Promise for Today - Watering for a Harvest

Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.
Psalm 126:5-6 NKJV

I've read this Scripture countless times. I've sung the songs related to it ♪♫ Bringing in the sheaves! ♫ Bringing in the sheaves!♪♫ I've held on to the promise of reaping in joy so many times... But for some reason, I thought it was the tears that were being sown. I never made the connection that the tears were watering the seed I was sowing while I was weeping.

Even so, I guarantee you that without a doubt, I have come rejoicing again and again, bringing in the sheaves! It may have been sheaves of a different kind in place of wheat, but God has never let me return empty-handed. He has always provided the harvest.

Prayer:

Father,
          Thank You for tears to wash my eyes so that I could see Your goodness and the plan You have for me. Thank You for getting the most use out of everything that touches our lives, including the tears that water the seed. Provide the harvest, Father, we pray in Jesus' Name. Amen

Promise for Today - Complete Sentence

Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.

1st John 2:6 NLT

You may not have noticed that our Promise for Today is a complete sentence. There are no qualifying phrases such as "unless they are provoked"; "as long as they're not tired"; or "if they want to or feel like it".

Are we living our lives as Jesus did? In direct, immediate obedience to God? 

No murmuring, no complaining, no excuses, no arguing with God about circumstances or anything? If not, we must repent.

Repentance is sincere regret or remorse. It's a turning away from. It's hating ANYTHING that separates us from God. 2nd Corinthians 7:10 NLT tells us, "For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death." 

True repentance frees us from sin, enabling us to live as Jesus did. Complete.

Prayer:

Father,
           Turn our hearts toward Your way and Your will. Help us to live as Jesus did. Holy and acceptable unto You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Are You There?

Like a cool drink of water when you're worn out and weary is a letter from a long-lost friend.
Proverbs 25:25 The Message

Have you ever been dry in your journey with the Lord? Have you ever been parched from the heat of the battle? Or worn out from wielding your sword, and weary from holding up your shield of faith? So busy fighting off the onslaught of the enemy that you couldn't even look to see if anyone was fighting with you? And half afraid to look in case there wasn't anyone there?

If so, then you know what it's like when you call out and hear a friend's voice answer. It IS like a cool drink of water; refreshing, strengthening, renewing, solidifying your place in the fight. Providing hope that enables you to stand when you've done all you can to stand, pushing you toward the Father, for the battle is His and the victory is ours!

So whether you're the caller or the callee - reach out! Someone needs to know you're there.

Prayer:

Father,
            Cause us to be ever mindful of those around us who are fighting every day, spiritually, physically, emotionally. Let us see with Your heart of compassion so we may call out to them...just like You call to us. Let our words be words of hope, just as Yours are to us...Come all ye who are heavy laden and I will give you rest... Help us to not be weary in well-doing. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Reminder - Stirred, Not Shaken

All whose hearts were stirred and whose spirits were moved came and brought their sacred offerings to the Lord.

Exodus 35:21a NLT

Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.
Psalm 55:22

In our younger years, my oldest brother, Ron, really liked James Bond movies. It was from one of those films that the phrase, "Shaken, not stirred," became famous. One of those random thoughts; stuck in the back of my mind. When I read our text for today, I was reminded of it, but immediately laughed at how God is so opposite of the world.

From the world's point of view, James Bond has always been portrayed as debonair, resourceful, and somehow always successful in getting the job done. Yet, he doesn't have friends and seems to have no clue how to build and keep a lasting, meaningful relationship. Shaken, not stirred could be his motto in life, not just how he orders a martini.

What I love about God is that He promises we will never be shaken, and He's not a man so He could not and would not lie about it (Numbers 23:19). Even in our deepest, darkest sin, when God reaches out to us - like He did the Israelites time after time - His love reaches so much deeper that our hearts are stirred. Our spirits are moved. We want to give.

In this life filled with chaos and crazy, I choose God's way - Stirred, NOT Shaken. How about you?

Prayer:

Father,
          Open our spiritual eyes that we may see Your fingerprints all over our lives. Take what satan meant to shake us and make it an anchor for our soul in You. Stir our hearts, O God! In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Guest Author

I copied this article from a woman named Amy (her link is included at the end) and posted it here because it spoke to my heart. I hope it is as timely for my readers.

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

At 5am, Husband kissed me on the forehead and told me he loved me. Then he headed out to the airport for a work trip. I rolled over and tried to fall back asleep, but instead my mind kicked into full gear. What if he didn’t make it home? What would I do with the house? Should we downsize or stay put? And what should I do with the life insurance? Who could I trust to help me make those decisions? Who would step in and be a father figure for my kids? How much therapy would they need to process their grief? Ya know, all normal things.

After approximately 23 minutes of this madness, I realized I was not headed back to sleep so I grabbed my bible and journal and went downstairs for some quiet time. As soon as I began to write, I felt the Lord say “Those decisions feel overwhelming b/c I am not there. If you were to actually find yourself there, I would be there too and I would guide you in those decisions. Amy, you can’t dress rehearse tragedy.”

Dude. That’s heavy. It stopped me in my tracks and I realized that’s what I do. All the time. I enter a situation and then jump to the worst possible outcome and try to sort through all the possible ways this could go down. How would I deal? What would the damage be? What would the future look like from this point forward? I look for all the ways that I can make this situation turn out for my good.

Oh wait. That’s not my job. That is what the Lord was trying to speak to my heart at 5:30 on a Wednesday morning. I am completely inadequate in my self-sufficiency. I have neither the ways nor the means to fabricate the best possible outcome for any situation in my life. Why do I keep trying to do life on my own? Why is it that my first response to any situation involves my best reaction to it? Deep sigh.

As I sit in my quiet, still house, I realize how much time and emotional energy has been spent dress rehearsing tragedy. So much. It makes me angry and sad all at once because I realize it is a distraction from the enemy that works every stinkin’ time. Why? Because no matter what my head knows, my heart still struggles to believe that He is for me. That He is perfect in all of His ways, even when those ways hurt my heart. I wrestle with the truth that He is a good, good father. I still fight the tension of hearing His voice and believing His words. I’m still human.

God is God and I am not. My delusion of self-sufficiency is broken all over again and I land on this truth. And then a wave of relief follows. I don’t have to know it all or figure it out. Good! Because my way is exhausting. And what’s even dumber is that it’s not like He’s hiding. This is not a cosmic game of hide and go seek, where I have to figure out where He is before I can get the answers I need or the peace I am seeking. He is not the wizard, hiding behind a giant green curtain in a faraway land called Oz. Jeremiah 29:12-13 is perfectly clear.

“Seek Me and you will find Me when you seek Me with all of your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back from captivity.”

That’s a sweet promise. He is just a whisper away. So why do I avoid the whisper and insist on yelling at the mountains in front of me to move? I have never had a mountain move at the sound of my voice. But He has. I have never healed the sick or fed 5,000. But He has. I have never brought dead things back to life. But He has. His track record is pretty good. Even on the dark days when things don’t turn out like I hoped and prayed they would, and my heart burns with the pain of loss, He is there with a peace that really does pass understanding.

Dress rehearsals might be helpful in the theater, but they are pretty pointless in matters of real life. Jesus doesn’t come to our dress rehearsal. But come show time, He always shows up, and the whole script changes.

http://www.liverightlovewell.com/live-right-love-well/2017/8/28/tragic

Promise for Today - At Work In Us

God is working in you, giving you the desire to obey him and the power to do what pleases him.

Philippians 2:13 NLT

I find great hope in this verse.

Increasingly, I find I have more of a desire to do what will please God, and I am encouraged to know that He is at work in me to give me the power to do it. At work in me to provide the discipline to override my flesh that just wants to be a couch potato after a long week. At work in me to accomplish and complete those God ideas pulling at my heart and the tasks that are calling my name.

In John 9:4, Jesus tells us, "We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work."

I know I'm playing catch-up from the moments and hours I have wasted in this life. When that night comes, I want to be able to say that I have finished what God assigned to me. I do not want to stand before Almighty God and not be finished. That's why it gives me such great hope to know that God is working in us... working and working and working some more.

Prayer:

Father,
           According to Your Word, we want to do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize us or You. Help us to live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Most of all, Father, we want to finish our assignment and fulfill Your purpose for our lives. Thank You for providing such great hope by working in us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today Favorite - Undone

So I said: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts.”
Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth with it, and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; Your iniquity is taken away, And your sin purged.”
Isaiah 6:5-7 NKJV

From the world's perspective, when we come undone, we've come to the end of our proverbial rope without any hope whatsoever. It's the end of the line - the great crash and burn... Whatever it is, whatever it was, it will never be again. It's over. We're done for.

In His presence - when we come to the end of ourselves and all our determination to do things our way; when we come to the end of it all - having failed in our endeavors; when we fall on our face before God Almighty, broken and without hope - contrary to how it appears - we are NOT done for. We are undone.

What is "undone"? The opposite of done? So, is that to say it isn't finished? It isn't over? Think about that for a moment. In God's presence, undone equals all the bad things in our lives untangled from our hearts. In His presence, under His Blood, every mistake we've ever made is undone. We are undone from the chains, no longer bound by sin and shame.

Come to Jesus. In His presence, we are undone. Thank You, Lord!

Prayer:

Father,
          What a great blessing to be undone in Your presence. When I look at the night sky and see the work of Your fingers - the moon and the stars You set in place - what are mere mortals that You should think about them, human beings that You should care for them? And yet, You do. You carved us in Your hand. We are ever before You! Father, cause that Truth to come alive in us so that we are undone in You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - He Knows

But he knows where I am going. And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold. For I have stayed on God’s paths; I have followed his ways and not turned aside.

Job 23:10-11 NLT

Did you ever read the newspaper comics when you were growing up? Do you remember Family Circus written by the late Bil Keane? And little Billy, who would eventually get to where he was going, but it was never a straight path from Point A to Point B?

Some days I think to myself, "Just call me Billy..." Try as I might to get to that proverbial front door, sometimes I just can't get there, or I'm there too late, or I outright fail.

Our Promise for Today gives me great hope. I'm glad He knows where I am going. I know where I WANT to go... For now, I walk those paths by faith, trusting in His Word.

Prayer:

Father,
          Thank You for always going before us to make the crooked path straight and to level the walk so that we don't trip up. Thank You for loving us so much that You sent us Your Son as the Way to You. Help us to walk in His Light and His Truth. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

Promise for Today - Here Comes Trouble

We sent him [Timothy] to strengthen you, to encourage you in your faith, and to keep you from being shaken by the troubles you were going through. But you know that we are destined for such troubles. Even while we were with you, we warned you that troubles would soon come—and they did, as you well know. That is why, when I could bear it no longer, I sent Timothy to find out whether your faith was still strong.

1st Thessalonians 3:2b-5a

If you're on the upside of the dirt, there will be trouble. How do we handle it? Do we choose to ask God's direction or just ask Him "Why?" After all, He knew it was going to happen. He's God, isn't He? Why didn't He stop it?

How do we handle that?

Do we endure? Become one with it, take it on? Identify ourselves with it? What IS our identity? Really...do we want to be defined by trouble?

Do we run? Escape? Avoid it at all costs? We miss the lesson if we move away from it.

Do we enlist it? Make it work for us. James 1:2 reads, "Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy." Gee, I don't think I've met anyone who has said at the onset, 'Oh, all these troubles are gonna bring me GREAT joy!'

We've been talking about faith and control. They have nothing to do with each other, by the way. Faith is a relinquishing of control, based on trusting God. Without faith, it's impossible to please God. Without relinquishing control of our lives TO Him, based on our trust IN Him, it's impossible to please God. It kind of lends a new meaning to, "With God, all things are possible..."

Is our trust linked to our perception of what He's done for us or will do? Do we trust Him just because He is who He is - God - and for no other reason? Do we know Him? It's one thing to say we know Him, it's another to see what our actions are when we don't get our own way, or if we need to sacrifice something we want.

You see, faith is an action word. Here comes trouble - what action will you take?

Prayer:

Father,
           Forgive us for thinking of You only as our benevolent overseer. Help us to see You for who You are and what You are, no matter the circumstances. We place our trust in You. Help us to be a Timothy to those around us who may need to be encouraged. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Cutting Edge

As one of them was cutting down a tree, the iron ax head fell into the water. “Oh no, my lord!” he cried out. “It was borrowed!”

The man of God asked, “Where did it fall?” When he showed him the place, Elisha cut a stick and threw it there, and made the iron float.“Lift it out,” he said. Then the man reached out his hand and took it.
2nd Kings 6:5-7 NIV

So, the guy was doing work for the Lord. They were trying to build a bigger meeting place. Without the axe, what would he do? What could he do? What if he had gotten bogged down with the facts of the situation? Iron ax head. It's going down and it's not coming up. He's losing out twice because he can't finish the work he was doing for God and now, he's out whatever it would cost to pay back the lost ax head. 

Has something like that ever happened to you?  I know it has in my life. Doing what you know to do for the Lord, and then stuff happens. Then not only are you stifled from doing the work you believe you were called to do, but maybe there's a price tag for something that didn't go quite how you planned. What do you do? Get bogged down with the facts of the situation or seek the Lord's direction?

Will we do the same when we lose our cutting edge? Will we lose our passion for Christ because we're bogged down in the miry circumstances? 

Prayer:

Father,

            Thank You for Your Word. Thank You for writing it down and making it available to us. Thank You for the Light on our path, guiding our footsteps. Thank You that it is You who works in us both to will and to do so we may fulfill Your good purpose in our lives. Help us to trust You in it. Restore our cutting edge. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen 

Promise for Today - They All Heard Something

[Jesus speaking] Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But this is the very reason I came! Father, bring glory to your name.' Then a voice spoke from heaven, saying, “I have already brought glory to my name, and I will do so again.” When the crowd heard the voice, some thought it was thunder, while others declared an angel had spoken to him. Then Jesus told them, “The voice was for your benefit, not mine."
John 12:27-30 NLT

Jesus knew He was going to be crucified. He had time to think about it. He knew what was coming. How? Because He knew the voice of God. He was "deeply troubled" and yet He prayed for God to be glorified by His willing obedience. Why? Again, because He knew the voice of God! He wasn't wondering IF it was God or if it was God's will, He KNEW.

Do we spend enough time with God to know His voice? The thing about this particular passage is that they ALL heard the voice of God, but how many recognized it? Some thought it was thunder...

What if - during whatever our trial - our path crosses with someone who never met Christ? Someone we would never have met otherwise. Would they want to hear about our Lord and Savior because of how we respond to Him in the middle of our affliction, or would they give us a 'No, thanks' because all they're hearing from us is thunder and grumbling?

The question on my mind is 'How often do we pray to be delivered from the very thing that serves God's purpose?' It's human nature to want to avoid pain and suffering. Jesus prayed for it in Matthew 26:30, "He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, 'My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want Your will to be done, not mine.' ”   Your will, Father, not mine.  Be glorified...

The writer of Proverbs tells us, "Ears to hear and eyes to see— both are gifts from the Lord" (Proverbs 20:12 NLT). 

Prayer:

Father,
          Of all Your many blessings that You bestow on us, please, God, give us ears to hear and eyes to see. And a mouth to speak only Your praise and what You would have us to say. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Properly Projecting an Image

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

Genesis 1:26-27 NKJV

We live in extraordinary times. Now more than ever, it's all about the visual appeal. Marketing campaigns, computer technology, and the world of medicine all excel and rely on their imaging capabilities. Such incredible strides just in medicine alone! Ultrasounds projecting images - detecting everything now from blood clots to cancer to kids!

Websites, social medias of all kinds rely heavily on photos and images. Just think Instagram! And now AI images. And selfies! Oh.My.Word! People and their selfies!! Photo booths and photo ops are at every event and venue! We are absolutely infatuated! Yes, Psalm 139:14 declares, "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." But are we projecting the right image?

The Truth is we ARE fearfully and wonderfully made because we are made in the image of God, according to HIS likeness. But instead of the staged photos, how about we mirror His love? His compassion! His kindness! His mercy and grace! His faithfulness! Just to name a few... God created us with purpose for His purpose. He created us in His own image so we could accomplish all that He has planned for our lives. That's the Truth about imaging. Picture that!

Prayer:

Father,
           Rip the star-struck scales from our eyes so that we can see Your Truth and properly portray Your likeness to the lost and dying generations, without the photo ops and props of this world. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

Promise for Today Reminder - Conflicted

So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other...
Galatians 5:16-17b NIV

When we haven't made up our minds about certain issues, we are often in conflict within ourselves. When we don't make a conscious choice, we have - in effect - chosen to walk without direction. Indecision sets us up as targets for the enemy of our souls.

Consider this. Depending on how well a human being is hydrated, one can live anywhere from 3 to 12 days without water, and 3 to 6 weeks without food...although neither scenario is recommended. And yet, wars have been won or lost based on food supplies that were or were not readily available.

Battle-weary soldiers who have not eaten in days and who have no water supply will voluntarily surrender to the enemy for the promise of food and water. Why? Because we don't want to die. And as desperate as some may be, not all things wet or chewable are good for consumption. Many will cause death if we ingest them.

For instance, if we're dehydrated, we need something wet, liquid of some kind, but obviously, we're not going to drink gasoline or coal oil or bleach. Yes, they are all liquids, but they are deadly contaminants. It would definitely put your body in severe conflict and it would be self-inflicted. Anyone in their right mind would not drink these liquids. We want to live - and hear me now - what we feed and water will live.

The same is true in our walk with the Lord. We are in a battle. The war between our flesh and spirit wages every day. And quite simply, what we feed and water will live. If we feed our sinful nature the things it craves, our sinful nature will thrive and survive... but we CAN starve it to death. Jesus is the Bread of Life. He is the Word - the Living Water. Our text for today tells us the Spirit and the sinful nature are in conflict with each other...the question is, how much of it is self-inflicted?

Victorious overcomer (Spirit) or self-inflicted conflict (sinful nature)?  WE choose which one will thrive and survive.

Prayer:

Father,

           You are the Master Nutritionist. Sustain us on Your Word, O Bread of Life and Living Water. Help us to hide it in our hearts so we will flourish in Your will for us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen 

Promise for Today - A Renewed Call

 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us—they help us learn to be patient. And patience develops strength of character in us and helps us trust God more each time we use it until finally our hope and faith are strong and steady.

Romans 5:3-4 The Living Bible

There is a renewed call to prayer from the Holy Spirit. Do you feel it, too? Ringing over and over in my heart is the Scripture passage from Mark 12:30-31 NLT, "And you must love the Lord your God with ALL your heart, ALL your soul, ALL your mind, and ALL your strength.’ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.” The written emphasis is mine, but the emphatic inflection is God's. ALL my heart, ALL my soul, ALL my mind, and ALL my strength. I had to be honest with myself and ask, When was the last time I did anything with ALL that I am or ALL that I have... ?

So often, we fill up every waking moment with I have to do this or I have to do that and this must be done or that must be, and Suzie has to be at practice and Johnny has to, too, and we'll grab something at the drive-thru because we don't have time to cook and sit at the table...  And at night, when we fall into bed exhausted, we're too tired to pray, let alone worship, and we don't have all of anything left... Bob Sorge states, "This present world system is strategically designed to squeeze out your time and energy for the secret place." The secret place is our time with the Lord. It's where our strength is renewed. MAKE the time. Make it a priority once again.

So with renewed vigor, by the grace of God, I am getting back into shape spiritually - eagerly anticipating the next part of God's plan. Not just for me, but for ALL of us. Revelation 22:17 NKJV, "And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely." In my corner of the world, I see and hear people responding to the Spirit say, "Come!" and I pray it is the same for you.

Prayer:

Father,

         Forgive us for all the times we've given You less than all. Therefore, since we are receiving Your Kingdom that cannot be shaken, grant us Your grace, by which we can serve You acceptably with reverence and Godly fear. For You, O Lord, are a consuming fire! Thank You for trials and tribulations that teach us patience and develop our character. Teach us how to give You Your heart's desire. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Serious Business

But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. 

Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
2nd Peter 1:5-11 NKJV

Do we truly know what it means to be diligent? Scripture has much to say about it, so it's best if we do our due diligence in finding out. Pun intended.

Google defines diligent as 'having or showing care and conscientiousness in one's work or duties'.

Merriam-Webster currently defines diligent as 'characterized by steady, earnest, and energetic effort: painstaking'.

We all know that definitions tend to evolve over time. The oldest dictionary in my collection is a Webster's dictionary, published by G.&C. Merriam & Co. in 1884. It defines diligent as 'interestedly and perseveringly attentive; steady in application to business; prosecuted with care and constant effort'.

In 1927, Merriam-Webster defined diligent as 'constant in effort to accomplish something, pursued with persevering attention, painstaking'.

In 1949, Merriam-Webster again defined diligent as 'perseveringly attentive; prosecuted with careful attention; painstaking'.

I also have a republished, facsimile edition of Noah Webster's First Edition of an American Dictionary of the English Language. In this 1828 edition, I find it interesting to note that Mr. Webster often used Scripture references to illustrate the use of a word. For instance, for diligence, he used Proverbs 4:23 and 2nd Peter 1:10. The application of diligent to people was 'not idle or negligent', and the Scripture reference was Proverbs 22:29 KJV which reads, "Seest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings..." No matter the translation, it's either diligent or skillful or some form of excellence in execution; as well as painstaking - defined as 'done with or employing great care and thoroughness'.

In the Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, the Greek for both diligent and diligence have to do with the speed at which it is done, 'by implication eagerness, earnestness'.

I think it's safe to say to be diligent is to eagerly and with great interest employ great care and thoroughness with excellence to the task at hand. What do you think?

So in our Promise for Today, we are to "be even more eager to - and with great interest - employ great care and thoroughness with excellence to" add to our faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.

It's serious business to be diligent.

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for Your written Word. Thank You for providing the instruction we need to walk out Your purpose for our lives. According to Your Word, help us to be even more diligent in our quest for You. Whatever our hands find to do, grant us Your grace to do it with all our might as unto You and not to men. We want to remain steadfast under trial so that we will receive the crown of life that You have promised to those who love You. Father, let us not grow weary of doing good, knowing that in due season we will reap if we don't give up. We want to be diligent to be found by You without spot or blemish, and at peace. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Prepared to Hear

To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.

Matthew 13:12 NLT

I want to hear the Lord. I want to know what He is saying, and more specifically, what He is saying to me. I think every Christian who is trying to do the will of God also wants to hear what God has to say. Amen?

Have you ever tried to have a conversation with someone, but you're in a busy place, there are people milling around having conversations or laughing, the TV or radio might be on, even your own thoughts may distract you to the point of having to ask the person to repeat what they just said. How much of that conversation do you actually hear - or do you just nod and smile, pretending you heard? We've all experienced that, at one point or another.

Aren't conversations much better when you are able to look the person in the eye and your surroundings are quiet and prepared? How much more so when the King of all kings would like your attention? Have we prepared our hearts and minds? In Hosea 10:12 NKJV, the Lord tells us to, "Sow for yourselves righteousness; Reap in mercy; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the Lord, Till He comes and rains righteousness on you."

The dictionary defines 'fallow' as:
1. (of land) plowed and left unseeded for a season or more
2. not in use, inactive

Does 'fallow' describe your heart? It has described mine in the past. Let us break up our fallowed ground so that we can get the seed sown, and it will produce the harvest needed to feed the lost. It is very important and NEEDFUL to listen intentionally, with purpose. Why? Oh, you may remember - faith comes by hearing...

Prayer:

Father,
          Help us to prepare our hearts to receive Your Word. Give us ears to hear, eyes to see , and faith that truly hears and obeys Your voice. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Good for the Body

A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.

1st Corinthians 12:7 NLT

How many times have you heard someone say when hearing the rules or the policy, "Yeah, that doesn't work for me" as though rules and policies are supposed to somehow line up with their individual ideas rather than the corporate. Unless your name is on the building, I'm pretty sure it's not about you. I know that may come as a surprise in this day and age, when everything seems to be about "me". What me wants. What me likes. What me thinks.

There are many talented people in this world, but we lose sight that those gifts are not all about "me" either - or at least they shouldn't be. We tend to lose sight of it also in our Christian walk. The Bible says we're a team. We're supposed to be working together to get Home. Verses 4-6 read, "There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us." It's not about individual wins - it's the Body of Christ.

Verse 12 reads, "For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ." The purpose of our gifts are so we can help each other. The gifts are not about making an individual who s/he is - it's about the collective gifts making the church whole, complete. Jesus prophesied in Matthew 16 that the gates of hell shall not prevail against the church - the Body as a whole.

I hear Alan Neel use the game of baseball as a great illustration. One person isn't a baseball team. Even if one or two shine, one person cannot be the team. An opposing team will defeat one person. It doesn't matter how good you are - if the team doesn't win, you don't win. And sometimes, we have to sacrifice for the team. You may be the best hitter on the team, but if the situation calls for a bunt, you need to bunt. The Truth is, when we help our teammates score, we still win.

We need to be of one heart and one mind, according to Scripture. We have one purpose and one plan - God's. It "doesn't work for me" because it shouldn't work just for me. We're called the Body of Christ. Our bodies are His temple. That would make it HIS Name on the building. It will work for US together. Let's lay our lives down in service to the Body of Christ. Let's help them get Home - then we all win!

Prayer:

Father,
           Help us to see with Your eyes - to be of one heart and one mind - executing Your plan, not ours. Change our hearts, O God! In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Great Gratitude

Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 5:18-20 NLT

Have you ever been listening to the radio when a song comes on that takes you back to another time and another place? You know exactly where you were and who was there with you and what you were doing and where you were going and what you were wearing. It's amazing, isn't it? Music seems to define and even seal things in our lives. Truly a gift from God.

I've been going through an old hymn book - and I'm finding a treasure trove of old hymns that become as alive to me today as they were when I was a little girl, exuberantly beating the tambourine in time to the music - the words still in my spirit. Singing the slower ones that captured the soul with the dissonant followed by the concordant, writing the harmonies on the heart.

Some take me back to great memories - Anne Beatty playing all 88 keys and singing in her rich, contralto voice. Others take me back to not-so-great memories, when the song was the solace for my soul during hard times. But all of them cause me to remember that God was there each and every step of the way, as "Mama" Lutz used to sing, ♪♫ Each step I take...♫♪ because as His Word promises, He will always be there each and every step of the way.

Just so you know, I'm not stuck in a time warp. There are songs on the charts today that speak to my spirit and bring comfort and joy to my soul - but what they all have in common - whether it is Casting Crowns or Chris Tomlin, Mozart or MercyMe, Gaither or GRITS, Jimmie Bratcher or Jars of Clay - is someone wrote them. Those songs that touch your heart - be they praise, passion or an appeal - they were born through someone's walk with the Lord. 2 Corinthians 1:4 NLT tells us, "He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us." Seeds sown, watered by tears, producing a harvest. Will you give thanks for that?

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for touching our lives in such ways that we cannot begin to properly express our gratitude. Thank You for providing the words to sing when we cannot find the words to pray. Thank You for never leaving us. Thank You for music and the melodies. We give You all honor, all glory and all praise. In Jesus' Name Amen

Farming Faithfulness

Just as a linen undergarment clings to the body, so I created the people of Israel and Judah to cling to me, declares the Lord, to be my people for my honor, praise, and grandeur.
Jeremiah 13:11 CEB

I think I mentioned that our church is doing a Bible reading plan called "Bible Recap". It has the Scripture readings listed in chronological order. Currently, we are in the book of Jeremiah.

It is challenging yet also eye-opening, and doesn't take much discernment to see that since the beginning of mankind, God has poured out His love and desire for a faithful relationship only to be rejected time and time again. God struck a covenant with His chosen people with the first commandment being Exodus 20:3, "You shall have no other gods before Me."

In the context of His Word, God is not referring only to statues and idols covered in silver and gold, but to ANYTHING that we would go to instead of to God for comfort and peace that only He can give. Think about that for a moment...

In the book of Jeremiah, God's people have repeatedly turned their backs on God, and He has had enough. He is ready to pour out His righteous judgment, and yet consistently throughout the first 13 chapters of this book, there are glimpses of His overwhelming love - if only they would repent and turn back to Him...

In verses 1-11 of the 13th chapter, I see the same false accusation against God since the beginning of time for anything bad that happens to mankind. "Why did God do this to me?" when in reality, we bring it on ourselves by our own disobedience. The Truth is we will always have to struggle with our own flesh to be in faithful submission to the Lord, but we can only do that by His grace and mercy.

Psalm 37:3 reads, "Trust the Lord and do good; live in the land, and farm faithfulness." We know that farming requires patience, as the farmer waits for the harvest following the hard work of tilling the ground, planting and watering the seed. Similarly, cultivating faithfulness requires perseverance and trust in God's timing, even when the results are not immediately visible. God is ALWAYS faithful.

Prayer:

Father,
           Forgive us for every false idol we have ever placed before You. According to Your Word, "They are a delusion, a charade; at the appointed time they will vanish!" And so is anything and everything we choose over You and Your Word. Thank You, Father, that Your mercies are new every morning - that Your Words are eternal and everlasting! Give us the strength and wisdom to trust You and do good; to live in the land You have provided, and to farm faithfulness. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Be Intentional

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT

There are things we do without even thinking about it. Things that are necessary to stay alive. We breathe, we eat (although that might take some thought). We hydrate. We practice good hygiene. We sleep (and that might take some absence of thought). Some things, by the Grace of God, our bodies do for us. Our heart pumps the blood through our veins; liver, lungs, kidneys do their job. We blink without thinking.

However, we don't live our lives by rote. We are intentional about going to work. We have to be intentional about our relationships. We have to be intentional about taking care of the business of our lives.

We have to be intentional about walking with the Lord. We have to be intentional about our relationship with Him - talking to Him, listening to Him, praising Him, spending time in His presence, reading His Word... Not just on the day(s) we go to church. We can't survive, thrive or stay fully alive on once or twice a week.

Reading the Word of God is not just about information; it's about transformation. It's to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip His people to do every good work.

Let's do it intentionally.

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for giving us Your Living Word so we can fulfill Your purpose for our lives - to do every good work. Teach us, O God. Open our minds to understand. Give us wisdom, Father, and birth in us a renewed desire for more of You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - When the Wind Stopped

“Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped.

Matthew 14:29-32 NLT

This has always been one of my favorite passages of Scripture. I don't care how many people point out Peter's fear and doubt, I don't see anyone else's name mentioned as going over the side of the boat IN THE STORM and walking on the water. It lends a whole new meaning to "getting your sea legs."

I thought I'd heard this story taught from every angle. I was wrong. My pastor taught on this last night, and I heard another pastor's sermon on YouTube this morning that seemed to be the extension of last night's teaching, and both were exactly what I needed to hear. I've lived long enough to know that when God repeats something, "verily verily," I'd better pay close attention.

Just to refresh - In this story of the storm and Peter, verse 24 tells us, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. The waves that Jesus was walking on. The same waves that Peter stepped into when he went over the side of the boat. The point being that the circumstances had not changed. Jesus was there, but the storm was still raging. Jesus bid Peter come and walk to Him, yet the storm raged on. The wind didn't stop when Jesus showed up. It didn't stop when Jesus reached down and pulled Peter out of the water. It didn't stop as they were climbing to get into the boat - which was no easy task... The wind stopped after they got back into the boat. After...

Sometimes the circumstances don't change, but I can guarantee you that Jesus is there because His Word promises He will never leave us nor forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:8, Hebrews 13:5). And we know that God works ALL things together for our good. Storms, dark nights, tears. Faith is never strengthened without being tested. When did the wind stop? AFTER the waves, after the dark, after the fear, after he was sinking, after he climbed back up into the boat. Where was Jesus? Right there. Always right there.

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for Your Word. Thank You for the encouragement to grow our faith. Thank You for never leaving us. Thank You for Your presence at all times. Remind us to give thanks IN all things. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

In Spirit and In Truth

The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.

1st Samuel 16:7b NLT

Have you ever wondered how different a potential relationship might have been if instead of judging you by your outward appearance, someone took the time to really know you - who you are on the inside? Here's your opportunity.

John 4:23 NLT tells us, "...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."

What does it mean to worship in spirit and in truth? As I understand it, Truth is the Word of God, so worshiping God for who He really is as defined in Scripture. That's Truth. What about in spirit? We say our spirit is who we really are inside this body, so to worship Him with everything that's within us? (Psalm 103:1b, "And all that is within me, bless his holy name.")

If we're standing in the sanctuary worshiping God (which by the way is NOT the only place or way to worship), but if we ARE standing there, it could become easy to go through the motions of worship while thinking of sleeping in, or going to lunch, or 'I don't like this song', or "somebody's off pitch..." Have you ever done that? And probably no one around you is any wiser... but God is. What IS within me? What am I worshiping Him with?

"People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." You know. The Heart. How often have we said something like,"My heart is with you" or "I wish you could hear my heart." Is it our whole heart or only the part that is not distracted by the rest of the world?

Prayer:

Father,
          We want to worship You with our whole heart, not just parts. Create in us a right spirit. Give us clean hands and a pure heart so that we may worship You in Spirit and in Truth, no matter Who is looking or listening. In Jesus' Name we pray.

Promise for Today - Finish This

"God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we'll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels. Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet."

Ephesians 6:10-13 The Message

I've lost count of the times I have heard this question - "Why can't we all just get along?" And while the truth would be, "Light can't abide with darkness", I also have to remember that we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Although my flesh wants to rip and tear, I am bound by the Word in Romans 12:17-18, "Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone."

John 3:17 declares that God sent His Son to save the world, not to condemn it. We must remember that we are not to fight people; we're fighting spiritual wickedness. Christ died for all mankind, no matter their political beliefs; no matter their spiritual beliefs or lack thereof. Christ died so ALL would have the opportunity to receive the salvation He so freely offered us. God doesn't love me more than the unsaved heathen who uses His Name in vain.

None of us would go to battle and die for something or someone we don't love or believe in. Jesus said in Luke 9, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me." Paul wrote, "I die daily..." Where did we ever get the idea that living a Christian life would be a walk in the park?

So, how do we fight enemies we do not see? Can we go charging after and be effective in routing an unseen adversary? No! We cannot go charging off on our own, under our own power, our own steam. If we're going to fight - and finish - the fight of good faith, we must follow the Leader. We have to follow the Lord. Just as our Promise for Today reads, "This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels. Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting, you'll still be on your feet."

What are the weapons? Continue on in Ephesians 6, "Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You'll need them throughout your life. God's Word is an indispensable weapon."

In other words, don't show up to a sword fight without The Sword of the Lord.

"In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters in the Lord. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out."

Let's finish this thing. It's time to go Home.

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for providing everything we need to do everything You have called us to do. You are the ultimate Leader. Father, we want to finish this fight with You. Continue to lead us and instruct us. Ramp up our training so we can be effective in winning souls and winning the battles. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

No Known Cure

A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding. She had suffered a great deal from many doctors, and over the years she had spent everything she had to pay them, but she had gotten no better. In fact, she had gotten worse.

Mark 5:25-26 NLT

Maybe you were diagnosed. Maybe someone you love. You see the doctor's mouth moving; you know she's speaking, but you haven't heard a single word after "...no known cure..." It may not be terminal, but the condition for which you sought help is not curable. There's no known treatment that will alleviate the pain, the symptoms, or remove the cause. What do you do?

Generally, they will offer you options that "might help" to manage the pain, if you can financially afford a Tier 4 or Tier 5 pharmaceutical. Of course, that's if you can manage the side effects. Side effects that include the words, "In rare cases, less than 1%... may cause death." What if your medical history identifies you as one of the less than 1%? The kind of words the enemy of your soul loves. No known cure. Destined to be in pain for the rest of your natural life (or what's left of it).

Then it hit me - no known cure - what a lie!! Maybe not known in the field of medicine. Maybe not known in the scientific realm. But definitely and unequivocally KNOWN in the spirit realm. Isaiah 53:5 NLT prophesied about it before Christ was ever born on this earth. "...He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed." Peter tells us again in his New Testament letter, "who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed." 1st Peter 2:24 NLT

If we continue on a little further in today's text, we find verses 27-29, "She had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him through the crowd and touched his robe. For she thought to herself, 'If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.' Immediately the bleeding stopped, and she could feel in her body that she had been healed of her terrible condition."

There IS a Known Cure! Have you heard about it? His Name is Jesus. Jehovah Rapha - Our God who heals! The side effects are incredible - Life and it more abundantly - and eternally! And it's already been paid for...

Prayer:

Father,
            Thank You for all that You are, all that You've done, and all that You're going to do. Thank You for revealing Your Truth and dispelling the darkness of the facts of this world. Thank You for the provision You have made for our healing. Open our hearts to embrace Your Truth. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Not Willing

The sailors were awestruck by the Lord’s great power, and they offered him a sacrifice and vowed to serve him.
Jonah 1:16 NLT

Somehow, I have overlooked the significance of this one verse every time I've read this story of Jonah. 

Most of us know about the story of Jonah. Have you ever wondered why a prophet of God could be so ticked off about being asked to go somewhere and proclaim God's message? How could a prophet be angry with God about the thought of repentance and salvation for an entire city? After all, isn't that his life's work? But Jonah was not willing.

However, before we become so quick to judge, think of the political blitzkrieg around us today. Let us think of the self-proclaimed cognoscenti we would most like to see silenced if we could make that happen. What would happen if God asked us to go witness to them? Would we be willing or would we wish them a special place in hell as we head in the opposite direction? 

And let's also witness the extraordinary love of God in action! We know He especially prepared a large fish to accommodate and assist Jonah onto the road of repentance in his own rebellion against God. And in the process of creating the storm, He caused a boatload of sailors to first fear Him and then to turn from their false gods, and offer a sacrifice to our God while vowing to serve only Him... (even though at first they were not willing to throw Jonah overboard).

There was a lot of Not Willing going on, but the most important one is that God is Not Willing that ANY should perish, according to 2nd Peter 3:9, but that all - everyone - should come to repentance. 

Prayer:

Father,
          Thank You that You cause all things to work together for good for those who love You and are called according to Your purpose for our lives. Please forgive our rebellion in wanting our own way. Give us the wisdom, power, and strength to see and to do what You have ordained for us to accomplish. Give us willing hearts. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen