Psalms for Pilgrims

I lift my eyes to you,
O God, enthroned in heaven.
2 We keep looking to the Lord our God for his mercy,
just as servants keep their eyes on their master,
as a slave girl watches her mistress for the slightest signal.
3 Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy,
for we have had our fill of contempt.
4 We have had more than our fill of the scoffing of the proud
and the contempt of the arrogant.
Psalm 123 NLT

1What if the Lord had not been on our side?
Let all Israel repeat:
2 What if the Lord had not been on our side
when people attacked us?
3 They would have swallowed us alive
in their burning anger.
4 The waters would have engulfed us;
a torrent would have overwhelmed us.
5 Yes, the raging waters of their fury
would have overwhelmed our very lives.
6 Praise the Lord,
who did not let their teeth tear us apart!
7 We escaped like a bird from a hunter’s trap.
The trap is broken, and we are free!
8 Our help is from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.

Psalm 124 NLT

Prayer:

Father, 

          Thank You for Your Word. Thank You for being on our side when anyone is against us! We know our help is only from You. Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy, for we have had our fill of contempt. In Jesus' Name we pray.

How Do You Want Your Eggs?

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
Romans 8:28 NKJV

You've probably read on the Internet the story of the cake. Want a cup of flour? How about some baking powder? Raw eggs? A swig of oil? No, of course not, but if we put the ingredients together, then add a little of this, a little of that, and add heat, the cake is going to be good.

You'll notice our promise for today reads "all" things, not each thing individually. Not everything that comes our way feels like it brings good into our lives. However, 1st Thessalonians 5:18 tells us, Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. We can be thankful in ALL circumstances because that particular circumstance might be the baking powder. Or maybe it's the raw eggs. Whatever it is, it's a needed ingredient - God's will for our life - and when it's combined with what's already in our THANKFUL hearts and then the fire of the Holy Spirit is added, what have we got? 

Well, it may not be cake, but whatever it is will be GOOD because that's what He promised. 

Prayer:

Father,

           Open our hearts to trust You more with everything that comes into our lives. Open our spiritual eyes to see the ingredient list is being checked off as You fulfill Your purpose in our lives, working all things together for good. In Jesus' Name we pray. We love You. Amen

The Loudest Sound

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1st John 1:8-9 NKJV

I had an in-depth discussion with a friend who sadly had been caught in sin and he was trying to control the fallout. Unfortunately, he was more concerned with the fallout than repenting and seeking forgiveness. He actually didn't see it as a sin, although Scripture clearly defined it as such. He believed it was "just a bad habit"... 

I believe it is Rabbi Israel Salanter who is credited with saying, "The loudest sound in the world is the sound of a habit being broken." and while I agree with the spirit of that in part, I would venture to say that an even louder sound was Christ's heart breaking over the sinful ways of mankind. I would dare say the 40 lashes across His back sounded horrendously loud while ripping His flesh to pay for our healing. I would even go so far as to proclaim that THE loudest sound in the world was recorded in John chapter 19, verse 30, when Jesus cried out, It is finished! Finished because He had paid the price for the forgiveness of our sins...

Let us remember this Truth - If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 

Prayer:

Father, 

           We pray according to Your Word - Search us, O God, and know our hearts; test us and know our anxious thoughts. Point out ANYTHING in us that offends You. Forgive us, Father, and lead us along the path of everlasting life. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Re-Rigging the Load

This was written by Pr. Alan Neel

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30 NLT

What can Jesus really accomplish here on earth? The obvious answer is there is nothing that Jesus canNOT accomplish here on Earth! But imagine receiving an invitation that can literally make everything in your life better. That is Jesus' invitation to those who are overwhelmed and burdened. “Just yoke up with me,” says Jesus. He has the ability to carry the weight as long as we entrust Him with the whole load. 

That means no more trying to manipulate or re-rig the burden, just trust Him completely. 

TRUST JESUS AND BE FREE TO FULFILL YOUR PURPOSE!

Prayer:

Father,

          Please forgive us for all the times we try to manipulate or re-rig our burdens in life without trusting You. Open our hearts to fully trust You and receive Your promises. Open our eyes to see Your hand of protection over us. We pray as the child's father in Mark 9:24, we believe, Father. Help our unbelief! In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Gaining Confidence

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said.
2nd Chronicles 32:7-8 NIV

How often do we face overwhelming odds – the kind that demoralize us? It’s dangerous to be there. Not because the circumstances seem to dictate that we will lose, but because they take away our fight. Before we know it, we find ourselves agreeing with the circumstances instead of being victorious - instead of being the overcomer God has created us to be.

If that’s you – let me tell you something. There is a greater power with us – with YOU – than with the odds that you’re facing. satan is behind the attack on your life and he is already defeated. He was humiliated and defeated at the Cross. With us – with YOU – is Emmanuel which literally means ‘God with us.’ He is the Lord our God and He is mighty to save. He will help us to fight our battles. Jesus Himself assured us that He would never leave us or forsake us. And we are more than conquerors, according to His Word in Romans 8.

Do you believe that? Do you know it? Open the Word. Devour His promises. Are you gaining confidence? 

Prayer:

Father,
            I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from Your love that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Bring Your Word to life for those who will read this. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen

Wait

Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; 

Wait, I say, on the Lord!
Psalm 27:14 NKJV

Why do we find it so hard to wait for an answer from God? Do we think He won't answer? Do we think He doesn't understand our timeline? Do we think we can just do it ourselves in our own timing? 

I hate to tell you - it all boils down to trust. Who do we trust more - God or ourselves? Do we think we can do it so we don't need to bother God - maybe save Him some time and trouble?

In 1st Samuel 10, King Saul waited the 7 days that Samuel told him to wait, then went ahead and offered the burnt sacrifices without Samuel...  Saul did NOT follow the FULL instruction. Yes, he waited 7 days. Yes, he did the burnt offerings. Seems right, doesn't it? However, Samuel had said, [wait] ...until I arrive and give you further instructions. He did not wait until Samuel arrived and lost his kingdom because of it.

Remember Daniel waited 21 days before He got an answer from God. Waiting on the Lord involves faith and prayer and patience. Will you wait? Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!

Prayer:

Father,

           Forgive us for wanting to run ahead of You to make things happen. Lord, we know that unless You build the house, we are laboring in vain. Help our hearts to know and understand and embrace the value of obedience in waiting on You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Not Equal

A little different format for today. 

All wisdom is not created equal. There's the wisdom of God and then there's the wisdom of mankind. God's wisdom is eternal. It's always been, it is now, and will always be. Man's wisdom changes with the wind and with whoever is propagating the latest lie.

I get a little wound up when so-called influencers attempt to negate the Word of God. If it happens on a news flash or radio blurb, I usually yell out, "Liar!" If it's in person, I do make every effort to respond in LOVE with the Truth. I try to remember that God used a donkey to talk to a prophet, so He can use me, too, as long as I stay submitted to Him.

1st Corinthians 2:6-9 The Message 

We, of course, have plenty of wisdom to pass on to you once you get your feet on firm spiritual ground, but it’s not popular wisdom, the fashionable wisdom of high-priced experts that will be out-of-date in a year or so. 

God’s wisdom is something mysterious that goes deep into the interior of his purposes. You don’t find it lying around on the surface. 

It’s not the latest message, but more like the oldest—what God determined as the way to bring out his best in us, long before we ever arrived on the scene. 

The experts of our day haven’t a clue about what this eternal plan is.

Remember that! God's wisdom is eternal. It's always been, it is now, and will always be. 

Prayer:

Father,

          Everything that we have—right thinking and right living, a clean slate and a fresh start—comes from You by way of Your precious Son and His sacrifice on the Cross to redeem us. We are so grateful! We stand in awe, knowing Your Word tells us You use the simple to confound the wise. Give us Your wisdom, Father. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Praise Ye the Lord!

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
Psalm 150:6a NKJV

In the last 15 months, I have lost 25 people. After a while, you start to get kind of numb. It is very easy to become overwhelmed and fall into depression. BUT, I have this hope and this praise. I know for sure that at least 22 of them had accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior.

Come! Let's praise the Lord together! I have prayed for God to give me a grateful heart IN all things and He is answering my prayer. Since the New Year, there have been a handful of songs that play over and over in my spirit. 

Here are three of them (with the words that stand out to me). They all have to do with recognizing and acknowledging God's grace, His goodness and His unwavering faithfulness to never leave or forsake us. For when I look back over my whole life - even when I was running FROM God instead of to Him - I can see His loving hand. Thank You, Father!

Goodness of God (CeCe Winans)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y81yIo1_3o8

All my life You have been faithful
All my life You have been so so good
With every breath that I am able
I'm gonna sing of the goodness of God

There was Jesus (Zach and Dolly)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37wV6D49iEY

Every time I tried to make it on my own 

Every time I tried to stand and start to fall 

All those lonely roads that I have travelled on 

There was Jesus 

When the life I built came crashing to the ground 

When the friends I had were nowhere to be found 

I couldn't see it then but I can see it now 

There was Jesus 

In the waiting, in the searching 

In the healing and the hurting 

Like a blessing buried in the broken pieces 

Every minute, every moment 

Of where I've been and where I'm going 

Even when I didn't know it 

Or couldn't see it 

There was Jesus

I Speak Jesus (Charity Gayle)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcmqSfr1ENY

I just want to speak the Name of Jesus 

‘Til every dark addiction starts to break 

Declaring there is hope and there is freedom 

I speak Jesus 

Your Name is power 

Your Name is healing 

Your Name is life 

Break every stronghold 

Shine through the shadows 

Burn like a fire 

I just want to speak the Name of Jesus 

Over fear and all anxiety 

To every soul held captive by depression 

I speak Jesus

Prayer:

Father,

          Thank You for ALWAYS being there - for leading us back to You when we have strayed. Open our eyes to see Your great love and provision in our lives. Remind us to always be grateful and to point others to You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Others - Jireh (Maverick City) 

            You Hold It All Together 

            Graves into Gardens

A Social Dilemma

But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.

Colossians 3:8-11 NKJV

I have a love/hate relationship with social media. I love that I can have instant communication with family and friends who live states and countries away and at a glance, be able to catch up on the latest news. (However, we cannot let that be our only method of maintaining relationships.) What I hate about social media is the tendency for it to be more divisive than inclusive, what with the spewing of hateful opinions, the hard line in the sand, the black and white of things, no love, no forgiveness, no mercy... 

I especially hate it when the "Christians" are doing the spewing. I put the word in quotation marks because as Christians, the Bible says we are new creations. We have put off the old man of hatred and separatism and are to have become one in Christ. 

Here's what the Word says about all of that... Colossians 3:12-17, NKJV
Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Prayer:

Father,

           Please forgive us for leading the charge into the fray of self-serving opinions instead of into the sanctuary of Your salvation and peace. Help us to walk faithfully in Your love and mercy, in Your kindnesses and forgiveness. Help us to put on love and to let Your peace rule in our hearts and lives. Give us grateful hearts, O God, and Your strength to live holy before You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Full of Forever

For the mountains shall depart
And the hills be removed,
But My kindness shall not depart from you,
Nor shall My covenant of peace be removed,”
Says the Lord, who has mercy on you.
Isaiah 54:10 NKJV

I don't know that I've ever thought about mountains departing or hills being removed other than in the context of Earth being destroyed, and that makes this verse all the more precious to me. 

In a world filled with chaos, confusion and strife, hurtling headlong toward destruction, our Father promises that such events will not change His love toward us. Think about that! In the middle of all these things, we can rest assured in His covenant of peace, safely ensconced by His kindness, and lovingly embraced in His mercy. Selah...  The end of things as we know them will come, but God's promises to us are full of forever.

Prayer:

Father,

           Thank You for Your Word. Thank You for Your measureless love and mercy and priceless peace. Thank You that the peace You have provided cannot be shaken by world events. What an incredible gift You have given us! Help us to fully understand and embrace the breadth and depth of Your loving kindnesses toward us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Intentional Choices

Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; For Yah, the Lord, is my strength and song; He also has become my salvation.
Isaiah 12:2 NKJV

When we face the hard times in life, times that include inflation, pandemics, wars, rumors of wars, etc, we have the choice of trusting God or being afraid and worried. Which will you choose? Do we stand on the Word of God - His Truth - and trust Him in it or do we say, "Yeah, but..." and spout off all the circumstances that we see that are in opposition to His Word?
2nd Corinthians 5:7 tells us ...we walk by faith, not by sight.

It IS a choice. Our choice.

And choosing to trust God is always the right choice. He is our salvation. What does that mean? According to Merriam-Webster, salvation is defined as 1: the saving of a person from sin or evil. 2: something that saves from danger or difficulty.

Yes, both sound exactly like our God. Will we choose to trust Him?

Prayer:

Father,
           In all things, in all situations, in all circumstances, we actively, intentionally choose to trust You. According to Your Word, we believe, Father, help our unbelief. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

One of my favorites...

I will love thee, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. Psalm 18:1-2 KJV

When Moses asked God who he should say sent him to tell Pharoah to release the Israelites from slavery, God replied, Say this to the people of Israel: I Am has sent me to you (Exodus 3:14). A long time ago, I did a study on the title of I AM. It's amazing how much can be defined by so few letters! How can so little encompass the Creator of the Universe and all that He is?

He is our rock, our fortress, our God, our deliverer. Our strength. He is trustworthy, our full-body shield, our protector and provider. He is the author AND finisher of our faith. Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God. Everlasting Father. Prince of Peace. Holy One. Lamb of God, Lion of Judah. The root of David, the Word of Life. Our Advocate. Our very breath.

He is the Way, the Truth and the Light of the world. He is the King of kings. Lord of lords. Alpha Omega, Lord of all. Messiah, Jehovah, Chief Cornerstone. Our righteous judge, the Morning Star. Bread of heaven. Resurrection and Life... just to name a few.

He is Emmanuel. God with us. All that we need. More than enough. He is I AM. And He came to set us free, that we might have life!

Prayer:

Father,
           Give us a revelation of all that You are. We stand in awe of You. In Your all-consuming love and passion, put us in the proper perspective of Your greatness and Your power. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

His Word Over You

Because of this, since the day we heard about you, we haven’t stopped praying for you and asking for you to be filled with the knowledge of God’s will, with all wisdom and spiritual understanding.

We’re praying this so that you can live lives that are worthy of the Lord and pleasing to him in every way: by producing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God; by being strengthened through his glorious might so that you endure everything and have patience; and by giving thanks with joy to the Father. He made it so you could take part in the inheritance, in light granted to God’s holy people.

He rescued us from the control of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves. He set us free through the Son and forgave our sins.

Colossians 1:9-14

Declaring God's Word over you this day. Reminding us all of His great love and provision.

Prayer:

Father,
            We give You thanks and praise You for all You have done to give us abundant life. Thank You for our salvation through Your Son at the Cross of Calvary. Thank You for the Holy Spirit to guide us into all Truth and to remind us of Your Word. Help us to continue to grow in Your wisdom and understanding. In Jesus' Name we pray.

Going Through

Written by my friend, Jess Dittlinger. A powerful word of encouragement

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned or scorched, nor will the flame kindle upon you.
Isaiah 43:2

God’s Word is clear: we will go through things. We will face adversity in our lives. That’s not bad news; that’s reality.

We will all go through situations in life—some bad, some good. Many times, we think the phrase “I’m going through something” is bad news, but if we view it properly, we realize “going through” is good; it means we’re not stuck! We may be facing difficulties, but at least we are moving forward.

Let me repeat: we will go through things in life, but the things we go through are the very circumstances, challenges, and situations that make us people who know how to overcome adversity. We do not grow or become strong during life’s good times; we grow when we press through difficulties without giving up.

Growth is not an automatic result of difficulty. Hardships do not necessarily produce growth or strength in us; it’s not that simple. We must choose the right attitude toward our challenges and refuse to quit or give up. We may have to do what is right for a long time before we feel it is “paying off,” but if we stay faithful and refuse to give up, good results will come. Once we get through the adversity and challenges we face, we emerge as better people than we were when we went into them.

Trust in Him! Determine that you will go all the way through every difficulty you face in life. Make a decision now to keep going forward, trusting God no matter how difficult it is because you know He will be with you and you will grow in faith as a result.

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for showing us the way through adversity. Thank You for surrounding us with Your love to keep us on the right path. Holy Spirit, stay with us and show us the Truth in every situation. Don't let the facts of life get in our way. Help us to keep our eyes on You, Lord. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Who Ya Gonna Believe?

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.
Ephesians 2:10 NLT

We are part of God's plan. We've heard that all of our Christian life. Do we believe it?

Oh, we don't have much trouble believing it when we're not having much trouble. Do we only believe it when we can accomplish things by ourselves? How about when we're facing something we can't do or fix on our own? What about when we feel like we're missing in our lives whatever it will take to complete whatever God is asking of us? What about when we might have to ask someone to help us? Is that part of God's plan? 

Yes, I believe it is. God knew before we were born what He wanted us to do and because of His great love and mercy, He designed us with certain skills and abilities. I also believe He left out some things - ON PURPOSE  - so we would need Him and others. God is all about relationships. Loving others, serving others are huge parts of His plan. Read the Plan Book. 

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

God said we are His masterpiece. Are you gonna call Him a liar?

Prayer:

Father,

           Forgive us for every word we utter that contradicts what You have planned and declared for us. Give us Your wisdom and Your strength to fulfill Your purpose for our lives. Help us to see Your fingerprints on all the pieces that are placed in our lives. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

For Whoever

For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. [emphasis mine]

John 3:16 NIV

I read an email today excerpted from Max Lucado titled God's Whoever Policy. It was so profound in its simplicity that I want to share its importance with you. It was based on John 3:16 which is the most-searched-for verse on Bible Gateway because it's written to whoever. Whoever may seem like it doesn't identify anyone, but it actually identifies everyone. It doesn't exclude anyone. Whoever is you and me, regardless of gender...

Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge Him before my Father in Heaven.—Matthew 10:32

Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.—Matthew 10:39

Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.—Mark 3:35

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.—Mark 16:16

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.—John 3:36

Whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst.—John 4:14

Whoever comes to me I will never drive away.—John 6:37

Whoever lives and believes in Me will never die.—John 11:26

Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.—Revelation 22:17

God wanted to get His most important message to whoever...

Prayer:

Father,
            Thank You for loving us at our worst and sending Your best to save us from sin and from ourselves. Holy Spirit, come and lead us into all Truth about salvation and our need for a Savior. Prepare our hearts and minds to receive You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Not Immediately Clear

Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.
Luke 12:13-16 NKJV

The two that were traveling together were talking about all that had happened surrounding the crucifixion, burial, and the empty tomb. When Jesus joined them, depending on which translation or version you read, it's not immediately clear why they didn't recognize Him. Being Christians, you know that their hearts were heavy. There may have been some fear of persecution clouding their minds. Jesus was dead - they may have even witnessed the crucifixion. They weren't expecting to see Him.

Does that happen today, too? This passage from Matthew 24 could be taken from today's headlines - And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately. Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.

Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers. And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other. And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

Are our eyes restrained? Jesus told us this would happen. Did we forget? Were we not listening? Are our minds clouded with the cares of this world? With what we are experiencing now, is it not immediately clear that God is here? That He knows what's going on? Are we not expecting to see Jesus?

Prayer:

Father,
           Open our eyes to see You. Open our hearts to trust You more. Give us divine appointments to share Your Good News. Help us to live our lives in witness of Your peace. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Time to Wake Up

You know the times in which we are living. It’s time for you to wake up. Our salvation is nearer now than when we first became believers.

Romans 13:11 God's Word Translation

How many times have you said, "One of these days, I'm going to..."?

Think about that for a moment. Then answer this question: Have you done whatever it was that you were going to do "one of these days"?

You and I both know that nothing will ever just happen "one of these days" - and nothing will ever just change "one of these days" unless we are purposeful and determined.

There are 2 times that it scares me most to hear the phrase "one of these days." One is when we share the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the person's response is "One of these days, I'll do that, but before then, I need to..." or "I want to..." The other is when we get a nudge in our heart to share the Gospel or reach out to someone and we ignore it thinking that we will do it one of these days and then it turns out that the person didn't have many more days...

We know the times in which we are living. It’s time for us to wake up. Our salvation is nearer now than when we first became believers.

Prayer:

Father,
Help us to walk out Your Word in 1st Corinthians 15:58 - to be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in Your work, knowing that our labor is not in vain. Help us to live our lives admirably purposeful all of our days. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Bringing a Gift

In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. 

So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. 

If your gift is serving others, serve them well. 

If you are a teacher, teach well. 

If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. 

If it is giving, give generously. 

If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. 

And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.
Romans 12:6-8 NLT

Oftentimes, when we are good at a particular skill or something seems to come easy for us (even being able to organize events, deductive reasoning, teach a class, etc), we tend to negate the value of it. After all, we can do it, so anyone must be able to do it, right? No. Not so.

I believe things that we seem to be innately good at are indeed gifts God has given us. "Innately" refers to being born with so-called natural talents. Natural to YOU. A gift or talent God placed in your life as He formed you in your mother's womb. So we should never negate the value of it; we should express our gratitude to God both verbally and by using it!

What's your passion? What do you enjoy doing? Given the opportunity, what would you do for a living? What are you good at? If you truly don't know, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal it to you.

God has been hosting this earth party for a long time. It's time we bring our gifts to the table...before it's over.

Prayer:

Father,

          Thank You for the gifts and abilities You have given us! We are so grateful for the opportunity to share with others. Help us to see Your divine appointments to be able to do so and to the best of our ability. Forgive us for ever negating what You have given us. We want to give You all the glory, honor and praise. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Kindness

Since God chose you to be the holy people He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
Colossians 3:12 NLT

It's not a suggestion. He didn't say 'maybe'. He didn't say 'perhaps'. It's not contingent upon whether or not we feel like it. No, God chose us, therefore we MUST...

Don't confuse being nice with being kind. Nice is being polite. You don't have to like someone to be nice to them. But I believe you have to care in order to be kind.

Social media is causing us to be more socially inept than socially adept. I don't have to rehash any of the awful posts or tweets or IGs in an effort to support that statement. You know them. However, there are some good ones, as well. People who start campaigns for Random Acts of Kindness. Houses built for those who have lost theirs in a natural disaster. Supplies bought and delivered following a hurricane, earthquake, flood, tsunami, or some other disaster du jour, just to name a few.

 
It's about how we choose to live our lives - for the Lord or not. Yes, it's really that simple.

If we choose for the Lord, then we have the Holy Spirit to guide us into all Truth (John 16:13). When the Holy Spirit comes into our lives, He changes us. According to Galatians 5:22-23a, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, KINDNESS, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. The way I see it, love, joy, peace, and patience are what cause KINDNESS to grow within us. Just like a garden needs to be cultivated in order to produce, we need to cultivate the fruits of the Holy Spirit so they will grow and live Lord-large in us. And we must be intentional about it.

When we are tempted to be less than kind, let's take a breath and remember that God provides His strength to help us walk in His ways. Galatians 5:24-25, And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Prayer:

Father,
          Show us how best to cultivate the fruit You have placed in our lives. Help us to be Your ambassadors for love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Live large in us so that the world sees You when they look at us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Something to Think About

For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
1 Corinthians 3:11-15 NKJV

These verses are not about our salvation. They are about the quality of our service to the Lord and the rewards we will or will not receive for our service. Are we working in our own power and might, or are we following the Holy Spirit's direction? It will be very clear on the Day. God knows the motives of our hearts and that is what will be judged. 

Are we making the most of the opportunities we have to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Are we responding in obedience to Him?  Something to think about...

Prayer:

Father,

          Thank You for Your Word! Help us to understand it fully and live our lives accordingly, by Your mercy and grace and with Your power and strength. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Will You Stand in the Gap?

[God speaking through Ezekiel the prophet]
I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn’t have to destroy the land, but I found no one.

Ezekiel 22:30 NLT

A gap is not just a spot that needs a body in it to fill the space. In this case, a gap refers to the place where people are believing a lie, a place where satan has crept in and confused the people, and they turn from God. And in the verse following our promise for today, God's fury was poured out.

The Israelites faced it right after their exodus from Egypt. The psalmist tells us in Psalm 106:23, the Amplified, Therefore He said He would destroy them, [And He would have done so] had not Moses, His chosen one, stepped into the gap before Him, To turn away His wrath from destroying them. Moses stood in the gap and saved a nation from being annihilated.

Can you save yours? We may not be called to lead them out like Moses, but we ARE called to stand in the gap for our families and our churches. We may not be called to actually save the whole nation, but we are called to pray for those who rule over us. Will we choose to lay down our earthly pastimes to build the walls of righteousness within our homes? Our communities? Those that are fully within our sphere of influence? 

It's time. Will you stand in the gap?

Prayer:

Father,

           Strengthen our hearts to do the work You have set before us! Fill our hearts with Your love and compassion so that we are able to stand in the gap for others. Help us, Lord, to see where we should stand. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

          

Get the Message

Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.

Matthew 6:33 The Message

In the face of global sanctions, the rising cost of oil and gas, the predicted inflation rates, and a looming recession, those of us who are in covenant with God our Saviour need have no fear. His Word assures us in so many places. This is one of my favorites from The Message.

You can’t worship two gods at once. Loving one god, you’ll end up hating the other. Adoration of one feeds contempt for the other. You can’t worship God and Money both.

If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don’t fuss about what’s on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds.

Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? All this time and money wasted on fashion—do you think it makes that much difference? Instead of looking at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They never primp or shop, but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them.

If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.

Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes. Matthew 6:24-34 The Message

Prayer:

Father,

We choose to trust You, knowing that You are our Source, our Jehovah Jireh, especially during these unstable times we're living in. We will not get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. We know You will help us deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes. We give You all praise and glory in Jesus' Name. Amen

Musical Gratitude

Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Psalm 139:23-24 KJV

I used to have a plaque that read, "He who sings, prays twice".  As a child, I didn't know how true that was. For when I was a child, this verse was the foundation of one of my favorite hymns, written by J. Edwin Orr, titled Cleanse Me yet more commonly known as Search Me, O God. I didn't know back then that it was taken directly from the Bible, I just knew it touched my heart and became a prayer that I have sung countless times since. 

I am so grateful to God for music. He knew. Ephesians 5:18-20 NLT reads, Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts.  And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. For the good times, for the bad times, there's nothing like a song to draw hearts together.

It was Bob Benson who said, "There has to be a song. There are too many dark nights, too many troublesome days, and too many wearisome miles. Somewhere deep in the forgotten corner of one’s heart - there has to be a song. Like a cool, clear drink of water and like the gentle warmth of sunshine, and like the tender love of a child, there has to be a song!"

Yes, I'm so grateful to God for music - for one more intimate, powerful way to come into His presence where there is fullness of joy. 

Prayer:

Father,

           We reiterate the continued prayer of J. Edwin Orr, and thank You for the words You gave him to write. Lord, take my life and make it wholly Thine. Fill my poor heart with Thy great love divine. Take all my will, my passion, self, and pride! I now surrender, Lord, in me abide. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Anti-trust

Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear. For life is more than food, and your body more than clothing. Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds! Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things?
Luke 12:22-26 NLT

Whatever you're stressing over right now - whatever you're worrying about, you need to stop. I know it doesn't make sense in our finite world, but in the heavenlies, all that stress and worry is seen as anti-trust - as NOT trusting God. Did you know that? Maybe you didn't... Now you do. 

Take that same energy and use it to praise God with everything you are. Focus your heart and mind to praise Him because you KNOW He's going to provide. Worship Him because you know He's worthy of all praise and honor and glory and power forevermore. Proclaim His Truth - His Word - to yourself and to the world around you. 

Numbers 23:19b NLT Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through? Don't be guilty of antitrust.

Prayer:

Father,

           Forgive us for allowing stress and worry to take our eyes off You and the Truth of Who we know You to be! We choose to walk by faith and not by sight, trusting You in all things, for all things. No more antitrust actions or thoughts. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Forever Family

For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named...

Ephesians 3:14-15 NKJV

We talk about the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. We talk about being the Body of Christ. We talk about having our Christian brothers and sisters... But do we fully understand that we are family? A family defined by God and not man? 

His love is forever. His grace is, too. His mercies are new every morning. Our every provision is from Him. He made a way where there was no way for us to be forgiven for everything we've ever done or will do. There is no outside force that can keep us from receiving what is rightfully ours through Jesus Christ. 

People will pay big bucks to trace their bloodline, often in search of some sort of bragging rights. We need to meditate on the Bloodline that flows from Calvary to Heaven. And give God thanks and praise that it's ours for being a member of His eternal family - our forever family.

Psalm 103 reminds us of some of the things God the Father has bestowed on His children;

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.

Prayer:

Father, 

         Open our eyes to see You for who You are - a good, GOOD Father. Open our hearts to receive the Truth of Your character and Your Word. Forgive us for indicting You based on our earthly experience. Holy Spirit, lead us into all Truth and open our understanding so that we may fulfill our familial role with the same love and mercy that You have. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

A Favorite Excerpt

Tonight, as I sat here reflecting on the day, I got a mental picture of all my words in a day being gathered in a huge bowl and offered up to the Lord. What will be His reaction? Will He breathe deeply of the beautiful essence of love and care, encouragement and edification, hope and life contained in my spoken words? Or will He gag and hold His nose, turning away from the stench of hurt and hate, discouragement and insult, despair and death?

Matthew 12:34b-37 The Message - It's your heart, not the dictionary, that gives meaning to your words. A good person produces good deeds and words season after season. An evil person is a blight on the orchard. Let me tell you something: Every one of these careless words is going to come back to haunt you. There will be a time of Reckoning. Words are powerful; take them seriously. Words can be your salvation. Words can also be your damnation.

Prayer:

Father,
         According to Your Word in Psalm 19:14, May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to You, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Reasons to Praise

Bless the Lord, all His works, In all places of His dominion. 

Bless the Lord, O my soul!
Psalm 103:22 NKJV

Praise the Lord!

I will thank the Lord with all my heart as I meet with his godly people.
How amazing are the deeds of the Lord!
All who delight in him should ponder them.
Everything he does reveals his glory and majesty.
His righteousness never fails.
He causes us to remember his wonderful works.
How gracious and merciful is our Lord!
He gives food to those who fear him; he always remembers his covenant.
He has shown his great power to his people by giving them the lands of other nations.
All he does is just and good, and all his commandments are trustworthy.
They are forever true, to be obeyed faithfully and with integrity.
He has paid a full ransom for his people.
He has guaranteed his covenant with them forever.
What a holy, awe-inspiring name he has!

Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true wisdom.
All who obey his commandments will grow in wisdom.

Praise him forever! 

Psalm 111 NLT

Prayer:

Father,

          Thank You for salvation. Thank You for Your love. Thank You for all this and so much more! We give You praise. Grow our grateful hearts, Father. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

To Ezra

I will confirm my covenant with you and your descendants after you, from generation to generation. This is the everlasting covenant: I will always be your God and the God of your descendants after you.
Genesis 17:7 NLT

This promise is a foundational Truth in my life. And as I look into the face of my first great-grandson, Ezra, at the ripe old age of 22 months, the promise has become flesh and life is good.

Twenty years ago, I could not have imagined the reality of this moment in time. However, I have been able to stand on the Truth of God's Word knowing that His everlasting covenant would never fail; that He would be my God and the God of my descendants after me. For each generation until Jesus returns to take us all home. What a mind-boggling, breathtaking promise of God!

Prayer:

Father,

          Thank You for making an everlasting covenant with all my generations! Your promise to always be our God is the most loving, miraculous event next to the Crucifixion. Thank You for that and for this precious child as a living witness to Your faithfulness. Help us to guide these generations toward You, Father. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

By Request - Standard Procedure

Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. 
Colossians 3:13a NLT

In Texas, someone who consistently offends or irritates you is commonly known as someone who 'plucks your last nerve.' Have you ever known someone like that? I'm not talking about the occasional pluck. I'm talking about the ones who repeatedly pluck your last nerve. Perhaps like the one who sits in the next office and slurps every sip of coffee. EVERY.SIP... ALL.DAY.LONG...

Every time you see them, you know they are going to pluck you like a chicken. In fact, so much so that you get to the point you only have to see them and you can feel it rising up in you... It's as though their only purpose in life is to irritate the living fire out of you. It's their standard procedure.

The Truth is, that very well may BE their only purpose in your life. They are a gift from God to help you in your quest to be like Jesus.

How do we learn to be like Jesus? How do we learn to live as He lived? How do we love like He loves - by loving our best friends? That's not difficult to do. What about the proverbial nerve plucker? Do we love them? With them, we certainly have ample opportunity to "make allowances for each other's faults." 

Jesus set the standard procedure for dealing with these kinds of people. He dealt with them. Yes, sir, He sure did! A few swift blows and He was nailed to the Cross, where He cried out on their behalf, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do!" The second part of verse 13 in our text reads, Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.

Now that's the right standard procedure.

Prayer:

Father,

          Let us rise to Your standards. Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen