Dear Readers,
I'm taking a short break away. God willing, I'll be back on August 1st. I hope you'll be back, too.
Love in Christ -
Andréa
Friday, July 22, 2022
Thursday, July 21, 2022
Whose Recommendation?
So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
Acts 20:32
We have an electronic bulletin board at my day job and oftentimes, there are requests for recommendations regarding handymen, lawn care, car repairs, doctors. We want someone who KNOWS the person is reliable. It makes sense, doesn't it? We hate to go into something blindly trusting - especially with something as important as our health or home or car. That's all well and good, but we also need to know the one who is making the recommendation. Are they reliable? Is their word trustworthy? We NEED to know.
Commending someone is a little different, but along the same principle. We commend someone for their good works or accomplishments. But we also commend ourselves (or by implication give as in a trust or for protection) to something or someone. To commend someone, we need to know them. We need to know that what they've done or are doing is commendable.
Commending someone is a little different, but along the same principle. We commend someone for their good works or accomplishments. But we also commend ourselves (or by implication give as in a trust or for protection) to something or someone. To commend someone, we need to know them. We need to know that what they've done or are doing is commendable.
Luke, the physician, commends us to God and to the word of His grace... Luke is trustworthy. After all, God let him write part of the Bible...that's commendable and is highly recommended reading.
Jesus commended His own Spirit into the Father's hands. 'Nuff said. Do we need further commendation or recommendation?
Prayer:
Father,
We accept Luke's commendation of ourselves to You and to the Word of Your grace. We know that You are the Master Builder and need no other recommendation than what we have already received. Keep us set apart for You, Father. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Wednesday, July 20, 2022
By Request - Huffing and Puffing
Some of you have become conceited and arrogant and pretentious, counting on my not coming to you. But I will come to you [and] shortly, if the Lord is willing, and then I will perceive and understand not what the talk of these puffed up and arrogant spirits amount to, but their force (the moral power and excellence of soul they really possess). For the kingdom of God consists of and is based on not talk but power (moral power and excellence of soul). Now which do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod of correction, or with love and in a spirit of gentleness?
1st Corinthians 4:18-21 The Amplified Bible
Paul is writing to the church in Corinth. They've become quite the banty roosters - all caught up in factions and political parties and who has what and how much of it he's got and he said-she said-they said. 'We've got these spiritual gifts - more than you have, etc.' And thinking they're getting away with all of it. Say what they want. Act however they feel. Appointing themselves as leaders, answerable to no one for their actions. 'You're not the boss of me...' Huffing and puffing. Talking it, but definitely not walking it.
The New Testament Church body. The first-century church... And here we are - the TWENTY-first-century church - there sure is a lot of huffing and puffing going on! And people don't want to hear the Truth and will be the first to tell you so. Yet, because of a loving, long-suffering, patient, and holy God, we can hear the same words of warning come out of the mouth of true Christian leadership in regard to Christ's return.
Paul wrote later, in 2nd Timothy 4:2-5, to encourage Timothy and every church leader since then. Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching. For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths. But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.
In other words, just because they're huffing and puffing, doesn't mean we're leaving and grieving. Scripture tells us that unless the Lord builds the house, we labor in vain. So since Christ is our Foundation, our Chief Cornerstone, our home is secure. Huff and puff all you want - we are not moved. You can't blow this House down.
Prayer:
Father,
Thank You for a firm foundation and steadfast soul to serve You. Help us to lean on You and not our own understanding in these last days. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Paul is writing to the church in Corinth. They've become quite the banty roosters - all caught up in factions and political parties and who has what and how much of it he's got and he said-she said-they said. 'We've got these spiritual gifts - more than you have, etc.' And thinking they're getting away with all of it. Say what they want. Act however they feel. Appointing themselves as leaders, answerable to no one for their actions. 'You're not the boss of me...' Huffing and puffing. Talking it, but definitely not walking it.
The New Testament Church body. The first-century church... And here we are - the TWENTY-first-century church - there sure is a lot of huffing and puffing going on! And people don't want to hear the Truth and will be the first to tell you so. Yet, because of a loving, long-suffering, patient, and holy God, we can hear the same words of warning come out of the mouth of true Christian leadership in regard to Christ's return.
Paul wrote later, in 2nd Timothy 4:2-5, to encourage Timothy and every church leader since then. Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching. For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths. But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.
In other words, just because they're huffing and puffing, doesn't mean we're leaving and grieving. Scripture tells us that unless the Lord builds the house, we labor in vain. So since Christ is our Foundation, our Chief Cornerstone, our home is secure. Huff and puff all you want - we are not moved. You can't blow this House down.
Prayer:
Father,
Thank You for a firm foundation and steadfast soul to serve You. Help us to lean on You and not our own understanding in these last days. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Tuesday, July 19, 2022
Wait for It
He also said, "This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come."
Mark 4:26-29 NIV
Growing things is a process. That's what our text teaches us today. You sow and then you wait. If you put it in good soil, it might sprout quicker. If you water it, the seed stands a better chance. But you don't harvest a corn plant before the ears are full of corn, and then not until it's ripe. If you pluck it before its time, it's not good for eating or for reseeding. Even the horses don't want it.
So if the Kingdom of God is like the planting process, then for us to come into full corn will take a while, don't you think? And if we pluck something to use before its time, then it's not good for what it was planted to provide. According to the Word of God, Matthew 7:19 & 20, So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.
We need to wait on the Lord. Stop trying to force the fruit. Do you want to try to live on unripe fruit? Would you eat a green banana?
Prayer:
Father,
Help us to run the race You've set before us without cutting corners or jumping fences. Help us to stay the course until we come to full fruition. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Mark 4:26-29 NIV
Growing things is a process. That's what our text teaches us today. You sow and then you wait. If you put it in good soil, it might sprout quicker. If you water it, the seed stands a better chance. But you don't harvest a corn plant before the ears are full of corn, and then not until it's ripe. If you pluck it before its time, it's not good for eating or for reseeding. Even the horses don't want it.
So if the Kingdom of God is like the planting process, then for us to come into full corn will take a while, don't you think? And if we pluck something to use before its time, then it's not good for what it was planted to provide. According to the Word of God, Matthew 7:19 & 20, So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.
We need to wait on the Lord. Stop trying to force the fruit. Do you want to try to live on unripe fruit? Would you eat a green banana?
Prayer:
Father,
Help us to run the race You've set before us without cutting corners or jumping fences. Help us to stay the course until we come to full fruition. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Monday, July 18, 2022
By Request - Scared to Death
O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head.
Psalm 139:1-5 NLT
(My sister, Michelle, wrote this one.)
(My sister, Michelle, wrote this one.)
I remember the days when the first verse of this Psalm scared me to death because I was walking the wrong path. Our upbringing taught us only of a God ready to send us straight to hell if we messed up; do not pass go, do not collect $200. Our generation was brought up getting "the hell" literally scared out of us; the next generation got to live in the luxury of "the grace" teaching which was definitely more about the love of God and not His judgment. However, God is both Judge and justice, and so much more - Grace, Mercy and Love.
If you believe the Word of God, it tells us that God cannot lie, and if we believe the Word, we have to believe all of it. We don't get to just pick the Scripture passages that we like. The same Bible that teaches God is love also teaches us that The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (Hebrews 10: 30b-31).
Because I was so scared of God for the majority of my life, I never felt loved by Him. I know I have a long way to go in that area but I at least know now that I AM loved by God. Regardless of what I have done, regardless of what I will do in the future that may not please Him, He loves me... and He loves you!
I wish I hadn't wasted so many years not having that knowledge. I am positive if I stood in front of a roomful of people with their heads bowed and eyes closed, and asked how many truly believe that God loves them - no matter what they had done in their life - very few people would raise their hands. That's the lie the devil perpetuates when we are young and unfortunately, we believe it for a very long time.
If you believe the Word of God, it tells us that God cannot lie, and if we believe the Word, we have to believe all of it. We don't get to just pick the Scripture passages that we like. The same Bible that teaches God is love also teaches us that The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (Hebrews 10: 30b-31).
Because I was so scared of God for the majority of my life, I never felt loved by Him. I know I have a long way to go in that area but I at least know now that I AM loved by God. Regardless of what I have done, regardless of what I will do in the future that may not please Him, He loves me... and He loves you!
I wish I hadn't wasted so many years not having that knowledge. I am positive if I stood in front of a roomful of people with their heads bowed and eyes closed, and asked how many truly believe that God loves them - no matter what they had done in their life - very few people would raise their hands. That's the lie the devil perpetuates when we are young and unfortunately, we believe it for a very long time.
It wasn't until I learned to rest in His presence that I could feel His love. It's how we learn about our other friends, right? Spending time with them? So let us spend time in His presence and get to know this God of love. He is, after all, Immanuel, God with us.
Prayer:
Father,
Forgive us for judging You with lies the enemy has sold us. Shine Your Light of Truth on Your Word and reveal it to us in such a way that we'll be holy and acceptable in Your sight. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Prayer:
Father,
Forgive us for judging You with lies the enemy has sold us. Shine Your Light of Truth on Your Word and reveal it to us in such a way that we'll be holy and acceptable in Your sight. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Friday, July 15, 2022
What We Think
Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God:
Deuteronomy 28:1-2 NKJV
When we first become Christians, we want to do everything right - we read our Bibles, we pray, we gather with other believers, and we want to do it all exactly as we've been instructed.
Then, as we walk it out every day, there are times the discipline of it becomes tedious. We want to watch a movie or play a computer game instead of reading the Word. We'll chat or text with friends instead of taking the time to pray... sleep in or go to the beach instead of going to church and then convince ourselves it's supposed to be a day of rest, anyway, and we're resting... or so we think.
I'm not saying that watching a movie, playing a computer game, chatting, texting, sleeping in, or going to the beach are bad things in and of themselves. The danger lies in thinking we know what's best for our lives. Left to our own devices, humans tend to choose the path of least resistance, the easy way, every time. Our text for today reads, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, not 'whenever' we feel like it.
If we read through to chapter 30, we find this in verses 19 and 20,
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; that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days;
Even though we know we are NOT God and we don't have in hand all the knowledge pertaining to life, we tend to make life-altering decisions based on what we think we know. The Bible tells us in Proverbs 14:12, There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.
When we first become Christians, we want to do everything right - we read our Bibles, we pray, we gather with other believers, and we want to do it all exactly as we've been instructed.
Then, as we walk it out every day, there are times the discipline of it becomes tedious. We want to watch a movie or play a computer game instead of reading the Word. We'll chat or text with friends instead of taking the time to pray... sleep in or go to the beach instead of going to church and then convince ourselves it's supposed to be a day of rest, anyway, and we're resting... or so we think.
I'm not saying that watching a movie, playing a computer game, chatting, texting, sleeping in, or going to the beach are bad things in and of themselves. The danger lies in thinking we know what's best for our lives. Left to our own devices, humans tend to choose the path of least resistance, the easy way, every time. Our text for today reads, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, not 'whenever' we feel like it.
If we read through to chapter 30, we find this in verses 19 and 20,
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; that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days;
Even though we know we are NOT God and we don't have in hand all the knowledge pertaining to life, we tend to make life-altering decisions based on what we think we know. The Bible tells us in Proverbs 14:12, There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.
God gave us a free will. We can choose to love Him or not. Daily, we can take up our cross as directed by Christ, or we can lay it down and walk our own way. Let's do it - taken as directed by His Word, not by what we think.
Prayer:
Father,
Open our eyes to see that we don't know it all. Help us to make the right choice of following You and Your instructions to the letter. Father, we want to diligently obey Your voice. Help us to clearly hear and understand Your direction. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Prayer:
Father,
Open our eyes to see that we don't know it all. Help us to make the right choice of following You and Your instructions to the letter. Father, we want to diligently obey Your voice. Help us to clearly hear and understand Your direction. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Thursday, July 14, 2022
The devil went away...
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry. During that time the devil came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.”
But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Then the devil took him to the holy city, Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, ‘He will order his angels to protect you. And they will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.’”
Jesus responded, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the Lord your God.’”
Next the devil took him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. “I will give it all to you,” he said, “if you will kneel down and worship me.”
“Get out of here, Satan,” Jesus told him. “For the Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him.'"
Every day, we face temptations and trials. And oftentimes, we fail or feel as though we will. We don't feel strong enough to withstand the onslaught of the enemy of our soul and the Truth is that WE are not strong enough. Not by ourselves. Not without the sword of the Spirit... which is what? The Word of God! (Ephesians 6:17).
But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Then the devil took him to the holy city, Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, ‘He will order his angels to protect you. And they will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.’”
Jesus responded, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the Lord your God.’”
Next the devil took him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. “I will give it all to you,” he said, “if you will kneel down and worship me.”
“Get out of here, Satan,” Jesus told him. “For the Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him.'"
Matthew 4:1-10 NLT
In our Scripture passage for today, satan wanted to destroy Jesus. He was out to kill Him. How did Jesus withstand him? He spoke. "The Scriptures say..." Whoosh! Swing that sword! And again, "The Scriptures say..." and yet again, "The Scriptures say..." Then what happened? Verse 11 - Then the devil went away, and angels came and took care of Jesus.
The Scriptures say, "Fight the good fight of faith..." 1st Timothy 6:12. The Scriptures say, "The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds..." 2nd Corinthians 10:4. What does Scripture say? We need to know!
Prayer:
Father,
Remind us to put on every piece of Your armor so we will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil, so that after the battle, we will still be standing firm. Help us to stand our ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of Your righteousness. For shoes, we put on the peace that comes from Your Good News so that we will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, give us the strength to hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Cause us to remember to put on salvation as our helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is Your Word. Holy Spirit, as the Scripture says in John 14:26, bring back all things to our minds that the Word has taught us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
The Same
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Hebrews 13:8 NLT
I take great comfort in this verse. While the world around us changes at an alarming rate and almost everything that was once considered normal is whirling and swirling out of control, we need someplace to stand to stay stable and balanced. Dear One, I offer today's Promise as the only Truth I know that can do that.
He doesn't change. He is our Rock, our Fortress. Isaiah 33:6 tells us He is our sure foundation, providing a rich store of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. That lends a whole new strength and meaning to standing on His Word.
Prayer:
Father,
Hebrews 13:8 NLT
I take great comfort in this verse. While the world around us changes at an alarming rate and almost everything that was once considered normal is whirling and swirling out of control, we need someplace to stand to stay stable and balanced. Dear One, I offer today's Promise as the only Truth I know that can do that.
He doesn't change. He is our Rock, our Fortress. Isaiah 33:6 tells us He is our sure foundation, providing a rich store of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. That lends a whole new strength and meaning to standing on His Word.
Prayer:
Father,
Thank You for Your Word. Thank You for providing our Chief Cornerstone that cannot be shaken by the storms of this world. Thank You for giving us a sure foundation on which we can stand firm. Lord, we will not be moved by what we hear or see. Our faith, our hope, our trust are in You and You alone. Shelter us under Your wings. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Tuesday, July 12, 2022
First Pray Then Peace
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7 NLT
If you've been a follower of Jesus Christ for very long, you are familiar with this passage - or at least part of it. We're very good about encouraging others not to worry because God provides peace that far surpasses the angst and full realm of our circumstances, and exceeds our ability to comprehend its dominion. The King James' reads, peace that passeth all understanding. And truly, it does.
However, we can't just grab that part out of the Scripture. It's not a stand-alone verse. God's peace is the result of following the instructions given for how to handle troublesome situations.
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.
Tell God what you need
And thank Him for all He has done
THEN YOU WILL experience God's peace... [emphasis mine]
Worry is not trusting God. It's fear, which is opposite to faith. According to Hebrews 11:6, Without faith, it's impossible to please God.
What does God's Word have to say about the situation? Look it up. Research it. There are ample Bible tools online. We can even Google©, "What does the Bible say about _______?" That way, we can tell God what we need - according to what His Word says we need - with regard to the situation.
And thank Him for all He has done! To begin with, He gave us life! He has redeemed, restored, and resurrected us from our death-inducing sinful life!
THEN we will experience God's peace - the peace that will guard our hearts and minds as we live in Christ Jesus.
Prayer:
Father,
Thank You for all You have done for us. Thank You that by Your grace and mercy, we are still drawing breath and have another opportunity to serve You. Thank You that Your mercies are new every morning and great is Your faithfulness! You are the Lord our God. Teach us. Cause Your Word to come alive in us so that we experience Your peace and fulfill Your purpose for our lives. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
If you've been a follower of Jesus Christ for very long, you are familiar with this passage - or at least part of it. We're very good about encouraging others not to worry because God provides peace that far surpasses the angst and full realm of our circumstances, and exceeds our ability to comprehend its dominion. The King James' reads, peace that passeth all understanding. And truly, it does.
However, we can't just grab that part out of the Scripture. It's not a stand-alone verse. God's peace is the result of following the instructions given for how to handle troublesome situations.
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.
Tell God what you need
And thank Him for all He has done
THEN YOU WILL experience God's peace... [emphasis mine]
Worry is not trusting God. It's fear, which is opposite to faith. According to Hebrews 11:6, Without faith, it's impossible to please God.
What does God's Word have to say about the situation? Look it up. Research it. There are ample Bible tools online. We can even Google©, "What does the Bible say about _______?" That way, we can tell God what we need - according to what His Word says we need - with regard to the situation.
And thank Him for all He has done! To begin with, He gave us life! He has redeemed, restored, and resurrected us from our death-inducing sinful life!
THEN we will experience God's peace - the peace that will guard our hearts and minds as we live in Christ Jesus.
Prayer:
Father,
Thank You for all You have done for us. Thank You that by Your grace and mercy, we are still drawing breath and have another opportunity to serve You. Thank You that Your mercies are new every morning and great is Your faithfulness! You are the Lord our God. Teach us. Cause Your Word to come alive in us so that we experience Your peace and fulfill Your purpose for our lives. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Monday, July 11, 2022
What For?
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
Matthew 10:29-31 NIV
Matthew 10:29-31 NIV
Since the beginning of time, people have questioned what their purpose is in life; have asked why they were born, and run away in search of who they are. They wonder if what they do matters or makes a difference. Even the prophet Jeremiah begged the question, Why was I born? Was it only to have trouble and sorrow, to end my life in disgrace? Jeremiah 20:18a. We want to be valued. We want to matter.
However cliché it may sound, we matter to God. YOU matter to God. Isaiah tells us we were in God's care before we were ever born! Proverbs states God made EVERYTHING for His purpose. Ephesians 2:10 tells us, For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Prepared in advance. A plan AND purpose for us.
Ephesians 1:11-12 The Message assures us that It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone. [emphasis mine]
Prayer:
Father,
Open our eyes to Your design on us for glorious living, to the overall purpose that You are working out in us. Help us to see, to know, and to understand that in You ALL things work together for our good. Work out the knots of our lives. Help us to see the beauty that comes from ashes, the worth that comes forth through the fires of life. Mold and make us into who You want us to be to accomplish the good works You prepared in advance for us to do. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Sunday, July 10, 2022
Psalm 111
Praise the Lord!
Psalm 111:1 NLT
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!
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 111:1b - 10 NLT
Saturday, July 9, 2022
Friends' Favorite - Element of Truth
God is in charge of human life, watching and examining us inside and out.
Proverbs 20:27 The Message
It's the law now that every food item has to have a nutrition label for the consumer, listing calories and fat grams, carbs and sugars, etc, so we can make informed choices about what we put in our bodies. Both cranberry and pomegranate juices are supposed to be very good for the body, so cranberry-pomegranate is one of the latest juice combos. Have you ever bought a bottle? The front label reads, "100% Juice, Cranberry-Pomegranate" leading one to believe that the bottle is some mixture, possibly 50-50 or maybe 60-40, of cranberry and pomegranate juices. Au contraire. With ingredients listed by the greatest measure to the least, grape juice was first. In fact, cranberry didn't fall into the list until about 5th place and pomegranate was after that. Technically, it could have been called any one of the combinations of juice, I suppose. Grape-apple. Apple-plum. Plum-cranberry, etc, but the marketing department chose Cranberry-Pomegranate because that's what sells.
As you can see, there are many ways to present information that contains an element of truth but is ultimately misleading.
Jesus is not interested in an element of truth. He was much more specific about it in Matthew 15:10-12, Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. “Listen,” he said, “and try to understand. It’s not what goes into your mouth that defiles you; you are defiled by the words that come out of your mouth.” Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you realize you offended the Pharisees by what you just said?” Jesus was not worried about offending Pharisees. Jesus has NEVER been politically correct. He never has claimed to be anything He wasn't. No 'New and Improved'. No substitutions. No shortcuts to Heaven. No marketing spin.
Further down in Matthew 15:17-20, Jesus continued, “Anything you eat passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer. But the words you speak come from the heart—that’s what defiles you. For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander. These are what defile you."
I suppose that the juice bottle label is more truthful in advertising than those packages that have the pop-out text - REAL CHEESE - and underneath it is the element of truth - "flavored". Not real cheese at all, but an imitation. Like imitation crab meat. And if we aren't careful, we accept the imitation as good enough and never seek the real. That is absolutely deadly if we choose an imitation of Christianity... which leads us to the question of the day.
If God were to put a label on us of all the parts that make up our whole, what would be on the list? And in order of greatest measure to the least, where would Jesus be? Do we have Jesus as our main ingredient or as the 98% inert one? Are we Spirit-flavored or Spirit-filled?
Prayer:
Father,
Strip us of everything that is not OF You and is not pleasing TO You in our lives. Let it be that if You were to label us, by Your Grace, we would be found to be 100% pure and approved by You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
It's the law now that every food item has to have a nutrition label for the consumer, listing calories and fat grams, carbs and sugars, etc, so we can make informed choices about what we put in our bodies. Both cranberry and pomegranate juices are supposed to be very good for the body, so cranberry-pomegranate is one of the latest juice combos. Have you ever bought a bottle? The front label reads, "100% Juice, Cranberry-Pomegranate" leading one to believe that the bottle is some mixture, possibly 50-50 or maybe 60-40, of cranberry and pomegranate juices. Au contraire. With ingredients listed by the greatest measure to the least, grape juice was first. In fact, cranberry didn't fall into the list until about 5th place and pomegranate was after that. Technically, it could have been called any one of the combinations of juice, I suppose. Grape-apple. Apple-plum. Plum-cranberry, etc, but the marketing department chose Cranberry-Pomegranate because that's what sells.
As you can see, there are many ways to present information that contains an element of truth but is ultimately misleading.
Jesus is not interested in an element of truth. He was much more specific about it in Matthew 15:10-12, Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. “Listen,” he said, “and try to understand. It’s not what goes into your mouth that defiles you; you are defiled by the words that come out of your mouth.” Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you realize you offended the Pharisees by what you just said?” Jesus was not worried about offending Pharisees. Jesus has NEVER been politically correct. He never has claimed to be anything He wasn't. No 'New and Improved'. No substitutions. No shortcuts to Heaven. No marketing spin.
Further down in Matthew 15:17-20, Jesus continued, “Anything you eat passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer. But the words you speak come from the heart—that’s what defiles you. For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander. These are what defile you."
I suppose that the juice bottle label is more truthful in advertising than those packages that have the pop-out text - REAL CHEESE - and underneath it is the element of truth - "flavored". Not real cheese at all, but an imitation. Like imitation crab meat. And if we aren't careful, we accept the imitation as good enough and never seek the real. That is absolutely deadly if we choose an imitation of Christianity... which leads us to the question of the day.
If God were to put a label on us of all the parts that make up our whole, what would be on the list? And in order of greatest measure to the least, where would Jesus be? Do we have Jesus as our main ingredient or as the 98% inert one? Are we Spirit-flavored or Spirit-filled?
Prayer:
Father,
Strip us of everything that is not OF You and is not pleasing TO You in our lives. Let it be that if You were to label us, by Your Grace, we would be found to be 100% pure and approved by You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Friday, July 8, 2022
Need More Proof?
But we know that there is only one God, the Father, who created everything, and we live for him. And there is only one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom God made everything and through whom we have been given life.
1st Corinthians 8:6 NLT
Do you mean to say that God is not there to do our bidding, to answer our requests the way we see fit for them to be answered? If that’s true, then we haven’t any reason to be mad at Him for not doing what we wanted Him to do…
Need more proof?
Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. Psalm 100:3 NLT
Bring all who claim me as their God, for I have made them for my glory. It was I who created them. Isaiah 43:7 NLT
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
In case you have any doubt left… Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. Colossians 1:15-17 NLT
And finally, in Revelation 4:11,
“You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created all things, and they exist because you created what you pleased.”
Prayer:
O Father,
Forgive us, we pray, for treating Your omnipotence as a magic genie. Your holiness as our good luck talisman. Father, we fall to our knees in repentance, recognizing and acknowledging You as our Creator and we are subject to You, according to Your Word in Romans 11:36, For everything comes from You and exists by Your power and is intended for Your glory. Reveal Yourself, O God, in all Your glory. In Jesus’ Name we pray. All glory to You forever! Amen.
1st Corinthians 8:6 NLT
Do you mean to say that God is not there to do our bidding, to answer our requests the way we see fit for them to be answered? If that’s true, then we haven’t any reason to be mad at Him for not doing what we wanted Him to do…
Need more proof?
Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. Psalm 100:3 NLT
Bring all who claim me as their God, for I have made them for my glory. It was I who created them. Isaiah 43:7 NLT
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
In case you have any doubt left… Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. Colossians 1:15-17 NLT
And finally, in Revelation 4:11,
“You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created all things, and they exist because you created what you pleased.”
Prayer:
O Father,
Forgive us, we pray, for treating Your omnipotence as a magic genie. Your holiness as our good luck talisman. Father, we fall to our knees in repentance, recognizing and acknowledging You as our Creator and we are subject to You, according to Your Word in Romans 11:36, For everything comes from You and exists by Your power and is intended for Your glory. Reveal Yourself, O God, in all Your glory. In Jesus’ Name we pray. All glory to You forever! Amen.
Thursday, July 7, 2022
The Giving of Friendship
Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.
Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
Philippians 2:1-4 NLT
Life is easier with a friend. Both good times and bad times are better when shared with the love of a friend. There are many things in today's society that work against the fellowship of gathering together, so we must let the expression of our friendship be creative. Face-to-face video calls, or dropping a note of prayer in the mail, a little surprise from an online purchase. Did you know that friendship was God's idea? He left us quite an outline of how to go about it successfully.
Let's pray about friendship according to His Word. The following prayer is from the book titled Praying the Scriptures for Your Life, written by Jodie Berndt.
Prayer:
Father,
Keep me alert to my friends’ needs. Prompt me to pray in the
Spirit for them on all occasions and with all kinds of prayers and requests.
Ephesians 6:18.
Make me the kind of friend who is not selfish or vain but
who, in humility, values other people and their interests above my own.
Philippians 2:3-4.
When my friends experience a win or a blessing, equip me to
genuinely rejoice with them without feeling jealous. When they mourn, show me
how to come alongside them in their sorrow without a hint of judgment or
condemnation. Romans 12:15.
May I be a person who spurs others onto love and good deeds.
Hebrews 10:24.
In my friendships, help me be quick to listen slow to speak,
and slow to become angry. James 1:19.
Make me a kind and compassionate friend, someone who is
quick to forgive. Ephesians 4:32.
Let me encourage my friends daily so that none of us will be
hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. Hebrews 3:13.
May I be the sort of friend who sharpens others and makes
them better. Proverbs 27:17.
Equip me to love others the way You love me, being willing
to lay down my life - my position, my agenda, my reputation - for my friends.
John 15:13.
Shape me into the sort of friend who loves at all times.
Proverbs 17:17.
When others look at the way my friends and I treat one
another, may they know we are Your disciples by our love. John 13:35.
In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Wednesday, July 6, 2022
Praying Earnestly
I am reading a new book titled Praying the Scriptures for Your Life, written by Jodie Berndt. It is very good! This excerpt below is a prayer based solely on Scripture. All of these are from the NLT unless otherwise noted.
Father,
Thank You for Your promise that if I confess my sins, You are faithful and just and will forgive me my sins and purify me from all unrighteousness -1 John 1:9.
Help me believe that there is no condemnation for those
who are in Christ Jesus, and that nothing can separate me from Your love. Romans
8:1, 38-39.
When past sin threatens to steal my joy, remind me that You
do not treat us as our sins deserve, but that out of Your great love You have
removed my transgressions as far from me as the east is from the West. Psalm
103:10-12.
Open my eyes to the power of Your word to teach, rebuke,
correct, and train me so I will be thoroughly equipped to do every good work. 2
Timothy 3:16-17.
Scrub away my guilt; Soak out my sins in Your laundry
Psalm 51:2 The Message.
Keep my gaze fixed on You since those who look to You are
radiant; Their faces are never covered with shame Psalm 34:5.
Thank You that in Christ I am a new creation. The old has gone; The new is here! 2 Corinthians 5:17.
Help me not to be afraid, but to remember Your promise
that I will not be put to shame or humiliated because You are my Redeemer.
Isaiah 54:4-5.
When I am tempted to hide my wrongdoing remind me that
whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but that the one who confesses
and renounces them finds mercy Proverbs 28:13.
Do not let me show contempt for Your kindness and
patience. Your kindness is intended to lead me to repentance. Romans 2:4.
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast
spirit within me. Do not cast me from Your presence or take Your Holy Spirit
from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit,
to sustain me. Psalm 51:10-12.
Turn my heart toward You. Wipe away my sin. Refresh my
soul. Acts 3:19.
In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen
Tuesday, July 5, 2022
Not an Option
If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Matthew 6:14-15 NLT
Matthew 6:14-15 NLT
Usually, when we have been hurt or wronged, we want revenge. Some sort of payback. Sadly, forgiveness is not the first thing to come to mind. We might get there eventually... once we get past the feelings and emotions, the anger and/or pain of the offense.
We tend to think of readily-available forgiveness as only for us, not for someone who sinned against us. That somehow God is as mad at them as we are for what they did. Not so.
I remember the first time I read today's promise with the understanding that in order to be forgiven of my sins, I must first forgive others. I remember arguing with God, "Yeah, but they did such-and-such! And for no reason!" "Yeah, but..." and more 'Yeah, buts'. I tried to weigh out the right and wrong of it, working through the intense emotions. It's tough to forgive when there are all those feelings, but we're called to walk by faith... Especially when dealing with repeat offenses, and yet, Jesus addressed that, too, in Matthew 18. Remember Peter's question. How many times do I have to forgive - seven? And Jesus told him no, seventy times seven...
Forgiveness is not about feelings. Forgiveness is not presented as an option. Forgiveness is not just a choice - it's an act of obedience to the words of Christ. If we want to be forgiven, we must forgive.
Prayer:
Father,
Thank You for making provision so that we can be forgiven of our many trespasses against You. Let Your Word manifest in us so that we walk by faith and not by our feelings, so that we can truly love and forgive others as You have forgiven us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Monday, July 4, 2022
A Refresher on Equality
…These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.
Matthew 20:12 NKJV
Mathematics is considered by many to be the perfect science. I'm sure you've heard in one context or another - numbers don't lie. According to thinkquest.com, an equation is defined as "representing the equality of two expressions involving constants and/or variables, and thus usually includes an equals sign."
I've been thinking about the equations of life. There are some amazing constants and variables. Constant in that those of us on the upside of the dirt are alive and breathing. Variables are too numerous to even begin to list. Constant in that according to Scripture (Hebrews 9), all people are appointed to die once and then the judgment. But the variables - why, when, where, how, how long before that happens - again, are too numerous to list.
In doing the study for equals, I was amazed at how many online requests there were asking for the "Scripture reference" for the following:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are
created equal..."
which of course is NOT chapter and verse in Scripture but part of the Declaration of Independence for the United States of America. However, the praying forefathers of our nation were steeped in Scripture. It was the foundation on which they built. So, let me tell you what I've been thinking about.
Are all men created equal? Well, the constant is that we are all created by God - Proverbs 22: - The rich and poor have this in common: The Lord made them both - but the variables (rich and poor) are there, too. We know that we started with one man and then one woman, and after the flood, then we started all over again from one family.
We are all equal when it comes to sinning. Romans 3:23 tells us, For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Not very encouraging, is it? But we all have an equal chance at salvation and freedom from our sinning ways. Galatians 3:27-28, And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.
And we will all be judged impartially by the same criteria, based on what we've done (Revelation 22:12). It will be by the Gospel (Romans 2:16), the record of our lives ( Revelation 20:12), us in comparison to the Truth (also in Romans 2), and it will be fair and just because God has no favorites (Colossians 3:25).
Colossians 3:11 reads, In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.
The plan of salvation is offered equally to whosoever believes that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who laid down His life to pay for our sins (John 3:16) and whosoever has equal opportunity to accept or reject His offer. No matter if you've always known Him, or just found Him, or if you'd like me to introduce you, Jesus is the great Equalizer. He balances the equation(s) of life.
Prayer:
Father,
We cannot even begin to understand how You put it all in balance when the situations in life seem so unequal. I only know that You do. Your amazing love and grace and mercy are beyond our full comprehension, but You knew we would need them and You've made them readily available to us. Help us to walk and work within Your equation. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Mathematics is considered by many to be the perfect science. I'm sure you've heard in one context or another - numbers don't lie. According to thinkquest.com, an equation is defined as "representing the equality of two expressions involving constants and/or variables, and thus usually includes an equals sign."
I've been thinking about the equations of life. There are some amazing constants and variables. Constant in that those of us on the upside of the dirt are alive and breathing. Variables are too numerous to even begin to list. Constant in that according to Scripture (Hebrews 9), all people are appointed to die once and then the judgment. But the variables - why, when, where, how, how long before that happens - again, are too numerous to list.
In doing the study for equals, I was amazed at how many online requests there were asking for the "Scripture reference" for the following:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are
created equal..."
which of course is NOT chapter and verse in Scripture but part of the Declaration of Independence for the United States of America. However, the praying forefathers of our nation were steeped in Scripture. It was the foundation on which they built. So, let me tell you what I've been thinking about.
Are all men created equal? Well, the constant is that we are all created by God - Proverbs 22: - The rich and poor have this in common: The Lord made them both - but the variables (rich and poor) are there, too. We know that we started with one man and then one woman, and after the flood, then we started all over again from one family.
We are all equal when it comes to sinning. Romans 3:23 tells us, For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Not very encouraging, is it? But we all have an equal chance at salvation and freedom from our sinning ways. Galatians 3:27-28, And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.
And we will all be judged impartially by the same criteria, based on what we've done (Revelation 22:12). It will be by the Gospel (Romans 2:16), the record of our lives ( Revelation 20:12), us in comparison to the Truth (also in Romans 2), and it will be fair and just because God has no favorites (Colossians 3:25).
Colossians 3:11 reads, In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.
The plan of salvation is offered equally to whosoever believes that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who laid down His life to pay for our sins (John 3:16) and whosoever has equal opportunity to accept or reject His offer. No matter if you've always known Him, or just found Him, or if you'd like me to introduce you, Jesus is the great Equalizer. He balances the equation(s) of life.
Prayer:
Father,
We cannot even begin to understand how You put it all in balance when the situations in life seem so unequal. I only know that You do. Your amazing love and grace and mercy are beyond our full comprehension, but You knew we would need them and You've made them readily available to us. Help us to walk and work within Your equation. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Sunday, July 3, 2022
Fill 'er Up!
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13 NIV
Romans 15:13 NIV
People all around the world are grumbling about the cost of filling the tank of their gasoline vehicles One little-known trick is to keep your tank full - never let it get below half - that way there's less air in the tank and less room for evaporation. You also have the added psychological benefit of spending less when you fill 'er up.
What else do we fill? Our mugs - coffee, soup, tea, etc. Have you ever been jostled and spilled the contents of your mug? Who hasn't worn a coffee/tea-stained shirt to a meeting? The point is, whatever is in the cup is going to wind up down the front of you.
Switch gears with me to the spiritual realm. What are we full of? Is it anger and unforgiveness, frustration and pain? Or are we letting the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace as we trust Him, so that we may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit? When we get jostled, what are we spilling out all over ourselves and everyone else?
Prayer:
Father,
We want to stay in Your Presence to that we may be filled to overflowing with hope and joy and peace. We want to share the truest picture of who You are in us. Help us, O God! In Jesus' Name we pray, Amen.
Saturday, July 2, 2022
The Message of Romans 12
So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering.
[emphasis mine]
Romans 12:1 The Message
Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for Him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what He wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.
I’m speaking to you out of deep gratitude for all that God has given me, and especially as I have responsibilities in relation to you. Living then, as every one of you does, in pure grace, it’s important that you not misinterpret yourselves as people who are bringing this goodness to God. No, God brings it all to you. The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what He does for us, not by what we are and what we do for Him.
In this way we are like the various parts of a human body. Each part gets its meaning from the body as a whole, not the other way around. The body we’re talking about is Christ’s body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of His body. But as a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we wouldn’t amount to much, would we? So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ’s body, let’s just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren’t.
If you preach, just preach God’s Message, nothing else;
Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for Him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what He wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.
I’m speaking to you out of deep gratitude for all that God has given me, and especially as I have responsibilities in relation to you. Living then, as every one of you does, in pure grace, it’s important that you not misinterpret yourselves as people who are bringing this goodness to God. No, God brings it all to you. The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what He does for us, not by what we are and what we do for Him.
In this way we are like the various parts of a human body. Each part gets its meaning from the body as a whole, not the other way around. The body we’re talking about is Christ’s body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of His body. But as a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we wouldn’t amount to much, would we? So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ’s body, let’s just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren’t.
If you preach, just preach God’s Message, nothing else;
if you help, just help, don’t take over;
if you teach, stick to your teaching;
if you give encouraging guidance, be careful that you don’t get bossy;
if you’re put in charge, don’t manipulate;
if you’re called to give aid to people in distress, keep your eyes open and be quick to respond;
if you work with the disadvantaged, don’t let yourself get irritated with them or depressed by them.
Keep a smile on your face.
Love from the center of who you are; don’t fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle.
Don’t burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don’t quit in hard times; pray all the harder. Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality.
Bless your enemies; no cursing under your breath.
Love from the center of who you are; don’t fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle.
Don’t burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don’t quit in hard times; pray all the harder. Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality.
Bless your enemies; no cursing under your breath.
Laugh with your happy friends when they’re happy; share tears when they’re down.
Get along with each other; don’t be stuck-up.
Make friends with nobodies; don’t be the great somebody.
Don’t hit back; discover beauty in everyone. If you’ve got it in you, get along with everybody. Don’t insist on getting even; that’s not for you to do. “I’ll do the judging,” says God. “I’ll take care of it.”
Our Scriptures tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he’s thirsty, get him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness.
Don’t hit back; discover beauty in everyone. If you’ve got it in you, get along with everybody. Don’t insist on getting even; that’s not for you to do. “I’ll do the judging,” says God. “I’ll take care of it.”
Our Scriptures tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he’s thirsty, get him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness.
Don’t let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good.
[all emphases are mine] Excerpts from Romans 12 The Message Bible
Prayer:
Father,
We want to love from You as the center of who we are. We know You are the only Way. Help us to see through Holy Spirit eyes - the eyes of Truth - to be able to discover beauty in everyone and to love them as You love. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Friday, July 1, 2022
Don't Forget Whose You Are
“Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you. I’ve called your name. You’re mine.
When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you.
When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down.
When you’re between a rock and a hard place,
it won’t be a dead end—
Because I am God, your personal God,
The Holy of Israel, your Savior.
I’d sell off whole world to get you back,
trade the creation just for you.
No don’t be afraid: I’m with you.
I’ll round up all your scattered children,
pull them in from east and west.
I’ll send orders north and south:
‘Send them back.
Return my sons from distant lands,
my daughters from faraway places.
I want them back, every last one who bears my name,
every man, woman, and child
Whom I created for my glory,
yes, personally formed and made each one.’”
“But you are my witnesses.” God’s Decree.
“You’re my handpicked servant
So that you’ll come to know and trust me,
understand both that I am and who I am.
Previous to me there was no such thing as a god,
nor will there be after me.
I, yes I, am God.
I’m the only Savior there is.
“Yes, I am God.
I’ve always been God
and I always will be God.
No one can take anything from me.
I make; who can unmake it?”
Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand-new.
It’s bursting out! Don’t you see it?
“But I, yes I, am the one
who takes care of your sins—that’s what I do.
Isaiah 43:1b-3a, 4b-7, 10-11, 13, 19, 25a The Message
When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you.
When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down.
When you’re between a rock and a hard place,
it won’t be a dead end—
Because I am God, your personal God,
The Holy of Israel, your Savior.
I’d sell off whole world to get you back,
trade the creation just for you.
No don’t be afraid: I’m with you.
I’ll round up all your scattered children,
pull them in from east and west.
I’ll send orders north and south:
‘Send them back.
Return my sons from distant lands,
my daughters from faraway places.
I want them back, every last one who bears my name,
every man, woman, and child
Whom I created for my glory,
yes, personally formed and made each one.’”
“But you are my witnesses.” God’s Decree.
“You’re my handpicked servant
So that you’ll come to know and trust me,
understand both that I am and who I am.
Previous to me there was no such thing as a god,
nor will there be after me.
I, yes I, am God.
I’m the only Savior there is.
“Yes, I am God.
I’ve always been God
and I always will be God.
No one can take anything from me.
I make; who can unmake it?”
Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand-new.
It’s bursting out! Don’t you see it?
“But I, yes I, am the one
who takes care of your sins—that’s what I do.
Isaiah 43:1b-3a, 4b-7, 10-11, 13, 19, 25a The Message
Prayer:
Father,
Hide Your Word deep in our hearts. Let it take root and grow and flourish. We want to be filled with the knowledge and wisdom of who You Are. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Good Enough
So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.
Galatian 6:9 NLT
Sometimes, we get tired of the day-in-day-out of things when we cannot readily see the long-term effect of it. When introducing a new skill or concept, it isn't often grasped the first time around. It can be frustrating to have to repeat something again and again. And then to build the endurance for it.
For me, I immediately refer to raising children, but it's also very true in the business world and in academics. We don't want to teach the same thing daily about making right choices, about doing your best in every task, about studying to make the grade or reach the goal. In and of ourselves, we'd most likely take the path of least resistance - the one that is less difficult. And we do it every time we do something and say, "Good enough." Oh, we could have done better, but that's good enough.
God didn't give us good enough. He gave His best - Jesus. And Jesus didn't give us good enough; He gave us His all. And They've been waiting a long time to reap the harvest of blessing wrought by the constant of Their doing what is good. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.
Prayer:
Father,
Forgive us for every time we have slacked off. Give us the strength to continue to do what is good and to not settle for good enough. Give us wisdom to be able to encourage others to not lose sight of the harvest of blessing that will come at just the right time if we don't give up. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Galatian 6:9 NLT
Sometimes, we get tired of the day-in-day-out of things when we cannot readily see the long-term effect of it. When introducing a new skill or concept, it isn't often grasped the first time around. It can be frustrating to have to repeat something again and again. And then to build the endurance for it.
For me, I immediately refer to raising children, but it's also very true in the business world and in academics. We don't want to teach the same thing daily about making right choices, about doing your best in every task, about studying to make the grade or reach the goal. In and of ourselves, we'd most likely take the path of least resistance - the one that is less difficult. And we do it every time we do something and say, "Good enough." Oh, we could have done better, but that's good enough.
God didn't give us good enough. He gave His best - Jesus. And Jesus didn't give us good enough; He gave us His all. And They've been waiting a long time to reap the harvest of blessing wrought by the constant of Their doing what is good. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.
Prayer:
Father,
Forgive us for every time we have slacked off. Give us the strength to continue to do what is good and to not settle for good enough. Give us wisdom to be able to encourage others to not lose sight of the harvest of blessing that will come at just the right time if we don't give up. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
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