Help Me to Remember

Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.
Luke 23:34 KJV

He was ostracized before He was born (born in a barn to a mother who was pregnant by Someone other than her husband). Those who knew Him best didn't respect Him (Mark 6:3-5). The high priest and leaders of the temple hated Him and conspired to kill Him.

What did Jesus do? He prayed. How many times do we read in Scripture that Jesus prayed? He sought God in all things. I would submit for your consideration that one of the things Jesus prayed about while living on earth was the constant rejection. How do you continue to love people who constantly reject you or hurt you? And if you can't love them, how can you forgive them? If you can't forgive them, you can't be forgiven by your Father in heaven (Matthew 6:12).

How many of us walk through life with the Marine attitude of "Kill 'em all - let God sort 'em out"? Now, I don't know about you, but for a long time in my journey, I wanted to forgive, but there just seemed to be something so wrong about the one who committed the offense being let off the hook. It was like letting them get away with it. How can you let someone get away with that kind of thing? That's just not right...is it? You can't let them think they got away with it scott-free, can you?

I'm reminded of the accessory line that came out quite a few years back. WWJD - Do you remember those tee shirts and bracelets and earrings and necklaces, Bible covers, etc. What Would Jesus Do? Reminding us to be like Jesus. Well, what did He do? Did one of His own disciples betray Him? Yes. Did Jesus know about it? Yes. Did the leaders of the temple conspire to kill Him? Yes. Did Jesus try to stop any of them?

Did they taunt Him with lies and shove it in His face? Read Luke 23:35-39 NLT, The crowd watched and the leaders scoffed. "He saved others," they said, "let him save himself if he is really God's Messiah, the Chosen One." The soldiers mocked him, too, by offering him a drink of sour wine. They called out to him, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!" A sign was fastened to the cross above him with these words: "This is the King of the Jews." One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, "So you're the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you're at it!"

Was He - is He God's Messiah, the Chosen One? Yes! Could they have killed Him if He hadn't laid down His life in OBEDIENCE to the Father in sacrifice for our lives? No, they could not! Did they kill Him? Yes. Did they think they got away with it? Yes...

What did Jesus do? When the circumstances demanded justice at such wrong-doing, He gave mercy. Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do... Aren't we to follow Christ's example? Are we to be like Jesus?

Prayer:

Father,
            Help us to realize that forgiveness is not a feeling. It's a choice of will. Help us to understand Matthew 18 and forgiving others seventy times seventy... Remind us to choose to forgive every time it comes up. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Finding the Balance

But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God’s righteousness. And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight.

2nd Peter 3:13-14 NLT

Almost every day, while online, I see some sort of headline about finding the balance in life. How to balance your checkbook. How to balance work and kids. How to balance housework and fun. How to balance all of it together - checkbook, work, kids, housework, and fun. And don't forget your marriage, if you have one. It's crazy. 

Sometimes adding one more thing we're "supposed to do" to put balance in our lives can actually cause the crash and crumble. We can spin out of control trying to keep up with such a frenetic free-for-all.

There is only one real place to find true balance. And that is at the Cross of Calvary. The weight of our sin - all of it - weighed on Him. Our lives were in the balance and He bore it perfectly because of His great love. 

Prayer:

Father,
Help us to always remember Your Son was and is the perfect foil for the enemy in our lives. Thank You for helping us to keep our balance in whatever we do when we lean on You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

What Are Those Promises?

By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.
2nd Peter 1:3-4 NLT

We love to quote this Scripture passage about what exceedingly great and precious promises God has given us. The ones that enable us to share His divine nature. The ones that allow us to escape the world's corruption. Do you know those promises?

They're found in both the Old and New Testaments, but Paul put them together for us in 2nd Corinthians 6:

As God has said:

“I will live with them
and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
and they will be my people.”

Therefore, 

“Come out from them
and be separate,
says the Lord.
Touch no unclean thing,
and I will receive you.”

And,

“I will be a Father to you,
and you will be my sons and daughters,
says the Lord Almighty.”

He never said we wouldn't have problems while we lived here. In Truth, Jesus told us we WOULD have problems, but He promised to never leave us or forsake us. And He hasn't. Those are the promises.

Prayer:

Father, 

           Thank You for Your exceeding great and precious promises to us! Thank You for giving us everything we need to live a Godly life. We pray according to Your Word in 2nd Corinthians 7:1, Because we have these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear You, God. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Perfectly Perfected

But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.
1st Peter 5:10 NKJV

The New Living Translation reads, In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus...

Jentezen Franklin says in his book Love Like You've Never Been Hurt that "to be kind is to be holy." Not the end-all, be-all of holy, but definitely one attribute of it, and we are called to be holy because God is holy (1st Peter 1:15-17).

It's easy to be kind when all is right in our world - people who love you, your health is good, the bills are paid, there's food enough on the table. For many, if even one of these is removed, kindness may go right out the door. 

John MacArthur writes, 

Christians are to live with the understanding that God’s purposes realized in the future require some pain in the present. While the believer is being personally attacked by the enemy, he is being personally perfected by the Lord, as the next phrase attests: perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle. These 4 words all speak of strength and resoluteness. God is working through the Christian’s struggles to produce strength of character.

What we need to remember is that it's after the suffering that the God of all grace will perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle us.

Prayer:

Father, 
           Thank You for Your many kindnesses toward us - innumerable, immeasurable, fathomless. We want to be like You. To love as You love. To be holy as You are holy. Give us the grace to endure so that after the suffering, You will perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

*After the Valley

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
Psalm 23:4 NKJV

Christian or cretin - the Twenty-third Psalm is one of the most well-known passages of Scripture in the world today. Children and adults alike can recite it for you. It's similar to a Christmas carol in that respect. We all know the words, but when was the last time we actually paid attention to what the words really say?

I've always been partial to God preparing a table before me in the presence of my enemies... (take that, devil!), but next to verse 1 - The Lord is my Shepherd... - I think our text, verse 4, is the 2nd most well-known phrasing. Two important things to note here - it's the shadow of death not Death Valley, and we're walking THROUGH. We're not staying. We're not setting up camp or a souvenir stand. We may have "been there done that" but we don't need to sell tickets for the side show or sell postcards of it. We're walking through. Keep moving...

Yessiree, keep moving because it's AFTER the valley that we find the goodness and mercy following us all the days of our lives. Praise His Holy Name!

Prayer;

Father,
          I never cease to be amazed at Your goodness and mercy toward us. Thank You for comforting us as we walk through the valley. Thank You for bringing us through to the other side. Giving You all praise - In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

What Are You For?

So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.

John 13:34-35 NLT

There are some great organizations that have been founded in order to give Christians a voice - in the world, in politics, in the workplace. Most are aware of the Christian stand against sexual immorality and pornography and same-sex marriage and abortion, etc. These are all battle-worthy. We win some and we lose some, but at least we're fighting. I will stand and beat the drum in a call to battle, I will fight, I will fund Godly endeavors that line up with the Word of God.

The world is well aware of what we as Christians are against. The point we may be missing is do they know what we are for? King James reads this way; By this ALL WILL KNOW that you are My disciples, if you HAVE LOVE FOR one another (emphasis mine). The question in my mind today is not whether those around me know I am a Christian, but rather HOW do they know? What reasons would THEY give for telling someone they know I am a Christian. Is it because I have love / shown love FOR them or because of what I stand against?

Prayer:

Father,

          Our hearts cry out to be free from distrust. Teach us to love You as You desire to be loved and teach us to love each other with a holy love like You do. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Beast of Burden (by request)

Have you never understood? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding. He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.

Isaiah 40:28b-29 NLT

I have lived most of my adult Christian life telling God that He must have me confused with someone else because I am not strong enough to walk this road and carry whatever load I've got at that moment. I have joked about it numerous times - If God says He'll never put more on us than we can bear, He obviously has a much higher opinion of me than I have of myself.  I'll tell you - for an intelligent woman, I can be really stupid.

It's my own foolishness and pride that causes me to think that I can carry ANY load on my own. God has always invited us to come to Him and lay our burdens down. He never put any restrictions on how much we can drop off.  I don't find any Scripture where God instructs us to go away and come back when we have a real load. Or one that tells me to stop wasting His time and go do it by myself. I do, however, find many that invite us to rest in Him, to yoke up with Him, to cast all our care on Him.

Of course, we can choose to be stubborn as mules and do it on our own... but God never called any of us to be beasts of burden.

Prayer:

Father,

         Rather than bray, we choose to pray - for Your wisdom, Your guidance, Your mercy and grace, and Your strength. Open our eyes FULLY to see Your desire for our lives established and fulfilled. When we recognize that it's Your strength and acknowledge that it's not ours, there is NO load too big or too much. Help us to see that Christ carried our load to the Cross, now all we have to do is follow Him. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

I was thinking...

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Philippians 4:8 KJV

This does not say:

whatsoever lies have been told to you,
whatsoever has been dishonest in your life,
whatsoever wrongs have been done to you and your loved ones,
whatsoever is full of evil,
whatsoever are ugly actions,
whatsoever is the worst report of what could happen, did happen, didn't happen, is going to happen,
If there be any immorality,
And if there be any criticism and hate-filled speech,
think on these things.

One is the Truth of God's Word. The other is lies from the father of lies, the enemy of your soul. 

You choose. Forgiveness or...

Prayer:

Father,
          Open the eyes of our hearts to see You, to know You, to trust You, no matter what. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Good News Great News

Though the Lord gave you adversity for food and suffering for drink, he will still be with you to teach you. You will see your teacher with your own eyes. Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left.
Isaiah 30:20-21 NLT

I don't always understand life, do you? If you'd asked me 20 years ago where I would be in 20 years, this is not where I saw myself. Don't get the wrong idea. I'm not in a bad place - I'm in a good place! But it is quite different than where I saw myself being at this time.

That's okay. I have to say that I've never met one person in my lifetime who said that everything in their life had been exactly what they thought it would be at every age, stage and juncture. The good news is that no matter where we are, the Father is with us. Christ said He would never leave us, nor forsake us. He promised that He would always be with us, even to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20).

The great news is that no matter what path our life winds up on, if we will listen for the Father's voice, He will direct us. 

Stop, don't go there.
Turn here. Go forward.
Keep going. You're almost there.
Slow down a little... Stop.
Wait.
No, don't go until I tell you it's okay.
Not yet. I can see something coming in your blind spot. 

On our life's journey, the good news is God directs us where to turn. The great news is He also lets us know when to turn. Wait for His direction.

Prayer:

Father,
           You truly are an amazing God. May we always trust You to provide the right way, even when we see no way. Help us to always hear and listen to Your direction. Forgive us when we try to give You direction. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

God Alone

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.
James 1:5-6 NLT

Around here, we've had lots of opportunity lately because of furious summer squalls to see waves blown and tossed by the wind. You never know which way they're going, or how they'll splatter when they smash against the bulkhead. It's quite the illustration for this passage of Scripture... 

Oh, so THAT'S what we look like when we don't trust in God alone! 

See it? Is that how we want our lives to be - smashed against the bulkhead? Do we understand how we are broken and separated when we don't trust in God alone? 

So, let's be honest - where do we place our faith? Do we pray and ask God alone - He Who has never failed - or do we always have a back up plan "in case" He doesn't operate on our timeline? Something to think about. 

Prayer:

Father,
         Forgive us for trusting in anything that is not You! Open our eyes to see any self-destructive ways. By Your Grace, may we live our lives of faith in You and You alone. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Beyond the Reach

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.

1st Peter 1:3-4 NLT

I remember years ago when the Enron debacle was all over the headlines, made all the more real to me because there were people in my personal sphere who were financially devastated by it. People within months or just a few years of retiring - who lost it all and had not enough years left to recover. They were literally starting from scratch...in their sixties. Instead of looking forward to retirement, they were praying for health, strength, and the opportunity to be able to continue working so their spouses would have a place to live and food to eat.

Why did that happen? Because the lust of the flesh (greed) brought change and decay to the hearts of those to whom they had entrusted their life's savings. I will never forget the lifelessness in the eyes of those who were hopeless because their retirement fund was what they'd worked for their whole lives... and they did not know the Lord.

As much as I hate to admit it, I have lost everything I owned before, but God spared my life and the lives of those I love most. The cash-in value of my life insurance is immeasurable - I have the same insurance carrier as a former Christian comedian - "...a guaranteed policy with Jesus Christ Mutual Life." And I live with great expectation because I have a priceless inheritance - an inheritance that is kept in heaven for me, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.

Prayer:

Father,

         Your provision for our every need is mind-boggling! Thank You for being trustworthy and faithful. Open our eyes to recognize Your Truth around us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Fresh Bread

Give us this day our daily bread.

Matthew 6:11

 

There used to be a grocery chain called Albertson's. Now personally, I detest grocery shopping, but I liked going to Albertson's. When you walked in the door, you could smell the fresh bread. They baked twice a day. Once in the morning, so you could smell it if you stopped in on your way to work, and once in the evening, so you could smell it if you stopped in on your way home. Baked it right there. They would serve it up hot and have it by the checkouts in an open-ended bag to let you get the full effect of that delightful come-and-get-it-smell of just-baked bread. You can almost smell it now, can't you?

If I grabbed a loaf of that bread on the way home, my family would sing my praises like I'd just baked it myself. Although, as wonderful as that bread was that night, by the next morning, it was hard. It wasn't the same. Didn't have the same flavor either. It was still bread. It still had all the same ingredients. It still had all the same nutrients, but it wasn't fresh. It could not evoke the same delight as it did fresh from the oven. However, I know I bought hundreds of loaves of that bread and my family was delighted every time...

 

So, let me ask you something. Do you think my family would have been thrilled if I'd served them stale bread?  Do you think I would have bought stale bread on purpose? No, of course not, and neither would you. Would you serve it to your friends and/or those you work with?  How long would you eat stale bread? Maybe one day, at the most two, if you have nothing else. But eventually you throw it out.

 

The Word of God is our bread from heaven. And yet, we think if we've read the Bible before or memorized verses, that will suffice, that somehow we don't need to do it every day. I'll just tell you. I don't want to survive on stale bread. And I don't want to serve stale bread to those I care about. I want it fresh, the aroma of heaven in my nostrils because I have been to the throne room, served up hot because of the fire that forged it in my spirit. Same bread - different day. Served up fresh. How delightful.

 

Prayer:

 

Father,

          Thank You for Your Word that is fresh every day. Thank You for its life-giving power. Thank You for making it available to us - right there, ready for us. Help us to be holy and diligent, workers who do not need to be ashamed, Your people rightly dividing the Word of Truth and serving it up fresh. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Victory or Sympathy

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.
Hebrews 12:1-3 NKJV

Hebrews 12 follows the chapter most Christians refer to as the 'Hall of Faith' - those whose faith was counted as righteousness before God. Those are the ones who endured SO much more as Christians than we as Americans could even imagine. Those are the ones who have gone before us and are waiting for us to finish this race.

Pastor Glen told the story of the 4-man relay team who led the circuit throughout the season in wins - they were unbeatable. When it came time for the world games competition, the starting shot was fired, and the race was on in an electrifying launch. The first runner of the team was out in front feet flying. Coming into the first turn, he misstepped, twisted his ankle, lost his balance and fell face-first into the cinder track. The crowd uttered a collective gasp and then, in unison, the sad "ohhhhh..." of commiseration. 

The other teams' runners raced right on by. The projected winner was face-down on the track and for all practical intents and purposes was out of the race. However, he had been in training. Training taught him - you finish what you started. You finish the race. Slowly, painfully, his face, hands and knees bleeding, he pushed himself up off the track and searched for the dropped baton. With it in his grasp, he began to gimp his way to hand it off. In his mind, all was lost. His heart was broken and as he handed off to the next runner, he fell to the sideline, sobbing. Broken. Failed. He had failed. But, as he lay there sobbing...

The second runner ran for all he was worth. His goal was to get to the next runner. He successfully handed off to runner 3 who had already started running. Runner 3 ran with all that was in him while runner 1 was still inconsolable on the sideline. Broken. Failed. Not seeing, not knowing...that runner 3 had caught up with the pack and was handing off to the 4th and last runner. The last runner had his eye on the goal. He did not think about his teammate on the sideline. He did not regard those in front of him. He did not consider the obstacles he had to overcome. He had the baton and he did what he was trained to do. Run for the finish. Run for the prize... and he did. Against all odds. They won. Runner 1 was still on the sideline, sobbing that he had let down his team. Broken. A failure?

No. He wasn't a failure, but he just didn't realize it yet. He had gotten up against all odds and finished what he set out to do. What he had trained to do. Hand off the baton to the next runner. He could have lain there and not gotten up. He could have hobbled off to the side because no one expected him to get up and run. People would have shaken their heads in pity, and sympathized, and totally understood... And his whole team would have lost. But he stayed in the race!

Solomon said the race is not to the swift. Christ never said it would be easy. He just promised He would never leave us. Did you see His run? What do you want? Victory or sympathy?  You've got the baton. Stay in the race! Get up! Run!

Prayer:

Father,
Your Son - the Author and Finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross. Help us to endure to the finish line. By Your grace, we will win when we stay focused on You. Help us to keep our eyes on the prize and press toward it. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Just Like Your Father

In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly. Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.
Romans 12:6-10 NLT

As children, we learn by the examples lived before us - good or bad. That's why as adults, we must be so careful about what those coming after us can see us doing. I'm sure all of us have heard at one time or another, "You're just like your father" or "You're just like your mother", and perhaps it wasn't because we were being so good! 

Some families, you can walk into a room and pick out the members of their family just by looking at them. Then there are those who have been adopted, like my grandchildren. Who are they like? What traits are inherent within them? Which ones are learned from their adoptive parents? You have to know at least one set of parents, birth or adopted, in order to make that determination.

Our Heavenly Father is a Giver. John 3:16 - we all know it - For God so loved the world that He GAVE His only begotten Son... He gave His best to us for us and for those around us. But He didn't stop there. Our text for today explains how in His grace, He has given us gifts for doing certain things well. And we are encouraged to utilize what He's given us for those around us and to do it well. We don't each have all the gifts, but He gives some to everyone. 1st Corinthians 2:12 tells us that we have not received the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God so that we would know the things that are freely given to us by God. That's pretty amazing. Gives it to us and then gives us the Holy Spirit so we don't miss it.

That's so great! That means you CAN be just like your Father!

Prayer:

Father,
          We want to be more like You. Enlarge Your Spirit within us, so the world will know we are Your children just by looking at us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Not My Way

For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
Jeremiah 29:11 NLT

I know I have used this verse many times in writing the Promise for Today...but there are many times that I need to be reminded. Life doesn't always turn out the way I want it to. I don't get MY way. Therefore, I need to be reminded that God is not a man, so He does not lie. He is not human, so He does not change his mind. Has He ever spoken and failed to act? Has He ever promised and not carried it through? (Numbers 23:19). I must be reminded that His thoughts are not my thoughts. HIS ways are not MY ways. Both His ways and His thoughts are so much higher, according to Isaiah 55.

And I have to be reminded that in Isaiah 46:9-11, God declares of Himself:

Remember the things I have done in the past. For I alone am God! I am God, and there is none like Me. Only I can tell you the future before it even happens. Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish. I will call a swift bird of prey from the east— a leader from a distant land to come and do my bidding. I have said what I would do, and I will do it.

One of the most brilliant minds of our time - Albert Einstein - said, "God Almighty does not throw dice." Did you need to be reminded?

Prayer:

Father,
Thank You for Your Word - thank You for giving it to men to write down for those times that we need to be reminded. Help us to be ever mindful of You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Catch My Drift

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

James 1:5-8 NKJV

How do I get from one place to another? Obviously, I have to know where I want to go. If I want to go from Texas to Missouri, I have to decide what course I will take. What will be my mode of travel? How much time - how much money to buy gas or to pay for a ticket - how much food- all that will help to determine what course I take.  I have to plan and prepare all those things.

 

Praying in faith - without doubting - is a planned course of action. Faith is not action-less. Contrary to what some folks think, it is not living in la-la land, refusing to acknowledge what's going on around us. If we have faith, we are following a plan. We're following our course. We're not moved by what we see or hear. We are focused on following the plan. We've filed our intent with the powers that be to follow the course laid out by the God of heaven; the course that WILL get us to our destination.

 

Have you paid attention lately to the tenor of your prayers?  No, not tenor like Pavarotti or Domingo, but tenor meaning the settled or prevailing or habitual course of a person's life. I believe in spontaneous prayer and/or praise, but I also think there needs to be intentional prayer and/or praise. We can NOT count worried thoughts thrown somewhere in the general direction toward heaven as prayer any more than we can throw our boots in the oven and bake and expect a biscuit when the timer goes off. We're talking about intentional. Settled. Prevailing. Habitual. The course of a person's prayer life. Planned.

 

If I ask God for wisdom to live my life, and I am not intentional about believing He will give it to me, according to His Word (THE Plan), then I would be drifting like a wave of the sea. 

Merriam-Webster defines adrift as:  

1 : without motive power and without anchor or mooring <a boat adrift on the sea>  

2 : without ties, guidance, or security <people morally adrift>  

3 : free from restraint or support.  

And just like it is dangerous to be adrift on the sea - powerless and without an anchor - it is infinitely more dangerous to be adrift in the sea of life. 

Although not being restrained may seem like a good thing to lots of people, no support is a bad thing (there is a way that seems right to a man, but the end of that way is death...Proverbs 14:12). Without God's motivating power, without the Cross as our anchor or mooring, without the ties, guidance, or security of our relationship with Christ, His Word, His people, we are unstable in all our ways. 

How do we build relationship with Christ? We talk to Him. We get to know Him. We learn about things He's done. Things He's going to do. (Prayer, praise and pursuit).

 

So, do we just want to drift along or do you want to plan your course?

 

Prayer:

 

Father,

          According to Your Word in Psalm 141:4, Don’t let me drift toward evil or take part in acts of wickedness. Don’t let me share in the delicacies of those who do wrong.  I need Your wisdom to plot my course in life and to follow Your plan. Let everything I do and everything I say be intentionally faithful to You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

In the Middle of It All

Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Look! I am placing a foundation stone in Jerusalem, a firm and tested stone. It is a precious cornerstone that is safe to build on. Whoever believes need never be shaken.

Isaiah 28:16 NLT

 

What comes to your mind when you think about the middle layer? An Oreo cookie? Strawberry shortcake? (hmmmm... I must be hungry...) The middle layer - at least when it comes to food - is usually the good stuff. The makers of Oreos have built an entire ad campaign around it. That's all well and good in the food business, but it won't carry any weight in the building industry.

 

In order to build to last, to withstand the test of time, there must be a strong foundation. What is called a sure foundation. One that can carry the weight of whatever the plan is to build. If it's off, even just a little, it is magnified in the end. There is one that is known worldwide - the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Obviously, there were some great marketing people back then, too. I'm sure they didn't plan to call it the Leaning Tower of Pisa... It was not a sure foundation.

 

As Christians, we love the verse that is our text today. We know Christ is the solid rock. He is our firm foundation. King James calls Him a tried stone. It's one that is proven. We do know that He is safe to build on. But this verse is the middle layer - it's the good stuff. The verse before it reads, You boast, “We have struck a bargain to cheat death and have made a deal to dodge the grave. The coming destruction can never touch us, for we have built a strong refuge made of lies and deception.” And the one after it reads, "I will test you with the measuring line of justice and the plumb line of righteousness. Since your refuge is made of lies, a hailstorm will knock it down. Since it is made of deception, a flood will sweep it away."

 

It's rather like the Leaning Tower of Pisa...we take our mistakes and cover them up with a grand marketing scheme. Just like in food prep, it's all in the presentation. And the Truth is, we're only deluding ourselves. When we are measured with the justice of God Almighty and the plumb line of His righteousness, we'd better be standing on that verse in the middle - He is our only sure foundation.

 

Prayer:

 

Father,

         I love how You cause us to think outside the box. Keep us sharp, Lord. Keep us ever looking toward You, the Author and Finisher of our Faith. Even in that, we are in the middle of You as our Beginning and our End. Our Alpha and Omega. Our sure foundation. Keep us inside Your lines, Father. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* The Difference

If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?
Psalm 11:3 KJV

This same text for today in the New Living Translation reads, The foundations of law and order have collapsed. What can the righteous do? And I love it in The Message, The bottom's dropped out of the country; good people don't have a chance... Hmmm... I heard someone say that just last week...

I was thinking this morning of a conversation I had years ago with someone very close to me. She believes in God, but she has not yet embraced the Word as her own standard for living. She wanted to justify her beliefs by what was going on in the world system. It seemed right. The infamous Everyone believes it's okay or Nobody's doing that. Or There's no law against it. Well, actually there is... it's just not in the book of law that you're reading...

Society (and their lawmakers) will go to unbelievable lengths to justify their sinful actions, even so far as to enact laws saying they're okay. For those fools (that's what Scripture calls them) who say, There is no God, it's almost understandable. However, it's unbelievable for those who say, We believe in God and yet still embrace what is clearly opposed to His Word...or is it? James 2:19 reads, You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. What's the difference? Alan Neel once said, "We've spent the last 30 years making believers out of people. Nowhere in the Word of God does it say go and make believers. It says 'go and make disciples'."

What difference does it make how many laws are passed to say something is okay if the Word of God says it's sin? What difference does it make if everyone is doing it if the Word says it's sin? I'm going to reiterate what I said years ago. I don't care how many rules and regulations and laws are presented, passed and posted on the books. There's only one Book of law that doesn't change. Only one whose standards and truths remain. Immovable, unshakeable. Only one that has stood the test of time since the beginning of time...and remains. The Word of God. If the Bible says it's sin, it's sin.

What does the Word say about what's going on in the world? Read further in Psalm 11, The Message, God hasn't moved to the mountains; his holy address hasn't changed. He's in charge, as always... and at the end of the chapter, God's business is putting things right; he loves getting the lines straight, Setting us straight.

Making the difference between believers and disciples. What's your standard? That's the difference.

Prayer:

Father,
           We look to You - the Author and Finisher of our faith. Make our paths straight. Lead us in the paths of righteousness for Your Name's sake, according to Your Word. Write Your Words on our very hearts, O God! In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

The King is Coming

Take a lesson from the fig tree. From the moment you notice its buds form, the merest hint of green, you know summer's just around the corner. So it is with you: When you see all these things, you'll know he's at the door. Don't take this lightly. I'm not just saying this for some future generation, but for all of you. This age continues until all these things take place. Sky and earth will wear out; my words won't wear out.
Matthew 24:32-35 The Message

As children, most of us have pretended to be kings or queens or princesses and princes. And if not that, then a Cinderella type who had hopes of becoming royalty or a vanquishing hero who would win and rule. In real life, how many of us ever think about an audience with royalty? I would venture to say the odds are astronomically small, mostly because Americans don't have royalty in office. Brits might think about it a little more, but what are the odds? And if you could get an audience with the queen, you would have to go through training on the proper protocol before you are granted the actual audience. Then, you are taken to the queen, she does not come find you.

Interesting. The God of the Universe, Creator of all, comes to us. More paradox. It started in the Garden of Eden. Every day, in the cool of the evening, God would come. In the evening of the day that Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit, God still came. Have you ever thought about that? Did you think God didn't know that they had done that? Yet, He came.

And He came as a baby, born in a manger, and died among thieves...because He carried our sins on Him. Our thieving from God. He was still king...in Truth, the King of kings. Would you agree?

He's coming again. His arrival is imminent, but it won't be like the world will try to convince you. Scripture reads, "If anyone tries to flag you down, calling out, 'Here's the Messiah!' or points, 'There he is!' don't fall for it. Fake Messiahs and lying preachers are going to pop up everywhere. Their impressive credentials and dazzling performances will pull the wool over the eyes of even those who ought to know better. But I've given you fair warning. "So if they say, 'Run to the country and see him arrive!' or, 'Quick, get downtown, see him come!' don't give them the time of day. The Arrival of the Son of Man isn't something you go to see. He comes like swift lightning to you! Whenever you see crowds gathering, think of carrion vultures circling, moving in, hovering over a rotting carcass. You can be quite sure that it's not the living Son of Man pulling in those crowds." Matthew 24:23-28 The Message

Keep in mind, The Arrival of the Son of Man isn't something you go to see.

Read on. "Then, the Arrival of the Son of Man! It will fill the skies—no one will miss it. Unready people all over the world, outsiders to the splendor and power, will raise a huge lament as they watch the Son of Man blazing out of heaven. At that same moment, he'll dispatch his angels with a trumpet-blast summons, pulling in God's chosen from the four winds, from pole to pole.

"Take a lesson from the fig tree. From the moment you notice its buds form, the merest hint of green, you know summer's just around the corner. So it is with you: When you see all these things, you'll know he's at the door. Don't take this lightly. I'm not just saying this for some future generation, but for all of you. This age continues until all these things take place. Sky and earth will wear out; my words won't wear out.

"But the exact day and hour? No one knows that, not even heaven's angels, not even the Son. Only the Father knows.

"The Arrival of the Son of Man will take place in times like Noah's. Before the great flood everyone was carrying on as usual, having a good time right up to the day Noah boarded the ark. They knew nothing—until the flood hit and swept everything away.

"The Son of Man's Arrival will be like that: Two men will be working in the field—one will be taken, one left behind; two women will be grinding at the mill—one will be taken, one left behind. So stay awake, alert. You have no idea what day your Master will show up. But you do know this: You know that if the homeowner had known what time of night the burglar would arrive, he would have been there with his dogs to prevent the break-in. Be vigilant just like that.
You have no idea when the Son of Man is going to show up.

But He IS coming. He said so...and after all, He is King. Are you ready for His arrival?

Prayer:

Father,

Thank You for loving us enough to come for us. Keep us ever mindful of You, so that we are watching for Your return. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Questions

Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?" "From childhood," he answered. "It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us." " 'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes." Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"
Mark 9:21-24 NIV

Our text comes from an interesting story about a child who was deaf and dumb. The father heard about Jesus and His ministry and was desperate to get help for his own son. His words are telling - "If you can do anything..." He believes what he's heard from the others - or at least partly; otherwise, he wouldn't be there. He wants to believe. His words reflect what's in his heart... "If you can..." But he's honest before Jesus. "Help me overcome my unbelief!" I read that verse the first time as a child and I've never forgotten it. I always wondered how he could say he believed and then ask for help because of his unbelief.

As a child, I just believed. As an adult, I understand his quandary. Perhaps that's why Christ said we must come as children...

Can you believe when you don't see? Can you continue to believe when you don't get what you want? What you feel you need? Do you question God and / or His ability when you feel your prayers are unanswered? Can you follow - be a disciple - adhere to His Word when there is calamity? Chaos? Cancer?

Job 13:15, Though he slay me, yet will I trust him. Can you? Do you? Will you?

Prayer:

Father,
There are many unanswered questions in our lives. In spite of them, You are trustworthy and You are faithful and You are God and we are not. This we know. We do believe; help us overcome our unbelief according to Your Word. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Always There

No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you.
Joshua 1:5

You probably know the story - Twelve men go to spy out the land - one from each of the tribes of Israel. Did I mention that it was to the Promised Land they were going? Promised...by God. God Himself said, "I will give it to you." So, twelve men go to check it out. Ten come back and say, "No way, no how, not now, not ever." Joshua and Caleb stand and say, "We are well able to take the land." Who did the people believe? They believed the report of the ten. The ten who reported the facts, not the two who reported the Truth.

The Truth of God's Word ALWAYS overrides fact. God said He would give them the land. For Joshua and Caleb, strong and courageous, that was enough. As a result, from the original group of Jews who left Egypt, they were the only two over the age of twenty to enter the Promised Land. 

Right before Moses died, God summoned Moses and Joshua to the mountain and laid out the plan. He told them how the people would rebel, but Joshua was to lead them anyway. God told him (Deuteronomy 31:23), I will be with you.

Moses delivered the Word of the Lord to the people and instructed them to, Take to heart all the words of warning I have given you today. Pass them on as a command to your children so they will obey every word of these instructions. These instructions are not empty words—they are your life! By obeying them you will enjoy a long life...

If you read the story in Deuteronomy and in Joshua, you'll find very interesting details. The bottom line - God said it. It's enough. Yes, there will be battles. Yes, there will be trials. Yes, you will have to be brave and courageous. But He said it. He promised. Do what He says and He'll always be with you. Old Testament - New Testament. The Promise is there. Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the age... 

Prayer:

Father,
            Open our hearts to receive Your Word in its fullness. By Your Grace, help us to choose Your Truth over everything else, no matter what we see or hear or feel. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

While Living for Christ

Now Christ has gone to heaven. He is seated in the place of honor next to God, and all the angels and authorities and powers accept his authority.

1st Peter 3:22 NLT

So then, since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude he had, and be ready to suffer, too. For if you have suffered physically for Christ, you have finished with sin. You won’t spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God. You have had enough in the past of the evil things that godless people enjoy—their immorality and lust, their feasting and drunkenness and wild parties, and their terrible worship of idols.

Of course, your former friends are surprised when you no longer plunge into the flood of wild and destructive things they do. So they slander you. But remember that they will have to face God, who stands ready to judge everyone, both the living and the dead. That is why the Good News was preached to those who are now dead—so although they were destined to die like all people, they now live forever with God in the Spirit.

The end of the world is coming soon. Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers. Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay.

God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.

Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.

If you are insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you will be blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you. If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people’s affairs. But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name! For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God’s household. And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God’s Good News? And also,

“If the righteous are barely saved, what will happen to godless sinners?”

So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you. 1st Peter 4:1-19 NLT

Prayer:

Father,

          Your Word is a lamp unto our feet and light unto our path; guiding us, directing us, feeding us and protecting us. May we draw our very life and every breath from Your Word. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Hold My Hand

Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right hand.
Psalm 73:23 NLT

As a mom, I raised my kids to hold my hand and walk next to me in potentially dangerous situations, especially in parking lots. As the one responsible for the safety of my precious children, if I held their hand, I could govern how quickly they stopped or started. I could provide balance if their feet slipped. As the one who held their hand, mine was the stronger grip. I did not let go.

Have you ever noticed that? Some people assume that when holding hands, the grip is equal, but it's not so. One is holding, one is being held. The one being held is subject to the one holding.

I remember one time being in a really tough spot, crying that I could not hold on to God's hand, no matter how hard I tried. Doc Jameson wrapped his arm around my shoulder and told me the story of a young farm boy walking with his dad across a furrowed field. The boy being younger tried to help his dad across the field, but kept falling away. His dad said, "Son, I've walked this way before, let ME hold YOUR hand." And together, they walked safely across the field even though the furrows were deep and wide.

It was there I learned the phenomenon of hand-holding not being equal holds. When Doc finished his analogy, he said, "Honey, God is the Father. Let Him hold your hand. He won't let go."

Prayer:

Father,
          Hold my hand, Lord. ♪♫ Hold my hand ♪♫ all along life's pilgrim journey... In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Free to Live

All that passing laws against sin did was produce more lawbreakers. But sin didn't, and doesn't, have a chance in competition with the aggressive forgiveness we call grace. When it's sin versus grace, grace wins hands down. All sin can do is threaten us with death, and that's the end of it. Grace, because God is putting everything together again through the Messiah, invites us into life—a life that goes on and on and on, world without end.
Romans 5:20-21 The Message

It wasn't so long ago that we were mired in that old stagnant life of sin. We let the world, which doesn't know the first thing about living, tell us how to live. We filled our lungs with polluted unbelief, and then exhaled disobedience. We all did it, all of us doing what we felt like doing, when we felt like doing it, all of us in the same boat. It's a wonder God didn't lose His temper and do away with the whole lot of us. Instead, immense in mercy and with an incredible love, He embraced us. He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ. He did all this on His own, with no help from us! Then He picked us up and set us down in highest heaven in company with Jesus, our Messiah. Now God has us where He wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all His idea, and all His work. All we do is trust Him enough to let Him do it. Free to live the life He freely gave us. It cost Him everything, but He was and is willing to take us as the return on His investment.

Do we truly understand what it means to be free? We think because we've grown up in the "free world" that we know. Our old way of life was nailed to the cross with Christ, a decisive end to that sin-miserable life—no longer at sin's every beck and call! What we believe is this: If we get included in Christ's sin-conquering death, we also get included in His life-saving resurrection. We know that when Jesus was raised from the dead it was a signal of the end of death-as-the-end. Never again will death have the last word.

When Jesus died, He took sin down with Him, but alive He brings God down to us. From now on, think of it this way: Sin speaks a dead language that means nothing to you; God speaks your mother tongue, and you hang on every word. You are dead to sin and alive to God. That's what Jesus did. That means you must not give sin a vote in the way you conduct your lives. Don't give it the time of day. Don't even run little errands that are connected with that old way of life. Throw yourselves wholeheartedly and full-time—remember, you've been raised from the dead!—into God's way of doing things. Sin can't tell you how to live. After all, you're not living under that old tyranny any longer. You're living in the freedom of God.

What is True Freedom? Does freedom mean that we can live any old way we want? Since we're free in the freedom of God, can we do anything that comes to mind? Hardly. You know well enough from your own experience that there are some acts of so-called freedom that destroy freedom. Offer yourselves to sin, for instance, and it's your last free act. But offer yourselves to the ways of God and the freedom never quits. All your lives you've let sin tell you what to do. But thank God you've started listening to a new master, one whose commands set you free to live openly in His freedom!

I'm using this freedom language because it's easy to picture. You can readily recall, can't you, how at one time the more you did just what you felt like doing—not caring about others, not caring about God—the worse your life became and the less freedom you had? And how much different is it now as you live in God's freedom, your lives healed and expansive in holiness?

As long as you did what you felt like doing, ignoring God, you didn't have to bother with right thinking or right living, or right anything for that matter. But do you call that a free life? What did you get out of it? Nothing you're proud of now. Where did it get you? A dead end.

But now that you've found you don't have to listen to sin tell you what to do, and have discovered the delight of listening to God telling you, what a surprise! A whole, healed, put-together life right now, with more and more of life on the way!

If you work hard for sin your whole life, your pension is death. But God's gift is real life, eternal life, delivered by Jesus, our Master. You are free to live.

Taken from The Message: Ephesians 2, Romans 6, Romans 8

Prayer:

Father,
You are the only One who can take the mess we've made and make it new. Help us to walk in the newness of life that You and You alone have provided for us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Leaky *

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.
John 14:26 NASB

I heard it pointed out today that the Holy Spirit is our helper, not our "doer."  It caught my attention. I had to research that thought, which took me to the following article by Erwin Lutzer, who wrote it for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. It wasn't where I was going with it, but it's a great article and someone else may need to read this.

Let's read what Mr. Lutzer has to say:* 

Jesus’ invitation at the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles: “On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him'” (John 7:37-39).

Jesus likened the gift of the Holy Spirit to a well of living water, which He said would spring up within us and lead to eternal life. Like water to parched ground, the Holy Spirit offers refreshment and help to our weary souls. Jesus offers this water in abundance to all who are thirsty and willing to come to Him and drink.

Jesus promised not merely a stream, but streams. All who drink would have their own artesian well within them. He calls with a loud voice to all who are weary of empty religion, to all who are weary of worldly pursuits. 

This gift of the Spirit is given to the thirsty: “If anyone is thirsty.” Those who are spiritually thirsty know the difference between being satisfied with God and being satisfied with the empty watering holes of the world. Tragically, some think they are not thirsty because they eke out a bit of satisfaction from the stagnant streams of sensuality and personal ambition. They do not know that they were born with a raging thirst that only Jesus can satisfy.

The woman who encountered Christ at the well had been married five times and was now living with a sixth man who was not her husband. She could neither depend on a husband nor her friends for comfort and hope. But Christ offered her living water that would spring up to eternal life (John 4:14). She would have inner resources that would bring cleansing to her troubled conscience and help her cope with the pain of her failed marital relationships.

Jesus introduced the ministry of the Holy Spirit to His disciples before His death. They had come to depend on Jesus for everything, and when He announced that He was leaving them, they felt abandoned. Jesus would not be with them to answer their questions, to teach them or to offer solutions to the challenges of their daily lives. They had come to love Him deeply and His absence would be keenly felt.

Jesus gave them this reassurance: “And I will ask the Father and He will give you another Helper that He may abide with you forever … I will not leave you as orphans. I will come to you” (John 14:18). The disciples would not be orphaned; in fact, thanks to the gift of the Spirit, Jesus in effect promised, “I’ll be closer to you than I’ve ever been before.” That promise was fulfilled by the gift of the Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity.

What is your need today? Is it for companionship? The Holy Spirit is with you. Is it for comfort? The Holy Spirit stands ready to help. Do you need an advocate? He is ready to plead your case. And, if your sorrow is so deep that you do not know how to pray, the Holy Spirit will intercede with groaning that is too deep for words (Romans 8:26).
Many Christians entertain false ideas about the Holy Spirit. For example, there are those who think that the Spirit indwells only some Christians but not others. Be assured that all Christians are indwelt by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9, 1 Corinthians 6:19). The indwelling Spirit seals us until the day of redemption and is a guarantee that we are God’s children, assuring us that we will be taken safely to Heaven (Ephesians 1:14, 5:30). However, we will not experience the Spirit’s life and power if we grieve Him with sin that we are neither willing to confess nor forsake.

Although all believers are indwelt by the Spirit, not all believers are filled with the Spirit. To be filled with the Spirit means that we are experiencing the Holy Spirit’s gentle guidance and control in our lives. To be filled with the Spirit means that the Spirit is reproducing His fruit within us. We should never think that the filling of the Spirit is just for those Christians who are the spiritually elite. I like to tell people that the Spirit is not just given to those who “have it all together” but to the rest of us so that we might be able to “get it all together.” The filling of the Spirit is for the most discouraged, failing Christian, but in order for us to enjoy the Spirit’s ministry, we must meet some basic conditions.

We are warned to keep our temple clean through confession of sin and submission to God (1 Corinthians 6:19). Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, and He wants the key to the hidden closets of our hearts. We must not grieve the Spirit by allowing conditions to develop in our hearts that force the Holy Spirit to coexist with unconfessed sin. No one can exaggerate the suffering the Holy Spirit experiences when living in a temple that is unclean. He is grieved because He loves us and knows the damage sin does in our lives. When He is grieved, He does not feel at home in our hearts; His ministry to us is quenched.

To experience the Spirit’s fullness we also need faith. A preacher of another era, F.B. Meyer, told how desperately he sought the filling of the Holy Spirit. He knew he was indwelt by the Spirit, but he could not seem to receive the Spirit’s help for ministry. He said he left a meeting and was walking wearily through the night praying, seeking what he lacked. He said, “Lord, if there is anyone who needs the filling of the Spirit it is I. But I am too tired, too nervously run down to agonize; too weary to tarry, and yet I need the Spirit’s refreshment so desperately.”

Then he said it was as if he heard a voice saying, “As you took forgiveness from the hand of the dying Christ, so you may take the refreshment of the Spirit from the hands of the ascended Christ.” Then in simple faith, he said, “I then took for the first time and have been taking ever since.” We receive the benefits of the cross by faith; we also receive the benefits of the ascension by faith, namely, the fullness of the Spirit.

Don’t think that the Holy Spirit needs to be coaxed to control us. He desires to control us, for that is why He indwells us! He longs to reproduce the life of God within us; He wants to create a holy dwelling place within our souls. There is no reluctance on His part, but there is reluctance on our part because of our unwillingness to part with our sin.
Years ago when archaeologists entered the pyramids, they discovered grain that was 4,000 years old. Yet, incredibly, when they planted it, it grew! The life was present during those centuries, but it did not have the proper conditions to sprout. In warm sunshine and moist soil, the hard shell softened and the life began to grow. When the water of the Spirit and the sunshine of God’s Word combine in our lives, the result is that the life of the Spirit begins to become active within us.

Today the Holy Spirit invites us, saying in effect, “I will develop a sensitive relationship with you; I will help you to walk; I will help you to cope; I will help you through your trial; I will refresh your spirit.” This invitation is for all who have come to know Christ personally. Are you willing? The Spirit is!

No one who has ever walked through a desert says, “One good drink of water is enough for the week!” No, when you are trekking through the desert you need water daily, hourly. When D.L. Moody was asked why he had to be filled with the Spirit so often he said simply, “Because I leak.”

How often do we have to drink of the Spirit? As often as we thirst; as often as we have a need; as often as we leak. Let us come to Christ, not with a cup but with a bucket—believing that He will give us the refreshment He promised.

*Article by Erwin Lutzer

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for sending Your Holy Spirit to comfort and to guide us and to help us remember what Jesus said. We cannot do life without Your help. Fill us, Holy Spirit. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

And... Action!

Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” 

Mark 9:23 NKJV

We say we're believers.

We sing songs about it. I believe in God the Father - Almighty Maker of Heaven and Maker of Earth - And in Jesus Christ His only begotten Son, our Lord...

We quote Scripture, chapter and verse:

Genesis 15:6 NKJV And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.

Mark 11:24 NKJV Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

John 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name...

When talking to another believer, we distinguish those we know:  She's a believer or he's a non-believer but...

Does any of that ring as true for you as it does for me?

As I was reading the Scripture, With God, all things are possible, I believe God challenged me on it.

Do you really believe that?

Yes, I really do.

When you really believe something, don't you take action based on what you believe?

Yes, of course I do.

Then why don't you take action on My Word? Not ACT like you believe it - but BELIEVE it and take action on what you believe!

It was then I had to reply like the child's father from our Promise for Today, verse 24 - Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!"  The Amplified Bible reads, "Lord, I believe! [Constantly] help my weakness of faith!"

Faith is the SUBSTANCE of things hoped for - the EVIDENCE of things not seen. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. Period. There's no question mark, there's no fill in the blanks at the end for the words of doubt - Can I? Can You?  There's only acting like I believe or believing and taking action on it.

Prayer:

Father,
        Forgive me for my weakness of faith. Take the blinders off my eyes and my heart so I can see Your Word for the Light and Truth that it is and then take action on it with complete follow through! In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen