From Now Until Easter - Feelings vs Faith

From Ash Wednesday until Easter, I will post from Lent and Easter devotionals offered online. Tonight's post features excerpts written by Joe Brummel who has been chaplain at Central College in Pella, Iowa, for 19 years. Joe and his wife, Diana, live in Pella and enjoy life with three daughters and their families.
**********************

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning?
O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer; and by night, but find no rest.
Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.
In you our ancestors trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them.
To you they cried, and were saved; in you they trusted, and were not put to shame.

Psalm 22:1-5

Psalm 22 is about a heart that feels separated from God. It reflects a time when God doesn’t feel close. He doesn’t seem to care. How we feel often conflicts with the truth we know about God. The lyrics of a Lauren Daigle song (“You Say”) share this struggle:

You say I am loved when I can’t feel a thing
You say I am strong when I think I am weak
You say I am held when I am falling short
When I don’t belong, oh, you say that I am yours
And I believe.

Feelings tell us God doesn’t care; faith reminds us of His love. Feelings fool us into thinking God has hidden His face from us; faith convicts our hearts that He will never leave or forsake us. Feelings are fickle and often crush the spirit; faith gives hope.

Jesus deliberately quotes Psalm 22 from the cross, beginning with feelings of separation, but as He suffers, the entire psalm runs through His mind until his heart hears, “He has not hidden his face from him, but answered him when he called” (v. 24). Jesus clings to faith, not feelings, in His trials. [Let us do the same.]

Prayer: 

Dear Jesus, 

                 We know that in Your humanity You felt suffering and pain, thirst and hunger. But the feelings did not sway You away from Your mission and call to give Your life away! Help us in our weaknesses to not just focus on how we feel. May our commitment to live for You be unwavering. May all lies be silenced. May we live knowing You are a strong tower, a deliverer, a refuge, our strength! Amen.

From Now Until Easter - Steadfast Love

From Ash Wednesday until Easter, I will post from Lent and Easter devotionals offered online. Tonight's post is written by Rev. Phyllis Palsma, chaplain and pastoral resource coordinator at the Christian Health Care Center in Wyckoff, New Jersey.
***********************

1 To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. …
4 Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. …
6 Be mindful of your mercy, O Lord, and of your steadfast love, for they have been from of old.
7 Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for your goodness’ sake, O Lord!
Psalm 25:1, 4, 6-7

Lent is a time for a soul lift. Psalm 25 begins with a declaration of trust in God before going on to name several issues with which we can identify.

“To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. … in you I trust” (vv. 1-2). The Hebrew word for soul is nephesh, which represents the whole self, not just the soul. As we journey through Lent, it is good to affirm the foundation of our faith, to praise our God who guides us along life’s paths that are not always straight and well-groomed.

Psalm 25 is an acrostic poem with the first letter in most lines beginning with succeeding letters of the Hebrew alphabet. There are 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet and 22 verses to this psalm. The use of the acrostic helps the psalmist paint a broad landscape with pathways that are detoured and overgrown with shame, malicious acts, a troubled heart, entrapment, loneliness, and affliction. Within these paths is written an instructional “ABC’s” of God’s teachings, forgiveness, and salvation. For every trouble or obstacle, there is an affirmation of God’s grace.

The psalmist implores God: “Do not remember the sins of my youth … according to your steadfast love, remember me, O Lord” (v. 7). This soul-lift moment is filled with confidence and hope. God is reminded, as are we, of God’s promise to be merciful and steadfast in love while leading and teaching us along the path.

So, lift up your soul! Give thanks and praise for God’s steadfast love and trustworthiness.

Prayer: 

O God, 

            I lift up my whole self in praise to You because I trust in You. As I look to You for help, be gracious to me. Relieve the troubles of my heart that I may receive Your mercy. All glory and praise be to Christ, our Redeemer. Amen.

From Now until Easter - So Shall I Be Saved from My Enemies

From Ash Wednesday until Easter, I will post from Lent and Easter devotionals offered online. Tonight's post is written by Brent Mulder, a chaplain in the United States Air Force, currently assigned to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska.
******************

I love you, Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I have been saved from my enemies.

Psalm 18:1-3 NIV

This psalm is set in the context of war. “War is hell,” my late grandfather and World War II veteran once told me. He never said much more than this. War profoundly changes people. How can it not? The ones who survive certainly have reason to sing praises as David did. Many of their stories are remarkable and a bit unbelievable. I have been in war and heard these testimonies myself, first-hand. The most memorable one was from a soldier who had been shot in the head. It was not as bad as it sounds, though. The bullet hit his helmet and ricocheted off. He was obviously in shock, but he did not have any injuries, not even a concussion or traumatic brain injury. This soldier was so stunned and thankful that he could hardly speak. He just sat there, on the hospital bed, looking down at his helmet. I eagerly watched as he stared and felt the little indent and scratch mark. As a chaplain, it was good to know that another warfighter was safe that day.

As I wrapped up my shift, I rejoiced and said a prayer of thanksgiving for a God who saves people from their enemies. God still saves people from fatal bullets and charging insurgents. God still saves soldiers surrounded in battle with no way out. But God also saves people from less dramatic enemies outside the context of battlefield warfare, from enemies that are a bit more relatable, like divorce, financial ruin, a co-worker who seems to be “out to get them,” depression, addiction, and failure. Our God is a God of salvation.

Maybe we cannot relate to the war stories of victory, but this Lenten season, we can all draw near to the God who saved us—and is still saving us—from our enemies.

Prayer:

Dear God, 

                Thank You for miraculously saving people from their enemies. Thank You for miraculously saving me from my enemies. Teach me to always put my trust and hope in You. Continue to be my strength for the rest of my days. [In Jesus' Name we pray.] Amen.

Day 4 of Lent

For the next 37 days leading to Easter, I will post from Lent and Easter devotionals offered online. Tonight's post features excerpts from What is Lent: Honoring the Sacrifice of Jesus, written by Sarah Phillips, contributing writer to Crosswalk.
**************

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry.
Matthew 4:1-2

It makes sense to set aside time to prepare for the two most important days of the Christian year - Good Friday and Easter. Lent is a time that offers us an opportunity to come to terms with the human condition we may spend the rest of the year running from, bringing our need for a Savior to the forefront. Lent is a time to open the doors of our hearts a little wider and understand our Lord a little deeper so that when Good Friday and Easter come, it is not just another day at church but an opportunity to receive the overflowing graces God has to offer.

Lent is more frequently observed as a solemn time of preparation for remembering the death and resurrection of Jesus at Easter. From the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday till Lent ends on Easter Sunday, Lent is traditionally a time of fasting or giving something up, known as abstinence. Lent gives us time to prepare our minds and hearts for remembering the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

Lent is a time when Christians separate from the world; when we find out our faith is not just a feel-good, self-help religion but one that answers the deepest questions of life and eternity. Those who journey through the Lenten season will enter the Easter season with an increased appreciation for who God is and what He has done for us. And the joy of Resurrection and the promises of eternity will not be soon forgotten.

Philippians 3:10-11 - I want to know Christ, yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participate in his sufferings, becoming like him in death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.

Joel 2:12-14 - "Even now," declares the Lord, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning. Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate."

Matthew 6:16-18 - when you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites...but when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

1 Peter 5:6 - Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you...

May we remember the gift of salvation in this season...

Prayer:

Heavenly Father,
                           Thank You for the gift of this season. Thank You for knowing our hearts and our need for rhythms in our lives, and for drawing us into a deeper communion with You throughout the rest of this season. Help us draw nearer to You and understand You more deeply. Today and every day, may we gratefully receive the overwhelming graces You offer us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Day 3 of 40 Days Until Easter

For the next 38 days leading to Easter, I will be posting from Lent and Easter devotionals offered online. Tonight's post features excerpts from "Should I Give Up Something for Lent?" written by Denise K. Loock, freelance writer, editor, speaker, and Bible study teacher. She is the founder of digdeeperdevotions.com, a website devoted to helping Christians dig deeper into the Word of God.
********************

But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.
1 Samuel 15:22

For almost 2,000 years, Christians have set aside time for self-examination and repentance during the weeks before Easter. Early church fathers and the Council of Nicea (AD 325) observed days of fasting—from a few days to 40 days—but it was Pope Gregory I (c. 540-604) who established the 40-day season between Ash Wednesday and Easter that many 21st-century Christians observe.

Many Christians view Lent as an opportunity to refocus attention on God’s love for us, so great a love that He sent His son to die for our sins. Neither my family nor the church I attended as a child paid much attention to the Lenten season. Instead, they focused on the joyous celebration of our Risen Savior. [However] giving up something we love—a food or an activity—to remind us of God’s sacrificial love can be beneficial to our spiritual growth, especially if we replace it with a spiritual discipline such as Bible reading, prayer, or fasting. During Lent, we can evaluate our spiritual health—how well the life of the Risen Christ is being manifest in us...

Many Scriptures remind us that physical sacrifices are only valuable if they’re given from a wholly devoted heart. The prophet Samuel told King Saul, “To obey is better than sacrifice”  (1 Samuel 15:22). And David wrote, “You do not want a sacrifice, or I would give it.…The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit…a broken and humbled heart” (Psalm 51:16-17 HCSB).

The Old Testament prophets consistently spoke out against sacrifices that were futile attempts to cover sinful actions. Jesus also criticized the religious leaders for offering sacrifices that meant nothing (Matthew 23:23-25). The same could be said of any spiritual practice we undertake for the wrong reason, whether it be Sunday morning worship, small-group Bible study, volunteer work, or personal devotional time.

...It’s the daily-ness of sacrifice that most interests God and best reflects our commitment to Him—a 365-day devotion to act justly, love kindness, and walk humbly before God (Micah 6:8).  When Paul told the Romans to present their bodies as a living sacrifice, I think he had in mind the daily-ness of sacrifice (12:1-2). My commitment to Jesus should involve the following:

• Daily contemplation of the price Jesus paid for my sins and my inability to meet God’s standard of righteousness
• Daily commitment to rely more on the Holy Spirit and less on myself
• Daily reflection on the endless supply of God’s mercy and grace
• Daily gratitude for the ways He allows me to be His hands and feet in a hurting world

Motivation is everything. David said the one thing he desired was spending time in God’s presence (Psalm 27:4). He also spoke of daily fulfilling his vows to the Lord (Psalm 61:8). Another psalmist wrote that he thirsted for God like a deer thirsts for water (Psalm 42:1-2). Again, there’s the daily-ness factor. After all, how many times a day does a deer seek water?

The core of the Easter message is the new life available to every person because of the redemption Jesus provided through His death and resurrection. If we’ve accepted Jesus as Savior, we are new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17). And, as Paul told the Galatian churches, “The life you see me living is not ‘mine,’ but it is lived by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me” (2:20 MSG).

If we spend the weeks before Easter cultivating a spiritual practice that makes our new life more evident to others year-round, we honor the Risen Christ who gave us that life, don’t we?

PRAYER: 

Lord, 

        I pray that I wouldn’t make Lent about myself this year, but instead about Your great love for me through Your sacrifice of Jesus. May I focus on Your love above all else - thank You, Jesus, for giving Your life for mine. Amen

Day 2 of 40 Days to Easter - Evangelicals and Lent

For the next 39 days leading to Easter, I will be posting from Lent and Easter devotionals offered online. Tonight features excerpts written by Whitney Hopler (Crosswalk.com)
**********************

Please, Lord, please save us. Please, Lord, please give us success. 

Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord. 

We bless you from the house of the Lord.
Psalm 118:25-26

Lent is often overlooked by evangelical churches that eschew the liturgical calendar in favor of following their own themes for sermons and activities. And evangelical churches that do follow liturgy sometimes give short shrift to Lent. Still, many evangelicals do observe Lent, and often do so in ways that they find lead to significant spiritual growth.

Kathleen grew up observing Lent in traditional ways through her Catholic church - such as fasting and attending worship services filled with solemn ritual. Everywhere in church, she was surrounded by reminders of the 40-day season of reflection and penitence leading up to Easter. Yet now that she's a member of an evangelical church that barely mentions Lent at all, Kathleen's Lenten seasons have actually become more meaningful for her.

"Even though it's not called Lent in my church and there are no special rituals, it's a very special reflective time," she said. "Reading the Gospels and concentrating on Jesus' life - how He was both the son of God and the son of man - really puts the heart of my faith before me as I get ready to celebrate Easter and the salvation He gave us."

Every year, members of a church in Virginia, produce an approximately 60-page Lenten devotional filled with their original essays, poems and drawings. Each church member - from children through seniors - is invited to participate. Then a copy is mailed to every household within a five-mile radius of the church - about 28,000 homes.

"The effort has proven fruitful for community and church members alike," said the church's pastor. "In sharing it with the community, it helps us express our faith in a way that genuinely moves other people. And in our own congregation among those who have contributed, I've seen a greater willingness to talk about faith with other people."

Investing the time to observe Lent is spiritually worthwhile. Time is a very scarce resource for many people today due to the frantic pace of life and all the distractions. Lent gives us a way of setting apart time to focus on the cross, and the cross goes to the heart of what our faith is all about. Reflecting on what Christ did on the cross, [reflecting] on our salvation - that's so important to take the time to do...

Lent is an important time for people to discover more about Christ and forge stronger relationships with Him, said one pastor. During Lent this year, his church will host an "Alpha" group for seekers to explore whatever questions they have about Christianity.

"I see Lent as a door - an entryway - for people to connect or reconnect with Jesus," he said. "Our culture is so focused on an event rather than a process. Even as evangelicals, I think we've been trapped by the idea that salvation is a one-time event, like a sale that we've got to close. But often, it's a process in which people ask questions again and again and again and approach God again and again and again to consider faith. We're hoping to use Lent as a way to help people consider Jesus and take the time they need to process all He's done for us, so they can discover a faith that's real."

Unlike the joyless deprivation some people think of when they think of Lent, the season can actually be a quite rewarding and exciting time. There's a sense of preparation, of anticipation, and a sense of savoring what Jesus did for us. The church calendar invites us to take our time and conform it to Jesus' time. We take a season like Lent and we enter into Jesus' life and all that He dealt with on Earth, and then we can better deal with everything in our own lives because we've connected with Him.

One church member advised that no matter how we observe the Lenten season, we should strive to live with attitudes of humility, repentance and thankfulness all year long. "I try not to get hung up on certain seasons," she said. "It's important to remember the cost of Easter, and I try to do that during Lent, but also every day of the year."

Prayer:

Lord,
         Help me to dive into this season of Lent with intentionality and purpose. I want to know You better, love You more fully, and accept Your grace more readily. Draw me closer to You, day by day. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Day 1 of 40 Days to Easter

For the next 40 days leading to Easter, I will be posting from Lent and Easter devotionals offered online. Tonight features excerpts written by John Stonestreet, host of The Point, part of BreakPoint ministries.

***********************
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time...
1st Peter 5:6 NKJV

In many ways, today is one of the strangest days of the year. Everywhere—at work, the grocery store, shopping, exercising—we’ll see all kinds of people walking around with dark smudges on their foreheads.

Now whether or not their own church participates in this ritual, most Christians will know that the smudge is the sign of the cross, and that today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the season of Lent.

To the unbelieving world, Ash Wednesday is at best quaint (it’s sort of cool to have traditions, you know). At worst, it’s somewhere between bizarre and even anti-social. After all, to a culture committed to the pursuit of self-fulfillment and feeling good about oneself, this whole fasting and self-sacrifice stuff is an existential smack in the face.

Think of how these words contrast with our contemporary illusions of autonomy and self-determination: I am not my own. And I will die one day. And so will you... 

And here’s the bolder statement still, a way-more-weird and counter-cultural claim... We are sinners. So much so that God became a man and died on a cross in our place. He loved us that much! And then, get this: He came back to life. His body wasn’t eaten by worms in a tomb. He was resurrected from the dead.

What happened on that Resurrection Day, which we’ll commemorate 40 days from now, is the most important event in the history of the world. As Russell Moore has said, “Christians from all over the world, despite all this science and all this progress and all this technology, [still confess] what the earliest believers in the catacombs of Rome cried out: ‘Christ is risen indeed.’”

We confess it because what it says about God, the universe, and us is TRUE. On Ash Wednesday and during the season of fasting, prayer, and almsgiving called Lent, we redouble our efforts to heed Jesus’ call to pick up our crosses and follow him. We meditate and remember with Paul that we have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer we who live, but Christ who lives in us.

Crucified with Christ! Our hopes, desires, politics, intellect, and yes, even our sexuality—crucified with Christ. What a thing to say! Jesus, who redeemed us by His blood, lays claim to all of these things.

This is not the God of what sociologist Christian Smith has dubbed “moralistic therapeutic deism,” a god who demands nothing more than that people take it easy on themselves and be nice and fair to one another.

This is a God who says the two greatest commandments are to love Him with all of our hearts, souls, minds, and strength, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. And as Jesus said, to love Him is to obey Him (talk about counter-cultural!) and to believe in the One He has sent. To love our neighbors, we preach the Good News of Jesus’ death and resurrection and His triumph over sin and death. We feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the prisoner, take care of the widow and orphans.

Friend, what could be more authentic, more relevant, than to conform our lives to Jesus, who is the Way the Truth and the Life? Jesus did not and will not conform Himself to the culture. Why would we? How dare we urge others to? As Paul says, we were called to freedom in Christ, which is a freedom from conformity and from the desires of the flesh and a freedom to serve one another in love, joy peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5). 

Now that’s a lot to swallow, which is one reason that for nearly two millennia, Christians have taken this long season of Lent as an opportunity to repent of our conformity to the world, draw near to Jesus, and prepare ourselves to celebrate the day that changed the universe.

Prayer:

Lord, 

        We are not our own. We are sinners and have fallen short of Your glory, yet You became a man to die on a cross in our place. Thank You for loving us that much, Jesus! In this season, may we be crucified with Christ so we can truly live. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

The Colors of Heaven

Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.

Colossians 3:1-2 NLT

Have you ever given Heaven any real thought? Have you ever stopped to ponder what it will be like? Oh sure, we talk about streets of gold and gates of pearl, the 24 elders on their thrones, meeting Jesus face-to-face, and talking with our favorite persons from the Bible, but have we thought beyond those things?

It's not going to be all white dazzling lights and no color. There's going to be plenty of color! Ezekiel talks about a sapphire throne and the glory of the Lord - that the brilliant light all around Him was like that of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day. Revelation tells us that the foundations of the city walls are adorned with every kind of precious stone and John also said, At once I was in the Spirit, and I saw a throne standing in heaven, with someone seated on it. The One seated there looked like jasper and ruby, and a rainbow that gleamed like an emerald encircled the throne. We're not going to be riding around on clouds and playing harps all day... 

We're not going to be angels. Angels are separate beings. We have a song of praise that the angels cannot sing because we have been redeemed. And I don't want to burst anyone's bubble, but we're not going to have wings, either.

Are we guilty of letting Hollywood define our idea of Heaven? That cannot be good. Paul tells us to set our sights on the realities of Heaven. What are those realities? We need to search those out because we are now one day closer to our eternity than we were yesterday.

Prayer:

Father,
          Thank You for all the incredible sights we have here on Earth. Thank You for the hope of Heaven. Help us to grasp all that awaits us in our eternity with You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Friendship with the Father

 He [Jesus] told them a story. "Look at a fig tree. Any tree for that matter. When the leaves begin to show, one look tells you that summer is right around the corner. The same here—when you see these things happen, you know God's kingdom is about here. Don't brush this off: I'm not just saying this for some future generation, but for this one, too—these things will happen. Sky and earth will wear out; my words won't wear out. But be on your guard. Don't let the sharp edge of your expectation get dulled by parties and drinking and shopping. Otherwise, that Day is going to take you by complete surprise, spring on you suddenly like a trap, for it's going to come on everyone, everywhere, at once. So, whatever you do, don't go to sleep at the switch. Pray constantly that you will have the strength and wits to make it through everything that's coming and end up on your feet before the Son of Man."

Luke 21:29-36 The Message

I want to ask you something. Let's say you meet someone for the first time while you are with some dear friends - people you've known. You have a history with them. Then you all get into a weighty conversation. The new acquaintance has a differing viewpoint than several of the people with whom you have a relationship. With whose viewpoint are you more likely to agree? Nine times out of ten, you are going to give more weight to the words of your friends - those you know. The ones you've spent time with. You don't really know the full weight or value behind the words of the acquaintance because you don't know his or her life. You have no idea whether or not he or she is trustworthy. There is no relationship.

Let's take it one step further. We all have what I call Fringe Friends. They're the ones you share a few laughs with, maybe grab a coffee together or perhaps take in a show. You like them okay. Push come to shove, you'd probably stand up for them, but the friendship is decidedly one-sided. The only time you hear from them is when they want or need your time or something. Then there are those who not only know your middle name, but they also know your kids and/or your siblings, your work history, and all your annoying personality traits. They're the ones defined by the statement "He or she knows everything about me but likes me anyway." They know your good times and bad. They don't use you or abuse you. If you got a phone call from a friend in both of these categories - both with the same need, which one would you more likely respond to?

A friend sent me the following anecdote:

The pastor asked the little boy if he said his prayers every night. 'Yes, sir,' the boy replied.'And, do you always say them in the morning, too?' the pastor asked.
'No sir,' the boy replied. 'I ain't scared in the daytime.'

As humorous as this story is, the spirit of it is too often true in real life. And that's not a laughing matter. Our text today tells us we need to pray constantly because tough times are coming and prayer is the key.

How is our relationship with God? How often do we spend time with Him? Do you think there is Truth in what He has to say? Do we only talk to Him when we need something?  Do His words carry any weight in our lives? Do we know Him well enough to trust His Words?

Prayer:

Father,
         Thank You for loving us enough to want to have a relationship with us and for doing everything necessary to make that possible. Thank You for taking the extra time to make sure we can find our way to You whenever we are in need. We pray that we will have the strength and wits to make it through everything that's coming and end up on our feet before You. Speak to us, Father, Your Word carries all the weight in any conversation. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

To Hearken

And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil.
Deuteronomy 11:13-14 KJV

One of the number one complaints in family relationships is some phrasing of  "You're not listening to me." Think about that for a minute. I'm sure you've said it yourself... probably more than once.

Hearken is an old English word defined as "to attend to what is uttered; to give heed; to hear, in order to obey or comply." It's not just about hearing. It's not just about listening. It's also about doing - "to hear, in order to obey or comply." An action response is required.

Hearken is life and death. Marriage relationships die from the lack of it. Families are broken. People quit jobs when they feel they're not being heard. People's lives hang in the balance.

Throughout the Bible, we read the same thing from God. His greatest source of frustration is that we don't hearken to His voice. We know He speaks. We may even hear Him when He does. But do we hear in order to obey or comply? Or do we just offer action-less answers of faithless words?

Hear me. Eternity is determined by whether or not we hearken...

Hearken DILIGENTLY...

Prayer:

Father,
          We throw ourselves on Your mercy and grace and beg forgiveness for our hearts of rebellion in not giving heed to Your voice and Your Word. Change our hearts, Father. Forgive us, O God. Be Lord of our lives. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Follow the Clues

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

Colossians 2:2-3 NLT

You’ve heard it since you became a Christian. Fact of the matter is, you probably heard it before you became a Christian, right?  What, you ask? Well of course, that God has a plan for your life. 

I know I am not the only one who ever asked God what He was thinking when I didn't have any idea about what was going on in my life at a particular moment. I know I am not the only one who ever asked to be let in on the Master Plan, because I was not "getting it." I know I am not the only one who asked for a clue – just one clue – to reveal His Plan for my life.

Here’s a clue:

John 1:1-3 NLT, In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him.

Combine this with our text for today and a light glimmers. …they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ himself. In him [Christ] lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Who is Christ? He is the Word… It is IN His Word that we find hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. It is His Word that is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. The Light by which we can see to follow His Plan!

And if we have doubt or have a hard time seeing or hearing Him, He has other ways of getting through to us. Paul had his experience on the road to Damascus. Do you remember that story? Sometimes, He uses a donkey to talk to a prophet. Remember Balaam? Sometimes, He uses a complete stranger to remind you of the Plan He has for you. Ask my daughter about the shop owner in Kimmswick, Missouri, who spoke to her about her life, in a store we had not planned to go in.

There IS a plan. God has one for you. It has much to do with faith. He is the Author of it, and He is the Finisher of it. And how do we obtain the faith of which He is the Author and the Finisher? God has given everyone a measure of faith (Romans 12:3 NKJV). I've also learned that Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. How do I know that? It’s in the Bible – the Living Word of God (Romans 12 and Romans 10). 

I’m gathering clues so I can understand God’s mysterious plan.

Prayer:

Father,

          Thank You for a Plan that works. Thank You for a Plan that is fail-proof and written in Blood. Help us to follow the clues You’ve very carefully placed before us. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen

Cheap Stuff

In a wealthy home some utensils are made of gold and silver, and some are made of wood and clay. The expensive utensils are used for special occasions, and the cheap ones are for everyday use. If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work.
2nd Timothy 2:20-21 NLT

I have a confession to make. There are times when reading through the old testament, where the passages about the laws or the numbers seem interminably long so that I want to just skim over and move on. I mean, can you even imagine having to number 603,550 Israelites - let alone record the names of each of those 603,550 Israelites by hand? And that's just the men age 20 and up, fit to fight in the army, not counting the Levites (book of Numbers, Chapters 1 and 2). And here in the 21st Century, we tend to grumble about extra keystrokes.

However, the older I get, the more I appreciate the eye to detail and begin to understand the perfection of it all. God was and is very specific because He is in all the details. He is holy, therefore unclean or unholy cannot abide in His presence apart from the sacrificial blood. In the old testament, more animals were killed than we care to count to shed blood for sins. With more praise and gratitude than I am able to express - thanks to Christ and the Cross of Calvary - we don't have to shed any more blood for sin. And we can come into the Holy of Holies, entering by the Blood of the Lamb.

If we think about it in relation to our Promise for Today, we realize we are no longer the cheap stuff. We have been bought with a price too great! And we must make the necessary choices to remain pure so that we are fit for our purpose - which is honorable use by the Master for every good work.

Prayer:

Father,
         We invite the Holy Spirit to live large in us! We want to be a veritable orchard - full of the fruit of the Spirit - especially self-control - so that we make the righteous choices to remain pure and fit for purpose by You! Help us, O God. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Who's Following Whom?

[Jesus speaking] Anyone who wants to be my disciple must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me.
John 12:26 NLT

Not too long ago, I had the privilege of having a heart-to-heart conversation with a non-believer who really did not have a clue who God is in all His glory and majesty. He believed “good” people should get to go to heaven simply for being good to others. I told him that would be nice, but that’s not how it worked.

I explained to him the only way to heaven is through Jesus Christ – by confessing our sin, then believing that Jesus is the only begotten Son of God, accepting His sacrifice on the cross for our sin, and finally to confess with our mouths and believe in our heart that Jesus is Lord and God raised Him from the dead. My friend didn’t like that because he knew people who were always kind to others and gave to charities and helped others, but they didn’t believe in Jesus. He thought they should get to go to heaven. I was praying in my heart during the whole “defense” of what he believed, asking for the right words to say in response… and following is the analogy I believe God provided.

I explained, "I have a very good job. My boss lines out what I’m to do and if I expect a paycheck – what I believe is my just reward for doing what’s expected of me – then I do what I’m supposed to do. And if I don’t, I can also expect to lose my paycheck. You see, it’s not my company, so I can’t make up the rules to suit my likes and dislikes, to be what I want them or don't want them to be. I have to follow the rules established by the authority to be able to reap the benefits of being employed."

"Who do you think created heaven?"

"Who do you think it belongs to?" 

"Who do you think is the Boss there?"

To all three questions, he replied unequivocally, “God.”

So I asked him, "If God created heaven, and heaven belongs to Him, and God is the boss there, then He makes the rules, and His rule book clearly states that the only way to heaven is through Jesus. There is no other way in."

My friend had never thought of God in that capacity. He thought of Him as a kind of good luck deity that would follow us around, and be at our beck and call, blessing us when we did something good. However, neither God nor His Son said they would follow us. Jesus DID say They would be with us always, but that’s because He first said, "Follow Me."

Prayer:

Father,
           Forgive us for our rebellion when we want to lead You and want You to follow and bless what we want. We are so wrong. Lord, we choose to follow You. Give us a clear understanding of who You are in Your fullness and help us to walk in Your steps. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen

A Favorite - In the Shadow

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

Psalm 91:1 NKJV

Jesus is the greatest example of dwelling in the secret place of the Most High. He set the pattern for getting alone with God, for teaching us to say only what He heard the Father say. In Matthew 6:6, Jesus taught us how to get to the secret place, "But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly."

In order for Someone or something to cast a shadow on us, we MUST be in close proximity. So it stands to reason that if we dwell in the secret place, we are in His presence, and we will abide under His Shadow.

If you think about being close enough to Him to actually be in His shadow, it can rock your world! Make your secret place the priority. Wouldn't you rather be in His shadow than in the spotlight of the world?

Prayer:

Father,
           Reveal to us the reality of praying without ceasing. Please help us to squash those distractions that keep us from intimacy with You. Please meet with us where we have established a place for Your presence. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Entirely Faithful

The strong right arm of the Lord is raised in triumph. The strong right arm of the Lord has done glorious things!
I will not die; instead, I will live to tell what the Lord has done.
Psalm 118:16-17 NLT

All heaven will praise your great wonders, Lord; myriads of angels will praise you for your faithfulness. 

For who in all of heaven can compare with the Lord? 

What mightiest angel is anything like the Lord? 

The highest angelic powers stand in awe of God. 

He is far more awesome than all who surround his throne.
O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies! 

Where is there anyone as mighty as you, O Lord?
You are entirely faithful.
Psalm 89:5-8

In a world devoid of trust, God is trustworthy. He is entirely faithful. 

Find out for yourself.

Prayer:

Father,
           I will sing of Your unfailing love forever! Young and old will hear of Your faithfulness. Your unfailing love will last forever. Your faithfulness is as enduring as the heavens. May our actions and our words lift You up so that all those around us are drawn to You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

One of my favorites - And We Were Slingin'

There, undisciplined and dissipated, he wasted everything he had. After he had gone through all his money, there was a bad famine all through that country and he began to hurt. He signed on with a citizen there who assigned him to his fields to slop the pigs. He was so hungry he would have eaten the corncobs in the pig slop, but no one would give him any.

Luke 15:13-16 The Message

When we think of mud-slinging, we usually think politics. Who can find the dirt - who can sling it with the most effect. It gets ugly real fast - to the point that people are driven away from the political arena because they don't want to hear the trash. And it would seem logical to me that those who want to sling the mud don't want me to look at them too closely which is part of the ploy. If I'm busy looking at the mud, I might miss the obvious about the mud slinger...which could be worse than the mud slingee. Slinger wants to make himself look good by making Slingee look bad.

When I was a kid, I remember one time seeing someone slinging mud at the back of his car. I couldn’t figure out what he was doing, so I wandered closer and asked. He told me the tags were out on the car and he didn’t have the money to get them renewed so he was covering up the sticker with a little mud, but wanted to make it look as “natural” as possible. "That way, I don't look like a lawbreaker, I just look like someone who doesn't wash his car." I'm sure I don't need to tell anyone all the reasons that was wrong...I can't even go there, but it's typical of a compromised life.

We run into those same kinds of people who have known who Christ is, who have walked with Him but then have decided - for whatever reason - that they want to live their life the way THEY want to. So they start justifying. Slinging mud...that way they don't look so bad when compared to the mud. We need to pray that - like the prodigal son - they will wake up to the Truth that they are living in the equivalent of pig slop and waste. After all...a pigsty is a great place for finding mud to sling.

But God has called us to be holy. To be pure and undefiled. Christ is coming back for a church without spot or wrinkle. You CAN get there  - even if you come from a pigsty. Come out and sling off that mud.

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for Your Word that instructs us in detail regarding our walk with You. Write Your instructions on our hearts. Let any mud in our lives be only what is used to heal blinded eyes. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

A Replay - Oh, that Tongue!

 Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.

James 3:2 NLT

And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself. People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!
James 3:6-10 NLT

Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth;
Keep watch over the door of my lips.

Psalm 141:3 NKJV

So, are we encouraged that King David - a man after God's own heart (Acts 13:22) - asked God to set a guard over his mouth, or are we disheartened because all these centuries later, we still wrestle with this same issue? 

Has your mouth ever gotten you in trouble? Have you ever said something you wish you hadn't said? And if we didn't "mean" it, then why do we say it? The sad truth is we can't un-say it. We can't un-speak the words. 

Jesus tells us in Luke 6 that it's out of the abundance of our heart that we speak.  Proverbs 4:23 tells us to, Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.

Instead of telling God all about a problem, let's go to the Word of God, find out what HE has to say about that particular problem, then speak and pray HIS Truth over our lives.

Prayer:

Father,

           Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer. Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen

Reminders - Forgiveness

Matthew 6:14-15 - For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

1 John 1:9 - If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Isaiah 1:18 - “Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.

Micah 7:18-19 - Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.

Mark 11:25 - And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.

Colossians 3:13 - Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

Ephesians 4:31-32 - Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

The Prayer was written by Kristine Brown. It is a great prayer for forgiving...

Father,
          Thank You for Your gift of forgiveness. Your only Son loved me enough to come to earth and experience the worst pain imaginable so I could be forgiven. Your mercy flows to me in spite of my faults and failures. Your Word says to “clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.” (Col. 3:14) Help me demonstrate unconditional love today, even to those who hurt me.

I understand that even though I feel scarred, [I don't know if she meant 'scarred' or 'scared' but either way...] my emotions don’t have to control my actions. Father, may Your sweet words saturate my mind and direct my thoughts. Help me release the hurt and begin to love as Jesus loves. I want to see my offender through my Savior’s eyes. If I can be forgiven, so can he. I understand there are no levels to Your love. We are all Your children, and Your desire is that none of us should perish.

You teach us to “let the peace that comes from Christ rule in our hearts.” (Col. 3:15) When I forgive in words, allow Your Holy Spirit to fill my heart with peace. I pray this peace that only comes from Jesus will rule in my heart, keeping out doubt and questions. And above all, I am thankful. Not just today, not just this week, but always. Thank You for the reminder, “Always be thankful.” (Col. 3:15) With gratitude I can draw closer to You and let go of unforgiveness. With gratitude I can see the person who caused my pain as a child of the Most High God. Loved and accepted. Help me find the compassion that comes with true forgiveness.

And when I see the person who hurt me, bring this prayer back to my remembrance, so I can take any ungodly thoughts captive and make them obedient to Christ. (2 Cor. 10:5) And may the confidence of Christ in my heart guide me into the freedom of forgiveness. I praise You for the work You are doing in my life, teaching and perfecting my faith. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Perspective

16 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. 17 For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! 18 So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NLT

I love what Pastor Tony Evans has to say about this passage.

If you have not yet experienced signs of aging, you will! But though our bodies grow older and decay, we believers are becoming strengthened in our inner person, which is where our treasure is (4:7). Believers should be growing spiritually younger as they grow physically older. We are being made fit for our future heavenly home, and this happens through a process that comes day by day.

In verse 17, Paul understands that negative circumstances have a positive effect when we trust and obey God through them.

If your tribulations seem long and heavy, you’re looking at the wrong thing. To put it another way, if all you see is what you see, then you do not see all there is to be seen! Paul is not saying we must close our eyes to the reality of our suffering; he’s saying we need to open our eyes by faith to unseen realities that will last forever. An eternal perspective gives the believer the ability to handle the struggles of this life.

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for reminding us to look for, see and embrace Your perspective on life and its trials. Help us to remember that ALL things work for our good, to build Christ-like character in us, and to learn to love as You love. Holy Spirit, keep us looking up, above our circumstances. Help us to never lose sight of eternity and to always look for Your touch in everything that touches our lives. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Extol the Lord God

I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!

Psalm 116:1-2 NLT

Death wrapped its ropes around me; the terrors of the grave overtook me.
I saw only trouble and sorrow.
Then I called on the name of the Lord: “Please, Lord, save me!”
How kind the Lord is! How good he is! So merciful, this God of ours!
The Lord protects those of childlike faith; I was facing death, and he saved me.
Let my soul be at rest again, for the Lord has been good to me. 

He has saved me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.
And so I walk in the Lord’s presence as I live here on earth!
I believed in you, so I said, “I am deeply troubled, Lord.”
In my anxiety I cried out to you, “These people are all liars!”
What can I offer the Lord for all he has done for me?
I will lift up the cup of salvation and praise the Lord’s name for saving me.
I will keep my promises to the Lord in the presence of all his people.

Prayer:

Father,

         You care deeply when Your loved ones die. O Lord, we are Your servants; yes, we are  Your servants, born into Your household; You have freed us from our chains. We will offer You a sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the Lord. We will fulfill our vows to You, Lord, in the presence of all Your people - in the house of the Lord, in the heart of Jerusalem. Praise the Lord and Amen!

Psalm 116:3-19

I Love the Lord sung by Alicia Williamson

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

Do It Now

The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him.
Psalm 24:1 NLT

As Christians, we can spout this verse along with the one about God owning the cattle on a thousand hills and the hills on which they stand. Personally, I think I've given head assent to this Truth, but not had full comprehension with my heart. However, I heard a music video today that got me thinking about this verse on more than a superficial level. 

It's easy to think that all we've worked for over the years is ours. It's just as easy to look around and be grateful for our family, our home, our job, our car, etc. But to whom are we grateful? Over the years, have we become complacent with our gratitude? When was the last time we intentionally, devotedly expressed to God just how thankful we are for everything HE HAS GIVEN US?

Prayer:

Father,

           Thank You for everything You have provided for us - family, friends, dwelling places, health and healing, jobs to be able to provide for our families, strength and knowledge to be able to do the jobs You've provided for us. Pastors to teach us Your Truths, the Holy Spirit to guide us, Jesus to pay the price for our sins. For the beauty of the Earth we live on, the air we breathe, and so much more. Thank You for trials to make us stronger in You. Thank You for grace and mercy to get us through them. Thank You for Your love. Help us to love others as You love us. Holy Spirit, keep us ever mindful of being intentionally grateful to God. Father, give us clean hands and pure hearts so that we may stand on Your holy hill. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Taking Second Place

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

Matthew 6:33 NKJV

It's human nature - we want to be first. Be the first to own this or that, first across the finish line, first to solve the puzzle. First in line to eat. I'm almost convinced that we don't care what, as long as we're in First Place. And yet, that's totally opposite of how we are instructed to live our lives. 

We are to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness... We are to prefer others before ourselves (Romans 12:10).  We are to follow. To follow, by definition, is to NOT be first.

In John 12:26 (NKJV), [Jesus speaking] If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor. 

Let's take our places, please. Who, me first? No, thank You... I'll follow You.

Prayer:

Father, 

          We want to follow You and serve You. We like the place You have carved out for us. Help us to see Your footsteps in front of us so that we don't miss a step and wind up in the wrong place. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen