I needed this reminder...

Then God said, “I am giving you a sign of my covenant with you and with all living creatures, for all generations to come. I have placed my rainbow in the clouds. It is the sign of my covenant with you and with all the earth. When I send clouds over the earth, the rainbow will appear in the clouds, and I will remember my covenant with you and with all living creatures. Never again will the floodwaters destroy all life. When I see the rainbow in the clouds, I will remember the eternal covenant between God and every living creature on earth.” [underline emphasis is mine]
Genesis 9:8-17 NLT

This morning, I had the illustrated sermon of this Scripture passage. It was an incredible, once-in-a-lifetime kind of experience! You may find it a little hard to believe, but every word of it is true... However, before I tell you about it, let me backtrack just a little.

God has been RE-establishing in me the importance of first-time obedience. We get older, we get more laid-back, and many times, we develop an "I'll-get-to-it-eventually" attitude. You can best believe that didn't work for me when my kids were growing up, and by the same token, God doesn't like it, either.

This morning, I felt impressed to make a phone call. I knew in my heart it was the Holy Spirit, but I didn't reach for the phone at that moment. I thought, "Let me finish getting ready for work, and then I'll call." And instantly, I heard, "When the Lord speaks, if it's not first-time obedience, it's rebellion." I do NOT want to walk in rebellion. I want to be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit. I want to hear God's instruction and be trusted to immediately respond. As I asked for forgiveness, I picked up the phone and dialed. And I don't know how to explain this to you, but after the phone call, it was as though I could feel that God was pleased with me. That was cool, but that is not the incredible, once-in-a-lifetime kind of experience.

As I left for work, it began to rain. In my "aware of God" moment, I thanked Him for it instead of complaining that I was getting wet. As I got a couple miles down the road, the sun was shining like there was no rain. I started looking for a rainbow. I knew there was going to be one. And sure enough, up ahead and to the left, the arc of the bow began to form. I knew it was going to be a good one with the bright sun behind me and the heavy downpour in front of me. It was wide and very vibrant and in a matter of minutes, it was a full rainbow and as the road turned for me to head due west, one end of the rainbow was in the road directly in front of my car! I could hardly believe it! I exclaimed, "Oh, Father, I'm at the end of the rainbow! There's no pot of gold, but this is so much better!" For it was in that moment, that I understood what making a covenant meant to God. Here we are, thousands of years later, and His Word still stands! I am giving you a sign of my covenant with you and with all living creatures, for all generations to come. I have placed my rainbow in the clouds.

In that moment, I understood that even if I'm heading into a terrible storm, God has promised never to leave me, never to forsake me. He promised. His Word cannot be broken. In Matthew 28:20, His Words are: Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

Oh, I have found riches untold at the end of the rainbow!!

Prayer:

Father,
         Oh, that our promises to You would stand the test of time as Yours have to us. Thank You for Your enduring love. Teach us to love as You do. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

What You Say - a favorite

21 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth Does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable. He gives strength to the weary, And to him who lacks might He increases power.
Isaiah 40:28-29 NASB

Have you ever had those days that feel like all you do is go from one fire to the next without any lasting results? I've had a month of them. It's like trying to run a marathon with one foot nailed to the floor. You're giving it all you've got, but you're not getting anywhere. 

I've been SO much more busy that at first, I didn't recognize what was going on. Then through the hustle and bustle, I heard Him whisper, "Come away. Come spend time with Me. Make more time for Me - I will help you." In our finite minds, that doesn't make sense. What do you say to that? More time spent on something means less time for everything else when it can feel like we don't have enough time as it is to get everything done in a day. 

However, we're talking about the Creator of the universe. The God of multiplying, not dividing. The One Who always gives more! I was reminded of that when I read Proverbs 21:21, He who pursues righteousness and loyalty finds life, righteousness and honor. We pursue righteousness and loyalty and He gives us LIFE. God gives so much more than we could think or ask. So what do you say to a God like that?

You say, "Yes, Lord."

Prayer:

Father,
          Thank You for always loving us. Thank You for always having the right answer and providing it for us. Thank You for knowing what we have need of before we even ask and for being patient and kind enough to allow us to come into Your presence where all our needs are met. Father, let our heart's desire be always toward You. We want to know You more. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

What Only God Can Do

The religious experts said to Pharaoh, “This is something only God could do!” 

Exodus 8:19 CEB 

Pharaoh was a stubborn man. He did not take kindly to anyone daring to tell him what to do. Throughout the confrontation with Moses and Aaron, he had his religious experts come in and do signs and wonders by their secret knowledge... until the lice. Then they had to admit - even though they hated to - it was something only God could do. And if you know the story, you know it didn't stop there.

Today's world is just like this. Have we learned nothing in all these centuries? People still hate to be told what to do. There are "religious experts" everywhere, trying to fake it till they make it; spreading half-truths and illusions. There's coming a day - and it won't be long - God will deliver us. A time when we will declare as Moses declared in Exodus 14:13, Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today.

But until that day - we need to remember that according to Scripture - it's incumbent upon us to pray! Pray! PRAY! And not just pray, but God said, If I ever shut off the supply of rain from the skies or order the locusts to eat the crops or send a plague on my people, and my people, my God-defined people, [emphasis mine] respond by humbling themselves, praying, seeking my presence, and turning their backs on their wicked lives, I’ll be there ready for you: I’ll listen from heaven, forgive their sins, and restore their land to health.

Forgive our sins and restore our land to health. It doesn't take a religious expert to recognize that, “This is something only God could do!” 

Prayer:

Father,

           As we obey Your Word, to respond by humbling ourselves, praying, seeking Your presence, and turning our backs on our wicked lives, we know You will listen from heaven, forgive our sins, and restore our land to health. We are counting on You, Lord. Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

What's This World Coming to?

Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that.

Ephesians 5:1-2 The Message

Today was an awful day in Houston, Texas. Five police officers injured in the line of duty; 4 were shot and 1 physically injured his knee in the gunfight. Thank God, all are expected to live and recover; however, two are still critical. Horrific! What is this world coming to when police are treated as targets?

My son preached a great message about this just yesterday - it's time for Christians to wake up from their spiritual slumber. We have available to us the power that can change what's happening, but we're apathetic. Gotta watch our shows. Gotta play our game. Gotta Gotta Gotta... do anything but pray and intercede and worship. Ephesians goes on to exhort us...

Don’t let yourselves get taken in by religious smooth talk. God gets furious with people who are full of religious sales talk but want nothing to do with him. Don’t even hang around people like that.

You groped your way through that murk once, but no longer. You’re out in the open now. The bright light of Christ makes your way plain. So no more stumbling around. Get on with it! The good, the right, the true—these are the actions appropriate for daylight hours. Figure out what will please Christ, and then do it.

Don’t waste your time on useless work, mere busywork, the barren pursuits of darkness. Expose these things for the sham they are. It’s a scandal when people waste their lives on things they must do in the darkness where no one will see. Rip the cover off those frauds and see how attractive they look in the light of Christ.

Wake up from your sleep,
Climb out of your coffins;
Christ will show you the light!

So watch your step. Use your head. Make the most of every chance you get. These are desperate times!

Don’t live carelessly, unthinkingly. Make sure you understand what the Master wants.

Don’t drink too much wine. That cheapens your life. Drink the Spirit of God, huge draughts of him. Sing hymns instead of drinking songs! Sing songs from your heart to Christ. Sing praises over everything, any excuse for a song to God the Father in the name of our Master, Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:6-20. The Message

Prayer:

Father, 

          Help us to awaken from our spiritual slumber and pray and seek You. Help us to realize that we can pray a hedge of protection around our families, our pastors, our bosses, our police force, our world leaders. We can't change anything, but Father, we know You can change everything. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

A Must Repeat - This Little Light of Mine

A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. Isaiah 42:3 NLT

Candles are very popular and they continue to gain in popularity. Did you know you can purchase a candle that smells like dirt? Truly! And if you like food-scented candles, how about trying the pizza, popcorn, bacon, nachos, coffee, or cotton candy candles? And those who are into the great outdoors but can't get there through work or weather, these will carry you through - lawn mower clippings scent, campfire candle, pigskin candle, or s'mores. And how about this? A Hippie-scented candle - I can't even imagine what would go into that, and I'm not sure I want to know! Whatever the scent, no matter if it's 2 for a dollar or $40 a candle, none of them burn without a wick. And the wick has to be properly maintained for the candle to do all it's supposed to do and for the time it's supposed to do it.

FYI - Wicks should be trimmed to 1/4 inch before each time the candle is lit. The reason is that carbon accumulates on the end of a wick and can weigh the wick to one side so that the candle burns unevenly. That nobby of carbon on the end of the wick can also prevent oxygen from getting to the flame, or if the wick gets too long it cannot draw wax all the way up to the top. Both can cause the flame to go out because the wick itself will then start to burn, which also produces the black soot. It gets ugly rather quickly.

I know you don't need a lesson in candle care and you might be asking what does all this have to do with anything in the eternal weight of things. Well, I can't seem to get away from today's Scripture. I keep seeing the smoldering wick of someone who is overwhelmed by life, the person who sees no way out, the smoldering wick of a life that has born much pain, and wants to believe someone cares - that they matter. They want to believe... and we glance over and think, "They're okay, I still see some light..."

You know who they are - they're burning themselves out and spewing soot all over everything around them, where once they burned brightly, cleanly. Now, there's that faint red glow on the wick that's burning itself out, no light left, just a little smoke because it's drowning. However, if they could just get a little breath of life blown their way to feed the flame... or get a little help to get rid of the weighty carbon nobs of accumulated sin so they can once again draw from the wellspring of life to keep the light burning.

Does that make any sense? Have you seen them? Is it you?

Wicks have to be tended for the candle to maintain a clean flame. Each candle is created to burn for a certain length of time, and that time is NOT accomplished if the wick is not tended properly. And if they don't burn for the length of time for which they were created, how many will not see the Light? Let us care for each other and keep the flame burning.

Prayer:

Father,
           Please, trim what needs to be trimmed in our lives and in the lives of those around us. Breathe Your breath of Life on us to fan the flame of Your Light to the world. As this world becomes darker, Father, cause our flame of fervor for Your Truth to burn ever more brightly so that all are drawn to You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Word Upon Word

And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You.
Psalm 39:7

What is your hope? What is it anchored in? When the storms of life come (and they will!), do you lose hope or do you have a sure foundation?

I have set the Lord continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
Psalm 16:8 NASB

When life is blowing and going with gale-force winds, what do you have to hold onto that is secure? Where will you take refuge from the storms of life, and be able to maintain your hope?

When my heart is overwhelmed; 

Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. 

For You have been a shelter for me, 

A strong tower from the enemy.  

I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; 

I will trust in the shelter of Your wings.
Psalm 61:2b-4 NKJV

Do you have any guarantee for your hope? Anything that will back it up? Will you take a promise?

God also bound himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind. So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls.
Hebrews 6:17-19 NLT

Word upon Word, promised forever. So in the principle of sowing and reaping, what are YOU sowing? Hope or discontent? Promise or despair? Sow seeds of hope. Water it with God's Word. He will give the increase.

Prayer:

Father,
           Let everything we sow be pleasing unto you. Let it bring forth fruit, according to Your Word. Encourage those around the world who are reading this. Multiply their hope in You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Put in Position

Then he positioned the boys in front of Jacob. With his right hand he directed Ephraim toward Jacob’s left hand, and with his left hand he put Manasseh at Jacob’s right hand. But Jacob crossed his arms as he reached out to lay his hands on the boys’ heads. He put his right hand on the head of Ephraim, though he was the younger boy, and his left hand on the head of Manasseh, though he was the firstborn...

But Joseph was upset when he saw that his father placed his right hand on Ephraim’s head. So Joseph lifted it to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. “No, my father,” he said. “This one is the firstborn. Put your right hand on his head.”

But his father refused. “I know, my son; I know,” he replied. “Manasseh will also become a great people, but his younger brother will become even greater. And his descendants will become a multitude of nations.”
Genesis 48:13, 14, 17-19 NLT

Joseph was very intentional about the placement of his boys in front of Jacob. Lining up the oldest to get the right hand of blessing, understood to be the greater blessing, reserved for the firstborn.  And even though according to verse 10, Jacob was half blind because of his age and could hardly see, he still crossed his arms to get the right hand of blessing to the one God had ordained to receive it. 

And if you've read any of the previous chapters, you know that "younger over the elder" seemed to be a pattern in their family line: Isaac over Ishmael, Jacob over Esau, Joseph over his older brothers, and now Ephraim over Manasseh...

This should encourage you! When God decides you will be blessed; when He determines the order of how it should be and what you should do; it doesn't matter what the accepted rules and regulations may be, or your birth order, or if you should or shouldn't according to society. He will put you in position to be who HE made you to be. To fulfill your purpose according to HIS plan. Stop telling everyone what you can't do and start believing what God can and WILL do through you. Remember, if God can use a donkey to talk to a prophet (and He did!),  He can use you, too... 

Prayer:

Father,

          Open our hearts to receive and believe Your Word. Open our eyes to see You in every area of our lives. Help us to walk by faith. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Will You?

These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.
Matthew 15:8 NLT

Five years ago, I heard a great analogy involving the story of daredevil, Charles Blondin, the first man to walk across the Niagara Falls Gorge. In his very first attempt back in 1859, he drew thousands of people, and he made it all the way across with quite a bit of fanfare, too. It is reported that he actually laid back on the rope like he was reclining in a chair, and finished the walk with a somersault. It was the first of his many trips across the Falls.

On one trip, the famous Frenchman walked the tightrope on stilts! On still another, he lowered himself to a steamer below and drank from a bottle, then climbed back up and finished his crossing. People loved him! They were enthralled by his antics and the nonchalance of his crossings.

After yet another of his successful crossings, he polled the people, "Do you believe I could cross the Falls pushing someone in a wheelbarrow?" The crowd's uproar of affirmation was deafening... Then he asked for a volunteer. No one. Not one person wanted to get in the wheelbarrow.

Is our faith in God like that? Oh, we believe He is God - just ask us, we'll tell you. We see He sent Christ to take our sin. How about when HE asks us to trust Him... to step out in faith? After we have seen everything He has done - What is our response? Will we trust Him? We say we do. Will you?

Prayer:

Father,
           Forgive us when we don't immediately respond to Your call. Open our eyes to see those times we hesitate. Change our hearts, O God! We want to honor You and to be close to You at all times. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Fall Into Place

I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.

Revelation 2:2-4 NKJV

Do you remember what it felt like when you first fell in love? Oh, how precious and sweet it was! Hours on the phone, neither wanting to say good night. Who needed sleep? You had love. Counting the hours till you could see each other, holding hands, saying nothing, saying everything. Celebrating one-month anniversaries of the day you met, your first date. You were content just to breathe the same air in close proximity. He could do no wrong. She was just perfect. NOTHING interfered with your time together!  Everything else faded into nothingness when you were together...

Then you had kids. You both work. Your obligations, their obligations, kids' sports and activities, commitments, bills to pay. College funds. Retirement accounts. Now you're begging for some sleep... So many people and things to take care of - there's just not enough time...

There are couples who do it, though. They pull it off because they remember what that first love was all about and they make it their priority. And because they do, the rest of it works. That's what Christ is saying in our Promise for Today. You're taking care of all the tasks and commitments, but you don't make Me your priority. You don't make time for Me. You left your first love. 

Have you? Take the time. MAKE the time. Everything else will fall into place. The right place.

Prayer:

Father,

          In the words of Andraé Crouch's song of prayer*, Take us back to the place where we first received You. Take us back to the place where we first believed. We feel that we're so far from You, Lord, but still we hear You calling. Those simple things that we once knew - their memories keep drawing us. We must confess, Lord, we've been blessed, but yet our souls are not satisfied. Renew our faith, restore our joy, and dry our weeping eyes. We've tried so hard to make it all alone, but we need Your help just to make it home. Take us back, Father, to our first love. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

*Take Me Back by Andraé Crouch.

What Did He Do?

But when they stopped for the night and one of them opened his sack to get grain for his donkey, he found his money in the top of his sack. “Look!” he exclaimed to his brothers. “My money has been returned; it’s here in my sack!” Then their hearts sank. Trembling, they said to each other, “What has God done to us?”
Genesis 42:27-28 NLT

You may know the story. Joseph's brothers betrayed him, sold him, and then told their father he was dead. In this part of the story, they have been forced to come to Egypt to buy grain because of the great famine. And guess who's the head honcho in charge of it all - yes, Joseph! Only they didn't recognize him. Joseph had been about 17 - a scared teenager - when they sold him into slavery. When the brothers came to buy grain, Joseph was almost 40... and he was large and in charge! A far cry from the anguished teenager pleading for his life to be spared.

It is a woeful tale to begin with. Pride, treachery, lies, despair, and guilt. Oh, the guilt!! More than two decades of guilt and living the lie. But what satan meant for bad in the jealous hearts of Joseph's brothers, God turned around - not just for Joseph's good, but for all of them. 

It is an incredible story of forgiveness and redemption! The only one better (in my opinion) is God's story of forgiveness and redemption - the life, death and resurrection of Jesus to forgive our sin. To redeem us from our guilt-stained lives. And like Joseph made provision for both of his family's journeys (Genesis 42:25, 45:21), God has made provision for us. Trembling, they said to each other, “What has God done to us?”  He has done what ONLY God can do! Propitiation for our sin and guilt - Provision for each day we draw breath. Grace and mercy and love manifested in ways far beyond our understanding!

Prayer:

I pray over those reading this tonight, what Paul prayed in Ephesians 3:18 according to the Message Bible - My response is to get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth. I ask Him to strengthen you by His Spirit—not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength—that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite Him in. And I ask Him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you’ll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ’s love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen

Unfaithful

Listen to the noise on the hilltops! It’s the people of Israel, weeping and begging me to answer their prayers. They forgot about me and chose the wrong path. I will tell them, “Come back, and I will cure you of your unfaithfulness.”
Jeremiah 3:21-22a CEV

What are you looking for in a relationship? Love, obviously. Laughter? Someone who makes you feel good about yourself? Someone whose life decisions and actions are motivated by how those will affect you and your lives together? 

E - all of the above, right? Definitely the upside of relationship.

What about the downside? Stick with me, there is a point to this. Have you ever been ignored in a relationship? It didn't matter what you said or what you did, they were gonna do whatever they wanted to do because they figured you weren't going anywhere. Ever had someone to whom you were totally committed - 100% in - be unfaithful to you? THAT is serious pain - emotionally and physically. It's brutal - especially if it's more than once. Then you're dealing with trust issues and all kinds of garbage. The odds of restoration for that relationship are slim to none. It would truly take an act of God...

And that's exactly what God offers us even though we are unfaithful. We ignore Him. We make time for everything else and figure He'll wait for us because He's God. We put Him on the back burner - sometimes even in our quest to do "His work". We waste countless hours on nothingness. We 'worship' at the throne of pleasure - for whatever makes us feel good. Instead of going to Him for consolation, we go to the phone. Instead of going to Him for comfort, we go to food or drugs or drink. We're cheating on God and our relationship with Him. Old Testament and New Testament warn us about this very thing. (Read Hebrews 10:31)

God IS faithful. He is faithful to perform His Word. The cry of God's heart is "Come back!", but just like in any relationship, it's our choice. He won't make us come back. And even though restoration of the relationship is His greatest desire and gift to us, if you read His Word, you realize the day is coming when that will no longer be an option. It will be too late. And today, we're one day closer to that day.

Prayer:

Father,

Cure us of our unfaithfulness. We want to be found in You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Not Done

Late in the afternoon his disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go to the nearby farms and villages and buy something to eat.”
But Jesus said, “You feed them.”
“With what?” they asked. “We’d have to work for months to earn enough money to buy food for all these people!”
“How much bread do you have?” he asked. “Go and find out.”
They came back and reported, “We have five loaves of bread and two fish.” Then Jesus told the disciples to have the people sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of fifty or a hundred. Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them.
Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he kept giving the bread to the disciples so they could distribute it to the people. He also divided the fish for everyone to share. They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftover bread and fish. A total of 5,000 men and their families were fed from those loaves!
Mark 6:35-41 NLT

Has God ever done the impossible in your life? Has He done the proverbial Made a Way Where There was No Way? Has He ever used you to do or say something that you know - beyond the shadow of a doubt - that it was all God because it was beyond your ability or even your comprehension? It defies all logic. Well, He's not done yet.

Mark 6 is an amazing chapter. At the beginning of it, Jesus heads to His hometown, begins teaching in the synagogue in such a way that the people exclaim, Where did he get all this wisdom and the power to perform such miracles? And only moments later, they reject Him because they can't see or believe through eyes of faith... but He wasn't done. He took it to village after village, teaching, healing.

He launched His disciples, sending them out on purpose without provision, and yet their needs were met and they accomplished what He sent them to do. When they returned, they were stoked! But He wasn't done.

Also in this chapter, we learn of the beheading of John the Baptist - a tragic, horrible murder. It had already happened; Jesus knew about it, but it didn't stop Him because He wasn't done. Jesus wanted to take the boys and get away for a little while, but the crowds wouldn't stop, and because He had/has such great compassion, He stopped for them.

Then we come to our Promise text for today. The disciples - those He hand-picked - presume to tell Christ how to best care for the people. They present their most logical, well thought-out plan, but obviously, Jesus wasn't done yet.

You feed them, but the best they could come up with was logic. We’d have to work for months to earn enough money to buy food for all these people!

When will we realize that God has the plan? He's had it from the beginning. Jesus doesn't fly by the seat of His pants. He doesn't get by by the skin of His teeth. He's not a fly-by-night operation. Even when there doesn't seem to be any way at all - the odds against us are too much.

We can't feed them!
There's over 5,000 men here, plus their families...
Sure, I'll see if anyone brought anything...
Here, 5 loaves and a couple of fish. What are You gonna do with that?
There's no way to feed all these people - that's not enough for just us, let alone all of them.
I don't know what You're thinking... 

What? You don't believe they were thinking along those lines?

He took it, blessed it and broke it. And with that little bit of broken pieces, He fed the multitudes until everyone had as much as they wanted. It was the first All-You-Can-Eat buffet... But He wasn't done. Scripture tells us, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftover bread and fish.

Recap: He told them to feed the people. They replied logically, We can't. He showed them how it's done. And when He was done, they picked up 12 baskets of leftover bread and fish. Hmmm... how many disciples were there?

You get the picture...

I was gonna end there, but I hear the ones making the statement about Judas Iscariot... He didn't hang around too much longer after this, so, I guess that leaves one basket. Any takers? We're not done...

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for the ability to think and reason. Forgive us when we use them to try to explain away Your sovereignty and majesty. Help us to realize and to KNOW that whatever You've called us to do, wherever You've called us to be, You've made the provision. Let the measure of faith You have given us always override what we can see, so that we can DO what You've told us to do. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Always Answered

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.

Isaiah 55:8-9 NLT

An old friend of mine sent an article to me, with a note that he thought I’d be interested in the writings of the particular author. The article began by mentioning that one of the author’s readers told him she would pray for him. It then proceeded to be an heretical diatribe about prayer and my heavenly Father. The author’s viewpoint was that both are a waste of time. God forgive him…

There was a time in my life I would have gone into full battle mode and charged in with Scriptures flailing, and been caught up in vain arguments for days, but nowadays, I don’t have the time or energy for useless battles. I don’t know if my old friend is nearing the end of his life and now questions his own agnostic view of life or what. I have presented the Gospel to him two or three times, but he has always rejected it - albeit respectfully - but rejected it nonetheless. He and the author in question have bought a common lie and both use it as a reason to not believe in God. They call it unanswered prayers. Why pray to a God who won’t answer your prayers?

Have you ever noticed that satan loves to swoop in with questions like that to cause doubt in people’s lives? We've all attended funerals of friends and loved ones who died before they had a chance to be old. I know for certain there were many fervent prayers prayed asking for total healing, and yet God chose to take them Home. Some view that as unanswered prayer. That may seem like fact, but it’s certainly not the Truth.

I don't believe there is any such thing as unanswered prayer. The Truth of the matter is that our prayers ARE answered - ALL of them. They just aren't always answered with the answer we want… 

Sometimes the answer is no.

Prayer:

Father,

          Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so Your ways are higher than our ways and Your thoughts higher than our thoughts. Give us revelation, Father. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen

World Views

[Jesus speaking] For John didn’t spend his time eating and drinking, and you say, ‘He’s possessed by a demon.’ The Son of Man, on the other hand, feasts and drinks, and you say, ‘He’s a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners!’ But wisdom is shown to be right by its results.
Matthew 11:18-19 NLT

The Truth is that the world's view is always going to be in opposition to the Word of God. I'm relatively certain that's why Jesus instructed us in Matthew 7:6, “Don’t waste what is holy on people who are unholy. Don’t throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you." 

I caught a snippet today about a young actor who in recent months made the news by expressing his faith in Christ. He was in today's headlines because he made an Instagram post about being on the Daniel Fast. The media jumped all over it - The Today Show, MSN.com, Time, People, USA Today, Prevention, Men's Health... just to name a few who voiced opinions about it. From dangerous to delicious; nuts to nutritious, crazy to committed - the world is full of opinions about something they know very little about.

Scripture explains the opposition in 1st Corinthians 1:18-25,  For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: 

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”

Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

Make time to know the Word of God. After all, it is God's Truth that sets us free, not the views and opinions of the so-called free world.

Prayer:

Father,

          According to Your Word, let us not lose sight of common sense and discernment. Guide us in when to speak and when to keep silent. Give us wisdom, O God! In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Formerly Familiar

Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.
Isaiah 43:18-19 NIV

I stand amazed at what God teaches me through the eyes and hearts of my grandchildren; perhaps because my heart is the least guarded and the most full when I am with them.

Yesterday, my youngest granddaughter had gotten hurt during gym class and she was not happy. She was also upset at the thought that it might take a few days to feel her best again. We had just left the Chick-fil-A drive-through line during this part of the discussion, when she asked if we could drive by her old house since we were so close. Yes, we would drive by, but no, we were not stopping. 

When we turned on to the street, she started naming neighbors and pointing to their houses. She's smart beyond her five short years and proclaimed, "There's my old house, Granna! All of my memories are there... I miss my old house. " 

I slowed the car a little and she said, "It doesn't look the same..." which presented the perfect opportunity for a teaching moment. 

"That's because you don't live there any more, Baby. Your memories are of Mommy and Daddy, and MawMaw and PawPaw, and all that love, but they don't live there any more, either. You wouldn't want to live in the house without your Mom and Dad, right?" And she agreed.

How many times do we do something similar? We get hurt and we want to run back to what's familiar  - an old relationship, an old habit, the way we used to live - whether or not it's good for us. The "new house" might seem like a wilderness, but the good news is that God is aware of that. He promised to make a way in that wilderness. He promised to make life-giving streams in the wasteland of new. He wrote it all down so we wouldn't forget. You don't want to go back there and be without God the Father...

Revelation 21:5 tells us, He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."  

It's our Promise for Today - Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! 

Prayer:

Father,

           Thank You for Your Word. Thank You for making a way for us in the wilderness and for providing life-giving streams in what feels like a wasteland. Thank You that all Your Words are trustworthy and true. Help us to keep moving forward and to keep our eyes on You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

How Then Shall We Live?

“For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities – his eternal power, and divine nature. So, they have no excuse for not knowing God.”
Romans 1:20


Let's face it. We get caught up in the struggles of life. We lose sight of the goal when the mountains stand in our way and we see no way over or around them. But maybe - just maybe - we're not supposed to go over or around. In Mark 11:22-24 NKJV, Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. 

Have we lost our faith? Do we pray without expectation? Do we no longer believe God can or will do whatever we're praying about? I heard Clemson's head coach say if we can believe Jeremiah 29:11 - that God has plans to give us a future and a hope - then we can believe there is power in the present  to make it happen.

Have we lost that? Do we believe God's power is in our present day life? That it's available to us - those of us who believe?!?  In verse 17 of Romans 1, we're told, ...the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”  Do we?  How then shall we live?

Prayer:

Father,

          Thank You for Your Word, for Your Truth, for Your Power! We know it is You who gives us power and authority to become the children of God. Open our eyes to see and our hearts to believe that we are overcomers of all this world will throw at us - by the Blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Loving Restraint

First off, you need to know that in the last days, mockers are going to have a heyday. Reducing everything to the level of their puny feelings, they’ll mock, “So what’s happened to the promise of his Coming? Our ancestors are dead and buried, and everything’s going on just as it has from the first day of creation. Nothing’s changed.”

2nd Peter 3:3-4 The Message

They conveniently forget that long ago all the galaxies and this very planet were brought into existence out of watery chaos by God’s word. Then God’s word brought the chaos back in a flood that destroyed the world. The current galaxies and earth are fuel for the final fire. God is poised, ready to speak His word again, ready to give the signal for the judgment and destruction of the desecrating skeptics.

Don’t overlook the obvious here, friends. With God, one day is as good as a thousand years, a thousand years as a day. God isn’t late with His promise as some measure lateness. He is restraining himself on account of you, holding back the End because He doesn’t want anyone lost. He’s giving everyone space and time to change.

But when the Day of God’s Judgment does come, it will be unannounced, like a thief. The sky will collapse with a thunderous bang, everything disintegrating in a huge conflagration, earth and all its works exposed to the scrutiny of Judgment.

Since everything here today might well be gone tomorrow, do you see how essential it is to live a holy life? Daily expect the Day of God, eager for its arrival. The galaxies will burn up and the elements melt down that day—but we’ll hardly notice. We’ll be looking the other way, ready for the promised new heavens and the promised new earth, all landscaped with righteousness.

So, my dear friends, since this is what you have to look forward to, do your very best to be found living at your best, in purity and peace. Interpret our Master’s patient restraint for what it is: salvation. 2nd Peter 3:5-15a The Message

Prayer:

Father,

          Thank You for Your patience and loving restraint. We know it is Your will that none should perish, but that all should come to repentance and into the knowledge of Your saving grace. Help us to be mindful of this overwhelming love of Yours, and help us to meet our divine appointments to share Your love and salvation. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

New Word

No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
Philippians 3:13-14 NLT

Are you aware that there were over 1,000 new words added annually to the Oxford dictionary? Even more surprising to me is this. According to Angus Stevenson of Oxford's online blog, "Each month, we add about 150 million words to our corpus database of English usage examples collected from sources around the world." They track usage and verify emerging words from that database. 

Okay, so you may not be interested in that little tidbit, but I find it very interesting that it only takes ONE word - one single word - from God to change a life forever. Are you ready for a life-changing word? Something new from God just for you?

Then you MUST do as Paul - focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead. Oh, I can hear some of you now - "You don't know what I've done." No, I don't - but the Apostle Paul murdered Christians before his Damascus Road experience. Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead. "You don't know what he/she/they did to me." No, I don't, but I know what they did to Christ. Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead...

If you want new, you have to forget about the past; forget about yesterday. Let go of all of it. You have today. Wait for the Lord. He's got your new word, and He will add to it.

Prayer:

Father,
          Forgive us for holding onto hindrances and burdensome weights of yesterday. We choose to let go of all of it so that we can embrace the New that You have for us today. Help us, O God, in Jesus' Name we pray! Amen

Storm Warnings

[Jesus speaking] See, I have told you beforehand.
Matthew 24:25 NKJV

At the time of this writing, the St. Louis area is being inundated with snow. There are pictures and videos posted on social media - some from the safety of their warm home, showing the beauty of fresh, fallen snow, but most are of the cars stranded in treacherous road conditions. Thankfully, my sister was safe at home before the bulk of it started. However, I have friends whose normal 30-minute commute took them more than 4 or 5 hours to get home, and still others who are unable to get home. For those, other friends and family members near them have opened their homes for safe shelter till the storm is over. Still others are stranded at work. The national storm warning is in effect until midnight on Saturday.

Three days ago, winter storm watches were posted, complete with do's and don'ts of being out in it, and what you would need to be prepared at home or in your vehicle. I know some people had to go to work and were not released from their obligation to do so. Others claim bragging rights of knowing how to drive in it because they've lived there so long and they're used to it. For them, snow days are often treated as a type of feast day, replete with comfort food and grazing tables. And then there is the fact that weather forecasters in general are notorious for sensationalizing bad weather, so people tend to not pay close attention. They don't heed the warnings. 

Is it the same with our lives in Christ? Jesus is always speaking to us - through His Word, through our quiet times in His presence, through others. Are we listening? The storms are coming. He left a complete instruction book for us, a survival guide complete with do's and don'ts and what we need to be prepared for the storms of life. Are we paying attention? Or are we lulled into a false sense of security because we've lived in this so long we're used to it? Just something to think about...

Prayer:

Father, 

          Forgive us for not heeding Your Word. Thank You for being the Word and forgive us for not acknowledging the power and life in it. Thank You for the many illustrations of Your delivering us from the storms in our lives. Open our ears to hear. Give us hearts to understand and embrace Your Truths. Give us the strength and courage to respond in kind. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Action Items

My child, never forget the things I have taught you. 

Store my commands in your heart.
If you do this, you will live many years, and your life will be satisfying.

Never let loyalty and kindness leave you! 

Tie them around your neck as a reminder.
Write them deep within your heart.
Then you will find favor with both God and people, and you will earn a good reputation.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; 

do not depend on your own understanding.

Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take.

Proverbs 3:1-6 NLT

As a general rule of thumb, people only half listen. You know what I mean. They might catch every other word, especially if there's anything else going on around you; other conversations, phones and earbuds, or traffic, radio, television. Distractions. Destructive interference. This can be calamitous in a business meeting where project initiatives and implementation methods are being discussed - especially if you miss the action item that will bring the desired result.

Unfortunately, there are times we have that same destructive interference with regard to what the Word is speaking to us. Have you ever noticed how people love to proclaim the promises of God? Oftentimes, they have memorized just about every nuance of what He has promised... or at least, they think they have. They know the intent and they love the expected result. However, often they miss the action item that will actually cause the result to be obtained. 

For instance, we may not necessarily forget the things we were taught, but unless we actually store them in our hearts so that they're written on our hearts in a way that directs our lives and the choices we make, we are not going to have the result of living many years and being satisfied.

We may wear loyalty and kindness as a necklace or pendant charms around our necks, but unless we write them deep within our hearts, they are not actions. They are just good suggestions for right living. If they are not the actions of our lives, we will not find favor with God and people, nor will we earn a good reputation.

We all know "Trust in the Lord and lean not on your own understanding" so He will show us which path to take. Be that as it may, unless we implement the action item - seek His will in all [we] do - we don't get the instruction for which path to take. 

Don't be snared by destructive interference. Dig deeper. Take ownership of the action items. 

Prayer:

Father,

          Awaken us to Your every Word. Help us to see every jot and tittle of it and be as ready to perform Your Word as You are. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Seek

For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.
Luke 19:10 NLT

There is a vast difference between see and seek - much more than just one letter. For example, you can be seen in a crowd of one thousand people. But to be sought in that same crowd means you will be found. That's what Jesus did for us. He came to seek us out and to save us.

Another example - do a Google search on the Internet. All kinds of results pop up within seconds, not to mention the ads flickering, glittering on either side of the screen, screaming at you to be seen... and we see. However, if we're seeking rather than just looking to see, we will focus in on the one, choose it, and exclude or delete the rest.

That's how we are to seek God. 

We are to seek Him first (Matthew 6:33)

Seek His face always (1st Chronicles 16:11 and Psalm 105:4)

Seek that we may live (Amos 5:4, 14)

Jeremiah 29:13 NKJV reads, And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. Another translation reads, If you look for me wholeheartedly...  

Prayer:

Father,

          Forgive us for the times we look to see if You are there instead of seeking You and Your presence. We will see You while You may be found; and call on You while You are near. According to Your Word, we will trust in You, for You, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek You. Help us to recognize the importance of the difference and correct our actions. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Get Going

“All right,” the angel said, “I will grant your request. I will not destroy the little village. But hurry! Escape to it, for I can do nothing until you arrive there.” (This explains why that village was known as Zoar, which means “little place.”)
Genesis 19:21-22 NLT

I've read this story (Genesis 19:15-29) more times than I can remember, but it leapt out at me today regarding the parallels of our lives today.

Think about this. You're praying for the salvation and protection of someone you care about OR someone is praying for yours (as Abraham did in Genesis 18:23-33). (You or) They are in a bad place. Things are not good. You trust the Lord with it and leave it in His hands because the Truth is - you can't change them or the situation. Only God can.

Maybe it's us. Maybe we're in a bad situation through choices we made... Don't discount God's all-encompassing love. He sends a way out, although sometimes we miss it. However, He is persistent (Gen 19:15-16) and gets us out. God wants us to run to the mountain top, but often, we insist on staying low (vvs 17-22). He instructs us to leave, to keep moving forward and don't look back, but we just can't seem to resist that one look back. And poof! We're a pillar of salt. Dead in our tracks.

Don't do it. Don't look back. Why do we think we will miss what will eventually kill us?!? God is holy. He will deliver us. He will forgive us, but He does not abide willful sin. He lovingly provides the way out (1st Corinthians 10:13). Get going!

Prayer:

Father,
        Open our hearts and minds to hear and receive Your instruction. Help us to see past the lies and false promises of the world. Reset our priorities and guide us into Your Truths. Help us to move forward, Father, always forward! In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen 

Nothing

I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
John 15:5 NKJV

New Year Resolutions. Fitness regimens. Weight loss plans. Fasts. All efforts to improve ourselves - to make our lives better. Great starts, no doubt. However, the success of any of these lies in answer to the question - has Christ been included in our choices? Do we believe we can succeed without Him? Proverbs 19:21 NLT tells us, You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.  So let's consult Him from the get-go.

Paul directs us in Romans 12:1-2a in the Message Bible paraphrase, So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out.

You want change in your life? Seek God. He tells us plainly, for without Me you can do nothing.

Nothing!

Prayer:

Father,

           Help us to fully realize that apart from You we can do nothing that will last. We invite You into every part of our lives, Father. We want to accomplish Kingdom living. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

No Fair Trade

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
2nd Corinthians 5:21 NKJV

There was a time in life when bartering or trading was the main practice for obtaining goods and services without the use of money. However, the goods or services you were willing to exchange had to be a fair trade - equal in value to whatever you were trying to obtain. In the last decade or so, people have started again to barter or trade services. As long as the value of each is properly assessed, it can be a great way to make a trade.

Generally speaking, you wouldn't consider it a fair trade to trade ten pounds of one thing for a single ounce of something else, would you? However, if it was an ounce of gold... See? You must recognize the value of what you're trading.

And so it is in our Christian walk. When we accept Christ as our Saviour, we trade our sin-filled lives to obtain the righteousness of God through His Son. God offers us that which is priceless in exchange for our lives that are totally worthless without Christ. Is that a fair trade? Do we recognize the value of the trade or do we dare grumble and complain about what we "give up" to follow Him and walk in His righteousness? 

Think about it.

Prayer:

Father,
           We pray as Paul prayed in Philippians 1, that our love will overflow more and more, and that we will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. Help us to understand what really matters, so that we may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. May we always be filled with the fruit of our salvation—the righteous character produced in our lives by Jesus Christ— so that we will bring much glory and praise to You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* Learning to Walk

The godly walk with integrity; blessed are their children who follow them.

Proverbs 20:7 NLT

If ever you've tried to help someone who's just learning to walk with the Lord - or perhaps is struggling to walk - and nothing you do or say seems to be making any difference, I want to share an illustration with you that I believe God showed me. 

You may not have children of your own, but most of us have seen babies who are learning to walk, so regardless, you'll have a point of reference. When my children were babies, I could teach them how to pull themselves up to stand. I could even offer them a hand. I could support them under their arms while they bounced and jumped and strengthened their leg muscles. I would hold both hands so they could stay up and not fall, but THEY had to make their legs and feet move. I would encourage them - even entice them with a toy or treat - but until they decided they wanted to and made up their mind to do it, they did not take one step on their own.

You can't make a baby walk unless he or she is ready to walk - whether it's an actual baby or someone trying to follow Jesus. By the same token, in order for the child to be able to walk on its own, you have to let go. They will totter, and stumble, and trip, and they will fall. And after a few falls, they may even decide just to sit or crawl for awhile and try that walking thing a little later. They will get bruised, scraped up - they might even bleed and have scars as a result - but eventually, they will learn to walk because they choose to do so.

And the longer they do it, the better they get at it. You're living proof...so make sure you walk with integrity.

Prayer:

Father,

        Help us to be good stewards of who and what You have given us. Continue to give us revelation wisdom so we can teach others about You and how to walk in Your way. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Evening Reflection

How long will you love what is worthless and pursue a lie? Selah
Psalm 4:2b Christian Standard Bible

In several bibles, Psalm 4 is titled A Night Prayer or Evening Prayer. It is one of David's psalms. It contains a couple of the more well-known verses about being angry, but not sinning, and being able to lie down and sleep in peace because the Lord keeps us safe.

However, today I was struck by the second half of verse 2. The verse is also punctuated with Selah - which is commonly believed to mean to pause and reflect on what has just been said. And so I did...

In the second half of verse 4, same chapter, David writes, on your bed, reflect in your heart and be still. Selah... There's that word again.

So, in reflection: How many things in life do we "love" that have no eternal weight to them? How many things do we chase after that are worthless when compared to the eternal? If they are fodder for moths and rust, why are we spending our time and energy on them?

Prayer:

Father,
           As I sit and remember, thank You for ALL the many times You and You alone have provided for me and for my family. The provision, the protection. All You! I will not fear. I know You guide and provide, Father. Teach me Your ways, O God! Let me not waste my time or energy on what is worthless or not Truth. We want to know You. We want to know and heed Your voice. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Faithfulness, the Legacy

When Enoch was 65 years old, he became the father of Methuselah. After the birth of Methuselah, Enoch lived in close fellowship with God for another 300 years, and he had other sons and daughters. Enoch lived 365 years, walking in close fellowship with God. Then one day he disappeared, because God took him.
Genesis 5:21-24 NLT

This year, I've decided to read the Bible through using the Daily Audio Bible app, featuring Brian Hardin. He's been doing it for about a decade and a half, and I enjoy hearing the different English versions used throughout the year. (If you're interested, you can Google 'Daily Audio Bible' or you can find a link to it on BibleGateway.com.) The basic daily reading premise is some from the Old Testament, some from the New, from the Psalms and Proverbs. 

I said all that to say...Today's reading included Genesis 5 where Enoch was taken away by God. He and Elijah were the only two men mentioned in Scripture who did not die before leaving this earth. We know a lot about Elijah, but there's not a lot of information about Enoch in Scripture. He's mentioned in Hebrews 11, the great faith chapter, and again in Jude. There is history apart from Scripture to be found about him, but the Truth of the matter is, Enoch was faithful to God, he was truthful, and he was obedient. So much so that he did not taste death. 

Enoch is Noah's great-grandfather, and although those generations lived hundreds of years, Enoch was taken from this world before Noah was born. But you have to think about this. Enoch's faithfulness to God so influenced his son and his grandson that when Noah was born, he, too, was found faithful to God - in a time when no one else was. (And Enoch had already been gone almost 70 years by then.) In fact, you know the story - Noah, his wife, his sons and their wives were the only humans God saved from the flood. Why? Because of Noah's faithfulness to God. The legacy of faithfulness that had been passed down.

What legacy are we leaving for those who come after us? Not just offspring, but ALL those who God has placed within our sphere of influence - be they neighbor, co-worker, or the clerk at the store we see every week... Let it be the only one that matters - that of faithfulness to our God!

Prayer:

Father,
          We pray the words of the song You gave Steve Green, "After all our hopes and dreams have come and gone, and our children sift through all we've left behind, may the clues that they discover and the memories they uncover become the light that leads them to the road we each must find.  Father, may all who come behind us find us faithful... May the footprints that we leave lead them to believe." In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Light & No Variable

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
James 1:17 KJV

I'm tired of the rain. I'm tired of damp. I'm tired of grey skies.  Thankfully, they're predicting some sunshine by the weekend. Please, God, let there be some sunshine soon! The weather in Houston seems to be confused with Seattle's weather patterns. Rain, rain, rain. It's rained at least 57 days of the last 3 months. It rained yesterday and today and they're calling for more rain tomorrow. Highly unusual for us. 

I understand and value the importance of rain, but not when, right now, you could waterski in my front and back yard. Winds are light and variable and then not so light! And speaking of light - I will admit the other day there seemed to be a strange light in the sky for about an hour-and-a-half! It was partly sunny for just a bit and then the rain was back - blowing sideways from those "light and variable" winds!

In spite of all that, there is a Light that shines when the sun does not. One in whom there is no variableness. He does not change with the weather or the seasons. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. A sure foundation. Something we can count on, no matter the storms of life. And when the wind of the Holy Spirit blows, it does not destroy. It brings a refreshing. I am so thankful that we can look to the Master of the wind, to the Father of lights to know what tomorrow will bring.

Prayer:

Father,
         Thank You for reminding us who You are and who we are in You. Thank You for Your faithfulness to us in every situation. Thank You for Your Word to be the Light for our path. Shine on us, Father. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen