Changing

Daniel answered and said: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, For wisdom and might are His. And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding.
Daniel 2:20-21 NLT

In most of the U.S., Daylight Saving Time ends tonight (clocks go back an hour). And even though we technically get an extra hour to sleep, I don't like when the time changes back because daylight just seems to disappear... The seasons are changing - winter's coming. It won't be long before we're hearing, "Tis the Season..." It's not surprising when you really think about it. All of life is seasonal. 

One thing I have learned from living this long. God - my God - created the seasons. And He created it so that Spring always follows Winter.

During the dark of the winter season when everything looks grey and bare, there is the hope of Spring. During the dark of the seasons of life, there is hope in the Light of the World and the new life we find in Him. He is faithful. He will see us through. It's a season... and He made them all. 

Seasons change. God does not. Praise His Holy Name.

Prayer:

Father,
            Blessed be Your Name, O God, forever and ever, for wisdom and might are Yours. You change the times and the seasons; You remove kings and raise up kings; You give wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. We know that You direct them all, and we trust You in all of them. Help us, Father, to walk boldly in the path You have put before us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Can't

Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”)  No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. 
Romans 8:35-39 NLT

Read this Scripture again (and again...and again...and again) and let it soak into your spirit. No matter the situation you find yourself in - He is the Great I AM. He is ALL that you will ever need. Everything else is superfluous. 

Prayer:

Father,
           Two things You can't do. You can't fail. You can't lie. Help us to grow into the fullness of You and the unfailing faithfulness of Your love. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Wisdom and Kindness

She opens her mouth with wisdom, And on her tongue is the law of kindness.
Proverbs 31:26 NKJV

Man! How I wish it was me that Scripture referred to... Too many times, it’s not.

The good news is that there is hope in God and faith that I will get there...through the Holy Spirit's persistence to woo and teach me. If that’s you, too, let’s pray this together.

Father,
          Let our hearts be ever alert to Your guidance. Let our feet be quick to follow You. Let our mouths be silent until You fill us to speak words of wisdom and kindness. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Harvest Time

But the wisdom from above is always pure, filled with peace, considerate and teachable. It is filled with love and never displays prejudice or hypocrisy in any form and it always bears the beautiful harvest of righteousness!

James 3:17-18a TPT

I love this time of year. I love the slightly cooler weather, the colors of the season, getting ready for Thanksgiving (November in the US). When I was a child, I loved witnessing the harvest times of the neighboring fields. I loved watching the big combines working row after row. When you knew what had been planted, the harvest was never a surprise. 

I think it's why God chose sowing and reaping as the primary analogy in life. If we're planting seeds, it won't be long before something comes up. Is it recognizable as the crop we want to harvest? If not, we need to pluck it out by the root and make sure our seed is right before planting it again. Check the season of life that we're in. It's almost harvest time. Will we reap the beautiful harvest of righteousness? 

Prayer:

Father,

          We pray according to Your Word in Isaiah 26:12, Lord Yahweh, You will establish peace and prosperity for us, for all we have accomplished is the result of what You work through us. Help us continue to sow Your wisdom, Your peace, Your love. We want to reap the beautiful harvest of righteousness. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

First

Jesus knew immediately what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you question this in your hearts? Is it easier to say to the paralyzed man ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk’? So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!”

And the man jumped up, grabbed his mat, and walked out through the stunned onlookers.
Mark 2:8-12a NLT

I am always amazed at the heart of Jesus - moved with such great compassion that Scripture tells us He healed all their sicknesses and disease. But in most of those instances of one-on-one healing miracles, forgiveness was His number one priority, THEN He healed them. Think about it. Which is the greater miracle?

When people are sick - Christian or not - they want to be made well. When someone is seriously sick, it is an opportunity to minister to the whole person - body, soul and spirit. Jesus knew it. He did it. And we are to follow His example. Ask them if they want you to pray for them. If they say yes, then ask if they want to pray now. Some will say no, but most will say yes.

First things first. Don't preach AT them. Pray WITH them. Plant the seed. Someone else will water. God will give the increase.

Father,
             Thank You that we can come to You and ask for healing. We know Jesus made provision for our healing when He was beaten before He was crucified. And we know that He was crucified to pay for our sins so that we could be forgiven. Father, we ask You to do both. Forgive us for our sins against You and heal all our diseases. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

A Clean Sweep

     When John realized that a lot of Pharisees and Sadducees were showing up for a baptismal experience because it was becoming the popular thing to do, he exploded: "Brood of snakes! What do you think you're doing slithering down here to the river? Do you think a little water on your snakeskins is going to make any difference? It's your life that must change, not your skin! And don't think you can pull rank by claiming Abraham as father. Being a descendant of Abraham is neither here nor there. Descendants of Abraham are a dime a dozen. What counts is your life. Is it green and blossoming? Because if it's deadwood, it goes on the fire.
     "I'm baptizing you here in the river, turning your old life in for a kingdom life. The real action comes next: The main character in this drama—compared to him I'm a mere stagehand—will ignite the kingdom life within you, a fire within you, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out. He's going to clean house—make a clean sweep of your lives. He'll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false he'll put out with the trash to be burned."
Matthew 3:7-12 The Message

I really don't like doing housework, but I also don't want to die of embarrassment. So, I make myself pick up, put away, sweep, and take out the trash. Some of which takes a lot of time. None of which is fun. All of which is necessary to accomplish the goal (not dying of embarrassment when someone comes to the door). Nothing will light a fire under most of us quicker than knowing someone might come by.

The Holy Spirit is here on a daily basis. He's not doing a white glove test. He's making house calls to help us prepare and be ready for when Jesus comes back. The Holy Spirit will change us from the inside out - some of which takes a lot of time! None of which is fun. All of which is necessary to accomplish the goal. Will we let Him in?

Christ's return should be the thing that lights the quickest fire in our hearts to get this old house in order. He's going to clean house—make a clean sweep of our lives. He'll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false He'll put out with the trash to be burned.

Prayer:

Father,
             Help us to see the necessity of having the Holy Spirit clean house and put us in right order for Your return. Light the fire within us again, O God. Cause our hearts to burn with holy fervor for everything true found only in You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Don't Be Afraid

Do not yield to fear, for I am always near. 

Never turn your gaze from me, for I am your faithful God.
I will infuse you with my strength and help you in every situation.
I will hold you firmly with my victorious right hand.

I am Yahweh, your mighty God!
I grip your right hand and won’t let you go!
I whisper to you: ‘Don’t be afraid; I am here to help you!’

Isaiah 41:10, 13 TPT (The Passion Translation)

These promises from God are what keep me safely on life's path. When I am mindful of His Words, I have no cause to be afraid... ever. Come what may. Numbers 23:19 tells us, God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? 

SO... 

Do not yield to fear, for I am always near. 

Never turn your gaze from me, for I am your faithful God.
I will infuse you with my strength and help you in every situation.
I will hold you firmly with my victorious right hand.

I am Yahweh, your mighty God!
I grip your right hand and won’t let you go!
I whisper to you: ‘Don’t be afraid; I am here to help you!’

Prayer:

Father,

           Plant these promises so deep in our hearts that we are ever mindful that You walk with us, holding our hands and never letting go. We acknowledge that we need Your strength and help in every situation and we are so grateful for them. Let us not lose sight of You or Your promises. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Something's Burning

In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.
James 3:5-6 NLT

When I was a little girl, they used to have quite a few Smokey the Bear commercials. The campaign slogan was, "Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires". I remember one in particular - a man driving down a beautiful country road on a day full of sunshine, smiling, windows down, listening to the radio, and finishing a cigarette. He takes one last puff and finger flicks it to the side of the road. The camera pans to the cigarette as it lay smoldering in some dry leaves on the side of the road, and with the breeze, blows the smoldering heat into flame and carries the now burning leaves into the woods, while the man drives off - merrily oblivious to what he has done.

The next frame opens to this same man shaking his head in disbelief and disgust after reading a newspaper headline regarding the thousands of acres destroyed by the out of control forest fire caused by the carelessness of someone tossing a lit cigarette out the window... still clueless that it was his cigarette.

Heated words carelessly flung in a flash of anger can do the same thing. They can lay there and smolder as the perpetrator goes merrily along without giving the words a second thought. But we nurse, curse and rehearse them in our hearts, over and over, blowing on the embers till the flames lick at our very souls. Then the fire greedily spreads to every "dry timber" around us, spreading like a bad airborne virus, infecting (affecting) everyone within reach.

We must fight those fires with the right kind of water. Learn to put out fires using the Living Water of the Word of God. In it, we find the wellspring of life. We learn of forgiveness and self-control and how to treat each other.

A tiny spark can set a great forest on fire - And only we can prevent forest fires.

Prayer:

Father,
           Manifest the fruit of Your Holy Spirit in our lives. May our every word reflect Your love and light. If our tongues are going to start fires, may they be revival fires born of prayer and time spent with You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Redeemed

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Psalm 51:10 KJV

I read something recently that caused me to seriously contemplate who I would have been and what I might have accomplished had I not rebelled against God. It brought me to another level of understanding God's grace. It's so humbling to confess to God that I recognize and acknowledge that I have not lived His perfect plan for my life and all because of my own rebellion and bad choices. And in that moment of confession, it was absolutely overwhelming to realize how in spite of that, He has redeemed my life and all because of His perfect love.

It is not to be taken lightly. Scripture tells us, You must know (recognize) that you were redeemed (ransomed) from the useless (fruitless) way of living inherited by tradition from [your] forefathers, not with corruptible things [such as] silver and gold, But [you were purchased] with the precious blood of Christ (the Messiah), like that of a [sacrificial] lamb without blemish or spot. 1st Peter 1:18-19 The Amplified Bible. I repeat, It is not to be taken lightly.

Christ's sacrifice - His life for ours - redeemed us from sin. He did it once and for all. Hebrews 9:12 tells us, Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. Eternally redeemed.

We, on the other hand, need to take up our cross DAILY (Luke 9:23), renewing our hearts and minds, choosing to put to death in us the sins of the flesh. Taking full advantage of God's mercies that are new every morning. Renew. Repeat. Until He comes again.

Prayer:

Father,
We've got a song the angels cannot sing - we are redeemed by the Blood of the Lamb. Great is Your faithfulness to us! Create in us a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Mercy Triumphs

For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
James 2:13 NKJV

This Scripture jumped out at me over a week ago. Well, specifically Part b, Mercy triumphs over judgment. I felt like it was a rhema word, but I couldn't make the connection. I had been meditating on it all week and still nothing. I kept getting hung up on Part A, all the times in my life I had not shown mercy. And satan brought every one of those instances to my mind, along with every other horrible thing I've ever done in my life. Funny that for someone who can't remember what she ate for breakfast half the time, I had no problem remembering all those times. Of course, it was the accuser of the brethren narrating the list for me and throwing in digs about Judgment Day, too.

In a circle of trusted women, I expressed my frustration at not being able to expound on Mercy triumphs over judgment. Writing is what I do. Why could I not write about something that leapt off the page at me? And one profoundly offered, "Maybe that's all of it for you. There isn't more. Mercy triumphs over judgment." And in a matter of minutes, it became very clear what the Holy Spirit was saying. 

All those things I had done, they were wiped clean when I confessed them and asked for forgiveness. I knew that, but I needed to be reminded. When the accuser stands before Christ, rattling off the list, the charges will be dropped. They will be null and void, for it is written, in the twelfth chapter of Revelation, Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony... 

Isaiah 1:18 LB reads, Come, let’s talk this over, says the Lord; no matter how deep the stain of your sins, I can take it out and make you as clean as freshly fallen snow. Yes, come Judgment Day, the charges will be dropped. Not because I'm innocent, but because the Blood of the Lamb covers me and MERCY TRIUMPHS OVER JUDGMENT.

Prayer:

Father,

          Thank You for Your mercy which is new every morning. You knew we would need it. Thank You for Your faithfulness and Your overwhelming love that pursues us. Thank You that You have made provision for everything we will ever need. Thank You for the Holy Spirit, our Comforter, who reminds us of all You have taught us. Give us ears to hear, eyes to see, and hearts that are quick to respond to You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

A Reminder - Every Kind of Sin

And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.
Titus 2:12-14 NLT

With the aid of the Internet, myths and urban legends are detrimentally rampant because lots of people will believe almost anything they read in written form. It's astonishing to discover how often a myth or rumor is widely accepted as truth simply because someone has heard it, read it or said it so many times.

The verses from Titus jumped out at me today. How often do we buy the lie that we'll never be able to overcome a sin in our lives because we believe we were 'born that way' or we've 'always been like this' or 'that's just the way I am' ? Verse 14 declares that Christ gave His life to free us from EVERY kind of sin. I don't see an asterisk that lists any exclusions. It doesn't read 'every sin except for...'

Let's bust a few myths today, shall we? It doesn't matter how many times you've tried and failed. It doesn't matter how many times someone has proclaimed that you will never be this or that. It doesn't matter how many times you've heard it, read it or said it... The Truth is this. He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.

God's Truth - His Word - is the original myth buster. Put it to the test.

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for shining the light of Your Truth in our lives. Help us to understand Your Word and to overcome the myths and rumors and lies about our own lives and about You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

It's Not the End

 The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand. Once I was young, and now I am old. Yet I have never seen the godly abandoned or their children begging for bread.

Psalm 37:23-25 NLT

I saw a post on social media that read, "Never let a stumble in the road be the end of the journey." and it made me think about people I've known who have stumbled and stayed there. Not to mention the times I've stumbled and not wanted to get back up...

Listen! The road CAN be very long. The path WILL twist and turn. There WILL be rocks and potholes and sometimes, debris in the way, left by the storms of life. Maybe some days, it seems so much easier to set up camp on this side of the giant mudslide or the tree across the road. Don't do it! Don't!

If our goal is heaven and we're not there yet, then we must keep moving forward! God has promised to go before us to make the crooked path straight. He has promised to direct our steps. He said He will hold us by the hand. Jesus said in John 16:33, I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world. 

We slip, trip and stumble. Proverbs 24:16 declares, The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again. So get up!  It's not the end of the journey! We're not there yet! Get up! Follow His footsteps!

Prayer:

Father,

           Forgive us for wanting to quit when the going is hard. Prod us! Provoke us to good works! Keep Your Word ever alive in our hearts so that we draw our strength only from You. You ARE our Strength when we are weak and humble ourselves before You. Help us, O God! In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Who's Got the Schedule

You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe. Every day was recorded in your Book!
Psalm 139:16 TLB

We deal with schedules every day - and not just our own, but those with whom we interact - the boss, the kids, grandkids. We call it keeping on track, being focused, staying the course. We follow the schedules of life.

You go to a seminar and they hand you a schedule to follow so you can accomplish everything you came to do and get your money's worth. Well, what do you do if you lose your schedule?

I have seen the meltdowns (and experienced a few) when the app doesn't sync properly or the phone is lost or misplaced, or the notebook is left somewhere (yes - there are still a few who use them!). Then there's the infamous computer crash and you hear the wail, "My whole life is in that thing!" and we are lost. You know what I'm talking about. It makes no difference if you work outside the home or your home is your work. There's a schedule to follow.

All day long we're bombarded with thoughts and tasks and assignments and project schedules...and life. I don't know about you, but I have been attention deficit since before they had a name for it. If I hope to get anything done, I have to have a schedule. Do I live rigidly? Oh, no no no. Only on those things that are important. But I do tend to have a hard time staying focused. In the morning, I use my cell phone as my schedule reminder. I set it as my alarm clock to wake in the morning, and then hit the 10-minute snooze button until I actually leave the house. Some mornings, it drives me crazy, but 99% of the time, it keeps me on task.

We all know how easy it is to get off task. Someone comes to your desk and asks, Do you have a minute? and what they really mean is, I want at least 15 minutes of your time to explain what I need that will take more of your time. Oh, well, depending on your job, it all pays the same, right? The point is, a little behind here, a little behind there, and the next thing you know, the reminder on your Outlook calendar pops up with the note, TWO weeks overdue... 

What DO we do when we're that far off schedule? Stress out? Work horrendous hours to try to catch up? Have "the talk" with the powers that be? Ask for help? Revise? Cry 'Uncle'? Quit?

In many ways, it's very much like our Christian walk. God has already laid the schedule of our days. We get however many days He decided before we were born. If we're off-task, off-schedule or just have blown it so bad we think there's no hope for recovery, I've got Good News for you. God is different. There is ALWAYS redemption. There is ALWAYS recovery. There is ALWAYS a way to revise and get us back on schedule. We simply cry out in Prayer...

Father,
          I am so behind on the schedule of my life. Worse, I can't even seem to find the schedule You have laid out for me. And I want that more than anything else. Please forgive me for losing it and getting so far behind. Help me, Father. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.

He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams.

He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.

Even when I walk through the darkest valley,  I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.

You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies.

You honor me by anointing my head with oil.

My cup overflows with blessings.

Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.

In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen

Don't Move

My soul, wait silently for God alone, For my expectation is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved.7 In God is my salvation and my glory; The rock of my strength, And my refuge, is in God.
Psalm 62:5-7 NLT

The world is full of movers and shakers - people who specifically set out to get things done. And they will move and/or shake whoever and whatever to make it happen. I must admit, at times I am a little envious of them because I don't think 'slip and slide' has the same connotation as 'move and shake'. However, not all movers and shakers are a good thing. Some are steam rollers meant to take you out or make you a mover and a shaker - moving you out of the way and shaking with fear!

However, think about this exhortation - Hold the Line! It doesn't matter what comes against you. Hold the Line! It doesn't matter what the world throws at you or what you're losing or who is leaving you or what bill needs to be paid or what the doctor said - HOLD THE LINE! If God is our Rock, how can we be moved?

Psalm 46:1-4 reads, God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Be the living epitome of 1st Corinthians 15:58 - Be stedfast, unmoveable!

There will always be movers and shakers - good and bad. Don't be moved - In God is my salvation and my glory; The rock of my strength, And my refuge, is in God.

Prayer:

Father,
          My soul will wait silently for You alone, For my expectation is from You. You only are my rock and my salvation; You are my defense; I shall not be moved. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen

Negligible

For the same God who said, “You must not commit adultery,” also said, “You must not murder.” So if you murder someone but do not commit adultery, you have still broken the law.
James 2:11 NLT

When this was written, committing a sin was going against the laws of God. In today's society, there are laws on the books that are in direct opposition to God's law, so there might be some ambiguity for some on certain laws. However, I believe we can all agree that murder and adultery are considered major sins. I think we would agree that robbing banks and stealing cars are also considered major sin issues. Those kinds of actions stem from whatever is in our hearts. We would not commit murder if there wasn't hatred. We would not commit adultery if our hearts were pure. We would not rob a bank or steal a car if we walked according to the Word of God, for example - in honor preferring one another in love.

Then there are things that we consider negligent; for instance, jay-walking or a California Roll at a stop sign. For those of you who don't recognize it by that label, it's the action of slowing down but not completely stopping at a stop sign, and then just rolling on. Houstonians are notorious for not using their turn signals and for running red lights or stop signs. That is considered negligent driving, a minor infraction. Practically negligible, which is defined as being so small as to almost not be worth considering. We'll come back to that in a minute.

Verse 9 reads, But if you favor some people over others, you are committing a sin. You are guilty of breaking the law. WHAT?!?

Verse 10 further explains, For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws. Think about that!

We tend to think negligent driving is just being careless, but the truth is that completely horrible, tragic things happen through negligence. There are those who may think that favoring some people over others is not a big deal but the Word of God says it's a sin.

Sin separates us from God. That is not negligible, that's tragic.

Prayer:

Father,
          Open our hearts and minds to the Truth of Your Word, so that we can walk in its fullness. Help us to see through ALL of satan's deceptions. Give us clean hands and pure hearts before You, Father. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

The Right Guide

You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Psalm 16:11 NKJV

Traditionally, the women in my family line don't like to travel. Don't get me wrong, we go places and we generally have a good time once we get there... It's the process leading up to getting there that makes us (and everyone around us) a little crazy. My mother immigrated to America on a ship, a war bride, by herself with my oldest brother who was a toddler at the time. I've lost count of the times I've driven back and forth across this country. Several times, just me and the Lord - just like my sister's done it - and just like my daughter's done it... It's way out of the comfort zone, separation anxiety, all the what-ifs - like what if I get lost, what if I break down, the whole what-if thing that happens.

That makes me acknowledge one of the things I love best about the Lord. I found Him because He kept calling me so I'd know how to find Him. Now, I always know where He is because He never leaves me.

And I can live my life in Don't-Worry-Be-Happy-mode because in His presence is fullness of joy and at His right hand are pleasures forevermore. And He makes the crooked way straight and He guides my footsteps AND guards them so that I don't fall. (It's all there in His Word. Check it out!)

And to top it off, there's NO separation anxiety because Scripture assures us in Romans 8:38-39, that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Prayer:

Father,
           You are the quintessential travel guide. Not only do You guide our every step, You designed the scenery. You are amazing! Cause us to always be mindful to follow the path of life You have chosen for us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Time for an IMPORTANT Reminder

 The (IM)Proper Use of OMG!

You shall not use or repeat the name of the Lord your God in vain [that is, lightly or frivolously, in false affirmations or profanely]; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.

Exodus 20:7 The Amplified Bible

God is serious about His Name... It would behoove us to be serious about His Name, too. I cringe every time I hear someone take the Lord's Name in vain - every time someone uses "OMG!" as a frivolous response to someone else's drama of the moment/hour, every time I hear "OH MY GAWD!" in the same vein as "Are you kidding me?!?" or "Are you serious?!?"

God IS serious about His Name... actually, He's serious about all of them. They represent the very nature and character of who He is. They are designed to be called upon and they correspond to our needs and dependence on Him. 

Elohim - Strength, power, greatness, and glory

Yahweh (or Jehovah) - I AM

El Shaddai - God Almighty

Adonai - Master, Lord

Jehovah-Jireh - God will provide

Jehovah-M'Kaddesh - God who sanctifies

Jehovah-Shalom - God is peace

Jehovah-Nissi - God our banner

Jehovah-Raphah (sometimes spelled 'Rophe') - God our Healer

Jehovah-Tsidkenu - God our righteousness

The proper use is in the acknowledgment and affirmation of who He is. Calling His Name in faith, confirming who He is and who we BELIEVE He is. It is NOT to be used as an expression of unbelief at someone's trivial pursuit. Selah

Prayer:

Father,

 We pray as Ezra prayed, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift my face to You, my God, for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads and our guilt has mounted to the heavens. Open our hearts to receive Your Truths, open our eyes to see and our ears to hear. Forgive us, O God, we pray. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Gathering Together

A happy heart is good medicine, but low spirits sap one’s strength.

Proverbs 17:22 CJB (Complete Jewish Bible)

The enemy of our soul would like nothing better than to divide and conquer us. It's what he does best. We get busy, this practice, that practice, this deadline, that deadline, and always what are the first things to go? Church and family time. Yet the writer of Hebrews tells us in 10:24-25 (CJB), "And let us keep paying attention to one another, in order to spur each other on to love and good deeds, not neglecting our own congregational meetings, as some have made a practice of doing, but, rather, encouraging each other. And let us do this all the more as you see the Day approaching."

Are you part of a small group or Life Group within your church? Oh, how we grow in our relationship with the Lord when we walk this walk with others and share our lives! In the best of times and in the worst of times, Life Groups gather together (at six-foot intervals) to support each other... Masks and all. Social distancing, but not heart distancing. 

We cannot afford to stop gathering together - to encourage one another, to exhort each other to keep following the Lord with our WHOLE hearts, not just as an afterthought or quick-fix therapy. We cannot afford to stop gathering together - to reinforce the ties that bind us together and to God. We cannot afford to stop gathering together - our burdens are lighter when shared, and our joys are multiplied! 

We are stronger together than we are apart. The joy of the Lord is our Strength. Come, let us gather together and celebrate the Lord!

Prayer:

Father,

           You are so good to give us hearts for each other and to love us and give us laughter. Father, we are so grateful to You for family and friends who make us laugh - who love us and encourage us and strengthen us through the tough times! Bless them, Father, this we pray in Jesus' Name. Amen 

Prayer Worriers or Warriors?

But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.
James 1:6-7 NLT

We've been talking about it for a while. Do we fully trust God or only part-way? Do we come boldly to the throne of grace with thanksgiving and praise, making our petition known unto God? Or do we come whining with wishes and whimpers? Our Promise for Today in the Message Bible reads, Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who “worry their prayers” are like wind-whipped waves. Don’t think you’re going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open.

Will we commit to the Word of God? To stand on His Word - to choose to believe His Word and nothing else? No backup plans, no good luck charms - only God? 

Are we prayer worriers or prayer warriors? I'm going to keep asking until we are sure. An answer is required.

Prayer:

Father, 

           We choose You. We choose the Truth of Your Word over everything else. No matter what we see or hear in the natural, we believe You. We believe, help our unbelief. Give us clean hands and a pure heart. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

The Old Double Standard

So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. 

Galatians 5:16-17b NLT

Living with a double standard has always been a source of contention for those who have to deal with it. We are quick to fly in with blazing sword (or tongue) when we see an injustice based on a double standard – which is commendable, but can also be laughable…

What? You don’t think so? Well, let me ask you this. Have many times have you been on the road behind someone who is driving less than desirably (by your standards) and when you finally get the opportunity to get around them, you discover they’re talking on a cell phone or even worse - texting? And from the so-called safety of your moving vehicle with the windows rolled up, you react with something like, “Quit texting before you kill somebody!” or “Hang up and drive!” and then YOUR cell phone rings with a call or buzzes with a text… and you answer it because after all, you know how to drive and talk on the phone, right? Double standard.

Or, as Christians, we’re quick to spout off about those who follow the desires of their sinful nature according to Galatians 5…sexual immorality, lustful pleasures, drunkenness, wild parties, idolatry, sorcery… "Why, Henry, that’s devil worship! Scripture is clear that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God!!"  That’s what it states alright - a clear standard – however, that passage in its entirety reads, 19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, 21 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.

Imagine that! Hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, and envy right smack dab in the middle between sorcery and drunkenness… oh, my!

There is only one standard. One God. One Way. God said through Jeremiah in chapter 32, verse 39, And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me forever, for the good of them, and of their children after them… One heart – no division, no dissension…

Is there no hope then? Yes, there is always hope in God through Christ our Lord! Our text (Galatians 5) in the New King James version tells us if we walk in the Spirit, we shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Go on down a little in the chapter and we find, 22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

Continuing on, the good news is that 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.

One God. One Way – Jesus. There is only one standard. His. Pure and simple and undefiled by our double standards.

Prayer:

Father,
           Help us to walk in the Spirit, so that we won’t fulfill the lust of the flesh. Let the Holy Spirit have His way in our lives so we may walk according to Your divine plan – in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen

Counted Wise

Do you want to be counted wise, to build a reputation for wisdom? Here’s what you do: Live well, live wisely, live humbly. It’s the way you live, not the way you talk, that counts. Mean-spirited ambition isn’t wisdom. Boasting that you are wise isn’t wisdom. Twisting the truth to make yourselves sound wise isn’t wisdom. It’s the furthest thing from wisdom—it’s animal cunning, devilish conniving. Whenever you’re trying to look better than others or get the better of others, things fall apart and everyone ends up at the others’ throats.

Real wisdom, God’s wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor. 

James 4:13-18 The Message

It's not always easy dealing with people. We're flawed. We flounder. We fail. It's hard work to get along with each other, but SO worth it!

Prayer:

Father,
           Let the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, our Strength and our Redeemer! Help us to obtain Your wisdom by living a holy life and getting along with those You have placed in our sphere of influence. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

For or Against Love

So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.
John 13:34-35 NLT

The King James Bible states today's Scripture like this; By this ALL WILL KNOW that you are My disciples, if you have love FOR one another (emphasis mine).

The world is well aware of what we as Christians are against. My question is - Do they know what we are FOR?

There are some great organizations that have been founded in order to give Christians a voice - in the world, in politics, even in the workplace. Most people are aware of the Christian stand against abortion and sexual immorality and pornography and human trafficking, etc. These are all battle-worthy, but are we also ready to love like Jesus? Romans 8:38-39 tells us how strong His love is for us. Can we say the same of our love for others? For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The question in my mind today is not whether those around me know I am a Christian, but rather HOW do they know? What reasons would THEY give for saying they know I am a Christian? Is it because I have love FOR or because of what I stand against?

Prayer:

Father,
            Our hearts cry out to be free from distrust. Teach us to love each other with a holy love like You have for us and teach us to love You as You desire to be loved. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Maintaining a Harvest of Hope

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

What is your hope? What is it anchored in? When the storms of life come (and they will!), do you lose hope or is its foundation sure? Do you know this old song? ♪♫ My anchor holds and grips the solid Rock... His Name is Jesus... yes, He's the One... ♪♫

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

When it's blowing and going with gale-force winds, what do you have to hold onto that is secure? Where will you 'hide' from the storms of life, and yet maintain your hope?

When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been a shelter for me, A strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings.
Psalm 61:2b-4 NKJV

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

Word upon Word, promised forever. So, in the principle of sowing and reaping, what are YOU sowing? I've just given you a page of encouragement to sow for your harvest of hope!

Prayer:

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

Farther Along

Do not envy sinners in your heart. Instead, continue to fear the Lord. There is indeed a future, and your hope will never be cut off.

Proverbs 23:17-18 GWT (God's Word translation)

Envious of sinners?!? Never!!! Right? Check your heart...

When things go wrong for us - those of us who are trying to follow in Christ's footsteps - and the blatant sinner goes merrily along, seemingly without a care, do we sometimes wish we had their life? Do we ever wish that we didn't feel the conviction of the Holy Spirit - like the conviction that makes us hold our tongue when what we really want to do is tell them off? I don't need to list any more examples, your heart may have already taken you to a similar situation. That's being envious of sinners in our hearts. 

There's an old hymn titled "Farther Along" - one of my very favorites. It talks about wondering why we're always tempted and tried and why it has to be like that when sinners don't seem to be bothered at all. Oh, there's some lamenting in it, but then there's the verse that reminds us of the Truth of today's text - There is indeed a future, and your hope will never be cut off. The last verse of the song starts with, "When we see Jesus coming in glory...' THAT's when we'll know that NOTHING on Earth compares to what waits for us in glory.

Oh, dear one, when we see Jesus coming in glory - coming to take us home with Him - we will be thrilled that we chose not to envy, but rather continued to fear the Lord! Hold this Truth in your heart - There is indeed a future, and your hope will never be cut off. 

As the song says, "Farther along, we'll know all about it..."

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for the Truth of Your Word - the conviction and encouragement that comes from it; the promises and our confident hope in its life-giving instructions. Father, give us wisdom AND understanding. Help us to see there is indeed a future. Keep our feet on the path to our eternity with You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Me-anity

Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ. How foolish can you be? After starting your new lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort? 

Galatians 3:2-3 NLT

Guilty! Guilty as charged! When will we grasp the gist of grace? When will we comprehend the cruxes of the crucifixion? When will we divest ourselves of our delusions that we could possibly do anything to earn salvation?

Why is it so difficult to relinquish our will and our own selfish desires to the One who has given HIS all so that we could have it all? Is it because He didn't answer our prayer the way we thought He should? Is it because we didn't get the spouse, the job, the house, the car, the (fill in the blank) when we "really prayed hard"? Is it because the loved one died anyway?

Here's the Truth. We cannot have Christianity on our terms. It's not called "ME-anity." It's His rules. His way. And Jesus is the only way to God.

Where's your trust?

Prayer:

Father,
              According to Your Word in Hebrews 11:6, It’s impossible to please You apart from faith. And why? Because anyone who wants to approach You must believe both that You exist and that You care enough to respond to those who seek You. I choose to lay down my will in surrender to Your will, O God. I want to walk humbly before You. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen

All of Them

Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.
Deuteronomy 31:6 NKJV

I was thinking about this today...

All the hard times we've faced. The hospitalizations we've survived. The near-death experiences. The bills that managed to get paid. Vehicles that have been gifted to us. Employment positions that have been created and offered. All those times I just couldn't see any way to make it through and yet, we did! Every time! Every one of them! ALL of them because of the faithfulness of God!

I woke with these words in my heart from the old Sheri Easter song,
♪♫ 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
Jesus is with me so I claim the victory
Over and over again ♪♫

Peter tells us in Acts 10:34 that God shows no favoritism to all those who fear Him and do what is right. So, I came to tell you that He'll do it for you, too. And in case you have a hard time believing that, I would point out that I KNOW this isn't the first trial you've faced, but you're still here. All those times YOU just couldn't see any way to make it through and yet, you did! Every time! Every one of them! ALL of them because of the faithfulness of God! 

Prayer:

Father,

           Give us grateful hearts to recognize ALL the times You've brought us through. We may have some battle scars, but we made it through because of Your faithfulness toward us. Redirect our focus, Lord. Help us to see Your handprint on the day-to-day of our lives. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Making Good Soil

But the seed planted in the good earth represents those who hear the Word, embrace it, and produce a harvest beyond their wildest dreams.
Mark 4:20 The Message

Have you thought about a Fall garden? Here in Texas, the weather is perfect for it, but how's the soil?
Everyone knows it takes good soil to produce a good harvest. What if you don't have good soil? Do you just forget about it and give up hope for ever having a "harvest beyond their wildest dreams"? Never! Never give up! There IS a way to prepare the soil. Add lots of organic matter - compost, fertilizer, etc. It will stink to high heaven at first, but when it reaches its fullness, according to gardenorganic.org, the finished product is "dark, rich, crumbly, and sweet-smelling." And that type of rich soil will produce!

Obviously in our text for today, Jesus was teaching in story form, likening us to the different kinds of soils to receive God's Word (the seed). So, what if WE don't have good soil? What if we're lacking what it takes to produce a great harvest? What can we do? Add lots of organic matter. 

Organic matter consists of things that were once alive, but are now dead. Stuff that is no longer useful to us until the heat of the compost pile turns it into something used for good. Breaking it down to practical application. We are to be dead to sin: anger, hatred, lust, gossip, lies, etc. Whatever you struggle with - throw it on the pile. Add to that the occasional "fertilizer" of life's circumstances - throw it on the pile. When we give it to God - whatever it may be - according to Philippians 4:18, it comes before Him as "a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well pleasing to God."

Turn it over to God and let the fire of the Holy Spirit cook all the garbage out of it and make it useful to prepare the soil of our hearts to receive God's Word and produce a harvest beyond our wildest dreams.

Prayer:

Father,
          We welcome the work of Your Holy Spirit in our lives. Let the fire of the Holy Spirit cook all the garbage out of it and make it useful to prepare the soil of our hearts to receive Your Word so we can produce a harvest of souls for Your kingdom. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

What Percentage?

Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts. Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins.
Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.”
Mark 12:41-44 NLT

Relax - I'm not going to ask you for money! 

The two coins the widow dropped in the collection box were lepta. Two of them equaled one quadrans. One quadrans equaled 1/64th of a daily wage. So, if she'd 128 lepta, she would have had equal to a day's wage. She had only two. It was all she had and she gave it all. That's 100%. Let's talk about percentages. 

In today's time, for a little perspective, multiply your hourly wage by 8 (or 10, depending on how many hours per day) and divide by 64. That's all you have. What would you do with it? Selah...

When it comes to money, God doesn't require 100%. He calls for a tithe - a mere 10%. However, when He calls for your heart, He wants it all... He started by giving all of His.

Prayer:

Father,
             We want to be cheerful givers in every way. We want to love You with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind, and all our strength, and we want to love our neighbors as ourselves. Teach us to love, Father. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen