Y is for Yield

Y is for Yield
by Wendy Elizabeth Middleton

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your soul. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matthew 11:29-30

If what you want to do is different from what God wants you to do, YIELD to God, He has the right of way. This is one of the hardest lessons of Christianity. It is one of the hardest parts of being a Christian. 

X is for e(X)ample

X is for (e)Xample
by Wendy Elizabeth Middleton

I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 

John 13:15
 

Jesus lived...Jesus was...Jesus did...Jesus never...Jesus offered...

Jesus is a living example of how we should live. Jesus is God, who walked away from the glory of heaven to live in the dirt with us so that we may live in heaven with Him.

Here is a short list of the qualities that Jesus set for us to follow.

Jesus lived…

A Life of Obedience – Philippians 2:8
A Life of Service – Philippians 2:7
A Life of Prayer – Matthew 14:23

W is for Witness

W is for Witness
by Wendy Elizabeth Middleton

And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 1 John 5:11

Witness for the defense
There are four gospels. Each has expert testimony concerning the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Matthew and John were with Jesus throughout his ministry. Matthew was a tax collector, an analytical man. He testified to the fulfillment of the prophecies concerning the Messiah. John was more empathic, he wrote concerning the great love of God fulfilled by the coming of the Messiah.

Mark and Luke weren’t with Jesus throughout his ministry. Mark was an associate of Peter’s. Peter testified and Mark wroth it down. Luke was an associate of Paul’s He was a physician, a learned man. Luke gathered eyewitness testimony and wrote detailed instructions on the way of salvation.

All four gospels agree on one thing: Jesus is Emanuel – God with us.

U is for Understanding

U is for Understanding
by Wendy Elizabeth Middleton

Proverbs Chapter 2

Proverbs chapter 2 isn’t very long but it develops the ideas of wisdom, knowledge and understanding. All three parts of active thought must be applied to life. The Bible uses physical descriptions to explain spiritual truths. Developing a spiritual understanding requires the application of the physical to the spiritual.

Should we fear God?

T is for Trust

T is for Trust
by Wendy Elizabeth Middleton

Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. Isaiah 12:2

How well do you know the layout of your house? If you think you know it pretty well then try walking from room to room blindfolded. Go ahead, try it, I’ll wait.

Well how’d you do? Did you remember where all the chairs were? Did you know how many steps there were from the kitchen to the den? Did you stumble or run into any walls? Was the journey frustrating? Was it a little bit scary?

Now try it again, only this time have your best friend help you. You wear the blindfold and they talk you around the house. If you start to trip or walk into a wall they can draw you back, otherwise they just tell you where to go.

S is for Self-control

S is for Self Control
by Wendy Elizabeth Middleton

Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Ephesians 5:15-16

Be prepared
Self-control in both our actions and our reactions requires that we decide before hand how we will act and react to any situation. We must decide before we get punched in the face that we will turn the other cheek because our natural reaction is to punch back. When we are yelled at we yell back.

When we are hurt adrenaline floods our systems and we are prepared for fight or flight. We must be prepared, in advance of this flood, to stand. This is our third option and it is a conscious choice, in spite of the adrenaline, to stand.

R is for Repent

R is for Repent
by Wendy Elizabeth Middleton

But if a wicked man turns away from all the sins he has committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die. Ezekiel 18:21

Life is not fair and it’s all God’s fault!
You can do everything right, live a good life and still wind up paying for the sins of others.

You can be a good person, go to church every Sunday, and keep the Ten Commandments and still wind up with cancer.

The children of Israel were in exile because of the sins of their fathers. They blamed their fathers and they blamed God. They were fond of saying, “The father eats sour grapes and the children’s teeth are set on edge.” and in Ezekiel chapter 18 God said “ENOUGH!”

V is for Victory

V is for Victory
By Wendy Elizabeth Middleton

Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. 1 John 5:5

How to claim victory in the middle of the lion’s den
It looks like the devil is winning. Evil is everywhere, churches are shutting down, anxiety is our bedfellow, and we are locked in our homes in fear of the day.

But look again

Fellowship has sprung up all over the Internet, and people who haven’t been to church in years are listening. This was not the devil’s plan. His plan was to confuse us and shake our faith. But God is in control and He has taken the devil’s plans and turned them upside down.

Q is for Quietness

Q is for Quietness
by Wendy Elizabeth Middleton

Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody. 

1 Thessalonians 4:11

Make
This is an action word. In order to make something you have to work on it. In order to make a cake you have to gather the ingredients, mix them together in the proper order, bake the cake at the proper temperature for the proper length of time, and apply the frosting. This takes effort. It also takes thought and planning.

P is for Patience

P is for Patience
by Wendy Elizabeth Middleton

Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. James 5:7-8

I don’t know about you but my green beans come in a can. I’ve never planted a garden and even my air plants died. But my house is sitting on what used to be my grandfather’s garden. He grew corn and green beans and tomatoes. My grandmother canned the food grown in the spring and served it during the winter.

Plowing, sowing, harvesting, and canning, they did a lot of hard work in a short amount of time, but they fed their family for a whole year from their combined efforts.

O is for Obedience

O is for Obedience
by Wendy Elizabeth Middleton

Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?” Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ Matthew 7:21-22

You can never earn heaven. There is nothing that you can do to make yourself good enough. Salvation is a gift freely given. Grace comes from the abundant mercy of God. But…

There is proof that the gift has been accepted. There is proof that the Holy Spirit is dwelling in the life of the believer. Believing is not enough. Even the demons believe – and shudder. (James 2:19)

N is for Neighborliness

N is for Neighborliness
by Wendy Elizabeth Middleton

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” Luke 10: 37

Mercy and Neighborliness go hand in hand. Both examples come from the same parable, the parable of the Good Samaritan. That parable started with a question. “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” and Jesus answered with a question “What is written in the Law?”

Love God with everything you’ve got and love your neighbor as yourself. It really is that simple.

M is for Mercy

M is for Mercy
by Wendy Elizabeth Middleton

Jesus replied, “Do this and you will live.” Luke 10:28

Mercy and Neighborliness go hand in hand. Both examples come from the same parable, the parable of the Good Samaritan. That parable started with a question. “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” and Jesus answered with a question “What is written in the Law?”

Love God – Love others. It really is that simple.

“Do this and you will live,” Jesus said. Then he gave us an example of what 'this' looks like: