find the joy we seek. How I wish I would just seek him consistently as I should and how often do I make excuses for giving him half-hearted effort. Yet, the person I hurt the most when I fail to seek him and love him as I should is myself. The Lord doesn’t need us but we do need him so if we want to thrive we must surrender. I would ask that all of you would pray for me because I need it. Prayer does make a difference so if you have enjoyed these devotionals please don’t forget to lift me up in prayer. God Bless.

About the Author: I am a Birmingham attorney who has been in private practice for over six years. I have a general practice, so I get the opportunity to help serve people who find themselves in some very difficult circumstances. My e-mail is reidfirm@gmail.com. Thank you for taking the time to read this. I hope it encourages you. I always love getting thoughtful comments, so please email those to me. My website is www.reidlawalabama.com. If you know anyone who is going through a difficult situation whether it be legal or personal and they are in Birmingham area you can e-mail me at chris.reid@reidlawalabama.com. Our firm works with some excellent faith based counselors, many of whom are free or low cost. A lot of the times the legal issues people face are due to deeper underlying issues like substance abuse and other things. I have found the most effective form of treatment is getting a personally qualified counselor who helps get to the root of the issues someone is dealing with, and we will help people get connected for free (we never take a payment for referral fee for this). Again my website is www.reidlawalabama.com, which contains my contact information. God Bless.

Holiness and Happiness: A recipe for a fulfilled life

1 Sam 15:22-23

*"Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king."*

When I was a kid I remember singing a line from a hymn which

stated “trust and obey for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus… than to trust and obey”. I think modern Christianity does an excellent job teaching us about the infinite love of the father, but it often is lacking in its teaching on why we should trust and obey him. As I have gotten older I have learned that the reason that God gives us commands is not to burden us but to bless us, for in his commands are the instructions to live a joyful and fulfilled life. The Lord created us and he knows more about who we are than we ever will, which is why he desires us to trust him… not so he can rob us of pleasure but so he can reward us with peace. In the scripture above, I am reminded that Saul is not so different than we are…. We all sometimes think that what God wants from us is some grand sacrifice, but we learn in this passage what God really wants is a daily devotion to him. As an attorney, I have sadly seen my fair share of divorces, and one thing that I have seen in the marriages that work is that both parties are committed to putting their spouses needs above their own. I see a lot of bad husbands who on a daily basis ignore their wives, and then do some grand gesture every now and then to prove to them that they love them. But all the wife wanted was for the husband to be there for her and to daily show her small acts of love.

I think it is great when people do mission work or share their faiths in distant places, but the Christians I have seen who make the most difference are the ones who try to share their faith with the people in their life, and look for opportunities to love and serve others. I see younger Christians often trying to do great acts of sacrifice because they really desire to be significant ,and though I applaud and encourage them, I have seen many of them get burned out because it is so hard to maintain that level of intensity. I think all believers will get some great opportunities to share their faith and spectacular ways, but I know that what will keep believers faithful is that consistent walk with God. In the illustration I used about marriage I think it is wonderful when a man makes grand romantic gestures toward his wife, but that is only wonderful when it is coupled with a daily devotion to serving and loving her and putting her needs above his own. All of us are aware that we could be doing more to serve and love God and others, but sometimes we forget that all we need to do to begin the journey is to set aside a few minutes in prayer and in the word each day and build on that. If you don’t know where to start I recommend James because it is so practical and has so much useful teaching about what a life devoted to Christ should look like. In my own life, I have found that the times I was distant from God where the times I was “waiting” for him to do something. But faith is never passive it is always active and if we wait around until we want to seek God we never will. Pursuing God is a daily choice and sometimes we don’t feel like it, just like that good husband may not feel like pursuing his wife everyday…. But when we choose to do the right thing regardless of how we feel God often blesses us with such a deep sense of peace and joy that it makes serving others a blessing and not a burden. I challenge you to spend time in prayer this day and seek the Lord. Every great journey starts with a single step and if you will take that step the Lord will walk with you all the way.

About the Author: I am a Birmingham attorney who has been in private practice for over six years. I have a general practice, so I get the opportunity to help serve people who find themselves in some very difficult circumstances. My e-mail is reidfirm@gmail.com. Thank you for taking the time to read this. I hope it encourages you. I always love getting thoughtful comments, so please email those to me. My website is www.reidlawalabama.com. If you know anyone who is going through a difficult situation whether it be legal or personal and they are in Birmingham area you can e-mail me at chris.reid@reidlawalabama.com. Our firm works with some excellent faith based counselors, many of whom are free or low cost. A lot of the times the legal issues people face are due to deeper underlying issues like substance abuse and other things. I have found the most effective form of treatment is getting a personally qualified counselor who helps get to the root of the issues someone is dealing with, and we will help people get connected for free (we never take a payment for referral fee for this). Again my website is www.reidlawalabama.com, which contains my contact information. God Bless.

How you can achieve greatness through failure: How faith makes all things well.

*How you can achieve greatness through failure: How faith makes all things well.*

19 But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? 20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people[a] should be kept alive, as they are today.

The most difficult yet comforting thing to accept is that God is in control. Though our lives can seem disorganized and off path, we know that our detours are God’s straight lines. The life of Joseph is a perfect example of how a seemingly random string of unfortunate events brought Joseph to exactly the place God wanted him to be. He was sold into slavery by his brothers at a young age, and though this was difficult, God gave him favor in the eyes of his captor and he rose to prominence. In this position he was falsely accused of rape by an evil woman…. Though he did no wrong he was put in prison… again this was a horrible situation to be in, but God provided him favor in the eyes of the guards and he was given responsibility in handling all the affairs of the prison. Till one day, two men came into the prison and he correctly interpreted their dreams and asked them to remember him before the king so he could be released…. It was two years later before it was brought to the king’s attention, but soon after that Joseph was promoted to become the second most powerful man on the earth and was able to prevent a great famine from destroying Egypt and also save his family from starvation. Yet, I have no doubt that in those moments of darkness in jail Joseph must have wondered what the purpose was in all of this. He was a righteous man who was faithful and yet he kept getting the raw end of every deal for most of his adolescence. His plan for his own life probably was to live a quiet life as a shepherd and worship God with his family… God’s plan was different and though the path to glory was through pain I know that Joseph doesn’t regret any of it now.

Faith is tested in the prison of trial and character is what comes out of it if we surrender to God. Many of us give into bitterness and anger, but the ones who yield to spirit are made new and able to be used to do great things through the Lord. Most of us won’t ever rise to a position where we will be remembered in any history book… But there is a greatness to be attained through daily consistency that comes by depending on the spirit of God. Ultimately we must know that God doesn’t need us though he does love us… and his love is greater and more meaningful because of the fact that he has no need for us. He loves us not for who we are but because of who he is and if we understand that we can break free of the need to be “significant”. Joseph lived a faithful life and he humbled himself and was exalted… It doesn’t matter what position you are in, whether you are a great business leader or a mom trying to keep her sanity raising kids… God has you were you are for a reason and that reason is to depend on him and yield your heart to his. Once you realize the God we serve is significant and he loves us you don’t have to try to be great.. Now you still have to faithful with the time God gives you and make the most out of the opportunities he puts in front of you… But I have found that God has given me plenty of opportunities and maybe instead being angry because I don’t have more I need to be faithful with what he has given me.

Having a thankful heart, even in pain, is a great blessing and though circumstances often don’t change quickly… a surrendered heart to God can give you great perspective which will make the pain less relevant. Trial, difficulty, sorrow and pain will always be with us in this life, but if we are Christians we will also have joy, peace, patience and hope… I have found that the last four of these traits mean very little unless you have experienced the first four. So in our trials we can trust God will bring us a greater joy than we could imagine had we not suffered. I don’t know what many of you are going through and I don’t imagine that this simple explanation of God’s providence is going to radically change your life. It isn’t a good lesson or a sermon that makes a difference… it is only a surrendered heart. I cannot teach you how to do this as it is something I don’t fully understand this.. all I can say is keep praying for it and in time he will answer. And who knows, maybe the very point of your trials is so God can accomplish the saving of many lives both here and in eternity… So please don’t lose heart or give up… just yield and surrender yourself to God

About the Author: I am a Birmingham attorney who has been in private practice for over six years. I have a general practice, so I get the opportunity to help serve people who find themselves in some very difficult circumstances. My e-mail is reidfirm@gmail.com. Thank you for taking the time to read this. I hope it encourages you. I always love getting thoughtful comments, so please email those to me. My website is www.reidlawalabama.com. If you know anyone who is going through a difficult situation whether it be legal or personal and they are in Birmingham area you can e-mail me at chris.reid@reidlawalabama.com. Our firm works with some excellent faith based counselors, many of whom are free or low cost. A lot of the times the legal issues people face are due to deeper underlying issues like substance abuse and other things. I have found the most effective form of treatment is getting a personally qualified counselor who helps get to the root of the issues someone is dealing with, and we will help people get connected for free (we never take a payment for referral fee for this). Again my website is www.reidlawalabama.com, which contains my contact information. God Bless.

How you can achieve greatness through failure: How faith makes all things well.

*How you can achieve greatness through failure: How faith makes all things well.*

19 But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? 20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people[a] should be kept alive, as they are today.

The most difficult yet comforting thing to accept is that God is in control. Though our lives can seem disorganized and off path, we know that our detours are God’s straight lines. The life of Joseph is a perfect example of how a seemingly random string of unfortunate events brought Joseph to exactly the place God wanted him to be. He was sold into slavery by his brothers at a young age, and though this was difficult, God gave him favor in the eyes of his captor and he rose to prominence. In this position he was falsely accused of rape by an evil woman…. Though he did no wrong he was put in prison… again this was a horrible situation to be in, but God provided him favor in the eyes of the guards and he was given responsibility in handling all the affairs of the prison. Till one day, two men came into the prison and he correctly interpreted their dreams and asked them to remember him before the king so he could be released…. It was two years later before it was brought to the king’s attention, but soon after that Joseph was promoted to become the second most powerful man on the earth and was able to prevent a great famine from destroying Egypt and also save his family from starvation. Yet, I have no doubt that in those moments of darkness in jail Joseph must have wondered what the purpose was in all of this. He was a righteous man who was faithful and yet he kept getting the raw end of every deal for most of his adolescence. His plan for his own life probably was to live a quiet life as a shepherd and worship God with his family… God’s plan was different and though the path to glory was through pain I know that Joseph doesn’t regret any of it now.

Faith is tested in the prison of trial and character is what comes out of it if we surrender to God. Many of us give into bitterness and anger, but the ones who yield to spirit are made new and able to be used to do great things through the Lord. Most of us won’t ever rise to a position where we will be remembered in any history book… But there is a greatness to be attained through daily consistency that comes by depending on the spirit of God. Ultimately we must know that God doesn’t need us though he does love us… and his love is greater and more meaningful because of the fact that he has no need for us. He loves us not for who we are but because of who he is and if we understand that we can break free of the need to be “significant”. Joseph lived a faithful life and he humbled himself and was exalted… It doesn’t matter what position you are in, whether you are a great business leader or a mom trying to keep her sanity raising kids… God has you were you are for a reason and that reason is to depend on him and yield your heart to his. Once you realize the God we serve is significant and he loves us you don’t have to try to be great.. Now you still have to faithful with the time God gives you and make the most out of the opportunities he puts in front of you… But I have found that God has given me plenty of opportunities and maybe instead being angry because I don’t have more I need to be faithful with what he has given me.

Having a thankful heart, even in pain, is a great blessing and though circumstances often don’t change quickly… a surrendered heart to God can give you great perspective which will make the pain less relevant. Trial, difficulty, sorrow and pain will always be with us in this life, but if we are Christians we will also have joy, peace, patience and hope… I have found that the last four of these traits mean very little unless you have experienced the first four. So in our trials we can trust God will bring us a greater joy than we could imagine had we not suffered. I don’t know what many of you are going through and I don’t imagine that this simple explanation of God’s providence is going to radically change your life. It isn’t a good lesson or a sermon that makes a difference… it is only a surrendered heart. I cannot teach you how to do this as it is something I don’t fully understand this.. all I can say is keep praying for it and in time he will answer. And who knows, maybe the very point of your trials is so God can accomplish the saving of many lives both here and in eternity… So please don’t lose heart or give up… just yield and surrender yourself to God

About the Author: I am a Birmingham attorney who has been in private practice for over six years. I have a general practice, so I get the opportunity to help serve people who find themselves in some very difficult circumstances. My e-mail is reidfirm@gmail.com. Thank you for taking the time to read this. I hope it encourages you. I always love getting thoughtful comments, so please email those to me. My website is www.reidlawalabama.com. If you know anyone who is going through a difficult situation whether it be legal or personal and they are in Birmingham area you can e-mail me at chris.reid@reidlawalabama.com. Our firm works with some excellent faith based counselors, many of whom are free or low cost. A lot of the times the legal issues people face are due to deeper underlying issues like substance abuse and other things. I have found the most effective form of treatment is getting a personally qualified counselor who helps get to the root of the issues someone is dealing with, and we will help people get connected for free (we never take a payment for referral fee for this). Again my website is www.reidlawalabama.com, which contains my contact information. God Bless.

The joy in trial, understanding how God uses pain to heal us

The joy in trial, understanding how God uses pain to heal us

*John 16:33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”*

What a blessing it is to know that the Lord has overcome. When life is challenging and our world falls apart, it a wonderful assurance that no matter what we face….. we can find peace in God. As an attorney, I always want to find the answer to things and sometimes in life we just don’t have the capacity to understand why things happen the way they do. I think in our minds we have a script of how life is supposed to go and when it veers off that script we are filled with despair. Trusting the Lord means that we have to yield control of our lives to God and though we don’t always understand his purpose we can remember his goodness. God has blessed me with so many things but he has also taken away things from me that I loved, and sometimes I sin by focusing not on what he has given but what he has taken away. All of you understand on some level and it does no good to spend time condemning ourselves about things we cannot change. I have struggled with chronic pain for 10 of the last 15 years and it has been hard for me to see Gods love in it. I understand it theologically but practically on days when work is hard and relationships are difficult, being in physical pain can be overwhelming. But even in this trial God has blessed me with Good doctors and a degree of healing that has allowed me to have a full life though he has given me some limitations.

I have learned that though it is good to pray for healing it is a sin to worship it because if God allows this then it is for my good and his glory. The goal of this life isn’t for us to always be comfortable but to be devoted followers of Christ. Jesus had to take up his cross in order for us to be free and everyone has unique trials which are meant to bring them closer to God. I think we spend so much time trying to escape pain that we miss an opportunity to let it teach us something. Our bodies sometimes produce pain so that we know what things to do and what things we shouldn’t do. Pain can train us or as the Army says “pain retains”. If we love God we know that sin always produces pain and though it can temporarily give us pleasure it ultimately harms us more than we realize. Pain can be a good teacher but we must be humble and listen to what it is teaching us. It is good to remember that both pleasure and pain are temporary and God gives us both in this life. My encouragement is to not grow bitter in pain but ask the Lord to use it to draw us to him. The Lord endured pain for us and because of his pain we know that our destiny is place where pain is no more. Whatever is going on in your life God has a purpose in it, and though it is good to pray that he takes away the pain, I would ask that you pray that he uses it for his good purpose. The Lord will never give you more than you can handle and when the trials come he will be there with you. I would encourage you not just to endure but to thrive. If you can endure a trial that is a good thing but if you can find peace and joy then you truly have victory. Comfort others who are hurting and when you need comfort be open to the people God has put in your life.

About the Author: I am a Birmingham attorney who has been in private practice for over six years. I have a general practice, so I get the opportunity to help serve people who find themselves in some very difficult circumstances. My e-mail is reidfirm@gmail.com. Thank you for taking the time to read this. I hope it encourages you. I always love getting thoughtful comments, so please email those to me. My website is www.reidlawalabama.com. If you know anyone who is going through a difficult situation whether it be legal or personal and they are in Birmingham area you can e-mail me at chris.reid@reidlawalabama.com. Our firm works with some excellent faith based counselors, many of whom are free or low cost. A lot of the times the legal issues people face are due to deeper underlying issues like substance abuse and other things. I have found the most effective form of treatment is getting a personally qualified counselor who helps get to the root of the issues someone is dealing with, and we will help people get connected for free (we never take a payment for referral fee for this). Again my website is www.reidlawalabama.com, which contains my contact information. God Bless.

Should we stop trying to change the world?

Should we stop trying to change the world?

*Romans 15:5 Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, 6 that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God.*

So much time and energy is spent in Christian circles trying to

change the world…. And while many of the things we strive for our laudable, they are not of ultimate significance. God teaches that they way the world will know us is how we love each other and if our love for each other is no different from the world then they will not desire what it is that we have. Some people think the best way to change people is to lecture them on what they are doing wrong and while correction can be a good thing, it often isn’t the thing that changes people. The bible teaches that it is God’s kindness that leads us to repentance and it is only by kindness we can hope others will repent. In my own experience, I have found that the more time we spend with God the more like him we become. It is only when we have allowed God to conform us into his image that we can begin to be effective ambassadors for our faith. Many teach effective ministry strategies or ways to make arguments in defense of the faith, and while both of those things are useful they cannot be effective apart from a deep and abiding love that comes from knowing God and fellowshipping with him. We spend so much time seeking after God to get him to change things in our lives that we don’t like…. instead of asking him to conform us into his image. Transformation is always a painful process, but it always yields great results that make the pain worth it. How foolish is it for us to want the world to change when we ourselves do not want to make those painful changes that are necessary for us to grow. It is only be changing who we are that the world can change. The world is the sum of all of the people in it and when the Christians begin living lives that make a difference the entire world changes. But if we are too lazy to come to God for change than what hope is there for the rest of the world? We have access to the throne of the creator and heaven and earth and we so often neglect it for the business of this world. My friends don’t waste your time or your life because it is short and we are here today and gone tomorrow and when we go it is unlikely we will be remembered. It is only in the people we choose to love that our lives can echo into eternity. All of us have gone through broken relationships and that is always a difficult thing. But I have found that often what we have destroyed through our sin and pride….. God rebuilds with his grace and mercy. Never give up nor lose hope that God cannot reconcile you to those you have hurt and have hurt you. If you have friends or family who has wronged you my best advice is to forgive them…. For life is too short for bitterness and unforgiveness. Forgiveness isn’t easy and it can take a lot of time but it will comfort you like nothing else can. How great is God that while we were his enemies he still died for us…

About the Author: I am a Birmingham attorney who has been in private practice for over six years. I have a general practice, so I get the opportunity to help serve people who find themselves in some very difficult circumstances. My e-mail is reidfirm@gmail.com. Thank you for taking the time to read this. I hope it encourages you. I always love getting thoughtful comments, so please email those to me. My website is www.reidlawalabama.com. If you know anyone who is going through a difficult situation whether it be legal or personal and they are in Birmingham area you can e-mail me at chris.reid@reidlawalabama.com. Our firm works with some excellent faith based counselors, many of whom are free or low cost. A lot of the times the legal issues people face are due to deeper underlying issues like substance abuse and other things. I have found the most effective form of treatment is getting a personally qualified counselor who helps get to the root of the issues someone is dealing with, and we will help people get connected for free (we never take a payment for referral fee for this). Again my website is www.reidlawalabama.com, which contains my contact information. God Bless.

THE GREAT DIVIDE BETWEEN WHO WE ARE AND WHO WE WANT TO BE.

THE GREAT DIVIDE BETWEEN WHO WE ARE AND WHO WE WANT TO BE.

Rom 7:14-20

*14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do — this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.*

In all of my life I have rarely heard a sermon preached on the

topic of our two natures. I think the reason is that this passage is difficult for even the most learned scholar to understand which is why it is difficult to explain. It is hard to comprehend that we are both fully justified by Christ and yet still remain in these fallen sinful vessels. We all want to be Godly followers of Christ, but our sinful nature leads us to do things that our spirit detests. So we walk around in this world not knowing what it is that we should do because we often desire to do and not do the same thing at the same time and this causes us great frustration. The best way to solve this problem from your perspective is to view your sin nature as a disease that can be managed and overcome but not cured. I struggle with back pain from arthritis but when I take the time to stretch and exercise properly the pain can be managed so I can go about my day. Likewise, if you realize that you are infected by sin and take steps daily to manage your infection by meditating on the word and spending time in prayer, then you can suppress your sin nature by empowering your spirit. Your enemy knows this so he will put up every distraction to keep you from growing closer to God because he would rather attack a weak foe than a strong one.

If you will daily take time and invest in the Lord then he will give you great power and strength to overcome sin in your life. Your nature will still be there, but it will not be the primary driver in your life. In my bible study we were discussing the topic of how to effectively pursue righteousness and we came up with a simple idea that may be beneficial to you. At the end of each day ask yourself if you have invested your time and energy in growing closer to God. You don’t have to be perfect, but if you can answer this question with a yes then you should see growth in your life. My friend Daniel Taylor said “life is a cinch inch by inch” I know this seems simple but if you think about this statement then you realize that great victories rarely happen unless small battles are won first. I have always wanted to overcome many challenges in my life and I was frustrated because I didn’t see immediate progress… but I realized that if I work daily to grow closer to God in 6 months I could see some things change. God can and does bring immediate change at times but he often will move slower than we like because he wants us to learn endurance and patience. I don’t know where you are at right now but if you are a believer, I know you want to grow and I promise you that the more consistent you are with your devotion the more growth you will see.

Don’t forget that God desires that you grow close to him as

well and he is always pursuing you even when you don’t feel it. He is always for you so do not be discouraged when others belittle you or point out those areas in your life that need to change. Accept criticism with humility and your critic’s hearts may change towards you. In conclusion, don’t ever give up hope or quit pursuing God because you have failed in some big ways. Our faith is founded on men and woman who committed some of the worst acts of wickedness you can think of and yet God still showed his grace to them because they repented in humility and choose to press on.

About the Author: I am a Birmingham attorney who has been in private practice for over six years. I have a general practice, so I get the opportunity to help serve people who find themselves in some very difficult circumstances. My e-mail is reidfirm@gmail.com. Thank you for taking the time to read this. I hope it encourages you. I always love getting thoughtful comments, so please email those to me. My website is www.reidlawalabama.com. If you know anyone who is going through a difficult situation whether it be legal or personal and they are in Birmingham area you can e-mail me at chris.reid@reidlawalabama.com. Our firm works with some excellent faith based counselors, many of whom are free or low cost. A lot of the times the legal issues people face are due to deeper underlying issues like substance abuse and other things. I have found the most effective form of treatment is getting a personally qualified counselor who helps get to the root of the issues someone is dealing with, and we will help people get connected for free (we never take a payment for referral fee for this). Again my website is www.reidlawalabama.com, which contains my contact information. God Bless.

THE GREAT DIVIDE BETWEEN WHO WE ARE AND WHO WE WANT TO BE.

THE GREAT DIVIDE BETWEEN WHO WE ARE AND WHO WE WANT TO BE.

Rom 7:14-20

*14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do — this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.*

In all of my life I have rarely heard a sermon preached on the

topic of our two natures. I think the reason is that this passage is difficult for even the most learned scholar to understand which is why it is difficult to explain. It is hard to comprehend that we are both fully justified by Christ and yet still remain in these fallen sinful vessels. We all want to be Godly followers of Christ, but our sinful nature leads us to do things that our spirit detests. So we walk around in this world not knowing what it is that we should do because we often desire to do and not do the same thing at the same time and this causes us great frustration. The best way to solve this problem from your perspective is to view your sin nature as a disease that can be managed and overcome but not cured. I struggle with back pain from arthritis but when I take the time to stretch and exercise properly the pain can be managed so I can go about my day. Likewise, if you realize that you are infected by sin and take steps daily to manage your infection by meditating on the word and spending time in prayer, then you can suppress your sin nature by empowering your spirit. Your enemy knows this so he will put up every distraction to keep you from growing closer to God because he would rather attack a weak foe than a strong one. If you will daily take time and invest in the Lord then he will give you great power and strength to overcome sin in your life. Your nature will still be there, but it will not be the primary driver in your life. In my bible study we were discussing the topic of how to effectively pursue righteousness and we came up with a simple idea that may be beneficial to you. At the end of each day ask yourself if you have invested your time and energy in growing closer to God. You don’t have to be perfect, but if you can answer this question with a yes then you should see growth in your life. My friend Daniel Taylor said “life is a cinch inch by inch” I know this seems simple but if you think about this statement then you realize that great victories rarely happen unless small battles are won first. I have always wanted to overcome many challenges in my life and I was frustrated because I didn’t see immediate progress… but I realized that if I work daily to grow closer to God in 6 months I could see some things change. God can and does bring immediate change at times but he often will move slower than we like because he wants us to learn endurance and patience. I don’t know where you are at right now but if you are a believer, I know you want to grow and I promise you that the more consistent you are with your devotion the more growth you will see.

Don’t forget that God desires that you grow close to him as

well and he is always pursuing you even when you don’t feel it. He is always for you so do not be discouraged when others belittle you or point out those areas in your life that need to change. Accept criticism with humility and your critic’s hearts may change towards you. In conclusion, don’t ever give up hope or quit pursuing God because you have failed in some big ways. Our faith is founded on men and woman who committed some of the worst acts of wickedness you can think of and yet God still showed his grace to them because they repented in humility and choose to press on.

About the Author: I am a Birmingham attorney who has been in private practice for over six years. I have a general practice, so I get the opportunity to help serve people who find themselves in some very difficult circumstances. My e-mail is reidfirm@gmail.com. Thank you for taking the time to read this. I hope it encourages you. I always love getting thoughtful comments, so please email those to me. My website is www.reidlawalabama.com. If you know anyone who is going through a difficult situation whether it be legal or personal and they are in Birmingham area you can e-mail me at chris.reid@reidlawalabama.com. Our firm works with some excellent faith based counselors, many of whom are free or low cost. A lot of the times the legal issues people face are due to deeper underlying issues like substance abuse and other things. I have found the most effective form of treatment is getting a personally qualified counselor who helps get to the root of the issues someone is dealing with, and we will help people get connected for free (we never take a payment for referral fee for this). Again my website is www.reidlawalabama.com, which contains my contact information. God Bless.

Learning to let Go: How to live by grace and be free of guilt.

Learning to let Go: How to live by grace and be free of guilt.

Rom 8:1-2

8:1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.

I have been writing devotionals for 15 years now and it is

still so hard for me to understand the character of God. In a world of so many extremes it is hard to understand that we serve a God who is perfectly balanced in everything. He is perfectly just and yet will not let sin go unpunished…. But he is abounding and love and his mercy endures forever. He never takes lightly the sins we commit but he never stops treating us as children when we commit them. God loves us enough to discipline us because he desires us to become more like him because he knows that joy can be found in him alone. I sometimes forget that Gods discipline comes from a heart of grace not from a heart of vengeance. God doesn’t punish us because he put the punishment on his son and all our sins are paid for. Yet, how often do we live lives of regret because of the sins of our past that we cannot change. I am not saying that sin doesn’t have consequences or that we shouldn’t have remorse…. But I am saying today is a brand new day and you don’t have to feel condemned for what happened yesterday. Jesus didn’t come to save the righteous but to lead sinners to repentance. Don’t ever try to straighten your life out first before coming to Jesus…. Come to Jesus and he will straighten your life out. It will take time and you will never be sinless because as long as we still have the flesh we will at times yield to it. Don’t be discouraged or overcome with guilt but take your sins to your father and ask him for help. God loves it when his children cry out for his aid and admit they can’t do it on their own. He never gets tired of hearing “I need you please help me”. A lot of preachers say “you need to have the right motives before you come to God in prayer” but I say having impure motives is evidence that you need to spend more time in prayer. You want to have victory over sin then the best thing to do is to spend time with God. Sometimes when I pray I start out with really selfish motives but by the end I realize it and God begins to change my heart and even what I pray for can change. I also know many people who are convinced that they can’t be used by God because they still have some serious struggles with certain sins... and while some sins can keep you out of leadership roles for a time…. You should never believe the lie that “because I have committed this sin I can’t be used by God”…. As long as you still have pulse God has a plan for you and he will use you. The fathers of our faith are a litany of very messed up people who God chose to use despite how little they had to offer.

My friends, there is no freedom in living a life of regret nor

will it bring you peace or make you have a closer walk with God. It is ok to accept the consequence of our sins but it is sin to let it keep you from trusting that God will work it for his good. You want to change then make a decision today that you are not going to live condemned but free in Christ. Spend time with God and seek his help and he will give it. He never turns his back on his children nor does he forget them in their times of despair. A runner doesn’t quit the race because he has fallen into a pit… he ask for help and he continues. Everybody has scars and we all fall but the people who change the world are the ones who keep running. Maybe you’re not as holy as you need to be or maybe your inconsistent in your faith and keep struggling with the same sin and you feel like things will never change…… Well if you believe they can’t change then they probably won’t. But if you believe you can do all things through Christ who gives you strength then you can overcome it by his grace. Don’t give up or be discouraged but press on. God doesn’t hate you… he loves you and if you have wandered he wants to bring you back. In closing I will leave you with the immortal words of Winston Churchill “Never, ever, ever, ever give up”.

About the Author: I am a Birmingham attorney who has been in private practice for over six years. I have a general practice, so I get the opportunity to help serve people who find themselves in some very difficult circumstances. My e-mail is reidfirm@gmail.com. Thank you for taking the time to read this. I hope it encourages you. I always love getting thoughtful comments, so please email those to me. My website is www.reidlawalabama.com. If you know anyone who is going through a difficult situation whether it be legal or personal and they are in Birmingham area you can e-mail me at chris.reid@reidlawalabama.com. Our firm works with some excellent faith based counselors, many of whom are free or low cost. A lot of the times the legal issues people face are due to deeper underlying issues like substance abuse and other things. I have found the most effective form of treatment is getting a personally qualified counselor who helps get to the root of the issues someone is dealing with, and we will help people get connected for free (we never take a payment for referral fee for this). Again my website is www.reidlawalabama.com, which contains my contact information. God Bless.

Learning to love like Jesus

10 *This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.*

Love is such an overused term in our culture that it is hard to

understand what it means. To some it means attraction or affection to others it is a deep sense of commitment based on mutual benefit… But to love like God loves is to love without expecting anything in return. What an amazing thought that while we were yet sinners God loved us. God doesn’t need us, in fact it says that our righteous deeds are like a filthy rag which is to say, that the good we do can never earn the salvation we receive. Loving people is so hard especially when that love isn’t returned in the manner we desire. But to love someone is to be committed to their good regardless of whether they meet our expectations. Christ loves us though we don’t deserve it and sacrificed his life so we might love others. I know from my own experience that loving people takes a deep dependency on God. Christians are flawed sinners like everyone else and we often are quick to cast dispersion's on one another based on incomplete information… Yet even when others condemn and judge us we must love them. When people who claim Christ in their lives are so quick to condemn others it is because they often don’t realize the depths of their own sin. They are led to believe by their good external deeds that they possess a wisdom that is beyond other believers and they often start creating new doctrines based on works which rob the word of God of its power. These people are what Christ calls the self-righteous Pharisees, but as Christians we must love them and hope that God works in their hearts to change them. Some Christians are likewise less likely to judge but don’t live life’s that are set apart from the world, and so they love this world too much and their love for Christ isn’t strong enough to resist temptation.

Most Christians lean on one side of the equation or the other and it is easy for those groups to despise and separate themselves from one another but that isn’t what Christ Calls for. He says to the Pharisee “Love your brother who is worldly and is in need of prayer so that they may be holy” and to the believer who is worldly “Love the self-righteous Pharisee and be kind and do not disparage or condemn him in his sin”. Let go of bitterness and unforgiveness and more than anything let go your need to control your life… Guy’s when we must have control we deny that Christ knows what is best for us and it is an arrogance that he will correct with discipline. The scriptures says that we must first look in our hearts before we correct a brother but how often do the sins of others seem so big and our own sins seem so small. How much more joy and peace would there be in this world if the Christians could love each other like Christ loves them. We cannot ignore sin in ourselves or others but to love someone is to forget and forgive what they have done. If we have set views of anyone then we deny the power of the Holy Spirit to change them and our hearts have become bitter and cold. Give people second chances and don’t pigeonhole people by taking them at their worst moments. If we cannot love others in this way then how can we say the love of God exists in our hearts? Don’t separate yourself from people but engage them and don’t give up on them. Love and remember that you are loved and never forget that the love God has given you is undeserved so never make someone earn your love but give it freely.

About the Author: I am a Birmingham attorney who has been in private practice for over six years. I have a general practice, so I get the opportunity to help serve people who find themselves in some very difficult circumstances. My e-mail is reidfirm@gmail.com. Thank you for taking the time to read this. I hope it encourages you. I always love getting thoughtful comments, so please email those to me. My website is www.reidlawalabama.com. If you know anyone who is going through a difficult situation whether it be legal or personal and they are in Birmingham area you can e-mail me at chris.reid@reidlawalabama.com. Our firm works with some excellent faith based counselors, many of whom are free or low cost. A lot of the times the legal issues people face are due to deeper underlying issues like substance abuse and other things. I have found the most effective form of treatment is getting a personally qualified counselor who helps get to the root of the issues someone is dealing with, and we will help people get connected for free (we never take a payment for referral fee for this). Again my website is www.reidlawalabama.com, which contains my contact information. God Bless.

Letting Faith dispel your fears

*Letting Faith dispel your fears and how to find peace in personal failure. *

19 But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? 20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people[a] should be kept alive, as they are today.

The most difficult yet comforting thing to accept is that God is in control. Though our lives can seem disorganized and off path, we know that our detours are God’s straight lines. The life of Joseph is a perfect example of how a seemingly random string of unfortunate events brought Joseph to exactly the place God wanted him to be. He was sold into slavery by his brothers at a young age, and though this was difficult, God gave him favor in the eyes of his captor and he rose to prominence. In this position he was falsely accused of rape by an evil woman…. Though he did no wrong he was put in prison… again this was a horrible situation to be in, but God provided him favor in the eyes of the guards and he was given responsibility in handling all the affairs of the prison. Till one day, two men came into the prison and he correctly interpreted their dreams and asked them to remember him before the king so he could be released…. It was two years later before it was brought to the king’s attention, but soon after that Joseph was promoted to become the second most powerful man on the earth and was able to prevent a great famine from destroying Egypt and also save his family from starvation. Yet, I have no doubt that in those moments of darkness in jail joseph must have wondered what the purpose was in all of this. He was a righteous man who was faithful and yet he kept getting the raw end of every deal for most of his adolescence. His plan for his own life probably was to live a quiet life as a shepherd and worship God with his family… God’s plan was different and though the path to glory was through pain I know that Joseph doesn’t regret any of it now. Faith is tested in the prison of trial and character is what comes out of it if we surrender to God. Many of us give into bitterness and anger, but the ones who yield to spirit are made new and able to be used to do great things through the Lord. Most of us won’t ever rise to a position where we will be remembered in any history book… But there is a greatness to be attained through daily consistency that comes by depending on the spirit of God. Ultimately we must know that God doesn’t need us though he does love us… and his love is greater and more meaningful because of the fact that he has no need for us. He loves us not for who we are but because of who he is and if we understand that we can break free of the need to be “significant”. Joseph lived a faithful life and he humbled himself and was exalted… It doesn’t matter what position you are in, whether you are a great business leader or a mom trying to keep her sanity raising kids… God has you were you are for a reason and that reason is to depend on him and yield your heart to his. Once you realize the God we serve is significant and he loves us you don’t have to try to be great.. Now you still have to faithful with the time God gives you and make the most out of the opportunities he puts in front of you… But I have found that God has given me plenty of opportunities and maybe instead being angry because I don’t have more I need to be faithful with what he has given me. Having a thankful heart, even in pain, is a great blessing and though circumstances often don’t change quickly… a surrendered heart to God can give you great perspective which will make the pain less relevant. Trial, difficulty, sorrow and pain will always be with us in this life, but if we are Christians we will also have joy, peace, patience and hope… I have found that the last four of these traits mean very little unless you have experienced the first four. So in our trials we can trust God will bring us a greater joy than we could imagine had we not suffered. I don’t know what many of you are going through and I don’t imagine that this simple explanation of God’s providence is going to radically change your life. It isn’t a good lesson or a sermon that makes a difference… it is only a surrendered heart. I cannot teach you how to do this as it is something I don’t fully understand this.. all I can say is keep praying for it and in time he will answer. And who knows, maybe the very point of your trials is so God can accomplish the saving of many lives both here and in eternity… So please don’t lose heart or give up… just yield and surrender yourself to God

About the Author: I am a Birmingham attorney who has been in private practice for over six years. I have a general practice, so I get the opportunity to help serve people who find themselves in some very difficult circumstances. My e-mail is reidfirm@gmail.com. Thank you for taking the time to read this. I hope it encourages you. I always love getting thoughtful comments, so please email those to me. My website is www.reidlawalabama.com. If you know anyone who is going through a difficult situation whether it be legal or personal and they are in Birmingham area you can e-mail me at chris.reid@reidlawalabama.com. Our firm works with some excellent faith based counselors, many of whom are free or low cost. A lot of the times the legal issues people face are due to deeper underlying issues like substance abuse and other things. I have found the most effective form of treatment is getting a personally qualified counselor who helps get to the root of the issues someone is dealing with, and we will help people get connected for free (we never take a payment for referral fee for this). Again my website is www.reidlawalabama.com, which contains my contact information. God Bless.

Thoughts on the Love of God

Thoughts on the Love of God

Lam 3:22 The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. "The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him." The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.

When times are good It’s easy to believe that God is Good and

he loves us, but what about when times are difficult? Do you still believe that God is good when all of your plans have been shot to pieces and all that you’re left with is uncertainty? My contention is that in these times it is harder to trust that God is working for your good, and it is easy to lose hope. But what I have found in my own life is that the best times come right after the storms. There have been times in my life where I didn't know why God allowed things to happen a certain way. Relationships didn't pan out and the plans I made were completely eradicated. But in those dark times I kept coming back to the idea that God is going to use this for good even though I don’t know how…… And he did. From the age of 16-23 I had constant and severe back pain and I thought it would never go away. I prayed and prayed that God would heal me but no healing would come. But because that time was so difficult I realized that the only place I could find joy was in Christ. So the pain taught me how much I needed him and in the pain I learned that I could still be at peace because of my relationship with the Lord. Likewise, there were relationships in my life that I thought would pan out and they just didn’t. Many of you know that there is no greater pain than the ending of a relationship with someone you love. But in that pain God taught me that he was only one who could bring me contentment and joy. He showed me that he was the only being in all of existence who could completely meet my needs and fulfill my every longing. What I had looked to others to fulfill, God was able to fulfill infinitely more. Through the physical and emotional pain God showed me that he was what I needed.

So many people have asked the question how can God be good if there is so much suffering in this world? And I would answer them that God can often bring good even out of really challenging circumstances. You see if everything was easy and there was no pain in this world we would never know our need of God. But because life is hard and we are faced with many trials we realize that we cannot do it alone. That is why God allowed me to go through the difficult times I did. It wasn't because he was out to punish me for my sins……but to teach me that he was what I needed all along. And through all of my own sins and failings I found him to be faithful to continue to love me despite the pain. God broke me for a reason and that reason was to become a new man who no longer looked to this world for comfort but to God. I know many of you are going through hard times right now. Some of you have ended long relationships or are having to deal with the prospect of losing your job. But I want to encourage you that no matter what comes your way the Lord will use it for your good and if you allow him….he will make you a better person because of it. Just let go of what you have been holding onto and trust that he has something better in store for you. I know when you’re going through difficult circumstances it can be hard to believe that anything good can come from it. But I promise you if you trust him he will bring to places you never thought you could go. I have looked back on the storms in my life and have seen that it is in the storms in life that we grow. Look at God’s creation, it isn't the sunlight alone that makes the flowers grow….it is the rain. And if God is allowing rain in your life right now know that the sunshine is coming. His rest is coming and his peace is waiting for you.

About the Author: I am a Birmingham attorney who has been in private practice for over six years. I have a general practice, so I get the opportunity to help serve people who find themselves in some very difficult circumstances. My e-mail is reidfirm@gmail.com. Thank you for taking the time to read this. I hope it encourages you. I always love getting thoughtful comments, so please email those to me. My website is www.reidlawalabama.com. If you know anyone who is going through a difficult situation whether it be legal or personal and they are in Birmingham area you can e-mail me at chris.reid@reidlawalabama.com. Our firm works with some excellent faith based counselors, many of whom are free or low cost. A lot of the times the legal issues people face are due to deeper underlying issues like substance abuse and other things. I have found the most effective form of treatment is getting a personally qualified counselor who helps get to the root of the issues someone is dealing with, and we will help people get connected for free (we never take a payment for referral fee for this). Again my website is www.reidlawalabama.com, which contains my contact information. God Bless.