Yes and Yes

O God, listen to my cry! Hear my prayer! From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety, for you are my safe refuge, a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me. Let me live forever in your sanctuary, safe beneath the shelter of your wings!

Psalm 61:1-4 NLT

It's overwhelming, I know! When I found out today that we're not going back to work until April 30, panic immediately tried to take over. But, true to His Word in Isaiah 59:19b, when the enemy tried to come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord lifted up a standard against him! Instantly, I heard in my heart, "Are you alive? Are you still here?" The answer is Yes! And Yes!

Think about it. Take a few minutes and think about every bad thing that's ever happened to you... In your whole life. Every tragedy. Every hurt. Every pain. Every loss. Every wrong that's ever been done to you... Or that you've done to anyone else. That's overwhelming... Okay, stop. 

Now, are you still alive? Are you still here? Yes, you are. Why? Because either God saw fit to bring you through it or He's in the process of bringing you through it now. There is no side-stepping. No get-out-of-jail-free card. No easy way out. He brought you through it - and He will take you to the other side. He is with you every step of the way (Isaiah 43:2). What makes you think for one minute that God will leave you now? Matthew 28:20b, Jesus speaking, And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age. 

The proof is this... Are you alive? Are you still here? The answer is Yes and Yes!

Prayer:

Father, 

           We pray as Jude prayed, that we would build ourselves up in our most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit, that we would keep ourselves in Your love, O God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. Father, give us a fresh anointing of mercy so that we will have mercy on those who doubt, and the courage to save others by snatching them out of the fire. May we ALWAYS remember Your goodness, Your faithfulness, and Your loving kindnesses to bring us to such a time as this. Let Your light shine through us, Lord. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

How Much Time You Got? (By Request)

...Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach his Good News. God promised this Good News long ago through his prophets in the holy Scriptures. 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 1:1-6 NLT

Thirty seconds is not very long, but that's about how long it takes to make a lasting impression. 

What can you do in 30 seconds? Brush your teeth? Not enough time. Fix some toast? Iron a shirt? Nope. Polish your shoes? Fix your hair? No, not enough time. It's quick, isn't it? Well, I'd dare to say that quick depends on what you're trying to do in those 30 seconds. 

Can you hold your breath for 30 seconds? Can you stand on one leg for 30 seconds (without holding on to something)? Maybe...  Can you hold the last note of a song for 30 seconds? No, probably not. 

You can't even change a light bulb in 30 seconds... However, you CAN change someone's eternity. Paul did it, many times over. 

Can you imagine YOU meeting Paul for the first time? 
You might say, "Hi, I'm so-and-so, son of so-and-so."
Paul clasps your hand in his and says, "Hi, I'm Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach his Good News. God promised this Good News long ago through his prophets in the holy Scriptures. 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."

He just delivered the Good News - the Gospel of Jesus Christ - in 30 seconds. If someone accepts it and embraces Christ, their eternity is changed from eternal damnation to living forever with Christ. All because of 30 seconds. 

Half-a-minute to change a life for all eternity.

What kind of time do we have?

Prayer:

Father,

         Make us ever mindful of Your Word and the time You have given us. Help us to use it to fully glorify You and redeem the time allotted. Help us to change someone's eternity for You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Purchased In Good Faith

You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price.

1^st Corinthians 6:19b-20a

As I look for our next home, I realize our life as Christians is like a certain real estate law. In real estate, there is a provision on certain properties that are purchased in good faith. They are paid in full, but if they are not developed to be what they were purchased to be in the time allotted, the purchase price is forfeited, and the property reverts back to the former owner.

When Christ was hanging on the cross, right before He died, He said, "It is finished." The price was paid and we were redeemed from satan. Undeveloped, not yet what we were purposed to be, but the price was paid in full.

What did “It is finished” mean? Did it mean everything is fine – no more problems – no issues from then on? Obviously not. What it meant was that Christ paid in full the required price of purchase. The rest is up to us. The price has been paid, but we decide if we will take advantage of the purchase. The Buyer is willing to work with us to develop the “purchased property” because we were purchased in good faith. Will we develop in good faith…or we will allow ownership to revert back to satan?

Prayer:

Father,

         Thank You for paying the price to redeem us from our sin. Thank you for providing all we need in order to develop the measure of faith that You have given to each of us. Help us do so, in Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen.

Locked Doors

That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you,” he said.  As he spoke, he showed them the wounds in his hands and his side. They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord!

...Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” he said.

John 20:19-20, 26  NLT

There they were behind locked doors, afraid that the same leaders who killed Christ would kill them. Totally understandable, right? What a horrific experience! Grief-stricken. Confused. So afraid... Then Jesus showed up! What a great time of rejoicing it must have been!! 

Imagine having someone restored to you who you thought was gone forever! Everything was changed! Everything He said was true - they had living proof!! The Messiah!! Then He said to them, "As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you." 

Eight days later, the Scripture reads... The doors were locked... Pastor Alan asked the question, "If everything changed, why hasn't anything changed?"  What has God said to us? Are we still behind the locked doors of our hearts and minds? Is anything changed?

Prayer:

Father,
           Your Son came to set the captives free! Fill our hearts and minds with the boldness and courage of our freedom. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Essential or Non-essential

Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!
Psalm 27:14 NKJV

Right now, all over the world, life is being divided into essential or non-essential based on a virus. Food, supplies, jobs are all defined or chosen by whether or not they are essential. It's difficult to determine because all definitions of the two are not the same.

There are people working from home, but there are a lot more who have been let go. Are they essential or non-essential? They've lost their income; it was essential... How do you define what's essential and what's not?

It's easy to lose sight of what is when current circumstances seem to pile up in front of us, blocking our path and trying to subvert the plan for our lives. We don't like anything that slows us down or causes us to detour from what we have planned to do. The question we have to ask is, whose plan is being subverted - ours or God's?

Oftentimes, we get caught up in judging our lives by our circumstances rather than our purpose. We're in a unique position right now. We're in a mandatory slowed-down version of our lives. We have to wait for decisions to be made that are totally out of our control and we don't like it. We're learning what it's like to do without things we thought were important and to realize now that they're not. It's time to seriously consider what is and is not essential to fulfilling the eternal purpose and plan for our lives and to commit to once and for all whose plan we will pursue. Meanwhile, Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!

Prayer:

Father,
           As humans naturally born of a rebellious nature, we don't like being told what we can or cannot do. But having been born again of Your Spirit, we choose to submit our lives, our will, our plans to Your authority. Help us to see clearly what it is that should be removed from our lives and what should be incorporated. Help us to see essential and non-essential according to Your definition, not ours. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Hang It Up

Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:11-13 NKJV

Depending on which translation or version of the Bible you read, so many times we quote the last part of this passage "I can do all things..." and believe it to mean that WE should be able to DO everything because we're Christians. Just put on our superhero cape and we're able to leap over tall buildings in a single bound and fix everything. What happens when we can't?

I believe it is the master plan of the enemy of our souls to subtlety twist Scripture in order to create doubt not only in our Christian walk but also in the Word of God and yes, even in God Himself. You see, when we believe that WE are supposed to be able to do everything, and then learn we can't - then we doubt our faith, our Christianity. We don't trust the Word which translates to not believing God. If we don't rightly divide the Word, we set ourselves up for failure because we can't do much of anything let alone everything - not in and of ourselves and definitely not in our own strength.

Paul is saying he can be equally content in his life whether he has everything he wants and needs or he doesn't. And the reason he/we can endure all things - do all the things of life - both little and much - is because Christ gives us the strength to be able to endure. That is the secret to contentment. It's not having things, it's having Christ's strength in us. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Let's hang up the cape and take up our Cross.

Prayer:

Father,
           Give us ears to hear, eyes to see, and hearts to follow Your will and fulfill Your purpose for our lives. We need the wisdom that only You can give and we need Your strength to be able to do it. We don't want to be hearers only, but also doers. Help us, Father. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

By Request - Reflection

The one sitting on the throne was as brilliant as gemstones—like jasper and carnelian. And the glow of an emerald circled his throne like a rainbow.
Revelation 4:3 NLT

As I walked into my home office, I caught a glimpse of a colorful, tiny flash of light from the other room. As I went to investigate, I realized that earlier in the day I'd forgotten to close the lid of my jewelry box. The sun was setting and cast its light just right to slip through the blinds and catch the facets of the birthstones in my mother’s ring. For just a snippet of time, it was brilliantly lit as though it were alive. It was a unique moment with the sun lighting up the stones and reflecting back, and in that instant, I was reminded of our text for today.

For the nanosecond of time that it took to transpire, I feel as though I received a wealth of insight - the most obvious being how the faceted stones reflected the light. To me, the facets were an example of Christ followers who get close enough to Him to allow Him to cut and shape them into a thing of beauty. Submitting to the necessary cutting away of those things that don't or won't reflect His light...being transparent before the Lord our God. You see, it's the transparent gems which are normally faceted.

Faceting reveals the optical properties of a stone's interior at its best because faceting maximizes the light's reflection. However, it's not done indiscriminately. You can't just whack off a piece here and there. It takes careful consideration by the master jeweler - if He cuts too deep or too shallow, the light just passes through and isn't reflected back. It won't sparkle.

God calls us His precious jewels, but if we don't allow God to shape us, if we don't submit to Him, if we refuse to go through the cutting away process, and choose to keep parts hidden from His view, we cannot reflect His light back to Him - or to others. Anyway, that's my reflection on reflecting...

Prayer:

Father,
        Whatever it takes to make us reflect You... In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

That's Impossible, Isn't It?

He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
Proverbs 16:32 NKJV

Who do you think of as the most powerful man or woman in the world? There are certainly a lot of people vying for it at the moment, and it's only going to get worse.

People’s thoughts generally turn to world leaders or the wealthiest, and the responses are almost as varied as the number of people you ask. However, according to Scripture, it’s the one who in his weakness finds his strength in an unseen God (unseen by the world) or the one who rules his own spirit or the one who controls his tongue.

Doesn’t that seem simple enough to do? The Truth is - apart from God, it's impossible.

Prayer:

Father,
             We submit our will to Yours. We want to live Your will for our lives. Help us, Lord. By Your Grace, cause us to be mighty for You. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen

There is Hope

Sing to the Lord, bless His name; Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day. Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples. For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods.

Psalm 96:2-4 NKJV

Part of my day job is to assist with business continuity during incidents and events that are outside our normal scope of business. It involves keeping up with the press conferences, coverage and latest updates. It's nipping rumors so they don't get filtered down as truth and ensuring that someone's friend's mother's cousin's hearsay isn't distributed as gospel. In so doing, one takes in a lot of tough news. And right now, we're in a place we've never been before so it's incumbent on us as Christians to speak faith not fear. Peace not panic. To reach out with hope, not wreak havoc.

Psalm 16 tells us that the Lord is always with us and in His presence, there is the fullness of joy. How do we get into the presence of God? Psalm 100:2 tells us - come into His presence with singing. So tonight, I encourage you to do exactly that. Come into His presence with singing. I'm not talking about listening your way in - I'm talking about singing - opening your mouth and singing your way into His presence. God doesn't care if you can carry a tune - He said to make a joyful noise...

And there are so many streaming music apps. When I'm at the computer, YouTube is my choice. I have created so many playlists and mixes of songs old and new that I can sing along with that I can get lost for hours. Here are just a very few lines of lyrics excerpted from some of my favorites.

Through good and bad, we've learned to trust that You are loving, wise and just... 

All my life You have been faithful. All my life You have been so, so good. With every breath that I am able, I will sing of the goodness of God...

This troubled world is not my final home. But until then, my heart will go on singing... 

We'll all stand together and declare Jesus is Lord! When the Reason that I'm standing stands in front of me; when every battle that I've fought will fade from memory, I'll bow before His mighty throne and fall down on my knees... 

Over and over, again and again, God is faithful. Over and over, again and again, Through it all, He's made me able to stand and survive, to come through alive when it sure looked like I couldn't win...

I promise you the world looks different when you're viewing it from within the presence of God. There is hope and so much more. See for yourself.

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for allowing us to come into Your throne room. Thank You for Your peace that far surpasses anything the world has to offer. Thank You that Your promises are true and that You are a Promise Keeper, our Waymaker, Miracle Worker, our Light in the darkness. We pray for our world, Father, that You would stem the tide of this coronavirus, for Your Name is above everything that is named, including CoVID-19. We pray for wisdom, healing and protection. In Jesus' Name, Amen

Making It Clear

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”
Daniel 3:16-18 NLT

Captives in a foreign country. Forced to learn the ways of their captors and also to serve them. The enemy stripped them of everything that identified them, including their real names, and changed everything they had been. Well, almost everything...

In the circumstances of their captivity, they were dependent on the king for food and clothing and housing - for their very existence - but all of it superficial compared to what they held in their hearts. These boys knew God for who HE is and who they were IN Him. They understood His Word. They BELIEVED God. Facing death, they did not back down from the Truth they knew. They didn't plead, they didn't barter, they didn't trade their light for the world's darkness. And because of it, a nation came to trust the God they served. Our God.

Hold on to the TRUTH that you know. We do NOT have to walk in fear. God is still God, able to save, able to deliver, able to rescue us - yes, He is able even from CoVID-19... But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up. Or the world's equivalent of a gold statue...

Prayer:

Father,
          Thank You for who You are and who WE are IN You! Pour out on us a fresh anointing of Your peace, compassion and love so that we are able to make it clear to those within the sphere of influence You have given us that You are our God and You sent Your Son so they can have a right relationship with You. Cause our spirits to rise up and speak Your Truth to a world that is desperate for hope. Give us the ability, the words and the opportunity to do so. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

To Live or Not to Live

For to me, to live is Christ...
Philippians 1:21a NKJV

Some people define living by how much money they earn, what possessions they have or have accumulated; what they're able to provide for their loved ones. Others define living by what they're able to do, where they're able to go. Still others define living by what they are able to offer. Have you ever thought about it? Scripture tells us in 1st Peter 3:15 to be ready always to give an answer to every man who asketh you a reason for the hope that is in you...

There are those who would want to argue about Easter vs. Ishtar, but I don't want to get into a history discussion of all that, because in spite of "all that" - let's not lose sight of the Truth. Whether historically Christ's death, burial and resurrection took place around the Spring solstice or not is irrelevant to me. The Truth remains that there WAS a crucifixion; Christ's body was entombed, and most importantly, there was a Resurrection!! And that same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives inside of every born-again follower of Christ (Romans 8:11).

Christ's Resurrection is about life and living it! Raymond Lindquist tells it this way - Christ defeated death in order that life in Him might always live. And it is life that we want, life in Christ. Whether we put it in words or not, our constant thought is 'Life, more life, always more and more life.' Reverend Lindquist goes on to write that Resurrection Sunday [Easter] is Christ's victory over all that would restrict, deny and strangle life.

That victory - the victory Jesus won over death, hell and the grave - provides our definition of what it means to live...truly live.

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for all You have provided in Your Son that we may live. Help us to remember with grateful hearts ALL that was done to provide it. Help us to walk in the newness of life You have given us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

What to Think

For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them].

Practice what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and model your way of living on it, and the God of peace (of untroubled, undisturbed well-being) will be with you.
Philippians 4:8-9 The Amplified Bible

We're a nation of worriers by our human nature. Talk radio, 24-hour news, and reality TV - all designed to get us lathered up and worried, and then to get us talking about what's worrying us, and what YOU should be worried about if you really understood what's going on in the world.

Well, I know what's going on in the world. Let me break it down for you... 2nd Timothy 3: beginning with verse 1, You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!

Sound familiar? We get sucked into the world's philosophy and its way of dealing with life and its challenges, and we forget that the Word clearly tells us we live in this world, but we are not of it. We are citizens of a kingdom whose Builder and Maker is God! We are not to be governed in our spirit by what is not of God. So fix your mind on the things of God ...whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things - These are what to think...

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for renewing our minds in You. Keep us ever focused on those things which are important to our life with You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Running to Win

You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth?
Galatians 5:7 NLT

There are certain things we must do if we're going to finish the race and finish it well. First of all, make sure you're headed in the right direction. With Christ the path is already laid out. Next - Work on putting one foot in front of the other. Don't think about the miles that stretch before you. One foot in front of the other, over and over - taking care of the small stuff will diminish the big stuff. Be a momentum builder, not a momentum stealer. Problems don't kill momentum - ATTITUDE kills momentum. Pay attention to who you run with or who's trying to run around you.

If you intend to finish, you've got to find others who will help you keep pace and stay on track. Sprinters don't win marathons. Paul writes in Galatians 2:2, I went there because God revealed to me that I should go. While I was there I met privately with those considered to be leaders of the church and shared with them the message I had been preaching to the Gentiles. I wanted to make sure that we were in agreement, for fear that all my efforts had been wasted and I was running the race for nothing.

Stay focused as to why you're in the race to begin with. The rules may disqualify you if you forget what the race is all about. When we focus on the rules, we become referees, not participants.

2nd Timothy 2:22 tells us to, Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.

REMEMBER it's not always about what we're running TO, sometimes it's about knowing what to run away FROM! 1st Corinthians 9:25-27, Paul tells us, All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.  Perseverance and endurance will get us to the finish line.

It may not seem like it to some, but the race is still on... even if you decide you're not running another step. Even if you pack it in and call it quits, the race continues. Life IS the race. You can't win, place or show from the sidelines. Quitting is not an option. God never quit on us...

Prayer:

Father,
            Your Word assures us that only those who endure to the end will receive the crown of life. We eagerly anticipate that day, Lord. Let it be soon. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

The Original 3 Rs

[God speaking] Ever since the days of your ancestors, you have scorned My decrees and failed to obey them. Now return to Me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of Heaven's Armies. 

Malachi 3:7 NLT

With so many schools closed due to the quarantine, there's a renewed focus on the 3 Rs of education; Reading, wRiting, and aRithmetic. There is some disagreement on when, where and by whom that particular phrase was coined. However, I'd like to take you back to the 3 Rs that were written sometime around 430 BC and apply them to the churches that are also closed due to the quarantine.

Now, I know when you start talking about people's money they tend to get very defensive. Especially in times like these, when the market is crashing and the global economy is in so much trouble. However, I have lived long enough to have put God to the test when it comes to tithing and my finances, and I can tell you that He DOES open the windows of heaven and He DOES pour out blessings so great that there's not room enough to take it all in (verse 10) to the point that you have to share what God has given you!  

I can't take credit for pulling these 3 Rs from Scripture; I wish I could because they're that good! But I heard Robert Morris's sermon titled, This is a Test, and these 3 points came from his teaching about tithing. If you read in Malachi 3 you'll find the promise of these 3Rs when it comes to tithing.

1. When we tithe our 10%, it removes the curse off the other 90% of our money. (vs 9)
2. When we tithe, God rebukes the devourer from our lives for our sakes. (vs 11)
3. When we tithe, God restores the blessing. (vs 12)

Many times, I have heard people say, "I can't afford to tithe."  I promise you - I have lived long enough and through enough recessions to unequivocally testify that I can't afford NOT to tithe. God has always seen me through since I returned to Him (see our text for today). Perhaps I should've called this the 4 Rs, for we certainly want God to return to us.

Prayer:

Father, 

          Thank You that You have plans for us that are for our good and Your glory. Give us wisdom and generous hearts, O God! The Bible says that we should bring our tithes and offerings into Your storehouse and that You will respond by opening the windows of heaven and sending down blessing upon blessing.  You said, “Give, and it will be given to you; for in the same measure as you give, it will be given to you again”. We give to You today as a response to Your goodness to us. We ask that You receive our tithes and offerings and continue to supply all our needs. May Your peace be in our hearts, Your grace be in our words, Your love be in our hands, and Your joy be in our souls. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Inheritance of the Saints

...giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.
Colossians 1:12 NKJV

Although it's highly unlikely that any of us will be canonized, God's Word does refer to us as saints. However, given that it's Saint Patrick's Day, I wanted to find an extraordinarily good prayer or story to share with you. And I found one, but it's not from St. Patrick. It's one from the apostle Paul...

May God our Father give you grace and peace.

We always pray for you, and we give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. For we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all of God’s people, which come from your confident hope of what God has reserved for you in heaven. You have had this expectation ever since you first heard the truth of the Good News.

This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God’s wonderful grace...

So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.

We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins. Colossians 1:2b-6, 9-14

And THAT, Dear Ones, is the greatest story of all!

Prayer:

Father, 

          We pray as St. Patrick prayed; May the strength of God pilot us, may the wisdom of God instruct us, made the hand of God protect us, may the salvation, O Lord, be always ours, this day and forevermore... In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

He Knows

[Jesus speaking] Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
Matthew 6:25-27 NIV

I realize that God will use anything, including the coronavirus 19, to change our hearts and draw us toward Him. I know that God will take what satan meant for bad and turn it for good, so I've been asking the Holy Spirit, "What would You have me learn in all this?" Today, I was reminded yet again that I need to have more compassion, and not be so quick to judge. Thank God for His Word in Jude, But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And on some have compassion... 

I was very compassionate at first, but lately, I've been angry at the media for whipping people into a frenzy. I've been angry at the people for allowing themselves to be whipped into a frenzy. And I hate to admit it, but I have to admit so I can be forgiven that I've been angrier with the Christians than I have been with the non-believers. We are supposed to walk in faith, not in fear. Yet, instead of having compassion and encouraging their fledgling faith, I just was mad. (Yes, I have asked God to forgive my sin.)

I also read the following commentary in my study Bible today. 

"Because of the ill effects of worry, Jesus tells us not to worry about those needs that God promises to supply. Worry may (1) damage your health, (2) disrupt your productivity, (3) negatively affect the way you treat others, and (4) reduce your ability to trust God. How many ill effects of worry are you experiencing?" (Besides the shortage of toilet paper...)

If we read down a little further in Matthew 6, we find Jesus still talking to us,  So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Our heavenly Father knows what we need. Compassion. Correction. Courage. We may not get what we want, but He will ALWAYS give us what we need. He knows.

Prayer:

Father,

           Thank You for always watching over us. Thank You for loving us enough to correct us. Please continue to do so.  Father, we come before You praying and believing for Your intervention with regard to CoVid-19. Stop this plague, Lord. Your Word says when the enemy comes in like a flood that You will lift up the standard against him, and we humbly ask You, Father, to do that now. Help us to walk in love toward one another, not only helping with supplying physical needs but more importantly - helping to build one another's faith. In Jesus' Name we pray, amen.

Anything and Everything

God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.
Hebrews 12:10b-11 NLT

Why is this happening? I have no idea. I’m not God, but here’s what you and I both know. ALL things work together for our good... the good and bad. Some of the best things we've learned in life are the result of some of the worst times.

Scripture tells us to work out our own salvation, and I believe that means God will work on us as individuals regarding the things that He wants OUT of our lives and what He wants IN our lives and what He wants done in our relationship with Him…because He loves us. And He will use anything and everything to make it happen.

Be encouraged today. He will see you through - no matter WHAT it is you're going through or trying to go through. That’s what we have to recognize. ALL that He does, ALL that He speaks to our hearts, ALL... Everything is because He loves us.

Prayer:

Father,
            Thank You for loving us so much that You sent Your only Son, Jesus, to die on the Cross to save us from our sins, and to redeem us back to You. I don't know how You could love us so much after all we've sinned, but You do. Your mercy and grace overflow and overwhelm us. Your peace truly surpasses our understanding. Help us, O Lord, to walk faithfully in what You have provided for us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Just for Today

That he [God] would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.
Luke 1:74-75 KJV

Being one who is fascinated with words, I find the KJV (King James Version) to have an interesting turn of phrase. Most of the other translations/versions of the Bible refer to the phrase "all the days" as "all our life." And while all of our days do comprise all of our life, it's interesting - perhaps even overwhelming - to think of our lives in terms of one day at a time.

God instructs us to take one day at a time (Matthew 6:34). He basically told us there is enough to think about or get accomplished in one day - don't think about the rest of it. Remember, His mercies are the reason we are not consumed - they are new every morning... every day...all the days of our life (Lamentations 3:22-23).

If we knew certain situations were going to last years, we couldn't face it. We couldn't do it. But one day at a time? By God's grace and with His provision, we can do that. In good times or bad times, let's take it one day at a time. Enjoy it or survive it, but do it just for today.

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for giving us a timeframe we can live in. According to Your Word in Psalm 90:12, teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts to wisdom. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise and a Prayer

Psalm 91 The Message

You who sit down in the High God’s presence,
    spend the night in Shaddai’s shadow,
Say this: “God, you’re my refuge.
    I trust in you and I’m safe!”
That’s right—he rescues you from hidden traps,
    shields you from deadly hazards.
His huge outstretched arms protect you—
    under them you’re perfectly safe;
    his arms fend off all harm.
Fear nothing—not wild wolves in the night,
    not flying arrows in the day,
Not disease that prowls through the darkness,
    not disaster that erupts at high noon.
Even though others succumb all around,
    drop like flies right and left,
    no harm will even graze you.
You’ll stand untouched, watch it all from a distance,
    watch the wicked turn into corpses.
Yes, because God’s your refuge,
    the High God your very own home,
Evil can’t get close to you,
    harm can’t get through the door.
He ordered his angels
    to guard you wherever you go.
If you stumble, they’ll catch you;
    their job is to keep you from falling.
You’ll walk unharmed among lions and snakes,
    and kick young lions and serpents from the path.

14-16 “If you’ll hold on to me for dear life,” says God,
    “I’ll get you out of any trouble.
I’ll give you the best of care
    if you’ll only get to know and trust me.
Call me and I’ll answer, be at your side in bad times;
    I’ll rescue you, then throw you a party.
I’ll give you a long life,
    give you a long drink of salvation!”

Prayer:

Father,

         You are our refuge and our strength. We trust in You. Deliver us from all evil. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Is It Too Late?

The Lord took hold of me, and I was carried away by the Spirit of the Lord to a valley filled with bones. He led me all around among the bones that covered the valley floor. They were scattered everywhere across the ground and were completely dried out. Then he asked me, “Son of man, can these bones become living people again?”  “O Sovereign Lord,” I replied, “you alone know the answer to that.” Then he said to me, “Speak a prophetic message to these bones and say, ‘Dry bones, listen to the word of the Lord!'
Ezekiel 37:1-4 NLT

Ezekiel was taken to an open valley and plopped down in the middle of dead, dry bones, bleached by the sun. Nothing left of the lives that had been. No life. No hope of life. No chance of having what might have been. What could have been. Over. Finished. No hope of ever being whatever it was they set out to be and all because they wound up on that battlefield. Just dead, dry bones... 

Can you see it in your mind? Can you picture that? Not a place that would evoke the desire to do a happy dance...

And God wants me to do what?!? Are you kidding me?!? Speak to dead, dry bones?!? No way! I'd look like a fool! It's too late for that! 

Do you feel like that? Does your life feel bleached out - dead and dried up? Are you lamenting over what 'woulda, coulda, shoulda' been if you had not ______________? Do you think it's too late?

Ezekiel 37:7-10 The Message, I prophesied just as I'd been commanded. As I prophesied, there was a sound and, oh, rustling! The bones moved and came together, bone to bone. I kept watching. Sinews formed, then muscles on the bones, then skin stretched over them. But they had no breath in them. He said to me, "Prophesy to the breath. Prophesy, son of man. Tell the breath, 'God, the Master, says, Come from the four winds. Come, breath. Breathe on these slain bodies. Breathe life!'"  So I prophesied, just as he commanded me. The breath entered them and they came alive! They stood up on their feet, a huge army...

Okay, that was just a vision. It's not like that could really happen, right?  Well, I'm here to tell you that it can and it does...every time God is invited. Whether it's your dead, dry bones or someone else's. Dry bones, listen to the Word of the Lord!

2nd Corinthians 5:17, This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

Galatians 6:15-16,  It doesn’t matter whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation. May God’s peace and mercy be upon all who live by this principle; they are the new people of God.

Revelation 21:5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

God is calling you. He already knows what you did or didn't do and only He can fix it. And believe it - He CAN fix it...and He WILL! But just like the watch can't be fixed till you take it to the jeweler, your life can't be fixed until you put it in God's hands. It's a safe place. Put yourself in His hands. It's NOT too late! It's NEVER too late.

Prayer:

Oh, God!
             Let the heart respond to Your call, to Your pleading, to Your touch. Let Your will be done, Father. We don't want blessing - we want You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

What's Your Answer?

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

2nd Timothy 1:7 NKJV

Everywhere you look, everything you listen to, chances are most people you speak with are talking about CoVid-19. First, let me say I pray for the comfort and peace for the families of those who have passed away from this disease. I pray for wisdom and guidance for all healthcare providers and the leaders making decisions. I pray for all the countries that are affected by it, but most of all - I come against it in the Name of Jesus Christ who is our Jehovah Raphe, our Healer. By whose stripes we are healed according to God's Word. Whose Name is above everything that is named, including Covid-19. 

There's a lot of misinformation and an overwhelming, disproportionate amount of fear-mongering. As Christians, I believe we are to stand against anything that raises its ugly head in fear because fear is the opposite of faith and without faith, it is impossible to please God. The Bible talks about times like this, in Luke 21, "...people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world", but it goes on to say, Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near. That is cause for peace in the midst of the storm. So I would say, "Heads-up, people! Don't be in fear about what is going on around you." The answer to every crisis - no matter what, no matter how, no matter when - is always Jesus.

Search His Word. In it is where you will find your answers. 1st Peter 3:15b NIV tells us, Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. What's your hope? What's your answer?

Prayer:

Father,

          We come against the spirit of fear that is not of You, and we come against it the Name of Jesus Christ. We pray healing for all those who are ill, by the power of the stripes that Jesus took on His back to purchase our healing. We pray, Father, for a fresh anointing of Your peace, the kind of peace that only You can bring. We pray for the restoration of common sense and calm. We know that Your Word says when the enemy comes in like a flood that You will lift up a standard against him. Lift up the standard, Father. Stop the onslaught of the enemy and his diseases, in Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Trusting Who

This is what the Lord says: Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the Lord.

Jeremiah 17:5 New Living Translation

People are looking for answers - a way out. They are desperate. They've looking to everybody and ANYbody to help them out. Some think the government will fix it. Some think the banks. Some think a revolution - but they're looking at something other than God. It doesn't matter who's the smoothest talker - or the savviest strategist - or the most brilliant businessman. If we're looking at a person - trusting them to get it done - we're cursed.  

True - there are many talented people. Stand around any coffee pot or water cooler, and you'll learn about new ones all the time. We've talked about it here before - the different talents people have. Most of the time when we think of talent, we think of performers or athletes or the arts, but there are many forms of talent. How often do we recognize someone's ability to be very organized? How about the one who will just get in there and get it done - whatever it is? What about the person whose greatest strength is the peace that emanates from their quiet spirit and envelops those around them wherever they go? Have you ever just looked for the talents in people? The good in them? What about the one at work who will ALWAYS make the pot of coffee for the next guy? The one who always makes you laugh. The one who somehow knows when you need a little something to pick you up.

Everybody has something they're good at - something that just seems to come naturally to them. Many times, the average person doesn't even recognize the significance of it or how unique the talent is simply because they can do it - so they think everyone can. Unless, of course, they're a performer or professional athlete or make megabucks with their talent. That's a little different, or so it seems, but the truth of the matter is this. God created each of us. His Word says while we were in the womb, He formed us and fashioned us to be able to accomplish His purpose for our lives. Any talent, gifting, "natural" ability - it was all put in there by God. We can't take any credit for it. 

If you're an athlete, God gave you the ability to be strong, to be quick and agile. And He gave you the desire to win. Someone might argue that you exercised, you did the time in the gym, on the track, on the field. You honed the skills. That may be a fact, but the Truth is, God gave you the muscles that would develop. He kept you in health, so you could endure. He gave you the intelligence to recognize what you had to do in order to accomplish all those things. If you're a performer - a singer, for instance - you may have taken endless hours of lessons and practiced at every opportunity, but it wouldn't matter how many lessons or great instructors if you had no voice to begin with. No ability to carry a tune or recognize one - even if you practiced 3 times longer than you were instructed.

You don't need any more illustrations - I know you get the picture. WhatEVER your talent is - whatever the position in life is - when we boil it all down, we have one common denominator. God and what He put in us. And that's Who we better trust - no matter what we're believing for.

Prayer:

Father,

         Zero in on those things we're trusting in that are NOT you. Reveal anything and everything where we may have mistakenly placed our trust. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Priceless

Our firm decision is to work from this focused center: One man died for everyone. That puts everyone in the same boat. He included everyone in his death so that everyone could also be included in his life, a resurrection life, a far better life than people ever lived on their own. Because of this decision we don't evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don't look at him that way anymore. Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other.

2nd Corinthians 5:14-19 The Message

Often, I speak to people who are down and out. People who struggle to see anything of value in themselves or in their lives. I like to use illustrations when speaking to help get a point across, so I will take a $20 bill, straight from the ATM machine. New. Crisp. Looking good! I'll hold it up and ask, "Who'd like to have this $20 bill?" Pretty much everyone wants it. Then I wrinkle it up into a little ball. "Do you still want it?" (yes) I smash it between my hands several times, slam it against the podium and smash it again. "Do you still want it?" (yes) I throw it to the floor and stomp on it. Then put my heel on it and really grind it into the floor. "Do you still want it?" (yes)

At that point, I usually pick it back up and try to smooth it out, and make some remark about it being a little beat up and not looking quite as good as it used to. And then because I normally speak at a function with a meal, I'll take it to a table and spill iced tea on it or coffee, then mop it up. No matter what I do with it, I always ask, "Do you still want it?" And the answer is always yes, because $20 is $20 worth of something, even if it won't fill the gas tank. 

The point I make is that we all looked pretty good when we first started, then life slaps us around a little or we get knocked down. Somebody steps on us...maybe a whole lot of somebodys...but the point is, we still have value. God can and will bring us out of the circumstances of life and cause our lives to be made new. Still us, made new again because of what Christ did on the Cross.

If you have a hard time recognizing the value God places on you, you need to remember the price He paid for you. And it wasn't when you were all new and shiny and thought you were worth the most. He loved us while we were yet sinners, in our own filth, and sent His willing Son to die on the Cross for our redemption. That's your value. Priceless.

Prayer:

Father,

        Such an exchange is beyond our ability to fathom. We know our sin. Help us to KNOW the power of the redemption through the shed blood of Jesus. Keep us ever mindful of Your value of it. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

God-given

As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.
Psalm 103:12

One of the main things that we, as Christians, struggle with is thoughts of our past mistakes and sins. The enemy of our soul uses them against us to try to trip us up in our daily endeavor to follow Christ and to walk holy before Him. What we must do is embrace the Word of God and BELIEVE it.

If we have asked forgiveness for our sins, they are under the redemptive blood of Christ. Forever blotted out. Leave them there.

Before the Damascus Road intervention by Christ, Saul (turned Paul) arrested and imprisoned Christians, helped to stone them, and his actions were sanctioned by the Jewish leaders. If anyone could've been plagued by the guilt of his past, Paul would certainly have every reason. However, he believed the Word of the Lord. We use Paul's words inspired by the Holy Spirit to teach others how to live their new life in Christ - free from the guilt of their past.

Romans 8:1, There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 5:17, Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Satan remembers, and we remember, but God chooses NOT to remember. How did Jesus combat the enemy? His response was always, "It is written..." and we should do the same! But we must know it in order to use it. In Hebrews 8:12 NLT, it is written, [God speaking] ...I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins. [emphasis mine]

In 2nd Corinthians 1:12, Paul writes, We can say with confidence and a clear conscience that we have lived with a God-given holiness and sincerity in all our dealings. We have depended on God's grace, not on our own human wisdom. It's only when we try to live life as though we can somehow earn our holiness that we truly struggle and cannot attain or maintain a clear conscience. As Paul writes, it is a God-given holiness fully dependent on God's grace.

It is not our works or our good acts that earn us salvation or a place in heaven. In Ephesians 2, it is written, God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. And why does He do this? If we continue in verse 10 we discover why, For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.

Breathe that in. Let it settle in your spirit. Let it clear your conscience. It's not on you. It's all God-given.

Prayer:

Father,
            Thank You for Your grace and for the God-given holiness You have given us. Thank You for providing a way for us to have a clear conscience. Forgive us for trying to do things on our own; for even unconsciously thinking that we could possibly earn holiness by our own actions. Give us wisdom, O God. Help us to understand and embrace the living, breathing truths of Your Word. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

You with Us

The Lord told Gideon, “With these 300 men I will rescue you and give you victory over the Midianites. Send all the others home.” So Gideon collected the provisions and rams’ horns of the other warriors and sent them home. But he kept the 300 men with him.
Judges 7:7-8 NLT

Can you imagine being out-numbered in a fight by more than four to one and coming out the winner? Well, you might, but you'd definitely have to think about it. That's how this started - One hundred, thirty-five thousand Midianites against Gideon's original army of thirty-two thousand fighting men; four to one. I can only assume, at the risk of assuming, that Gideon chose to take God at His Word in 6:16, “Gideon,” he Lord answered,  “you can rescue Israel because I am going to help you!"

But wait!! What if your odds were 450 to 1? That's LESS than one percent!!! No way. No how. Head for the hills! And yet, that's exactly what they did - 300 men remained to fight and WIN against 135,000 because God said so.

The question we have to ask ourselves is, statistically, where do we fit in with these percentages? Are we the winning less than one percent?

Prayer:

Father,
         Thank You that You with us in any equation causes us to come out on top! When the battles we are in seem insurmountable, help us to remember that with You, we are more than conquerors, even when we're less than by the world's standard. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen 

Security

Psalm 63:1-8 NLT
O God, you are my God;
I earnestly search for you.
My soul thirsts for you;
my whole body longs for you
in this parched and weary land
where there is no water.
I have seen you in your sanctuary 

and gazed upon your power and glory.
Your unfailing love is better than life itself;
how I praise you!
I will praise you as long as I live,
lifting up my hands to you in prayer.
You satisfy me more than the richest feast.
I will praise you with songs of joy.

I lie awake thinking of you,
meditating on you through the night.
Because you are my helper,
I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings.
I cling to you;
your strong right hand holds me securely.

Prayer:

Father, 

           Thank You for Your Word which ALWAYS is Truth, no matter in what circumstances we find ourselves. You never change. There is no other god like You. We cling to You; Your strong right hand holds us securely. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen