Promise for Today - Not Without Effect

But by the [remarkable] grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not without effect.
1st Corinthians 15:10a AMP

Sometimes, life can be so great! Weddings and birthdays and celebrations of milestones in life are all wonderful, joyous events. Stressful, now and then, but still wonderful. However, sometimes the perceived demands of life can be overwhelming. The stresses of responsibilities, our jobs, and what's going on in the world itself. All of these things affect us one way or another.

As mere humans, when it's a negative effect, we lean toward buckling down, pulling ourselves up by the bootstraps, mustering up enough strength, trying to muscle our way through. Often, trying in our own strength, we find we are not very successful.

As Christians, we should turn to the only Truth we have - God's Word - where we are promised that His grace is sufficient for all we face (2nd Corinthians 12:9). And we are assured in Hebrews 5:15-16, that Jesus, "This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most."

John 1:16 tells us, "Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given." His never-ending grace, an endless supply, grace upon grace so that we are able to love and forgive, to persevere, to serve, to be victorious overcomers... not in our own strength, but only by His grace.

Prayer:

Father,
          It is Your amazing, remarkable Grace that saves us from the wrecked and wretched ways of the world! We are so grateful for the efficacy of Your Grace to us and through us to overcome sin. Thank You, Father, that it is not without effect. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - A Lesson on Pearls

Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!

Matthew 13:45-46 NLT

I have always loved pearls. I think they are exquisite. I was in my twenties when my Aunt Amelia told me pearls were associated with sorrow and tears, and she was saddened to think pearls were my jewels of choice. Actually, that just made me love them more. I think the sorrow and tears thing has much to do with the way pearls are formed; something irritating to the oyster. We know the irritant in the life of the oyster is wrapped in layers of nacre, creating the pearl.

It's been a long time since I gave serious consideration to pearls and gems, so I thought I'd better check my facts. According to Pearl International,

"These layers [of nacre] are translucent, and reflect light in such a way that a real pearl appears to have an inner glow that is almost impossible to recreate with artificial methods.
If they are perfectly uniform without any differences or imperfections, it’s very likely that they were manufactured. Real pearls are born in the sea, so they grow up getting rolled around by wind and waves, and as a result, they are never, never perfect.
In nature, the longer a pearl remains within an oyster’s shell, the more likely it is to develop imperfections like dents and divots. As a result, pearls of a very large size can be extremely valuable."

It just reminds me of my walk with Christ in so many ways. First and foremost, HE is the pearl of great price to me. Everything else is worthless compared to Christ. And yet, HE gave everything HE had for me. How can you not love a God who considers you priceless?

Philippians 3:7-9 The Message says it all, "Yes, all the things I once thought were so important are gone from my life. Compared to the high privilege of knowing Christ Jesus as my Master, firsthand, everything I once thought I had going for me is insignificant—dog dung. I’ve dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace Christ and be embraced by him. I didn’t want some petty, inferior brand of righteousness that comes from keeping a list of rules when I could get the robust kind that comes from trusting Christ—God’s righteousness."

And He's a God who wraps us in layer upon layer of His protection so we might reflect His light in such a way that we have an inner glow. Not shiny and brassy, but glowing.

We're not perfect. We're not perfectly uniform. We're not all the same. However, we are beautiful in His sight and we are extremely valuable to Him.

Prayer:

Father,
          We are overwhelmed by You! Your love. Your mercy. Your grace. Your faithfulness. How could we possibly thank You enough for all You have done and all You are doing even now? In our finite way, we love You, Father. We want to love You more. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

What If We Did?

Guest author and my friend, Ralinda Fenton. 
***********************************************************

This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.
John 15:12-14 NKJV

This is part of my devotion this morning. It reminded me how I need to love regardless of the response. I want to give love, whether it’s deserved or not. After all, look what Christ did for me - a broken mistake-making woman.

But what if we made it our mission? Instead of getting even, we could commit our hearts to forgiveness and offering a true clean slate to another? What if, when we feel slighted or excluded from a situation, we do not hold tight to bitterness or fear and still offer our love freely?

What if it stopped being about everything we receive and became about what we can give - regardless of the response, the rejection, the lack of reciprocation, or reassurance? It would confuse others and lead them right to this thought: “Why do they give love that I have not deserved?” Herein lies the perfect opportunity for our hearts to exclaim, “Jesus!” His eternal hope is the reason we can love so freely in return, knowing that He will work as He sees fit.

Wouldn’t that be incredible? To not be scared to be the people who love more, forgive freely, give grace abundantly, and walk in a confidence that stems from the ever-flowing love of Jesus? That would be the Gospel.

Our hearts are fragile. We take things personally. We are scared to let in others once we’ve been wronged. We have been taught by the world to only give what we receive—they must be worthy.

But Jesus calls us to love others out of a heart that is fully and recklessly loved by Him. This does not mean our emotions become absent and our pain won’t be felt; it just means that when those things do happen, we can remind ourselves we’re already accepted and abundantly loved by our Creator. It is in this truth that we no longer crave and depend on the reassurance of this world, and we begin to look like people of hope.

Promise for Today - Endurance

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

James 1:2-4 NLT

You know it's easy to serve the Lord when everything is going well. It's easy to be kind. It's easy to be loving. It's easy to be patient in the good times. It's really easy to have great joy when everything's good. Would you agree?

We've talked about it before - there are times I still struggle with considering troubles as opportunities for great joy. I can lose sight of the joy when the mountains of obstacles overwhelm me on every side. That is the test of our faith - the opportunity for our endurance to grow. (Some translations read "patience for endurance".) So, how important is that, anyway, to let our endurance grow?

In Matthew 24:13, Jesus tells us just how important: "But the one who endures to the end will be saved." I don't want to have made it this far only to give up when we're so close to the end, do you? As the writer of Hebrews exhorts us in 12:1, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us."

So let's join with James, and Jesus, and the great cloud of witnesses, and do as Peter says, "So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while." (1st Peter 1:6 NLT)

Prayer:

Father,
            Thank You for the opportunities for great joy! Thank You for the faith-building endurance training. Thank You for strengthening us to to be able to endure to the end, just as You have said, so that we will be saved. Let us be found faithful to the end. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Lest I Forget How Much

We love each other because he loved us first.
1st John 4:19 NLT

I have come to the conclusion that left to my own devices, I would be THE most selfish… because I know how selfish I can be now, and that’s with me trying to follow Christ. However, I have GREAT hope!

You see, since following Christ, there are things I won’t do now because I know the selfish act would hurt someone. But I sure used to and didn’t think twice about it… There are things I say now that pierce my heart as soon as they’re out of my mouth, but they’re fewer and farther between, thank God! And even at that, I’m encouraged because they DO pierce my heart whereas before I would have heedlessly used them to slice and dice. Because of Christ, I’m quicker to apologize and seek forgiveness.

Before Christ, I used to pride myself on how fiercely I loved those I considered mine. Now I know I didn’t have a clue. The only way I can love others – the ONLY way they can love me – is because He loved us first.

In our sin… In our selfishness… In the absence of all things holy… When we were unlovable by any standard, He loved us.

You’ve seen it lots of times in e-mails. Let me share it again.
I asked Jesus, "How much do You love me?"
"This much!" He replied.
Then He stretched out His arms and died… because He loved us.

Prayer:

Father,
           Lest I forget Gethsemane; Lest I forget Thine agony; Lest I forget Thy love for me – lead me to Calvary! In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen

Learning Who to Rely On - A Reminder

Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly.

1st Timothy 4:7 NIV

In The Message, it reads this way, "Stay clear of silly stories that get dressed up as religion."

I hope you will read to the end. I'm about to jump all over two statements that some people believe are from Scripture. I've even been asked where they are in the Bible. Remember, my goal is that the Truth will set you free. 

1. God helps those who help themselves.

2. God won't give you (or put on you) more than you can bear.

I grew up hearing those two fallacies preached at me like they were gospel - straight from the Word of God. They are NOT!

I think the first one might remotely hint at 2nd Thessalonians 3:10, "For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat." I guess if you really reach, you might be able to loosely define those who work so they can eat as helping themselves, but that's a real stretch...

And for the second one, people tout 1st Corinthians 10:13, "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it." This Scripture passage in context (read verses 6-12) is actually about people being tempted to sin and God in His grace providing the way of escape from the temptation. It has nothing to do with bearing a load.

The DANGER in believing those two statements are Scriptural is when life really IS more than we can bear in (and of) our own strength. When we fail because it's not within OUR strength, we blame God because we tried to help ourselves, so why didn't He help us? And believing (the fallacy) that He won't put more on us than we can bear, we get angry and hurt and disappointed and feel betrayed by God because it WAS more than we could bear... on our own. Paul tells us the Truth when he addresses the church in Corinth from his own experience.

In 2nd Corinthians 1:8-9a NLT, Paul writes, "We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die..."
Yes, he said, "We think you ought to know..."

Now here's the treasure! The Truth that will set you free! Continuing in verse 9b - 10, "But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us."

It's always been about us learning to rely on God.

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for opening our eyes to the Truth of Your Word. Cause the roots of it to go deep into our hearts. Forgive us for believing silly stories dressed up as religion. Give us the opportunity to spread the Light of Your Truth to all who will listen. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

Reminder - Everything I've Got

Hallelujah! I give thanks to God with everything I've got—
Psalm 111:1a&b The Message Bible

Have you ever noticed how easy it is to complain? There is a real propensity to only see the down side of things. We are bombarded by today's media with so-called reality shows - sensationalizing the ugly side of people... not ugly opposite of good-looking. Ugly as in mean and hateful. And then there are the other shows and news programs that prey on people's fears. If we're not careful, we get tunnel vision and all we see is bad. And all we talk about is bad. We can easily become blinded to the good in our lives.

Recently, I touched base with someone I've only visited with a few times in the last couple of decades. At one time, we were in each other's daily lives. And, as we are wont to do, we tend to remember people as they were when we last saw them. We don't allow for the change brought about by a decade or two of time and choices. 

But here's the great news—at least it was for me - In responding to her questions, I realized just how much God has done in my life in the last 20+ years! How He's caused me to grow in my relationship with Him and with others. How He is the Lifter of my head! How He has patiently - lovingly - taught me how to cast all my burden on Him because He cares for me! I love the way The Message Bible reads in Philippians 4:12-13, "Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am." And because of the opportunity to reflect, to stop and look back - that selah moment - I have been enjoying a praise party! They're the best!

I keep thinking of the verse in that great old hymn, How Great Thou Art. "And when I think that God His Son not sparing sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in... That on the Cross - my burden gladly bearing, He bled and died to take away my sin!"

Hallelujah! I give thanks to God with everything I've got—

Prayer:

Father,
           Forgive us when we whine and complain and take our eyes off of You and all that You've done to redeem us from sin and save us from ourselves. When I think about all of that and MORE, then sings my soul, my Saviour God to Thee... How great Thou art! How great Thou art! Father, help us to stay focused to think on these good things, according to Your Word in Philippians 4. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Weight Loss Done Right

I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.
Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.
John 15:1-5 NLT

If you've ever struggled with a weight issue, you know there are more quick-fix, empty promise, flat-out lying so-called plans and programs than you can shake a fork at.

However, God made the original eating plan. In Genesis 1:29, God said, “Look! I have given you every seed-bearing plant throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food." And nutritionists will tell you, fruit is obviously healthy for you - Eat more fruit.

Christ also told us that it's not what goes into the man that defiles him, but what comes out of him, for it is out of the abundance of the heart that our mouths speak. And that's a totally different kind of fruit. Some of it just stinks - Some of it is rotting.

Galatians 5:22-23a NLT tells us, "But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." So, if we follow God's plan for our lives then the fruit of the Holy Spirit will be evident in our lives, and we'll be healthier because of it. For instance, we will lose the weight of bitterness and unforgiveness and past hurts, just to name a few.

Would you like some more fruit?

Prayer:

Father,
          Thank You for the provision of nutrition for our minds, souls, and bodies. Help us to clear our temple so that You feel welcome in our hearts and there is plenty of room for You. In Jesus' Name we pray.

Promise for Today - What Is Happening

Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares 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.
Isaiah 55:6-9 ESV

Have you ever prayed and waited... and waited... and waited... and waited some more without being able to see if God is doing anything? Abraham waited 25 years for Isaac. The nation of Israel waited several centuries to make their promised exodus. Yet, in all that time their faith was being strengthened by the many tests and trials they endured.

Taking into consideration that half the time, we can't even understand our own mind, who can understand the mind of God? God is always working His plan for our lives. Always - even if we can't see it.

The next time we want to question God about what's happening, perhaps we should thank Him instead for another opportunity to grow in faith... because THAT's what is happening.

Prayer:

Father,
           We thank You for opportunities to grow, and for Your overwhelming love represented by those opportunities. Give us hearts to trust You, minds that do not lean to our own understanding, and hands that are quick to serve others for You. Let us remain steadfast in following You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Doing Nothing

I, Adonai, search the heart; I test inner motivations; in order to give to everyone what his actions and conduct deserve.
Jeremiah 17:10 CJB

This Scripture puts me in mind of the Parable of the Talents found in Matthew 25:14-30. I've heard all kinds of perspectives on that particular parable - from putting the fear of God in you to the extravagant mercy of God for taking into account what a person is capable of. From the literal translation of talent as a certain measure of wealth to talents (or giftings) most acknowledge today; i.e. singer, musician, artist, speaker, et cetera (NOT to exclude those rarely mentioned, such as faithful, merciful, peacemaker, givers, and so on). From those questioning why they didn't receive certain talents to those who are grateful to have received anything at all. The combinations are almost as varied and numerous as the world's population.

However, despite the innumerable differences, the one thing that must be understood is that the person with the one bag of gold was not punished because he didn't double his gift. He was punished because he did nothing with what he was given.

NO one can say they haven't received at least one thing from God. There is one commonality in all peoples - past and present. We each have been given life. What are we doing with it?

Prayer:

Father,
           Forgive us for not acknowledging You in all things. Help us to see this life as the incredible gift that it is! We pray as Paul prayed,* For this reason we kneel before You, Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. We pray that out of Your glorious riches You will strengthen us with power through Your Spirit in our inner being, so that Christ will dwell in our hearts through faith. And we pray that being rooted and established in love, we may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that we may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of You. We know You are able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to Your power that is at work within us, to You be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
*Ephesians 3:14-21

Promise for Today - From His Heart

O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge.
Psalm 62:8 NLT

Have you ever gotten into a rough patch of your life and not quite known which way to turn? You know who God is. It's not that you're walking away from Him, but it feels as though you are a million miles away. That dry place. The desert. Barren. Where it seems no matter what you do, it's not coming out right. It's hard to pray. It's hard to praise. It's hard to breathe...

King David knew how that felt - he wrote about it in Psalm 63..."My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water."  David had such a unique way of stating facts, but then he always followed it with Truth. He goes on to write, "I have seen you in your sanctuary and gazed upon your power and glory. Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you! I will praise you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer. You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise you with songs of joy."

In other words, this is how I feel - but what I feel does not affect who God is. No matter what I think or see or feel, no matter the feelings of isolation, no matter the pain level - these temporal circumstances DO not change - absolutely CANNOT change - the righteousness, the holiness, the character, the very nature of God. And just when you think you cannot stand one more minute, someone calls with a 'Hi, I was thinking about you!' Or you receive a text or email, 'hey, love u - just wanted u 2 know!'

And the friend prays for you and/or with you, and speaks Truth - God's Truth - born out of His love for us. Proverbs 27:9 in the Amplified, reads, "Oil and perfume rejoice the heart; so does the sweetness of a friend's counsel that comes from the heart." And God in His infinite mercy and grace does not become exasperated with us, He sends someone to be His hand extended, to touch us with His great love - the love that lifts us up, up, out of the quagmire of our souls.

I never cease to be amazed at the faithfulness and goodness of God's love. It comes from His heart...

Prayer:

Father,
           We pray as King David prayed, Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in You. You alone are my Rock and my Salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken. My victory and honor come from You, God, alone. You are my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me. Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you! I will praise you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - The Qualifying Round

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:1-2 NKJV

What you're about to read, you may have seen before. I have, which probably means I've shared at least parts of it with you. However, I think it serves as a great reminder that God does not call the qualified; He qualifies the called, and we're in the qualifying round.

Will you run the race - or not even try because you think you've done something that disqualifies you from the running? Before you answer, think about these previous winning runners...

Noah got drunk after they got off the Ark
Abraham was too old to be a father
Isaac was a daydreamer
Jacob was a liar
Leah was ugly
Joseph was abused
Moses had a stuttering problem
Gideon was afraid
Rahab was a prostitute
Jeremiah and Timothy were considered too young
David had an affair and then had the woman's husband killed
Elijah was suicidal
Isaiah preached naked
Jonah ran from God
The disciples fell asleep while praying for Jesus
Peter denied Christ (3 times!)
Martha worried about everything
Mary Magdalene was promiscuous
The Samaritan woman was divorced - a bunch of times
Zaccheus was too small and was a tax collector. People hated him.
Paul was too religious, and he persecuted Christians and had them killed
Timothy had an ulcer... AND
Lazarus was dead!!

So... NOW will you run after Jesus? All who do will qualify...

Prayer:

Father,
          Strengthen us in our choices to lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and choose to run with endurance the race that is set before us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Who's Doing What?

It’s not the one who plants or the one who waters who is at the center of this process but God, who makes things grow. Planting and watering are menial servant jobs at minimum wages. What makes them worth doing is the God we are serving.
1st Corinthians 3:8-9a The Message

When we are first introduced to someone, the first question usually asked after learning their name is, "What do you do?" It's strange how we tend to think that's the most important thing - as if human doings were much more important than human beings, pun intended.

The Corinthians were doing that. "Oh, Paul was this, so I follow Paul," while their neighbor contended that Apollos was "more that" so they followed Apollos. Paul took it down to its simplest form in a matter of seconds. It really doesn't matter who's doing what in the Kingdom of God. As long as we're doing it as unto the Lord, God will give the increase on it. He will make it grow. So, who's doing what?

Prayer:

Father,
           Help us to know and understand that everything we do is subject to You. Only that which is done for You and for Your Kingdom will stand the test of fire. We want to build on Your sure foundation, Father, and only those things that will last. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Reminder - Follow the Leader

Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. "Listen," he said,“and try to understand. It’s not what goes into your mouth that defiles you; you are defiled by the words that come out of your mouth.”  Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you realize you offended the Pharisees by what you just said?” 

Jesus replied, “Every plant not planted by my heavenly Father will be uprooted, so ignore them. They are blind guides leading the blind, and if one blind person guides another, they will both fall into a ditch.”
Matthew 15:10-13 NLT

The Pharisees thought they could live righteously by their works - all the dos and don'ts. A religious sect that set itself up as leaders,  nobody wanted to cross them. They had connections. They could get you thrown out of the temple. They had such power over the people that Christ's own disciples asked Him, "Do you realize you offended the Pharisees...?"

We sometimes wonder how people like this get into leadership. They dress the part, they pontificate, they're educated by the world's standard, or just very enigmatic, so people listen to them and then follow them. The Godly principle of 'Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word' doesn't only work through hearing the Word of God. God's principles work and apply in all facets of life.

So, what are you listening to? WHO are you listening to? If you think it doesn't make a difference, think about this. Have you ever noticed that you pick up your friends' idioms? Do you catch yourself using expressions your friends use? What you hang around - what you feed your spirit - what you constantly hear and or listen to - these are the influences of your heart and soul. That is why we are repeatedly warned to guard our hearts.

Further down in our text for today, verses 16-20; “Don’t you understand yet?” Jesus asked. “Anything you eat passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer. But the words you speak come from the heart—that’s what defiles you. For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander. These are what defile you."

Scripture tells us in Proverbs 16:25, There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. God refers to us as sheep and sheep follow the voice of the one they know - the one whose voice is familiar. Who are you following? Because whoever you're following - that's your leader. Where is that person going? Is it the right way or a way that seems like it is? Watch out for the ditch...if you can see it.

Prayer:

Father,
             Open our eyes and hearts to Your Truth. Deliver us from evil for Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today Favorite - The God of 'And'

May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble;
May the name of the God of Jacob defend you;
May He send you help from the sanctuary,
And strengthen you out of Zion;
May He remember all your offerings,
And accept your burnt sacrifice. Selah
May He grant you according to your heart’s desire,
And fulfill all your purpose.
Psalm 20:4 NKJV

God is good AND so much more!

Have you ever felt like a failure as a Christian? I have questioned my purpose—I think I know, but do I? I think I can, but can I really? I don't want to be the one who cries, "Lord! Lord!" only to have HIM reply, "Depart from Me—I never knew you."

Reading in Philippians 2 and following with verse 4 of this Psalm, I realize I have been so in error thinking that I alone am responsible for fulfilling the purpose of my life! In Philippians 2, we're told in the NIV, "for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose."

I lost sight of God's promise and His Grace to work in me to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose. We can't do it without His help AND He doesn't expect us to!

And so He offers to send help AND strengthen us. To remember our offerings AND accept our sacrifices. To grant our heart's desire AND fulfill our purpose. To extend His mercy AND His grace. To love AND forgive...

Prayer:

Father,
           We want to know You more and to be known by You. We want to be completely transparent with You. We are obviously too weak to go the distance in our own strength. We need Your grace in more ways than we can articulate, to run this race and to fulfill Your purpose for our lives. We lay our lives at Your feet to have the one thing that is needed - Your presence, Your Word. As we work it out, work it in, Father. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

A Favorite - Like a Radio Station

He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
John 1:11-13 NKJV

Bob Hamp excels at providing 21st-century parables about the kingdom of God. The latest one I heard begins, "The Kingdom of God is like a radio station." Bob was giving a word picture of how the Kingdom of God is "at hand"—not as in imminently coming sometime in the near future, but all around us, like sound waves.

We know that radio stations broadcast all the time. The programming is on the airwaves all around us, but we don't hear them unless we're set up with the right receiver. It's the same way with the Holy Spirit. He's always speaking, but we don't hear Him unless we're set up to receive.

Things to think about:

• Are we plugged in?
• Do we have the right Source of power?
• Are we turned on?
• What are we seeking first? Matthew 6:33 tells us to Seek FIRST the kingdom of God and His righteousness
• Are we tuned in?
• Are we daily staying connected to God?

It takes a daily connection. Jesus knew that. His Word tells us to daily pick up the Cross. EVERY day, we're receiving signal (hearing stuff). EVERY day, we're broadcasting (speaking) something. So, what is it? Are we broadcasting love? Are we broadcasting LIFE? Or are we broadcasting discontent, despair, death? We are going to broadcast what we receive.

What is God saying? Are we tuned in to God's frequency? That's what we need to receive and that's what we need to broadcast. Who or what is your station manager? Check your programming guide.

Prayer:

Father,
          Teach us to tune in to Your voice. Whether on the mountain top or in the valley, fine-tune our hearts to be able to receive You. Help us to know and understand that to keep the connection and not lose power takes daily plugging in to You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

What've You Got?

 However, Peter said to him, “I don’t have any money, but I’ll give you what I do have. Through the power of Jesus Christ from Nazareth, walk!” Peter took hold of the man’s right hand and began to help him up. Immediately, the man’s feet and ankles became strong. Springing to his feet, he stood up and started to walk. He went with Peter and John into the temple courtyard. The man was walking, jumping, and praising God.

Acts 3:6-8 GWT

This is a man who had been carried to the gate Beautiful...every day...so he could beg. Just think about that for a moment. Try to put yourself in that position. Every day, carried by others to the Temple courtyard. Every day - all day - being left there to beg alms from the same people who showed up - every day - at the 3 o'clock prayer meeting... (if you read down to verse 10 - they all knew the beggar, too!) Every day - calling out "Alms for the poor!" "Alms for the poor!" 

What have you got to give? I'm certain that after not too long, people avoided eye contact—wouldn't look at him—didn't "see" him. We've all been guilty of it, especially if we've got something to give, but we're choosing to spend it on something else.

Pay attention - what've you got? Are you free to give it? If not, GET free! Peter did and told him so! "Look here! I don't have what you're asking for, but I'll give you everything I've got which is everything you'll ever need!" Is that what YOU'VE got? Is that what you'll give?

Prayer:

Father,
           Birth a new desire for Your Word in our hearts and the understanding to know how to apply it, and where and when to share it to those in need of what You've given! In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

More Than Going Through the Motions

 ^7-15 Soak me in your laundry and I'll come out clean,

      scrub me and I'll have a snow-white life.
   Tune me in to foot-tapping songs,
      set these once-broken bones to dancing.
   Don't look too close for blemishes,
      give me a clean bill of health.
   God, make a fresh start in me,
      shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life.
   Don't throw me out with the trash,
      or fail to breathe holiness in me.
   Bring me back from gray exile,
      put a fresh wind in my sails!
   Give me a job teaching rebels your ways
      so the lost can find their way home.
   Commute my death sentence, God, my salvation God,
      and I'll sing anthems to your life-giving ways.
   Unbutton my lips, dear God;
      I'll let loose with your praise.

 ^16-17 Going through the motions doesn't please you,
      a flawless performance is nothing to you.
   I learned God-worship
      when my pride was shattered.
   Heart-shattered lives ready for love
      don't for a moment escape God's notice.
Psalm 51:7-17 The Message

Prayer:

Father,
          Make a fresh start in us; shape a Genesis week from the chaos of our lives. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?vM=qaHmiFaX_pk 

Promise fir Today - Trust in the Lord

 Never envy the wicked! Soon they fade away like grass and disappear. Trust in the Lord instead. Be kind and good to others; then you will live safely here in the land and prosper, feeding in safety. Psalm 37:1-3 The Living Bible

This is SO good!

4 Be delighted with the Lord. Then he will give you all your heart’s desires. 
5 Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him to help you do it, and he will. 
6 Your innocence will be clear to everyone. He will vindicate you with the blazing light of justice shining down as from the noonday sun.

7 Rest in the Lord; wait patiently for him to act. Don’t be envious of evil men who prosper.

8 Stop your anger! Turn off your wrath. Don’t fret and worry—it only leads to harm. 
9 For the wicked shall be destroyed, but those who trust the Lord shall be given every blessing. 
10 Only a little while and the wicked shall disappear. You will look for them in vain. 
11 But all who humble themselves before the Lord shall be given every blessing and shall have wonderful peace.

12-13 The Lord is laughing at those who plot against the godly, for he knows their judgment day is coming. 
14 Evil men take aim to slay the poor; they are ready to butcher those who do right. 
15 But their swords will be plunged into their own hearts, and all their weapons will be broken.

16 It is better to have little and be godly than to own an evil man’s wealth; 
17 for the strength of evil men shall be broken, but the Lord takes care of those he has forgiven.

18 Day by day the Lord observes the good deeds done by godly men, and gives them eternal rewards. 
19 He cares for them when times are hard; even in famine, they will have enough. 
20 But evil men shall perish. These enemies of God will wither like grass and disappear like smoke. 
21 Evil men borrow and “cannot pay it back”! But the good man returns what he owes with some extra besides. 
22 Those blessed by the Lord shall inherit the earth, but those cursed by him shall die.

23 The steps of good men are directed by the Lord. He delights in each step they take. 
24 If they fall, it isn’t fatal, for the Lord holds them with his hand.

25 I have been young and now I am old. And in all my years I have never seen the Lord forsake a man who loves him; nor have I seen the children of the godly go hungry. 
26 Instead, the godly are able to be generous with their gifts and loans to others, and their children are a blessing.

27 So if you want an eternal home, leave your evil, low-down ways and live good lives. 
28 For the Lord loves justice and fairness; he will never abandon his people. They will be kept safe forever; but all who love wickedness shall perish.

29 The godly shall be firmly planted in the land and live there forever. 
30-31 The godly man is a good counselor because he is just and fair and knows right from wrong.

32 Evil men spy on the godly, waiting for an excuse to accuse them and then demanding their death. 
33 But the Lord will not let these evil men succeed, nor let the godly be condemned when they are brought before the judge.

34 Don’t be impatient for the Lord to act! Keep traveling steadily along his pathway and in due season he will honor you with every blessing, and you will see the wicked destroyed. 
35-36 I myself have seen it happen: a proud and evil man, towering like a cedar of Lebanon, but when I looked again, he was gone! I searched but could not find him! 
37 But the good man—what a different story! For the good man—the blameless, the upright, the man of peace—he has a wonderful future ahead of him. For him there is a happy ending. 
38 But evil men shall be destroyed, and their posterity shall be cut off.

39 The Lord saves the godly! He is their salvation and their refuge when trouble comes. 
40 Because they trust in him, he helps them and delivers them from the plots of evil men.

Prayer:

Father,
          May we walk in such a way as to be counted godly in Your sight, giving thanksgiving and praise for Your saving Grace. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Come and Hear

Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for my soul. I cried to him with my mouth, and high praise was on my tongue. If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer.
Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me!
Psalm 66:16-20 ESV

When was the last time you shared what God has done for your soul? I don't know about you, but sometimes I get so busy with the day-to-day, that I can lose sight of the Divine Appointments - the ones that can make a difference in someone's eternity. Come and hear, just to encourage someone in their walk. Offer them a steady hand when they're stumbling. Sometimes, it's the proverbial "word fitly spoken" (Proverbs 25:11) that can turn their situation around. Come and hear!

Interesting and most important to note - "If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened." In other words, if I harbored love and affection for sin, God would not listen... Then what would we have for anyone to 'come and hear'? 

Blessed be God, who hears our prayers for forgiveness so we are able to share His goodness and faithfulness! Let His praise be continually in our hearts and on our tongue!

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for Your faithfulness to 'attend to the voice of'' our prayers. There is no one like You! Keep us in check to guard our hearts and minds - according to Your Word - to not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving to let our requests be made known to You. Help us to remember that whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, to always think about these things so that we may invite those around us to 'Come and hear'. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Focused Confidence

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
Psalm 20:7 ESV

Throughout time, armies have boasted about and trusted in their weaponry. How many times have we heard about the Arms Wars? Most of this century and half of the last was about who had what weapons in an attempt to "keep a balance" of power. However, it was more about not letting one have more power than the other. I don't see it as a true rendering of balance for good because of the fear factor that is the driving force behind it. 

David was a mighty warrior, a skilled strategist because he trusted Yahweh. His boast and trust were in the Name of the Lord. David and his army understood that victory only comes from God. How do you trust someone so completely? You must know their character and reputation and recognize their sovereignty. David understood God's character. He knew his God did not fail. 

As we face life's battles, we, too, can know that God does not fail when we take the time to invest in our relationship with Him; to know His character and to recognize and submit to His sovereignty. The more our focus is ON God, the greater our confidence will be IN God.

Prayer:

Father,
          Thank You that You first loved us and sought after our hearts, then made provision for a right relationship restored through the sacrifice of Your Son, Jesus. Let us never lose sight of Your great love and faithfulness. Holy Spirit, please continue to reveal God's Truth to us as we bow before the holiness and sovereignty of the Lord our God. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Out of Tune

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

As Christians, we want to be in tune with the Father. We want to hear the beauty of His Words, His melodies, His peace in our hearts and minds. We have an expectation of how He will sound. However, we don't always utilize the right tools. Sometimes, we hear about the latest, greatest book with a message and decide we need to read it. And sometimes, we've only allotted so much time during our day to read, so we read that book in place of our Bible, instead of reading it along with our Bible. And before you know it, we're out of tune. We're out of tune with the Spirit. We're out of tune with each other. And that truly is awful!

Nothing can take the place of God's Word, nor should it. That's not to say that other books are not good; they can be and often are! But NOTHING should take the place of God's Word in our lives. Not being in tune with Him is the worst...

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for working all things for our good. Reveal Your wisdom to us and grant us revelation and understanding according to Your Word. We want to be in tune with You and in harmony with each other. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Lies, Lies, and More Lies

When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked.

“Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
2nd Kings 6:15-17 NIV

Now and again, in the tough times of life (which everyone has experienced), we tend to feel outnumbered and often, alone. Looking at the circumstances, we begin to believe that LIE. Nobody cares. Nobody's there. We're all alone. Lies, lies, and more lies!

The Truth is found (always!) in God's Word. In Hebrews 13:5, God promises to never leave us nor forsake us (the writer of Hebrews is actually quoting Deuteronomy). And Jesus declared in Matthew 28:20 that He will always be with us - even to the end of the age. The age hasn't ended yet... So, you are not abandoned. You are NOT alone.

Prayer:

Father,
           We pray as Elisha prayed, that You would open the eyes of everyone who can only see the circumstances surrounding them. Light up their lives with Your Presence and holy fire. Shine the Light of Your Truth to dispel the darkness of satan's lies. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Psalm 86 Abundant in Mercy

For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You.
Psalm 86:5 NKJV

Psalm 86 CEB Common English Bible
A prayer of David.

Lord, listen closely to me and answer me, because I am poor and in need.
Guard my life because I am faithful.
Save Your servant who trusts in You—You! My God!
Have mercy on me, Lord, because I cry out to You all day long.
Make Your servant’s life happy again because, my Lord, I offer my life to You,
because, my Lord, You are good and forgiving,
full of faithful love for all those who cry out to You.

Listen closely to my prayer, Lord; pay close attention to the sound of my requests for mercy.
Whenever I am in trouble, I cry out to You, because You will answer me.

My Lord! There is no one like You among the gods!
There is nothing that can compare to Your works!
All the nations that You’ve made will come and bow down before You, Lord;
they will glorify Your Name, because You are awesome and a wonder-worker.
You are God. Just You.

Teach me Your way, Lord, so that I can walk in Your truth.
Make my heart focused only on honoring Your name.
I give thanks to You, my Lord, my God, with all my heart,
and I will glorify Your name forever,
because Your faithful love toward me is awesome
and because You’ve rescued my life from the lowest part of hell.

The arrogant rise up against me, God.
A gang of violent people want me dead.
They don’t give a thought for You.
But You, my Lord, are a God of compassion and mercy;
You are very patient and full of faithful love.
Come back to me! Have mercy on me!

Give Your servant Your strength; save this child of Your servant!
Show me a sign of Your goodness so that those who hate me will see it and be put to shame— show a sign that You, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.
***********************
In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Believing Prayer

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 

Philippians 4:6-7 NKJV

People who don't believe they're going to get an answer when they pray are right. The Bible says, "Whatsoever you believe..." And if we say, "Well, I don't believe that will happen." We're right; it won't. If we declare, "Oh, woe is me..." and list all our reasons why we don't believe, the Word declares, "As your faith is, so be it unto you..."

Now you know I'm not talking about praying Blab-it-Grab-it kinds of prayers. I'm talking about faith-filled, cancer-curing, sight-restoring, gimp-be-gone kind of praying. BELIEVING prayer! Trusting God no matter what you see or don't see. No matter what the doctor says. 2nd Corinthians 10:4-5, For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ...

William Barclay's Study Bible Notes on Paul's letter to the Philippians addresses believing prayer, and since he writes so well, I'd like to share a few excerpts from his book.

Barclay writes:

Paul lays it down that "thanksgiving must be the universal accompaniment of prayer." ...Paul insists that we must give thanks in everything, in laughter and in tears, in sorrows and in joys alike. That implies two things. It implies gratitude, but it also implies perfect submission to the will of God. It is only when we are fully convinced that God is working all things together for good that we can really feel the perfect gratitude which believing prayer demands.

When we pray, we must always remember three things...
1. the love of God, which ever seeks and desires only what is best for us.
2. the wisdom of God, which alone knows what is best for us.
3. the power of God, which alone can bring to pass that which is best for us.

He who prays with a perfect belief and trust in the love, the wisdom and the power of God will find God's peace. [God's peace] is utterly and entirely beyond man's ability to obtain by himself...The way to peace is to take ourselves and all whom we hold dear, to take all life, and to place them and it trustingly in prayer in the hands of God.

Peace is the result of believing prayer.

Prayer:

Father,
          Forgive us for not believing when we pray - for not believing You hear us, for not believing that You care enough about us. Let faith rise up and take the place of doubt. Breathe on us and cause Your Word to come alive in us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today Favorite - Olly Olly Oxen Free

Without oxen a stable stays clean, but you need a strong ox for a large harvest.
Proverbs 14:4 NLT

When we played "Hide and Seek" as children and the seeker got tired of looking for the hidden, he used to holler, "Olly Olly Oxen Free!" which signaled to those still hidden that they could come out of hiding without fear of being tagged "it". Now, what that has to do with oxen is anyone's guess. It's one of those phrases that the origin is pure conjecture, but the implication is well understood. 

In the child's game, the seeker searches for the hidden and gets tired, so he quits. It's easier in the moment to not search even though it means he will remain "it" and alone, and nobody wins. Likewise, the principle is loosely similar. the stable stays clean if you just don't bother getting the oxen in the first place. However, without them, you don't have a harvest so there is no win.

For instance, nobody likes to muck out a stable. However, if you own farm animals, mucking out goes with the territory. If you don't clean up, the animals will become ill and not able to work. The training and care of oxen require hard work and patience, not to mention resources. Do you know that just one working ox will eat about 33-35 pounds of good brush hay each day, plus it needs a feed supplement and an available salt lick, not to mention water, etc? And that an ox should be 4 years old before being put to hard work, so you either support it for several years with no return or you pay the premium price.

The Truth is, there is no Olly Olly Oxen Free without first making an investment. There is a cost. In the case of salvation, it is free to us, but only because Christ already paid the price. Nevertheless, we must work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12) - to bring it to the place of completion. If we don't finish the race, we cannot win.

Keep searching His Word - don't quit when you get tired. He will be found by those who search diligently for Him.  And with Him, we win!

Prayer:

Father,
           Reveal Your Word even in the obscure. Speak to us daily, for without You we are lost. Open our ears to hear, our hearts to obey, and our minds to receive Your wisdom. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today Favorite - Not Losing

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Hebrews 11:6 NKJV

How's your faith? Do you believe God will do what He says or are you one who thinks He'll do for someone else, but not for you? The Truth is, if we don't have faith, we probably don't pray every day. Why? Because we either believe God can't answer prayer or won't answer our prayer. So why bother?

Sometimes we pray and before the 'amen' is done resonating, we're thinking of all the reasons why the prayer won't be answered. That's fighting a losing battle!

What we absolutely MUST realize is that God is the Source of our faith - Romans 12:3 says He's given us a measure of faith. And without utilizing the faith He has given us, it's IMPOSSIBLE to please Him!

satan doesn't have to mortally wound us to defeat us; he only has to get us to believe we're defeated. If we believe there's no way to win; if we believe there's no hope, we've already lost.

However, IF WE BELIEVE that we have already won - through Christ our Lord - and what He did for us on the Cross, then we are NOT fighting a losing battle! We are fighting for our lives and the lives of our children and families and friends! Never give up! Read the Word (the Sword) and know how to use it! Put your armor on (Ephesians 6!). Be dressed for the battle. Remember, just because you lay down your weapon doesn't mean the enemy will stop fighting. Fight back! We are not here to lose!

Prayer:

Father,
           Open our eyes to see the deception of the devil. Let us see with our spiritual eyes the Truth of Your Word. Teach us to worship like they did in 2nd Chronicles so that we can witness the destruction of the enemy's plot and plans by Your mighty hand. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - A Favorite - Heading to the Barn

The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.”'
Matthew 13:24-30 NKJV

This parable of the wheat and tares is so rich! It has been taught and dissected from every angle, I'm sure, and today, it hit me in light of how close this old world is to winding down.

Have you ever heard anyone say - at the close of a working day - "It's time to head to the barn"? It's a colloquialism meaning loosely, "I'm done - gonna put up my tools - I'm finished working for today." So, basically, I hear Jesus saying, "Let things ride for right now. We'll do the final separation of good and evil; the believers will be gathered into the barn for an eternity of celebration."

Where will you be when that day comes? By His grace, I'm headed to the barn.... Hope to see you there!

Prayer:

Father,
          Thank You for all You do to keep us encouraged in following You. Continue to watch over us, and to open Your Word to our understanding. Give us wisdom, O God, along with clean hands and pure hearts. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - The Furnace of Affliction

Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.

Isaiah 48:10 NKJV

We've talked about it before - how we more earnestly seek God's presence and His comfort when our lives are being shipwrecked. Psalm 46:1 in the King James tells us, God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. The Good News Translation reads, God is our shelter and strength...

What are the first orders of business for survival following a shipwreck? Shelter and fire. So, we run to God for shelter, but we don't often want His fire. In the natural, we need fire for warmth, protection against the elements, to cook food, to purify water. In the spirit realm, we need His fire even more! And yet, we complain about the heat.

I remember years ago having a dream about being contained within a ring of fire and feeling trapped. I wanted out! In my heart, I cried out to God, "Why?!? Why am I trapped in here? Why won't You let me move?!?" And it was then I saw, outside the ring of fire, the enemy crouching, ready to destroy me. Wanting to kill me, but he couldn't get me because of the fire. It's amazing what a little God perspective will do for the furnace of affliction. So often we plead with God to deliver us from the very fire that was sent to free us from that which so easily besets us - to purify and to protect us.

John Piper writes ...there is no painless path to heaven. Why? Because Jesus said, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." And it is no more possible to become pure painlessly than it is to be burned painlessly. Purity comes through the refining fire. And the fire has two forms: one is the fire of affliction and the other is the fire of intentional self-denial.

We need to embrace the fire of God so that we can be saved, sanctified and purified to live with Him for all eternity - to be partakers of His holiness.

Prayer:

Father,
          Give us clean hands and pure hearts. O God, may it be that the genuineness of our faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ. And it's in His precious Name we pray. Amen!

Promise for Today - Start and End

It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to the Most High. It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning, your faithfulness in the evening, accompanied by a ten-stringed instrument, a harp, and the melody of a lyre.
You thrill me, Lord, with all you have done for me! I sing for joy because of what you have done. O Lord, what great works you do! 

Psalm 92:1-5a NLT

Psalms is a fascinating collection of poems, full of praise and pain and even prophecy. And contrary to general public opinion, David did not write all of them. In fact, one-third of them are anonymous. 

According to the Bible Project, "The whole book of Psalms has been divided into five books or sections (Psalms 3-41; Psalms 42-72; Psalms 73-89; Psalms 90-106, and Psalms 107-145). The reason for these divisions is that each section has a final poem, which concludes with a similar line that looks like an editorial addition, “May the Lord, the God of Israel, be blessed forever. Amen and Amen." (These are found in Ps. 41:13, Ps. 72:19, Ps. 89:52, and Ps 106:48.) 

In Book 5, chapters 146 - 150 all start and end with "hallelujah" or "Praise the Lord" depending on which Bible translation you read. In explanation for what may seem like a difference that is actually the same, Hallelujah in the Hebrew language means Praise Yah (short for Yahweh).  Going back to our text for today, it is good to proclaim God's unfailing love in the morning, and His faithfulness in the evening... 

Prayer:

Father,

           Thank You for Your inspiration to mankind to write with such transparency about the struggles and triumphs of human nature. Help us to grasp the wisdom that, through it all, our only hope is in You. And just like our Promise for Today, we are thrilled with all You have done for us! We sing for joy because of what You have done. O Lord, what great works You do! No matter the circumstances, Father, we want to start and end our day in praise for You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Psalm 103 - Davidic Praise

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. 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.

Psalm 103 New Living Translation

Promise for Today - Truth Be Told

We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord, about his power and his mighty wonders. For he issued his laws to Jacob; he gave his instructions to Israel. 

He commanded our ancestors to teach them to their children, so the next generation might know them - even the children not yet born - and they in turn will teach their own children. 

So each generation should set its hope anew on God, not forgetting his glorious miracles and obeying his commands. Then they will not be like their ancestors - stubborn, rebellious, and unfaithful, refusing to give their hearts to God.

Psalm 78:4-8 NLT

Prayer:

Father, 

           This Word is Your Truth and it must be told to each generation! We pray for divine appointments and their hearts to be prepared to receive Your Truths. We pray for divine wisdom to know what, how and when to give them to those in need. Teach us, Father, we pray, and let our generations receive Your Words. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - A Reminder

Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.
1st Thessalonians 5:16-18

I used to be so intimidated to pray aloud. I was afraid I would somehow misspeak. I was afraid of what people would think. And then one day, Steve Fender, in San Antonio - a man who could pray the roof right off a building - preached the most liberating message about prayer. He said, "Stop worrying about what the person next to you thinks about your prayer...unless, of course, you're praying to them. And if you're not praying to them, what does it matter what they think?"

God judges our heart - the inside of us - not the outside.

If ever in your life you've had a conversation with anyone, then you have the necessary rudiments to prayer. Someone to talk to. Someone who will listen. Someone who will answer.

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for establishing an open line of communication. Thank You that You hear our prayers. Thank You that there isn't anything...anything...that is taboo when it comes to talking with You. Keep us ever mindful to include You in all our conversation. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Overwhelmingly Grateful

For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord will give grace and glory; 
No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.
O Lord of hosts, Blessed is the man who trusts in You!

Psalm 84:10-12 NKJV

Do we ever stop to think about all the day-to-day (often perceived as) the mundane activities of our lives? The things we take for granted simply because they are a part of our daily lives. 

How often do we stop and give God sincere thanks for running water, electricity, indoor bathrooms... We're more inclined to NOT notice unless they stop being accessible - and then, I don't think we're thanking anyone. We love and often adopt a sense of entitlement to what we consider our creature comforts. 

How dangerous it would be to our spiritual well-being if we were to adopt the same sense of entitlement to the gifts and blessings our Father has so graciously bestowed on us!

Prayer:

Father, 

           We pray according to Your Word in Colossians 2:7, Let our roots grow down into You, and let our lives be built on You, too. Help our faith to grow strong in Your Truth so that we will overflow with thankfulness. Give us clean hands and pure hearts, Father, hearts that are overwhelmingly grateful to You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Setting the Guard

"Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way."
James 3:2 NLT

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

"Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips."
Psalm 141:3 NKJV

Has your mouth ever gotten you in trouble? Have you ever said something you wish you hadn't said? So the question is, if we didn't "mean" it, then why did we say it? The sad truth is we can't unsay it. We can't unspeak the words.

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

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

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

Prayer:

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

Promise for Today - God's Math Doesn't Add Up

So this is the family line descended from Shem: Arphaxad, Shelah, Eber, Peleg, Reu, Serug, Nahor, Terah, and Abram, later known as Abraham.
The sons of Abraham were Isaac and Ishmael. These are their genealogical records:...
1st Chronicles 1:24-29 NLT

In reading through the Bible Recap this year - a chronological study with author and speaker Tara-Leigh Cobble - we're at day 113 and chapters 1 and 2 of 1 Chronicles. Thus begins yet another retelling of the generations, beginning with Adam. I was listening to it instead of trying to read all the names, but I must admit, I could feel my eyes glazing over. And as the narrator droned on about names I would not remember, let alone pronounce, I found myself talking to God about it. 

My intention was not to express my editorial opinion on Scripture, but to sincerely try to glean what I should be learning from hearing/reading this again. "Father, I don't mean to be disrespectful to Your Word. I believe the Bible is Your living Word and every word in it is there for a reason. I believe there is purpose and meaning. Please reveal to me what the purpose is for going through another litany of who's who in the lineage."  I closed the book with my eyes still glazed over, so I didn't search for any divine inspiration. 

This morning, my friend, Hope, sent an email with this revelation: "What I gleaned from these two chapters of Chronicles about God is that He kept His word to Abraham about making his descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky." And that was exactly it!! 

In my disdain of so many chapters of whose sons were whose, I missed a HUGE, VERY IMPORTANT Truth. God ALWAYS keeps His Word. Think about Abraham and Sarah for just a moment. She was 90, he was 100 when Isaac was born. Both well past childbearing age. Yes, he had Ishmael by Hagar, but last time I checked 1+1 still only equals 2 - a far cry from too numerous to count... but God. Abraham BELIEVED God.  "As your faith, so be it unto you..." (Jesus speaking - Matthew 9:29). 

"As your faith, so be it unto you..." There are so many times that what God did or does or is doing just doesn't add up. It should not come as a surprise to those who believe because God doesn't add; He multiplies. 

Prayer:

Father, 

         Forgive me/us for those times when we want to just skim over, discounting the diamonds that can be found if we glean. Thank You for reminding us over and over about the proof of the Truth of Your Word. Help us to understand and know that repetition is how we build knowledge and fitness because we want to be able to rightly divide Your Word.  Birth in us a fresh desire to celebrate Your faithfulness and goodness toward us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen