Culture Shocked

So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:

 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
Luke 4:16-21 NKJV

Imagine all the ones going into the synagogue on that Sabbath because it was their usual custom. This was Jesus' old neighborhood. He had been raised here. Everyone knew Him. He stands to read, and everyone nods in agreement as He does. They are very familiar with the passage. They have been waiting YEARS for the Messiah to come to rescue them from their oppressors. Then Jesus declares“Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” 

Talk about shock! Jesus had just declared Himself the Messiah! Did they rejoice? Did they dance and shout, "Hallelujah!"?  No, they did not. Where was His army? How were they going to be freed from their oppression? No, they did not rejoice. They tried to mob Him and throw Him off a cliff!

That was the first time He came. The second time, He will have His army. He will be settling scores, and there will be judgment for everyone. Truly, culture shocked!

Prayer:

Father,

           Give us a deeper understanding of Your Word. We don't want to miss anything You have planned for us. Help us to rightly divide Your Words of Truth so we may help others on this journey. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Reviving Courage

The high and lofty one who lives in eternity, the Holy One, says this:
“I live in the high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble. I restore the crushed spirit of the humble and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts."

Isaiah 57:15 NLT

I am continually amazed at the love of God toward those who are His. In spite of our shortcomings, our failures, our sins, He willingly and lovingly gathers us to Himself when we repent and turn from our selfish and self-serving ways. 

He promises to heal us, to comfort those who mourn, and to give us peace beyond our comprehension when our hearts are repentant. He said specifically that He will revive the courage of those with repentant hearts.

I don't know about you but in these days, I need all the courage that can be revived.

Prayer:

Father,

           We cry out for You to reveal everything in us that separates us from You. Break the selfishness in our hearts, Lord. Be our refuge and strength. We pray as Paul prayed, that our love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight to help us determine what really matters, so that in the day of Christ we may be found pure and blameless, having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Your Son for Your glory and praise. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Help Us to Remember

This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.
Hebrews 10:16-17 KJV

I think I have reached the limit of my personal gigabyte storage capacity. No, not on my laptop, although that's close. I'm talking mental, personal storage capacity. I want to remember, but for some reason, I do not. It can be a good thing. Most times, I don't remember to be angry or to hold an offense. More often than not, though, it isn't a good thing. If I don't write it down, I forget. And if I forget where I wrote it down, or what I named it when I saved it, it's worse than the proverbial needle in a haystack when trying to find it. And there are things I don't want to forget - like birthdays, checking on a friend who's sick or who has lost a loved one...

There are other things, I MUST not forget. Did you ever watch the movie, Passion of the Christ? I make myself watch it now and then, so I remember. No, I don't forget Christ went to the Cross. I can't forget that He died for my sin, to cleanse me from ALL unrighteousness. Yes, I still know He took the stripes on His back for my healing. Watching it turns my stomach when I see how evil mankind can be, but I want to remember how easily I could have been part of that crowd. 

However, I find I MUST be reminded one more time of a love SO great I cannot comprehend it! We can so easily get caught up in the petty cares of this world that we become complacent and lose our passion and compassion. We're irked by little things and lose patience quickly with people God has put within our sphere of influence to love and point the way to Him. Some things we may think we have the right to be upset about, but Scripture tells us Christ cried out from the Cross, Father, forgive them...

He was despised and rejected— a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all. Isaiah 53:3-6 NLT

Remind us again, Lord.

Prayer:

Father,
           The covenant You have made is to put Your law in our hearts, and to write them in our minds. Your Word declares You are working in us, giving us both the desire and the power to do what pleases You. Please don't stop. Remind us, O Lord, to love as You have loved. To live obediently even unto death. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

A Heart that Remembers

Praise the Lord!
I will thank the Lord with all my heart as I meet with his godly people. How amazing are the deeds of the Lord! All who delight in him should ponder them. Everything he does reveals his glory and majesty. His righteousness never fails. He causes us to remember his wonderful works. How gracious and merciful is our Lord!

Psalm 111:1-4 NLT

In the Bible commentary, Essential Bible Companion to the Psalms
by Brian Webster and David Beach, they provide this insight into Psalm 111.

Israel received many benefits from the Lord, some of which are mentioned in this psalm. God performed majestic and memorable acts. He provided food, land, and redemption. He made a lasting covenant with them. But the story is not mainly about Israel; it is about God. It is not an occasion for pride, but rather, praise—not “Look at me,” but “Look at him.”

His works are “faithful,” “righteous,” “gracious,” “compassionate,” “just,” and “trustworthy.” The story is not about you or me. The story is about God and our response to him.

So let us remember and let us be grateful.

Prayer:

Father,

           We remember Your works, Your faithfulness and great compassion toward us. We thank You, Lord, with our whole hearts as we meet with Your godly people. How amazing are Your deeds! Everything You do reveals Your glory and majesty. Your righteousness never fails! Keep our hearts ever mindful to remember Your wonderful works and to praise You for them. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Which Way?

Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: I am the Lord your God, who teaches you how to succeed, who leads you in the way you should go.
Isaiah 48:17 New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

The nation of Israel had this promise among all the other promises and yet they sorely tested the Lord God - numerous times, in many ways, and with repeat offenses. And although they bore the consequences of the poor choices they made, when in true repentance they returned to God, He had compassion on them. 

Before we point fingers at their wandering ways, let's think about some of the choices we've made. Side roads that we should never have been on. U-turns we never should have made. Detours that were not authorized by God. Bridges that we burned... 

He gave us Jesus as the Way, the Truth, and the Life. What bad things might we have been able to avoid if we followed the God who teaches [us] how to succeed, who leads [us] in the way [we] should go?

Prayer:

Father,

           Forgive us for going our own way in spite of what You had planned for us. Please teach us Your way, lead us where You want us to go. Give us ears to hear You and a heart to follow You without question. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Adulting

Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.

Ephesians 4:1-3 NLT

Have you seen any of the memes on Facebook that read they're "done adulting" for whatever reason and want to go back to whatever they don't want to take responsibility for? I hate to break it to them, as Christians, we're called to grow up, to be mature (vs 13), and to live up to the standard set by Christ. 

How do we do that?

Always be humble and gentle 

Be patient with each other

Making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love 

Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit

Binding yourselves together with peace

God knows it takes an adult attitude to accomplish these, but more than that, it takes the grace that was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift (vs.7). The Lord knows what is needed for us to grow up into the fullness of Christ. 

Do we?

Prayer:

Father,

           Sometimes we go for the laugh and that's okay as long as we don't compromise Truth. Forgive us, please, when we're not maturing in our relationship with You for that is no laughing matter. Help us to see and also know that only in You is there fullness of true JOY. Help us to know the delight of life that comes with being in right relationship with You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Our Only Defense

I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins. 

Put Me in remembrance; Let us contend together; State your case, that you may be acquitted.

Isaiah 43:25-26 NKJV

Was it something we did? Something we said? Something we flaunted as though it was our own creation? Was that the reason God chose to not remember our sins? The Truth is that the something we said or did was most probably a case of sinning against God. Anything we may have created to flaunt was rooted in pride - also very offensive to God. So for His own sake, He chose to create a way to forgive us and not compromise His own holiness.

And lest we persist in thinking it might have been something we earned, let's review how we may state our case and be acquitted. Our ONLY defense is to confess our sins to God and repent - turn from our sins - receive His forgiveness and throw ourselves on His mercy which is new every morning and never-ending.

Prayer:

Father, 

          Forgive us for any time we thought we might be able to rid ourselves of our selfish, sinful ways. Thank You for Your unfailing love, for loving us first, and for Your faithfulness. Thank You for providing a way out of the debt we owed You by having Your Son pay the penalty for our sin. Guide us in loving others as You have loved us. Teach us Your ways, Father, so that they are our first response to those around us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

The Simple Truth

Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you."
Hebrews 13:5 NLT

Money is not evil. The issue is when someone loves money, they can never get enough and oftentimes will compromise or altogether abandon their moral compass to gain more. The love of it is evil because it will corrupt one's life - greed, selfishness, envy - all leading to discontent. 

Having wealth is not evil. Keeping everything submitted to the Lordship of Christ keeps everything holy. It's that simple... and that difficult. The simple truth is God has promised that He will never fail us nor ever abandon us. He is I AM. There isn't anything money can buy that Jesus hasn't already brought to the table. Colossians 1:15-17 tells us, He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. Knowing this simple, yet extraordinary truth is why we can be more than satisfied with what we have. 

Prayer:

Father, 

          You are the Great I AM, Maker of Heaven and Earth. You pursued us, loving us so much You sent Your Son to pay the price to redeem us, and He willingly came. Help us to be submitted to You and Your will like Jesus was and is submitted - in all things, laying down our will and our desires for what You have ordained. In His Name we pray. Amen

Don't Lose Sight

Look up and see! Who created these? He brings out the stars by number; he calls all of them by name. Because of his great power and strength, not one of them is missing.

Isaiah 40:26 CSB

Do we lose sight of the Almighty God, Creator of everything? Do we question Him as a peer - maybe even a subordinate - when we think He is ignoring us? Do we really think our way is hidden from an all-seeing God? 

Preach on, Isaiah! Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the whole earth. He never becomes faint or weary; there is no limit to his understanding. He gives strength to the faint and strengthens the powerless. Youths may become faint and weary, and young men stumble and fall, but those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not become weary, they will walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40:28-31 CSB

Prayer:

Father,
           We pray as Paul prayed in his letter to the Ephesians, that You the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, would give us the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of You. We pray that the eyes of our hearts would be enlightened so that we may know what is the hope of Your calling, what is the wealth of Your glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of Your power toward us who believe, according to the mighty working of Your strength. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Define Doing Good

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
Galatians 6:9-10 NIV

Everywhere you turn, people are complaining about inflation and the increased cost of living, the price of gasoline, groceries, and their high utility bills. And in just about every neighborhood group or social platform, at least one person is asking for a donation of some kind. It can be emotionally exhausting but then we have today's Promise that tells us not to become weary, to not give up. In fact, it encourages us to continue to do good to ALL people...  How do we do that?

Well, I would suggest we define doing good. It's not always about money - although if you have been blessed, bless others. (If you're concerned that they might think you're an easy touch, bless them anonymously. To God be the glory.) 

Inexpensive, but Priceless Doings:

*A smile costs nothing, but reaps a great return for the investment.

*When you fix your favorite dinner, take a to-go container to your neighbor. (Most grocery stores sell sets of 2 or 3 plastic bowls with lids for about $2 USD.) 

*Bake a cake - cut and take enough pieces for the family next door.

*Write a note of encouragement or a compliment and send it via snail mail. If you can't afford a stamp, fold it in half and put it in their mailbox or put it on their car.

*Send an encouraging Bible verse via text. 

*Say a prayer for someone who comes to mind, then text them and let them know you prayed for them that day. 

*Take them a flower or bouquet or vegetables from your garden.

You get the idea. Doing good is a simple matter of touching a heart. And even if they have a heart of stone, remember that in the battle between water and rock, over time, the water wins...

Prayer:

Father,

          Thank You for every opportunity You provide for us to do good to all people. Open our eyes to see more clearly and move on our hearts so we don't miss it. We want to love others as You love us. Help us, O God. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Not of the Same Mind

For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another.

So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.

Galatians 5:13-17 NLT

There's the answer to the reason why we often feel at odds with ourselves and even with others. Flesh and Spirit. They are not of the same mindset. So which one do we choose? We must acknowledge and then remember that life paths are decided by our thoughts, words, and deeds. Keep in mind that our physical bodies are inclined to evil, but the Spirit is not. 

Let's stop and take inventory of our recent mindsets. Are we focused on following Christ? Are we seeking direction from the Holy Spirit? Are we praising and making melodies in our hearts for the Lord? Are we stressed about the economy? Worried about our jobs? Envious or jealous of a friend or co-worker? What is at the forefront of our thoughts? Given that knowledge, are we headed on the right path? 

Prayer:

Father, 
           Your Word tells us that the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Help us to always be living in the Light of the Spirit.
           We choose to belong to Your Son and as such, we have nailed the passions and desires of our sinful nature to His cross and crucified them there. We choose to follow the Spirit. Help us to follow His leading in every part of our lives. Cause us to be always mindful of where our thoughts, words and deeds are leading us. Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Would or Would Not?

For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel:
In returning and rest you shall be saved;
In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.
But you would not...

Isaiah 30:15 NKJV

We get an idea in our head and start to run with it. We might even make out a plan and it seems right to us, so we go with it. It's a great idea by all accounts, but it doesn't come together and we're at a loss to understand why.

Oftentimes, it is then we turn to God for guidance. If He doesn't provide the answer we want in the timeframe that we want it, we work harder, trying to make it happen in our own strength. Over the years, we learn that if WE own it, WE are responsible for its success or failure. However, if we submit our plans to the Lord and follow HIS leading, HE owns it... 

So, what do we do now? We ran off headstrong in our own way before, but if we repent - In returning and rest you shall be saved;

In quietness and confidence shall be your strength. And verse 18 assures us, Therefore the Lord is waiting to show you mercy, and is rising up to show you compassion, for the Lord is a just God. All who wait patiently for him are happy. Isaiah 30:18 Christian Standard Bible

Prayer:

Father, 

          Forgive us for our sin of being self-sufficient instead of trusting You in all things. Forgive us for those times when we "would not..." We need Your rest and salvation, Your mercy and compassion. Teach us to wait patiently for You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Pointing

Does a farmer always plow and never sow? Is he forever cultivating the soil and never planting? Does he not finally plant his seeds— black cumin, cumin, wheat, barley, and emmer wheat—each in its proper way, and each in its proper place? The farmer knows just what to do, for God has given him understanding.
Isaiah 28:24-26 NLT

This parable so beautifully guides us in our salvation process. When we hear the Gospel - God's pursuit of us - we love Him because He first loved us. We are saved. Do we automatically know what to do from there? No, of course not. They've even written books such as, "What Next?" to help guide new Christians. 

We know we should read the Bible - God's Word. It helps to plow up our hard hearts. We get washed by the water of the word - preparing the soil of our souls to receive the seeds of Truth. An unplowed field is overtaken by weeds and rendered fruitless. So we must cultivate the soil, then sow the seeds of the fruits we want to harvest in our lives. Planting is not enough, we must also know how to harvest. We must learn to rightly divide the Word of Truth. Just reading the Bible doesn't save us. It points us to the God who does.

God's Word contains the wisdom and understanding we need to live our lives as ambassadors for Christ, so we can point the way for others. 

Prayer:

Father,

          Help us to learn Your process, Your purpose for our lives. Thank You for loving us and pursuing us to be in right relationship with You. Help us to help others see You in Your fullness and glory. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Farther Along

Don’t envy sinners, but always continue to fear the Lord. You will be rewarded for this; your hope will not be disappointed.
Proverbs 23:17-18 NLT

Written almost a century ago, Farther Along puts to music support of this passage of Scripture. The song asks what we do with the apparent prosperity of the wicked when contrasted with the suffering of the righteous. 

The world tends to be envious of the wealth of the wicked, but earlier in the book of Proverbs (3:32), we're told, Such wicked people are detestable to the Lord, but he offers his friendship to the godly. Which would you rather have; ill-gotten gains or friendship with an Almighty God? Remember the choices we make have eternal ramifications. And as the song so succinctly states, Farther along, we'll know all about it. Farther along, we'll understand why...

Prayer:

Father,

           We pray according to Your Word - we would have lost heart, unless we had believed that we would see the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living. We will wait on You, Lord; we will be of good courage, and You shall strengthen our heart. Farther along, we will understand why. Help us to walk through the questions by faith in You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

No Substitutions

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Galatians 2:20 NKJV

Salvation is made available to us solely by the gift of God through the person of His Son, Jesus Christ, who died to pay the penalty for our sins so we could be reconciled to the Father. It is by His Grace through faith that we are able to receive it. Faith, which is also a gift from God (Romans 12:3). 

And while faith in Christ produces a heart to serve and help others, works such as serving, giving, good deeds, etc., do not serve as a substitute for faith. We must be careful to not allow ourselves to reduce our journey with Jesus to the tasks we accomplish.

There is no substitution for faith in a living, loving relationship with the Lord.

Prayer:

Father,

           Forgive us when we allow our relationship with You to become mindless acts of perceived duty. Open our eyes of understanding to fully embrace what it means to love You with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind, and with all our strength. In Jesus' Name we pray.

Waiting for God

Truly my soul silently waits for God; From Him comes my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved.
Psalm 62:1-2 NKJV

My soul, wait silently for God alone, For my expectation is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory; The rock of my strength, And my refuge, is in God.

Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. vvs. 5-8

Prayer:

Father,

          Strip the scales from our eyes so we may clearly see You above all else. Cause us to be able to see Your hand, Your fingerprints, on and in every area of our life. Lord, we reaffirm to You and to ourselves that we will wait silently, trusting You at all times, in all things. In Jesus' Name. Amen

Not Accidental

Commit yourself to instruction; listen carefully to words of knowledge.
Proverbs 23:12 NLT

Commitment is not haphazard. It is intentional. Wisdom is not gained by accident. It is obtained by diligently seeking for it, by gaining knowledge of God's Word, and then actively, appropriately applying it to our lives. Do a search for Scriptures about learning, knowledge, instruction. You will quickly see how important - and necessary - it is to your life.

Proverbs 9:8b-9 tells us plainly, Rebuke a wise man, and he will love you. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. Throughout Scripture, we are advised to remain teachable, to walk in humility, and to be able to receive instruction. Proverbs 19:20 tells us, Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future. We cannot grow in Christ if we harden our hearts to Godly correction and instruction. 

Prayer:

Father, 

           We pray Your Word - We will do our best to present ourselves to You as those approved, workers who have no need to be ashamed, rightly handling Your Word of Truth. We want Your wisdom, Lord.  Teach us to do Your will, for You are our God! In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Make Yourself Comfortable

Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?
2 Corinthians 13:5 NIV

When we ask Jesus to come into our lives, He does just that. He tells us we are a new creation in Him. We are changed. It is written - 2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV, Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Have you found that to be true?

Do you ever think about Jesus IN your heart? The work of salvation is all Him, but it doesn't stop there. Ephesians 3:17a reads, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. When company is coming to visit, boy, we clean and scrub and make things look good. Jesus doesn't want to be a guest in our hearts - just visiting us when we're available. He wants to DWELL in our hearts - to move in. To make Himself comfortable. To feel free to add His own touches,,, We know from having lived with family or roommates, visiting a place and moving in to live there are very different. Are we different? Is Jesus comfortable living IN us?

Prayer:

Father,
           We pray Your Word - that out of Your glorious riches You will strengthen us all with power through Your Spirit in our inner being, so that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith. And we pray that being rooted and established in love, we may have power, together with all Your people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Your Son, Jesus Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that we may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of You. We want to pass the test. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Expecting

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him - the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord - and he will delight in the fear of the Lord.

He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist.

Isaiah 11:1-5 NIV

For centuries, the Israelites had been taught the prophecies of the coming Messiah and they had been watching for Him. They searched the scrolls. They cross-referenced with the stars. They expected Him to come as a mighty King to deliver them from the hands of their enemies. They had all the knowledge and yet, they missed Him.

For millennia, the generations of mankind have heard and been taught about the second coming of Christ. We have searched the Scriptures and cross-referenced them with scientific discoveries and signs in the sky (Luke 21:25). What are WE expecting? More to the point - ARE we expecting? Are we waiting with eager anticipation for Christ's return? 

We have even more knowledge. Will we miss Him? 

Prayer:

Father,

          Remove the veil of sin from our eyes so we may clearly see Your glory. We want to see You. We want to know You in Your righteousness. Separate us from our human ignorance to reveal and impart Your wisdom and understanding to us. We don't want to miss You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

A Place for Everything

Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.

Psalm 55:22 NIV

In this psalm, David is being harassed and tormented by his enemies. He is overwhelmed - vvs 4-5 read, My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death have fallen on me. Fear and trembling have beset me; horror has overwhelmed me... so much so that he just wants to sprout wings and fly away.

I dare to say that at one time or another, all of us have wanted to sprout wings and fly away from troubles in this life. What I love about David is he always points us back to the Lord. 

Cast your cares on the Lord... other Bible translations say 'give them to...', 'turn them over to...', 'pile your troubles on...'. In other words, Dear Ones, put them where they belong! When we follow the Lord, there is a place for everything - for us and for every burden. He will take care of everything. 

Prayer:

Father,

          You are the perfect resting place, our shelter, our protector and provider, our redeemer. Thank You for doing the impossible to make it so easy for us to reach You. We trust You. Keep us ever mindful of putting everything in the right place - Your hands. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen 

The Lord Sustains

Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.
Psalm 54:4 NIV

We hear a lot about personal burn-out within ministry - pastors, church staff and volunteers. Ministry demands more from a person than most other vocations - spiritually definitely, but also physically and emotionally. I think it has a lot to do with how busy one gets trying to meet all the needs. We get so busy trying to DO, that we tend to forget or neglect our time with the Lord - the ONLY One in Whom we live and move and have our very being. As David tells us in our Promise for Today, Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.

When we think WE have it tough, let's think about our first-century counterparts and what all they endured! In this excerpt from 2 Corinthians 11 NLT, Paul writes, 

23 Are they servants of Christ? I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. 

24 Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. 

25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. 

26 I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. 

27 I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm.

28 Then, besides all this, I have the daily burden of my concern for all the churches. 

And yet Paul counts it all joy - a pleasure! Chapter 12, verse 10 That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

I urge you and encourage you to make time in your busy life for Christ your Lord. Without Him, there is no strength to sustain you.

Prayer:

Father,

          You promise Your strength in us in order to fulfill Your plan and purpose for our lives. You ARE our very present help in times of trouble. Strengthen and sustain us according to Your Word. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Leadership Ability or Disability

People will oppress each other - man against man,
neighbor against neighbor.
Young people will insult their elders,
and vulgar people will sneer at the honorable.
Isaiah 3:5 NLT

I know this passage refers to Jerusalem and Judah, but it also seems to be prophetic. It struck me as what we see happening all around us in the world today. 

There was a time when Godly principles and standards were foundational to the family. The farther away our nations - yours and mine - move from God's Word for our wisdom, the less wise our leaders. When people come to power who don't have true leadership ability, societal morés break down as evidenced globally.

1 Timothy 2:1-2 NIV reads, I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people - for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. No wonder God instructs us to pray for those in authority. They need it and so do we.

Prayer:

Father,

           Forgive us for not carefully guarding the priority of Your Word in our lives. Give us divine appointments to share Your Word with others, and to teach our generations how to govern according to Your wisdom.
        Open our spiritual eyes to those things that distract us from You. Cause us to see with Your eyes.
         Father, we bring petitions, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving for all people - especially for leaders worldwide, for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Just Like Your Father

Learn to do good.
Seek justice.
Help the oppressed.
Defend the cause of orphans.
Fight for the rights of widows.

Isaiah 1:17 NLT

Had he lived, my father would have been 104 today. Sadly, he passed away 22 years ago, estranged from the real world. He was quite a character during his lifetime. He definitely marched to a different drum, and not always one that was accepted by "normal" standards. As a teenager, when I would behave in a manner that did not please my mother, she would say, "You're just like your father!" in an effort to get me to repent of my ways. I can't say it always worked. 😊 

Later, when I came to understand the character of God the Father, it was a different story. I wanted to be like our heavenly Father. I wanted to take on His characteristics - love and mercy and grace and forgiveness, faithfulness, to name a scant few. And just like God reached out for us to save us from sin and ourselves when we had nothing of value to offer Him in return, He wants us to reach out to others to lead them to God through Christ. He wants us to be just like our Father.

Prayer:

Father, 

          Help us to be like You. Forgive us all the times we fall short of doing so. Breathe Your Holy Spirit into us. Open our eyes to see those who need, In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Psalm 51 Path of Repentance

Have pity on me, O Elohim [O God], in keeping with your mercy.
In keeping with your unlimited compassion, wipe out my rebellious acts.
Psalm 51:1 Names of God Bible

Verses 2-9, Wash me thoroughly from my guilt, and cleanse me from my sin. I admit that I am rebellious. My sin is always in front of me. I have sinned against you, especially you. I have done what you consider evil. So you hand down justice when you speak, and you are blameless when you judge.

Indeed, I was born guilty. I was a sinner when my mother conceived me. Yet, you desire truth and sincerity. Deep down inside me you teach me wisdom. Purify me from sin with hyssop, and I will be clean. Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear sounds of joy and gladness. Let the bones that you have broken dance. Hide your face from my sins, and wipe out all that I have done wrong.

Prayer: (verses 10-12)

Father,
          Create a clean heart in me, O God, and renew a faithful spirit within me. Do not force me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore the joy of Your salvation to me, and provide me with a spirit of willing obedience. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

A Change of Heart

But Elohim [God] says to wicked people, “How dare you quote my decrees and mouth my promises! You hate discipline. You toss my words behind you. When you see a thief, you want to make friends with him. You keep company with people who commit adultery. You let your mouth say anything evil. Your tongue plans deceit. You sit and talk against your own brother. You slander your own mother’s son. 

When you did these things, I remained silent. That made you think I was like you.
I will argue my point with you and lay it all out for you to see.
Consider this, you people who forget Eloah [God]. Otherwise, I will tear you to pieces, and there will be no one left to rescue you.
Whoever offers thanks as a sacrifice honors me. I will let everyone who continues in my way see the salvation that comes from Elohim [God].”

Psalm 50:16-23 Names of God Bible

As students, we have memorized songs and poems and presidential addresses, and never really paid attention to the words. In that same vein, memorizing Bible verses will not get anyone into Heaven. Reciting the 10 Commandments or the covenant verses of God won't do it for them, either. Scripture refers to those people as wicked. What?!? Why?!? Because it's head knowledge only. There's no plumbing the depths of God's pure intent and straight-out commands. There's no change of heart. 

David said, "Thy Word have I hid in mine heart that I might not sin against Thee..." Psalm 119:11 KJV.  Not the head, the heart. 

Do we think we can skate superficially through this journey and not reap retribution? People often mistake God's silence as acceptance. No, He is a holy God who will accept no less than holy. He is also Love.  2 Peter 3:9 NLT tells us, The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.

We must re-examine our hearts. If we are not right before God, if His Word is not hidden in our hearts, we must repent and turn to Him to receive His saving grace.

Prayer:

Father,
          Forgive us for head knowledge only. Change us, O God! When we search Your Word, help us to drive it deep into our hearts so that we don't sin against You. We don't want to just go through the motions. We want every motion in our lives to be because our hearts are moved by You and Your Word. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Yesterday's Tomorrow

Oh, how sweet the light of day,
And how wonderful to live in the sunshine!
Even if you live a long time, don’t take a single day for granted.

Take delight in each light-filled hour,
Remembering that there will also be many dark days And that most of what comes your way is smoke. 

You who are young, make the most of your youth. Relish your youthful vigor. Follow the impulses of your heart. If something looks good to you, pursue it. But know also that not just anything goes;
You have to answer to God for every last bit of it.

Ecclesiastes 11:7-9 The Message

God's mercies are new every morning, so each day we get another chance to do it right. So, we go through life thinking "Tomorrow's another day". We'll have another opportunity - a sort of do-over. But when we think about it, today is yesterday's tomorrow and what have we done with TODAY?

It's important to note that we are to live life abundantly through Christ for we will give an accounting to God for each day of it. We tend to live our lives in yesterday and today. God sees it as forever.

Prayer:

Father,

           Forgive us for the time we waste. We ask for Your wisdom and Your grace to live EACH day as You would have us to live. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Unpredictable

[Solomon speaking] The fastest runner doesn’t always win the race, and the strongest warrior doesn’t always win the battle. The wise sometimes go hungry, and the skillful are not necessarily wealthy. And those who are educated don’t always lead successful lives. It is all decided by chance, by being in the right place at the right time.

People can never predict when hard times might come. Like fish in a net or birds in a trap, people are caught by sudden tragedy.

Ecclesiastes 9:11b-12 NLT

How often have we wondered why things don't go as we think they should? Why do certain circumstances point to an expected end, yet turn out entirely different? The only thing we can say with any certainty about everyone on Earth is that their life will end. Life itself is unpredictable.

As Christians, I don't believe our lives are decided by chance because the Word tells us our steps are ordered by the Lord. When we walk in close relationship with God, His Spirit leads us to the right place at the right time. Whether it's to the best of times or seemingly the worst of times, what we can KNOW is that we are not alone; that God's love NEVER fails, and that He will work ALL things for our good when we choose to trust Him in all of it. Our lives are unpredictable to us, but not to God. 

Prayer:

Father,

          We choose to follow You wherever You will lead us, knowing that You are fully trustworthy. We choose to live with grateful hearts toward You for great is Your faithfulness to us, O God. Help us to keep our spiritual eyes open to see You so we can point others to You along the way. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Fears Within

For when we came into Macedonia, we had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn—conflicts on the outside, fears within.
2 Corinthians 7:5 NIV

For every Christian who has ever wrestled with fearful thoughts, this verse should be a comfort. Here, the Apostle Paul confesses to being harassed not only by outside influences but from fears within himself. He'd missed Titus in Troas and was concerned that he had lost the faithfulness of the Corinthians because of his previous letter of correction to them. Then Titus showed up and was able to overcome the fears that had harassed him. 

If you've ever said or done anything that caused doubt or fear within yourself, you know how unsettling that can be. BUT we serve a God Who is faithful to give us exactly what we need when we turn everything over to Him. He will do for us what He did for Paul. He will send someone alongside who will encourage us, pray for us, or testify about how God saw them through the same thing. 

All Christians are humans and as such, wrestle with doubts and fear. Paul, King David, Simon Peter, Moses, Elijah... just to name a few. 

1st Peter 5:8-10 tells us, Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 

We are made new in Christ. We are made to be overcomers.  

Prayer:

Father,

          Thank You for Your Grace. Thank You for restoring, confirming, strengthening, and establishing us, and making us fit for Your purpose. Give us eyes to see those around us who need to be encouraged, too. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Under Heaven

To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven:
Ecclesiastes 3:1 NKJV

This is the well-known chapter that lists all the times we experience -  a time to be born, a time to die, et cetera. I can almost hear Solomon muttering, "Same old, same old. Every day, it's the same old thing."

As we read through this chapter, it seems as though Solomon's frustration with life glares back at us from the page. However, I believe it's all part of God's design to make us want HIM more. He tells us not to love the world and the things of it.

If we were totally satisfied by what we could find on planet Earth, we would never seek a relationship with the Lord, nor would we seek Heaven. We were never meant to be satisfied with only time for every purpose under heaven. Our goal is IN Heaven, not under it.

Prayer:

Father,

          According to Your Word, help us to forget everything that is past and stretch forward to what lies in front of us. Help us to fix our eyes on the goal and push on to secure the prize of Your heavenward call. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Face to Face

[God speaking] Would you condemn me to justify yourself?
Job 40:8b NIV

I'm sure you've noticed the increased antagonism on social platforms and news sites, with people challenging and belligerent in response to situations or people they will never see in real life. Verbally criticizing people with whom they have no relationship and situations in which they have no experience, let alone expertise, and yet exalting themselves. It's so much easier to do when they are not face-to-face. I wonder what they would say or do if they ever did come face-to-face with the subject or object of their inflammable comments.

People do the same thing to God...They blame Him when bad things happen, yet take no responsibility for having sown bad seed in their lives. Sadly, it's not a surprise. Mankind has done that all the way back to Adam who blamed God for the fall (in Genesis 3:12).

It's not a new thing. However, I think mankind has lost the Truth that we will all one day stand face-to-face with a sovereign God to give an accounting, just as Job did in our Scripture passage today. What will our answer be then?

Prayer:

Father,
          Please forgive us for the times we have judged others and especially for those times we have judged You. Help us to daily walk in repentance and humility. Right our wrongs, Father. Please keep the reality of Heaven forefront in our thoughts. We're already one day closer. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen