Isaiah 63:15 - Lord, look down from Heaven; look from Your holy, glorious home, and see us. Where is the passion and the might You used to show on our behalf? Where are Your mercy and compassion now?
In this prayer for mercy and compassion, God's people feel abandoned by Him. They are questioning where He went when they needed Him the most.
The truth is, He never left them. They turned from Him because they believed that they were doing just fine on their own. Their worship of false gods hardened their hearts to the only God who did and could save them. They still offered their usual sacrifices and celebrated the appointed festivals, but that's not what God wants. God wanted their hearts. He wanted them to turn away from those false gods that made their hearts stubborn.
That's what He wants from all of us. We sit and wonder where did He go? He didn't go anywhere. He's just waiting on us. The Apostle Peter (my personal favorite) tells us that God isn't being slow about His promise as we might think. He's being patient because He doesn't want anyone to be destroyed (2 Peter 3:9). That's a hard one to take sometimes.
I have caught myself from time to time wondering where He is. I have caught my mind drifting and questioning what is taking Him so long to fulfill His promise to me. I sit and pray and say things like, "I've been faithful going to church. I've been faithful in my prayer. I've been faithful in my tithing. Why haven't You been faithful to get rid of my problems?!" He isn't ignoring me. My heart just isn't in the right place when I pray like that. And that's what He wants - my heart. All of our hearts.
When I pray like that, it's the enemy creeping in and trying to convince me that I have been abandoned. And there have been times where I almost believed the lie and turned away for good. That's one of the side effects of being human. Sometimes it's very easy to convince ourselves that the emotions we are feeling in the moment are true facts for all moments. They aren't. When I feel that lie creeping in, I have to stop and remind myself that it's just a lie. I have to cast out that lie in the name of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior, and the enemy will flee (James 4:7).
I have to remember that when I may be going through a difficult season, that God hasn't abandoned me. He's molding me like clay. When I trust Him and His plan for me, and submit myself to it, He will mold and shape me into what He wants me to be.
He didn't go anywhere. He's right beside us the whole time.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for being there with me through everything. Thank You for not abandoning me, as You have always promised, despite my unbelief sometimes. Father work on my heart. I don't want to ever doubt Your love and mercy and compassion for me. I want You to mold me into whatever You want, so that I can serve You. I pray for those that have struggled with believing the lie as I have. My prayer is that they will see it for what it is, and turn away from it. I pray that they will turn their hearts over to You to be molded as well. I thank You for the patience You have shown us all because of Your great love and compassion and mercy for us. I pray this in Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Thursday, July 31, 2014
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Passion
Psalm 103:1 - Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise His Holy Name.
One of the things that I love most about David, was his passion. He had a burning love and passion for God. David certainly wasn't perfect, nor did God expect him to be. But he found favor with God because when he did mess up, he was repentant. And he always maintained his passionate love for and trust in God.
A good example of David's love and passion for God is the story of when he killed Goliath. In 1 Samuel 17, we see this Philistine giant taunting God's people, and cursing God. When David hears it, he's not having any of it. He wasn't about to stand around and listen to this heathen defy the name of the Lord.
I liked how he justified his abilities to King Saul telling him how tough he was fighting bears and lions to protect his flock. Human hearts and minds need that justification sometimes. Not God though; He only needs a willingness. David didn't use this brute strength he boasted of to Saul. He used a slingshot and a stone. It didn't take brute strength to overpower this giant. It took love and passion for God that no one else had. All the Israelite soldiers were scared at how big this giant was. David showed them all, Israelites and Philistines, that they should be more concerned at how big their God was.
Do I have passion for God? I love Him with all my heart and soul, but do I show it? I think I fall short here sometimes. Do I worry over my problems getting bigger, or am I taking them to God, and showing them how big my God is? I think we could all use a little more passion in our love and worship of our King and Creator.
Dear Lord, thank You for showing me where I fall short. I know that when You point out my shortcomings to me, You do it out of love for me and because You want us to be closer. I cannot praise You enough for Your loving and gentle correction. I pray that You will reignite that passionate fire in my heart daily, so that You may be glorified through me. I pray for those that have lost their passion. Their flame has died down because they haven't been getting close to You for the light of Your love to keep their fire burning bright. My prayer is that they will feel Your calling in their heart and reengage You, and recommit their hearts and lives to You today. My prayer is that they will burn with passion for You and Your people like they never have before. I pray that for all of us, Lord. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
One of the things that I love most about David, was his passion. He had a burning love and passion for God. David certainly wasn't perfect, nor did God expect him to be. But he found favor with God because when he did mess up, he was repentant. And he always maintained his passionate love for and trust in God.
A good example of David's love and passion for God is the story of when he killed Goliath. In 1 Samuel 17, we see this Philistine giant taunting God's people, and cursing God. When David hears it, he's not having any of it. He wasn't about to stand around and listen to this heathen defy the name of the Lord.
I liked how he justified his abilities to King Saul telling him how tough he was fighting bears and lions to protect his flock. Human hearts and minds need that justification sometimes. Not God though; He only needs a willingness. David didn't use this brute strength he boasted of to Saul. He used a slingshot and a stone. It didn't take brute strength to overpower this giant. It took love and passion for God that no one else had. All the Israelite soldiers were scared at how big this giant was. David showed them all, Israelites and Philistines, that they should be more concerned at how big their God was.
Do I have passion for God? I love Him with all my heart and soul, but do I show it? I think I fall short here sometimes. Do I worry over my problems getting bigger, or am I taking them to God, and showing them how big my God is? I think we could all use a little more passion in our love and worship of our King and Creator.
Dear Lord, thank You for showing me where I fall short. I know that when You point out my shortcomings to me, You do it out of love for me and because You want us to be closer. I cannot praise You enough for Your loving and gentle correction. I pray that You will reignite that passionate fire in my heart daily, so that You may be glorified through me. I pray for those that have lost their passion. Their flame has died down because they haven't been getting close to You for the light of Your love to keep their fire burning bright. My prayer is that they will feel Your calling in their heart and reengage You, and recommit their hearts and lives to You today. My prayer is that they will burn with passion for You and Your people like they never have before. I pray that for all of us, Lord. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Monday, July 28, 2014
Figuring It Out
Acts 8:30-31 - Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. Philip asked, "Do you understand what you are reading?" The man replied, "How can I, unless someone instructs me?" And he urged Philip to come up into the carriage and sit with him.
Understanding God's Word can be challenging. It's not just a book that can be opened up at Chapter One and read from cover to cover like some novel. And it isn't just a textbook that we can study and memorize to understand. It takes careful study, prayer, and most importantly, solid teaching.
I remember when I first started to take my relationship with Jesus Christ seriously. I had been saved for almost 10 years, but I never developed any sort of relationship with Him, nor had I really read the Bible much. I was very much anti-church at the time, because I believed that I didn't need church to believe in Jesus Christ. While this is true, I was very much misguided in my understanding of my Savior.
Jesus calls us to know Him. The best way to start to get to know Him, is through the Word of God. But just reading it, isn't going to work. We must have good solid teaching to go with it. That is where Church comes in. A good Pastor teaches from the Bible so that it can be understood and applied to our every day lives. Just telling stories with the occasional Scriptural reference doesn't do the trick.
When I first felt the tug at my heart to develop that relationship with Jesus after 10 years of kidding myself, I decided to wipe the dust off my Bible and crack it open. I read, but I didn't understand. I very much felt like the Ethiopian Eunuch. How could I understand unless someone instructs me?
Looking back on that time, I see that it was God's way of getting me to church. He didn't want me to have some misguided and misunderstood relationship with Him. He wanted me to have a thriving and dynamic relationship with Him. That required good teaching that I could only get from a good teacher. I have been blessed ever since I started attending the church I go to currently, because I got exactly what I was looking for. I learn new things about our Lord and Savior every week, as well as the practical application of the Bible in my every day life.
Looking back on all of this over the last 5 or 6 years, I see that it wasn't that I wanted to have that relationship with Jesus. It was He that was pursuing me. He wanted it more than I did, and He used His Holy Spirit to soften my heart and open up to Him. He didn't leave it to me to just figure it out as I went along. He moved me exactly where He wanted me to be, so that I would be closer to Him. So that I would grow closer to Him every day. I love His handiwork.
Dear Father, thank You for pursuing me. Thank You for softening my heart by the power of Your Holy Spirit, so that I would have a close and intimate relationship with You. Thank You for saving me from myself, and my misguided understandings. Thank You for showing me Yourself in Your Word everyday. Father, today I pray for those that don't know You. I pray for those that think they have it all figured out on their own, and don't need anything that You have to give. My prayer is that they will feel that tug on their heart from You, and realize that they are wrong. I pray that You will guide people into their lives that can share the Good News of Your salvation, and that they will be saved. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Understanding God's Word can be challenging. It's not just a book that can be opened up at Chapter One and read from cover to cover like some novel. And it isn't just a textbook that we can study and memorize to understand. It takes careful study, prayer, and most importantly, solid teaching.
I remember when I first started to take my relationship with Jesus Christ seriously. I had been saved for almost 10 years, but I never developed any sort of relationship with Him, nor had I really read the Bible much. I was very much anti-church at the time, because I believed that I didn't need church to believe in Jesus Christ. While this is true, I was very much misguided in my understanding of my Savior.
Jesus calls us to know Him. The best way to start to get to know Him, is through the Word of God. But just reading it, isn't going to work. We must have good solid teaching to go with it. That is where Church comes in. A good Pastor teaches from the Bible so that it can be understood and applied to our every day lives. Just telling stories with the occasional Scriptural reference doesn't do the trick.
When I first felt the tug at my heart to develop that relationship with Jesus after 10 years of kidding myself, I decided to wipe the dust off my Bible and crack it open. I read, but I didn't understand. I very much felt like the Ethiopian Eunuch. How could I understand unless someone instructs me?
Looking back on that time, I see that it was God's way of getting me to church. He didn't want me to have some misguided and misunderstood relationship with Him. He wanted me to have a thriving and dynamic relationship with Him. That required good teaching that I could only get from a good teacher. I have been blessed ever since I started attending the church I go to currently, because I got exactly what I was looking for. I learn new things about our Lord and Savior every week, as well as the practical application of the Bible in my every day life.
Looking back on all of this over the last 5 or 6 years, I see that it wasn't that I wanted to have that relationship with Jesus. It was He that was pursuing me. He wanted it more than I did, and He used His Holy Spirit to soften my heart and open up to Him. He didn't leave it to me to just figure it out as I went along. He moved me exactly where He wanted me to be, so that I would be closer to Him. So that I would grow closer to Him every day. I love His handiwork.
Dear Father, thank You for pursuing me. Thank You for softening my heart by the power of Your Holy Spirit, so that I would have a close and intimate relationship with You. Thank You for saving me from myself, and my misguided understandings. Thank You for showing me Yourself in Your Word everyday. Father, today I pray for those that don't know You. I pray for those that think they have it all figured out on their own, and don't need anything that You have to give. My prayer is that they will feel that tug on their heart from You, and realize that they are wrong. I pray that You will guide people into their lives that can share the Good News of Your salvation, and that they will be saved. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Thursday, July 24, 2014
Never Alone
Psalm 23:4 - Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
No matter what our circumstances may be, God is always with us. No matter who may leave us, or how alone we may feel, we are never alone because God is there. God will always be there to keep us company and comfort us during our difficult times.
Something that we can count on forever, is that God will never abandon us. He has told us time and again that He will be there for us. The prophet Isaiah gave us this message from the Lord concerning Israel, His chosen people. God said, "Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand" (Isaiah 41:10). God said this after Israel had abandoned Him over and over since their exodus from Egypt. He will do the same for all of us when we are committed to Him.
During the times I am feeling lonely, or concerned about my future, I try to remember this verse and this promise from my Lord and Savior. It isn't always easy, though. Since I am human, I do have a tendency to try to wallow in my pity and question my own worth. That is to be expected by all of us. We lose a loved one, especially one that we are close to, and we wonder why? Why would God take him from me and leave me all alone? But He didn't leave us all alone. We have our Lord and Savior bending down to listen to our prayers (Psalm 116:2).
All it takes is faith the size of a mustard seed. This is where a lot of us struggle. We have no problem praising God during the good times, but as soon as something happens that we don't like or agree with, we immediately question Him and His will. I have done this more times than I care to count. What I have tried to remind myself of, is that I can't get to the good without going through the bad. Hindsight being 20/20, I see that God is the one that got me through the bad to get to the good. It was nothing that I did on my own, that's for sure.
During this difficult season in my life, am I turning everything over to God? Am I trusting that He is still there when I feel alone or abandoned?
Dear Father, thank You for never leaving me. Thank You for bending down to listen to my prayers when I have given You no reason to stick around. I pray that during this season, my faith in You will increase beyond anything I could expect. I know that for this to happen, my faith in myself MUST decrease. I pray for the strength and courage that only You can provide, for this to happen. I want more of You and less of me. I pray for those that are going through hard times. For the one that lost a close loved one. My prayer is that they will remember to turn to You during this time, and give themselves over to You and Your perfect will. I pray that they will remember that You have a great plan for everything, and they will trust in You. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
No matter what our circumstances may be, God is always with us. No matter who may leave us, or how alone we may feel, we are never alone because God is there. God will always be there to keep us company and comfort us during our difficult times.
Something that we can count on forever, is that God will never abandon us. He has told us time and again that He will be there for us. The prophet Isaiah gave us this message from the Lord concerning Israel, His chosen people. God said, "Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand" (Isaiah 41:10). God said this after Israel had abandoned Him over and over since their exodus from Egypt. He will do the same for all of us when we are committed to Him.
During the times I am feeling lonely, or concerned about my future, I try to remember this verse and this promise from my Lord and Savior. It isn't always easy, though. Since I am human, I do have a tendency to try to wallow in my pity and question my own worth. That is to be expected by all of us. We lose a loved one, especially one that we are close to, and we wonder why? Why would God take him from me and leave me all alone? But He didn't leave us all alone. We have our Lord and Savior bending down to listen to our prayers (Psalm 116:2).
All it takes is faith the size of a mustard seed. This is where a lot of us struggle. We have no problem praising God during the good times, but as soon as something happens that we don't like or agree with, we immediately question Him and His will. I have done this more times than I care to count. What I have tried to remind myself of, is that I can't get to the good without going through the bad. Hindsight being 20/20, I see that God is the one that got me through the bad to get to the good. It was nothing that I did on my own, that's for sure.
During this difficult season in my life, am I turning everything over to God? Am I trusting that He is still there when I feel alone or abandoned?
Dear Father, thank You for never leaving me. Thank You for bending down to listen to my prayers when I have given You no reason to stick around. I pray that during this season, my faith in You will increase beyond anything I could expect. I know that for this to happen, my faith in myself MUST decrease. I pray for the strength and courage that only You can provide, for this to happen. I want more of You and less of me. I pray for those that are going through hard times. For the one that lost a close loved one. My prayer is that they will remember to turn to You during this time, and give themselves over to You and Your perfect will. I pray that they will remember that You have a great plan for everything, and they will trust in You. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
Just Like Us
Mark 14:36 - "Abba Father," He cried out, "Everything is possible for You. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want Your will to be done, not Mine."
There are many words that we use to try and describe Jesus Christ. Of course none of them can truly do justice in describing Him and His character, because our finite minds simply aren't capable of fully comprehending Him. But one characteristic that isn't used or discussed that often, is human. In some ways, He is just like us. And that's a good thing too.
I'm not trying to take away from the greatness that is our Lord and Savior. Far from it. But Jesus was a human while He was on this earth, and He demonstrated plenty of human qualities. The question I always had when I first came to a relationship with Him, was why? Why would He go through the trouble of displaying His human side when He didn't really need to? I mean, He is God after all. Was it so that we could relate to Him better, or perhaps show that we truly are made in His image? I think it was.
In this passage, Jesus showed fear. In Luke's description of this scene, he was actually sweating blood (Luke 22:44). That is a bit of humanity if I ever heard it. This wasn't the only time Jesus showed human emotion either. He also wept over the death of His friend Lazarus (John 11:35).
It's easy for us to sit and judge someone that does something human. Sometimes, we think less of a person when they show anguish or fear, or if they sin differently than us. But if we are honest with ourselves, we will realize that we are just like them. We all feel sorrow. We all feel fear. We ALL sin. But trusting in God's will is what sets us apart. Even though Jesus was afraid to the point of sweating blood, He didn't flinch at asking and inviting that God's will be done, and making Himself an obedient servant to God's will.
There are a million and one insufficient adjectives that could describe Jesus and why He is set apart (Holy) from mankind. But there is really only one that sets us apart and makes us His people - obedient. Those who show their true selves in obedience to our Redeemer, aren't less of a human being because of it. They are just like the rest of those that have.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for showing us Your humanity through Your Son Jesus Christ. Thank You for giving us something that we can relate to, that makes it even easier to believe in You and Your love for us. We shouldn't require that, but since we are fallen, You have bent down to go out of Your way to bring us back to You. I pray for those that think they are too far gone. That think they could never be good enough. My prayer is that they will see that what makes them human, makes us all human, and they will see their need for You and Your will in their life. I pray they will bow in humble obedience to You and Your will, and be just like us. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
There are many words that we use to try and describe Jesus Christ. Of course none of them can truly do justice in describing Him and His character, because our finite minds simply aren't capable of fully comprehending Him. But one characteristic that isn't used or discussed that often, is human. In some ways, He is just like us. And that's a good thing too.
I'm not trying to take away from the greatness that is our Lord and Savior. Far from it. But Jesus was a human while He was on this earth, and He demonstrated plenty of human qualities. The question I always had when I first came to a relationship with Him, was why? Why would He go through the trouble of displaying His human side when He didn't really need to? I mean, He is God after all. Was it so that we could relate to Him better, or perhaps show that we truly are made in His image? I think it was.
In this passage, Jesus showed fear. In Luke's description of this scene, he was actually sweating blood (Luke 22:44). That is a bit of humanity if I ever heard it. This wasn't the only time Jesus showed human emotion either. He also wept over the death of His friend Lazarus (John 11:35).
It's easy for us to sit and judge someone that does something human. Sometimes, we think less of a person when they show anguish or fear, or if they sin differently than us. But if we are honest with ourselves, we will realize that we are just like them. We all feel sorrow. We all feel fear. We ALL sin. But trusting in God's will is what sets us apart. Even though Jesus was afraid to the point of sweating blood, He didn't flinch at asking and inviting that God's will be done, and making Himself an obedient servant to God's will.
There are a million and one insufficient adjectives that could describe Jesus and why He is set apart (Holy) from mankind. But there is really only one that sets us apart and makes us His people - obedient. Those who show their true selves in obedience to our Redeemer, aren't less of a human being because of it. They are just like the rest of those that have.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for showing us Your humanity through Your Son Jesus Christ. Thank You for giving us something that we can relate to, that makes it even easier to believe in You and Your love for us. We shouldn't require that, but since we are fallen, You have bent down to go out of Your way to bring us back to You. I pray for those that think they are too far gone. That think they could never be good enough. My prayer is that they will see that what makes them human, makes us all human, and they will see their need for You and Your will in their life. I pray they will bow in humble obedience to You and Your will, and be just like us. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
Timing Is Everything
Matthew 4:1 - Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil.
Right after Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River by John the Baptist, and received such an awesome blessing by God (Matthew 3:13-17), He is led into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
For the devil, timing is everything. He likes to come at us when he thinks we are weakest. Because of the faithfulness of Jesus Christ, who resisted him and never sinned, we have that same power to resist him when we believe in Jesus. But it's not easy.
In a general sense, human beings are very analytical. Some more than others to be sure, but in a very general sense, we like to think about things before we make any big decisions.
I have found that the enemy tries to come at me during times when I am either studying God's Word, right after, and right after I leave church. Anyone who knows me well enough, knows that I am a thinker that likes to take his time processing things. While I am reading devotionals, I can feel the devil trying to get into my head and tell me that what I am reading isn't true. Right after I finish for the day, I can feel him trying again to tell me that now that I am done, I can do whatever I want. That God won't mind if I sin now, because I did my duty for the day. I feel him on the drive home from Church on Sunday's while I'm still processing the great message I just heard, telling me that what I heard isn't true. And trying to get me to question if I really believe everything I just heard.
This is a tough battle that I face all the time, and I am sure that a lot of us do as well. The Apostle James tells us, "So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7). When I feel him trying to creep into my head, I try to stop what I'm doing (except the driving part), and just pray. I pray for the Holy Spirit to evict the enemy from my head so that I can concentrate on the truth of the Good News of Jesus Christ. And it works!
God takes care of us when we are faithful and humble to Him. The words in the Bible aren't empty phrases. Moses told us in Deuteronomy, and the writer of Hebrews reminded us, that God will never leave us nor forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6, 8; Hebrews 13:5). Jesus promised to always be with us to the end of time (Matthew 28:20). All we have to do is humble ourselves to God and accept His free gift of grace and salvation. He will handle the rest as long as we stay faithful and humble to Him, and seek His will to be done in our lives.
It won't always be easy, but it will always be worth it.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for Your love and protection. Your comfort and peace when the enemy tries to get into my head is amazing. When I humble myself to You and pray for Your help, You have always been faithful and been there for me. I pray that I will remember to stay humble and faithful to You, and not try to solve things on my own. I know that I cannot defeat the enemy without You. I pray for those that don't know You. My prayer is that they will seek You, and answer the door when You knock on their heart. I pray they will humble themselves to You, and that they will receive the same comfort and protection from the enemy. I pray that they will resist the evil one by the strength You give through the power of Your Son Jesus Christ. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Right after Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River by John the Baptist, and received such an awesome blessing by God (Matthew 3:13-17), He is led into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
For the devil, timing is everything. He likes to come at us when he thinks we are weakest. Because of the faithfulness of Jesus Christ, who resisted him and never sinned, we have that same power to resist him when we believe in Jesus. But it's not easy.
In a general sense, human beings are very analytical. Some more than others to be sure, but in a very general sense, we like to think about things before we make any big decisions.
I have found that the enemy tries to come at me during times when I am either studying God's Word, right after, and right after I leave church. Anyone who knows me well enough, knows that I am a thinker that likes to take his time processing things. While I am reading devotionals, I can feel the devil trying to get into my head and tell me that what I am reading isn't true. Right after I finish for the day, I can feel him trying again to tell me that now that I am done, I can do whatever I want. That God won't mind if I sin now, because I did my duty for the day. I feel him on the drive home from Church on Sunday's while I'm still processing the great message I just heard, telling me that what I heard isn't true. And trying to get me to question if I really believe everything I just heard.
This is a tough battle that I face all the time, and I am sure that a lot of us do as well. The Apostle James tells us, "So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7). When I feel him trying to creep into my head, I try to stop what I'm doing (except the driving part), and just pray. I pray for the Holy Spirit to evict the enemy from my head so that I can concentrate on the truth of the Good News of Jesus Christ. And it works!
God takes care of us when we are faithful and humble to Him. The words in the Bible aren't empty phrases. Moses told us in Deuteronomy, and the writer of Hebrews reminded us, that God will never leave us nor forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6, 8; Hebrews 13:5). Jesus promised to always be with us to the end of time (Matthew 28:20). All we have to do is humble ourselves to God and accept His free gift of grace and salvation. He will handle the rest as long as we stay faithful and humble to Him, and seek His will to be done in our lives.
It won't always be easy, but it will always be worth it.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for Your love and protection. Your comfort and peace when the enemy tries to get into my head is amazing. When I humble myself to You and pray for Your help, You have always been faithful and been there for me. I pray that I will remember to stay humble and faithful to You, and not try to solve things on my own. I know that I cannot defeat the enemy without You. I pray for those that don't know You. My prayer is that they will seek You, and answer the door when You knock on their heart. I pray they will humble themselves to You, and that they will receive the same comfort and protection from the enemy. I pray that they will resist the evil one by the strength You give through the power of Your Son Jesus Christ. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Monday, July 21, 2014
Better Plans
Philippians 1:20 - For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die.
One of the many things I admire about the Apostle Paul, is his trust in God's plan for him.
While I wasn't there physically, and I never knew him personally, I am confidently certain that prior to his conversion, Paul never had it in his heart to be want to die in prison in service to God. The Paul we are first introduced to in Acts 7, was no doubt a Christ-hating Pharisee who wanted nothing more than to help bring down and destroy the disciples of Jesus. Fortunately for us, God, as usual, had better plans for Saul of Tarsus.
God has His better plans for all of us. The prophet Isaiah (my personal favorite) tells us that God's thoughts are nothing like our thoughts and that His ways are far beyond anything we could imagine (Isaiah 55:8). Jeremiah also told us that God's plans for us are for good and not disaster, to give us a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11).
While Saul of Tarsus was growing up, I'm sure that his bucket list did not have, "Die in prison for someone I don't believe in." But God had better plans for Saul. His plans for him, and all of us, were far beyond anything Saul could imagine, and far beyond anything we can imagine. His plans for all of His chosen people are great and mighty, and He promises to reveal them to us when we call out to Him (Jeremiah 33:3). It's very easy to get impatient waiting on God to reveal His plans to us. But God never said He would show us everything all at once. This is actually a good thing, because our fragile human minds could not handle it. God wants us to continue to call to Him so that He can show us more and more.
Even after his conversion on the road to Damascus, I'm sure Paul didn't add dying in prison to his bucket list. What I believe is that he crossed everything out on it, and wrote one thing - Trust Christ. He realized that nothing he could ever do would be more important than that. He knew that God's great and mighty plan for him was to spread the Gospel of Christ to as many people that he could, and whatever details needed to be worked out, would be taken care of by God.
Paul didn't have a death wish. He had a God wish. He wasn't concerned if he lived or died, because he knew that both served the purpose of honoring the Lord (Romans 14:8). He was concerned with what would be better for sharing God's message (Philippians 1:22-24). This should be the concern of all us. There is nothing wrong with having ideas about what we want to do, or where we want to go. But God's plans and ways are better, and should be given top priority over everything in our lives. He will never lead us down the wrong path.
Am I fully trusting God's plan for me? Do I firmly believe that He knows better what I need?
Dear Abba Father, thank You for rescuing me from myself. Thank You for revealing some of Your great plans for me. I pray that I will hold tightly to my faith in You, and that Your will is done in my life. I know I have a habit of trying to do this myself sometimes, and I pray that when I start to stray, Your Holy Spirit will convict me and bring me back into Your light. I pray for those that want it their way all the time. My prayer is that they will see that trying to operate outside of Your will is futile and dangerous. I pray that they will recognize this by the power of Your Holy Spirit, and return to follow Your way for them with all their heart, mind, and soul. In Jesus' name. Amen!
God Bless!!!
One of the many things I admire about the Apostle Paul, is his trust in God's plan for him.
While I wasn't there physically, and I never knew him personally, I am confidently certain that prior to his conversion, Paul never had it in his heart to be want to die in prison in service to God. The Paul we are first introduced to in Acts 7, was no doubt a Christ-hating Pharisee who wanted nothing more than to help bring down and destroy the disciples of Jesus. Fortunately for us, God, as usual, had better plans for Saul of Tarsus.
God has His better plans for all of us. The prophet Isaiah (my personal favorite) tells us that God's thoughts are nothing like our thoughts and that His ways are far beyond anything we could imagine (Isaiah 55:8). Jeremiah also told us that God's plans for us are for good and not disaster, to give us a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11).
While Saul of Tarsus was growing up, I'm sure that his bucket list did not have, "Die in prison for someone I don't believe in." But God had better plans for Saul. His plans for him, and all of us, were far beyond anything Saul could imagine, and far beyond anything we can imagine. His plans for all of His chosen people are great and mighty, and He promises to reveal them to us when we call out to Him (Jeremiah 33:3). It's very easy to get impatient waiting on God to reveal His plans to us. But God never said He would show us everything all at once. This is actually a good thing, because our fragile human minds could not handle it. God wants us to continue to call to Him so that He can show us more and more.
Even after his conversion on the road to Damascus, I'm sure Paul didn't add dying in prison to his bucket list. What I believe is that he crossed everything out on it, and wrote one thing - Trust Christ. He realized that nothing he could ever do would be more important than that. He knew that God's great and mighty plan for him was to spread the Gospel of Christ to as many people that he could, and whatever details needed to be worked out, would be taken care of by God.
Paul didn't have a death wish. He had a God wish. He wasn't concerned if he lived or died, because he knew that both served the purpose of honoring the Lord (Romans 14:8). He was concerned with what would be better for sharing God's message (Philippians 1:22-24). This should be the concern of all us. There is nothing wrong with having ideas about what we want to do, or where we want to go. But God's plans and ways are better, and should be given top priority over everything in our lives. He will never lead us down the wrong path.
Am I fully trusting God's plan for me? Do I firmly believe that He knows better what I need?
Dear Abba Father, thank You for rescuing me from myself. Thank You for revealing some of Your great plans for me. I pray that I will hold tightly to my faith in You, and that Your will is done in my life. I know I have a habit of trying to do this myself sometimes, and I pray that when I start to stray, Your Holy Spirit will convict me and bring me back into Your light. I pray for those that want it their way all the time. My prayer is that they will see that trying to operate outside of Your will is futile and dangerous. I pray that they will recognize this by the power of Your Holy Spirit, and return to follow Your way for them with all their heart, mind, and soul. In Jesus' name. Amen!
God Bless!!!
Friday, July 18, 2014
I'm Rubber, You're Glue
1 Peter 3:9 - Don't repay evil for evil. Don't retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and He will grant you His blessing.
When people get mad at each other, how easy is it to lash out and hurl insults back and forth? Disagreements can quickly turn into a tennis match of insults going back and forth. It's human nature to fight fire with fire.
But instead of pouring gasoline on the flames of insults, we are called and held to a higher standard. We are called to smother those flames with love. In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells us about that higher standard. In Matthew 5:21-26, He tells us that being angry with someone is just as bad as murdering them. I believe that just as looking lustfully at a woman is committing adultery in our heart (Matthew 5:28), being angry with someone is like murdering them in your heart.
God never expects us to be perfect. He will handle the part of perfecting us day by day until He returns or we pass on from this world and go home to Him (Philippians 1:6). What he does expect us to do, is to conduct ourselves differently than the world conducts itself. Notice that in this passage, Jesus doesn't say "If you're angry with someone, you're just as guilty of murder, and it's over for you." The great thing about God's Word is that you NEVER hear that. The Bible is an instruction book for living. Repeatedly, God tells us what to do to make it right when we sin. Matthew 5:23-24 tell us how to be reconciled not just to the person you are angry with, but reconciled to God. Jesus tells us to stop what we are doing, and make it right with that other person before we present ourselves to God.
I love this passage, because I have been so guilty of slandering people with insults. Both to their face, and behind their back. Even though I believe that God has called me according to His purpose, I am still a human that sins, and will fail (often). I'm no better than anyone else, but I am called to be better than I used to be. Do I expect better of myself? I should. I'm a child of God, and Jesus Christ died so that I could be redeemed. Even though there is nothing I could do to earn my salvation, I owe it to everyone I encounter to smother them with love, because that's what Jesus did at the Cross and that's what God does every day when He wakes me up (sometimes a little too early...just sayin...).
Dear Abba Father, thank You. A thousand times thank You. I know that I have been known to hurl insults back and forth at others, and that I am guilty of not reconciling myself to my brothers and sisters before I come to You. I beg Your forgiveness for my transgressions, and I ask You to heal my heart as only You can do. I want Your blessings so that I may continue to be a servant to You and Your Kingdom. I pray for those that aren't being granted Your blessing because their heart is hardened towards a brother or sister. My prayer is that they will remember that You never harden Your heart towards us, no matter how much we may deserve it at times. I pray that they will remember how big Your love is, and that they will attempt to pay it forward to others, and smother Your love everywhere instead of fanning the flames of anger and hate. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
When people get mad at each other, how easy is it to lash out and hurl insults back and forth? Disagreements can quickly turn into a tennis match of insults going back and forth. It's human nature to fight fire with fire.
But instead of pouring gasoline on the flames of insults, we are called and held to a higher standard. We are called to smother those flames with love. In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells us about that higher standard. In Matthew 5:21-26, He tells us that being angry with someone is just as bad as murdering them. I believe that just as looking lustfully at a woman is committing adultery in our heart (Matthew 5:28), being angry with someone is like murdering them in your heart.
God never expects us to be perfect. He will handle the part of perfecting us day by day until He returns or we pass on from this world and go home to Him (Philippians 1:6). What he does expect us to do, is to conduct ourselves differently than the world conducts itself. Notice that in this passage, Jesus doesn't say "If you're angry with someone, you're just as guilty of murder, and it's over for you." The great thing about God's Word is that you NEVER hear that. The Bible is an instruction book for living. Repeatedly, God tells us what to do to make it right when we sin. Matthew 5:23-24 tell us how to be reconciled not just to the person you are angry with, but reconciled to God. Jesus tells us to stop what we are doing, and make it right with that other person before we present ourselves to God.
I love this passage, because I have been so guilty of slandering people with insults. Both to their face, and behind their back. Even though I believe that God has called me according to His purpose, I am still a human that sins, and will fail (often). I'm no better than anyone else, but I am called to be better than I used to be. Do I expect better of myself? I should. I'm a child of God, and Jesus Christ died so that I could be redeemed. Even though there is nothing I could do to earn my salvation, I owe it to everyone I encounter to smother them with love, because that's what Jesus did at the Cross and that's what God does every day when He wakes me up (sometimes a little too early...just sayin...).
Dear Abba Father, thank You. A thousand times thank You. I know that I have been known to hurl insults back and forth at others, and that I am guilty of not reconciling myself to my brothers and sisters before I come to You. I beg Your forgiveness for my transgressions, and I ask You to heal my heart as only You can do. I want Your blessings so that I may continue to be a servant to You and Your Kingdom. I pray for those that aren't being granted Your blessing because their heart is hardened towards a brother or sister. My prayer is that they will remember that You never harden Your heart towards us, no matter how much we may deserve it at times. I pray that they will remember how big Your love is, and that they will attempt to pay it forward to others, and smother Your love everywhere instead of fanning the flames of anger and hate. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
Get In The Game
Matthew 16:24 - Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If any of you wants to be My follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow Me."
Pretty simple instructions, don't you think? Then why is this so hard? The NASB translation (more accurate) puts it as "deny himself" as opposed to "turn from your selfish ways." I think this is what stops a lot of us in our tracks. We hear that and say, "Whoa...wait a second. I'm supposed to have the easy good life when I become a Christian." Umm...no, not exactly...
When we hesitate to deny ourselves, we aren't following Jesus. We become sideline fans, rooting for other Christians at a distance. We are called to get in the game and be an active participant in winning souls for God's Kingdom. Being a sideline fan is just like being a lukewarm Christian, and we know what happens to lukewarm Christians (Revelation 3:16).
This is something I have struggled with a lot over the years. I have caught myself more often than I care to remember, sitting on the sidelines and not getting involved. Sitting there doing the "Yay Jesus" cheers (figuratively). Why? Because I'm too selfish. I enjoy the comfortable lifestyle I have had. Being able to just sit back and watch movies or play video games whenever I felt like it. While I wasn't rich from a material standpoint, I felt rich because I had everything I believed I needed.
But Jesus opened my eyes to that. In Revelation 3:17 Jesus says, "You say, 'I am rich. I have everything I want. I don't need a thing!' And you don't realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked." The key word there for me was "want". The closer I have come to Jesus Christ in pursuit of my relationship with Him, the more I understand that He is all I need, and He is all I should want. He satisfies everything I could possibly need or want.
If I want to experience the great and mighty things that God has for me, I need to stop cheering from the sidelines, and give up my selfishness so that I can be a follower and not a fan. Have I really done that yet?
Father, thank You for showing me my tendencies towards selfishness that I am prone to. I pray for Your forgiveness and ask that You heal my heart. I want to experience the plans You have for me, and I realize that I will not see them if I'm on the sidelines. I want Your will to be done in my life, and I don't want to be lukewarm. I pray for those that have the same issues of selfishness. My prayer is that they will understand that it is not about them, but about Your Kingdom and Your glory and I pray that they will turn from their selfish ways and seek and serve You wholeheartedly. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
Wasn't Me...
1 Chronicles 21:17 - And David said to God, "I am the one who called for the census! I am the one who has sinned and done wrong! But these people are as innocent as sheep - what have they done? O Lord my God, let your anger fall against me and my family, but do not destroy Your people!"
David did something very unique here. He took accountability for his sin, accepted responsibility for the consequences, and offered himself as a sacrifice for God's people (okay so that was a few things). What makes it unique is that people, including some leaders, don't really do that.
How often do we encounter people that don't understand the concept of accountability? We confront them with a mistake or something and they say, "Wasn't me."? I actually worked with a guy recently that blamed people for his mistakes even though they had been gone from the company for 6 months! Why is it so hard to accept what we did was wrong and fess up to it?
I suppose it's human nature to want to avoid punishment. We are afraid of the consequences we may face, and want to get away with things for as long as we can. But who does that hurt? Everyone. Most importantly though, it hurts our relationship with our Heavenly Father. He has promised to forgive AND forget our sins when we confess and repent from them, so what holds us back? Maybe we're just leery of getting something for nothing, so the idea of God's free gift of grace is hard to accept. That's also human nature, I suppose. But God can free us from these quirky habits and tendencies when we allow Him in.
What is interesting in this story of David and the census, is that God had already told the angel to stop his punishment of His people (verse 15). David was a man after His heart. He had already confessed His guilt to Gad, but He hadn't confessed it to God. But God knew he was about to. It wasn't just the confession that touched God's heart, it was the offer to sacrifice himself for God's people. Jesus talked about this kind of sacrifice in the Gospel of John when He said, "There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends" (John 15:13).
David understood this concept, and accepted his role as the leader of God's people. He recognized that a leader after God's heart didn't just take accountability and accept responsibility for his actions. A leader after God's heart leads from the front of those he leads.
Am I willing to step in the front and lead those that God puts in my charge, or will I shy away and offer excuses and play the blame game? God doesn't want to hear it wasn't me. He knows better.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for Your free gift of love and grace. Thank You for reminding me that to be someone after You heart, I have to seek Your will in all I do, and take responsibility for my shortcomings by confessing and repenting of my sins. I know this will not always be the popular concept in this world, but I do not want to be conformed to the things of this world, but transformed into the image of Your Son Jesus Christ. I pray for those leaders, and really everyone, that doesn't accept the responsibility that is theirs. They play the blame game, and push everything off on others. My prayer is that You will convict their heart of their sin, and they will confess and repent of their sins so that You can bless them as You always desire. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
David did something very unique here. He took accountability for his sin, accepted responsibility for the consequences, and offered himself as a sacrifice for God's people (okay so that was a few things). What makes it unique is that people, including some leaders, don't really do that.
How often do we encounter people that don't understand the concept of accountability? We confront them with a mistake or something and they say, "Wasn't me."? I actually worked with a guy recently that blamed people for his mistakes even though they had been gone from the company for 6 months! Why is it so hard to accept what we did was wrong and fess up to it?
I suppose it's human nature to want to avoid punishment. We are afraid of the consequences we may face, and want to get away with things for as long as we can. But who does that hurt? Everyone. Most importantly though, it hurts our relationship with our Heavenly Father. He has promised to forgive AND forget our sins when we confess and repent from them, so what holds us back? Maybe we're just leery of getting something for nothing, so the idea of God's free gift of grace is hard to accept. That's also human nature, I suppose. But God can free us from these quirky habits and tendencies when we allow Him in.
What is interesting in this story of David and the census, is that God had already told the angel to stop his punishment of His people (verse 15). David was a man after His heart. He had already confessed His guilt to Gad, but He hadn't confessed it to God. But God knew he was about to. It wasn't just the confession that touched God's heart, it was the offer to sacrifice himself for God's people. Jesus talked about this kind of sacrifice in the Gospel of John when He said, "There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends" (John 15:13).
David understood this concept, and accepted his role as the leader of God's people. He recognized that a leader after God's heart didn't just take accountability and accept responsibility for his actions. A leader after God's heart leads from the front of those he leads.
Am I willing to step in the front and lead those that God puts in my charge, or will I shy away and offer excuses and play the blame game? God doesn't want to hear it wasn't me. He knows better.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for Your free gift of love and grace. Thank You for reminding me that to be someone after You heart, I have to seek Your will in all I do, and take responsibility for my shortcomings by confessing and repenting of my sins. I know this will not always be the popular concept in this world, but I do not want to be conformed to the things of this world, but transformed into the image of Your Son Jesus Christ. I pray for those leaders, and really everyone, that doesn't accept the responsibility that is theirs. They play the blame game, and push everything off on others. My prayer is that You will convict their heart of their sin, and they will confess and repent of their sins so that You can bless them as You always desire. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Monday, July 14, 2014
Company We Keep
1 Corinthians 15:33 - Don't be fooled by those who say such things, for "bad company corrupts good character."
Who we surround ourselves with can, and will, have a tremendous impact on our outlook and world view. We have a responsibility to pick and choose the company we keep.
Very often, the enemy will use other people to spread his lies and to pull us away from the great life that God has planned for us. If we are allowing them into our lives, whose fault is that? I read somewhere once that God's love is eternal, His blessings are not. Good point made. He will always love us, but if we are operating outside of His will, He will not bless us.
Some people don't like to hear that. They want to believe that since they have faith in God and they are good people, God will bless them. Sorry to break the news to you, but it doesn't work that way. Being good doesn't qualify us for Heaven. Only faith in Jesus Christ does.
Romans 14:12 tells us, "Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God." This isn't a chance for us to tell God what we did and what the thought process was behind all of our actions. God already knows. He knows everything in our hearts and minds. This is where we fess up our shortcomings, take accountability, and accept responsibility for our actions.
When your boss calls you in to discuss something you have done wrong, do you accept responsibility for your actions, or do you blame others? How is the blame game working out for you? In Galatians 6:5, Paul tells us clearly that we are each responsible for our own conduct. God will judge us according to what we have done, and who we have served. We have to make the conscious decision to serve Him and His Kingdom, and that includes the people we allow into our lives.
On that final day, when I stand before the judgment seat of God, will I hear, "I never knew you," (Matthew 7:23) or "Well done good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25:23)?
Dear Abba Father, thank You for reminding me that I am responsible for my own conduct and for the company I keep. I pray that I will trust Your guidance and wisdom when I choose who I surround myself with, because I know that I am the one responsible for it. I pray for those that are being surrounded by negativity and joy-killers that spread the lies of the enemy. My prayer is that Your Holy Spirit will touch their heart and open their eyes to what is going on, and they will walk away from those relationships and focus on one that is centered on You and Your Kingdom. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Who we surround ourselves with can, and will, have a tremendous impact on our outlook and world view. We have a responsibility to pick and choose the company we keep.
Very often, the enemy will use other people to spread his lies and to pull us away from the great life that God has planned for us. If we are allowing them into our lives, whose fault is that? I read somewhere once that God's love is eternal, His blessings are not. Good point made. He will always love us, but if we are operating outside of His will, He will not bless us.
Some people don't like to hear that. They want to believe that since they have faith in God and they are good people, God will bless them. Sorry to break the news to you, but it doesn't work that way. Being good doesn't qualify us for Heaven. Only faith in Jesus Christ does.
Romans 14:12 tells us, "Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God." This isn't a chance for us to tell God what we did and what the thought process was behind all of our actions. God already knows. He knows everything in our hearts and minds. This is where we fess up our shortcomings, take accountability, and accept responsibility for our actions.
When your boss calls you in to discuss something you have done wrong, do you accept responsibility for your actions, or do you blame others? How is the blame game working out for you? In Galatians 6:5, Paul tells us clearly that we are each responsible for our own conduct. God will judge us according to what we have done, and who we have served. We have to make the conscious decision to serve Him and His Kingdom, and that includes the people we allow into our lives.
On that final day, when I stand before the judgment seat of God, will I hear, "I never knew you," (Matthew 7:23) or "Well done good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25:23)?
Dear Abba Father, thank You for reminding me that I am responsible for my own conduct and for the company I keep. I pray that I will trust Your guidance and wisdom when I choose who I surround myself with, because I know that I am the one responsible for it. I pray for those that are being surrounded by negativity and joy-killers that spread the lies of the enemy. My prayer is that Your Holy Spirit will touch their heart and open their eyes to what is going on, and they will walk away from those relationships and focus on one that is centered on You and Your Kingdom. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Saturday, July 12, 2014
Down, Not Out
Isaiah 12:2 - See, God has come to save me. I will trust in Him and not be afraid. The Lord God is my strength and my song; He has given me victory.
To begin to overcome our fear of the unknown, we must first place our trust in the hands of God. He has fulfilled His promise to save us through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ, and given us victory over an eternity of separation from Him and His glory.
As I prepare to start a new chapter in my life, I am not concerned about what my future holds, because I trust in the One who holds it. Throughout the Bible, God promises over and over to always be with me. In Isaiah 41, God tells us that He is with us and that we should not be discouraged for He is our God (verse 10). In Matthew 28, Jesus promises to be with us till the end of the age (verse 20). Promises like these are comforting to me in this trial I am entering.
I can approach this time two different ways: I can go my own way, and attempt to rely on my own skills and abilities to get me where I need to be. Or I can keep my faith and trust in God that He will direct me exactly where He needs me to be to serve Him and His Kingdom. There really isn't much deliberation to be done here. The answer is a no-brainer (which is always helpful for me).
Joshua said it well when he said, "But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord" (Joshua 24:15). Just another reason to love God and His Word - the answers we all seek can always be found in the Bible.
I may be down because of some ridiculous maneuverings of men, but I'm not out because of the calculated and loving redemption of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I will serve the Lord.
Dear Abba Father, thank You so much for always being there for me, and never leaving me or forsaking me. Too often I have tried to go my own way on things, and I cannot beg Your forgiveness enough and thank You enough for Your redemption and salvation. Today Father, I cast all my cares and concerns about my future at the foot of the Cross, and I fully trust that You have it all figured out and planned out for me. In the words of the Psalmist, "The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?" (Psalm 118:6). The answer is nothing, for You are with me. You guide me, protect me, and comfort me. For that I am eternally thankful, and I am forever in Your service. In the powerful and mighty name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
To begin to overcome our fear of the unknown, we must first place our trust in the hands of God. He has fulfilled His promise to save us through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ, and given us victory over an eternity of separation from Him and His glory.
As I prepare to start a new chapter in my life, I am not concerned about what my future holds, because I trust in the One who holds it. Throughout the Bible, God promises over and over to always be with me. In Isaiah 41, God tells us that He is with us and that we should not be discouraged for He is our God (verse 10). In Matthew 28, Jesus promises to be with us till the end of the age (verse 20). Promises like these are comforting to me in this trial I am entering.
I can approach this time two different ways: I can go my own way, and attempt to rely on my own skills and abilities to get me where I need to be. Or I can keep my faith and trust in God that He will direct me exactly where He needs me to be to serve Him and His Kingdom. There really isn't much deliberation to be done here. The answer is a no-brainer (which is always helpful for me).
Joshua said it well when he said, "But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord" (Joshua 24:15). Just another reason to love God and His Word - the answers we all seek can always be found in the Bible.
I may be down because of some ridiculous maneuverings of men, but I'm not out because of the calculated and loving redemption of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I will serve the Lord.
Dear Abba Father, thank You so much for always being there for me, and never leaving me or forsaking me. Too often I have tried to go my own way on things, and I cannot beg Your forgiveness enough and thank You enough for Your redemption and salvation. Today Father, I cast all my cares and concerns about my future at the foot of the Cross, and I fully trust that You have it all figured out and planned out for me. In the words of the Psalmist, "The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?" (Psalm 118:6). The answer is nothing, for You are with me. You guide me, protect me, and comfort me. For that I am eternally thankful, and I am forever in Your service. In the powerful and mighty name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Thursday, July 10, 2014
Just One Thing
Micah 6:8 - No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what He requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
In Micah's pleading with God's people, he is trying to get it through to them that there is nothing they could give in the physical sense, that would make them right with God. He points out all the things that the people think would work in verses 6 and 7, but tells them that's not what God is after.
He is after our hearts. He wants our hearts to be seeking Him. He says that God wants us to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with Him. When our hearts are given over to God and we are seeking Him daily, that's when we begin to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with Him.
If we aren't inviting Jesus into our hearts, how do we know what is right? Well, I'll just figure it out as I go and follow my instincts. Wrong. Instincts are a VERY poor substitute for instruction from the Lord. If we don't have the love of Christ in our hearts, how can we love mercy? How can we walk humbly with someone (Jesus), if we aren't seeking His presence?
What I often find ironic, and strange, and sometimes just plain weird, is human nature. Human beings have always been very materialistic. Over time, the attachment to material things has grown to a point where it is almost out of control now. As materialistic as people are, and always have been, we see in the Bible (repeatedly), how God's people are happy and willing to give material gifts (sacrifices) to God to appease Him. Despite their attachment to these things, they are happy to give them up. But when God says that is not what He wants, and that He just wants their hearts, they take a step back, and say, "Whoa! I can't give you that, that would be too personal." Has human nature changed any over the centuries? Not really.
People like to give the physical things that can be seen and touched, so that people can see just how big of a giver they are. It's a facade. All it is, is their way of saying, "Look how much I love God! I'm giving up half my stuff as a sacrifice."
Jesus spoke about this in Matthew 6 when He said, "Watch out! Don't do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in Heaven. When you give to someone in need, don't do as the hypocrites do - blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get" (verses 1-2). He tells us to give our gifts in private and God will reward us (verse 4).
He only wants our heart. Even though Micah listed these 3 things, and Jesus gave us the 2 most important commandments to follow (Matthew 22:37-40), they all flow from the one thing - our heart.
Am I giving God my whole heart, or just a part of it? Am I seeking the approval of men, or the quiet approval of my Savior?
Dear Father, examine my heart. You know where my loyalty lies, and I pray that I will continue seeking You with my whole heart. I know I have a tendency to wander, but because of Your love and faithfulness, You welcome me back into Your arms when I turn my heart towards You. I pray for those that are only going half way (or less) with their hearts for You. My prayer is that Your Holy Spirit will convict them, and they will see that You have nothing they can buy, and that the approval of their brothers and sisters in public means nothing without the quiet approval of our Father in Heaven. I ask this in Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
In Micah's pleading with God's people, he is trying to get it through to them that there is nothing they could give in the physical sense, that would make them right with God. He points out all the things that the people think would work in verses 6 and 7, but tells them that's not what God is after.
He is after our hearts. He wants our hearts to be seeking Him. He says that God wants us to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with Him. When our hearts are given over to God and we are seeking Him daily, that's when we begin to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with Him.
If we aren't inviting Jesus into our hearts, how do we know what is right? Well, I'll just figure it out as I go and follow my instincts. Wrong. Instincts are a VERY poor substitute for instruction from the Lord. If we don't have the love of Christ in our hearts, how can we love mercy? How can we walk humbly with someone (Jesus), if we aren't seeking His presence?
What I often find ironic, and strange, and sometimes just plain weird, is human nature. Human beings have always been very materialistic. Over time, the attachment to material things has grown to a point where it is almost out of control now. As materialistic as people are, and always have been, we see in the Bible (repeatedly), how God's people are happy and willing to give material gifts (sacrifices) to God to appease Him. Despite their attachment to these things, they are happy to give them up. But when God says that is not what He wants, and that He just wants their hearts, they take a step back, and say, "Whoa! I can't give you that, that would be too personal." Has human nature changed any over the centuries? Not really.
People like to give the physical things that can be seen and touched, so that people can see just how big of a giver they are. It's a facade. All it is, is their way of saying, "Look how much I love God! I'm giving up half my stuff as a sacrifice."
Jesus spoke about this in Matthew 6 when He said, "Watch out! Don't do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in Heaven. When you give to someone in need, don't do as the hypocrites do - blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get" (verses 1-2). He tells us to give our gifts in private and God will reward us (verse 4).
He only wants our heart. Even though Micah listed these 3 things, and Jesus gave us the 2 most important commandments to follow (Matthew 22:37-40), they all flow from the one thing - our heart.
Am I giving God my whole heart, or just a part of it? Am I seeking the approval of men, or the quiet approval of my Savior?
Dear Father, examine my heart. You know where my loyalty lies, and I pray that I will continue seeking You with my whole heart. I know I have a tendency to wander, but because of Your love and faithfulness, You welcome me back into Your arms when I turn my heart towards You. I pray for those that are only going half way (or less) with their hearts for You. My prayer is that Your Holy Spirit will convict them, and they will see that You have nothing they can buy, and that the approval of their brothers and sisters in public means nothing without the quiet approval of our Father in Heaven. I ask this in Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
Always Willing
Luke 5:13 - Jesus reached out and touched him. "I am willing," He said. "Be healed!" And instantly the leprosy disappeared.
Jesus is always willing to heal us. When we invite Him into our hearts, and ask Him to heal us, He will heal them and make them clean.
The display of faith and trust by the man with leprosy is inspiring (verse 12). It doesn't say that he tried all sorts of remedies and cures first. It merely says that He recognized Jesus for who He is, and trusted that He could and would heal him if He was willing.
That's all it takes for us to be healed of our sickness called sin. We just have to talk to God, and ask Him to heal us. The beauty of it, is that He is always willing. He doesn't tell us to come back when we've had some time to think about it, or anything like that. All we have to say is if You are willing Lord, You can heal me. And He will. This doesn't mean that we can just keep on sinning and expect Him to forgive us. But it is comforting to know that when we do make mistakes, God is always willing to forgive us.
Am I being faithful and giving my problems and that which ails me up to God? Or am I trying home remedies and cures to figure out my own problems first? Am I putting my trust and faith in the One that can and will heal me because He is always willing, or am I believing the lie of the enemy that I have gone too far?
Dear Abba Father, thank You for always being willing to forgive me and heal me. Sometimes I feel so broken inside, and I am almost able to convince myself that this time, You just won't do it anymore. I know that is the enemy trying to convince me of a lie. I pray for Your strength and courage, along with Your healing, to resist the temptation to believe in the lie, and to put my trust and faith in You first, foremost, and always. I pray for those that have not been able to resist that temptation. My prayer is that You will put it in their heart to see the enemy for what he is - a liar - and turn their hearts towards You in faith and trust for the healing that only You can provide. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Jesus is always willing to heal us. When we invite Him into our hearts, and ask Him to heal us, He will heal them and make them clean.
The display of faith and trust by the man with leprosy is inspiring (verse 12). It doesn't say that he tried all sorts of remedies and cures first. It merely says that He recognized Jesus for who He is, and trusted that He could and would heal him if He was willing.
That's all it takes for us to be healed of our sickness called sin. We just have to talk to God, and ask Him to heal us. The beauty of it, is that He is always willing. He doesn't tell us to come back when we've had some time to think about it, or anything like that. All we have to say is if You are willing Lord, You can heal me. And He will. This doesn't mean that we can just keep on sinning and expect Him to forgive us. But it is comforting to know that when we do make mistakes, God is always willing to forgive us.
Am I being faithful and giving my problems and that which ails me up to God? Or am I trying home remedies and cures to figure out my own problems first? Am I putting my trust and faith in the One that can and will heal me because He is always willing, or am I believing the lie of the enemy that I have gone too far?
Dear Abba Father, thank You for always being willing to forgive me and heal me. Sometimes I feel so broken inside, and I am almost able to convince myself that this time, You just won't do it anymore. I know that is the enemy trying to convince me of a lie. I pray for Your strength and courage, along with Your healing, to resist the temptation to believe in the lie, and to put my trust and faith in You first, foremost, and always. I pray for those that have not been able to resist that temptation. My prayer is that You will put it in their heart to see the enemy for what he is - a liar - and turn their hearts towards You in faith and trust for the healing that only You can provide. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Wednesday, July 2, 2014
What Now?!
Isaiah 5:4 - What more could I have done for my vineyard that I have not already done? When I expected sweet grapes, why did my vineyard give me bitter grapes?
I love this passage. God is asking what else He could have done for His people to turn (and keep) their hearts to Him. What more could He have given them? It almost sounds as though He is throwing His hands up and giving up on them, but we know better.
Even though God sounds frustrated and maybe a bit exasperated here, this chapter starts with, "Now I will sing for the one I love." He still loves His chosen people - His vineyard. And since we know that His story doesn't end here, we know He keeps loving us. More than we can ever comprehend.
Whenever I find myself backsliding in my faith a little, or struggling with accepting God's love and grace, I remember John 3:16. I'm sure that just about everyone can recite that passage (even me, and I stink at memorizing!). It's one of the most quoted scriptures I hear. The one thing that strikes me as the key to that passage, is that God sent Jesus Christ to redeem and save us for eternal life in Heaven, not because He had to (as if we could force Him to do something He doesn't want to), but because He wanted to. He didn't WANT to sacrifice His only Son, He WANTS to save us from eternal separation from Him, and the shed blood of Jesus was the only way it could be done.
In Isaiah, He says He is going to tear down the hedges of His vineyard and let the animals in (verse 5). This isn't to destroy His people. It is to give them a taste of what they can expect when they are separated from Him. He is going to remove His protection from them for a time, so they can see what they have ahead of them if they do not repent and return to Him.
I have no problem with this. I think we all need that sometimes (I know I sure do). We have a tendency to get complacent and lackadaisical (one of my favorite words in the English language), because we are taking God for granted. He doesn't get mad at us for this, because He expects it. He knows what we are going to do before we do it. He doesn't throw up His hands and say, "What now?!" He puts reminders in our lives of how great life is with Him instead of away from Him. And when we come to our senses, He simply opens His arms wide and welcomes us back in with a great big bear hug.
Am I being fruitful with the gifts that God blessed me with, or am I producing bitter grapes? Both in my life and the ones that I have an influence on?
Dear Abba Father, thank You for reminding me today to be mindful of the fruit I am producing. I pray that I will not produce bitter grapes in my life or in those I have influence in. Let me produce 30, 60, or 100 times what You have planted in me. I pray for those that think that God has given up on them. My prayer is that they will see that You are standing with arms wide open waiting for them to repent and return to You, as You have always promised. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
I love this passage. God is asking what else He could have done for His people to turn (and keep) their hearts to Him. What more could He have given them? It almost sounds as though He is throwing His hands up and giving up on them, but we know better.
Even though God sounds frustrated and maybe a bit exasperated here, this chapter starts with, "Now I will sing for the one I love." He still loves His chosen people - His vineyard. And since we know that His story doesn't end here, we know He keeps loving us. More than we can ever comprehend.
Whenever I find myself backsliding in my faith a little, or struggling with accepting God's love and grace, I remember John 3:16. I'm sure that just about everyone can recite that passage (even me, and I stink at memorizing!). It's one of the most quoted scriptures I hear. The one thing that strikes me as the key to that passage, is that God sent Jesus Christ to redeem and save us for eternal life in Heaven, not because He had to (as if we could force Him to do something He doesn't want to), but because He wanted to. He didn't WANT to sacrifice His only Son, He WANTS to save us from eternal separation from Him, and the shed blood of Jesus was the only way it could be done.
In Isaiah, He says He is going to tear down the hedges of His vineyard and let the animals in (verse 5). This isn't to destroy His people. It is to give them a taste of what they can expect when they are separated from Him. He is going to remove His protection from them for a time, so they can see what they have ahead of them if they do not repent and return to Him.
I have no problem with this. I think we all need that sometimes (I know I sure do). We have a tendency to get complacent and lackadaisical (one of my favorite words in the English language), because we are taking God for granted. He doesn't get mad at us for this, because He expects it. He knows what we are going to do before we do it. He doesn't throw up His hands and say, "What now?!" He puts reminders in our lives of how great life is with Him instead of away from Him. And when we come to our senses, He simply opens His arms wide and welcomes us back in with a great big bear hug.
Am I being fruitful with the gifts that God blessed me with, or am I producing bitter grapes? Both in my life and the ones that I have an influence on?
Dear Abba Father, thank You for reminding me today to be mindful of the fruit I am producing. I pray that I will not produce bitter grapes in my life or in those I have influence in. Let me produce 30, 60, or 100 times what You have planted in me. I pray for those that think that God has given up on them. My prayer is that they will see that You are standing with arms wide open waiting for them to repent and return to You, as You have always promised. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Tuesday, July 1, 2014
Promises, Promises
Isaiah 1:18 - "Come now, let's settle this," says the Lord. "Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool."
God promises to wash us clean of the stains of our sins. But why? Because our sins are rebellion against God, and they separate us from Him. He doesn't want us to be separated from Him, but in an intimate, close relationship with Him.
I am sure we have all been let down by people at one time or another. People make promises left and right, but don't keep them. The tendency is to become desensitized to it. We pass it off and say, "Yeah, yeah...promises, promises..." But we don't have to do that with God.
But why? What did we do to deserve His love and kindness? Absolutely nothing. He does it because He that's who He is. We are His special creation. When He promised to wash us clean of our sins, He came through with His promise as He always does. He gave us Jesus Christ.
I love the passage in Titus 3 where Paul says, "But when God our Savior revealed His kindness and love, He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of His grace He declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life" (verses 4-7).
Jesus Christ is the promise fulfilled from Isaiah. Promise made - promise delivered. Paul tells us in Titus 3:3 that we were 'foolish and disobedient', but God did it anyway. In Isaiah 1:11-16, God tells us that He doesn't want our boring, rote worship. He wants our hearts. When we give Him our hearts and follow His instructions to do good, seek justice, help the oppressed, defend the orphans, and fight for the widows (Isaiah 1:17), He pours out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior, and washes our sins. He makes them white as snow. As white as wool.
Am I just going through the motions of worship, or is my heart truly seeking after God and His commands to love? I pray that He will break my heart for what breaks His, so that I may be closer to Him in all that I do.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for being the One that we can always count on to keep Your promises. People will let us down - often - but You never do. I pray that my heart will seek You and Your will every day and in every way, so that You will continue to pour out Your spirit of love and grace on me, and I can share Your love with any and everyone. I pray for those that don't have their hearts right. Maybe they have been misled to believe that they have to go through certain motions and do certain things in order to be saved and redeemed by You. My prayer is that someone will show them that it is only through faith they are saved and washed clean by the blood of Your Son Jesus Christ. I pray that if I can be used for this purpose that I will not shy away from this awesome responsibility. I ask this in the precious name of Jesus Christ, Amen!
God Bless!!!
God promises to wash us clean of the stains of our sins. But why? Because our sins are rebellion against God, and they separate us from Him. He doesn't want us to be separated from Him, but in an intimate, close relationship with Him.
I am sure we have all been let down by people at one time or another. People make promises left and right, but don't keep them. The tendency is to become desensitized to it. We pass it off and say, "Yeah, yeah...promises, promises..." But we don't have to do that with God.
But why? What did we do to deserve His love and kindness? Absolutely nothing. He does it because He that's who He is. We are His special creation. When He promised to wash us clean of our sins, He came through with His promise as He always does. He gave us Jesus Christ.
I love the passage in Titus 3 where Paul says, "But when God our Savior revealed His kindness and love, He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of His grace He declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life" (verses 4-7).
Jesus Christ is the promise fulfilled from Isaiah. Promise made - promise delivered. Paul tells us in Titus 3:3 that we were 'foolish and disobedient', but God did it anyway. In Isaiah 1:11-16, God tells us that He doesn't want our boring, rote worship. He wants our hearts. When we give Him our hearts and follow His instructions to do good, seek justice, help the oppressed, defend the orphans, and fight for the widows (Isaiah 1:17), He pours out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior, and washes our sins. He makes them white as snow. As white as wool.
Am I just going through the motions of worship, or is my heart truly seeking after God and His commands to love? I pray that He will break my heart for what breaks His, so that I may be closer to Him in all that I do.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for being the One that we can always count on to keep Your promises. People will let us down - often - but You never do. I pray that my heart will seek You and Your will every day and in every way, so that You will continue to pour out Your spirit of love and grace on me, and I can share Your love with any and everyone. I pray for those that don't have their hearts right. Maybe they have been misled to believe that they have to go through certain motions and do certain things in order to be saved and redeemed by You. My prayer is that someone will show them that it is only through faith they are saved and washed clean by the blood of Your Son Jesus Christ. I pray that if I can be used for this purpose that I will not shy away from this awesome responsibility. I ask this in the precious name of Jesus Christ, Amen!
God Bless!!!
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