A Memory - The Encourager

See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end.

Hebrews 3:12-14 NIV

I want to go on record to declare that I am a believer and follower of Jesus Christ and His gospel. I have a strong faith. I believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God and the standard by which we are to live. I believe that we will live eternally somewhere and that both heaven and hell are real.

So, I have hope in the Lord. It's hope - not born of desperation, but rather of relationship - knowing in Whom I have believed and having been witness to His mighty works and amazing grace. I truly believe that God is good even when I don't understand the dark times. Let the believers say "Amen!"

My brother, Joe, died nine years ago. Part of me was lost when we lost Joe, and I floundered BIG TIME. Please know that I am not writing this for sympathy. I am writing to reiterate these truths. Do not confuse my grief with lack of faith. Do not interpret my tears as signs of unbelief. Here's what I know that I know. Jesus tells us in John 12:24 that unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. There IS coming a time of rebirth. I'm no farmer, but I understand many seeds = much harvest.

My brother, Joe, was an encourager! He was the family cheerleader and storyteller and he was hilarious! I miss him so much, but I will see him again. I know this because it's written in God's Word.

1st Thessalonians 4:13-18 NLT, And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died. We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. So encourage each other with these words.

May you be encouraged today.

Prayer:

Father,
          The heavens declare Your glory and I? I can only attempt to echo their praise. Thank You for Your grace and for salvation and for Your mercy, and help us to try to fathom the depth of Your great love...even in the dark times. May the many seeds bring about a great harvest, O God! In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

A Favorite regarding Strength

Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.
Philippians 4:11-13 NKJV

We're a society of multi-taskers. I think it's an incredible testament to how God created us, but I don't think we were meant to do it every day, all day long. After all, we're supposed to do ALL things in moderation, right?

At any rate, I think God showed me a new perspective of our text for today - specifically, I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. How many of us claim this Scripture when we have a ton of things to do and we're already tired? Yes - I see those hands...

How many of us quote this Scripture in prayer back to God in kind of a back-handed way because we think we've already got more than enough to do and now there's one more thing and doesn't He know how busy I am, but I'll suffer through because I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength...

Somewhere along the way, the enemy of our soul has managed to warp our thinking! How many people do you know who refuse help with their tasks at hand because they think they're showing signs of weakness if they can't do it on their own? Or worse, think they're disappointing God if they can't accomplish it on their own?

When I don't have the strength to do something on my own, but someone comes alongside to help, I CAN get it done. When we have more tasks to be completed in a day than we can get done by ourselves and inside we're trying to pump ourselves up with the Word of God, I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength... I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength... I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength... then someone offers to help. How many of us refuse the help with, No, I can do it...

God never called us to walk alone. Hear me out. I'm not talking about your times alone with God - those are mandatory - I'm talking about the walking out part of our journey. If your load is heavy, it is made lighter by splitting it with someone, thereby increasing your strength. If you have MUCH to do, doesn't it get done more quickly if there is an extra pair of hands? This morning, I finally recognized that as another form of strength - a gift from God. I can do all things through Christ who GIVES me strength... Think about it.

What if that strength you're begging God for comes in the form of another person?

Prayer:

Father,
          Thank You for answered prayers, even when the answer is no. Help us to recognize Your answer doesn't always fit our specs because we're not You. We acknowledge and affirm that You know what is best for our lives. Father, please give us strength. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Can't write tonight

 Broken glasses - can't write tonight... 😔

Go the Distance

You made me; you created me. Now give me the sense to follow your commands. 

Psalm 119:73 NLT

We can have a genius IQ and still lack common sense. We can read the Bible cover to cover, but if we're reading just to be able to say we read it and don't make it applicable to our lives, we are fools. It's been said that the distance between heaven and hell is 18 inches. That's the distance from our head to our heart... 

It's not head knowledge that gives us a relationship with God, it's our heart knowledge - asking Him into our hearts. Allowing Him to change them from hearts of stone to tender, responsive hearts as He promised in Ezekiel 36:26, And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.

Prayer:

Father,

           You made us; You created us. Please give us the sense to follow Your commands. Change our hearts we pray so that we will follow You in spirit and in truth. Help us to go the distance, Father! In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Always

The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live.

Deuteronomy 30:6 NIV

All I can do this day is praise God and thank Him for all He has done for me and mine - over and over and continuously - His hand of protection and provision. He is a great and merciful God and I want to serve Him. And I want my children and grandchildren and all the generations to serve Him.

God has ALWAYS been faithful even when we haven't.
God has ALWAYS loved us, even when we were unlovable and didn't love back.
His Word and His promises have ALWAYS been true, even when our lives - by our own choices - have been a lie.

In Ezekiel 36:26-27, God promises, And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.

Thank You, Father.

Prayer:

Father,
        Hasten to perform Your Word, O God, for You know much better than I that the time is short. I sense the urgency. Create in us a clean heart. Renew a right spirit within us, please. Clean hands and a pure heart, O God. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

Have Mercy

As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind beggar was sitting beside the road. When he heard the noise of a crowd going past, he asked what was happening. They told him that Jesus the Nazarene was going by. So he began shouting, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
“Be quiet!” the people in front yelled at him.
But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
When Jesus heard him, he stopped and ordered that the man be brought to him. As the man came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?”
“Lord,” he said, “I want to see!”
And Jesus said, “All right, receive your sight! Your faith has healed you.” Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus, praising God. And all who saw it praised God, too.
Luke 18:35-43 NLT

We all know this story is about a physical healing miracle. And it is extraordinary! And all who saw it praised God, too. However, I keep thinking about this from the aspect of spiritual blindness...

We might hear the world passing by, but not quite see what's truly happening. Would we cry out to Jesus, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”? And when the world around us tried to drown out our pleas, would we cry all the louder for mercy to have spiritual insight? 

Prayer:

Father,

          We cry out for Your mercy! Rip the scales off our eyes! Let us see as You see - with hearts of compassion, ready to offer grace and forgiveness, and to speak Truth in love. We want to be Your hands extended to those in need. Help us, O God. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Friends' Favorite - Called by Name

Then the men asked, “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what he told you back in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again on the third day.” Then they remembered that he had said this.

Luke 24:5b-8 NLT

In the depths of grief and despair, it's difficult to remember even the important things. It's as though the disconnect affects everything. The details are lost under a mountain of memories and can't make their way to the top through the ocean of shock and (or) tears. Shock and grief can make you feel as if all the oxygen is being sucked out of your world. And as we all know, the brain doesn't operate well without oxygen.

Christ was kind enough to warn His loved ones what was going to happen, but they were still in denial. In John 20, Mary Magdalene discovers the body of Christ is missing and runs to tell Peter and John. Later, after they're gone, she is still weeping at the tomb. How often do people go back to a graveside because it was the last place they 'saw' their loved one? It's human nature. Blinded by her grief, she didn't even recognize her beloved Savior until He called her by name. "Mary!" (verse 20)

God's Word tells us that He has ransomed us. He has called US by name and we are His. (Isaiah 43). Will we accept the ransom He paid on the Cross at Calvary? Will we answer when He calls us?

Prayer:

Father,
           There aren't enough words to properly thank You and praise You for all You have done to buy us back and redeem us from sin, death, hell, and the grave. But we believe Your Word - that Jesus Christ is Your Son, that He died on the Cross at Calvary to pay for our sins and that on the third day, He arose victorious over death, hell and the grave. We accept Jesus as our Savior, and wait for the final day on this earth when You will call us home because we are Yours. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Friends' Favorite - Shame Off You

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1st John 1:9 NKJV

The Bible tells us in Romans 3:23 that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. We know that to be so true. Those of us who love the Lord feel guilt and remorse over those sins. And satan knows that, too, so he keeps reminding us. "Shame on you - you call yourself a Christian." Next thing you know, not only do we still feel guilty, there's shame piled all over on top of that guilt, right? We start to feel like failures when it comes to being a Christian...

Okay, the Director yells, "Cut!" Stop the action right there! It's like a bad scene out of an even worse movie...

We can all quote vs 23, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God but that's only part of the sentence. It's not the whole sentence. Immediately following verse 23 the Word continues, and ALL are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus [emphasis mine]. Which all? The same ALL that had fallen short are now justified freely by His grace!! Do you know what that means? Shame OFF you!!

So, who are you going to believe? The lies from the enemy of your soul or the One who died to SAVE your soul? Shame on or shame off?

Prayer:

Father,
          The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in You for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of You, bringing every thought we have into captivity to the obedience of Christ. Forgive us for believing anything that would dare to exalt itself above our Christ and His redemptive work in us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Paraclete

If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.

John 14:15-18 NKJV

I honestly don't know how people do life without Christ. There are days life is great, but then there are those other days... The ones that turn into weeks. Months. Seasons. Sometimes really LOOOOOOOOOONNNNNGGGGGGGG seasons. Can you relate? It's too hard without Someone to walk with us.

It's during those times especially that I am so thankful for my Paraclete. No, not parakeet. Paraclete - the Greek word meaning Counselor, Comforter, Encourager, Advocate, Helper. The same Helper Jesus prayed the Father would send to us. The Holy Spirit. The often ignored Third Part of the Holy Trinity. The One who is ALL those things to us. Counselor, Comforter, Encourager, Advocate, Helper, the Spirit of Truth providing guidance in EVERY season of our lives.

Never alone. Never abandoned. Never without help. Thank You, God.

Prayer:

Father,
            Thank You for sending the Holy Spirit to abide with us forever. To guide us into all Truth, to testify to us of the hope we have in Christ Jesus. To bring to our remembrance all that You have taught us. Fine-tune our hearts to hear and quickly respond to the leading of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Friends' Favorite - Thorns

 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful.

Matthew 13:22 NIV

I can't say I've ever been thankful for thorns. They are inherent hindrances to keep you from the obvious - the rose, but you may not know they are also on a variety of citrus fruit trees; oranges, grapefruits, lemon, limes. I grew up never knowing there were vicious thorns on orange trees. I have learned there are thorn-less varieties available, but they typically produce less fruit. I thought that was interesting especially when considering our Promise for Today.

Sometimes, it seems we have to be among the thorns in order to gather the fruit in our lives. According to God's Word, it is in the midst of affliction where we learn about and experience God's comfort and compassion. The same comfort that we are to offer to others in their afflictions. However, the Truth is we can't offer what we've never had... The heart of compassion for others grows in us among the thorns (the afflictions of life), but only if and when we hear His Word and we don't let the thorns choke it out of us. That's how and where we find the ability to give thanks in the thorns.

2nd Corinthians 1:3-4, Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. And we receive it there among the thorns...

Prayer:

Father,

           As long as You are with us, it is what is best for our lives... even in the thorns. Open our eyes to see the Truth of Your Word and to give thanks in ALL things. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

A Change of Name and Nature

But Jacob stayed behind by himself, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. When the man saw that he couldn’t get the best of Jacob as they wrestled, he deliberately threw Jacob’s hip out of joint.
The man said, “Let me go; it’s daybreak.”
Jacob said, “I’m not letting you go ’til you bless me.”
The man said, “What’s your name?”
He answered, “Jacob.”
The man said, “But no longer. Your name is no longer Jacob. From now on it’s Israel (God-Wrestler); you’ve wrestled with God and you’ve come through.”
Genesis 32:24-28 The Message

The name, Jacob, means deceiver. And if you read the book of Genesis, you will discover that he was only one in a long line of deceivers. What Jacob had sown, he had reaped in abundance through Laban's deceit and treachery. And yet, God had made a promise to Abraham and Isaac and now to Jacob. Jacob - who was heading home - hoping against hope that he would not die at the hand of his twin brother, Esau. You may remember that Jacob had manipulated his twin into giving up his birthright and had stolen Esau's blessing, as well.

Now on the eve of what may be his death, Jacob has come face-to-face with who he's been. Deceiver. Manipulator. Mean and hateful. And he realizes unless God intervenes, all is lost. It's what we refer to in this day and age as a "Come to Jesus" moment - where the lies are stripped away and only the Truth remains. He is desperate...

Enter the wrestling match; his hip has been thrown out of joint. Now in great emotional and physical pain, Jacob is on the ground, desperately holding onto the Man, refusing to let go. He has gotten down and dirty. And the Man asks, "What's your name?"

Why? It was to allow Jacob to acknowledge the Truth. The Truth about himself. The Truth about his life - what he'd done and how he had gotten to this place. You know that God knows who and what we are. We should know also that He loves us too much to leave us there unchanged by His grace.

“I’m not letting you go ’til you bless me.”
"What's your name?" I am Jacob. I am a heel. A deceiver.

John 8:32, You will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free... And immediately God changed him to a new name and a new nature. Verse 28, From now on it’s Israel (God-Wrestler); you’ve wrestled with God and you’ve come through.

God is no respecter of persons. He will do the same for us when we acknowledge who and what we are without Him.

Prayer:

Father,
          We never tire of asking You to change our hearts, O God! Give us clean hands and pure hearts. Let us walk in holy love toward one another. Rescue us from our sinful ways, Father, In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Choosing This Day

This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24 NKJV

Sometimes the days are hard. Sometimes the heartache is too much. Sometimes, we want to just crawl back into bed and pull the covers over our heads. Those are the facts, but this is the Truth... This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.

The Truth is this is the day the Lord has made and He has a plan for me and for my life in this day. A word fitly spoken (Proverbs 25:11); arrows that pierce me deeply (Psalm 38:2a) ...rightly dividing the word of Truth (2 Timothy 2:15).

And as those Words of life resonated in my heart and in my mind, I stopped grousing and asked forgiveness and then prayed. Thank You, Father, for the Truth of Your Word in Hebrews 4:12, For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Truly, this IS the day the Lord has made. Will you CHOOSE to rejoice and be glad in it?

Prayer:

Father,
            Help us to win the battle of choosing this day. Choosing what YOU have planned. Choosing what YOU have created. Choosing YOUR plan and walking in it. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen

Sleep

I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.
Psalm 4:8 NKJV

Somewhere around mid-morning, I lost track of the number of people who did not sleep well last night. Various reasons, but most of them were "thinking about this" or "thinking about that"... which could easily translate to "worrying about this" or "worrying about that."

Worrying is not what we're supposed to do. Worry is caused by fear. Fear is a lack of trust. It is the opposite of faith... It does NOT please God. According to Hebrews 11:6, Without faith, it is impossible to please God.

Isaiah 26:3 tells us, You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. In other words, if we keep our mind focused on the Lord and Who He is and what He's already done for us - if we study His Word to know His promises toward us, IF we obey His Word - THEN we can trust Him. IF we will trust Him, THEN we can be at peace. When we reach that place, then we'll do two things...

We will lie down in peace AND sleep.

Prayer:

Father,
           You alone are God. You alone make us to dwell in safety. You alone are our Shield and Buckler, our Shelter in the time of storm. When our hearts are overwhelmed within us, You, O Lord, are the Rock that is higher. Our safe place. Father, we choose to trust You and to lie down in peace AND sleep. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

God Our Strength

I look up to the mountains; does my strength come from mountains?  No, my strength comes from God, who made heaven, and earth, and mountains.

Psalm 121:1-2 The Message

In this life, the most important thing to me for you to understand next to the salvation message of the Gospel is this. Any strength you see in me, any courage, insight, or peace comes straight from God, my Saviour (King James’ spelling).

Any “good” in me is ALL God. His Word tells us if we live in Christ, old things are passed away and we are made new. The person I was before Christ was so fearful and so afraid I couldn’t see over the walls I’d built around myself. 

All glory and praise to God, that’s not who I am now!

In business, there’s a template for just about everything, or someone’s document or guidelines from lessons learned. In my life, that’s the Bible. It’s the only thing I know to be Truth - ALWAYS. So when I encounter issues in this life, I have to know what the Bible says about it. 

It does NOT say I won’t have issues while on this planet.
It DOES say I will overcome them.
It DOES say I am victorious.
It DOES say Christ has given me His peace – the peace that passes all understanding.
It DOES say He will never leave me, nor forsake me.

You tell me I am strong. I am thrilled you can see strength in me because it is Christ in me, the hope of glory. 

Prayer:

Father,

          Thank You for Your Truth found in 2 Corinthians 12:9 that Your grace is all we need, and Your power works best in our weakness. We stand on Your Truth, confidently knowing You will never leave us or forsake us. By Your grace and power, help us to fulfill Your plan for our lives. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Dehydrated

Jesus answered her, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again. But whoever drinks the water that I give him will never be thirsty again. But the water that I give him will become in him a spring of water [satisfying his thirst for God] welling up [continually flowing, bubbling within him] to eternal life.”

John 4:13-14 AMP

It's Texas. It's hot. I'm thirsty. I immediately thought of these two verses.

In the last week, it doesn't seem to matter how much water I've sucked in; I'm still thirsty. And I am the one who always asks others, "How much water are you drinking? Is it enough?" I convinced myself I was drinking an ample amount. Turns out, I was not.

It got me to thinking...

How many times do we hit that same place in our Christian walk? We think we've drawn enough to carry us through, only to find ourselves parched. We may even be "pouring out" for the Lord in ministry to others, but forgetting to drink daily from Jesus, the Living Water. We become dry, weak, and begin to burn out, then wonder why.

Isaiah 58:11 New Life Version reads, The Lord will always lead you. He will meet the needs of your soul in the dry times and give strength to your body. You will be like a garden that has enough water, like a well of water that never dries up. 

We must replenish and there's only One way to do that - Jesus. Are you getting enough Water?

Prayer:

Father,
           We need more of You. Open our eyes to heed the signs of spiritual dehydration in our lives. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Mother's Day Choices

Only a fool despises a parent’s discipline; whoever learns from correction is wise.

Proverbs 15:5 NLT

It's Mother's Day and despite its intent, we can't just wish everyone a "Happy Mother's Day" because not every mother is happy today. Some have lost their own mother in the last year. Others have lost their son or daughter... Some have never borne their desired child. Some wrestle daily with whether or not they are a "good" mother. The good news is that the Word of God has answers for all of these. Study it out, but for one, I find Proverbs 15 to be a chapter chock full of choices for those mothers who struggle with how to be a good mom. 

1 A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.

2 The tongue of the wise makes knowledge appealing, but the mouth of a fool belches out foolishness.

3 The Lord is watching everywhere, keeping his eye on both the evil and the good.

4 Gentle words are a tree of life; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.

5 Only a fool despises a parent’s discipline; whoever learns from correction is wise.

6 There is treasure in the house of the godly, but the earnings of the wicked bring trouble.

7 The lips of the wise give good advice; the heart of a fool has none to give.

8 The Lord detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but he delights in the prayers of the upright.

9 The Lord detests the way of the wicked, but he loves those who pursue godliness.

10 Whoever abandons the right path will be severely disciplined; whoever hates correction will die.

11 Even Death and Destruction hold no secrets from the Lord. How much more does he know the human heart!

12 Mockers hate to be corrected, so they stay away from the wise.

13 A glad heart makes a happy face; a broken heart crushes the spirit.

14 A wise person is hungry for knowledge, while the fool feeds on trash.

15 For the despondent, every day brings trouble; for the happy heart, life is a continual feast.

16 Better to have little, with fear for the Lord, than to have great treasure and inner turmoil.

17 A bowl of vegetables with someone you love is better than steak with someone you hate.

18 A hot-tempered person starts fights; a cool-tempered person stops them.

19 A lazy person’s way is blocked with briers, but the path of the upright is an open highway.

20 Sensible children bring joy to their father; foolish children despise their mother.

21 Foolishness brings joy to those with no sense; a sensible person stays on the right path.

22 Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many advisers bring success.

23 Everyone enjoys a fitting reply; it is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time!

24 The path of life leads upward for the wise; they leave the grave[c] behind.

25 The Lord tears down the house of the proud, but he protects the property of widows.

26 The Lord detests evil plans, but he delights in pure words.

27 Greed brings grief to the whole family, but those who hate bribes will live.

28 The heart of the godly thinks carefully before speaking; the mouth of the wicked overflows with evil words.

29 The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayers of the righteous.

30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health.

31 If you listen to constructive criticism, you will be at home among the wise.

32 If you reject discipline, you only harm yourself; but if you listen to correction, you grow in understanding.

33 Fear of the Lord teaches wisdom; humility precedes honor.

Prayer:

Father,

          Open our eyes to see Your Truths. Open our ears to hear them. Fill our hearts with the desire to know You and love You more, so that we may righteously love and guide those You have given us. Comfort as only You can those who have suffered loss. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Being Transformed

So, brothers and sisters, because of God’s mercies, I encourage you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice that is holy and pleasing to God. This is your appropriate priestly service. Don’t be conformed to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you can figure out what God’s will is—what is good and pleasing and mature.

Romans 12:1-2 Common English Bible

When Transformers first came out (the toys, not the movies), my son was little and he thought they were the best thing ever! He wanted to be one. He was enthralled with the idea of becoming something totally different, large and powerful. Aren't we all at one time or another?

Most everyone wants to change something about themselves, but we can't just press a release button and unleash a large and powerful difference. However, God has been transforming life and lives since the very beginning. We don't have to be conformed to this world - we CAN be different! We CAN be transformed by the renewing of our minds (through the Word of God). And that, my friend, is HUGE and powerful!

Prayer:

Father,
           Only You can make a new creation from a lost soul in a dying world. We thank You for loving us enough to want to do so, and for making the eternal difference in our lives, so that we can help to make an eternal difference in the lives of those around us. Teach us, Father, Your perfect will, so that we will know what is good and pleasing and mature according to Your Word. Transform us, Father, in Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Peaceful Hearts

A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body; jealousy is like cancer in the bones.
Proverbs 14:30 NLT

So many studies have been completed proving the detrimental effects of stress on the human body. So many medications developed to combat the symptoms of such. Courses created and designed to teach people how to relax and destress their lives - how to live healthy and whole.

All science has done is prove what God already knew and established. We need peace - God's peace. We can have it. Isaiah 53:5 tells us Jesus was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.

What's the first thing our risen Saviour said to His disciples when He appeared in the Upper Room? We find it in John 20:19. On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

Old or New Testament, it's about Jesus and the peace He brings. Isaiah 9:6, For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Luke 2:14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!

Jesus gave us His promises - “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid."   John 14:27. In John 16:33, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Prayer:

Father, 

          You promised in Isaiah 54 that Your steadfast love and Your covenant of peace would never be removed from us. You are not a god of confusion, but a God of peace. You said You will keep us in perfect peace when we keep our minds stayed on You, trusting You in all things. So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. Your Word declares that when we choose to live our lives to please You, You make even our enemies be at peace with us. So with that, help us, O God, to aim for restoration, to comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; so that You - the God of love and peace - will be with us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Friends' Favorite RE: All of It

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. Jesus replied, “All who love me will do what I say."But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative - that is, the Holy Spirit - he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.
John 14:16-17a, 23, 26 NLT

God is not a god of half-measures. 1st Corinthians 15:28 NLT reads, Then, when all things are under his authority, the Son will put himself under God’s authority, so that God, who gave his Son authority over all things, will be utterly supreme over everything everywhere. Other translations of the Bible end that verse with God being all in all.

ALL glory, ALL honor, ALL power are His. He doesn't want half-measures from us, either. Mark 12:30 reads, And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. ALL of it.

Jesus Christ doesn't do anything half-measure, either. Every word He spoke was what He heard from the Father. Everything He did was the Father's will. Jesus Christ gave His all - sacrificed His life - so that we could be cleansed from ALL our sin (1st John 1). Not all the ones except for those things we might really like to do or the ones we consider aren't "that bad"...

ALL of it.

Likewise, the Holy Spirit doesn't deal in half-measures. Verse 17 of our text begins, He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. No half-truths; therefore, no deceit. He will expose every lie of the enemy if we will listen and obey.

In Ephesians 4, we are instructed, And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. ALL of it.

Prayer:

Father,
         We submit our lives to the Authority of Christ. We choose to walk after the Spirit so we can walk in righteousness. Father, be our All in all. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Let Us Pray

Father,
            Thank You for Your faithfulness and trustworthiness in our lives. Thank You for always keeping Your end of the Covenant even when we've broken ours. Father, we want to be faithful to You. We want our hearts, our minds, our souls - our wills to be faithful to You and to Your ways. We have not been. We've been faithful to our flesh and to our feelings. Please forgive us, Lord. Let us - help us to be people who can and who will be faithful - fully trustworthy to Your will for our lives.

Help us to see past the failures and inabilities in our lives and to put them behind us. Let us see and hear only what You would have us to do and be. Cause us to put You first. Help us to die to our flesh - to be dead to our worldly desires and alive to only You. Let it be said of us, Father, that we are faithful because of You. Cause our will to line up perfectly with Yours. Put a guard over our words - Your arm around our shoulders and Your hand over our mouths. We don't want to be a toothache or a twisted ankle like is written in Proverbs 25:19.

Thank You for all the immediate responses to our heart's desires. Forgive us, Lord, of ALL our unfaithfulness. Forgive us for all the times we have failed You. Replace our wandering hearts with whole hearts toward You and what You would have us to be and do. Father, Your Word tells us so we KNOW that You are at work in us both to WILL and to DO...

Give us the strength, the courage of conviction. Cause the Holy Spirit to bring all things to our remembrance - such things as are needful and necessary to complete the work You have assigned to our lives. Father, in our daily - everyday lives - we have not been faithful. We own that and ask You to change our hearts. We pray Your Word in Isaiah 64:8, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. We all are formed by your hand. We want to be more like You, Father. Engrave Your image on our hearts. Cause our love to be agape. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Again - On Guard

It bears repeating...

I am warning you ahead of time, dear friends. Be on guard so that you will not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people and lose your own secure footing. Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All glory to him, both now and forever! Amen.
2nd Peter 3:17-18 NLT

There is always someone, somewhere, who is somehow trying to ensure that the Name of Jesus will not be heard. That being said, I want to go on record and to be held accountable that the Promise for Today will never be a political statement as the world sees politics, but it WILL always be about the Word of God and taking a stand for what is holy and righteous, in spite of public opinion, and that in and of itself, may cause it to appear politically inclined. When events take place that challenge or defy Scripture, or even reinforce the prophetic, I pray God will show us His Word for that time. If I have to worry about who is going to be offended by what I write, you can best believe the only One I will worry about offending is Christ.

And so...be on guard.

I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. They will say, “What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created.” They deliberately forget that God made the heavens by the word of his command, and he brought the earth out from the water and surrounded it with water. Then he used the water to destroy the ancient world with a mighty flood. And by the same word, the present heavens and earth have been stored up for fire. They are being kept for the day of judgment, when ungodly people will be destroyed.

But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. 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. But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment.

Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live, looking forward to the day of God and hurrying it along. On that day, he will set the heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away in the flames. But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God’s righteousness.

And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight. And remember, the Lord’s patience gives people time to be saved. This is what our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom God gave him—speaking of these things in all of his letters. Some of his comments are hard to understand, and those who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his letters to mean something quite different, just as they do with other parts of Scripture. And this will result in their destruction.

I am warning you ahead of time, dear friends. Be on guard so that you will not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people and lose your own secure footing. Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All glory to him, both now and forever! Amen.
2nd Peter 3:5-18 New Living Translation

Prayer:

Father,
           Keep us alert, ever mindful of You and what You want. Father, we choose to become less, so that You become MORE in our lives. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Strength

For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.
Philippians 4:13 NLT

As Christians, we are so fond of this verse! We repeat it like a mantra. The more outside pressure we feel, the more we chant this verse. But do we get it?

Do we understand that this does NOT say, I can do everything in my own strength just because I know the Name of Jesus? What it DOES say is, I can do everything through Him because He's the One who gives me strength. And it does NOT say strength to stand on my own. Most of the world thinks He promises never to put more on us than we can bear - I've got a news flash for you - God has never expected us to carry anything alone.

Christ Himself invited us to yoke up with Him. In fact, what it DOES say about standing on our own strength is this in Jeremiah 17:5, This is what the Lord says: Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the Lord.

To that end and to drive home the Truth, please read and meditate on these Scriptures.

Exodus 15:2, The Lord is my strength and my song; he has given me victory.
2 Samuel 22:30, In your strength I can crush an army; with my God I can scale any wall.
Psalm 18:29, In your strength I can crush an army; with my God I can scale any wall.
Psalm 18:32, God arms me with strength, and he makes my way perfect.
Psalm 46:1, God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.
Psalm 59:9, You are my strength; I wait for you to rescue me, for you, O God, are my fortress.
Psalm 68:35, God is awesome in his sanctuary. The God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. Praise be to God!
Psalm 73:26, My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.
Psalm 81:1, Sing praises to God, our strength.
Isaiah 12:2, See, God has come to save me. I will trust in him and not be afraid. The Lord God is my strength and my song; he has given me victory.
Isaiah 41:10, Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.
1 Timothy 1:12, I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work.
Hebrews 13:9, So do not be attracted by strange, new ideas. Your strength comes from God’s grace, not from rules about food, which don’t help those who follow them.
1 Peter 4:11, Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.
1 Peter 5:10, In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.

Is there any room for doubt about where our strength comes from?

Prayer:

Father,
           We pray according to Your Word. My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but You remain the strength of my heart; You are mine forever.  Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and strength belong to our God forever and ever! In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

Right In the Middle

For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.

Matthew 18:20 NLT

John 20:19-20 NLT - Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.

When He wasn't praying or seeking God's will, Jesus liked being in the midst of things. And according to our Promise for Today, Where two or three are gathered together in His Name - Whoop! There He is!

God has always been about our business because we ARE His business. We were created for the express purpose of relationship with Him. So much so that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to answer the call about relationship, He is the Mediator - on the Cross (in the middle) between life and death.

In life AND in death, Jesus shows up when we need Him. In the midst - right in the middle - no matter where we are or who we're with.

Prayer:

Father,
          Thank You for always being there. Thank You that Your Word is true and unchanging. A solid rock on which we can stand. We want to continue to stand strong in Your Truth, surrounded by Your presence. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

All that I Am - excerpts from Psalm 103

Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me.

Psalm 103:1-2 NLT

He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!

The Lord gives righteousness and justice to all who are treated unfairly.

He revealed his character to Moses and his deeds to the people of Israel. The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever. He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.

He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust. Our days on earth are like grass; like wildflowers, we bloom and die. The wind blows, and we are gone— as though we had never been here. But the love of the Lord remains forever with those who fear him. His salvation extends to the children’s children of those who are faithful to his covenant, of those who obey his commandments!

The Lord has made the heavens his throne; from there he rules over everything.

Praise the Lord, you angels, you mighty ones who carry out his plans, listening for each of his commands. Yes, praise the Lord, you armies of angels who serve him and do his will! Praise the Lord, everything he has created, everything in all his kingdom.

Let all that I am praise the Lord. (Let all that we are praise the Lord.)

Drought

O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. 

Psalm 63:1 NLT

How dry and thirsty are we? Are we being replenished and held together by the water of the Word? Are we actively seeking God so that He will rain down His righteousness on us and quench the thirsting of our souls or are we poster children for the drought? Are the blossoms of love and forgiveness in our lives being choked out by the weeds of bitterness we've allowed to take root? Do we think we can hide the gaping tears in our hearts by covering them with stones, giving the facade of being well-kept and attractive, but there's no life in them? We can't even walk safely on rocks, let alone run the race to which we've been called.

Are the fires in our lives from God or from the LACK of Him? You might ask, "What difference does it make? Either way, fire burns!" Let me tell you - there is a BIG difference. Godly fire burns away the chaff - the dross in our lives - WITHOUT destroying what is good. Left unchecked, fires destroy completely, unless of course, you are surrounded by water...Living Water (John 4).

How dry and thirsty are you? I know where there is water... It's found in the Word of God.

Prayer:

Father,
            As we immerse ourselves in Your Word, Lord, cause our hearts and minds to be flooded with Your Truths. Make us to be the trees planted by the waters that are not moved by the spiritual and physical drought conditions around us. Let us produce Your fruit in our lives to help feed those around us, drawing from Your well of living waters. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen