"When you harvest the crops of your land, do not harvest the grain along the edges of your fields, and do not pick up what the harvesters drop. Leave it for the poor and the foreigners living among you. I am the Lord your God."
Leviticus 23:22 NLT
In a day and age when the world seems to be more and more about ME-ology, what's in it for me, selfies and selfishness, what's mine is mine, I love reading this passage of Scripture.
Provision certainly was made; however, it's important to note that the poor and the foreigners still had to come to the field and glean the grain that was there for them. It was available to them, but they had to work for it.
In some ways, this puts me in mind of harvesting God's Word for our lives. The main haul is the message or sermon we hear, but we have to dig into the Word to get what is left there for us. Not handed to us, not dropped in our laps, but rather, there for us if we will bend to the task and begin gleaning.
God has promised us that when we seek Him, He will be found. Let us glean all that we can from Him.
Prayer:
Father,
Thank You for the provision You have made for us. Help us to gather all that You have provided so that we fulfill Your perfect plan for us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Thursday, February 27, 2025
Wednesday, February 26, 2025
Reminder - No Fakers
"Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality."
Romans 12:9-13 NLT
How many times in life have we pretended to be something we're not? Or pretended NOT to be something we really are? Why? To make someone like us? Or because we're afraid if they found out who we really are (or aren't), we would be judged and found wanting? How many times have you heard an exuberant, "Oh, I am too blessed to be stressed!" but if you take the time to look into their eyes, you see fear and dread...or worse - hopelessness. Do we allow the Great Pretender to carry on pretending under the guise of preserving their "dignity" or will we love enough to clasp their hand in ours and reply, "I'll agree with your confession of faith. Let me pray with you..." and let the Holy Spirit guide our words?
Even those who are trained to act can only sustain a role for so long... Our Maker did not create us to be fakers. We are called to Truth - there is nothing fake about Truth. No pretending about Truth. And even if we were GREAT pretenders, we could not play the role forever because Truth always wins out.
We are called to love... not to pretend to love. Pretend love barely lasts till the person walks out of the room.
If we can be loved without the complication of trying to remember what role we are playing, then we will be free to love in return. It starts with Christ. To love as Christ loved and gave Himself for us - that lasts forever and will sustain us through eternity - and will also sustain those around us so they can stop being Great Pretenders.
Prayer:
Father,
You have called us to be in relationship with You. You who knows all and sees all. There is no hiding from You. Help us to be who You have created us to be - nothing fake. Nothing pretend. According to Your Word in Psalm 51, "You desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part You will make us to know wisdom. Purge us with hyssop, and we shall be clean; wash us, and we shall be whiter than snow." In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Romans 12:9-13 NLT
How many times in life have we pretended to be something we're not? Or pretended NOT to be something we really are? Why? To make someone like us? Or because we're afraid if they found out who we really are (or aren't), we would be judged and found wanting? How many times have you heard an exuberant, "Oh, I am too blessed to be stressed!" but if you take the time to look into their eyes, you see fear and dread...or worse - hopelessness. Do we allow the Great Pretender to carry on pretending under the guise of preserving their "dignity" or will we love enough to clasp their hand in ours and reply, "I'll agree with your confession of faith. Let me pray with you..." and let the Holy Spirit guide our words?
Even those who are trained to act can only sustain a role for so long... Our Maker did not create us to be fakers. We are called to Truth - there is nothing fake about Truth. No pretending about Truth. And even if we were GREAT pretenders, we could not play the role forever because Truth always wins out.
We are called to love... not to pretend to love. Pretend love barely lasts till the person walks out of the room.
If we can be loved without the complication of trying to remember what role we are playing, then we will be free to love in return. It starts with Christ. To love as Christ loved and gave Himself for us - that lasts forever and will sustain us through eternity - and will also sustain those around us so they can stop being Great Pretenders.
Prayer:
Father,
You have called us to be in relationship with You. You who knows all and sees all. There is no hiding from You. Help us to be who You have created us to be - nothing fake. Nothing pretend. According to Your Word in Psalm 51, "You desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part You will make us to know wisdom. Purge us with hyssop, and we shall be clean; wash us, and we shall be whiter than snow." In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Tuesday, February 25, 2025
Thoughtlessly
"So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do."
Ephesians 5:15-17 NLT
We come to Christ for salvation, knowing we are sinners and unable to fix ourselves - knowing He is the only One who can save us. After we receive our salvation from Him (remember, it's a gift), we try to spend the rest of our lives doing things to earn it or prove that we're good enough to have earned it. We are not. Scripture is very clear about that. Ephesians 2:8-9 NLT reads, "God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it."
There is a plan behind all of it and we need to understand that God didn't just save us so we could get to heaven. There IS something for us to do - but it's according to HIS plan. If we continue on to verse 10, it explains, "For 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." Sometimes, we get sidetracked and don't even realize it. However, if we're serious about following God, He will reveal it to us.
I remember having a dream once where I was at some social event with a lot of different people and I kept finding myself in circumstances that seemed okay to start with, but after I was there for a little bit, I would realize the conversations were full of veiled innuendos, things that I knew were not Godly, even though there was nothing blatant about it. I had to keep stepping away. Underlying the whole scenario was a sense of being in a life-threatening position. Although I couldn't actually see anything that appeared life-threatening, I knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that there was no life, no Light.
Ephesians 5:15-17 NLT
We come to Christ for salvation, knowing we are sinners and unable to fix ourselves - knowing He is the only One who can save us. After we receive our salvation from Him (remember, it's a gift), we try to spend the rest of our lives doing things to earn it or prove that we're good enough to have earned it. We are not. Scripture is very clear about that. Ephesians 2:8-9 NLT reads, "God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it."
There is a plan behind all of it and we need to understand that God didn't just save us so we could get to heaven. There IS something for us to do - but it's according to HIS plan. If we continue on to verse 10, it explains, "For 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." Sometimes, we get sidetracked and don't even realize it. However, if we're serious about following God, He will reveal it to us.
I remember having a dream once where I was at some social event with a lot of different people and I kept finding myself in circumstances that seemed okay to start with, but after I was there for a little bit, I would realize the conversations were full of veiled innuendos, things that I knew were not Godly, even though there was nothing blatant about it. I had to keep stepping away. Underlying the whole scenario was a sense of being in a life-threatening position. Although I couldn't actually see anything that appeared life-threatening, I knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that there was no life, no Light.
After being there for a little while, I grabbed a handful of some snack without even thinking about it, but at the first bite, it was beyond awful, and I was horrified. I immediately spit it out and kept wiping my tongue with the napkin. Finally, I headed to the restroom to brush my teeth to try to rid myself of the taste, only to have someone follow me in - someone who had no business being in there and I told them to get out. Then someone else knocked on the door looking for the person who followed me in, my response was to ask why they thought that person would be in there...
I was appalled and I immediately woke up. When I did, it was with pieces of the chorus to the song, "Undo" running around in my head. You see, we get caught up in the things of this life and don't realize they're absolutely life-threatening to our life in Christ. Oh, on the surface, they're not bad. We're not out getting drunk or having clandestine affairs, etc, but we do things without thinking - thoughtlessly (like taking the handful of snack in the dream). Mindlessly, they steal our time. We spend it in trivial pursuit... because it's something to do.
"So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do."
Prayer:
Father,
In the words of the song, Lord - "Turn us around, pick us up, undo what we've become. Bring us back to the place of forgiveness and grace. We need You, need Your help. We can't do this ourselves. You're the only One who can undo what we've become..." In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-oZbBS_OhM
I was appalled and I immediately woke up. When I did, it was with pieces of the chorus to the song, "Undo" running around in my head. You see, we get caught up in the things of this life and don't realize they're absolutely life-threatening to our life in Christ. Oh, on the surface, they're not bad. We're not out getting drunk or having clandestine affairs, etc, but we do things without thinking - thoughtlessly (like taking the handful of snack in the dream). Mindlessly, they steal our time. We spend it in trivial pursuit... because it's something to do.
"So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do."
Prayer:
Father,
In the words of the song, Lord - "Turn us around, pick us up, undo what we've become. Bring us back to the place of forgiveness and grace. We need You, need Your help. We can't do this ourselves. You're the only One who can undo what we've become..." In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-oZbBS_OhM
Monday, February 24, 2025
Reminder - Whispering Hope
God also bound himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind. So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls.
Hebrews 6:17-19a NLTSometimes life is very hard. Sometimes, there doesn't seem to be an easy answer. And sometimes, it feels as though there are no answers at all... only questions. Why? Proverbs 13:12 in the New Living reads, "Hope deferred makes the heart sick..."
Have you ever been heartsick? The same Scripture in the Message Bible reads, "Unrelenting disappointment leaves you heartsick, but a sudden good break can turn life around." I want to give you a good break - it's Jesus. Whisper His Name... That's a great contemporary Christian song popular today and I love it, but the one that has ministered to me this day is one I learned as a child with four-part harmony... Whispering Hope.
♪♫ Soft as the voice of an angel, breathing a lesson unheard, Hope, with a gentle persuasion, whispers a comforting word; Wait till the darkness is over! Wait till the tempest is done! Hope for the sunshine tomorrow, after the shower is gone. ♪♫ Whispering Hope! Oh, how welcome Thy voice! Making my heart in its sorrow rejoice. ♪♫
No matter what life brings, God is my Refuge and my Strength. He is my Hope - a strong and trustworthy anchor for my soul. And even when the world comes roaring in, I can hear His voice whispering hope to bring peace to my troubled soul.
Prayer:
Father,
You have given both Your promise and Your oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for You to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to You for refuge have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. You are our confident hope and we thank and praise You for that. With You, we can proclaim, "It is well with my soul!" In Jesus' Name. Amen
Sunday, February 23, 2025
Recognizing Royalty
I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt so you would no longer be their slaves. I broke the yoke of slavery from your neck so you can walk with your heads held high.
Leviticus 26:13 NLT
But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir.
Galatians 4:4-7 NLT
Leviticus 26:13 NLT
But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir.
Galatians 4:4-7 NLT
Most of us have no idea what it feels like to be a slave. We may use the phrase "slaving away" but most of us have no true context. By the time the exodus occurred, the Israelites as a nation had been in slavery over 400 years. They truly worked like slaves and lived like slaves. They had the mindset of being slaves with no way out. Then God showed up.
God the Almighty. According to 1 Timothy 6:15 NKJV- "He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords..." THAT God Who adopted us as His very own children. No longer slaves, but heirs according to Romans 8:17. Do we believe that?
The King's child is a prince or princess. They might not be the firstborn, but they are still royalty. Do we recognize that? Have we allowed the Holy Spirit to renew a right spirit within us?
Prayer:
Father,
Thank You for adopting us. Thank You for making us Your very own children. Thank You for freeing us from the slavery of sin. Cleanse our hearts and reset our minds to be who You've called us to be - Your loving children who recognize Your majesty and hasten to do Your bidding. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Thursday, February 20, 2025
Applicable
"They shoot from the shadows at those whose hearts are right. The foundations of law and order have collapsed. What can the righteous do?"
Psalm 11:2b-3 NLT
It's been one of those days where it seems as though every prophet of doom and naysayer of what's wrong with the world today have all beaten a path to my door. I can only reply with what I KNOW to be Truth - no matter what the facts are - God's Word is my answer. It is always applicable!
Psalm 11, "I trust in the Lord for protection. So why do you say to me, 'Fly like a bird to the mountains for safety!' The wicked are stringing their bows and fitting their arrows on the bowstrings. They shoot from the shadows at those whose hearts are right. The foundations of law and order have collapsed. What can the righteous do?"
"But the Lord is in his holy Temple; the Lord still rules from heaven. He watches everyone closely, examining every person on earth. The Lord examines both the righteous and the wicked. He hates those who love violence. He will rain down blazing coals and burning sulfur on the wicked, punishing them with scorching winds. For the righteous Lord loves justice. The virtuous will see his face."
Prayer:
Father,
We pray according to Your Word, when I am afraid, I will put my trust in You. We praise You, God, for what You have promised. We trust in You, God, so why should we be afraid? What can mere mortals do to us? We want to see Your face, Father! In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Psalm 11:2b-3 NLT
It's been one of those days where it seems as though every prophet of doom and naysayer of what's wrong with the world today have all beaten a path to my door. I can only reply with what I KNOW to be Truth - no matter what the facts are - God's Word is my answer. It is always applicable!
Psalm 11, "I trust in the Lord for protection. So why do you say to me, 'Fly like a bird to the mountains for safety!' The wicked are stringing their bows and fitting their arrows on the bowstrings. They shoot from the shadows at those whose hearts are right. The foundations of law and order have collapsed. What can the righteous do?"
"But the Lord is in his holy Temple; the Lord still rules from heaven. He watches everyone closely, examining every person on earth. The Lord examines both the righteous and the wicked. He hates those who love violence. He will rain down blazing coals and burning sulfur on the wicked, punishing them with scorching winds. For the righteous Lord loves justice. The virtuous will see his face."
Prayer:
Father,
We pray according to Your Word, when I am afraid, I will put my trust in You. We praise You, God, for what You have promised. We trust in You, God, so why should we be afraid? What can mere mortals do to us? We want to see Your face, Father! In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Wednesday, February 19, 2025
Because He is Holy and He is the LORD.
The Lord also said to Moses, “Give the following instructions to the entire community of Israel. You must be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.”
When I was younger, our Promise for Today used to strike fear into my heart because I didn’t fully understand what holy was, I just knew I wasn’t it. But when I came to realize that it is being set apart for God, consecrating my life – formally declaring that my life is to be lived for God - I could breathe without fear of being forever condemned to hell. And then I was further strengthened when in Chapter 20 the same God who instructs us to set ourselves apart to be holy also declares that He is the Lord who MAKES us holy. What a loving God…
Back to Ch 19: 9-10
I ADORE the heart of God to always provide for those who lack monetary means. 9 “When you harvest the crops of your land, do not harvest the grain along the edges of your fields, and do not pick up what the harvesters drop. 10 It is the same with your grape crop—do not strip every last bunch of grapes from the vines, and do not pick up the grapes that fall to the ground. Leave them for the poor and the foreigners living among you. I am the Lord your God."
Teaching us to be givers and to be generous as He is. And ALWAYS reminding us in each regulation that He is the LORD and the inference is that we are to be like Him in all HIS ways.
Prayer:
Leviticus 19:1-2 NLT
I think I mentioned we're reading the Bible in chronological order this year. It's been very eye-opening, but also a little stressful. I'm glad that we only have a few days left in the book of Leviticus... However, God being Who He is, He has placed the perfect amount of encouragement in the midst of laying down the law (for which I am extremely grateful). The other part of that is we must come with our hearts and minds open and focused to receive His Word or we might not see the nuggets.
I think I mentioned we're reading the Bible in chronological order this year. It's been very eye-opening, but also a little stressful. I'm glad that we only have a few days left in the book of Leviticus... However, God being Who He is, He has placed the perfect amount of encouragement in the midst of laying down the law (for which I am extremely grateful). The other part of that is we must come with our hearts and minds open and focused to receive His Word or we might not see the nuggets.
When I was younger, our Promise for Today used to strike fear into my heart because I didn’t fully understand what holy was, I just knew I wasn’t it. But when I came to realize that it is being set apart for God, consecrating my life – formally declaring that my life is to be lived for God - I could breathe without fear of being forever condemned to hell. And then I was further strengthened when in Chapter 20 the same God who instructs us to set ourselves apart to be holy also declares that He is the Lord who MAKES us holy. What a loving God…
Leviticus 20:7-8 NLT, "So set yourselves apart to be holy, for I am the Lord your God. 8 Keep all my decrees by putting them into practice, for I am the Lord who makes you holy."
Back to Ch 19: 9-10
I ADORE the heart of God to always provide for those who lack monetary means. 9 “When you harvest the crops of your land, do not harvest the grain along the edges of your fields, and do not pick up what the harvesters drop. 10 It is the same with your grape crop—do not strip every last bunch of grapes from the vines, and do not pick up the grapes that fall to the ground. Leave them for the poor and the foreigners living among you. I am the Lord your God."
Teaching us to be givers and to be generous as He is. And ALWAYS reminding us in each regulation that He is the LORD and the inference is that we are to be like Him in all HIS ways.
Prayer:
Father,
Thank You for Your Word. We pray as the Bible Recap teaches us to pray. Please give us wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. Let any knowledge we gain help us to love You and others more and let us not be puffed up. Daily as we read Your Word, help us see something new about You that we've never seen before. Correct any lies we may have believed about You and please correct any misunderstandings. Direct our steps, according to Your Word. We want to know You better and love You more. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Tuesday, February 18, 2025
Reminder - In God We Trust...Maybe...
Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ. How foolish can you be? After starting your new lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?
Galatians 3:2-3 NLT
Guilty! Guilty as charged! When will we grasp the gist of grace? When will we comprehend the cruxes of the crucifixion? When will we divest ourselves of our delusions that we could possibly do anything to earn salvation?
Why is it so difficult to relinquish our will and our own selfish desires to the One who has given HIS all so that we could have it all? Is it because He didn't answer our prayer the way we thought He should? Is it because we didn't get the spouse, the job, the house, the car, the (fill in the blank) when we "really prayed hard"? Is it because the loved one died anyway?
Here's the Truth. We cannot have Christianity on our terms. It's not called "ME-anity." It's His rules. His way. And Jesus is the only way to God.
Where have you placed your trust?
Prayer:
Father,
According to Your Word in Hebrews 11:6, It’s impossible to please You apart from faith. And why? Because anyone who wants to approach You must believe both that You exist and that You care enough to respond to those who seek You. As an act of my will, I lay down my will in surrender to Your will, O God. I want to walk humbly before You. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen
Galatians 3:2-3 NLT
Guilty! Guilty as charged! When will we grasp the gist of grace? When will we comprehend the cruxes of the crucifixion? When will we divest ourselves of our delusions that we could possibly do anything to earn salvation?
Why is it so difficult to relinquish our will and our own selfish desires to the One who has given HIS all so that we could have it all? Is it because He didn't answer our prayer the way we thought He should? Is it because we didn't get the spouse, the job, the house, the car, the (fill in the blank) when we "really prayed hard"? Is it because the loved one died anyway?
Here's the Truth. We cannot have Christianity on our terms. It's not called "ME-anity." It's His rules. His way. And Jesus is the only way to God.
Where have you placed your trust?
Prayer:
Father,
According to Your Word in Hebrews 11:6, It’s impossible to please You apart from faith. And why? Because anyone who wants to approach You must believe both that You exist and that You care enough to respond to those who seek You. As an act of my will, I lay down my will in surrender to Your will, O God. I want to walk humbly before You. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen
Monday, February 17, 2025
Conviction
[Jesus speaking], “I can guarantee this truth: Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes a child like this in my name welcomes me."
Matthew 18:3-5 God's Word Translation
About a decade ago, there was a little girl at our church, named Shayla. Her mother was part of the Praise and Worship team. When the music started, Shayla would move toward the front of the church and worship with her whole heart (proof that children learn what they live). One day, our pastor's wife asked Shayla to go up to the lower part of the stage and get a handheld microphone. She ran to do her bidding, slipped, then slid into the corner, recovered, picked up the microphone, and ran back... and in those few seconds, she managed to deliver an illustrated sermon of God's expectation of us.
The pastor's wife asked Shayla to get the microphone, fully expecting that Shayla would, and of course, she did. Children rise to our expectations of them. Shayla ran to do her bidding, slipped, fell, and got back up to run back to her - mission accomplished.
And in that instant, I felt God speak to my heart, "Oh, that ALL My children would run to do what I ask them to do! And if they slip and fall, that they would get up and run back to Me!"
I was convicted to my toes! How often do we - as adults - stand and argue with God, debating with Him because we'd rather do things our own way or not at all?
Prayer:
O Father!
Forgive us for all the times we do not hasten to do Your bidding! Break the rebellious spirit in us and deliver us into Your light. Father, may we be like children who RUN to do whatever You ask of us, no matter what! Create in us clean hands and a pure heart, we pray in Jesus' Name. Amen
About a decade ago, there was a little girl at our church, named Shayla. Her mother was part of the Praise and Worship team. When the music started, Shayla would move toward the front of the church and worship with her whole heart (proof that children learn what they live). One day, our pastor's wife asked Shayla to go up to the lower part of the stage and get a handheld microphone. She ran to do her bidding, slipped, then slid into the corner, recovered, picked up the microphone, and ran back... and in those few seconds, she managed to deliver an illustrated sermon of God's expectation of us.
The pastor's wife asked Shayla to get the microphone, fully expecting that Shayla would, and of course, she did. Children rise to our expectations of them. Shayla ran to do her bidding, slipped, fell, and got back up to run back to her - mission accomplished.
And in that instant, I felt God speak to my heart, "Oh, that ALL My children would run to do what I ask them to do! And if they slip and fall, that they would get up and run back to Me!"
I was convicted to my toes! How often do we - as adults - stand and argue with God, debating with Him because we'd rather do things our own way or not at all?
Prayer:
O Father!
Forgive us for all the times we do not hasten to do Your bidding! Break the rebellious spirit in us and deliver us into Your light. Father, may we be like children who RUN to do whatever You ask of us, no matter what! Create in us clean hands and a pure heart, we pray in Jesus' Name. Amen
Saturday, February 15, 2025
Friday, February 14, 2025
Come AGAIN
And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
1 John 4:16 NKJV
Ah, yes - Valentine's Day! A superior example of extraordinary marketing ability! Now, lest you think I'm a cynic, I want to hasten to assure you that I believe in love because I believe in God! And I wholeheartedly believe in till-death-do-us-part love. I've witnessed it too many times in life to not believe it. I just don't buy into the world's version of happily-ever-after.
Life is hard, folks. Sometimes, you're not happy, but love is not about the flitting, fleeting feelings. Love is a committed choice. God is love and He chose His love for us over what He originally wanted to do - which was kill us all for the miserable, idol-worshiping, stiff-necked ingrates that we can be. How happy do you think Jesus was about being beaten beyond recognition and dying on a cross? He was not happy about that! Have you read about His time in the Garden of Gethsemane? It was not happy that put Jesus on the Cross. It was true love.
There is One who loves us enough to die for us. He's already done it. And someday, our Prince will come - AGAIN! As soon as He's done building our homes in glory and God, our Father says, 'Go get them.' Then we'll know true happily ever after.
Prayer:
Father,
I pray for the scales to be ripped off so people can see what true love is. Help us to know the vast difference between happy and true love. Open our eyes to the Truth of Your Word. Reveal Yourself in it as we read to know You more. To know You better. To learn of love at its finest. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
1 John 4:16 NKJV
Ah, yes - Valentine's Day! A superior example of extraordinary marketing ability! Now, lest you think I'm a cynic, I want to hasten to assure you that I believe in love because I believe in God! And I wholeheartedly believe in till-death-do-us-part love. I've witnessed it too many times in life to not believe it. I just don't buy into the world's version of happily-ever-after.
Life is hard, folks. Sometimes, you're not happy, but love is not about the flitting, fleeting feelings. Love is a committed choice. God is love and He chose His love for us over what He originally wanted to do - which was kill us all for the miserable, idol-worshiping, stiff-necked ingrates that we can be. How happy do you think Jesus was about being beaten beyond recognition and dying on a cross? He was not happy about that! Have you read about His time in the Garden of Gethsemane? It was not happy that put Jesus on the Cross. It was true love.
There is One who loves us enough to die for us. He's already done it. And someday, our Prince will come - AGAIN! As soon as He's done building our homes in glory and God, our Father says, 'Go get them.' Then we'll know true happily ever after.
Prayer:
Father,
I pray for the scales to be ripped off so people can see what true love is. Help us to know the vast difference between happy and true love. Open our eyes to the Truth of Your Word. Reveal Yourself in it as we read to know You more. To know You better. To learn of love at its finest. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Thursday, February 13, 2025
All the Details
"My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts, says the Lord. And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts."
Let's face it. I'm not going to build a mobile tabernacle in the wilderness. I'm not going to sew linen ephods and add precious stones for the twelve tribes of Israel, but God chose to include all those details in His Word. And knowing that God wastes nothing, what is the purpose of all the details? And then I got it...
It is relevant BECAUSE of the details. He is I AM - the God of everything. The God of details. Every little thing matters to Him. He has a plan for everything and He wants it done according to HIS standard. He wants the best. He wants perfection. And His way is exactly that.
When He planned our salvation before the foundation of the world, He chose perfection. He planned every last detail. Yes, He provides us mercy and grace, but those are not to excuse our sin. Christ's death and resurrection did not make excuses for us; He made restitution for our debt of sin. Christ gave His WHOLE self for us. We, in turn, owe Him our life. All of it. Every last detail.
Prayer:
Father,
As we come before You, help us to be open and give You all the details of our lives. Help us to understand that we must bring everything - our whole self - as an offering to You so that You can make us new. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Isaiah 55:8-9 NLT
We're reading the Bible in chronological order and just finished reading through Exodus. There are passages in the Old Testament where I tend to struggle to stay focused. In the early years, especially, I thought, "Why is this in here? What relevance does it have to now?" All the strange names of fathers and sons I couldn't pronounce, all the generations and how many there were... Did you ever wonder?
I've read about the Tabernacle in the wilderness with all the minute details of each piece and post, and the linen ephod, and the outerwear, and even the underwear for the priests. Without meaning any disrespect, my observation was that it somehow seemed tedious. However, now instead of wondering what relevance it has, I want to know WHY it is relevant. And I find myself asking, "Father, what is it You want me to learn in this?"
We're reading the Bible in chronological order and just finished reading through Exodus. There are passages in the Old Testament where I tend to struggle to stay focused. In the early years, especially, I thought, "Why is this in here? What relevance does it have to now?" All the strange names of fathers and sons I couldn't pronounce, all the generations and how many there were... Did you ever wonder?
I've read about the Tabernacle in the wilderness with all the minute details of each piece and post, and the linen ephod, and the outerwear, and even the underwear for the priests. Without meaning any disrespect, my observation was that it somehow seemed tedious. However, now instead of wondering what relevance it has, I want to know WHY it is relevant. And I find myself asking, "Father, what is it You want me to learn in this?"
Let's face it. I'm not going to build a mobile tabernacle in the wilderness. I'm not going to sew linen ephods and add precious stones for the twelve tribes of Israel, but God chose to include all those details in His Word. And knowing that God wastes nothing, what is the purpose of all the details? And then I got it...
It is relevant BECAUSE of the details. He is I AM - the God of everything. The God of details. Every little thing matters to Him. He has a plan for everything and He wants it done according to HIS standard. He wants the best. He wants perfection. And His way is exactly that.
When He planned our salvation before the foundation of the world, He chose perfection. He planned every last detail. Yes, He provides us mercy and grace, but those are not to excuse our sin. Christ's death and resurrection did not make excuses for us; He made restitution for our debt of sin. Christ gave His WHOLE self for us. We, in turn, owe Him our life. All of it. Every last detail.
Prayer:
Father,
As we come before You, help us to be open and give You all the details of our lives. Help us to understand that we must bring everything - our whole self - as an offering to You so that You can make us new. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Wednesday, February 12, 2025
It's a Set Up
The Lord said to Moses, “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft. And behold, I have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. And I have given to all able men ability, that they may make all that I have commanded you:
Exodus 31:1-6 ESV
When God first told Moses to go to Pharaoh, Moses kept spouting excuses as to why he couldn't do that. "Who am I to do that? Who are you? I have a speech impediment, I can't speak to Pharaoh or the elders." God assured Moses He made the mouth, He would make it work. Even though Moses couldn’t get past his own inefficiencies, God equipped Aaron to go with Moses. (You can read that part of the story in Exodus, chapters 3 - 4.)
So, here we are in chapter 31, and God has laid out all the instructions for making the mobile Tabernacle, and He has commanded many minute details of Moses and Aaron – neither of whom were capable of doing all that He commanded. Moses didn't have the background or ability to create what God had given him to do. So what did God do? "And I have given to all able men ability, that they may make all that I have commanded you..."
How many times has God asked us to do something and we say no because we don't know how? "What is God thinking? Doesn't He know my background? Is He setting me up to fail?" No! No! And No!
God in His greatness, in His goodness, in His faithfulness, knows what we can and cannot do. However, He doesn’t leave us in our inabilities. If we are obedient to Him, He gives to us everything we need to carry out His plan and purpose for our lives – be it the ability in us or the ability of those He puts in our lives.
People fail, that's true. People’s plans fail; but God’s plan never fails. The Word assures us God can NOT fail. No matter what you see; no matter what you hear; no matter who is in leadership on the earth. Even when you don't understand it. God is in control.
He has the plan and He HAS set us up - to succeed!
Prayer:
Father,
Too often, we believe our shortcomings and what we see more than we believe Your Word. Forgive us, O God. Forgive us for doubting You and for questioning Your every move. Lord, we surrender our will and our way to Yours. Help us to remember our walk is a walk of faith, and that faith is in You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.
Prayer:
Father,
Too often, we believe our shortcomings and what we see more than we believe Your Word. Forgive us, O God. Forgive us for doubting You and for questioning Your every move. Lord, we surrender our will and our way to Yours. Help us to remember our walk is a walk of faith, and that faith is in You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.
Tuesday, February 11, 2025
One of My Favorites - The Gift of Tears
You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.
Psalm 56:8b
Have you ever thanked God for tears? No, I'm not crazy. Tears are a gift from God. Yes, a GIFT. First – tears allow us to express and release what’s in our hearts when we haven’t the words to do so. They are a language that God understands. God wastes nothing, so if we didn’t need them, He wouldn’t have given them to us – readily available on any given day – often without bidding… God designed our bodies to produce tears for our well-being.
Do you know that there are different kinds of tears – with different chemical properties? The two most common are reflex tears and psychic (or emotional) tears. Reflex tears come when you get something in your eye or chop onions, peppers, etc. They are designed for and function specifically to wash out irritants. Emotional tears actually contain several protein-based hormones; one of which is a natural pain-killing endorphin – leucine-enkephalin – which is why ‘having a good cry’ often makes us feel better. And not only emotionally, but physiologically, as well.
In his article, ‘Tear Toxins,’ printed in Omni, December 1982, Tom Kovach wrote the following:
At the St Paul Ramsey Medical Center in Minnesota, tears caused by simple irritants were compared to those brought on by emotion. Researcher William Frey found that stress-induced tears actually remove toxic ‘substances’ from the body. Volunteers were led to cry first from watching sad movies, and then from freshly cut onions. The researchers found that the tears from the movies, called emotional tears, contained far more toxic biological byproducts. Weeping, they concluded, is an excretory process which removes toxic substances that normally build up during emotional stress.
Who but a loving God could or would create that?
Prayer:
Father,
Thank You for the gift of tears to help us while we live here on this earth. Thank You even more for the promise of Heaven, where there will no longer be a need for tears according to Your Word in Revelation 21. Father, we can hardly wait until the day You wipe every tear from our eyes because there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things will have passed away. We long for the day. Until then, let us ever be in an attitude of gratitude for all Your precious gifts to us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Have you ever thanked God for tears? No, I'm not crazy. Tears are a gift from God. Yes, a GIFT. First – tears allow us to express and release what’s in our hearts when we haven’t the words to do so. They are a language that God understands. God wastes nothing, so if we didn’t need them, He wouldn’t have given them to us – readily available on any given day – often without bidding… God designed our bodies to produce tears for our well-being.
Do you know that there are different kinds of tears – with different chemical properties? The two most common are reflex tears and psychic (or emotional) tears. Reflex tears come when you get something in your eye or chop onions, peppers, etc. They are designed for and function specifically to wash out irritants. Emotional tears actually contain several protein-based hormones; one of which is a natural pain-killing endorphin – leucine-enkephalin – which is why ‘having a good cry’ often makes us feel better. And not only emotionally, but physiologically, as well.
In his article, ‘Tear Toxins,’ printed in Omni, December 1982, Tom Kovach wrote the following:
At the St Paul Ramsey Medical Center in Minnesota, tears caused by simple irritants were compared to those brought on by emotion. Researcher William Frey found that stress-induced tears actually remove toxic ‘substances’ from the body. Volunteers were led to cry first from watching sad movies, and then from freshly cut onions. The researchers found that the tears from the movies, called emotional tears, contained far more toxic biological byproducts. Weeping, they concluded, is an excretory process which removes toxic substances that normally build up during emotional stress.
Who but a loving God could or would create that?
Prayer:
Father,
Thank You for the gift of tears to help us while we live here on this earth. Thank You even more for the promise of Heaven, where there will no longer be a need for tears according to Your Word in Revelation 21. Father, we can hardly wait until the day You wipe every tear from our eyes because there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things will have passed away. We long for the day. Until then, let us ever be in an attitude of gratitude for all Your precious gifts to us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Monday, February 10, 2025
One of My Favorites - Thankful Heart Exercise
The Lord your God will change your heart and the hearts of all your descendants, so that you will love him with all your heart and soul and so you may live!
Deuteronomy 30:6 NLT
In engineering, acronyms are used for everything - more so than even IT people. Some of the acronyms make sense because the thing to which they refer would take 5 minutes to say. Some of them are silly or misleading. For instance, 'lb'. To most people, that refers to pounds, but in my office, it means, 'lay barge.' Fortunately, I used to be quite good at solving acronyms. In fact, I find them to be a lot of fun, and on occasion, try to create them - mostly for a laugh.
I think I've mentioned before the one created as a result of learning the rules of driving for the state of Missouri. In most of the country, a stop sign is literal. It means stop. In Missouri, it's an acronym for S.low T.o O.bvious P.ause. BIG difference. While in engineering, STOP is an acronym for Safety Training Observation Program. It's all about what you're used to and where you are…AND remembering where you’re supposed to be and what you’re supposed to be doing.
In engineering, acronyms are used for everything - more so than even IT people. Some of the acronyms make sense because the thing to which they refer would take 5 minutes to say. Some of them are silly or misleading. For instance, 'lb'. To most people, that refers to pounds, but in my office, it means, 'lay barge.' Fortunately, I used to be quite good at solving acronyms. In fact, I find them to be a lot of fun, and on occasion, try to create them - mostly for a laugh.
I think I've mentioned before the one created as a result of learning the rules of driving for the state of Missouri. In most of the country, a stop sign is literal. It means stop. In Missouri, it's an acronym for S.low T.o O.bvious P.ause. BIG difference. While in engineering, STOP is an acronym for Safety Training Observation Program. It's all about what you're used to and where you are…AND remembering where you’re supposed to be and what you’re supposed to be doing.
That’s T.H.E. thing.
Sometimes in life, we get into a situation that becomes a habit. Sometimes, they're not good habits. And in the course of it, we get lazy and we gain weight or become unhealthy. Sometimes, a season in life seems to last so long that we get tunnel vision and can't see life or God from any other angle. So we stay there because that is what we have allowed ourselves to become used to. We say, 'Well, this is where I am.' Sometimes we even go so far as to say, 'This is where God has me.' because we only look inward instead of up and around. We lose sight of the Truth.
So what is T.H.E. thing to do that can change it? What if you really can't change the circumstances of where you are? What if it really IS where God has you for the time being? And what if you really don't like it? What can change? What is T.H.E. thing YOU can do to make a change?
Psalm 107:8, Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! We can thank God for something - for anything. Sometimes when I mention that to a person, their response will be, 'What for? What do I have in my life to thank God for? I have nothing. I am nothing.' Hmmm, how about that He lets you live and breathe and doesn't strike you dead for whining? Or thank Him because He's changed MY heart so that I don't have the inclination to smack you for whining? Just kidding...
This isn't a new concept. We've talked about this before. Finding one thing to be thankful for – You want to be heart-whole? You want heart health? Develop that muscle to be strong! Make T.H.E. Thing To-Do List. T.H.E. stands for T.hankful H.eart E.xercise. I think it’s self-explanatory. Try it for one week. Make it T.H.E. Thing to do.
Prayer:
Father,
Forgive us when we don’t recognize Your faithfulness and goodness to us. We do know that You are God and every good and perfect gift comes from You, even when they’re not packaged quite as we would like. Thank You, Father, for loving us enough to give us what we need. Give us grateful hearts to recognize Your love. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen
Sometimes in life, we get into a situation that becomes a habit. Sometimes, they're not good habits. And in the course of it, we get lazy and we gain weight or become unhealthy. Sometimes, a season in life seems to last so long that we get tunnel vision and can't see life or God from any other angle. So we stay there because that is what we have allowed ourselves to become used to. We say, 'Well, this is where I am.' Sometimes we even go so far as to say, 'This is where God has me.' because we only look inward instead of up and around. We lose sight of the Truth.
So what is T.H.E. thing to do that can change it? What if you really can't change the circumstances of where you are? What if it really IS where God has you for the time being? And what if you really don't like it? What can change? What is T.H.E. thing YOU can do to make a change?
Psalm 107:8, Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! We can thank God for something - for anything. Sometimes when I mention that to a person, their response will be, 'What for? What do I have in my life to thank God for? I have nothing. I am nothing.' Hmmm, how about that He lets you live and breathe and doesn't strike you dead for whining? Or thank Him because He's changed MY heart so that I don't have the inclination to smack you for whining? Just kidding...
This isn't a new concept. We've talked about this before. Finding one thing to be thankful for – You want to be heart-whole? You want heart health? Develop that muscle to be strong! Make T.H.E. Thing To-Do List. T.H.E. stands for T.hankful H.eart E.xercise. I think it’s self-explanatory. Try it for one week. Make it T.H.E. Thing to do.
Prayer:
Father,
Forgive us when we don’t recognize Your faithfulness and goodness to us. We do know that You are God and every good and perfect gift comes from You, even when they’re not packaged quite as we would like. Thank You, Father, for loving us enough to give us what we need. Give us grateful hearts to recognize Your love. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen
Saturday, February 8, 2025
Important Reminder - Over-Commitment
"Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven."
Matthew 5:16 The Message
Hebrews 4:12 tells us, "For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires." And as I read again the verse in Matthew 5, I am cut with these words - "Be generous with your lives..."
I know after working all week long and keeping up with all the other commitments, it's hard to find time to be generous with our lives!! And yet, we are called to do just that.
I think we have to ask ourselves some hard questions and be truthful with the answers.
You know, we work and we have family and church commitments, and extra-curricular schedules (lessons, sports practices, etc) - we are so busy!! I know some of the people I care about have schedules that are so over-committed that it's exhausting just hearing about them. They're not bad things; there are just too many of them.
Are we over-committed? Are those over-commitments now resulting in less sleep because we lie awake thinking about what we couldn't get done today, and so we'll get up earlier tomorrow to try to get them done? Is it a control thing - we don't want to ask for help? How much stress are we adding to our loved ones when we're in "Hurry up, we have to get to (wherever it is we must be)" mode? Have we taken time to pray about what we should perhaps let go of? Wait - do we even have time to pray about that?
God is interested in relationships. His Word says they'll know we are Christians by our love. We can't show them His love if we're rushing past them to get to the next thing. Today's promise tells it like it is - "By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven."
How do we do that? "Keep open house; be generous with your lives..."
Prayer:
Father,
Forgive us for being caught up in the cares of this world. Show us how to prioritize what's important and modify our schedules accordingly. Give us the wisdom and the grace to know when and how to say no to those things that stop us from being generous with our lives. We want to live in such a way that others will open up with You. Help us, O God! In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.
Hebrews 4:12 tells us, "For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires." And as I read again the verse in Matthew 5, I am cut with these words - "Be generous with your lives..."
I know after working all week long and keeping up with all the other commitments, it's hard to find time to be generous with our lives!! And yet, we are called to do just that.
I think we have to ask ourselves some hard questions and be truthful with the answers.
You know, we work and we have family and church commitments, and extra-curricular schedules (lessons, sports practices, etc) - we are so busy!! I know some of the people I care about have schedules that are so over-committed that it's exhausting just hearing about them. They're not bad things; there are just too many of them.
Are we over-committed? Are those over-commitments now resulting in less sleep because we lie awake thinking about what we couldn't get done today, and so we'll get up earlier tomorrow to try to get them done? Is it a control thing - we don't want to ask for help? How much stress are we adding to our loved ones when we're in "Hurry up, we have to get to (wherever it is we must be)" mode? Have we taken time to pray about what we should perhaps let go of? Wait - do we even have time to pray about that?
God is interested in relationships. His Word says they'll know we are Christians by our love. We can't show them His love if we're rushing past them to get to the next thing. Today's promise tells it like it is - "By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven."
How do we do that? "Keep open house; be generous with your lives..."
Prayer:
Father,
Forgive us for being caught up in the cares of this world. Show us how to prioritize what's important and modify our schedules accordingly. Give us the wisdom and the grace to know when and how to say no to those things that stop us from being generous with our lives. We want to live in such a way that others will open up with You. Help us, O God! In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.
Friday, February 7, 2025
Reminder to Divide and Decide
For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.
Hebrews 4:12 NLT
In the Encarta English dictionary, there are 12 different definitions for soul. In Christianity, the soul is generally defined as the part of you which is your mind, your will and your emotions. You know - the parts that can get us in trouble.
We've talked about knowing the difference between fact and Truth. Our soul includes our feelings. Sometimes what we feel is not the Truth. So, are feelings bad? No. God gave those to us as gifts. There's lots of life that would be absolutely worthless and no fun at all without feelings or emotions. Should feelings control our lives? Should we ascribe to the world's philosophy of "If it feels good, do it?" Not according to the Word of God... but only YOU can determine if God's Word is YOUR standard.
Our soulish part always makes excuses for us. It's easy to be carnal - thinking only of our feelings and our bodies. So often we hear people make excuses for their actions, 'Well, that's just how I am. God understands...' Or how about this one? 'That's just the way God made me...' Oh, puh-leeeezzzzz...
God sent His Son to die on the cross for all that - to redeem us from our sins. To CHANGE us! He created the plan of salvation. He provided every aspect to ensure victory. He came to save our souls from destruction. It's not His will that anyone should die without Him...but it IS our choice.
The Bible tells us in Psalm 107, "Let the redeemed of the Lord say so." What part of us got redeemed? Only our Spirit? Only our body? Christ died to save us... We are spirit, soul and body. It was a package deal. Christ paid the FULL price for us. It wasn't a Wal-Mart red light special - Salvation has never been offered at a reduced rate because Jesus didn't skimp on anything. He gave His ALL. What will YOU give for it?
It's like learning the difference between want and need. We need to recognize and discern what is the driving force behind our desires - soul or Spirit. We want a lot of things, but what do we need? Air, water, food, shelter. Isn't it interesting that God describes Himself as all those things? It's in the Word - which is the Sword of the Lord - let it divide and decide your actions.
Prayer:
Father,
According to Your Word in verse 13 of today's text, nothing in all creation is hidden from You. Everything is naked and exposed before Your eyes, and You are the One to whom we are accountable. Shine Your light of Truth on our lives so we may rightly divide soul from Spirit. Let all we think and our subsequent actions be pleasing in Your sight. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Thursday, February 6, 2025
One of My Favorites - Clean Up, Aisle 6
It's your heart, not the dictionary, that gives meaning to your words. A good person produces good deeds and words season after season. An evil person is a blight on the orchard. Let me tell you something: Every one of these careless words is going to come back to haunt you. There will be a time of Reckoning. Words are powerful; take them seriously. Words can be your salvation. Words can also be your damnation.
Matthew 12:34b-37 The Message
You know it's easier to clean when you don't drop stuff all over the place. You might be thinking to yourself, 'What does that have to do with our text for today?' Well, lots actually, depending on who you are.
Have you ever been flippant with someone in spite of the fact that you knew you should have kept your mouth shut? I hate it when that happens! No sooner than the words leave our mouth and in our mind we can almost hear the imaginary PA system blaring, "Clean up in Aisle 6. Bring the bucket."
Tonight, as I sat here reflecting on the day, I got a mental picture of all my words in a day being gathered in a huge bowl and offered up to the Lord. What will be His reaction? Will He breathe deeply of the beautiful essence of love and care, encouragement and edification, hope and life contained in my spoken words? Or will He gag and hold His nose, turning away from the stench of hurt and hate, discouragement and insult, despair and death?
Words are powerful; take them seriously.
Prayer:
Father,
According to Your Word in Psalm 19:14, May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
You know it's easier to clean when you don't drop stuff all over the place. You might be thinking to yourself, 'What does that have to do with our text for today?' Well, lots actually, depending on who you are.
Have you ever been flippant with someone in spite of the fact that you knew you should have kept your mouth shut? I hate it when that happens! No sooner than the words leave our mouth and in our mind we can almost hear the imaginary PA system blaring, "Clean up in Aisle 6. Bring the bucket."
Tonight, as I sat here reflecting on the day, I got a mental picture of all my words in a day being gathered in a huge bowl and offered up to the Lord. What will be His reaction? Will He breathe deeply of the beautiful essence of love and care, encouragement and edification, hope and life contained in my spoken words? Or will He gag and hold His nose, turning away from the stench of hurt and hate, discouragement and insult, despair and death?
Words are powerful; take them seriously.
Prayer:
Father,
According to Your Word in Psalm 19:14, May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Wednesday, February 5, 2025
Good Enough
Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said, “Ask the Lord to remove the frogs from me and my people. I will let the people go to offer sacrifices to the Lord.”
Moses said to Pharaoh, “I will pray for you, your people, and your officials. Then the frogs will leave you and your houses. They will remain only in the river. When do you want the frogs to go away?”
Pharaoh said, “Tomorrow.”
Moses said, “It will happen as you say. In this way you will know that there is no god like the Lord our God. The frogs will leave you, your house, your officials, and your people. They will remain only in the river.”
Moses and Aaron left Pharaoh. Moses prayed to the Lord about the frogs he had sent against Pharaoh. And the Lord did what Moses asked. The frogs died in the houses, in the yards, and in the fields. They began to rot, and the whole country began to stink. But when Pharaoh saw that they were free of the frogs, he again became stubborn. Pharaoh did not do what Moses and Aaron had asked him to do.
Moses said to Pharaoh, “I will pray for you, your people, and your officials. Then the frogs will leave you and your houses. They will remain only in the river. When do you want the frogs to go away?”
Pharaoh said, “Tomorrow.”
Moses said, “It will happen as you say. In this way you will know that there is no god like the Lord our God. The frogs will leave you, your house, your officials, and your people. They will remain only in the river.”
Moses and Aaron left Pharaoh. Moses prayed to the Lord about the frogs he had sent against Pharaoh. And the Lord did what Moses asked. The frogs died in the houses, in the yards, and in the fields. They began to rot, and the whole country began to stink. But when Pharaoh saw that they were free of the frogs, he again became stubborn. Pharaoh did not do what Moses and Aaron had asked him to do.
Exodus 8:8-15b
As we read through Exodus, the plagues give me the willies - especially the frogs. The LORD God tells Pharaoh vs 3-4, "The Nile River will be filled with frogs. They will come from the river and enter your houses. They will be in your bedrooms and in your beds. They will be in the houses of your officials and in your ovens and in your jars of water. The frogs will be all over you, your people, and your officials.” Can you picture that? Makes my skin crawl just thinking about it. "All over you..."
What do you think bothered him more - the frogs or all the screaming and squealing because of them? It didn't take long. Verse 8 tells us, "Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said, 'Ask the Lord to remove the frogs from me and my people. I will let the people go to offer sacrifices to the Lord.' ” So the frogs died, and the citizens gathered them into heaps and they stank. But when Pharaoh got a break from the frogs, no more crawling all over him or his people - Good Enough - he went right back to his old ways.
Have you ever done that? Begged God for His best, promise whatever He wants - maybe give up that habit / addictive behavior - but as soon as we get a little break. One we can live with, it's good enough. Or is it?
We have to ask ourselves - for whom is it good enough? For us or for God?
Prayer:
Father,
Please forgive us for measures we deem Good Enough. Our ways in no way measure up to Yours. You told us that clearly through Your prophet, Isaiah. We will seek You, LORD, while we can find You. We will call on You now while You are near. We choose to change our ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. We turn to You, Father, seeking Your mercy. You promise that as we do turn back to You, You will forgive generously. You are so much more than good enough! Through Christ our LORD, we pray. Amen
Tuesday, February 4, 2025
What Can't Be Done
"Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 8:35-39 NLT
Read this Scripture again (and again...and again...and again) and let it soak into your spirit. No matter the situation you find yourself in - He is the Great I AM. "No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." He is ALL that you will ever need. Everything else is superfluous.
Prayer:
Father,
Two things You can't do - You can't fail and You can't lie. Help us to grow into the fullness of Your Truth and the unfailing faithfulness of Your love. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Saturday, February 1, 2025
Isolation
7 A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can HELP EACH OTHER. [emphasis mine]
27 All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.
27 All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.
1 Corinthians 12:7, 27 NLT
14 Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. 15 If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything?
18 But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. 19 How strange a body would be if it had only one part! 20 Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. 21 The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.”
22 In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. 23 And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, 24 while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. 25 This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. 26 If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.
Somebody needs to hear this. Are you withdrawing - isolating yourself? I must tell you that Satan's desire is to kill, steal and destroy YOU; to separate the children of God from the Father; to separate the children of God from each other. We must ask God to open our spiritual eyes to see what is going on.
During times of war, in battles, what is the best way to watch out for the enemy? Alone? Definitely not!
1st Corinthians 12 has much to say about doing things alone. See if this makes sense to you:
12 The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. 13 Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.
14 Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. 15 If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything?
18 But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. 19 How strange a body would be if it had only one part! 20 Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. 21 The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.”
22 In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. 23 And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, 24 while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. 25 This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. 26 If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.
Today, I've included a 5-minute video from a pastor in South Carolina. If this Promise is for you today, it's worth a listen.
Prayer:
Father,
Draw our hearts toward You and in so doing, draw us closer together. Help us to see the Light of Your Truth in making this journey toward Home together. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
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