Patiently

God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation.
James 1:12a NLT

I cannot tell you how many times I've read or listened to the book of James. I know the part about enduring testing and temptation. I never even doubted that we would have them because Jesus said we would (John 16:33). However, tonight the adverb leaps out as though it is alive with a mind all its own - patiently - bringing with it total conviction and surrender.

Confession. I cannot say that "patiently" is my standard mode of operation. There's a certain situation that seemingly is adversely affecting a project that I thought was completed. When it first came to light, I was disheartened, then angry, then defeated, and finally, weeks later, I have chosen to humble myself before the Lord, asking forgiveness and for His guidance to teach me how to patiently endure.

The great news is that when we do patiently endure, the rest of that verse reads, Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. Since we are to encourage one another, let me remind you as I remind myself. We are made to be overcomers by the Blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony, but we can't be an overcomer if there's never anything to overcome.

Prayer:

Father,

           Thank You for Your never-ending Grace and Mercy. Thank You for Your Word to correct and strengthen us in our journey with You. Great is Your faithfulness toward us. Help us remember to give thanks IN all things, Father. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

If He Wills...

And now I have a word for you who brashly announce, “Today—at the latest, tomorrow—we’re off to such and such a city for the year. We’re going to start a business and make a lot of money.” You don’t know the first thing about tomorrow. You’re nothing but a wisp of fog, catching a brief bit of sun before disappearing. Instead, make it a habit to say, “If the Master wills it and we’re still alive, we’ll do this or that.”
James 4:13-15 The Message

Where were you when the world shut down for CoVID? My brain was in vacation mode. I was one day away from vacation with my sister... which didn't happen. Even though it had been planned. Even though it had been paid for. Even though we both had arranged for time off from work. It didn't happen. Why? Because at that time, we didn't know the first thing about tomorrow... And we still don't. None of us do. And not just because of CoVID...

One of my favorite old songs is one written by Ira Stanphill. The chorus lyrics are "Many things about tomorrow, I don't seem to understand; but I know Who holds tomorrow, and I know Who holds my hand." And that's where we need to be in our walk - holding to the Master's hand, following His lead... and ONLY His lead. Remember, He not only knows the way, He IS the Way. The Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Thankfully, today, we are still alive. Another one of my friends is not. What will we do? Let's embrace the Truth of God's Word and make it a habit to say, “If the Master wills it and we’re still alive, we’ll do this or that.”  And if He wills, then let's do it.

Prayer:

Father,

           Thank You for each and every day You give us. Help us to stay focused on Your footsteps in front of us so we can follow You. Keep our ears tuned to hear Your voice. Help us to embrace Your total Truths. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Called by Name

This is my covenant with you: I will make you the father of a multitude of nations! What’s more, I am changing your name. It will no longer be Abram. Instead, you will be called Abraham, for you will be the father of many nations. I will make you extremely fruitful. Your descendants will become many nations, and kings will be among them!
Genesis 17:4-6 NLT

That famous promise God gave Abraham—that he and his children would possess the earth—was not given because of something Abraham did or would do. It was based on God's decision to put everything together for him, which Abraham then entered when he believed. If those who get what God gives them only get it by doing everything they are told to do and filling out all the right forms properly signed, that eliminates personal trust completely and turns the promise into an ironclad contract! That's not a holy promise; that's a business deal. A contract drawn up by a hard-nosed lawyer and with plenty of fine print only makes sure that you will never be able to collect. But if there is no contract in the first place, simply a promise—and God's promise at that—you can't break it.

This is why the fulfillment of God's promise depends entirely on trusting God and His way, and then simply embracing Him and what He does. God's promise arrives as a pure gift. That's the only way everyone can be sure to get in on it, those who keep the religious traditions and those who have never heard of them. For Abraham is father of us all. He is not our racial father—that's reading the story backward. He is our faith father.

We call Abraham "father" not because he got God's attention by living like a saint, but because God made something out of Abraham when he was a nobody. Isn't that what we've always read in Scripture, God saying to Abraham, "I set you up as father of many peoples"? Abraham was first named "father" and then became a father because he dared to trust God to do what only God could do: raise the dead to life, with a word make something out of nothing. When everything was hopeless, Abraham believed anyway, deciding to live not on the basis of what he saw he couldn't do but on what God said he would do. And so he was made father of a multitude of peoples. God himself said to him, "You're going to have a big family, Abraham!"

Abraham didn't focus on his own impotence and say, "It's hopeless. This hundred-year-old body could never father a child." Nor did he survey Sarah's decades of infertility and give up. He didn't tiptoe around God's promise asking cautiously skeptical questions. He plunged into the promise and came up strong, ready for God, sure that God would make good on what he had said. That's why it is said, "Abraham was declared fit before God by trusting God to set him right." But it's not just Abraham; it's also us! The same thing gets said about us when we embrace and believe the One who brought Jesus to life when the conditions were equally hopeless. The sacrificed Jesus made us fit for God, set us right with God. Romans 4:13-25 The Message

What's in a name? When God changed Abram's name to Abraham, everyone who called him Abraham proclaimed him "father of a great multitude." The key is that Abraham BELIEVED it when God first spoke it and God counted it to him as righteousness.

What's in a name? Romans 4:12 tells us this about the Name of Jesus, Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.

Philippians 2:9-11 declares, Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

In Revelation 3:11-13, we are promised, All who are victorious will become pillars in the Temple of my God, and they will never have to leave it. And I will write on them the name of my God, and they will be citizens in the city of my God—the new Jerusalem that comes down from heaven from my God. And I will also write on them my new name.

The story is, "The devil knows our name but calls us by our sin. God knows our sin, but calls us by our name." Which would you rather be called? Which would you rather respond to? More importantly, which will you believe? Because what you believe determines how you live your life.

Prayer:

Father,
            Thank You for providing the only sure-fire way to get to You. Thank You that in the Holy Name of Jesus, there is change for all of us. Let Your light and the same resurrection power that raised Jesus from the dead, so shine in us that we have a calling card to the world. Help us to believe as Abraham believed. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

In the Right Place at the Right Time

Pharaoh sent for Joseph at once, and he was quickly brought from the prison. After he shaved and changed his clothes, he went in and stood before Pharaoh.
Genesis 41:14 NLT

What does the plan for your life look like? Has it gone anything like YOU expected it to go? How often have you questioned the Lord (which means 'Supreme Authority') and what He is doing or has allowed to be done? Have you ever demanded of God, "Where are You?!?" and/or "Why am I here?!?"

Well, a reminder then. Jacob's son, Joseph, was the second most powerful man in all of Egypt. Second only to Pharoah himself. How'd he get there? RECAP: He was a pampered Hebrew boy, favorite son, wrongfully sold into slavery, wound up in Egypt, and through no fault of his own, thrown into prison... 13 years and counting. (We talked of his story about a month ago.)

Here's the important point today. If Joseph hadn't been in that prison, Pharaoh would never have found him. The Egyptians HATED the Israelis. Joseph would never have been found in the palace in authority. The remnant of Israel (70 people) would have died out instead of becoming over a million strong.

Joseph was in the right place at the right time because God got him to where he needed to be to accomplish his part in the Master Plan using ways we never would have chosen. It didn't look right. It didn't feel right. However, it was definitely the right place. Wouldn't you agree?

Are you on a similar path? God is still God. He'll do it for you. Trust Him!

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for Your Word! Thank You for transcending truths that stand the test of time. Help us to quickly and always be grateful for the place where You put us. Make our hearts faithful to trust You and give You praise. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Wondering

[Jesus speaking] I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn't produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you.

John 15:1-3

As I clipped and trimmed and shaped and removed sucker growth, I thought about God being our gardener. I wondered at His patience when we resist His tending. I wondered at His ability to see past all the unruly growth to get to the heart of who we are and then to create a clean heart in us. I wondered at His great love to remove the suckers from our lives, so that we may be pure and exhibit true, healthy growth.

And I wonder if He kicks back when the work is done, knowing He's done right by us - and for us - and waits for us to bloom exactly as He planned in the spot where He has planted us or transplanted us. And then I wonder how long He'll have to wait...

Prayer:

Father,
            Cultivate our hearts. Don't let them become stony and hard through inactivity or misuse. Regenerate and wash us with Your Word as You have promised. We want to be and do what You have planned for us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Benefit Package

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:
Psalm 103:1-2 NKJV

During the course of dinner, the conversation turned to gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit and the difference between them.

Fruit is what we reap from seed that is sown and nurtured by walking in the Spirit, not fulfilling the lusts of our own flesh. Galatians 5:22-23 tells us, But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

Gifts are not fruit. They are... well, gifts. At that moment, my friend made a statement that was profound in its simplicity. "Gifts are always a benefit." Selah

And that's exactly how Scripture defines gifts of the Holy Spirit in 1st Corinthians 14. They are beneficial to the whole church when used accordingly. What if we don't use them for the whole church? Oh, they're still gifts, still useable, but they are of the most benefit when used to edify and strengthen ALL.

What are some of the other benefits from our text today? Continuing in verse 3 - 5:

3 Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
4 Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Verse 8
The Lord is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.

And these are just a few... when we choose to follow Him, we get the full benefits package.

Prayer:

Father,
            I will bless Your Name at all times. My praise for You shall continually be in my mouth. I cannot thank You enough, nor praise You enough for all You have done for me. Let all that is within me bless Your Holy Name. Crown my life with Your love, O God. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen

To Communicate

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
Ephesians 4:29 KJV

Have you ever had a conversation or discussion with someone of a much different opinion than yours? You wonder, what’s the use in even trying to persuade them. And while in some situations it is true that it really doesn't matter all that much; what do you do when it IS a matter of life or death in the eternal weight of it?

First, I would encourage you, according to God’s instruction, don’t get argumentative. Communication breaks down when we get up in arms. As we continue in our text for today, verses 31 and 32 read: Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Remember, you may have been just as hard-headed at some point in your life. I know I was. Verse 15a reads, we will speak the truth in love…

Secondly, if the conversation starts to escalate, step back. Breathe. Matthew 12:36-37 warns us that we will give an account on judgment day for every idle word we speak. Verse 37 states, The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you. (That’s scary…) Don’t let your passion override your peace.

Carefully choose your words. 2nd Timothy 3:16-17 (NLT) tells us: All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip His people to do every good work. Remember - the only words that have the power to change anything come from the Word of God or those words prayed according to the will of God. Put the Word(s) to good use. 

Prayer:

Father, 

            We know according to Your Word that Wisdom is the principal thing and therefore, we are to get Wisdom. You also admonish us, that in all of our getting, we are to get understanding. Give us understanding, Father, in how to reach those around us with Your Truth and Your love. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen

I'd Walk a Mile for...

[About Paul] And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. But when some became stubborn and continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus. This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.
Acts 19: 8-10 ESV

Paul was a very learned man. His education and training gave him the authority to teach in the synagogues wherever he went, but invariably those who were steeped in religion fought him at every turn. It was the Jewish people that followed him into the towns and created chaos and trouble. And here, his greatest strategy for spreading the Gospel sets the standard we can follow.

For 3 months, he taught in the synagogue until he caught a lot of flak from the so-called church folks. So rather than get into it with them, he just took his disciples and went elsewhere. No arguments, etc. Down to the Hall of Tyrannus. It was a lecture hall, not a church. It was a place for thinkers - open to all. He didn't have the written Scrolls of Law like he would have had available in the synagogue. He didn't have a Bible (and I'm sure he didn't know he was writing it). He testified...period. He spread the Good News of Jesus and what He had done in Paul's life and what He would do for everyonee. So that ALL the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord - Jews and Greeks, believers and unbelievers, over a period of two years. History estimates about two million people in all.

In the 30-some years of his ministry, Paul documented over 10,000 MILES of travel. Mostly by foot - walking and talking and telling the world about Jesus. And that only accounts for those trips he mentions. (I don't think he mentioned all of them - the side roads, etc.) Without a Bible, without a phone, without a computer and Internet or email. We have all of those things, so we have to ask ourselves, what are we doing to witness?

Prayer:

Father,
           Forgive us for being complacent. Baptize us anew with the fire of the Holy Spirit. Blow on the embers of our soul until we are ablaze to testify of Your great love. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Do-Gooder

Wash yourselves and be clean! Get your sins out of my sight. Give up your evil ways. Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows. 

“Come now, let’s settle this,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow."

Isaiah 1:16-18 NLT

Learn to do good. I don't know how many times I've read this Scripture and totally missed these 4 words. Learn to do good. Or as it hit me, LEARN to do good.

Acts 10:38 tells us that everywhere Jesus went, He was doing good and healing those who were oppressed. However, doing good doesn't come naturally to most people; and yet, it is the very heart of what we are supposed to be doing in our life's work. Ephesians 6:6b-7 reads, doing the will of God from the heart, with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men. 

 Romans 2:6-7 tells us that God “will render to each one according to his deeds”: eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; And we are all familiar with Galatians 6:8b-10, ...he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Peter tells us to commit our souls to God in doing good. The world's view of a 'do-gooder' often has a negative connotation. However, God sees things MUCH differently. Therefore, as we have opportunity, LET US DO GOOD TO ALL, especially to those who are of the household of faith. 

Please! Someone call me a do-gooder because of my actions.

Prayer:

Father,

          Teach us about doing good for others. We want to learn all we can from following Christ's examples and following Your Word. Help us to accomplish this, O God! We pray in Jesus' Name. Amen

Living Proof

I deliberately kept it plain and simple: first Jesus and who he is; then Jesus and what he did—Jesus crucified. I was unsure of how to go about this, and felt totally inadequate—I was scared to death, if you want the truth of it—and so nothing I said could have impressed you or anyone else.
1st Corinthians 2:2-3 The Message

I sat reminiscing with a sweet friend of mine, and it turned into a praise party - both of us praising God and still in awe of where He has brought us from - not only in our life journey but just in the last 12 months.

Has it been difficult? Oh, yes! Are there still things that aren't anywhere near perfect? Oh, yes! Including us? Oh, definitely yes!!

I can't tell you that if you become a Christ-follower that your life will be perfect. I can't tell you all your problems will disappear, that you won't have hard times or heartaches. I can't tell you that you won't struggle with sin. The truth is, as long as we live on this earth, we're going to have issues. His Word tells us that.

The good news is Christ promised to NEVER leave us. He will never forsake us. Even if we FEEL alone, we are not. What? Oh, you're right, I don't know your life or life experiences, so technically, you might think I can't say that in all certainty, but I can and I do because I know who He is. And I can prove to you that He has never walked away from you.

I want you to stop for a minute and think about this. Every trial, every heartache, every illness, every mountain that's ever come against you and threatened your life in any way, I guarantee you that somehow God has brought you through it. Every time you wanted to die and every time you thought you would never live through the situation, He never left you...

You're still drawing breath. You're still here. YOU are the proof. I would even say, the LIVING proof.

Prayer:

Father,
            I don't have silver or gold, no amassed earthly wealth, but help me to give completely to others what I do have. You! Let every word, every story be a testimony of the evidence of You in our lives. I pray that we will acknowledge the proof. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

The Give and Take of It

Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.”
Luke 9:23 NKJV

When we talk about Christianity, invariably we talk about giving. Acts 20:35 reads, And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’

John 15:13, Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. That's extreme giving. 

Romans 12:9-11, Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. 

King James phrases it, preferring one another in love. Putting the other person’s needs before our own. It’s pricey. It costs us in time, effort and comfort. And sometimes, it seems like a whole lot more give than take.

Many of us are familiar with the passage in Matthew 25:31-46, “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’

“Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

“Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’

“Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to pay that price just so I can be comfortable in the here and now.

In God’s Word, there is much to be said about giving and very little to be said about taking. But what IS said about taking is equal to all that is said about giving. It was/is Jesus who said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” Take and give. Give and take. It’s full circle. In taking up His Cross, He gave His all. In taking up our cross, we are to do the same.

Prayer:

Father,
            You have set the ultimate example of give and take. You gave Your Son to take away the sins of the whole world. Be our Strength in our weakness and inability, as we strive to daily take up our cross and follow in Your footsteps. In Jesus’ Name we pray.

Life-or-Death Questions

Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your descendants from the east, And gather you from the west;  I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ And to the south, ‘Do not keep them back!’ Bring My sons from afar, And My daughters from the ends of the earth— Everyone who is called by My name, Whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him.
Isaiah 43:5-7 NKJV

Do you sometimes wonder if the prayers you have prayed in earnest for your loved ones have been for naught? You haven't seen any change and you know time is getting short. Are you close to giving up?  

I know that battle. Is that you?

Stop right here and ask yourself these life-or-death questions.

Is God's Word true?
Do you believe His promises in spite of what you see or do not see?
Do you choose to walk by faith in Him and not by sight - no matter what?

Do not let doubt and fear rob you of your faith in Almighty God. ALL mighty God.

2nd Peter 3:8-9 tells us, But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

Acts 16:31 tells us the answer and provides the Promise for our children and grandchildren for what we and they must do to be saved...“Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.”

Be encouraged to continue to walk in faith, trusting God for the salvation of your loved ones. 

Don't give up!

What is your answer now?

Is God's Word true? (Yes, it is!)
Do you believe His promises in spite of what you see or do not see? (Yes, I do!)

Do you choose to walk by faith in Him and not by sight - no matter what? (Yes, no matter what!) 

Prayer:

Father,
           We pray according to Your Word! I will praise You in Your sanctuary; Praise You in Your mighty firmament! I will praise You for Your mighty acts; and I will praise You according to Your excellent greatness! Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen

What We Trust

No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

Matthew 6:24 NLT

For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.
1st Timothy 6:10

The American currency is inscribed with "In God We Trust" - is it true? Or is our trust in the currency itself?

If - as a Christian in covenant with God through our tithe and offering - we lost everything we owned today, how would we respond or react?

Heart check. Do we truly trust in God or are we trusting in our paycheck, our savings account, our retirement fund?

To find the answer is really quite simple: What do we fear losing the most?

Prayer:

Father,
            You are our Jehovah-Jireh. Everything we have is because You have provided it for us. Even in the darkest of times, Father, You never abandon Your own. And we give You all praise and glory and honor in Jesus' Name. Amen

That Warm Feeling

John used many such warnings as he announced the Good News to the people.
Luke 3:18 NLT

You and I have talked about Truth so many times. What it is and what it is not. We have talked about having Truth as our standard - that the Word of God is Truth that will stand and be the measure by which we live. It's not a maybe. It's not a perhaps. It's not conjecture - pure or otherwise. It's Truth... absolute Truth.

John the Baptist spoke Truth...not a real popular guy. But in the telling of it, I made a connection that I'd never seen before in the Word and I'd like to share it with you. First, let me back up a little and give you the general gist of the chapter. John is in the wilderness. He's preaching true repentance. Repentance is NOT about asking for forgiveness. Repentance IS us choosing to do a 180-degree turn - away from those things that are sin and not aligned with the covenant God set before us - and then NEVER going back.

In chapter 3 of Luke, those who are in sin ask John, "What should we do?" and John tells them like it is. He does not mince words. He does not say, "Oh, poor baby, I know you're trying." He tells them flat out - Stop! Stop doing this! Start doing that! He speaks absolute Truth.

Just as the Word of God instructs, it is Truth that sets us free (from sin and its wages). Luke said of John in verses 4-6, Isaiah had spoken of John when he said, “He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! Clear the road for him! The valleys will be filled, and the mountains and hills made level. The curves will be straightened, and the rough places made smooth. And then all people will see the salvation sent from God." (That's from Isaiah, chapter 40).

It is Truth that digs out the lies underneath the anger. It's Truth that hacks away at the walls we build around us. It's Truth that fills the empty places and potholes in our lives. And I believe it's Truth that makes the road clear - that prepares the way of the Lord and that enables us to see salvation.

If I remove the dunghill between me and thee, I can see you. I can see much farther on a straight road than I can a crooked one. When we get all the junk (sin) out of the way, we are enabled to see much clearer, much further. In Isaiah 45:2, God said to Cyrus, "I will go before you and make the crooked places straight..." Psalm 25:10a tells us, All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth, but it doesn't end with that. There's a condition to it - part B - To such as keep His covenant and His testimonies. Did you get that? Were you paying attention? All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth to such as keep His covenant and His testimonies.

John spoke Truth and did not worry about giving people warm fuzzies. The Word tells us there is an eternal lake of fire for those who don't embrace His Truth and salvation. If you're more interested in warm fuzzies than Truth, you would do well to check to see where the heat is coming from that supplies the warmth for those fuzzies.

Prayer:

Father,
           Psalm 25:11, For Your name’s sake, O LORD, Pardon my iniquity, for it is great. Apply Your absolute Truth to our lives. Speak Your Truth in love so that we might see You and embrace the salvation offered. Reveal Yourself and Your absolute Truth to us, O God. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen