Telling of the Miracle

Sing to him; yes, sing his praises And tell of his marvelous works. 

1 Chronicles 16:9 TLB

Tonight, I attended a Praise Service where my son, Aaron, and his family attend. My daughter-in-love saved me a seat next to her, but asked if I minded not sitting on the aisle because she wanted a good view of her husband while he played drums and worshiped. I didn't mind, and as it turned out, I was able to see him, too. 

I love hearing my son on the drums - he plays with such gusto! And tonight, singing praise, declaring the goodness of God and all He has done, I was reminded again of the miracle it is that Aaron can even play the drums. 

I had severe morning sickness when I carried him and was prescribed an anti-nausea medicine. After taking it for several months, a report came out that stated the drug was found to cause severe birth defects such as no arms or severely mutated limbs. Yet because of the marvelous, miraculous works of God, I watched in awe as Aaron tore it up on those drums tonight, playing for God's glory!

Prayer:

Father,

           Thank You again for the miracle of children, the manifest glory of Your presence, and the matchless love that brought salvation to us! Forgive us for the times we allow the miraculous to blend into the everyday without heralding Your great and marvelous works! May we never again miss the opportunity to tell of Your goodness and grace. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

By Request - Dry Bones

He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”

I said, “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.”

Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life.
Ezekiel 37:3-5 NIV

We all go through them. Desert places. Places so dry you wonder if you will live through them - or sometimes question whether or not you even want to live through them. Well, there's good news and there's great news.

The good news is often hidden or lost to us in the dust of the desert, but it is found in Psalm 37:23, The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. If you're in the desert, or on the mountaintop, or in the valley of dead, dry bones, God knows exactly where you are and He's dealing with EVERY detail.

The great news is found in our Promise for Today - Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life.

In Ephesians 5:25-26, Paul tells us, Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word. Hear the Word of the Lord! Run to the Living Water. Your parched dry bones WILL come to LIFE!

Prayer:

Father,

            Thank You for Your Word! Thank You for directing our paths exactly to where we need to be! Help us to always look for Your fingerprints even in the desert sands. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen 

Waiting

Wait and hope for and expect the Lord; be brave and of good courage and let your heart be stout and enduring. Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord.
Psalm 27:14 AMPC

We don't like to wait. We don't like to be put on hold. We don't like to stand in line. We don't like to ask for help. Regrettably, that tends to bleed over to our relationship - or lack thereof - with God. 

Our idea of getting things done does not often include waiting for it to happen. Is this why we are heard to say apologetically, "All I can do is pray..." as if praying and asking God is somehow less than what we might otherwise be able to offer with our own hands?  Do we remember that the Lord says in Jeremiah 17:5, Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the Lord?  

We are all familiar with Psalm 46:10 which reads, Be still, and know that I am God! But I believe it is better understood in the AMPC Bible - Let be and be still, and know (recognize and understand) that I am God. How often do we fail to recognize and understand that HE is God? God is NOT any less God just because He doesn't answer a prayer the way we think it should be answered. He is Omniscient (all-knowing) and Omnipotent (all-powerful). The Great I AM.  

Have you ever given thought to why Scripture tells us to be brave and of good courage? I believe it is because it takes great courage to pray and refuse to act before God does. Wait and hope for and expect the Lord; be brave and of good courage and let your heart be stout and enduring. Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord.

Prayer:

Father,

           Forgive us for not recognizing and understanding that You alone are God. For not operating in faith and believing You are who You say You are and will do what You say You will do. Father, we believe, help our unbelief. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

The Water Test

Elijah challenged the people: “How long are you going to sit on the fence? If God is the real God, follow him; if it’s Baal, follow him. Make up your minds!”

1st Kings 18:21 The Message

This is one of my favorite chapters in the Old Testament - several great lessons all rolled into one. However, for this time, I just want to focus on the last half of the chapter to make - or I guess I should say - "re-make" the point.

I believe with all my heart that we are at the place in the timeline of life where God is calling His people out of apathy. Out of complacency. I want to encourage you to NOT be moved by what you see in this world. It doesn't matter how much someone rains on your parade.

Don't be disheartened or discouraged. It doesn't matter what it looks like. Current events do NOT change God. They do NOT adversely affect His plan. And when you dare to stand in the face of adversity for the cause of Christ, it doesn't matter how many people tell you you're all wet. Learn this lesson from Elijah. Let's pick up from where we started with verse 21.

Nobody said a word; nobody made a move.

Then Elijah said, “I’m the only prophet of God left in Israel; and there are 450 prophets of Baal. Let the Baal prophets bring up two oxen; let them pick one, butcher it, and lay it out on an altar on firewood—but don’t ignite it. I’ll take the other ox, cut it up, and lay it on the wood. But neither will I light the fire. Then you pray to your gods and I’ll pray to God. The god who answers with fire will prove to be, in fact, God.”

All the people agreed: “A good plan—do it!”

Elijah told the Baal prophets, “Choose your ox and prepare it. You go first, you’re the majority. Then pray to your god, but don’t light the fire.” So they took the ox he had given them, prepared it for the altar, then prayed to Baal. They prayed all morning long, “O Baal, answer us!” But nothing happened—not so much as a whisper of breeze. Desperate, they jumped and stomped on the altar they had made.

By noon, Elijah had started making fun of them, taunting, “Call a little louder—he is a god, after all. Maybe he’s off meditating somewhere or other, or maybe he’s gotten involved in a project, or maybe he’s on vacation. You don’t suppose he’s overslept, do you, and needs to be waked up?”

They prayed louder and louder, cutting themselves with swords and knives—a ritual common to them—until they were covered with blood. This went on until well past noon. They used every religious trick and strategy they knew to make something happen on the altar, but nothing happened—not so much as a whisper, not a flicker of response.

Then Elijah told the people, “Enough of that—it’s my turn. Gather around.” And they gathered. He then put the altar back together for by now it was in ruins. Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes of Jacob, the same Jacob to whom God had said, “From now on your name is Israel.” He built the stones into the altar in honor of God. Then Elijah dug a fairly wide trench around the altar. He laid firewood on the altar, cut up the ox, put it on the wood, and said, “Fill four buckets with water and drench both the ox and the firewood.” Then he said, “Do it again,” and they did it. Then he said, “Do it a third time,” and they did it a third time. The altar was drenched and the trench was filled with water.

When it was time for the sacrifice to be offered, Elijah the prophet came up and prayed, “O God, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, make it known right now that you are God in Israel, that I am your servant, and that I’m doing what I’m doing under your orders. Answer me, God; O answer me and reveal to this people that you are God, the true God, and that you are giving these people another chance at repentance.”

Immediately the fire of God fell and burned up the offering, the wood, the stones, the dirt, and even the water in the trench.

All the people saw it happen and fell on their faces in awed worship, exclaiming, “God is the true God! God is the true God!”

Here's the thing. God was - and IS - the true God even before the dueling oxen! Even if people think you're all wet...

Prayer:

Father,
          We pray Your Word, Answer me, God; O answer me and reveal to this people that You are God, the true God, and that You are giving these people another chance at repentance. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

With Regard to Praying

Epaphras, a member of your own fellowship and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings. He always prays earnestly for you, asking God to make you strong and perfect, fully confident that you are following the whole will of God. I can assure you that he prays hard for you and also for the believers in Laodicea and Hierapolis.

Colossians 4:12 NLT

I read dictionaries. I know, I'm a little strange...okay, a LOT strange, but I love words. Of course, if you've been a Promise follower for very long, you already know that. I like doing word studies with period dictionaries because words don't mean the same as they used to. Have they changed that much? Yes! They certainly have!

Just in today's vernacular - Sick used to mean please pray and call a doctor. Bad used to mean NOT good and involved some kind of correction/punishment, etc. Skinny used to mean the opposite of fat, but now that's spelled PHAT and is another "word" for 'all that' (which is always accompanied by a certain tone and look), and skinny is also a euphemism for information that is not common knowledge about a particular person, place or thing (better known as gossip) depending on what book you use. Are you confused yet?

In the King James Version of the Bible, our text today reads Epaphras is always labouring fervently for you in prayers. Fervently comes from the Greek word energeo, meaning to be at work, put forth power. Do we even associate praying with labor, let alone laboring fervently? So laboring to put forth power for you in prayers...Wow! Any questions about the meaning of this? And are we doing it?

Prayer:

Father,
           Strip away the fluff and the stuff and the puffs of hot air that we interpret as prayer. Give our hearts an extreme makeover so that we understand the meaning of fervent prayer and enter into it for one another. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Light in the Darkness

Light shines in the darkness for the godly. They are generous, compassionate, and righteous.
Psalm 112: 4 NLT

In Scripture, darkness often refers to troublesome times. I have to say that encourages me on two counts. One - God's Word acknowledges there will be troublesome times, so He's aware, and two, Scripture also speaks of light in relation to the darkness. We all know that if it's dark, we just need to find the light. 

Isaiah prophesied about Jesus' coming in terms of darkness and light (Isaiah 9:2). The Gospel of Matthew, chapter 4:16, quotes Isaiah: ...the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light. And for those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow, a light has shined. Praise God! Jesus came to show us the way out of our darkness.

For those who follow the Lord, God promised His light to shine on our path. In John 8:12 NLT, Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life."  Yes, we just need to find the Light.

Prayer:

Father,

          Thank You for sending Your Son to shine His light in our dark times. We pray according to Your Word in Psalm 43, Send out Your light and Your truth; let them guide me. Let them lead me to Your holy mountain, to the place where You live. Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise You again— my Savior and my God! In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen

A Change of Heart

“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.”
Jeremiah 17:9-10 NLT

How's your heart? Do you know? Are you aware of changes that need to take place - of old lifestyle patterns that need to be made new through Jesus? I heard a great teaching yesterday about the power of change. Let me share a few highlights. 

As a general rule of thumb, we don't like change. We like things the way we like them and we want them to stay that way. Change awakens the flesh - our sinful nature. It requires us to adapt. We get our back up about change - annoyed, angry - especially about those changes we didn't ask for. (CoVID, jobs, economy, masks...you get the picture) But change is essential to life. 

Think about it. How do you expose a scorpion? Move the rocks where they hide (change the landscape). They need to first be revealed so they can be killed. Any evil we hide in our hearts must also be revealed so it can be killed, too. Change brings about the revealing. Will we allow the Holy Spirit to be the executioner?

Prayer:

Father, 

          We need a change of heart. In Ezekiel 36:26, You declare, And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. Please do it swiftly, Father. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Great Truths

Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love?
Romans 8:35a NLT

I just keep coming back to the eighth chapter of Romans... It is so rich! Somebody needs to be reminded of these great Truths. Today, this is for you!

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?

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.

Prayer:

Father,
          Thank You that Your Word is alive and relevant for all time! Thank You for Your everlasting promises and Your never-ending, unfailing love! We cannot even properly comprehend the depth of Your love for us. Teach us, Lord, to have grateful hearts. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Seasons of Life

For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 NLT

It is true that life is made up of so many seasons. As Ecclesiastes 3:2-8 NLT enumerates,

A time to be born and a time to die.
A time to plant and a time to harvest.
A time to kill and a time to heal.
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
A time to cry and a time to laugh.
A time to grieve and a time to dance.
A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
A time to search and a time to quit searching.
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
A time to tear and a time to mend.
A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
A time to love and a time to hate.
A time for war and a time for peace.

Now, this next statement is just my opinion - I believe we carry grief for as long as we live on Earth. I don't mean to say that you will be in deep mourning for the rest of your life. No, I believe that grief has multiple stages and seasons just like life, but it's not something you just "get over" or "get past" and it's done, never to be thought about or experienced again - as anyone who has ever lost a loved one can testify.

For instance, in my own life, my mother died almost 25 years ago. I go for long periods of time and don't think about her, but early today, I missed her and cried for her like it happened yesterday. That's what makes me say that grief is for as long as we live... until Jesus comes to take us all home and we are reunited with our loved ones who have died in Christ. 

Verse 11 of this same chapter reads, Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. It's true, we cannot see the whole scope of God's work, but we do know and can believe that He has promised never to leave us or forsake us. 

If you're grieving right now or in a rough season of life, wait on the Lord. He will show up. He will carry you. You will get through this. Seasons do change.

Prayer:

Father,

           Thank You for Your Word to instruct and teach us how to live in each season. Thank You that Your Word carries us through all of them. Breathe fresh life into the eternity You planted in our hearts. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Opposites

Those who think they can do it on their own end up obsessed with measuring their own moral muscle but never get around to exercising it in real life. Those who trust God’s action in them find that God’s Spirit is in them—living and breathing God! Obsession with self in these matters is a dead end; attention to God leads us out into the open, into a spacious, free life. Focusing on the self is the opposite of focusing on God. Anyone completely absorbed in self ignores God, ends up thinking more about self than God. That person ignores who God is and what he is doing. And God isn't pleased at being ignored.
Romans 8:5-8 The Message

I just keep thinking about this... the concept of opposites. Being diametrically opposed to something - totally, completely, wholly opposite. Focusing on the self is the opposite of focusing on God. Worthy of note, self is opposite of God.

Here's another thought to ponder. Everything satan was when he was first created - worship leader, servant of God, etc - he is now the complete opposite. In my mind, that begs this question. Since being made a new creation in Christ, are we the complete opposite of what we were?

Prayer:

Father,
           We pray according to Your Word in Isaiah 55. We will seek You, Lord, while You can be found. We will call on You now while You are near. By Your grace, we will change our ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Father, we will turn to You that You would have mercy on us and forgive us generously, so that we may be opposite of what we were before we gave our lives to You.  In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

By Request - Living in 3-D

 At the time, discipline isn’t much fun. It always feels like it’s going against the grain. Later, of course, it pays off handsomely, for it’s the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God.

Hebrews 12:11 The Message Bible

Ever feel like you're living in a two-dimensional world? Your life has or appears to have length and breadth, but there's absolutely no depth to it? Talk about leaving you flat... pun intended.

What comes to your mind when you think of discipline? I used to always think of it in a negative manner, but somewhere along the way, God's Truth of it was revealed.

Think about it. The discipline of going to the gym and/or not eating fried anything is difficult but what it produces is SO worth it. You don't go into it lightly. It's hard work. It takes determination to maintain the discipline. 

Even more so, living for Christ. The Christian disciplines are hard to maintain, but God has given us His grace. I firmly believe that sometimes the trials that come along in life are put there by a loving God - to develop and establish the disciplines in our lives that He desires to see in us, so that we may become who He designed us to be.

God disciplines those He loves; that's what His Word tells us. And we are to be disciplined in the lives we live before Him. Brian Adleman nailed it with this phrase: Discipline + Determination = Destiny. Living in 3-D.

Prayer:

Father,
          Open our ears to hear our own whining so that we might then determine to discipline ourselves, and in doing that, arrive at the destiny You have ordained for us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

One of Those Days

O God, listen to my cry! Hear my prayer! From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed.
Psalm 61:1-2 NLT

I believe it was Ashleigh Brilliant who said, "I try to take one day at a time, but sometimes several days attack me at once." At any rate, that is how I feel today - slightly overwhelmed. Have you ever had one of those days? I'm sure you have. And it is for those days that I offer these great truths. Let the hope and love in them wash over your soul.

Psalm 73:26
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

2 Corinthians 4:17-18
For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

Psalm 48:14
For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end.

Isaiah 41:10
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4
...who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

Psalm 46:1
God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.

Romans 8:18
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

Prayer:

Father,

          Thank You that no matter the circumstance, no matter the question, no matter the answer needed, You have it all and so lovingly, thoughtfully, have given it to us in Your Word. Thank You for the life You have given us. Thank You for this day even tho it is one of those days. Be the Strength of our hearts and our portion forever. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Change of Address

Don't let this throw you. You trust God, don't you? Trust me. There is plenty of room for you in my Father's home. If that weren't so, would I have told you that I'm on my way to get a room ready for you? And if I'm on my way to get your room ready, I'll come back and get you so you can live where I live.
John 14:1-3 The Message

The American Dream. Own a home you can call your own...well, you and the bank... Then go to the post office and file the Change of Address form.

Although there are questions to ask yourself before the purchase. Do you know the answers to these questions?

1. Can you trust the land developer?
Answer: Sow for yourselves righteousness; Reap in mercy; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the LORD, Till He comes and rains righteousness on you. Hosea 10:12 or Deuteronomy 11:12, A land which the LORD thy God careth for: the eyes of the LORD thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year.

2. Is it built on solid ground or will there be a sinkhole?
Answer: Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. Matthew 7:24-25

3. Do you know who built it?
Answer: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Hebrews 11:10 or Ephesians 2:20-21, ...having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord,

4. Who's going to be the caretaker?
Answer: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. 1st Peter 5:7

5. Who is going to manage the upkeep and supply what you need?
Answer: And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

6. Once you're in, what if something breaks?
Answer: Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

7. Do you have insurance?
Answer: Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy...

8. Do you have a security system?
Answers: No weapon formed against you shall prosper...

9. How long will I live there?
I do not plan to have my permanent residence where moth and rust corrupt and destroy what I have. I look to Jesus - the Author and Finisher of our faith.

I'm just letting you know, when Jesus comes to take me, I'm going. This is your official notification for change of address. Do you need to file one, too?

Prayer:

Father,
We know the Day is soon approaching and we can hardly wait! Open the eyes and hearts of those who have yet to receive You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Changing the Harvest

Make no mistake about it, God will never be mocked! For what you plant will always be the very thing you harvest. The harvest you reap reveals the seed that was planted. If you plant the corrupt seeds of self-life into this natural realm, you can expect to experience a harvest of corruption. If you plant the good seeds of Spirit-life you will reap the beautiful fruits that grow from the everlasting life of the Spirit.
Galatians 6:7-8 The Passion Translation

I didn't write this devotion, Pastor Alan Neel did (of Life Community Church, La Porte, TX). I added the prayer at the end.

*************************
If we don’t like what we are reaping, we should change what we are planting. It’s a good quote, but entirely impossible without God’s assistance.

Our sinful nature is plagued with addiction! It doesn’t have to be drugs, alcohol, or some sexual addiction, it can be ANYTHING that satisfies our flesh. Only by continually asking God for help, and yielding to the power of the Holy Spirit can we overcome our flesh. It’s a battle where victories are won one day at a time! MAKE THAT DAY TODAY! 

CHANGE THE SEED AND CHANGE THE HARVEST!

Prayer:

Father,

           Help us to rip up the bad seed that has been sown in our lives - to weed out the tares in our fields of life. We want to sow pure seeds of Your love so that hate is choked out. We want to plant seeds of Your peace in the midst of the storms of this life. Bring Your peace, Father, In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Ample Opportunity

When Jesus returned to Capernaum several days later, the news spread quickly that he was back home. Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there was no more room, even outside the door. While he was preaching God’s word to them, four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus.
Mark 2:1-4 NLT

The "What Would Jesus Do" campaign became popular in the US in the late 1980s and gained in popularity through the 1990s. Then in 2010, they made a movie by the same title, and later, a second movie. However, did you know it goes way back before that? In 1891 (yes, that's 18 hundred), Charles Spurgeon preached a sermon using the repeated phrase and cited his source as a book written early in the 15th Century. However, as all great Truths, this, too, comes directly from the Word of God:

Philippians 2:5 The Passion Translation, And consider the example that Jesus, the Anointed One, has set before us. Let his mindset become your motivation.

1st John 2:6 NLT, Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.

And it should be our standard for living. However, in reading Mark 2, my question was more about what would I have done if I was one of the four men taking the man to Jesus? Obviously, they were late to the gathering because the place was already packed with people. Yes, that would probably have been me, usually last minute... Would I have been put off by the crowd? Would I have given up because there was no way we were getting in, let alone to the front? No seats to be had? Couldn't even see Jesus and definitely couldn't hear Him outside...

What?!? Through the roof?!? Are you crazy? How are we gonna get him ON the roof? And then expect me to tear a hole in the roof big enough to lower him in front of Jesus? Who's paying for that?!?

What would you have done? How many of us would have left at first sight of the crowd? As Christ followers, we have ample opportunities to overcome obstacles and ample opportunities to exercise our faith. Do we? Would we? What would Jesus do?

Prayer:

Father,
           Forgive us for all the times we make excuses - for those times that we allow our faith to be deterred by circumstances and what we see in front of us. Father, we want to walk by faith and not by sight, according to Your Word. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

By Request - Losing My Marbles

 Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered— how fleeting my life is.

Psalm 39:4 NLT

It is my opinion that of all the resources we squander, time is the one that most affects us and those around us. We tend to think we are invincible - that time and life go on and on. We think we have plenty of time to do what we want to do or to accomplish what we want to accomplish. Plenty of time to catch up later - tell that one we love them or send a note to encourage this one or call so-and-so... and somehow, time gets away from us and we don't.

There's an internet story that goes around about a man who recognized the value of time by filling a jar with an exact number of marbles - one for every Saturday of his projected life. Fifty-two weeks in a year, so 52 marbles for every year. And every Saturday, he would take one of the marbles out of the jar and put it in the used jar and reflect on how that time was used. Ten years ago, the expected average life span of men was 74.1, and for women - 79.8. Rounding that would be 3,848 marbles for men and 4,160 marbles for women. According to this, I've used over two-thirds of my marbles. I now have less than one-third left...

If we spend our lives in trivial pursuit, then all we have to offer is trivial. I'm not talking about not taking time to relax or play with friends, I'm talking about making trivial a lifestyle. If I spend all my time after work in a-muse-ment (amuse is defined as non-thinking), then what do I have to offer my family? My friends? What do I have to offer that woman whose life is overwhelming? That man who is desperate in his life? That child who needs my time?

 If I spend all my time after work in a-muse-ment = non-thinking, then I'm losing my marbles.

Prayer:

Father,
         Forgive me for squandering that which You've given me - be it time or the Grace bought by Your Son's sacrifice on the Cross for my sin. Continue to shed Your light on those areas in my life that must change. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

A Truthful Government

For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever.
Isaiah 9:6-7 NKJV

I remember in 2011 when the airwaves were buzzing – the headlines were screaming – the whole cacophonous melee was centered around the possible shutdown of the U.S. government. Friends and family were in borderline panic mode and some were even angry because I wouldn't come unglued with them. 

A decade later and it's a pandemic and political unrest and another impeachment attempt. People are in panic mode yet again and still angry that I won't come unglued with them.

No, I do NOT need to get my head out of the clouds or any place else. Philippians 4:6-8 tells me –
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

I've got a news flash for you! My faith is not in the U.S. government’s ability to protect and care for me. There is a VAST difference between living in faith believing God and living in la-la land. I choose to base my life on the Truth of God’s Word, not the facts of this life. The Truth is – (Isaiah 26:3-4 NKJV)
You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.
Trust in the LORD forever, For in YAH, the LORD, is everlasting strength.

I choose to stick with what has worked since BEFORE the foundation of the earth! His budget always has security. No other government, no secret service, no elite fighting force can get anything over on Him. God has never been – nor will He ever be – in danger of shutting down.

Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end…Based on that Truth, where will you bet your life and the lives of those you love?

Prayer:

Father,
            Show us the right path, O Lord; point out the road for us to follow. Lead us by Your truth and teach us, for You are the God who saves us. All day long we put our hope in You. Search us, O God, and know our hearts: try us, and know our thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in us, and lead us in the way everlasting. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen

For This Time

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.
Psalm 139:16 NLT

I did not write the following. I just wish I did... (A friend of mine reposted it from https://www.facebook.com/ncrisp/posts/10217475010457936). However, we all need to be reminded of the GREAT Truths contained herein:

• Don’t feel sorry for or fear for your kids because the world they are going to grow up in is not what it used to be.
• God created them and called them for the exact moment in time that they’re in. Their life isn’t a coincidence or an accident.
• Raise them up to know the power they walk in as children of God.
• Train them up in the authority of His Word.
• Teach them to walk in faith knowing that God is in control.
• Empower them to know they can change the world.
• Don’t teach them to be fearful and disheartened by the state of the world but hopeful that they can do something about it.
• Every person in all of history has been placed in the time that they were in because of God’s sovereign plan.
• He knew Daniel could handle the lions' den. 
• He knew David could handle Goliath.
• He knew Esther could handle Haman.
• He knew Peter could handle persecution.
• He knows that your child can handle whatever challenges they face in their life. He created them specifically for it!
• Don’t be scared for your children, but be honored that God chose YOU to parent the generation that is facing the biggest challenges of our lifetime.
• Rise to the challenge.
• Raise Daniels, Davids, Esthers, and Peters!
• God isn’t scratching His head wondering what He’s going to do with this mess of a world.
• He has an army He’s raising up to drive back the darkness and make Him known all over the earth.
• Don’t let your fear steal the greatness God placed in them. I know it’s hard to imagine them as anything besides our sweet little babies, and we just want to protect them from anything that could ever be hard on them, but they were born for such a time as this!

Prayer:

Father,

          Thank You for Your Truth! Thank You for blasting Your light into the darkness to expose and dispel the lies of the enemy! You have commanded us to be strong and courageous! To not be afraid and to not panic. For You, Lord, are our God and You have promised to personally go ahead of us. We know that You will neither fail us nor abandon us.  Help us to embrace Your Word, Father, and walk in it. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen

Healing In the Land

For the time is ripe for judgment to begin in God’s own household. And if it starts with us, what will be the fate of those who refuse to obey the gospel of God?

1st Peter 4:17 TPT

As Christians, judgment STARTS with us. As an American, naturally, my heart is heavy for my own country, but God's Word is for the whole world. How do we individually have an active part in healing our lands? 

1. Humble ourselves before God

2. Pray

3. Seek God's face

4. Turn from OUR wicked ways (not point out everyone else's sin)

It is only THEN that God will hear us and forgive us and HEAL OUR LAND, according to 2nd Chronicles 7:14.

Prayer: 

Father,
           Open our eyes to see our own sin so that our hearts are convicted and we turn from them. That's easier said than done but give us the wisdom and the strength to do all these things and earnestly seek Your face, so that our land may be healed. Our hope is ONLY in You, Father, and we ask this in Jesus' Name. Amen

My Resolution

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
1st Corinthians 10:13 NKJV

So, how’s it going with your New Year resolution(s)? Do you make one and stick to it, or do you have a list of them and hope for the best? I used to be so bad about not keeping them. And since I was so bad about them, I decided I needed accountability.

I hate to admit this, but I never used to consult God. I always just made my own list. However, I have learned to bring God into it. I ask Him what should be #1 on my list to correct/improve for the year… The upside to having God as your accountability partner is that He’s with you all the time. The downside to having Him as your accountability partner is your flesh will be screaming because He’s with you all the time. LOL. It’s okay to laugh if you want to, but He’s very faithful about providing the answer and reminding me, if I should start to slack off. And I must say at the end of the year, I am much improved in that area because of His leading…and pushing…and pulling…

All kidding aside, I am so grateful for God's faithfulness and His mercy and His grace and His unfailing love and...

The wake-up moment for me was when I realized that making the choice to follow Him in the first place should already have brought that kind of commitment to my life. The other thing I’ve learned is that when I made the list on my own, I was not able to keep it on my own. When I follow God’s choice, He gives me His strength to overcome and I am victorious through Him.

So, here’s my resolution. I will follow Christ.

Prayer:

Father,
           We resolve to follow You. More of You will fix whatever’s wrong in our lives. We want more of You, Lord. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen

A Sure Thing

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

The storms are brewing. There's an underlying, palpable sense of unrest. People don't know who they can count on and not sure who they can trust. That's what happens when people put their trust in man and government instead of God.  

In a world that is constantly changing and keeps proclaiming "unprecedented" times, we need to know what God spoke through Isaiah the prophet (in chapter 28:16-17a The Message), 

Watch closely. I’m laying a foundation in Zion,

a solid granite foundation, squared and true.

And this is the meaning of the stone:

A trusting life won’t topple.

I’ll make justice the measuring stick

and righteousness the plumb line for the building.

While the world as we know it may crumble around us, Jesus is a solid foundation - the chief cornerstone on which we can build, knowing it will stand. We find in 2nd Timothy 1:12 (NKJV) that Paul writes,  ...for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.

God's Word assures us in Hebrews 13:8 NKJV that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  He declared about Himself in Malachi 3:6 NLT, I am the Lord, and I do not change. And further down in that same chapter, God promises if we return to Him, He will return to us. He is a sure thing.

Prayer:

Father,

          Open our eyes to see where we have misplaced our trust. Set our hearts on fire for more of You. Help us to see clearly what Your purpose is for our lives. We choose to return to You, Lord. Return to us as You promised. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Going the Distance

Stay clear of silly stories that get dressed up as religion. Exercise daily in God—no spiritual flabbiness, please! Workouts in the gymnasium are useful, but a disciplined life in God is far more so, making you fit both today and forever.
1st Timothy 4:7-8 The Message

How's it going with those New Year resolutions? How many new gym members do you know who did not go 3 or 4 times this week, but are lucky to have made it once or twice? Just to clarify - thinking about going is not the same as going...

Trainers tell those who regularly go to the gym to wait till two weeks into January so they'll have a better chance of getting a machine when they want it. And if they wait until the end of the month, there will be no wait.

If you are one who is on a regular exercise program, you know the only immediate effect you have after the first day at the gym is pain...and the second day...and the third day...and any time you up the ante on your routine. However, if you remain faithful and are disciplined, you progress, training and developing the necessary muscles to get the job done.

If you go to the gym and hear about all the things the machines can help you do, but you just stand there without getting to know the equipment and actually using it, you don't reap the benefits. It's the time well-spent in the gym that equips us to lift that weight or go the distance.

Our spiritual walk is exactly the same. We will have ample opportunity to exercise our faith, but will we? Or do we quit because the only immediate effect we got was pain? And if we quit then any time a crisis comes, instead of being prepped and ready, we feel the pain again.

If we go to the church and only hear about our Savior, but don't get to know Him or we don’t utilize the equipment (the Word of God, for instance), we're not going to reap the benefits of being a Christian. However, if we remain faithful and are disciplined, we progress, and we train and develop the necessary faith to get the job done. It's the time well-spent in the Word that equips us to lift that weight AND go the distance.

After all, Jesus went the distance for you.

Prayer:

Father,
Birth in us a new desire for You and Your Word. Help us to keep our priorities in the proper order. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

By Request - Blazing a Trail

I will go before you and make the crooked places straight...
Isaiah 45:2a NKJV

Have you ever taken a path that wasn't a paved road or sidewalk? Have you walked a trail through the woods or a campground? You know the trail was made because many people walked that same path. I love going through an old neighborhood and seeing a worn path between two houses. You know they have forged a friendship and the trail is the proof.

In business, we often refer to leaving a paper trail - one that can help us to determine where we started, where we've been, and hopefully, point us in a good direction for the next time we go that way. It matters not the kind of trail, the one thing they all have in common is that someone had to make the first step.

Scripture instructs us to comfort others with the comfort we have received from the Lord (2nd Corinthians 1:4). I believe that extends to all areas of our lives - sharing knowledge, best way practices, lending a hand, etc. So think about this for a moment. Think about the last trial of your faith that you walked through blazing a trail… where you packed the grass a little tighter, leaving impressions while on your knees. Left pieces of you among the rocks. You are able now to help the next person navigate that trail.

With that in mind, think about the one you're walking now. Step a little stronger - walk with a little more purpose. Leave footprints for those coming after you. Take note of the prayers and Scriptures that give you sustenance for this part of the journey. Leave landmarks.

Jesus walked it first and showed us the way. Help to make the way more clearly defined for those coming after you. Whether it's the heat of adversity, the fire of our passion, or following hot on the footsteps of Jesus, we're blazing a trail for those coming after us, so let's follow Jesus. He's never lost, and He makes the crooked ways straight.

Prayer:

Father,
            Thank You for being the original GPS. Thank You for Your mercy and Your grace and Your forgiveness that redeems us so we are not eternally lost when we miss the way. Help us, Father, to follow more closely in Your footsteps. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Hope in the Dark

Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land.
Proverbs 25:25 NIV

I love hearing praise reports of God's faithfulness - especially in the middle of all this craziness in the world today. Take hope! Be encouraged! God is still on the throne and still answering prayer and still receiving praise!

For eleven long years, my friend has been praying for her husband to be free from alcohol addiction. She stood fast, believing. She told God, "I don't know the year, the month, the day, the minute, or the second You will do it, but I know You WILL!" And He has!! Six weeks ago, her husband laid it at the feet of Jesus and is now joyfully working his way through Celebrate Recovery.

1st Thessalonians 5:11, NLT reads, So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing. Let us rejoice with those who are rejoicing! Don't give up praying for one another's burdens. Take hope! Be encouraged!

Prayer:

Father,
           We thank You for changing hearts and lives! We give You praise for deliverance! We thank You for the means to be able to share the Good News of Your saving Grace. Help us to always abound in spreading Your hope and encouragement and comfort. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Healing Scriptures

Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits – who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases. 

Psalm 103:2-3

I have several friends who are currently dealing with CoVID and a couple who are battling for their very lives.  I can't fix this, but I can pray and I can proclaim God's TRUTH over the facts and symptoms. And so I offer the same weapons of warfare for your benefit, as well. 

My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart. For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh. (Prov 4:20-22 NKJV)

Not a word failed of any good thing which the LORD had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass. (Josh 21:45 NKJV)

...for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. (Phil 2:13 NKJV)

But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. (Rom 8:11 NKJV)

For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. (2 Cor 1:20 NKJV)

And behold, a leper came and worshipped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean. Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. (Mat 8:2-3 NKJV)

“If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you.” (Exo 15:26 NKJV)

“So you shall serve the LORD your God, and He will bless your bread and your water. And I will take sickness away from the midst of you. (Exo 23:25 NKJV)

“And the LORD will take away from you all sickness, and will afflict you with none of the terrible diseases of Egypt which you have known, but will lay them on all those who hate you. (Deu 7:15 NKJV)

Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. (Psa 103:1-5 NKJV)

He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions. (Psa 107:20 NKJV)

I shall not die, but live, And declare the works of the LORD. (Psa 118:17 NKJV)

“I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; (Deu 30:19 NKJV)

With long life I will satisfy him, And show him My salvation.” (Psa 91:16 NKJV)

But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. (Isa 53:5 NKJV)

For I will restore health to you And heal you of your wounds,’ says the LORD,  (Jer 30:17 NKJV)

“Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. (Mat 18:18 NKJV)

“Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. (Mat 18:19 NKJV)

So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. “For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. (Mark 11:22-23 NKJV)

“Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. (Mark 11:24 NKJV)

...even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins. Put Me in remembrance; Let us contend together; State your case, that you may be acquitted. (Isa 43:25-26 NKJV)

“And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; “they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” (Mark 16:17-18 NKJV)

“Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him. (John 9:31 NKJV)

“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. (John 10:10 NKJV)

Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. (Gal 3:13-14 NKJV)

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. (Heb 10:23 NKJV)

Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. (Heb 10:35 NKJV)

“... Let the weak say, ‘I am strong.’” (Joel 3:10 NKJV)

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Heb 13:8 NKJV)

Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. (3 John 1:2 KJV)

Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. (James 5:14-15 NKJV)

...who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness; by whose stripes you were healed. (1 Pet 2:24 NKJV)

Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. (1 John 5:14-15 NKJV)

Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. (1 John 3:21-22 NKJV)

...God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (2 Tim 1:7 NKJV)

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, (2 Cor 10:4-5 NKJV)

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; (Eph 6:10-17 NKJV)

“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. (Rev 12:11 NKJV)

What do you conspire against the LORD? He will make an utter end of it. Affliction will not rise up a second time. (Nahum 1:9 NKJV)

Prayer:

Father,

          We choose the Truth of Your Word over facts. We are gathered here in Your Name asking for miracles. We pray BELIEVING and proclaiming it for those in need of Your healing touch right now. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Fillers

For he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.
Psalm 107:9

Have you ever been so hungry that you would grab the first thing available to eat? Bread, crackers, a piece of cheese. Whatever you can grab that's quick and ready now to tide us over. Then we get too full on the fillers and don't take in the nourishment from a proper supper. Maybe you missed lunch and by the time you got in the door that evening, you were not interested in taking the time to fix a proper meal. Maybe you called something in and picked it up on the way home rather than wait. The truth is that most Americans don't know what true hunger feels like. We know what it's like to want something, and often, we'll settle for anything.

Do we do the same in our relationship with God? We're hungry for something but we settle for anything. We don't want to wait, so we fill up on the spiritual equivalent of chips or crackers and then there's no room for the meat of His Word, the Bread of Life. Psalm 34:8a NLT, invites us to Taste and see that the Lord is good. 

Prayer:

Father,

          Your Word in Matthew 5:6 (NKJV), assures us that Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. We choose to follow Psalm 27:14 - to wait upon You, Lord. You're SO worth it! Help us to not settle for less than You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Created for What

For through the Son everything was created, both in the heavenly realm and on the earth, all that is seen and all that is unseen. Every seat of power, realm of government, principality, and authority—it was all created through him and for his purpose!
Colossians 1:16 TPT The Passion Translation

Most of the other English translations of this Scripture read created through Him and for Him.  EVERYTHING that was created - it was all through Him and FOR Him. Let's take a minute and let that Truth sink in...

We were not created to do just what we want, to satisfy ourselves and our desires. Ephesians 2:10 NLT reaffirms our promise for today, For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.  

So often, we spend our lives secretly (and not so secretly) comparing ourselves to others and coming up short when we don't do (or have) this or that. When we think we should have zigged instead of zagged on the path we have chosen for ourselves. Yet all the while if we walked in this Truth - that we are created through Him and FOR Him - we would seek what He would have us do - what good things HE planned for us to do long ago! Then we could and would be confident and totally secure in Christ.

Prayer:

Father,

           Help us to know Your Truth - that we were not created for ourselves; we were created for You so we could do the good things You planned for us long ago. Give us the courage to walk in the way You would have us go. Open our eyes to see clearly what You would have us to do. We want to fulfill Your purpose and plan for our lives. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Different

Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.
Psalm 51:10 NLT

It's interesting to me how we spend the last week of December praying for change, hoping for it to happen come the first of the new year, even make resolutions to effect said change, but by day three, most are ready to quit or at the very least, to compromise.

Globally, the number one resolution is usually losing weight or getting healthier... but cutting out sugar is harder than we expected. We'd like to walk more so we can be fit, but to get in 10,000 steps a day is an awful lot like exercise... And eating more healthful foods actually requires food prep and cooking. Who has time for all that? The truth is, we want to be different, but we don't want to do what it takes to actually make it/us different.

Do we do the same thing with God in the new year? The number one Christian resolution is spending more time in God's Word. We're going to read the Bible through in a year, but by the end of the first week, we're behind and trying to catch up on the reading! Yes, praise God, His mercies are new every morning, but we can't honestly expect a difference if we're not willing to DO things differently.

Prayer:

Father,
            Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from the sin of complacency. For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night. Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Those Days

I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ himself. In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Colossians 2:2-3 NLT

There are those days when there aren't words to fully express the depth and magnitude of what we are feeling inside. And on some of those days, it's probably a good thing that we can't, amen? But those aren't the days I'm talking about. It's those days when we learn of the grave illness or death of a loved one or our children going off to war or some other great, overwhelming tragedy...

And on those days that don't happen to us, but happen to someone we love, what words can we possibly use? What is it that we - in our finite-ness - could possibly say that would make a difference?

We want to express what we feel. We need to express what we feel, but all we have are tears. The good news is that God in His great love and mercy gave us those tears and they are a language that He alone completely understands, so it's to Him we should give them. With tears, you don't have to worry about which words to use to adequately or properly convey all that's in your heart.

On those days, encourage yourself in God's Word. Take comfort from the One who promises - and delivers - the peace that passes understanding. Encourage others with the Word that never fails.

For those days. From this time forth, and even forevermore (Psalm 121:8).

Prayer:

Father,
            We love Your Word. We love the song You gave Bebo Norman, I Will Lift My Eyes. We do cry out to You. Help us to release everything into Your care, knowing You care for us. Thank You, Father, for Your peace in the storm. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Forgetting Those Things that are Behind

Brothers and sisters, I know that I still have a long way to go. But there is one thing I do: I forget what is in the past and try as hard as I can to reach the goal before me.
Philippians 3:13 ERV

Have you chosen a New Year's resolution or motto for 2021? I am always in awe that the turn of a single calendar page can bring such an expectation of hope for the future. I think Thomas Jefferson perfectly captured the essence of a new year when he said, "I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past."

Oftentimes, we allow past mistakes or misfortunes to hold us captive. I don't know why we do that. Do you? God Himself tells us through His prophet, Isaiah - Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing... (Isaiah 43:18-19 NKJV). If we can be SO hopeful for God's blessings and change with the turn of a single calendar page, does it matter the actual date on it? Remember God's mercies are new EVERY morning. Each day is a new beginning.

That's my resolution for the year - forgetting those things that are behind. I choose joy. I choose life. I choose Jesus.

What are your dreams for the future? Keep reaching for what is ahead - one beautiful NEW day at a time!

Prayer:

Father,
            Thank You for new days and new years, new beginnings, and Your mercies that are new every morning. Thank You for encouraging us with Your Word. Help us to stay focused to accomplish Your plan and purpose in our lives. Open our eyes to see You, our ears to hear You and our hearts to follow You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen