Nothing Simple

May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
2nd Thessalonians 1:2 NKJV

This seems so simplistic, almost insignificant as it's part of a greeting - the Apostle Paul requesting that God give us grace and peace. Don't be fooled. There's nothing simple about it. God's grace allows us to receive salvation. Without God's grace, we are forever separated from Him. Ephesians 1:7 tells us, In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace. 2nd Timothy 1:9 reads we are saved, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began.

Nothing is simple anymore. It has become a real challenge to accomplish the simplest of tasks in the last few months, things we have taken for granted... just like God's grace. The reality is, apart from His grace we can do nothing. God hasn't changed. His grace has always been sufficient. I encourage you to do a little study on God's grace and peace and find out for yourself.

In The Message Bible, 2nd Thessalonians 1:2 reads, Our God gives you everything you need, makes you everything you’re to be. Everything you need. Everything you're to be... It's talking about grace. There's nothing simple about it.

Prayer:

Father,
            Thank You for Your love. Thank You for the Cross. Thank You for Your grace and peace and mercy. Help us to daily pick up our cross and follow You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Do Something

Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in the faith. Don’t drift along taking everything for granted. Give yourselves regular checkups. You need firsthand evidence, not mere hearsay, that Jesus Christ is in you. Test it out. If you fail the test, do something about it. 
2nd Corinthians 13:5 The Message

So what should we do? What's the answer? No matter the question, God's Word is the answer.

If you want to know what God wants you to do, ask him, and he will gladly tell you, for he is always ready to give a bountiful supply of wisdom to all who ask him; he will not resent it. But when you ask him, be sure that you really expect him to tell you, for a doubtful mind will be as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind; and every decision you then make will be uncertain, as you turn first this way and then that. If you don’t ask with faith, don’t expect the Lord to give you any solid answer.

A Christian who doesn’t amount to much in this world should be glad, for he is great in the Lord’s sight. But a rich man should be glad that his riches mean nothing to the Lord, for he will soon be gone, like a flower that has lost its beauty and fades away, withered—killed by the scorching summer sun. So it is with rich men. They will soon die and leave behind all their busy activities.

Happy is the man who doesn’t give in and do wrong when he is tempted, for afterwards he will get as his reward the crown of life that God has promised those who love him. And remember, when someone wants to do wrong it is never God who is tempting him, for God never wants to do wrong and never tempts anyone else to do it. Temptation is the pull of man’s own evil thoughts and wishes. These evil thoughts lead to evil actions and afterwards to the death penalty from God. So don’t be misled...

But whatever is good and perfect comes to us from God, the Creator of all light, and he shines forever without change or shadow. And it was a happy day for him when he gave us our new lives through the truth of his Word, and we became, as it were, the first children in his new family.

...Don’t ever forget that it is best to listen much, speak little, and not become angry; for anger doesn’t make us good, as God demands that we must be.

So get rid of all that is wrong in your life, both inside and outside, and humbly be glad for the wonderful message we have received, for it is able to save our souls as it takes hold of our hearts.

And remember, it is a message to obey, not just to listen to. So don’t fool yourselves. For if a person just listens and doesn’t obey, he is like a man looking at his face in a mirror; as soon as he walks away, he can’t see himself anymore or remember what he looks like. But if anyone keeps looking steadily into God’s law for free men, he will not only remember it but he will do what it says, and God will greatly bless him in everything he does.

Anyone who says he is a Christian but doesn’t control his sharp tongue is just fooling himself, and his religion isn’t worth much. The Christian who is pure and without fault, from God the Father’s point of view, is the one who takes care of orphans and widows, and who remains true to the Lord... James 1:5-27

Prayer:

Father,

          We want to be and remain solid in our faith. We ask for wisdom to know Your Word that will keep us there. We ask for the leading and correction of the Holy Spirit so that we don't stray. Cause Your Word to be alive in us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Everyday Relationships

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Hebrews 13:8 NKJV

We were discussing relationships today and how they change and grow or diminish with the passage of time and the dedication of those in the relationship.  For instance, couples that have been married for a long time may start to settle in, get comfortable, and even take one another for granted. They go for years without adding anything new to the relationship or taking the time to really listen to what the other one may want or has to say. To keep a healthy relationship, each must offer their whole self and daily be intentional about contributing to the life and health of it.

Sadly, it happens in our Christian walk, too. We may get settled in, get comfortable, and then begin to take for granted all the blessings and benefits of walking with the Lord. We think God will just know we love Him after this much time has gone by and we don't need to tell Him. It doesn't work like that!

Jesus gave everything He had in order for us to have a right relationship with God. Psalm 68:19 tells us God daily loads us with benefits. He brings something to our relationship every day. He stands ready to lead and guide us, to walk with us, and to guard our hearts EVERY day. To speak words of wisdom, light, life, and love to our hearts daily. So, how IS our relationship with the Lord? If it's cooled off or less warm and passionate, I would say let's check ourselves. God hasn't moved from us. Jesus' love is the same yesterday, today, and forever... He brings it to us every day. What are we bringing to Him on a daily basis?

Prayer:
          
Father,
          Awaken our hearts to hear Yours. Open our ears to hear what You would say to us. Open our eyes to see Your fingerprints on everything in our lives. Oh, that we would daily worship You in Spirit and in Truth with all that we are for all that You are. Guide us, Holy Spirit. Help us, O Lord. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

A Psalm of Surrender

Psalm 139:1-18 NLT

O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. You go before me and follow me.  You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!

I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.  I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night— but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you.

You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.

How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!

Prayer:

Father,
           We pray as David prayed, Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.
In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Psalm 111 - A Good Word

Psalm 111:1-10 NKJV
Praise the Lord!

I will praise the Lord with my whole heart,
In the assembly of the upright and in the congregation.

The works of the Lord are great,
Studied by all who have pleasure in them.
His work is honorable and glorious,
And His righteousness endures forever.
He has made His wonderful works to be remembered;
The Lord is gracious and full of compassion.
He has given food to those who fear Him;
He will ever be mindful of His covenant.
He has declared to His people the power of His works,
In giving them the heritage of the nations.

The works of His hands are verity and justice;
All His precepts are sure.
They stand fast forever and ever,
And are done in truth and uprightness.
He has sent redemption to His people;
He has commanded His covenant forever:
Holy and awesome is His name.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
A good understanding have all those who do His commandments.
His praise endures forever.

Prayer:

Father,

          Let Your living Word be alive in us and bring forth a tremendous harvest. Relight the fire of desire to not take one step unless You go with us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Coming Undone

So I said: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts.”

Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth with it, and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; Your iniquity is taken away, And your sin purged.”

Isaiah 6:5-7 NKJV

"Here in Your presence, we are undone..." this line from the song of the same name was my undoing, but with a whole new definition.

From the world's perspective, when we come undone, we've come to the end of our proverbial rope without any hope whatsoever. It's the end of the line - the great crash and burn...  Whatever it is, whatever it was, it will never be again. We're done for. It's over.

When we come to the end of ourselves and all our determination to do things our way; when we come to the end of it all - having failed in our endeavors; when we fall on our face before God Almighty, broken and without hope - contrary to how it appears - we are NOT done for. We are undone.

What is "undone"? The opposite of done? So, is that to say it isn't finished? It isn't over? Think about that for a moment. Here's the revelation I got on it. In God's presence, undone equals all the bad things in our lives untangled from our hearts. In His presence, every mistake we've ever made is undone. We are undone from the chains, no longer bound by sin and shame.

Come to Jesus. In His presence, we are undone. Thank You, Lord!

Prayer:

Father,
         What a great blessing to be undone in Your presence. When I look at the night sky and see the work of Your fingers - the moon and the stars You set in place - what are mere mortals that You should think about them, human beings that You should care for them? And yet, You do. You carved us in Your hand. We are ever before You! Father, cause that Truth to come alive in us so that we are undone in You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Take a Praise Break

Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! Praise God in his holy sanctuary!
Praise him in his stronghold in the sky!
Praise him for his miracles of might!
Praise him for his magnificent greatness!
Praise him with the trumpets blasting!
Praise him with piano and guitar!
Praise him with drums and dancing!
Praise him with the loud, resounding clash of cymbals!
Praise him with every instrument you can find!
Let everyone everywhere join in the crescendo of ecstatic praise to Yahweh!
Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!

Psalm 150 The Passion Translation

Prayer:

Father,

          We praise You for giving us life, for every breath, for salvation, for Your love and mercy and grace, for forgiveness and healing... We praise as King David did - And my tongue shall speak of Your righteousness And of Your praise all the day long. Give us grateful hearts, O God! In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Habitual Rituals

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Hebrews 4:12 NKJV

Good habits - bad habits. How many things a day do we do out of habit? The so-called experts will tell you it only takes 21 days to form a habit... "Do this for 21 days and you will (fill in the blank)." I can't say that I've found that to be true.

What IS true, though, is that the things we do out of habit, we do without really thinking about them. We do them by rote, mechanically, and usually while multi-tasking. We're not fully engaged to the exclusion of everything else.

Today, as I was reading, I found myself thinking about other things or other people. I was supposed to be focused on the Lord. And the question rose in my spirit, How much of what I do is habitual and how much is intentional?  Oh, I got up with the intention of spending a full hour undivided before the Lord, but I slipped easily into the morning habitual rituals.

In Mark 12:30 (NKJV), Jesus says, And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment.

SHALL love...with ALL your heart, ALL your soul, ALL your mind, ALL your strength. You can't do that out of habit. It has to be intentional.

Prayer:

Father,

          Forgive us, O God, for habitual sinning. Cause every word, every deed, every thought to be 100% intentional. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Passing By

Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified.
Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down.
Mark 6:47-51a NIV

I know I've read this passage many times, but tonight, it stuck out to me that Jesus was going to pass by them. The Message Bible reads, "He intended to go right by them." And it reminded me of the old hymn, Pass Me Not, written by Fanny Crosby. Part of the lyrics - Pass me not, O gentle Savior. Hear my humble cry. While on others Thou are calling, do not pass me by...

How often do we do that? We're going about life, doing what we think we know to do. And there are those times when life gets really hard, and we just keep trying to do life in our own strength... All the while wondering why God doesn't do something. Can't He see what we're up against? Doesn't He see us struggling and straining? Is He really going to ignore our plight?

Well, have we called on Him or are we still trying to do everything in our own strength? Have we acknowledged and confessed our need for Him or are we too busy indicting Him? Are we passing HIM by?

Prayer:

Father,
           Forgive us for thinking that we can do anything apart from You. Thank You for loving us enough to correct us and to turn our hearts. Thank You for Your protection and provision. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Isaiah 53 - To Be Reminded

Who needs this reminder of Jesus? It's good to be reminded. Isaiah 53 from the Passion Translation...

1  Who has truly believed our revelation?

    To whom will Yahweh reveal his mighty arm?[a]
2 He sprouted up like a tender plant before the Lord,[b]
    like a root[c] in parched soil.
    He possessed no distinguishing beauty
    or outward splendor to catch our attention—
    nothing special in his appearance to make us desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by men,
    a man of deep sorrows
    who was no stranger to suffering and grief.[d]
    We hid our faces from him in disgust
    and considered him a nobody, not worthy of respect.

The Sin-Bearer Servant

4 Yet he was the one who carried our sicknesses[e]
    and endured the torment of our sufferings.
    We viewed him as one who was being punished[f]
    for something he himself had done,
    as one who was struck down by God and brought low.
5 But it was because of our rebellious deeds that he was pierced[g]
    and because of our sins that he was crushed.
    He endured the punishment that made us completely whole,[h]
    and in[i] his wounding[j] we found our healing.
6 Like wayward sheep, we have all wandered[k] astray.
    Each of us has turned from God’s paths and chosen our own way;
    even so, Yahweh laid[l] the guilt of our every sin upon him.[m]

The Surrendered Servant

7 He was oppressed and harshly mistreated;
    still he humbly submitted, refusing to defend himself.
    He was brought like a gentle lamb[n] to be slaughtered.
    Like a silent sheep before his shearers,
    he didn’t even open his mouth.[o]
8 By coercion and with a perversion of justice
    he was taken away.
    And who could have imagined his future?[p]
    He was cut down in the prime of life;[q]
    for the rebellion of his[r] own people,
    he was struck down in their place.
9 They gave him a grave among criminals,[s]
    but he ended up instead in a rich man’s tomb,[t]
    although he had done no violence nor spoken deceitfully.

The Servant’s Reward

10 Even though it pleased Yahweh
    to crush him with grief,[u]
    he will be restored to favor.[v]
    After his soul becomes a guilt-offering,[w]
    he will gaze upon his many offspring and prolong his days.[x]
    And through him, Yahweh’s deepest desires
    will be fully accomplished.[y]
11 After the great anguish of his soul,
    he will see light[z] and be fully satisfied.[aa]
    By knowing him,[ab] the righteous one,
    my servant will make many to be righteous,[ac]
    because he, their sin-bearer, carried away their sins[ad]
12 So I, Yahweh, will assign him a portion
    among a great multitude,
    and he will triumph
    and divide the spoils of victory with his mighty ones—[ae]
    all because he poured out his life-blood[af] to death.
    He was counted among the worst of sinners,
    yet he carried sin’s burden for many[ag]
    and intercedes for those who are rebels.[ah]

Prayer:

Father,

         Thank You for all You are to us and for sending Jesus to restore us back to You. Thank You, Jesus, for laying Your pure and precious life down to pay in full our debt for sins. Thank You, Holy Spirit, for reminding us and leading us into all Truth. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

For Our Good

But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.

Genesis 50:20 NKJV

When things aren't going our way. When life throws us some curve balls or hurdles we were not expecting. When people, places and or things do not line up the way we think they should in our lives - why is it we always ask - "Where is God?" Do we think He's not watching? Do we question His Word in Matthew 28:20, that He is with us always, even to the end of the age? When we truly come to the understanding that God is who He says He is, and WE are NOT Him, then it will help us to understand that God is not shocked by anything that happens in our lives.

If our desire is to live before God with clean hands and a pure heart; to live holy and acceptable to Him, then we are going to go through the Refiner's fire.

Remember, it is in the fire that silver is purified. Refining gold begins with melting it. And diamonds are formed in high temperatures and incredible pressures. 1st Peter 1:7 tells us, These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

We must trust that God is working all things for our good. Even what was meant as evil against us! 

Prayer:

Father,

           We choose to trust that You are working all things for our good! We have seen the evidence of Your grace and mercy and we thank You for using all things for the perfecting of the saints, to bring about in us the character of Christ. Help us to keep our focus always on You and what You are teaching us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen 

Just Missed - by request

But he knows where I am going. And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold. For I have stayed on God’s paths; I have followed his ways and not turned aside.

Job 23:10-11 NLT

Did you ever read the newspaper comics when you were growing up? Do you remember Family Circus written by the late Bil Keane? And little Billy who would eventually get to where he was going, but it was never a straight path from Point A to Point B?



Some days I think to myself, "Just call me Billy..." Try as I might to get to that proverbial front door, sometimes I just can't get there or I'm there too late or I outright fail.

Our Promise for Today gives me great hope. I'm glad He knows where I am going. I know where I WANT to go... For now, I walk those paths by faith, trusting in His Word to keep me on the straight and narrow. I don't want to miss Him.

Prayer:

Father,
          Thank You for always going before us to make the crooked path straight and to level the walk so that we don't trip up. Thank You for loving us so much that You sent Your Son as the Way to help us get to You. Help us to walk in His Light and His Truth. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

What Happened?

As we pray to our God and Father about you, we think of your faithful work, your loving deeds, and the enduring hope you have because of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1st Thessalonians 1:3 NLT

When we follow Jesus, our behaviors change. We turn away from those things that have no truth in them - we lay aside our idols. We turn away from serving only ourselves and reach out to serve God by serving others. And just as obvious, we live our lives with HOPE. The New Living Translation reads enduring hope. Hope that lasts...

So, what happened? What caused these changes? Verses 4 & 5 from The Message Bible read, It is clear to us, friends, that God not only loves you very much but also has put his hand on you for something special. When the Message we preached came to you, it wasn’t just words. Something happened in you. The Holy Spirit put steel in your convictions. 

The convictions that we embraced through hearing the Gospel are now undergirded with the steel of the Holy Spirit. God's Word tells us in Galatians 5:22-23 ...the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And in Romans 8:5, For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. That's what happened! It's why we've changed. Praise His Holy Name!

Prayer:

Father,

           Thank You for Your Word sent to convict us, for Your Spirit sent to guide us into all Truth, for Your love to give us life, and for hope - everlasting hope - that is found only in You. May we never lose sight of it all. May we never get over what happened. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

How Do You Spell...

Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
John 8:31-32 NLT

They sound the same. Know. No. Yet, we can all agree they are not the same. They aren't spelled the same. They don't mean the same, although, somehow, we have all been guilty at one time or another of No-ing God while thinking we were knowing Him.

Think about it for just a moment. Have you ever argued with God? I know I have. That's No-ing Him. Ever decided to do things in your own time, your own way without waiting on God? That's No-ing Him. Ever refused to forgive? Refused to be loving? Refused to show mercy or grace? Shall we have a combination spelling and vocabulary lesson? Is that K-N-O-W or N-O?

Prayer:

Father,

            Your Son declared to the descendants of Abraham that day that "Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don’t listen because you don’t belong to God." We want to listen gladly and obey Your every Word. Teach us, Father. We want to KNOW You more. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Who Encourages You?

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
2nd Thessalonians 2:16-17 NIV

I have been very blessed that God has placed people in my life to encourage me. We all need it, especially in times like these. That's why these two verses jumped out at me. This happens to be from the NIV, but whether your Bible reads eternal comfort or everlasting consolation, it's still a show stopper!  Think about that - eternal encouragement. Everlasting. Forever.

ETERNAL encouragement!

And it just gets better! God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ will encourage our hearts and strengthen us! However, it is "in every good deed and word" that They will encourage our hearts and strengthen us. So, we have to be doing good deeds and sharing good words with others in order to be able to receive encouragement and strength.

That begs the question - If we find ourselves discouraged and weak, is it because we're not giving Them enough good words and deeds to work with? Something to think about...

Prayer:

Father,
         Thank You for eternal encouragement and good hope. You are the Lifter of our heads. Establish our hearts so that all of our deeds and words are good! In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Being Timothy

We sent him [Timothy] to strengthen you, to encourage you in your faith, and to keep you from being shaken by the troubles you were going through. But you know that we are destined for such troubles. Even while we were with you, we warned you that troubles would soon come—and they did, as you well know. That is why, when I could bear it no longer, I sent Timothy to find out whether your faith was still strong.
1st Thessalonians 3:2b-5a

If you're on the upside of the dirt, there will be trouble. How do we handle it? Do we choose to ask God's direction or just ask Him "Why?" After all, He knew it was going to happen. He's God, isn't He? Why didn't He stop it?

How do we handle that?

Do we endure?  Become one with it, take it on? Identify ourselves with it? What IS our identity? Really...do we want to be defined by our troubles?

Do we run? Escape? Avoid it at all costs? We miss the lesson if we move away from it.

Do we enlist it? Make it work for us? James 1:2 reads, Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. Gee, I don't think I've met anyone who has said at the onset, "Oh, I'm so excited! All these troubles are gonna bring me GREAT joy!"

We've been talking about faith and control. They have nothing to do with each other, by the way. Faith is a relinquishing of control, based on trusting God. Without faith, it's impossible to please God. Without relinquishing control of our lives TO Him, based on our trust IN Him, it's impossible to please God. Kinda lends a new meaning to, With God, all things are possible...

Is our trust linked to our perception of what He's done for us or will do? Do we trust Him just because He is who He is - God - and for no other reason? Do we know Him? It's one thing to say we know Him, it's another to see what our actions are when we don't get our own way, or if we need to sacrifice something we want.

You see, faith is an action word. Here comes trouble - what action will you take?

Prayer:

Father,
         Forgive us for thinking of You only as our benevolent overseer. Help us to see You for who You are and what You are, no matter the circumstances. We place our trust in You. Help us to be a Timothy to those around us who may need to be encouraged. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen