At the Right Time

The Right Time

At the RIGHT TIME, I, the Lord, will make it happen.
Isaiah 60:22c NLT

There are SO many questions about whether it's the right time to resume our new normal with this CoVID-19 virus and people are equally and vehemently opposed on both sides of the fence. It reminded me of this particular Promise. 

When we’re at the 11^th hour and we are unable to fix it or make ends meet, when our body is wracked with pain and we cannot find relief, when our loved one dies… In the midst of trouble and hard times, sometimes it’s difficult to remember that God is working all things for our good. The enemy of our soul would love for us to lose sight of this Truth, would love for us to be angry with God, would love for us to give up and walk away.

It is at these times when we must know what we believe. Will we choose to believe God's Truth over the facts and circumstances of our lives? Will we choose His Word above what we can see, hear, touch, and feel?

How many times have you experienced just the right word of encouragement at just the right time? How many times has an unexpected check or blessing come in the mail at just the right time - when you had no idea one was coming? How many times has someone you connected with years ago come back into your life to walk alongside you at just the right moment? That's God! Here's what else His Word has to say about it.

Romans 5:6 

When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the RIGHT TIME and died for us sinners.

2 Corinthians 6:2 

For God says, “At just the RIGHT TIME, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.” Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation.

Galatians 4:4 

But when the RIGHT TIME came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law.

Galatians 6:9 

So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the RIGHT TIME we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.

Ephesians 1:10 

And this is the plan: At the RIGHT TIME he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth.

1 Timothy 2:6 

He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the RIGHT TIME.

1 Timothy 6:15 

For, at just the RIGHT TIME Christ will be revealed from heaven by the blessed and only almighty God, the King of all kings and Lord of all lords.

Titus 1:3 

And now at just the RIGHT TIME he has revealed this message, which we announce to everyone. It is by the command of God our Savior that I have been entrusted with this work for him.

1 Peter 5:6 

So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the RIGHT TIME he will lift you up in honor.

That's our God. At the RIGHT TIME, HE will make it happen.

Prayer:

Father,

         Thank You for loving us enough to take our weaknesses into account and sending us Your reinforcements. Thank You for continuing to work Your plan for our lives in spite of our failed attempts. Keep us ever mindful that Your timing is perfect, flawless, and is ALWAYS the right time. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Away with the Old

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

We live in an age and time when only the newest, latest, greatest, fastest, sleekest whatever is considered to be of any value to the movers and shakers of this world.

Well, I'll tell you - I'm not the latest, greatest, fastest, sleekest anything, and by this world's standard, I am an old thing. However, I am not measured by this world's standard. The standard I use to measure my life is the Word of God - and according to His standard, I am new - a new creation.

In our text for today, it clearly states, old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Please notice that it does not read - only some things have become new. It says all. All things have become new for those who are in Christ; those of us who have chosen to accept His sacrifice for the sin in our lives - the old things. 

In the God's Word Translation, verse 17b reads, The old way of living has disappeared. A new way of living has come into existence.

Is it true?

Has the old way of living disappeared? Have we stopped hating? Are we finished fighting with our brother?  Done worrying? Done with fear? Just to name a few...

Has a new way of living come into existence? The old me has had a tendency to want to hang on to things - physically and spiritually. Do our lives reflect Christ's love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control? I want ALL things to be new in Christ. I want to completely be a new thing, according to His Word.

Prayer:

Father,
          Create in us, O God, the right spirit. One that understands we must let go of the old way of living in order that ALL things can become new in Christ. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Past the Storm

When I send clouds over the earth, the rainbow will appear in the clouds, and I will remember my covenant with you and with all living creatures. 
Genesis 9:14-15 NLT

I was on my way home and saw the storm clouds begin to gather. Thick and dark and rolling in like tumbleweed, but every now and then, I'd catch a quick glimpse of sun in the cloud break. Then about halfway home, I saw a snippet of a rainbow behind the bloated clouds. It winked out a few times, and just as I arrived home, the clouds parted and the rainbow appeared - as beautiful and vibrant as the covenant it represents. Mere moments later, it was swallowed up in clouds as though it had never been, but I still knew it was there.

It was a great illustrated sermon of the storms of life. If we know God and we know His Word, we should know that we can trust Him no matter what we see. Yes, the storms of life will come. Yes, the clouds will gather and life will seem dark. Yes, the winds will blow, and we may not see what we want to see. But this we know - above it all - the Son of God still reigns. His covenant with us is forever.  As God's Word assures us in 2nd Corinthians 4:18, So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

Look past the storm. You will find Him. He is there.

Prayer:

Father,

            Thank You for illustrating Your love and promises to us. Thank You that Your covenants are forever. You always provide what we require to be able to trust You. What a loving Father You are! Keep us ever mindful to look past the storm. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Seeing Afar Off

...let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:1b-2 NKJV

If you've walked with the Lord for very long, you are familiar with the 11th chapter of Hebrews, commonly known as "The Hall of Faith." In re-reading it tonight, I found myself drawn to and convicted with the By faith statements pertaining to the generations, particularly verses 17-23. These great patriarchs of faith were able to look at the fruit of their body and see the promises of God afar off. Verse 13 - These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them...

We have to ask ourselves - Do we have the faith to see something that God promised in our future generations, even though we cannot see the tangible results? That brings us to our Promise for Today - let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith...

We are responsible for our obedience, not the end result. Jesus is the finisher of our faith.

Prayer:

Father,
         Forgive us for thinking we have all the answers or that we have to have all of them. You alone are omnipotent. You alone are God the Father, who gave us Your Son Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith. It is enough to know that. Help us to realize the Truth. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

For the Dark Days

Seventy years are given to us! Some even live to eighty. But even the best years are filled with pain and trouble; soon they disappear, and we fly away.

Psalm 90:10 NLT

Some days in this life are so very difficult. Sometimes, it runs in seasons. Thank God He has given us the Bible  - His Living Word - to get us through those times. To strengthen and to guide us and to give us hope in the dark days. To give us words that breathe and speak life.  I love the rest of this Psalm...

Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom. O Lord, come back to us! How long will you delay? Take pity on your servants! Satisfy us each morning with your unfailing love, so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives. Give us gladness in proportion to our former misery! Replace the evil years with good. Let us, your servants, see you work again; let our children see your glory. And may the Lord our God show us his approval and make our efforts successful. Yes, make our efforts successful!

Prayer:

Father,

          You know the number of our days - You plan our lifespan before we ever draw breath. We want all that we do to be successful in fulfilling Your purpose for our lives. Help us, O God! In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Privileged

Through Christ, God has given us the privilege[c] 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.
Romans 1:5 NLT

In today's culture, if you start to talk about privilege, people get very defensive... There seems to be much pride in those who are considered privileged and more hurt feelings in those who consider themselves underprivileged. And surprisingly, there are those on both sides of the privilege equator who are clueless about whether they are or aren't. But one has to ask, "By whose standard is the privilege established?" However, as quickly as one can become all caught up in that, should we? According to God's Word, no we should not.

Paul tells us that our only God-given privilege is to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to tell others what God has done for us. In other Bible versions of our Promise for Today, privilege is translated as grace, defined as unmerited favor from God. Nothing we did to earn it. We weren't born into it by our earthly heritage. It is only by being born again of the Spirit that we can avail ourselves of His grace.

For the passionate proponents on both sides of the world's privilege equator, there is only one place where we will find equality for all and that's in Christ. 

Prayer:

Father,
          Open our eyes and our hearts to see and know that it is only in laying down our lives and serving Christ first and then each other that we are equal. Help us to walk in love and honor toward one another as Your Word teaches us, preferring one another in love. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Confirming the Covenant

Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel.
1st Corinthians 14:12 NKJV

Unless we are born independently wealthy, most of us have to work at something to make a living. God laid out all sorts of guidelines for working. It was never His intention that any of us should be slackers. He gave each of us gifts and/or talents with which to make that living. However...

Often in our climb up the ladder, we forget some very important things, and the most important is this - If it wasn't for what God gave us, we would have nothing and no hope. He gave us ALL of our abilities, no matter what they are. A keen mind, a gift of hospitality or generosity, a gift of organization, service, singing, speaking, writing. The ability to be a friend. God will develop all that He has given us if we give it back to Him as a sacrifice of our lives. God wants us to be successful MORE than we want to be successful, but not for the same reason.

Deuteronomy 8:17-18 tells us, If you start thinking to yourselves, "I did all this. And all by myself. I'm rich. It's all mine!"—well, think again. Remember that God, your God, gave you the strength to produce all this wealth so as to confirm the covenant that he promised to your ancestors—as it is today. It's to establish and confirm the covenant. It's to edify the Body of Christ - the Church. He equipped us for His glory, to fulfill HIS purpose in us, through us, FOR us...for each other. It's our Promise for Today and every day - Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel.

Prayer:

Father,
             For those gifts we recognize at work in us, and for the latent that lie waiting for You to make room for them in our lives, we pray Your blessing and increase so that we may excel in the edification of Your Church. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Going Against the Grain

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?
Romans 2:4 NLT

Confessing my faults so that I might be healed... Despite what some might think, my preference is to teach by example rather than tell people what to do. It is my intention to live in peace and to hopefully change unwanted behaviors by proving what can be accomplished through choices we make. However, I have to confess my patience and long-suffering abilities are not even remotely close to the lengths that God will go to show kindness, and so, after a time, I wind up saying exactly how and what I think should be done. Sometimes, that's good. Sometimes, not so much. My choices.

Some days, I know the mercy I choose to extend to my fellow man is NOT new every morning. It's as though I have prescribed a set amount per use and if the whole allotment is used in less time than I think is appropriate, you don't get any more until either I get over it or I think you've earned the right to have more. And that is so NOT God. And Romans chapter 2 fully addresses these wrong mindsets.

While I do most of my reading/study in the New Living and New King James, sometimes I just love the phrasing in The Message interpretation. Verse 3 - 4a, You didn’t think, did you, that just by pointing your finger at others you would distract God from seeing all your misdoings and from coming down on you hard? Or did you think that because he’s such a nice God, he’d let you off the hook? Better think this one through from the beginning. God is kind, but he’s not soft. Verse 5a, You’re not getting by with anything. 

Verse 9, If you go against the grain, you get splinters, regardless of which neighborhood you’re from, what your parents taught you, what schools you attended.

Going against the grain in this instance translates to not walking in obedience to God's Word. If you go against the grain, you get splinters - regardless...

Prayer:

Father,
          Help us to rightly divide Your Word so that we go with Your flow and not against the grain. Help us to pull out the splinters of our disobedience so they don't fester and kill us... or others. Forgive us, O God! Heal us, Father, change our hearts. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

It Wasn't After

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 
Romans 5:8 NKJV

Have you ever felt like you failed God? Have you ever let Him down by something you did or did not do? Boy, satan comes in like a flood then, to try to bury you in it... You know what I'm talking about, don't you? It gets U-G-L-Y!!

John 3:16 is probably the most famous Scripture known, New King James reads, For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. That is a depth of love I cannot even BEGIN to fathom... And when did He do that?

It wasn't AFTER we quit smoking or drinking or ______________.

It wasn't AFTER we started trying to live a Christian life.

It wasn't AFTER we stopped being addicted to everything else but Him.

It wasn't AFTER we cleaned up our own act.

It wasn't AFTER we signed a promissory note or vowed to straighten up and fly right.

It was while we were still sinners... Oh, how He loves us!!

Prayer:

Father,

         In our finite minds, we cannot even begin to plumb the depth of Your love. How wide! How deep! O God! That we would grasp the magnitude of what You've done for us and spend the rest of our lives living out our gratitude to You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

A Secret Life

For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect? Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar.

Romans 3:3-4a NKJV

Our faith or lack thereof does not change the Truth of God's Word. I just want to reiterate that I believe it. It is Truth no matter what the circumstances. It is Truth no matter who believes it and who doesn't. It is immutable, immovable, unshakeable, incontrovertible.

I know that God is our Healer despite symptoms and illnesses. I know Christ is our Savior, no matter how many lost and dying people I see around me. I know He is Jehovah Jireh - my Provider - you've come too late to try to convince me otherwise.

The Blessing of Abraham that I want is found in Romans 4:20, He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; We hear God's instruction and we think, 'No Way!' 'I'm not good enough!' 'I'm not this' and 'I'm not that'. God told Abraham he was going to be a father and Abraham believed Him from that point on. He didn't take ANYTHING else into consideration. You wanna know why? Because Abraham knew it had nothing to do with his own ability. And, he did not doubt God's ability or God’s Word. That's Truth in the making...

Prayer:

Father,

          I don't want to stagger at Your promises in my life through unbelief. I want to be strong and remain strong in faith, giving all glory to You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

A Victory Garden

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Galatians 5:22-23a NLT

Victory Gardens were vegetable and fruit gardens planted during WWI and WWII to supplement the public food supply during the war effort. It required giving up private residence yard space and public lot areas to be tilled and toiled to produce crops. Rocks and stones had to be removed, weeds and grass dug up and removed, hard ground broken up and worked - all to make room for and to be able to receive seed. It took discipline and commitment, but it produced victorious results.

When we give our lives to Christ, the Holy Spirit comes to produce fruit in our lives. The verses prior to our Promise for Today tell us what rocks, stones and weeds need to be removed from our lives, what hardness of heart needs to be broken up and worked out of our nature. Galatians 5:19-21, When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

Our lives can be made full of the fruits of the Holy Spirit! Let's make room and till up the soil of our hearts! It will take discipline and commitment, but we can have our Victory Garden.

Prayer:

Father,
           Soften our hearts by the washing of water by the Word. Help us to prepare so that the seed sown by the Sower will fall on good soil and produce a bumper crop. We want to walk fully in the fruits of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Not to God - I Needed the Reminder

Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.

1st Corinthians 13:12 NLT

It doesn't take any faith to believe for something you know you can afford. It doesn't require a concerted effort of faith to remove a splinter. However, if you lose your job or get a bad report from the doctor, it's a different story, right?

Not to God...

This is a great Truth that we must come to understand. Our faith - or lack thereof - does not make God greater nor diminish Him in any way. Everything WE know now as partial and incomplete is NOT partial and incomplete to God. 

In Hebrews, the Word tells us He is the same yesterday, today and forever. We look back on the events in the Bible - think about parting the sea and crossing on dry land or Peter walking on the water - and we find it almost unbelievable! 

Not to God... 

Jesus said in John 14:12 (NLT),  I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.  Greater works than Jesus did?!? Or even doing the same works?!? Like raising people from the dead?!? Authority over evil spirits and casting them out?!? Doesn't that seem impossible??

Not to God...

Prayer:

Father,

         You have given each of us the measure of faith and we are so grateful. Thank You for the tests and trials that provide the opportunity to exercise and to grow our faith. Forgive us for those times when we haven't walked in faith. We want to please You, Father. Help us to keep Your commandments and to love one another so that we may be pleasing in Your sight. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen 

Struggle or Battle

So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 
Galatians 5:16 NLT

There is more to be said about self-control than being listed as a fruit of the Spirit. Much more. We have the mindset that self-control (or the lack thereof) consists of struggles we go through on a daily basis. Somehow, we believe it's okay to let ourselves off the hook with that kind of thinking. I believe it's meant to be more in the line of doing battle. 

In Matthew 16:24, Christ tells us plainly that if we want to be His disciple - to follow Him in His way, we must deny ourselves and take up our cross. What does it mean to take up our cross? In this day and age, we tend to think of it only as a burden we must carry, but in the time when Christ walked the earth, it was about being killed. Putting the body to death.

Think about your time-stealers. What are they? Surfing the Internet? Facebook - scrolling or games? TV? We can get very complacent about the time we spend on these activities. I can't tell you the number of times people have admitted that the next thing they knew, it was three hours later. When was the last time we prayed for three hours straight without looking at the clock? Just asking.

Proverbs 25:28 the Message, A person without self-control is like a house with its doors and windows knocked out. Do we want to live in a house with its doors and windows knocked out?

1st Corinthians 9:27 in the NIV reads this way, No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. Self-control means taking it by force. That's not just a struggle, that's a battle. One we need to win.

Prayer:

Father,
          Forgive us, O God, for not denying ourselves! Open our eyes to see where we have laid down the cross and stood quietly by. Your Word says You give us strength, that self-control IS a fruit of the Spirit. Help us to walk in it, according to Your purpose and plan. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Sounds Like...

God is not a man, so he does not lie.
He is not human, so he does not change his mind.
Has he ever spoken and failed to act?
Has he ever promised and not carried it through?
Numbers 23:19 NLT

I read a quote by Francis Frangipane; it's from the book In Christ's Image Training. "If you have prayed through and truly placed your burden in the hands of God, then stop fretting about it. God calls us to be prayer warriors, not prayer worriers."

How many times have we prayed, planting seeds of hope and faith? Watered them with our tears? Kept the soil cultivated by humbling ourselves before the Almighty God? Only to despair of ever receiving a harvest because it did not happen when WE thought it should happen... as if WE set the laws of sowing and reaping? As if WE knew just exactly what is the length of "Due Season" (Galatians 6:9). 

Then in the process of our worrying, we sow the weed seeds of doubt and become like the ones in Mark 4:19, where the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

So, what will it be? Faithful Warrior or Fateful Worrier? Sounds like...

Prayer:

Father,

        We pray Your Word in Acts 17, that we should seek You, Lord, in the hope that we might grope for You and find You, though You are not far from each one of us; for in You we live and move and have our very being.  Our hope is in You. Our trust, our faith, our belief - all You. Let us be faithful warriors, Father. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Keep On Hoping

But I will keep on hoping for your help; I will praise you more and more.

Psalm 71:14 NLT

What do you believe about the Lord? Do you believe He is Jehovah Rapha, our Healer? His Word says He is. Do you believe it no matter what? What about if you pray for someone and they don't recover? What if they die? Is He still God? Is He still Jehovah Rapha?

In case you're wondering, the answer is "Yes, He IS still Jehovah Rapha, our Healer!" I've said it before and I'll say it again - our circumstances don't change who God is. When we're facing trials and tribulations, it is the TRUTH of His Word that rules over the facts of those battles. Hide His Word in your heart. Let it become the Truth for your life. Let it overcome doubt and fear. Line upon line. Precept upon precept. Let it build on the measure of faith that God Himself gave us.

Start it out with words of praise...

I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak his praises. I will boast only in the Lord; let all who are helpless take heart. Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness; let us exalt his name together.

Psalm 34:1-3 NLT

O Lord, you alone are my hope. I’ve trusted you, O Lord, from childhood. Yes, you have been with me from birth; from my mother’s womb you have cared for me. No wonder I am always praising you! My life is an example to many, because you have been my strength and protection.

Psalm 71:5-7 NLT

For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come. 

Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our 

allegiance to his name. And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. 

These are the sacrifices that please God.

Hebrews 13:14-16 NLT

Prayer:

Father,

          I will keep on hoping for Your help; I will praise You more and more. You are worthy of all praise and glory and honor. Help us to be focused on Your Truth rather than the circumstances that surround us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Including Peter

He isn't here! He is risen from the dead! Look, this is where they laid his body. Now go and tell his disciples, including Peter, that Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you before he died.

Mark 16:6b-7 NLT

Mark 16:14-19 provides the most details of the day Christ ascended back into Heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father. Matthew 28:18-20 provides perhaps the most well-known but my favorite part of it all is in Mark 16:7...including Peter.

Peter the braggart - declared, “Even if everyone else deserts you, I will never desert you.” And “Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you!”

Peter the slacker - sleeping in the Garden of Gethsemane, instead of praying and keeping watch.

Peter - the one who denied Jesus THREE different times that night following the Last Supper...just as Jesus said he would.

Verse 7, Now go and tell his disciples, including Peter... THAT Peter - the one who when he messed up, he messed up BIG time... go tell THAT Peter I'll see him in Galilee.

Gives you hope, doesn't it?

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for the hope that can only come through Your precious Son. Just like You did with Peter on more than one occasion, bid us come to You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Truth is Truth - It Bears Repeating

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

Times are tough right now. There is a pervasive undercurrent of fear - not rippling - it's ripping around the globe. The uncertainty is a breeding ground for fear. There is only one antidote for fear.

Faith. Faith in God.

The Bible teaches us that He is our Source for everything (Ephesians 4:14-16 The Message). It also teaches us that He is the same - yesterday, today and forever. He does not change. God being God does not change with a pandemic, with the weather, or with the price of oil. If your trust is in God and His Word, it doesn't matter what the circumstances look like. He does not change and He will see you through "whatever hard things come up when the time comes."

Prayer:

Father,
            Help us to keep our eyes off our circumstances. In our search for You and Your ways, help us to rise above what may or may not happen tomorrow and see only Your Truth - that You care for us today and every day. And You are our Provider! In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

As a Child

[Jesus speaking] said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."

Matthew 18:3 ESV

I have a tall, thin, blue wine-shaped bottle that I use to collect coins (mostly pennies). My youngest granddaughter has always been enamored with that bottle. When she was about three, it used to be one of her favorite things. We'd pour out all the pennies and Abby would put them back in, one by one, and then want to do it again; but we haven't done it in a long time. Recently, she asked for the bottle and we poured out all the pennies and she began coming up with unusual ways to pick them up to put them back in (including picking them up with her toes and actually getting them in the bottle!). She was enthralled with the whole idea. 

As a child, she saw all those pennies and exclaimed, "We are rich!" We played with them for about an hour-and-a-half. All the while, she kept saying, "We're rich!" "Isn't this fun, Granna?" "Let's do it again!" As an adult, at first I laughed at her idea of rich, but then I remembered this verse, and I saw it through a whole, new light of understanding and realized we ARE abundantly rich. We have love and we have each other, joy in the moment, everything we need. We weren't concerned about jobs or bills or anything!

As a child, Abby was perfectly content with what was in front of her. When we, as adults, can acknowledge God in our daily lives and be perfectly content with what is in front of us, perhaps we'll grasp the Truth of what it means to come as a child. 

Prayer:

Father,

        Your Word tells us in Hebrews to be content with what we have, because You have said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."  We trust You, O God! There is no greater sense of contentment than being in Your presence. Thank You for the reminder of what it means to come as a child. Please keep us ever mindful, for we want to enter the kingdom of Heaven. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Silent Saturday *

I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave.
Revelation 1:18 NLT

Not much is written about what Jesus did during the time between the crucifixion and His resurrection. There is plenty of conjecture and even some men's point of view being taught as though it were Scripture, but it's not my job to point fingers or argue with points of view. It is my job to search the Scriptures and point a lost and dying world to our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

The day before, Christ suffered unbearable pain and suffering to take away our sins. He paid the highest price to redeem our sin-sick souls unto salvation. When they laid Him in the tomb and rolled the stone to seal it, He was dead to the world (so to speak). Now, I realize I may mess with your theology on this, but whether or not He went to Hell or Hades, whether or not He fought satan for the keys or actually always held the keys is not my primary focus. According to John 19:30, while He was still on the cross, Jesus proclaimed, "It is finished."

Colossians 2:13-15 NLT declares, You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.

Here's the only thing I know for certain about that Saturday. Jesus knew going into the weekend what the Father had told Him. He knew it was going to be unbearable, but knowing certainly did NOT make it any easier. His flesh did not want to go through it. But He went in fully trusting the Father's Word. He went in knowing He would rise again. He knew He would be victorious. He was not surprised by what was coming the day after...

Prayer:

Father,
            Thank You that Your Word assures us in Romans 8:11, The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in us. And just as You raised Christ Jesus from the dead, You will give life to our mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within us. Your Spirit living in us. Help us to come to the knowing that we will rise again, that we will be victorious in and through You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

What Time

What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.
Psalm 56:3 KJV

I had something else planned to write, but I keep coming back to this verse in King James. Maybe somebody needs to be reminded.

Scripture doesn't tell us we'll never be afraid, but it does tell us not to fear. There IS a difference.

Fear will come - just like every other test and trial - but in God's Word, there is an answer - an antidote - for every one of them, including fear. The miraculous thing is the antidote is the same for each of them... trust in God.

Some might say that I'm over-simplifying the message. I know it's not easy to trust God in the middle of it all. It's quite difficult. It takes FAITH. Ask Peter. Ask Abraham. Ask Mary...and the list goes on and on.

What time? EVERY time. ANY time. ALL the time. Wherever, whenever. Trust in God. He not only has the answer, He IS the answer.

Prayer:

Father,
           Forgive us for not exercising the measure of faith You have given each of us. We choose to trust You - no matter the circumstance - for Your Name is above everything that is named... including CoVid-19. Help us to trust You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

I See Those

One of the twelve disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), was not with the others when Jesus came. They told him, “We have seen the Lord!”

But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”

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. Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”
John 20:24-27 NLT

I heard a story once about a young boy who was attacked by an alligator. As the alligator snapped at the boy's legs, the mother grabbed and held on to her son's arms with strength only a parent can possess when fighting for a child's life. A passing vehicle heard the mother screaming and quickly came to their rescue, shooting the alligator. Months later, a reporter was interviewing the little boy and asked to see his scars. He showed the scars on his legs but surprised the reporter by bragging about the scars on his arms. The little boy beamed, "My Mom didn't let go."

We often view scars as ugly, somehow making us less than... Less than what, I ask? I see scars as a visible sign of being an overcomer. Whatever was broken, whatever hurt you, whatever tried to kill you did NOT succeed! The scars on Jesus are because God wouldn't let go of you and me.

I see your scars, but I also see that you're still here and I praise God for that! Will you? 

Prayer:

Father, 

          Thank You for not letting go of us! Thank You for every scar on Jesus that represents and provides Your forgiveness, Your redemption, Your healing, and Your great love for us. As we celebrate Communion this weekend, help us to always remember Jesus' body and blood, broken and spilled out for us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Maundy Thursday

While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying,“Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins. But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”
Matthew 26:26-29 NASB

To be married in the Jewish faith requires two ceremonies; the kiddushin and the nisuin. Today, they do both in the same day. However, in biblical times, these were totally separate ceremonies, performed as much as a year apart. The kiddushin was the engagement - but far more binding than today's version. The significance of verse 29 when Jesus said He would not drink of the wine again until He would drink it new with us is this. Christ had already declared Himself the bridegroom back in Matthew, chapter 9. The kiddushin made the bride a legal wife, but without the mutual obligations being made complete. It was sealed with wine.  They did not live together as man and wife until the bridegroom came the second time to gather his bride for the second ceremony, the nisuin.

During the time of the kiddushin, the husband would leave the bride to go build (or prepare) a place for his wife and future family to live. They would not be together until the house was finished and the groom's father decided when it was finished. Then the bridegroom would come to fetch his bride, and the nisuin would be performed and it, too, would be sealed with wine.

In John 14:2-3 NASB, Jesus declares, In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. 

Read again Matthew 26:29, "But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”

On Thursday of Holy Week - if we throwback to the original Thursday of Holy Week, we find Jesus proclaiming the kiddushin - providing the promise to His bride, "If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again..."

The question is - Are you ready for the nisuin? Revelation 22:17a-b, Both the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” Anyone who hears should say, “Come!”

Prayer:

Father,
           Open our eyes to see You. Open our minds to know You. Open our hearts to say, "Come, Lord Jesus, come!" Create in us the heart of the bride awaiting her groom. Let us work to fulfill our duties during this time away from each other and let us watch for Your returning with joyful expectation! In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen 

Can You Take the Heat

That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
1st Peter 1:7 KJV

Have you ever worked with ceramics? The clay is cast onto the potter’s wheel or cast into a mold. When it’s finished on the wheel or the mold is removed, it has a shape, but it’s not very sturdy. It can be broken very easily, just by brushing against it. A fingernail can scratch it irreparably. When you try to add color to it by covering it with glaze, it’s still pretty colorless. It looks nothing like the finished products we see in stores. But boy, when you put it in the kiln and fire it up… wow!!! The dull, weak vessel becomes a thing of beauty with colors blazing and strength to actually be a vessel.

This year has been tough so far. What part of it will you focus on? The bad? The tough times? Or will it be on what God has done for you in those times? The beauty for ashes that He promises in His Word? The strength of your soul? The faith forged in the fire of the trial?  

Think about this. If everything was climate-controlled – a perfect 72 degrees, no humidity – steel would be about as useful as Styrofoam. It’s in the fire that steel is forged and tempered and becomes strong – fit for its purpose – and able to do what it is designed to do. The pottery becomes beautiful in the fire. A plain, common lump of coal is transformed into a diamond by unbelievable pressure and heat. 

Our God is a consuming fire. You will feel the fire. Can you take the heat?

Prayer:

Father,            
            Your fire is holy, burning away what is not righteous. Purge us, Father, with Your fire. Make us vessels of worth to You. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen

Foundation to Stand

[Jesus speaking] Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn't obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.
Matthew 7:24-27 NLT

Anyone who has ever had to have foundation work done to their house knows how difficult, how expensive and how necessary it is to have your foundation sure. In houses that are built with pier and beam, there is much more opportunity to feel the lean. When the weather extremes happen - be they flood or drought - the ground is affected, which in turn affects the foundation. If there is a solid foundation - such as a poured concrete foundation - the house will usually stand. It definitely is not bounced around. We all know that.

We also all know that Jesus Christ - as the Cornerstone of our foundation in life - renders us immovable, unshakable, steadfast, and sure. We know because it is written in the Word. Why is that important? Read our text again, and notice. The rain and floodwaters and wind hit BOTH houses. BOTH houses suffer the onslaught against them. Only one stands...

Which house will you be in?

Prayer:

Father,
           For all that You've done, for all that you're doing, for all that You will do, we give You praise and offer our hearts full of thanksgiving to You. Lord, we want to be the ones who listen and follow your teaching. Make us wise, so that at the end of the day - at the end of the Age, we're still standing on You, our Solid Rock. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

The Palm Parade - written by Ruth Boven

They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the King of Israel!”
— John 12:13 NIV

Recently, I learned that the palm branches in Jesus’ day had patriotic meaning. Rebels rising against Rome would mint coins stamped with palm branches on them. So, as Jesus entered Jerusalem to the waving of palms, the scene spoke of the Jewish people’s national hopes that were pinned on Jesus.

Jesus chose to make his entry on a donkey, a humble symbol of both kingship and peace. But Jesus’ message wasn’t that he was the political king the people expected. His message was for the entire world. Jesus came not to save one nation but to offer salvation to all people. “He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near” (Ephesians 2:17).

It isn’t by way of weapons or war horses that Jesus saves. Instead, on Palm Sunday, Jesus ushered in the humble message that he would lay down his life so that all people might claim him as Lord and King. Hosanna in the highest!

PRAYER: Blessed are you, my Lord and King, for you came to bring peace and salvation to all people. Equip me to join you in that great calling. In your name I pray. Amen.

The Palms

See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;
Isaiah 49:16a NIV

I know tomorrow is Palm Sunday and this verse doesn't have anything to do with that triumphal entry, but this is one of my favorite Scriptures because I can relate to it so well. Most of us have had a paper cut at one point or another in our lives. For such a little thing, it is really irritating! It's crazy. It's just a little paper cut, but we are constantly aware of it. And especially so every time we move our hand. It is not something we would ever do intentionally. And yet, that's exactly what God did.

God ENGRAVED His people on the palm of His hands. 

Intentionally.  

He is EVER mindful of us... by His own choice!

Prayer:

Father,
         In everything, even in the little things, keep us ever mindful of Your love, Your care and Your provision for us. Give us grateful hearts to recognize and acknowledge You in all things, at all times, through every circumstance. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Rose-Colored Glasses

Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you. Remember, O Lord, your compassion and unfailing love, which you have shown from long ages past. Do not remember the rebellious sins of my youth. Remember me in the light of your unfailing love, for you are merciful, O Lord.
Psalm 25:5-7 NLT

I absolutely cringe when I think of my life before Christ. Definitely the Stone Age - my heart, that is. I may not have been prehistoric - but any history of my life before His Story of my life is best left buried in the Rock... the Rock of Salvation. Oh, if someone wanted to find dirt, they could - there's always dirt around rock - but the Breath of Life blows away whatever is exposed to Him, so I will keep bringing it to Him.

There are those in my life who love me very much - they look at me through eyes of love, so they don't actively see all my faults - and I'm VERY thankful for that. However, God looks at me through rose-colored glasses. No, He will NEVER overlook sin. He's not blind. He sees me for who I really am - all my shortcomings, selfishness, my less than perfections, but He sees me through the Light of His Truth. Light that is rose-colored by the Blood of Jesus - making it the Light of His unfailing love. Can we even comprehend love that never fails?

Prayer:

Father,
            Make me more like You. I want to see the need in those around me and offer them Your Truth and unfailing Love. Help me, Father, in Jesus' Name I pray. Amen

Trading Up

To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.
Isaiah 61:3 NKJV

Hear the Word of the Lord... beauty for the ashes of your burned-out life. Joy for all that you're mourning. The garment of praise for depression and heaviness...

Again. Listen! Beauty for the ashes of your burned-out life. Joy for all that you're mourning. The garment of praise for depression and heaviness...

Don't hold on to the ashes thinking they are all you have left. Even if they ARE all YOU have left, they are NOT all GOD has left. He will give you a crown of beauty for your ashes.

You may have lost everything you hold dear, and you may be in mourning, but He will turn the rivers of tears for your mourning into rivers of joy... Scripture says "unspeakable joy."

Find the one thing in your life - the ONE thing - that you can praise God for - even in the midst of your depression or heaviness... Find it! Hold it up for Him - whether in word or deed - and actively praise Him for it!

Beauty for ashes... Wanna trade?

Prayer:

Father,
            No matter the source of the fire, Father, only You can take the cold, dry ashes of what once burned bright and find the beauty and the worth in them. We give it all to You, Lord. We trade our ashes, mourning, and heaviness, for Your beauty, Your joy, and praise of You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

The Asking Price

For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
Mark 8:36-37 NKJV

You may have seen the documentary. According to the world's standards, the celebrity had it all - wealth, fame, the intelligence to keep herself in the limelight for more than five decades, and she even managed to keep family around who loved her. However, she was also very vocal about the fact that SHE was the one who had done it all. She was a self-made woman - didn't rely on anyone. Not once was God given any honor for her life, her talent, the intelligence, or any of the ability the celebrity possessed.

The celebrity stayed true to her own vision for her life here on Earth. True to her vision. True to the gifts she was given, but with not one thought toward eternity. She meticulously planned her life without one ounce of gratitude or thanksgiving to the One who had given her both the life and the talent. 

For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 

Christ gave His whole life to redeem us - to buy us back from a world of sin. Nothing and no one else could meet the asking price for our souls. What will we give in return?

Prayer:

Father,
          You are the Giver of Life, Restorer of our souls. Your Word tells us, You know us inside and out, You know every bone in our body; You know exactly how we were made, bit by bit, how we were sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, You watched us grow from conception to birth; all the stages of our lives were spread out before You - the days of life all prepared before we’d even lived one day. You have the plan for us - Your plan to give us a future and a hope. You alone could pay the asking price for a soul on the world's exchange. We acknowledge You in all of this! And we thank You and glorify You for it. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen