Promise for Today Favorite - Who Said What

Then He went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and was teaching them on the Sabbaths. And they were astonished at His teaching, for His word was with authority.

Luke 4:31-32 NLT

I used to try to attend at least one conference or seminar per year to aid in my personal or professional growth. There isn't one that I can say changed my life forever, but I did learn a lot of little things along the way. I don't even remember the name of one presenter or the title of one conference. However, there was one I attended that stayed in my mind for a different reason.

I was so excited because a friend was going to attend with me - someone I held in high esteem because of her intelligence and wisdom. And it was one of the better seminars with regard to first-class style and presentation. When the speaker was introduced, his stage presence was palpable and understanding the rudiments of public speaking, within minutes he had connected to his audience with a few personal laugh-inducing anecdotes to break the ice. For me, it was downhill from there.

Once he got into his subject, he was a walking anthem of "He Said, She Said". He could have been the catalog for "Wheel of Fortune", full of famous (and not so famous) quotes and phrases. All.Morning.Long.

He regaled us with a complete inventory of facts he had memorized from books, volumes 1 through 50. She says this and he says that and this one says the other, and the other agrees with that one. There was not one illustration of personal application for any of it. I was not impressed.

For years, I have used two questions to define events of daily life. What was the best thing about it? What was the worst? My friend knew this and during the lunch break asked what was the best thing so far. My answer was, "The bacon at breakfast..." It was clearly not the answer she expected.

When I expressed my opinion of the speaker and his method, she patiently explained that it was how one learned, by reading the works of others who had gone before, rather like reading the Bible. She found the speaker to be quite knowledgeable. She said it lent credence to his job as a motivational speaker that he knew so many facts and quotes from other speakers on the subject. She was sure he had been laying the foundation of knowledge during the morning session and that after lunch, he would begin the practical application. At that point, I felt truly ignorant. So with renewed resolve to learn, I followed my friend back to the seminar.

The afternoon was worse. His sources by that time could have been his second cousin twice removed from his mother's brother's wife for all I know, but not one practical application. He did not speak with authority of what he knew. Being southern, we could not walk out in the middle of his litany, but by the mid-afternoon break, even my friend was ready to leave, so we did.

I have nothing against famous quotes or people who have written extensively about certain subjects. Quite the contrary! I love learning, and I collect quotes, but what good is it; what purpose does it serve unless there is some practical application?

Christ spoke with authority. It was obvious that He knew what He was talking about. When He said He spoke only what His Father spoke, He had lived it. He was the Word. He IS the Word.

When we speak of Christ or speak His Word, do we know that we know it or is it just something someone else said? You may not remember one famous name or quote, but that which you KNOW - that which has changed your life - can't be taken from you. No matter who says what...

Prayer:

Father,
           According to Your Word in Psalm 119:37, Turn my eyes from worthless things, and give me life through Your Word. Keep me from vain sayings and useless knowledge. Let my life not be a trivial pursuit. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen

Promise for Today - After the Valley

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

Psalm 23:4 NKJV

Christian or cretin - the Twenty-third Psalm is one of the most well-known passages of Scripture in the world today. Children and adults alike can recite it for you. It's similar to a Christmas carol in that respect. We all know the words, but when was the last time we actually paid attention to what the words really say?

I've always been partial to God preparing a table before me in the presence of my enemies... (take that, devil!), but next to verse 1 "The Lord is my Shepherd..." - I think our Promise for Today is the next most well-known phrasing. Two important things to note here - it's the shadow of death not Death Valley, and we're walking THROUGH. We're not staying. We're not setting up camp or a souvenir stand. We may have "been there done that" but we don't need to sell tickets for the side show or sell postcards of it. We're walking through. Keep moving...

Yessiree, keep moving because it's AFTER the valley that we find the goodness and mercy following us all the days of our lives. Praise His Holy Name!

Prayer;

Father,
          I never cease to be amazed at Your goodness and mercy toward us. Thank You for comforting us as we walk through the valley. Thank You for bringing us through to the other side. Giving You all praise - In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today Favorite - Close Enough

Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!”But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!”
Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.”
“Yes, come,” Jesus said.
So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.
Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him.
Matthew 14:24-31a NLT

I hate to admit it, but when working on something that I'm tired of working on, I've been known to say, "Close enough." In other words, I am willing to settle for a little less than perfect because I don't want to do any more. Father, forgive me for giving life less than my best.

I love this passage of Scripture and every time I read it, I get something new out of it. Here's my focus this time around - Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. Immediately... Peter had walked far enough on the water through the storm to be close enough that Jesus IMMEDIATELY reached out and grabbed him.

Isn't that where we should be at all times? Close enough to Jesus that we are no more than an arm's length away from Him. Close enough that we can walk to Him in the storm. Close enough to touch Him and to be touched by Him. Close enough.

Prayer:

Father,
           Forgive us for those things that would separate us from You. Remove them from our lives. Help us to walk close enough to touch and be touched by You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Trading the Truth

 They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.

Romans 1:25

I get angry when people take truths and principles from the Word of God, then pull them out and twist them and turn them and pervert them until they're hardly recognizable - and then want to claim them as The Secret or the latest, greatest discovery of THEIR OWN. How to do this and how to do that and how to live positively and on and on it goes, and none of it gives honor to Whom honor is due. None of them credit God as the Author and Creator. The credo of mankind today - worldwide - "It's all about me! It's all about what I want!" It's all about greed, and greed, my friend, equals lust. In the King James Bible, it reads, "lust of the flesh, lust of the eye, and the pride of life..." 

1st John 2:15-17 The Message reads, "Don't love the world's ways. Don't love the world's goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father. Practically everything that goes on in the world—wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important—has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him. The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out—but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity."

Mark 8:36 warns us, "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?"

You need something? Go to God. You want to know something you've never known? Go to God. You want to live positively? You want true peace? Contentment? All that you truly NEED? GO TO GOD! Go to Him as your Father, the Creator, Almighty God. El Shaddai, El Elyonah, Adonai. 

Who are we that He is mindful of us? Let's get it in the proper perspective. He is God and we are NOT! Don't trade the Truth for anyone or anything. 

Prayer:

Father,
         You alone are God. You alone are the Creator! You are righteous and You are holy and merciful and full of grace!  You alone are worthy to be praised! Our lives and our only hope is in You alone! Break the scales off our eyes and the chains from our hearts! Help us to show those living in this lost and dying world who You are and that it's You they're really looking for. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today Favorite - Habitual Rituals

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12 NKJV

Good habits - bad habits. How many things a day do we do out of habit? The so-called experts will tell you it only takes 21 days to form a habit... "Do this for 21 days and you will (fill in the blank)." I can't say that I've found that to be true.

What IS true, though, is that the things we do out of habit, we do without really thinking about them. We do them by rote, mechanically, and usually while multitasking. We're not fully engaged to the exclusion of everything else.

Today, as I was reading, I found myself thinking about other things or other people. I was supposed to be focused on the Lord. And the question rose in my spirit, 'How much of what I do is habitual and how much is intentional?' Oh, I got up with the intention of spending a full hour undivided before the Lord, but I slipped easily into the morning habitual rituals.

In Mark 12:30 (NKJV), Jesus says, "And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’This is the first commandment."

SHALL love...with ALL your heart, ALL your soul, ALL your mind, ALL your strength. You can't do that out of habit. It has to be intentional.

Prayer:

Father,
          Forgive us, O God, for habitual rituals. Cause every word, every deed, every thought to be 100% intentional. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today Favorite - Knowing or No-ing

 Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

John 8:31-32 NLT

In John Chapter 8, the descendants of Abraham are No-ing Jesus the Christ. Read it for yourself. They are very convinced they are right, but they are mistaken. So they erred in knowing God the Father, and they erred in No-ing Jesus who is "the Way, the Truth and the Life" (John 14:6).

They sound the same. Know. No. Yet, we can all agree they are not the same. They aren't spelled the same. They don't mean the same, although, somehow, we have all been guilty at one time or another of No-ing God while thinking we were knowing Him.

Think about it for just a moment. Have you ever argued with God? I know I have. That's No-ing Him. Ever decided to do things in your own time, your own way, without waiting on God? That's No-ing Him. Ever refused to forgive? Refused to be loving? Refused to show mercy or grace? Shall we have a combination spelling and vocabulary lesson? Is that K-N-O-W or N-O?

Prayer:

Father,

            Your Son declared to the descendants of Abraham that day that "Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don’t listen because you don’t belong to God." We want to listen gladly and obey Your every Word. Teach us, Father. We want to KNOW You more. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Know Your Authority

But Moses pleaded with the Lord, “O Lord, I’m not very good with words. I never have been, and I’m not now, even though you have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled.”Then the Lord asked Moses, “Who makes a person’s mouth? Who decides whether people speak or do not speak, hear or do not hear, see or do not see? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go! I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say.”
But Moses again pleaded, “Lord, please! Send anyone else.”
Exodus 4:10-13 NLT

We know Moses as a friend of God. The great leader who led the Israelites out of Egypt. The man who spoke face to face with God and lived... but he was a coward to start with. He didn't say, "Send someone else." Moses said, "Send ANYONE else." When we pick up his story in our text for today, he's already spent the last 20 verses trying to get out of God's assignment for his life.

Moses had authority issues - coming and going. Can you relate to any of that? I know I can.

It's a complex issue, stemming from two things, that really boil down to one: how well do you know your authority? God tells you what He wants you to do, then all of a sudden, YOU are the complete authority on every bad thing you've ever done in your life, or even thought about doing. You are flamingly aware of every weakness in your character, every flaw of any kind, and suddenly your chronic lack of focus becomes zeroed in and these failings are all that you can see. That's what Moses was doing. "No, God, I can't do what You just said. Oh, I can herd sheep, but not people. Sheep don't care if I stutter or mess up my words and besides, I'm out here on the back side of the mountain; nobody can hear me or see me. But go to Pharaoh? The wealthiest man in the country - the most powerful man? The one who wants to kill me? You want me to go talk to him?"

How many excuses do you think were on Moses' list of why he couldn't do what God told him to do? (I wonder how it compares to mine... or perhaps - yours?)

The other side of that is this: At the beginning, Moses did not know his authority (God) well enough. If he had understood God for who God really is - would Moses have argued or would he have immediately told Jethro, "I have to go. I have to lead God's people out of Egypt"? If he knew God well enough to know that God is indeed trustworthy and able to do whatever He says He will do, would Moses have recognized that he had the whole authority of Heaven and marched right out of that valley?

We must recognize and understand that OUR own limitations in NO WAY limit or prevent God's ability. He is well able to fulfill His purpose for our lives, if we'll take time to know Him and by faith, believe His Word. If we don't know God as our Authority, and know Him well enough to know that His words are trustworthy and true, then we will never know or recognize the authority given to us by His Word.

Ephesians 2:10 NLT tells us, "We are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." That's the authority we have to walk in to be able to accomplish what He has assigned to us.

Prayer:

Father:
           Help us to recognize the absolute power of You and to walk in the power of Your might, so that we will fulfill Your purpose for our lives. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

Promise for Today Favorite - Getting Along

May the Master of Peace himself give you the gift of getting along with each other at all times, in all ways. May the Master be truly among you!
2nd Thessalonians 3:16 The Message

There’s a prayer that has made numerous trips around the Internet that goes something like this - 'Dear Lord, So far today, I’ve done all right. I haven’t gossiped about anyone, haven’t lost my temper with anyone, haven’t been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish, or over-indulgent. And I’m very thankful for that. But, in a few minutes, God, I’m going to get out of this bed, and from then on, I’m going to need a lot more help.'

The life of a Christian is all about right relationships. The right relationship with God, relationships with other followers of Christ, and relationships with non-believers. I have to say at some points in life, it would be so much easier to be a selective hermit. There would be fewer opportunities to be angry or spiteful. Less time consumed with solving other people’s issues for their lack of planning, resulting in fewer opportunities to judge. So much less chance of offense if you’re not around other people.

Right off the top of my head, I see two major things wrong with that. One – The Word tells us that the world will know we are Christians by our love toward each other, so if we choose NOT to be around others because we can’t stand to be around them… well, I just don’t think we need to go any further there. The writer of Hebrews instructs us in 12:14 (The Message) to "work at getting along with each other and with God. Otherwise you'll never get so much as a glimpse of God. Make sure no one gets left out of God's generosity. Keep a sharp eye out for weeds of bitter discontent. A thistle or two gone to seed can ruin a whole garden in no time. Watch out for the Esau syndrome: trading away God's lifelong gift in order to satisfy a short-term appetite. You well know how Esau later regretted that impulsive act and wanted God's blessing—but by then it was too late, tears or no tears."

And two, if we’re never tested, how will we know? James 3:17a tells us that "Real wisdom, God's wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced."

It can be very hard work. That too is acknowledged and issued for instruction. The second part of that same Scripture assures us we "can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor."

So, I’d have to say, No, we can’t all just get along. Without God, it’s impossible. However, with God, all things are possible. Difficult, at times, but definitely possible.

Prayer:

Father,
          Hear our cry for right relationship with You. How You could love us in our unlovable state and continue to do so during our petty differences is beyond me. Help us to learn by following Your example toward US. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today Favorite - Acceptable

 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.

Romans 12:1 NLT

Who said it would be easy? Did someone say that being a Christian would make life a breeze? What part of "sacrifice" do we not understand?

Oh, we know Christ gave His life as the once-and-for-all sacrifice for our sins. We know that. Right? Do we think it was easy because He is the Christ? Do we think it was easy because He is God's Son and He knew He would be resurrected and come back to life?  Do we think He was being glib when He said, "No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily...?" (John 10:18) Do we remember how Scripture tells us, "He fell on His face and prayed, "If it be possible, let this cup pass from Me..." (Matthew 26:39 NKJV)

Sacrifice is not convenient. It's not fun. It means we're going to be denied something we really want or forfeit something we already have or give up something we value highly. And it may very well involve some sort of pain and/or suffering.

Were the stripes on His back convenient for Him? And yet He took them willingly to pay for our healing and our peace. Isaiah 53:5 reads, "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." Did anyone hear Him whine about it? Is there anywhere that it's recorded, 'I gotta do this for them and that for them 'cause God is telling me I have to...I have no choice... '
Listen, it's not an acceptable sacrifice if we're whining about it.

We always have a choice, as did Jesus. He chose to live a life of sacrifice. He could have chosen convenience. He could have called 10,000 angels, but He chose to do the Father's will. Can we do any less and still be acceptable?

Prayer:

Father,
        Let our lives be a sweet-smelling sacrifice of praise and worship. By Your Grace, in Your Strength, not ours, help us to be all You've called us to be. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

Promise for Today Favorite - So Busy

The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.

1st Peter 4:7 NIV

We are so busy. We work too many hours. We over-commit to outside influences, events, and projects that we, for some reason, believe we must do. We set the alarm because we're afraid we'll oversleep because we didn't get to bed early enough to get enough sleep so we would wake up refreshed and be ready to do the day. 

We text because we don't have time for a regular conversation. We e-mail because it generally takes less time and we don't have to wait for the give-and-take of a conversation that could get deeper than time allows or affords us. We have game apps on everything that isn't nailed down, so that we don't ever have to sit quietly without some form of entertainment.

We are so busy, we don't even want to think about having to cook dinner. Oh, we can get a soft drink and something that sort of resembles the four food groups...well, if you don't look closely... at any given fast food drive-through lane. It's a quick fix - an immediate response to my demand. And the choices are pre-defined, so we don't have to think about it. We just pick from what we're offered, swipe our card and go... and eat going down the road to our next engagement or to home in front of the computer or TV... and we want to make it spiritual by proclaiming, "Thank God for drive-throughs..."

Well, I have discovered that as convenient as they are, I cannot be healthy going through fast food drive-through lanes all the time. I'd like a sit-down meal. Sometimes I like it when others make it and bring it to me. Sometimes I like it when I make it and take it to somebody or invite someone over to sit with me and dine. Sometimes, it's the joy of the preparation. The stopping of the go-go-go long enough to plan a meal, but most of the time we're even too busy to do that. Do you know it's the #1 totally acceptable excuse for 90-plus percent of the things we choose NOT to do? Everybody understands busy...

I've just been in such a fog - I'm so busy...  I can't even think straight - I'm so busy...  Ever heard one of those? Ever uttered one of those? Do you ever flop into bed at night and you're too tired to pray? I'll pray twice as long tomorrow, God, I know you understand... No... The Creator of the universe who keeps all things in perfect balance, including the planet we're spinning on, the King of all kings and Lord of all, who ALWAYS has time for us does NOT understand...

We tend to treat our prayer life like fast-food junkies. We won't sit in the line too long - we throw our prayers at the box - and expect God's answer by the time we get to the window. And if we don't get it, if we have to pull up and wait for any length of time, we have been known to mutter, "This is the last time I'm coming here... I'll go to such-and-such where I don't have to wait."

Can you hear our Father? "Children, wash your hands and face and come sit at the table. Dinner will be ready soon. Just sit here and give Me a few minutes. I've got everything you need and want right here."

Have we prayed yet? The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.

Prayer:

Father,

         In Colossians 4:2, Your Word tells us to devote ourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. Help us to recognize the need to be clear-minded and self-controlled so we can do just that. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen 

Promise for Today - Wisdom, Understanding and Common Sense

For only the godly will live in the land, and those with integrity will remain in it.
Proverbs 2:21 NLT

Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding.
Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding.
Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures.
Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord, and you will gain knowledge of God. For the Lord grants wisdom!
From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest.
He is a shield to those who walk with integrity.
He guards the paths of the just and protects those who are faithful to him.
Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair, and you will find the right way to go. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will fill you with joy.
Wise choices will watch over you.
Understanding will keep you safe.
Wisdom will save you from evil people, from those whose words are twisted.
Proverbs 2: 1-11 NLT

Prayer:

Father,
           Your Word instructs us to ask You for wisdom if we don't have it. So we come before You and ask for it, because You promised that You would give it to us and not chastise us for doing so. We know when we ask that our faith must be in You alone - according to Your Word. And so it is, Lord. We're not wavering. Our loyalty and trust is in You alone. We will not be unsettled as the waves of the sea, tossed and blown by the wind. Give us Your wisdom, O God! In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Fixing Your Mind

For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them].Practice what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and model your way of living on it, and the God of peace (of untroubled, undisturbed well-being) will be with you.
Philippians 4:8-9 The Amplified Bible

We're a nation of worriers, a trait inherent in our human nature. Talk radio and reality TV - all designed to get us lathered up and worried, and then to get us talking about what's worrying us, and what YOU should be worried about if you really understood what's going on in the world.

I know what's going on in the world. Let me break it down for you...

2nd Timothy 3: beginning with verse 1, "You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!"

Sound familiar? We get sucked into the world's philosophy and its way of dealing with life and its challenges, and we forget that the Word clearly tells us we live in this world, but we are not of it. We are citizens of a kingdom whose Builder and Maker is God! We are not to be governed in our spirit by what is not of God. So fix your mind on the things of God "...whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things..."

That will fix your mind.

Prayer:

Father,
          Thank You for renewing our minds in You. Keep us ever focused on those things which are important to our life with You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today Favorite - The Way I Am

And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds. You must teach these things and encourage the believers to do them.
Titus 2:12-15a NLT

“I was born this way.”
“I’ve always been like this.”
“That’s just the way I am!”

We’ve all heard these statements at one time or another…probably coming from our own mouths and usually as an excuse for our behavior. Although one or more may be factual, if you are a follower of Jesus Christ, these statements no longer have anything to do with you. "Used to be" doesn't live here anymore...

You may have been “born that way” – but as a follower of Christ, you have been born again. For starters, let's look at 2nd Corinthians 5:17 NLT, "This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!"

And if you’ve “always been like this” – then it’s high time for a transformation. Romans 12: 1-2 NKJV, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."
There’s no time left to excuse our acceptance and tolerance of any of our ways that are not God’s ways. The Great I AM did not make excuses for us – He made provision for us through the Cross and the Blood of His Son. According to Scripture, we are called to do no less.

Matthew 10:38, "If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine."

Mark 8:34, "Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, 'If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.' "

So much for “that's just the way I am”… How about we do it The Way of the Great I AM?

Prayer:

Father,
           Shine Your Light of Truth in our lives. Expose the dangerous deceptions in the guise of acceptance and tolerance. Forgive us for the complacency we have allowed in our lives. Help us learn to righteously wield the Sword of Truth in our lives. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Let's Be Reasonable

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
Romans 12:1 NKJV

I had a conversation with a friend who mentioned the struggles he is experiencing with a particular project and how it seemed to be ongoing. He presented it laughingly, but it was obvious he wanted some relief. He said his wife told him God was developing patience in his life like He did with Peter. His response was, "I told her, Peter didn't have to deal with this..."

I quipped, "You're right, he didn't. But he was inverted and crucified, so I guess we could get an upside-down crucifixion arranged for you, if you think that would be easier to deal with." Let's just say I'm not the author of the book, How to Win Friends and Influence People.

According to our Scripture for today, we are to present our bodies as a living sacrifice... Wait a minute. Doesn't sacrifice include fire and burning meat? Let's face it. We all like grilling, but not if WE are the sacrifice. When God puts me to the test and I make a comment like my friend made, my sister asks, "Hmmm... do I smell barbecue? Something's burning..." Clearly, SHE is not the author, either, of How to Win Friends and Influence People.

The Bible tells us we are to be holy and acceptable to God. How? How do we do that - holy AND acceptable? Scripture tells us in Romans 14:17-18, ... for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men. Righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Notice this is not a multiple choice statement. It does not read righteousness OR peace OR joy in the Holy Spirit. It's a package deal. Holy AND acceptable! Righteousness AND peace AND joy in the Holy Spirit! How in the world do we do that?!?

By the mercies of God. Now, THAT's reasonable...

Prayer:

Father,

           By Your mercies, which are new every morning, we present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto You, which is our reasonable service. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen. 

Promise for Today - The Texas Flood

For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? 

Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.

1 Corinthians 2:11 NKJV

I don't know how far around the world the news has travelled about the devastating flood in Kerr County, Texas. That part of Texas is about 3 hours from where I live, so I was not in any physical danger... but my heart is another story. As a mother, my heart is splintered with the loss of lives, especially the children who died, and for their parents. Summer camp is supposed to be fun, not deadly. 

Of course, the first question I always get from people is, "Where was God in all this?" I can only answer what I know to be the Truth, despite what people may think. He was there. To which the anguished cry has been, "Then why didn't He stop it?" Therein lies the struggle for everyone, even Christians. 

I've been scrolling through news websites and social media, reading the reports, seeing the pictures, hearing the stories. So grateful for those who were rescued. And SO sad for those who were not... Today, I came across a post from a man named John Bo Nichols, who could be - should be - the spokesperson for the rest of us. A heartbroken soliloquy so intense you can feel the pain, and a profound statement of faith. Take a moment to read it here. 

*********************************

Mr. Nichols writes: Those of you know me, know I rarely, if ever, post anything religious or political. I always try to stay positive in my expressions on social media; however, this is absolutely ripping apart the innermost fabric of my soul.

God…

Why?! WHY?! WHY?!?!?!

We are sitting here—on our knees, with fists clenched, hearts broken, and eyes swollen with tears—and we are screaming into the heavens: WHY, GOD?! WHY THEM? WHY THESE BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN?! WHY THESE FAMILIES?

They were so young.

They were their joy, their sunshine, their miracle.

And now they’re gone.

Snatched away by floodwaters that didn’t care.

And all we can do is cry out—WHY, GOD?!

We know You are good. We know You are love.

But right now…we are angry.

We are devastated.

And yes—we are confused.

Because none of this feels fair. None of it feels right.

And it hurts so bad we can’t breathe.

As a father of three children, I am holding back a storm inside me.

Trying not to rage. Trying not to collapse under the weight of what these families are facing.

God, if I feel this broken—how can they go on?

Lord, You said You are near to the brokenhearted.

Be right here. Right now. Be near to them in a way that defies reason.

Wrap them in Your presence like a blanket in the cold of this cruel storm.

Hold them when they scream, when they fall, when they cannot pray.

We are begging You—BE GOD to them.

Be their strength. Be their sanity. Be their breath.

When the sun rises and they are not there—be the one who carries them.

When the house is too quiet, too empty, too filled with memories—be the one who shouts louder than the silence:

“I am with you. I have not left you.”

Let them rage. Let them scream. Let them weep.

You can handle it, God—You have wept before.

You know what it is to lose a child.

Give them one drop of peace. Then another. And another.

Flood their aching hearts not with more sorrow—but with grace, with people, with comfort they didn’t expect and didn’t even know to ask for.

This is too big for us.

So we lay it at Your feet—smashed to pieces.

And we say it again because we have to:

WHY, GOD?!

But even in that question, we do not let go of You.

Because where else can we go?

We lift these grieving families to You,

in the name of Jesus—who screamed on the cross,

who wept at the tomb,

and who still walks with us in the valley of the shadow of death.

Amen

Promise for Today Favorite - Drawing a Crowd

Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them.
Matthew 15:30 NIV

Everywhere Jesus went, He drew a crowd. It didn't matter where He went. By the sea, they crowded Him into a boat. In the Temple, on the mountain, and even when He tried to get away into the countryside by Himself, they flocked to Him and He took pity on them. Jesus healed all their diseases and wound up feeding thousands.

What do you think drew them to Jesus? His love? His compassion? His miracles? Wanting to see the supernatural? Were they looking for answers? Relief from their personal suffering? Probably all of those things. And more than likely, there were those who were just following the crowd.

Not all of them loved Him. Not all of them believed He was the Messiah, the only begotten Son of God. And yet, He ministered to all of them. He loved all of them. He healed them.

What drew us to Christ? Truly TO Him and not just hanging around Him. Do we still have the fervor of our first love with Him? If not, why not? If not, let's ask the Holy Spirit to expose whatever it is that has caused the separation. Let God's Word - His living Word - be established in our lives. Jeremiah 24:7 NIV, "I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart."

If we have Jesus living large in us, do people see His love and His compassion in us? Are we pointing them to the Cross and His saving grace and mercy? We might not draw a crowd, but are we drawing those within our sphere of influence?

Prayer:

Father,
          According to Your Word, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners shall be converted to You." In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Freedom Isn't Free

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.”
Galatians 5:13-14 NLT

It has been said, "When the will to be free is greater than the will of bondage, the way to freedom can be found." However, the price of freedom has always been paid in heartache and blood - of the oppressed, of the oppressors, and of the liberators.

It's been eye-opening to realize the percentage of the generations once and twice removed who seem to have forgotten and/or fail to recognize and acknowledge the freedoms we enjoy here in the states and the ultimate price that's been paid so we can enjoy them - freedoms many people in the world still today can only dream of. God help us all.

For our Christian walk, Christ willingly paid the ultimate sacrifice to liberate us from our sinful nature. His Blood cleanses us from all unrighteousness and frees us to love others as He loved us. Have we forgotten? Do we fail to recognize and acknowledge what He has done so we may walk in it?

Freedom was God's plan from the beginning. Even Isaiah prophesied, "I, the Lord, made you, and I will not forget you. I have swept away your sins like a cloud. I have scattered your offenses like the morning mist. Oh, return to me, for I have paid the price to set you free.” 

Freedom isn't free.

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for loving us more than enough to set us free from a lifetime of being slaves to sin. Thank You for setting our spirit free so that even in chains, we cannot be bound. Thank You for Your Word that assures us if Your Son has set us free, then we are free indeed. May we have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep Your love is. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today Favorite - True Fire Works

Moses led them out from the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. All of Mount Sinai was covered with smoke because the Lord had descended on it in the form of fire. The smoke billowed into the sky like smoke from a brick kiln, and the whole mountain shook violently. As the blast of the ram’s horn grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God thundered his reply. The Lord came down on the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain.
Exodus 19:17-20a NLT

Americans love to celebrate July 4th - our nation's Independence Day. And we love to do it with fireworks and food. Fireworks are the epitome of "Ohhhhhh, shiny!" and my family loves them! People the world over are fascinated by bright lights, big noise and smoke screens, but it has to be truly dark for the fireworks to be effective. The bigger - the better! The more - the merrier... but what a mess! Have you ever had to clean up after a fireworks event? Once the sizzle and pizzazz are over, and the smoke clears, all that's left is debris and lots of trash.

That's just one more thing I love about the Lord! When the darkness of this world is at its worst, our God is an all-consuming fire! When He comes down with Holy Ghost fire, He consumes all the debris, all the mess, but leaves that which has life in Him... In Him, there is the brightest Light, and big noise and smoke, but when His smoke clears, we have new life - made pure by His fire. Illuminated forever by His light.

Prayer:

Father,
            Thank You for Your death-defying, sin-destroying, life-liberating fire in our lives. Consume us, O God, with Your fire. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today Favorite - Single Track with Garbage

And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their stony, stubborn heart and give them a tender, responsive heart, so they will obey my decrees and regulations. Then they will truly be my people, and I will be their God.
Ezekiel 11:19-20 NLT

Long-distance trail horses do much better on a trail that is termed a "single track with garbage" than they do on an established wide trail or open field. (Obviously, single track is one horse passes at a time; garbage means lots of brush, rock, etc.) I thought that sounded illogical until it was explained that an established wide trail or open field can be a total distraction for the horse. Lots of things to look at, and the horse gets competitive with the other animals. In addition, there is very little concern on the horse's part for how he steps because there doesn't appear to be any danger.

On a single track with garbage, the horse is very focused and carefully picks its steps. There are usually no distractions - or at least, very few. The horse is highly unlikely to break and run and is extremely responsive to the rider's slightest touch of instruction... and it was right there that God tapped me on the shoulder to get my attention.

Now, I don't know about you, but there are times, (even though I know I'm NOT) it feels as though I'm walking alone. I reiterate - I know I'm not alone, but sometimes, I can't see a clear path in front of me. I don't see the water source ahead. At times, the way is so close that it's hard to see at all. And I have to watch every step I take. There's the underbrush of life's debris and distractions to stub my toes or twist my ankle or cause me to fall and come up lame.

However, I know it is in the tough spots that I am most focused on following His lead and the most responsive to His slightest instruction. God hasn't taken me on this single track with garbage so that I will be confined and alone. No, I may not be able to look around to see where I am or where I am going, but I am not lost. I am found. The Great I AM, the Omnipotent Way Maker has chosen this single track with garbage. He's brought me this way so I can know Him better and trust Him more.

Prayer:

Father,
           Your Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path and by Your grace, I will follow only You. Completely close my eyes, my ears and my spirit to anything that is not of You. Guide my every step, O God. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen

Promise for Today Favorite - Help Me to Remember

Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.

Luke 23:34 KJV

He was ostracized before He was born (born in a barn to a mother who was pregnant by Someone other than her husband). Those who knew Him best didn't respect Him (Mark 6:3-5). The high priest and leaders of the temple hated Him and conspired to kill Him.

What did Jesus do? He prayed. How many times do we read in Scripture that Jesus prayed? He sought God in all things. I would submit for your consideration that one of the things Jesus prayed about while living on earth was the constant rejection. How do you continue to love people who constantly reject you or hurt you? And if you can't love them, how can you forgive them? Matthew 6:12 tells us, If you can't forgive them, you can't be forgiven by your Father in heaven.

How many of us walk through life with the Marine attitude of "Kill 'em all - let God sort 'em out"? Now, I don't know about you, but for a long time in my journey, I wanted to forgive, but there just seemed to be something so wrong about the one who committed the offense being let off the hook. It was like letting them get away with it. How can you let someone get away with that kind of thing? That's just not right...is it? You can't let them think they got away with it scot-free, can you?

I'm reminded of the accessory line that was released quite a few years back. WWJD - Do you remember those teeshirts and bracelets and earrings and necklaces, Bible covers, etc. "What Would Jesus Do?" Reminding us to be like Jesus. Well, what did He do? Did one of His own disciples betray Him? Yes. Did Jesus know about it? Yes. Did the leaders of the temple conspire to kill Him? Yes. Did Jesus try to stop any of them?

Did they taunt Him with lies and shove it in His face? Read Luke 23:35-39 NLT, [The crowd watched and the leaders scoffed. "He saved others," they said, "let him save himself if he is really God's Messiah, the Chosen One." The soldiers mocked him, too, by offering him a drink of sour wine. They called out to him, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!" A sign was fastened to the cross above him with these words: "This is the King of the Jews." One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, "So you're the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you're at it!"]

Was He - is He God's Messiah, the Chosen One? Yes! Could they have killed Him if He hadn't laid down His life in OBEDIENCE to the Father in sacrifice for our lives? No, they could not! Did they kill Him? Yes. Did they think they got away with it? Yes...

What did Jesus do? "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do..." When the circumstances demanded justice at such wrongdoing, He gave mercy. Aren't we to be like Jesus?

Prayer:

Father,
          Help us to realize that forgiveness is not a feeling. It's a choice of will. Help us to understand Matthew 18 and forgiving others seventy times seventy... Remind us to choose to forgive every time it comes up. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today Favorite - Still Not Done

Late in the afternoon his disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go to the nearby farms and villages and buy something to eat.”

But Jesus said, “You feed them.”
“With what?” they asked. “We’d have to work for months to earn enough money to buy food for all these people!”
“How much bread do you have?” he asked. “Go and find out.”
They came back and reported, “We have five loaves of bread and two fish.” Then Jesus told the disciples to have the people sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of fifty or a hundred. Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them.
Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he kept giving the bread to the disciples so they could distribute it to the people. He also divided the fish for everyone to share. They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftover bread and fish. A total of 5,000 men and their families were fed from those loaves!
Mark 6:35-41 NLT

Has God ever done the impossible in your life? Has He done the proverbial Made a Way Where There was No Way? Has He ever used you to do or say something that you know - beyond the shadow of a doubt - that it was all God because it was beyond your ability or even your comprehension? It defies all logic. Well, He's not done yet.

Mark 6 is an amazing chapter. At the beginning of it, Jesus heads to His hometown, begins teaching in the synagogue in such a way that the people exclaim, Where did he get all this wisdom and the power to perform such miracles? And only moments later, they reject Him because they can't see or believe through eyes of faith... but He wasn't done. He took it to village after village, teaching, healing.

He launched His disciples, sending them out on purpose without provision, and yet their needs were met and they accomplished what He sent them to do. When they returned, they were stoked! But He wasn't done.

Also in this chapter, we learn of John the Baptist's beheading - a tragic, horrible murder. It had already happened; Jesus knew about it, but it didn't stop Him because He wasn't done. Jesus wanted to take the boys and get away for a little while, but the crowds wouldn't stop, and because He had/has such great compassion, He stopped for them.

Then we come to our Promise text for today. The disciples - those He hand-picked - presume to tell Christ how to best care for the people. They present their most logical, well thought-out plan, but obviously, Jesus wasn't done yet.

You feed them, but the best they could come up with was logic.
We’d have to work for months to earn enough money to buy food for all these people!

Jesus doesn't fly by the seat of His pants. He doesn't get by by the skin of His teeth. He's not a fly-by-night operation. When will we realize that God has the plan? He's had it from the beginning. Even when there doesn't seem to be any way at all - the odds are too much against us. We can't feed them! What do you think the disciples were thinking? "There's over 5,000 men here, plus their families..." "Sure, I'll see if anyone brought anything..." "Here, 5 loaves and a couple of fish. What are You gonna do with that?" "There's no way to feed all these people - that's not enough for just us, let alone all of them." "I don't know what You're thinking..."

He took it, blessed it and broke it. And with those little bits of broken pieces, He fed the multitudes until everyone had as much as they wanted. It was the first All-You-Can-Eat buffet... But He wasn't done. Scripture tells us, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftover bread and fish.

Recap: He told them to feed the people. They replied logically, 'We can't'. He showed them how it's done. And when He was done, they picked up 12 baskets of leftover bread and fish. 

Hmmm... how many disciples were there?

You get the picture...

I was gonna end there, but I hear the ones making the statement about Judas Iscariot... He didn't hang around too much longer after this, so, I guess that leaves one basket. Any takers? We're not done...

Prayer:

Father,            

           Thank You for the ability to think and reason. Forgive us when we use it to try to explain away Your sovereignty and majesty. Help us to realize and KNOW that whatever You've called us to do, wherever You've called us to be, You've made the provision. Let the measure of faith You have given us always override what we can see so that we can DO what You've told us to do. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen 

Promise for Today Favorite - You Did This?

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. 

 Psalm 139:13 NIV

A little of this, a LOT of that, and some of this, a little more of the other, throw in a breath and voila! There you are. God made you. He designed who you would look like. He laid the groundwork for your personality. He formed you - gave you all the parts you would need - lined up your days and set it all in motion. Verse 16 says all my days were ordained before one of them even came to be. There are days that thought is a cause for tremendous celebration. There are other days when it's not exactly a warm fuzzy.

Keeping in mind that God's ways are NOT our ways and His thoughts are NOT our thoughts, perhaps we should try to shed a little light on some things. Let's see if it will give us a new way of thinking and an opportunity to give God praise in everything.
For instance -

"That child is so strong-willed!" Very trying for the one trying to raise the child - but if properly trained, a great leader!

"You have the audacity to speak like that?" Properly trained, raised in Christ - able to speak before kings and leaders.

"Why are you crying over that...?" A tender heart, full of compassion.

"You are SO bull-headed!!" Properly trained - it's the ability to focus on a goal and get it done!

Does that make sense? Look for the good in how God has made you. Look for the strength and ability in it instead of what could be conceived as the downside to your attributes.

Ephesians 4:15-16 tells us, "Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love."

It is beyond our finite minds to intelligently question an infinite God. You did this? Oh, yes! I see You did! Thank you so much!

Prayer:

Father,
           Truly we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Help us to see it and to give You praise because You did this. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today Favorite - Pleasing

And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.

Colossians 3:23-24 NKJV

It's in our nature to want to be recognized for doing well. That being said, there are all sorts of awards and recognitions and raises that go along with doing well as adults. We just need to be very careful about whom we're trying to please. And I think we have to be more careful about what motivates us to do well or to be pleasing. Jesus warns us in Matthew 6:1 to not grandstand with our good deeds.

I remember well the days of,

Mom, look!
Mom, watch me!
Mom, did you see me?
Mom, how's this?

Children love to impress their parents. So, what is our motivation? Is it,

Father, look!
Father, watch me!
Father, did You see me?
Father, how's this?

I'm waiting for The Day - I just want to hear my Father say, Well done!

Prayer:

Father,
           Oftentimes, we work so hard to do life well. Day after day, trying to go the extra mile, many times for those who don't even understand or appreciate the extra time or effort. Father, give us a heart check-up. Shine Your Light of Truth on any area that is motivated by anything other than wanting to please You. Lord, when the time comes, we want to hear You say, Well done! Come on in! In Jesus' Name we pray.

Promise for Today Favorite - Doing It the Hard Way

This is what the Almighty Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: 

You can be saved by returning to me. You can have rest. You can be strong by being quiet and by trusting me. But you don’t want that.

Isaiah 30:15 GWT

I hear people all the time saying, "I'm tired of fighting for everything. I just want to rest a while." Why is it that we cannot believe we are able to obtain that rest by returning to God? Why is it we struggle so with being quiet and trusting Him? Why is it we choose to do things the hard way? Why do we insist on making life harder than what it is or needs to be? 

We don't want to give up our "rights."  We want to do what we want to do - when, where, how, and with whom we want to do it. We yell loud and long that we want to be free, but the only way to be truly free is through Christ. 

We must realize that none of this Good News - God's salvation plan with its grace and mercy - none of it is because of anything we have done or ever could do! True confidence and hope are only in Christ and what He did for us at Calvary, not in or because of anything we've done ...even though we so desperately WANT to do something to earn it.

A little further in the same chapter, verse 18 reads, The Lord is waiting to be kind to you. He rises to have compassion on you.  The Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all those who wait for him.

Can we believe that He is waiting to be kind to us or will we continue in our own way - you know, the hard way?

Prayer:

Father, 

            Please forgive us for always trying to do things in our own strength. Give us wisdom and understanding to be able to grasp the Truth of grace, mercy, and Your forgiveness. We want to rest - in You. We want to be strong by being quiet and trusting You. Teach us how, Father. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today Favorite - Whole Lotta Shaking

[Jesus speaking] There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken.

Luke 21:25-26 NIV

There's unshakeable, there's shaken together and there's shaking with fear - all with different consequences. A vast majority is shaken with fear by the frenetic pace of changes taking place - in the world views and values, the political scene, and in the way history is being rewritten.

However, there is One who can never be shaken. Hebrews 12:26-28 tells us, "When God spoke from Mount Sinai his voice shook the earth, but now he makes another promise: 'Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens also.' This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakeable things will remain. Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakeable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe."

The Word of God tells us over and over, it's going to happen. The earth and heavens will be shaken. Only unshakeable things will remain. Jesus said it, too. The writer of Hebrews warns in 12:25, "Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven!"

Jesus continued speaking, in Luke 12:27-28, "At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."

So what will you choose to be - unshakeable or shaking in your boots? "Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." (1st Corinthians 15:58).

Prayer:

Father,
Thank You for Your Word that clearly shows us how to become and how to remain unshakeable in our faith and trust in You. Give us Your strength and Your grace to be unswerving in our daily choices to follow in Your footsteps. You tell us in Mark 13:31, "Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away." Help us to live by Your unshakeable Word. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today Favorite - Dry & Thirsty

What do you make of this? A farmer planted seed. As he scattered the seed, some of it fell on the road, and birds ate it. Some fell in the gravel; it sprouted quickly but didn't put down roots, so when the sun came up it withered just as quickly. Some fell in the weeds; as it came up, it was strangled by the weeds.

Matthew 13:3-7

We've talked before about bad seed and weeds and how they'll grow anywhere; no preparation is needed. However, to grow the good seeds, there is much to be done. And everyone who has ever tried to plant and grow anything said, "Amen".

Everything is affected when there's no rain. Have you ever stood on a soccer field or baseball diamond in the middle of a drought? The earth is so parched for water that there are splits in the ground - splits wide enough to cause the players to be in danger by losing their footing, spraining or breaking an ankle.

Drought is costly in ways that some don't even recognize. There are all the obvious ways - crop failure causing produce prices to increase and the quality to decrease. And unless you're willing to have scrub brush and weed as your landscaping efforts, you have to water, so the utility bill increases. When the drought is so bad, the authorities issue a ban on watering non-essentials, then flowers and flower beds die and sometimes even the grass dies. Those who live in perpetually dry areas circumvent the lack of water by landscaping with rock.

And then there are the wildfires...

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 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, when there's no life in them? We can't walk safely on rocks, let alone run the race to which we've been called.

Are the fires in our lives fires from God or from the LACK of Him? How do we know the difference? You might wonder what difference it makes - fire burns! However, there is a HUGE difference. Left unchecked, fires destroy completely... unless of course, you are surrounded by water...Living Water (John 4). Godly fire burns away the chaff - the dross in our lives - WITHOUT destroying what is good.

How dry and thirsty are you? I know where the Living Water can be found.

Prayer:

Father,
Your Son declared His Truth to us - “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." 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 Your water and not moved by the spiritual and physical drought conditions around us. Let us produce Your fruit in our lives to feed those around us, drawing from Your well of living waters. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today Favorite - We Forget

Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who created it, “Why have you made me like this?” When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn’t he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into?

Romans 9:20-21

We forget the part about being mere humans. Do we even truly comprehend Creator of the Universe - the most High God - even though throughout Scripture we are taught and reminded that God is God and we are not? Just as a refresher, have you read lately chapters 38-41 of the book of Job? God is not required to answer the whys and the wherefores.

Ephesians 1:4-5 reads, "God chose us in Christ to be holy and blameless in God’s presence before the creation of the world. God destined us to be His adopted children through Jesus Christ because of His love. This was according to His goodwill and plan..." There's the Truth. God has had the plan since before the world was created. It is one of great love.

We don't always understand it because again, He tells us in His Word, "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts."

We don't understand it when loved ones die - when life goes completely opposite to what we had planned. When there seems to be no wrongdoing, and yet bad things still happen. Well, think about this. Abel had done no wrong, but Cain still murdered him. John had done no wrong, but he was still beheaded. Jesus never sinned, yet He was still crucified.

Billy Graham once wrote:
"Don’t question God because you think He must be wrong; He isn’t. Instead, ask Him to help you to trust Him, even when you don’t understand. God loves you–if He didn’t, He wouldn’t have sent His Son into the world to die for you. But He did, and that makes all the difference."

Prayer:

Father,
           Help us to trust Your love, Your Sovereignty, Your plan even when we don't understand. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today Favorite - No One

For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
John 1:17 NKJV

For a couple of days now, I've been "chewing on" something I read. It's rich. It's deep. It's more than we could ask or think... sometimes more than we can grasp; however, absolutely profound, if we could but understand it. I'm talking about the grace of God. So every time I find a written expression of it that opens my understanding in a new way, I'm going to share it. The following excerpts come from the book, Grace >> More Than We Deserve | Greater Than We Imagine.

Have you been changed by grace? Shaped by grace? Snatched by the nape of your neck and shaken to your senses by grace? ... Grace is the voice that calls us to change and then gives us the power to pull it off.

When grace happens, we receive not a nice compliment from God but a new heart... "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you" (Ezekiel 36:26).

The author then goes on to tell the heart-wrenching story of a young teenage girl who died in a skiing accident. The parents decided to donate her organs and another young girl received the heart, giving the second child a new chance at life. The first mother had one request - to hear the "still-beating heart" of her daughter.

"...grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." His death on the Cross. His burial. His resurrection. All to give us a new chance at life. The author goes on to ask,

And when God hears your heart, does He not hear the still-beating heart of His Son? As Paul said, "It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me" (Galatians 2:20).

Romans 8:33-34 New Century Version (NCV), "Who can accuse the people God has chosen? No one, because God is the One who makes them right. Who can say God’s people are guilty? No one, because Christ Jesus died, but he was also raised from the dead, and now he is on God’s right side, appealing to God for us."

Who can undo what Christ has done for us through His death, burial and resurrection? 

No one.

Prayer:

Father,
           Cause Your Word to come alive in us. Open our eyes of understanding to know Your Truth and change our hearts to be able to receive this precious gift of Grace, so that according to Your Word, we can come near to You with a sincere heart and a sure faith, because we have been made free from a guilty conscience. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today Favorite - No Buts About It

…if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
2nd Chronicles 7:14

How many times has someone called you looking for an answer and when you provide the answer, they reply, “I know, but…”?

I know, but it’s too hard.
I know, but I don’t wanna…
I know, but I’m too tired.
I know, but so-and-so is [or isn’t] doing__________.

OR have you ever actually heard the Truth of the matter? I know, but I’d rather whine and complain or make excuses than actually make the effort to or for change - especially if the change has to do with changing ME.

Have you ever purchased a book or the “Latest-Greatest-New-and-Improved” something or other system in an attempt to fix an issue, get ahead, make money, or lose weight? How many of those times did we make the purchase and never utilize the purchase? We don’t know whether or not it works based on our own personal experience because we haven’t tried it. It hasn’t been put to the test. We may very well have purchased the answer to whatever challenge we’re facing, but it’s not going to help if it’s still in the box or sitting on the bookshelf. No buts about it...

Here's something to think about - It’s the same with the Word of God. In it are the answers to every situation in our lives, but if we don’t read it or USE it, we'll never know the answers."Yeah, I know, but..."

The question then to those who profess Christianity is, “Have you prayed about the situation?” No ifs, ands or buts. The Bible instructs us in 1st Timothy 2:1-4 NLT, "I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth." Yeah, I know, but...

But nothing… No, we’re not called to issue judgment and sentencing, but we are supposed to be fruit inspectors (Matthew 7:20). Prayer is the most effective action to change! It keeps us in the proper perspective and attitude (God is our Creator, our Lord and Master, the Author and Finisher of our faith). Prayer acknowledges His Lordship over us.

P.U.S.H. Pray until something happens. Move the but…

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for loving us enough to provide answers to every situation we face. Such love and provision are overwhelming. Reveal Your Truths and Master Plan to us as we delve into Your Word. Give us the strength and courage to act in righteousness for those situations that burden our souls. May You find us faithful in prayer and in service to You. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen