Readers' Favorites - How Many Times

Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 22:6 NKJV

I was thinking about this Scripture today because of the stories I hear from friends and family alike.

She did what?!? She must have learned that from one of the other kids at school – she never heard that at home!

Why would he do that at school?!? And in front of the principal?!? I taught him better than that!! 

When will he learn? How many times do I have to tell him?

There is so much material for a comedy routine at a school! When I worked at the elementary school, we used to say we could have our own hit sitcom if we just had a video camera running during the day.

However, on the not-so-funny side of it, I know so many Christian parents who are standing on this promised proverb that is our text for today. Let me encourage them somewhat. I think there are those children who take a little longer to “get old.” And so we wait with patience… sometimes it’s the oxymoronic frustrated patience…

Remember the Scripture in Hebrews 4 that tells how Jesus was tempted in all points just like us, but sinned not? Well, there’s one in Hebrews 5 where the writer sure sounds to me as though he’s exasperated - I have a lot more to say about this, but it is hard to get it across to you since you've picked up this bad habit of not listening. By this time you ought to be teachers yourselves, yet here I find you need someone to sit down with you and go over the basics on God again…

Always, it’s a matter of training and sometimes re-training. It’s finding the right combination of words and practice to get the point across. We don’t all learn the same things at the same pace or in the same way - whether we’re children - or children of God. Thank God His mercies are new every morning. Thank God His lovingkindnesses are better than life. Thank God for His Word in John 1:12 that declares, But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. King James calls it the power to become His children.

We have this blessed assurance. He doesn’t give up on us. Philippians 1:6 NLT promises, And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. Oh…THAT’S when we’ll learn! So don’t give up. Keep trying - no matter how many times it takes…

Prayer:

Father,
           Let us not be weary in well-doing. Strengthen us by Your example, Lord. Let us love as You love and be merciful one to another, so that we may learn. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen

Living Sacrifice

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Romans 12:1-2 NLT

Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.

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. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!

Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.

Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,
“I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord.

Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.”

Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good. Romans 12:3-21 NLT

Prayer:

Father,

          Let Your Word come alive in us this day! Give us hearts of courage and compassion. Help us to truly love and to reach out to and for others. Make us overcomers so that we conquer evil by doing good. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Becoming Like _______

But Agrippa did answer: “Keep this up much longer and you’ll make a Christian out of me!”

Paul, still in chains, said, “That’s what I’m praying for, whether now or later, and not only you but everyone listening today, to become like me—except, of course, for this prison jewelry!”
Acts 26:28-29 The Message

My youngest granddaughter and I are great friends. We love to be together - to do nothing or to do something, it doesn't matter. We just like to be together. The scary part of it is that although 60 years separate us, we are very much alike. Sometimes, when I see my own less-than-desirable stubborn traits surface in her, I remind her parents, "We need to pray harder!" Although I will say, they are doing a fine job of raising her in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Praise God!

My siblings and I are now the oldest generation in our family. It's amazing to see the 4th generation of children in my older brothers' lines; especially when I think of all the history that is represented there and back just a couple of generations. My maternal grandfather was saved a little over a hundred years ago. His life drastically changed, thus altering the path forward of the generations to follow. Thank You, God! For each generation is affected for good or for evil by the previous. 

Think about the generations of Herods. In his attempt to kill Jesus, Herod the Great wiped out all male babes two and under - the age group he figured Jesus would be in from the first he heard of Him. Herod Agrippa I (his grandson) is written about in Acts 12: On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and delivered an oration to them. And the people were shouting, “The voice of a god, and not of a man!” Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last. Herod Antipas actually met Jesus when He was being tried but failed to recognize Him as the Messiah. And then there's King Herod Agrippa II...who made a joke of Paul's impassioned plea. NKJV records his words as You almost persuade me to become a Christian. Four opportunities to meet the Savior of the world and to change their lives forever... each becoming like the one before him. Almost persuaded.

We've been promised that we would have one opportunity to hear and receive the Good News for ourselves. Most of us in America have heard it many times; maybe not as much elsewhere in the world. The question is, what have we done with the one time that we did hear that Jesus died on the cross to pay for the penalty of our sins so that we could be forgiven and restored to relationship with our Heavenly Father? Who are we becoming like? Who do the generations coming after us favor? Who will they become like?

Prayer:

Father,

          May all who hear of Your grace and mercy to us in the crucifixion of Your Son, Jesus Christ, listen and obey Your Word. May we be according to Your Word in 1st John 3:2, Who knows how we’ll end up! What we know is that when Christ is openly revealed, we’ll see Him—and in seeing Him, become like Him. All of us who look forward to His Coming stay ready, with the glistening purity of Jesus’ life as a model for our own. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Knows No Bounds

On the Sabbath we went a little way outside the city to a riverbank, where we thought people would be meeting for prayer, and we sat down to speak with some women who had gathered there. One of them was Lydia from Thyatira, a merchant of expensive purple cloth, who worshiped God. As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying.
Acts 16:13-14 NLT

Paul and Silas went outside the city because Philippi prohibited bringing an unrecognized religion within the city limits. There they met Lydia, a wealthy woman, who listened to their message and received Jesus Christ as her savior - she and members of her household. 

Later, they were harassed by a demon-possessed servant girl (vvs 16-18), until Paul commanded by the demon to leave her and it had to obey. That caused a world of problems for both Paul and Silas, and they wound up in prison after having been stripped and beaten. 

You may know the story of Paul and Silas after midnight, praying and singing hymns to God. Acts 16:25-28, The Bible says and the other prisoners were listening. Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off! The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself.      But Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!”  ALL of them - not just Paul and Silas. All the prisoners were still there! None of them left. They WERE listening...I think all the prisoners became believers that night! We certainly know the jailer did and all of his household.

The salvation message knows no bounds. It crosses all socio-economic boundaries; from the wealthy to the servant, to the prisoners, and their jailer. All of them listened. All of them believed. All of them forever changed. God's perfect love knows no bounds. Aren't you glad?

Prayer:

Father,
          Thank You that Your "whosoever will..." includes everyone, no matter who or what we are. Help us to hear and know the Truth of Your Word and to be as eager to share it with others as Paul and Silas - no matter the circumstances. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Psalm 39

I said to myself, “I will watch what I do and not sin in what I say. I will hold my tongue when the ungodly are around me.”

Psalm 39:1 NLT

But as I stood there in silence— not even speaking of good things— the turmoil within me grew worse. The more I thought about it, the hotter I got, igniting a fire of words: “Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered— how fleeting my life is. You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. My entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best, each of us is but a breath.” Interlude

We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing. We heap up wealth, not knowing who will spend it. And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you.  Rescue me from my rebellion. Do not let fools mock me. I am silent before you; I won’t say a word, for my punishment is from you.

But please stop striking me! I am exhausted by the blows from your hand. When you discipline us for our sins, you consume like a moth what is precious to us. Each of us is but a breath. Interlude

Prayer:

Father, 

           Hear my prayer, O Lord! Listen to my cries for help! Don’t ignore my tears. For I am your guest— a traveler passing through, as my ancestors were before me. Leave me alone so I can smile again before I am gone and exist no more. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Word Problems - a favorite reminder

Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done. Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, __________, deception, malicious behavior, and _____________.
Romans 1:28-29 NLT

I think word problems started back when it was called arithmetic... Do you remember when you first had to learn word problems in math? (Do they even do those anymore? I don't know.) I remember the left-brained group hated them - "Who needs words when you have numbers?" All the right-brained people loved them - "Oohhhhhhh, a puzzle! It's a game! We can fill in the blanks..."

And then a little later, we tried to learn relational language. Do you remember those? Words and numbers. Four or five in a row with two or more blanks and we were supposed to fill them in with words or numbers that were akin to what was already there. It definitely pre-dated Sesame Street's "Which of these things belong together? Which of these things are kind of the same?" Either one - either way, they were word problems...

Our text today reminded me of this. No, in my Bible, it did not have fill in the blanks - of course not. But in reading verse 29, Their lives became full of EVERY kind of wickedness... and reading what is already named (and without looking it up!), how would you fill in the blanks in relation to what is already there? Go ahead... Take a minute and think about what you might put in there. I'll wait...

Pardon? Hmm? Oh, you want a hint? Okay... the title of today's promise is a big hint.

Word Problems. Well, those are some serious sins listed there! (News flash - ALL sin is serious to the Father and His Son, the One who died to redeem us from sin.) Give up? The first blank is quarreling. The second blank is gossip. Both require words and BOTH are listed as part of 'EVERY kind of wickedness...' That's serious word problems.

Prayer:

Father,
          We know we have serious word problems when we have a serious lack of YOUR Word. When we open Your Word, Father, reveal it to us. Let us not follow the things of the flesh, but rather, follow after Your Spirit and Your Word that give us life. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Make Us Ready

Suddenly, there was a bright light in the cell, and an angel of the Lord stood before Peter. The angel struck him on the side to awaken him and said, “Quick! Get up!” And the chains fell off his wrists.
Acts 12:7

A friend shared her SOAP with me today on this Scripture. (SOAP is an acronym for Scripture Observation Application and Prayer.) Linda always has a different take and this one is no exception. It is really good!

She writes:

OBSERVATION: God is sending an angel to break Peter out of prison. Peter was asleep and the angel had to wake him and tell him to hurry up! That's when the chains fell off his wrists. I see this as those times God sends an answer that we might not be ready for, and He actually makes us ready (struck Peter's side, chains fell off). But in order to receive it, Peter had to act quickly and follow the angel out to freedom (read vvs. 8-11).

Am I refusing to follow God to freedom?!?

APPLICATION: Lord, I don't know how often You'll need to wake me or even ask me to act quickly. But let me understand and learn that trust is the key - because without trust, it does not matter what You ask or how fast I need to act. However, if I trust You, then it all works out.

PRAYER: Father, Let us recognize when we've been unchained and set free, and let us not remain seated in our prison. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

You Think You Know Someone

All who heard him were amazed. “Isn’t this the same man who caused such devastation among Jesus’ followers in Jerusalem?” they asked. “And didn’t he come here to arrest them and take them in chains to the leading priests?”
Acts 9:21 NLT

Saul of Tarshish. You had to have known him. He studied under Gamaliel. He had all the respected heritage and lineage. He was known! And he pursued and persecuted followers of Christ! He had them chained and dragged back to Jerusalem to throw them into prison for perpetrating the Way. That's what he called following Christ (who also called Himself the Way, the Truth and the Life). How many times they asked, "Isn't he the one who is arresting followers?" Isn't this the same one? They knew of him, but they didn't want to know him. 

Saul thought he knew all about Jesus until he met Him on the Damascus Road. And then knowing Jesus in Truth turned Saul's life upside down and completely around. 

The hometown folk questioned Jesus, too, when He was among them. Scripture tells us they were amazed at His wisdom and His power to do miracles, and yet because they knew him, they scoffed, Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? Matthew 13:55. And the rest of the verse tells us, they were deeply offended and refused to believe in him... because they thought they knew Him.

But they didn't recognize the Messiah, the Son of the living God, our Rock and Redeemer, Saviour and King, our Hope, our Peace and Light of the World, Lord of lords, the Great I Am. You think you know Someone... do you?

Prayer:

Father,
          Open our eyes to see You in all Your glory! Unveil our sight so that we may see past our finite view. We want to know You in Your fullness. We want to know You as You want to be known. We want to know You more. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

Full Circle

A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria. (Some devout men came and buried Stephen with great mourning.) But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison. But the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went. Philip, for example, went to the city of Samaria and told the people there about the Messiah.
Acts 8:1-5 NLT

Jesus' last words to His followers instructed them to go be His witnesses... but none of them had yet left Jerusalem. Philip was among the first of the scattered believers who were driven out by fear of Saul (later Paul) who was zealous in his persecution, following the stoning of Stephen. We mentioned Philip yesterday regarding his ministry to the Samaritans. Philip's travels and adventures eventually led him back to Caesarea. 

Meanwhile, Saul had met Jesus on the Damascus Road and his world was turned upside down. This is the same man who looked on in approval as he held the cloaks for those who stoned Stephen, Philip's friend. Only an encounter with Christ could take mayhem and murder from a man's heart and change it so completely that 13 chapters later (20+ years), this same Paul stayed at Philip's home as a welcome guest. A trusted brother in the Lord. They had come Full Circle. 

Could we do the same? Forgive and love someone who had helped to murder our friend and persecuted countless others? Could we make that circle? Never without Christ, that's for sure...

Prayer:

Father,

          We know we must walk in forgiveness in order to be forgiven. Help us to know and understand that You love ALL of us, but will only forgive those who call upon Your Name and are willing to forgive others. Help us to come full circle, Father. We want to be right with You and with each other. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

No Favoritism

Then Peter replied, "I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism. In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right."
Acts 10:34-35 NLT

In Peter's time, it was against Jewish custom to enter a Gentile home and they were not to eat with them, and yet, that is exactly what the Holy Spirit told Peter to do. And Peter obeyed. 

Philip left Jerusalem under the great persecution that started after Stephen's stoning, and he went straight to Samaria. You remember the anti-socialism between the Jews and Samaritans, don't you? Mixed race. Half Jewish. Extreme prejudice! But that's where the Holy Spirit led Philip to preach, and preach he did! 

People won't like it when you do the same thing. The Jewish believers were mad at Peter for visiting and eating with the Gentiles. They also later sent Peter and John to check out the Samaritan believers and what Philip was doing...

They were just continuing the work of Jesus. Jesus preached to Samaritans and Greeks and even Romans. His Good News has always been for everyone. Revelation 22:`7 NLT, reads: The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” Let anyone who hears this say, “Come.” Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life.

Whosoever will... No favoritism.

Prayer:

Father,
          Thank You for whosoever will. Thank You for including all of us. Thank You for making us of one mind, one heart and one Spirit. Let anyone who desires drink from the water of life. All of us who desire You. Let it be so, Father, in Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

That's Not My Job

Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you.
James 4:11 NLT

Most job positions are posted with an overview of the tasks and duties that are required; education, skill sets, if there are any physical requirements. Some include a very clear, very precise description. You've probably read some; particular levels of education. Proficiency in certain software or must be able to lift 20-50 pounds, must be able to stand for 8 hours. Must be able to sit for long periods. Must be able to...  you get the idea.

What do you do if there isn't a clear job description? What if there is no employee orientation or an employee handbook to guide you? Sometimes in the corporate world, it seems as though there are policies and procedures governing everything. In smaller companies, it may be more of a relaxed, family atmosphere. Although, as we all know, not all families are relaxed. Regardless, there are rules that are pertinent to the roles being fulfilled.

When we are accepted into the family of God, we begin work for a king, and not just any king, but The King of kings. We have a comprehensive handbook to guide us. All expectations are clearly defined. One of the things God makes abundantly clear from the beginning to the end is: 

[Jesus speaking] Do not judge others, and you will not be judged.  That's clear, isn't it? 

Jesus continues, Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. 

Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. Are there any questions about that?
Luke 6:37 NLT. 

Judging others is not my job. Condemning them is not my job, either. Forgiving others, loving them, helping them, serving - that's all part of who and what we are to be in God's kingdom. It's in our guidebook. Every aspect clearly defined. Reading it, studying it, knowing it, and living our lives accordingly IS our job.

Prayer:

Father,

          Give us understanding and wisdom when we read Your Word. Help us to live and succeed according to its precepts. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

A Great Word

Praise the Lord! I will thank the Lord with all my heart as I meet with his godly people.
Psalm 111:1 NLT

² How amazing are the deeds of the Lord!
    All who delight in him should ponder them.

³ Everything he does reveals his glory and majesty.
    His righteousness never fails.

⁴ He causes us to remember his wonderful works.
    How gracious and merciful is our Lord!

⁵ He gives food to those who fear him;
    he always remembers his covenant.

⁶ He has shown his great power to his people
    by giving them the lands of other nations.

⁷ All he does is just and good,
    and all his commandments are trustworthy.

⁸ They are forever true,
    to be obeyed faithfully and with integrity.

⁹ He has paid a full ransom for his people.
    He has guaranteed his covenant with them forever.
    What a holy, awe-inspiring name he has!

¹⁰ Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true wisdom.
    All who obey his commandments will grow in wisdom.

Prayer:

Father,
          I never cease to be amazed at the goodness of Your Word - Your faithfulness to show us exactly what we need and how it can only be found in You. Open our eyes and our hearts to You, Lord. In Jesus' Name we pray.  Amen

Whatever It Takes

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.
2nd Peter 3:9 The Message

I'm still chewing on the thought of that boatload of people who found God because of the storm He threw at Jonah. A friend of mine asked, "Do you think they saw the fish swallow Jonah?" I don't know. All I really know is God did whatever was necessary to redirect Jonah, to get the Ninevites to repent, and save a boatload of sailors in the process. Whatever it takes. 

In Texas, we never like it when we think that someone is holding back on us. Of course, I imagine that's probably the same wherever you are. No one likes to think they're not getting the full measure of something; nor do they want to receive less than what they've been promised. So, how often does it whittle at our faith when God doesn't answer our prayers the way we think He should?  He's not holding back to deprive us, He's doing whatever it takes...

Do we start to not believe that God is Jehovah Rapha when someone isn't healed? Do we doubt His sovereignty when we witness Christians martyred for their beliefs? Do we lose it because His ways are higher than our ways - when He's already told us that He has a higher purpose in whatever comes our way? What IS that purpose? 

I believe the purpose is that ALL should come to repentance! God is not willing that ANYONE should be lost! He is so committed to our eternity that He sent His only Son, Jesus, to die for our sins so that we could have eternal life with Him. Both God and Christ were willing to do that, knowing that in Heaven there is no more pain, no more crying, no more dying, but to get there from here, we have to come to repentance! And God is willing to use WHATEVER IT TAKES to get us there! 

Storm. Fish. Whatever it takes...

Prayer:

Father,
          Open our eyes and our hearts so that we can see Your hand and feel Your love in everything that You allow to touch our lives. Let us heed Your guidance and direction and follow each and every step You ask us to take - no matter where it is as long as You are with us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Ever After

The Good News is about his Son. In his earthly life he was born into King David’s family line, and he was shown to be the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ our Lord. Through Christ, God has given us the privilege and authority as apostles to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name.

And you are included among those Gentiles who have been called to belong to Jesus Christ.
Romans 1:3-6 NLT

Ah, yes - Valentine's Day! A superior example of extraordinary marketing ability! Now, lest you think I'm a cynic, I want to hasten to assure you that I believe in love because I believe in God! And I wholeheartedly believe in till-death-do-us-part love. I've witnessed it too many times in life to not believe it. I just don't buy into the world's version of happily-ever-after.

Life is hard, folks. Sometimes, you're not happy, but love is not about the flitting, fleeting feelings. Love is a committed choice. God is love and He chose His love for us over what He originally wanted to do - which was kill us all for the miserable, idol-worshiping ingrates that we can be. How happy do you think Jesus was about being beaten beyond recognition and dying on a cross? He was not happy about that! Have you read about His time in the Garden of Gethsemane? It was not happy that put Jesus on the Cross. It was true love.

There is One who loves us enough to die for us. He's already done it. And someday, our Prince will come - AGAIN! As soon as He's done building our homes in glory and God, our Father says, 'Go get them.' Then we'll know true happily ever after.

Prayer:

Father,
           I pray for the scales to be ripped off so people can see what true love is. Help us to know the vast difference between happy and true love. Open our eyes to the Truth of Your Word. Reveal Yourself in it as we read to know You more. To know You better. To learn of love at its finest. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Not Willing (or Saving a Boatload of People)

The sailors were awestruck by the Lord’s great power, and they offered him a sacrifice and vowed to serve him.
Jonah 1:16 NLT

Somehow, I have overlooked the significance of this one verse every time I've read this story of Jonah. 

Most of us know about the story of Jonah. Have you ever wondered why a prophet of God could be so ticked off about being asked to go somewhere and proclaim God's message? How a prophet could be angry with God about the thought of repentance and salvation for an entire city? After all, isn't that his life's work? But Jonah was not willing.

However, before we become so quick to judge, think of the political blitzkrieg around us today. Let us think of the self-proclaimed cognoscenti we would most like to see silenced if we could make that happen. What would happen if God asked us to go witness to them? Would we be willing or would we wish them a special place in hell as we head in the opposite direction? 

And let's also witness the extraordinary love of God in action! We know He especially prepared a large fish to accommodate and assist Jonah onto the road of repentance in his rebellion against God. And in the process of creating the storm, caused a boatload of sailors to first fear Him and then to turn from their gods, and offer a sacrifice to our God while vowing to serve only Him... (even though at first they were not willing to throw Jonah overboard).

There was a lot of Not Willing going on, but the most important one is that God is not willing that ANY should perish, according to 2nd Peter 3:9, but that all should come to repentance. Even a boatload of sailors who were initially helping the rebellious prophet to escape.

Prayer:

Father,
          Thank You that You cause all things to work together for good for those who love You and are called according to Your purpose for our lives. Give us the wisdom, power, and strength to see and to do what You have ordained for us to accomplish. Give us willing hearts. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

It Bears Repeating - Right or Righteous

Love from the center of who you are; don't fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle. Don't burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don't quit in hard times; pray all the harder.
Romans 12:9-12 The Message

Practice playing second fiddle? Okay, confession time. I've been angry for most of a week…at the same person. I think I get over it and he comes back a little later and does the same thing or something in the same vein, and I'm angry all over again. I haven't hit him, I didn't swear. I didn't throw anything. I didn't yell or scream.

I've been patting myself on the back, thinking, 'What a good girl am I' because I didn't hit him, I didn't cuss. I didn't throw anything. I didn't yell or scream. Pitiful… Pathetic... PA – THET – IC! 'Ick' being the operative sound there. I was thinking that I was being angry and not sinning…after all, I was right and I knew I was right. Self-righteous, filthy rags. Isaiah 64:6, But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags…

Do I want to be right or do I want to be in right-standing with God? Our text for today reads a little differently in the King James. Verse 10 reads, Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another... There was no way my actions could even remotely be misconstrued as preferring one another in honor...

James 3:17-18 reads ...the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Right or Righteousness? And as my heart is convicted within me...

Father,
           Forgive me, O God, according to Your Word in 1st John 1:9, that if we confess our sins, You are faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. The only thing I have to be right about is being right with You. Help me, Father. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen

Recognized

And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word. Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness.

Acts 4:29-31 NLT

Confronted by the priests, the captain of the Temple guard, and some of the Sadducees, Peter and John had been thrown into prison for preaching the resurrection of the dead through Jesus Christ. How dare these ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures (vs 13) preach and teach and heal people with such boldness! A man who had been lame for 40 years - healed and whole, walking and talking and praising God. 

No special training - but they'd been with Jesus. (verse 13). And now they were filled with the Holy Spirit - bold and courageous, doing what Jesus did - preaching repentance and healing those who needed healing. Just like Jesus. 

Who are we hanging around? What rubs off on us from the people we hang with? Who are we spending our time with? Those influences are affecting the lives of those God has given us! Is it thus sayeth the Lord - or thus sayeth our current, favorite TV character? Think about it. Would we be recognized as having spent time with Jesus?

Prayer:

Father, 

          Forgive us for praying to get out of situations instead of trusting You for the strength and courage in the middle of it. Holy Spirit, rise up within us to give us boldness to speak Your Word wherever we find ourselves. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Befriend Faithfulness

Today's PFT is a joint effort with my sister, Michelle.
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Our God, you bless everyone whose sins you forgive and wipe away... 

So I confessed my sins and told them all to you. I said, “I’ll tell the Lord each one of my sins.” Then you forgave me and took away my guilt.
Psalm 32:1,5  Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Oh, to be free of the guilt of our sin! Are we willing to turn away from, to truly repent, to confess our secret sins in order to remain free? To be as faithful to God as He is to us? 

In the Life Application Study Bible, regarding verse 5, it reads; What is confession? To confess our sin is to agree with God, acknowledging that He is right to declare what we have done as sinful and that we are wrong to desire or to do it. It means affirming our intention of forsaking that sin in order to follow God more faithfully.

Psalm 37:3 ESV, tells us to Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. My sister writes, I love how it reads in the English Standard Version - befriend faithfulness - there are so many ways to go with those two words. What ministers to me is that faithfulness is a creed I want to live by. I long to hear those words from the Lord, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 

Michelle continues, I also think of "being best friends with faithfulness". We want to be known as faithful and dependable people, you and I, someone people can count on...not just depend on, but actually count on in times of trouble or in time of need. We want to be - and must be - faithful to our call in Christ.

Prayer:

Father,
          We worship You, Lord, and we will always pray whenever we find out that we have sinned. Then, according to Your Word, we won’t be swept away by a raging flood. You are our hiding place! You protect us from trouble, and You put songs in our heart because You have saved us. You said You would point out the road that we should follow; that You will be our teacher and watch over us. As we confess our sins and follow You more faithfully, forgive us, O God, and take away our guilt. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

Firepower

Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.
Acts 2:2-4 NLT

Have you ever thought about what it must have been like when the fire of the Holy Spirit came roaring into that room? Talk about your life-changing experiences! The power of the Holy Spirit on Peter enabled him to take to the streets and witness so powerfully that about 3,000 people were baptized and added to the church THAT DAY! The same Peter who - out of fear - had denied Christ three times...

Firepower is defined by the MacMillan dictionary as "the weapons available to use against an enemy." And that is just what the Holy Spirit does in our lives when we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit! He gives us the weapons to use against the enemy of our soul so that we are victorious in our walk with Christ. Have you received this power? 

Prayer:

Father,
We pray for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Your people! And we pray as Paul prayed in Ephesians 3:17a-10 that being rooted and established in love, we may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that we may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Standing and Staring

“Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven?"
Acts 1:11a NLT

How often do we do the same thing? Jesus had just told them to go witness of Him and then He left... and left them staring into an empty sky. It was angels who came and asked why they were still standing there...

Well, I'm no angel, but I will ask; how long are we going to stand and stare - completely devoid of forward motion - and not do what He's told us to do?!? What is it He's asked you to do? 

This is the Book of Acts... The time is getting shorter every day.

Prayer:

Father,
         Unstop our ears to hear Your still, small voice. Finetune our hearts to first-time obedience. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

The Common Denominator

Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.
Hebrews 10:24-25 NLT

I met with some friends for lunch - all women - but with very diverse lives and backgrounds. I knew enough about each of those women to know that they were all facing huge challenges of one kind or another... but we had a great time. After all, how can you go wrong with Jesus as your common denominator (and the added enjoyment of Gringo's green sauce & chips on the side)?

What I witnessed at the lunch were Christians at their best. Some of them were really struggling with life-changing issues and yet, I watched as they applauded and affirmed a baby Christian, and strengthened one whose way has been steep, and encouraged another who was battle-weary. Warriors of the faith - some 20-, 30- and 40-plus years of walking with the Lord - as excited to hear the discoveries of a new convert as they were to hear of the steadfast faithfulness of the Lord. And each one came away more focused on who HE IS than on what we aren't - more determined to light our world than to lay back to let someone else do it. All because we made the small, small effort to meet together, to encourage one another...

A little further in the chapter of our text for today, we find these words - Hebrews 10:34b-36, You knew there were better things waiting for you that will last forever. So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised. (Emphasis mine)

Prayer:

Father,
          Thank You for friends and family who will cheer us on and help us to finish the race and not let us give up this close to the finish. Thank You for the good reports in the midst of the battles. We give You praise for those. Help us to strive for even more opportunities to encourage one another, Father. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Drowning It Out

Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track.
Proverbs 3:6 The Message

Every day, we are inundated with the cacophony of voices from people, from work, from the radio, from television, or whatever other streaming devices we may have. All with some sort of agenda, some diversion tactic, buy or sell, do it this way, that way, my way, etc. It's like we're addicted to noise. You've probably heard someone say, "Oh, I just have that on for background noise." (Is that you?)

Many of us sleep with a fan on or use white noise apps on our phones to drown out other sounds so we are able to sleep at night without being disturbed. Depending on where we live or what's going on outside, we might have to turn up the volume on those apps... then it's loud enough to wake us up again in the middle of our sleep cycle. The downside to drowning out the other noise is drowning out something you may need to hear.  For instance, perhaps you live in a community that has an emergency siren system that might not be heard over the white noise. 

What if we're so addicted to noise that we don't have a clue how to be quiet? What if we are so busy pumping noise into the background that we cannot hear what we need to hear? How to live, what to do, who to call, how to pray, where to turn, what to say... 

Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; He’s the One who will keep you on track. Let's make sure we're not drowning out His voice.

Prayer:

Father,

         We know You still speak to Your people. Teach us to quiet our ways and to be comfortable without background noise. Deliver us from the devil's diversionary tactics. Make us ever aware of listening for You so we may hear and obey Your voice. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Grace, Greater Than Sin

In other words, just as condemnation came upon all people through one transgression, so through one righteous act of Jesus’ sacrifice, the perfect righteousness that makes us right with God and leads us to a victorious life is now available to all.
Romans 5:18 The Passion Translation

Our faith in Jesus transfers God’s righteousness to us and He now declares us flawless in His eyes.  This means we can now enjoy true and lasting peace with God, all because of what our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One, has done for us. Our faith guarantees us permanent access into this marvelous kindness that has given us a perfect relationship with God. What incredible joy bursts forth within us as we keep on celebrating our hope of experiencing God’s glory!

But that’s not all! Even in times of trouble we have a joyful confidence, knowing that our pressures will develop in us patient endurance. And patient endurance will refine our character, and proven character leads us back to hope. And this hope is not a disappointing fantasy, because we can now experience the endless love of God cascading into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who lives in us!

For when the time was right, the Anointed One came and died to demonstrate His love for sinners who were entirely helpless, weak, and powerless to save themselves.

Now, who of us would dare to die for the sake of a wicked person? We can all understand if someone was willing to die for a truly noble person. But Christ proved God’s passionate love for us by dying in our place while we were still lost and ungodly!

And there is still much more to say of His unfailing love for us! For through the blood of Jesus we have heard the powerful declaration, “You are now righteous in My sight.” And because of the sacrifice of Jesus, you will never experience the wrath of God. So if while we were still enemies, God fully reconciled us to Himself through the death of His Son, then something greater than friendship is ours. Now that we are at peace with God, and because we share in His resurrection life, how much more we will be rescued from sin’s dominion!

And even more than that, we overflow with triumphant joy in our new relationship of living in harmony with God—all because of Jesus Christ!

When Adam sinned, the entire world was affected. Sin entered human experience, and death was the result. And so death followed this sin, casting its shadow over all humanity, because all have sinned. Sin was in the world before Moses gave the written law, but it was not charged against them where no law existed. Yet death reigned as king from Adam to Moses even though they hadn’t broken a command the way Adam had. The first man, Adam, was a picture of the Messiah, who was to come.

Now, there is no comparison between Adam’s transgression and the gracious gift that we experience. For the magnitude of the gift far outweighs the crime. It’s true that many died because of one man’s transgression, but how much greater will God’s grace and His gracious gift of acceptance overflow to many because of what one Man, Jesus, the Messiah, did for us!

And this free-flowing gift imparts to us much more than what was given to us through the one who sinned. For because of one transgression, we are all facing a death sentence with a verdict of “Guilty!” But this gracious gift leaves us free from our many failures and brings us into the perfect righteousness of God—acquitted with the words “Not guilty!”

Death once held us in its grip, and by the blunder of one man, death reigned as king over humanity. But now, how much more are we held in the grip of grace and continue reigning as kings in life, enjoying our regal freedom through the gift of perfect righteousness in the one and only Jesus, the Messiah!

In other words, just as condemnation came upon all people through one transgression, so through one righteous act of Jesus’ sacrifice, the perfect righteousness that makes us right with God and leads us to a victorious life is now available to all. One man’s disobedience opened the door for all humanity to become sinners. So also one man’s obedience opened the door for many to be made perfectly right with God and acceptable to Him. So then, the law was introduced into God’s plan to bring the reality of human sinfulness out of hiding. And yet, wherever sin increased, there was more than enough of God’s grace to triumph all the more! And just as sin reigned through death, so also this sin-conquering grace will reign as king through righteousness, imparting eternal life through Jesus, our Lord and Messiah! Romans 5, The Passion Translation

Prayer:

Father,

          As has been said and sung, The only word for Grace is 'amazing'. That You would love us while we were yet sinners is beyond our ability to fully grasp, and so much so that You sent Your Son as ransom for us all. How can we express the depth and breadth of our gratitude? O, Father, that we would live and walk in Your grace, this gracious gift that leaves us free from our many failures and brings us into perfect righteousness with You —acquitted with the words “Not guilty!” In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Get Carried Away

The high priests and religion scholars heard what was going on and plotted how they might get rid of him. They panicked, for the entire crowd was carried away by his teaching. (Note: "his teaching" refers to Jesus' teaching)
Mark 11:18 The Message

Mark 11 is chock full of some great accounts - the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the cursed fig tree, Jesus driving the money-changers out of the temple, plus a few more! However, what stood out to me today was this: the entire crowd was carried away by his teaching...

Carried away. The dictionary defines it as being "filled with overwhelming emotion (as wonder or delight)." Now, I can get carried away by laughter. I like being carried away by music. Have you ever been caught up in a moment and been carried away to do something out of your normal behavior? My mother used to tell me, "Don't get carried away..." In other words, don't go too far with my behavior. Don't cross any disciplinary boundaries or expectations.

However, what excites me is the thought of being carried away by His teaching! That has happened on occasion - but I want it to happen MORE! I want to be so carried away by His teaching that it sweeps you along with me! Let's cross EVERY boundary and expectation! 

It's going to happen for those of us who ascribe to Christ's teaching - we WILL be carried away! We're going to be caught up, according to 1st Thessalonians 4:17-18 The Message - Then the rest of us who are still alive at the time will be caught up with them into the clouds to meet the Master. Oh, we’ll be walking on air! And then there will be one huge family reunion with the Master. So reassure one another with these words.

Let me reassure you - on that day, we WILL get carried away!!

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for Your Word. Thank You for making it timeless - wisdom for all time - for all of us! Only an omnipotent God could and would do that for us! Father, we worship You. And we want to get carried away in our worship in spirit and in truth so that it is a sweet fragrance to You! We are SO looking forward to being caught up in You and being carried away. Help us to embrace Your Word and share it with all those You have given us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

In the Storm

But the Lord hurled a powerful wind over the sea, causing a violent storm that threatened to break the ship apart.
Jonah 1:4 NLT

We have all experienced storms in life. As Christians, we call out to Jesus, waiting for Him to stand and say, "Peace! Be still!"  It sounds like a good plan, doesn't it? He did it for the disciples that time, didn't He? Why wouldn't He do it for us, even if our storm is a figurative one rather than a literal storm? After all, it's difficult to keep moving forward with our plans if we're fighting just to stay afloat. 

And therein lies the crux of the matter. We need to ask ourselves some difficult, yet telling questions.

How did we get in the middle of the storm to begin with?

Whose way are we following - ours or His? 

Are we running toward God or trying to avoid Him? 

Honest answers to these questions will provide our best course of action to surviving the storm.

Teaching moment - 
In the case of the disciples, they were walking in obedience. They were doing what Jesus told them to do when the storm came upon them. He spoke to it and the winds ceased, and He rescued them, teaching them about faith in the moment.

Lesson - 
Storms will come even when we walk up close, right next to Jesus. And yet, we have only to trust Him to see us through, because He will. 

Teaching moment - 
Jonah, on the other hand, was trying to avoid God because he didn't want to do what God had instructed him to do. And he wasn't going to stop, that is until the Lord hurled a powerful wind over the sea, causing a violent storm...
Lesson - 
Sometimes, God throws the storm at us to stop us in our rebellious way. The truth is, we don't always appreciate it, or the truth that it is evidence of His great love and mercy. We don't like to think of God throwing storms at us, yet Romans 2:4 asks, Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin? 

The story of Jonah is a great depiction of repentance and God's redemption - for Jonah and the Ninevites. And for us...

Prayer:

Father,
            Open our eyes to see the Truth of any self-serving ways we may have slipped back into. Thank You for doing whatever it takes to stop us from our sin and turn us back to You. Forgive us, O God. Give us clean hands and pure hearts to be willing and able to follow Your plan for our lives. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen 

He Never Has

Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.
Matthew 6:34 The Message

This scripture is taped to the monitor stand at my place of employment where I can read it every day. I printed and posted it several years ago as a reminder when the company I work for was going through major lay-offs. By God's grace and mercy, I am still there. The first couple months I realized I was living with an underlying fear. That's when I went back to the Words I knew; to the One I can trust. God is my Source. He is my Provider. He leads me in the paths of righteousness... and my beloved Psalm 139; It doesn't matter where I go, He is there. And Hebrews 13:5 that He will never leave me nor forsake me. And so many more...

God has been teaching me to live in the present. Forgetting those things that are behind, not worrying about tomorrow and what it may or may not bring, for God is already there. He is not going to take us or send us into one place that He has not already made the way. And if we choose to believe that (and it is our choice), then we can fully live in the peace that He has promised us. The peace that only He can give us, and the world cannot.

Don't get caught up in what may or may not happen tomorrow or the next day. We must choose to put our faith and our trust in God; to not be moved by what we see or feel. It is God and His Word that must shape our lives and the choices we make.

Remember His Word in Numbers 23:19, 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?  No, He never has. Praise His Holy Name!

Prayer:

Father,
           When I think about all You have done for us, I am overwhelmed by Your love and faithfulness. Thank You for continuing to teach us. Use us to further Your kingdom, Lord. Morning by morning, according to Your Word, awaken us and open our understanding to Your will. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

How'd We Get Here?

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
Acts 1:8 NLT

The last recorded words of Jesus while on this Earth - and you will be My witnesses... And they did exactly that - in the order He declared. They started their witness in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Pretty amazing when you think about it and all the limits to their methods of communication and modes of travel. And much of their travel was unplanned. It was because of the persecution of the early church that they traveled to other areas and to the ends of the earth. I'm not sure we can even wrap our minds around the many trials they faced in spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

However, do you realize that we know about Jesus because the Holy Spirit empowered them to be witnesses? They were hiding in a room until the Holy Spirit lit on them like tongues of fire. Where do we hide? Are we quiet out of fear of what someone might think? Do we run from persecution? satan will always try to stop our witness. How did we get where we are today? I believe with all my heart that God has used the circumstances in our lives to bring us to the place we are today to be a witness for Him. 

We might not stand in a public square like Peter and witness to thousands of people who become believers in one day... but we might. It could happen. Do you know that according to Scripture the combined missionary trips of Paul by land and sea equal more than 13,000 air miles - before there was any such thing as air miles? We might not ever travel more than a few hundred miles in our lifetime, but we might witness to someone who will be a world traveler.

In today's world, I can sit here in my home, share my thoughts and what I've learned of Christ according to His written Word in my life, and with the click of a button I can publish it. Then by the guidance of the Holy Spirit, people a half a world away will find it and read it. People I will never meet until Jesus calls us Home. How'd we get here? ...you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

Prayer:

Father,

           Give us Your wisdom, O God. We need Your precious Holy Spirit so that we can accomplish the work You have for us to do. Pour out Your power to give us courage and ability to walk out Your purpose in our lives. Open our eyes, Father, to see You. Open our hearts to love as You love. Open our mouths to witness to others. Let Your light so shine through us that others will see our good works and glorify You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen