Promise for Today Favorite - You Did This?

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

 Psalm 139:13 NIV

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Prayer:

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

Promise for Today Favorite - Pleasing

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

Colossians 3:23-24 NKJV

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

I remember well the days of,

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

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

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

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

Prayer:

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

Promise for Today Favorite - Doing It the Hard Way

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

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

Isaiah 30:15 GWT

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

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

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

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

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

Prayer:

Father, 

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

Promise for Today Favorite - Whole Lotta Shaking

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

Luke 21:25-26 NIV

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

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

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

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

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

Prayer:

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

Promise for Today Favorite - Dry & Thirsty

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

Matthew 13:3-7

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

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

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

And then there are the wildfires...

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

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

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

Prayer:

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

Promise for Today Favorite - We Forget

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

Romans 9:20-21

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

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

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

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

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

Prayer:

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

Promise for Today Favorite - No One

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

No one.

Prayer:

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

Promise for Today Favorite - No Buts About It

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Prayer:

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

Promise for Today Favorite - What's More Important

That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. The whole town gathered at the door, and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was. Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.
Mark 1:32-35 NIV

Jesus was always doing something. He was very hands-on. You know He was busy during the day, and yet here He is in this passage at evening time, after sunset. After the normal day's work. And the people brought Him ALL the sick and demon-possessed. And look! It says the whole town gathered at the door. Now, if you've ever been to a healing service where they called for everyone, you KNOW it goes on for hours. The whole town, and it was already after supper time! So we can just guess that it was very late when He lay down to rest.

And yet, "Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up..." He didn't have 8 hours of sleep. He didn't get a cup of coffee. He didn't grab the morning edition of the Jerusalem Journal to catch up on the news. There was no TV. No radio. It doesn't say He crawled back into bed to catch a few more minutes of sleep because He was so tired. No, He left the house and went off to pray... someplace where He could be alone with God the Father.

Jesus knew the Scriptures because He read from the scrolls of Isaiah (Luke 4), so I believe He knew Isaiah 40:31, "But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint. Jesus knew He had to wait on the Lord. What's more important than time spent with the Lord?

Prayer:

Father,
           Help us to be more in tune with who You are than who we are. Drive home the Truth that to renew our strength, we must wait on You. Let us do so with joy and anticipation of what we will hear when we are alone with You and hear You speak to us. In Jesus' Name. Amen

Promise for Today Favorite - In His Presence

Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 5:18b-20 NIV

It's been said that he who sings, prays twice. Some might disagree, but all I know is the Word says, "Come before His presence with singing" (Psalm 100:2 NKJV), and when I praise Him in song - "singing and making music from my heart to the Lord" - I get there. And when I do, my focus is totally on Him and as the old song says, ♪♫ "and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace"♪♫

You might be like me; sometimes my praise pump needs a little priming. You can't just listen your way into His presence. You have to be an active participant. So, I go to YouTube and pick a song I like and sing along. Old songs. New songs. Harmony. Unison. It's all there and God loves all of it. And it just takes off from there.

All the cares and stresses of the day and of life lose their grip on my soul. Pain is eclipsed by the warmth of God's love. I am rejuvenated because in His presence is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11), and His Word reaffirms that the joy of the Lord is my strength (Nehemiah 8:10).

What do you need? Whatever it is, you will find it in His presence. Get there! Go now. What are you waiting for? He will meet you there. He's waiting for you.

Prayer:

Father,
          We will enter Your gates with thanksgiving and Your courts with praise; we will give thanks to You and praise Your Name. For You, Lord, are good and Your love endures forever; Your faithfulness continues through all generations. Father, show us the path of life. We want to be at Your right hand forevermore. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today Favorite - More Than > Less Than

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

Romans 8:37 NKJV

What is your perception of yourself as a human being - Is your focus on strengths first or weaknesses? What is the first word to come to your mind when you make a mistake or forget something?

I have noticed that generally, the first word out of someone's mouth when they make a mistake or forget something is one of three in their self-talk: Dummy. Stupid. Idiot. On top of that, self-perception usually focuses on inadequacies, flaws, weaknesses. Bottom line. We're human. We have all of those and often it makes us feel 'less than'.

Although if we're purposefully following Christ, our identity should be in Him. However, I can count on one hand the number of people I know who can look in a mirror and see the 'fearfully and wonderfully made' person in their reflection. (King David, Psalm 139:14)

It's perfectly okay to be honest with ourselves about our weaknesses, as long as we recognize and walk in the grace of God and His love, which enable us to overcome. But in being that honest about weaknesses, let's not buy into the subtleties of the enemy of our soul whose goal it is to keep our focus on our 'less thans'. Remember, he wants to kill, steal and destroy our lives and purpose.

The point I want to make is this - let's be sure when we experience those weaknesses that we remember (or seek out) the Truths that are written in His Word. For starters - in our weakness, God is strength (see 2nd Corinthians 12). (If you want/need more examples, Google "We say God says".)

If God is in it, we will win it! He makes us more than our less thans... because He is.

Prayer:

Father,
          Thank You for making provision for our every need - spiritual, physical, and financial. Your love is overwhelming and overwhelmingly good. Teach us to trust You in ALL things and help us to get our Truths only from Your Word. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today Favorite - The Whole

In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.
Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them.
Romans 12:6-9a NLT

Think about your circle of friends. Your core values - what makes you you - are probably very similar. You might even joke about them being your brothers from other mothers or sisters from different misters because you're a lot alike. However, more than likely, you have different occupations. Your gifts and talents are different but may very well complement each other.

Are you ever envious of a friend's gifting or talent? You needn't be. God has given you your own. Leaders are not the same as teachers. Singers are usually not servers. Prophets are generally not great candidates for counseling or encouraging. They CAN be, but not usually.

Don't be jealous, be thankful. What you may lack, your friend either has or can do. God gives us different gifts and models relationship so we'll know how it's done. It's together that we are the whole body of Christ. What do you bring to it? What is your part of the whole? Do you know?

Prayer:

Father,
          Open our eyes to see and recognize Your gifts and talents within our friends and within ourselves. Help us, O God, to use them to the best of You in us in order to further Your kingdom. THY kingdom come! THY will be done on Earth as it is in heaven. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today Favorite - Eating Light

O taste and see that the LORD is good...
Psalm 34:8a

I love summertime foods! Ice-cold watermelon, straight-from-the-garden fruits and vegetables, Yum!! It's a season of just naturally eating lighter fare. Summer seems to be so much healthier for our physical bodies!

However, summer is also the time when people tend to slack off spiritually. They're out of town more on the weekends and they tend to not go to church when they're not at home. Oftentimes, they don't pack their Bible (and somehow forget that it's available on their phone via Google or an app).

Here's the thing - we eat every day to sustain our physical life, right? How often do we eat to sustain and grow our spiritual life? Are you a little hungry or are you starving? 

Cry out for nourishment - 1st Peter 2:2-3 NLT reads, "Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness."

Psalm 119:103 declares, "How sweet Your words taste to me; they are sweeter than honey."

And a few chapters later, Jesus Himself declares He is the Light of the world. So eating Light spiritually also sounds like good eating to me. It's summertime - Help yourself to more!

Prayer:

Father,
          Jeremiah said, "When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear Your name, Lord God Almighty." Help us, Father, to remember that our best nourishment comes only from You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today Favorite - Why Is It Always "The Bible Says..."?

He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.
Revelation 21:4 NLT

What if the last words you spoke or wrote could be the last words a person would ever hear or read? My opinions are not answers to life's challenges. I don't always understand the why or the wherefore of things. You ask me why is it always "the Bible says..."? Because the Bible is Truth. It's Light in the darkness. It's the Way out and up. When you speak the Word of God - you speak LIFE! That's why!

For those facing overwhelming issues, I PROMISE YOU, God is still God and He is still on the Throne.

Psalm 61:1-4
"Hear my cry, O God; Attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth I will cry to You, When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been a shelter for me, A strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings. Selah"

Psalm 23:1-4
"The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me."

Romans 5:18-21 The Message
"Here it is in a nutshell: Just as one person did it wrong and got us in all this trouble with sin and death, another person [Jesus] did it right and got us out of it. But more than just getting us out of trouble, he got us into life! One man said no to God and put many people in the wrong; one man said yes to God and put many in the right. All that passing laws against sin did was produce more lawbreakers. But sin didn't, and doesn't, have a chance in competition with the aggressive forgiveness we call grace. When it's sin versus grace, grace wins hands down. All sin can do is threaten us with death, and that's the end of it. Grace, because God is putting everything together again through the Messiah, invites us into life - a life that goes on and on and on, world without end."

Prayer:

Father,
         I personally haven't the right words to say or pray tonight or any night, but I am so grateful for Your Words and I thank You for them and for the opportunity to share them with one more person. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen

Promise for Today Favorite - Setting the Example

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.
Ephesians 5:15-16 NLT

I have several friends who use similar quotes in the signature line of their e-mail replies. One is "Choose carefully how you spend your time today because you are spending a day of your life for it." Another refers to it as "trading a day." When was the last time you gave conscious thought to how you spend each of your days or the moments in them?

And in the spending and trading of our days, how many of us truly think about what kind of example we set for those around us every day? The truth is each day of our lives, we set a GREAT example... Either it's a great example of how we should live or it's a great example of how we should NOT live. What kind of example are we setting?

What kind of example do we want to set? The choice is ours.

Prayer:

Father,
          We know the time is short. Remind us daily to make the moments count. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today Favorite - No Matter

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life. 

Proverbs 13:12 NLT

Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. 

Hebrews 11:1 NLT

Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him:

Job 13:15

A wish is an unfulfilled longing; it is not hope. Hope is an expectation, but it is not faith. Faith is believing, but it's empty without the ability to trust. Trust is when you know that you know that you know - no matter what the circumstances - God is there.

Unfulfilled longing: I wish things could be better.

Expectation: I hope things get better.

Believing: I have faith that things will get better.

Trusting - according to His Word - no matter what!

Psalm 46:1-3, "God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though its waters roar and be troubled..."

Psalm 61:1-4, "Hear my cry, O God; Attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth I will cry to You, When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been a shelter for me, A strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings."

Psalm 62:6-7, "He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God."

I have believed a lot of things in my life that turned out not to be trustworthy. But I have come to know that I know that I KNOW God IS trustworthy, no matter what I see. No matter what I hear. No matter what I feel. No matter what anyone else feels or says or does. His Word is true. "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him..." no matter what.

Prayer:

Father,
          Life isn't always easy, but You tell us in Your Word that Your yoke is. We choose to yoke up with You, Lord. We choose to trust You no matter what. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today Favorite - He Started It

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.
Philippians 1:6

Bill Watterson wrote, "God put me on this earth to accomplish a certain number of things. Right now, I am so far behind that I will never die." Somehow, I don't think God's promise to us of eternal life is based on us not finishing what we started. Can I get an Amen?

Have you gotten sidetracked by life's complications? Do you believe that you're so far off track that you can never recover God's original purpose for your life? Do you still believe His promise to you? Do you ever doubt that God will be able to finish what He started in you? Do you think you're too old now - no way to recover? That there's not enough left of your life for God to be able to work with?

Then I've just got two words to say.

1. Abraham
2. Sarah

If you don't know their story, it's a good one. (Genesis chapter 15:1 - 18:15, chapter 21:1-6). He's one hundred years old, literally. She's 90. There's NO way either one has anything to offer in the way of making babies. Sarah NEVER did and yet... "God, who began the good work within you..."  And Isaac was born.

He started it. And I am certain He'll continue it until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

Prayer:

Father,

         You, Lord, are all we have, and You give us all we need; our future is in Your hands. How wonderful are Your gifts to us; how good they are! And so we are thankful and glad. You will show us the path that leads to life; Your presence fills us with joy and brings us pleasure forever. You are our God. Help us, O God, when we struggle to believe You will complete Your work in us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today Favorite - Get a Grip

NOTE: It's been a hectic few days - no A/C, no electric, staying at a hotel. Not been real fun. I'm back home now, but have decided to take a little break from being actively involved on Facebook and this blog. I love staying in touch with Family and dear friends spread far and wide across the globe and I truly LOVE keeping up with everybody but the truth is, I'm old... and I can't keep up with everybody. For the next couple of weeks, I will post "reruns" of some of my favorites for the Promise for Today, but that's pretty much it. I'll be back and hope you'll still be around. 💕

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But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness.
Hebrews 12:10b NLT

According to the dictionary, 'discipline' is both a noun and a verb, defined as: 'the practice of training people or to train someone to obey rules or a code of behavior' and 'the controlled behavior resulting from such training.'

Discipline is tiresome. It's difficult to endure. It is not fun. Discipline can wear you out - literally. (Actually, that is a common colloquialism in the southern US. If a mother promises to "wear you out," someone's going to get a spanking.) The Word of God confirms that as we read on in verse 11, "No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way."

When I read vvs. 12 & 13, I just keep thinking, 'Get a grip...' "So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong." In other words, embrace the training, endure the discipline, the end result will be worth it.

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for loving us enough to correct us so that we might share in Your holiness. Help us to endure the discipline and learn from it. We are looking forward to the 'peaceful harvest of right living'. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

The Truth About Being Stubborn

The LORD said to Moses, How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the signs I have performed among them?
Numbers 14:11

We think we have all the time in the world. We think that because God is a loving God, He won't really mind if we keep putting Him off - pushing Him to the back burner. You know - being stubborn. After all, we're going to get to Him eventually, right? It's not really rebellion... or is it?

Let's think about that for a moment. Last time I checked, not doing what you were asked to do - expected to do - was a definition of rebellion. 1 Samuel 15:22-23a NLT reads this way:

"What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to His voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams. Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols."

Let's read that line again. "Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols." What does God do to idol worshipers? Does that change our stubbornness thinking at all?

Prayer:

Father,
          King David proclaimed of You, "The sacrifice You desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God." Forgive us for sinning against You. Forgive us for our rebellious ways. We submit our stubborn hearts to You. Deliver us from them. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - In Pursuit of Truth

But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Matthew 19:26 NKJV

As a society, we have lost our taste for pure, unadulterated Truth. Oh, we like a little taste of it - like adding a flavor packet to a bottle of water - let's water it down enough to make it palatable. That's just what satan does to us. Waters down the truth. Lies to us about us, about God and about others, but leaves just enough truth to make it believable... palatable. There's no such thing as "just enough" Truth. What does Scripture have to say about that?

John 4:23-24 NLT reads, "But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth. The Message Bible verse 24 reads like this, It's who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth."

Somewhere along the line, we seem to have formed a "Bless Me" Club. What's that about? Where did we get the idea that it's all about the blessing? It's supposed to be all about worshiping the Father, accepting and receiving the Son. In John 16:33, Jesus said, "I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world."

The Truth is, as Jesus said, "Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows." AND the Truth is also as Jesus said, "I have overcome the world."

If you're going through a hard time, a great trial, some tribulation, the Truth is you can have hope. Scripture is explicit in promising that God will never leave us alone to face life. Think about this Truth - we have no life except in Him. Hebrews 6:18-19 tells us, "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. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary."

Remember this - "It's who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth."

Prayer:

Father,
           We pray, according to Your Word in Psalm 51, "For I was born a sinner—yes, from the moment my mother conceived me. But you desire honesty from the womb, teaching me wisdom even there. Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow." Father, we desire - as You desire - Truth in our inward parts. Help us succeed in our pursuit of Truth. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Go In Knowing

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist...

Ephesians 6:13-14a NIV

Some people LOVE to dress up. They have to get just the right outfit to wear for whatever event or party they're going to next. And the question is usually, "What are you wearing?" Sometimes, even if it's for a meeting! (Actually, that one I can relate to.) The thing is, I'm not a "Big Event" kind of person. Business casual is more my style, at work and at home.

Believe it or not, thinking about it today, made me think about the armor of God and how it is the perfect example of being dressed appropriately. Putting it on should be a daily event in our lives because of the challenges we face every day. Battles decide who is victorious and who is enslaved. You don't go into battle against the enemy of your soul in business casual!

There's nothing casual about the schemes of satan to enslave and destroy our lives, so we must be suitably dressed. If you think about it, it is quite marvelous that God provides us with every weapon suitable to rise to every occasion, but please note - He starts with the belt of Truth. You see, if we go in knowing the Truth, we will not become enslaved to any of satan's lies! So, what are you wearing to this big event?

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for providing the perfect things to wear for every occasion. As it reads in the Message, Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. They are the armor by which we win. Cause us to be ever mindful of what we should be wearing. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Whatever

Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!” And Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead—and so was Sarah’s womb. Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises. And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous. And when God counted him as righteous, it wasn’t just for Abraham’s benefit. It was recorded for our benefit, too, assuring us that God will also count us as righteous if we believe in him, the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God.

Romans 4:18-25 NLT

In the 21st Century, 'whatever' has taken on a very negative connotation. A one-word response of 'Whatever' in the course of a conversation is the equivalent of "I'm not even going to discuss this with you any further because it's pointless to argue with anyone who is that (arrogant, opinionated, stupid, etc)." In the same way, it can also mean, "I don't believe a word you're saying, and I'm not wasting any more energy talking to you."

No matter its use, 'whatever' is a one-word phrase that speaks volumes. And it always has, or at least as far back as my dictionaries go. My oldest one is dated 1884. It's defined as emphatic. "Why, whatever do you mean?" In at least one point, it encompasses anything and everything. "Whatever gave you that idea? Whatever did we do before cars, air-conditioners... etc." But to bring it back to the Promise - These days, more often than not, if you expound on certain beliefs, society has become increasingly swift to respond with "Believe whatever you want..." And many, when asked point-blank what they believe, will respond with an airy, "Whatever..."

Can you imagine what Abraham would (NOT) have received if he'd chosen to believe whatever in today's vernacular? Instead, he chose the full promise of it. Everything. Our Promise text tells us Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this, he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do everything, whatever He promises.

Anything and everything. We can believe whatever He promises.

Prayer:

Father,
          We believe You will also count us as righteous if we believe in You, the One who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. Jesus was handed over to die because of our sins, and He was raised to life to make us right with You. And we choose to believe that whatever You promised Your children, You are able to do and will do for us. Help us to walk in faith, believing. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - To Boldly Go

God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.             Ephesians 3:20 The Message Bible

When we know that we are in right-standing with God, doing our best to follow Him and His path for our lives, we have no problem getting our message across, do we? The Truth about doing something with boldness is to know that you are absolutely in the right. I think one of the boldest people in Scripture is Paul.

Paul writes in Ephesians 3,

The mystery is that people who have never heard of God and those who have heard of him all their lives (what I've been calling outsiders and insiders) stand on the same ground before God. They get the same offer, same help, same promises in Christ Jesus.

The Message is accessible and welcoming to everyone, across the board. This is my life work: helping people understand and respond to this Message. It came as a sheer gift to me, a real surprise, God handling all the details. When it came to presenting the Message to people who had no background in God's way, I was the least qualified of any of the available Christians. God saw to it that I was equipped, but you can be sure that it had nothing to do with my natural abilities.

And so here I am, preaching and writing about things that are way over my head, the inexhaustible riches and generosity of Christ. My task is to bring out in the open and make plain what God, who created all this in the first place, has been doing in secret and behind the scenes all along. Through followers of Jesus like yourselves gathered in churches, this extraordinary plan of God is becoming known and talked about even among the angels!

All this is proceeding along lines planned all along by God and then executed in Christ Jesus. When we trust in Him, we're free to say whatever needs to be said, bold to go wherever we need to go.

Peter comes in a very close second for being one of the boldest. I tend to love Peter just a little more because I can SO identify with his ability to mess up… but can you in your wildest dreams imagine walking outside in the middle of a city-wide event and preaching the Message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and 3,000 people get saved?!? That's what it's like to boldly go...

Prayer:

Father,
          In Paul’s words, my response is to get down on my knees before You, the magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth. I ask You to strengthen us by Your Spirit—not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength—that Christ will live in us as we open the door and invite Him in. And I ask You that with both feet planted firmly on love, we’ll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, in Your fullness, O God. So we can boldly go wherever we need to go to say whatever needs to be said. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen

This is a Repeat Reminder about Tears - Yes, Again

I know I posted this in February as a reminder, but this last month has been very difficult - not only for me but for people I love and care about, and I just want you to understand that tears are NOT a sign of weakness. They show great love and compassion, and trust in the God Who gives us this precious gift. I hope you'll read it to the last 'Amen'.

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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

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