Promise for Today - From Our Hearts

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

For You, O God, have heard my vows;
You have given me the heritage of those who fear Your name.

Psalm 61:1-5 NKJV

Prayer:

Father,
           Hear our heart's cry for all that can seem overwhelming. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today Reminder - Strength to Fight

Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have confessed so well before many witnesses. And I charge you before God, who gives life to all, and before Christ Jesus, who gave a good testimony before Pontius Pilate, that you obey this command without wavering. Then no one can find fault with you from now until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.

1st Timothy 6:12-14 NLT

The following lines are excerpts from Pastor Alan Neel's sermon...

• There will always be a fight. We are not fighting flesh and blood; we are contending for our faith.
• There is no "Golden Acres Retirement Center" here on Earth.
• THERE IS NO CONVENIENT CHRISTIANITY.
• We better learn how to fight.Discernment
• Discipline
• 1st Timothy 4:7 "Train yourself..."
• If you don't establish the right habits, by default you'll continually reinforce the bad habits.
• Quote by Dr. Gary Brothers, "Don't cause yourself more trouble than the trouble causes you."
• Determination
• We'd better learn how to win.We are not moving to a place of rest here on Earth. That doesn't happen here. Here - we need to fight!

Fight for our faith!
Fight for our children's faith!
Fight for our grandchildren's faith!

Like the Apostle Paul commanded, "Fight the good fight for the true faith."

The Finish Line is in sight! We can't slack off - we must win!

Prayer:

Father,
          Today I pray as Scotty Smith prayed - for "strength to do the next right thing", according to Your Word in Philippians 4:13. "I can do all things through him who strengthens me...this verse has been underlined in my Bible, pasted on my refrigerator...But today I need it to be an active force in my life. Free me from the temptations of an “approval suck”. I don’t want to become aloof and callous, but neither do I want to be oversensitive to what people think...

"I need strength to deal with destructive choices of friends. Marriages, health, the hearts of children, and Your glory are on the line. I need strength, Jesus, to get involved where frankly, I’d rather not. It would be much easier just to “pray from afar” than to run after prodigals, confront foolishness, and face anger. Strengthen me so that I will not wimp out. You pursued me, and You pursue me still. Likewise, be a persistent Lover through me in these messy situations.

I need strength to seek You with fresh passion and delight, earnestness and anticipation. I never like it when I find it easier to watch TV than to meditate on the Scriptures. It’s not a good sign when exercising my body for vanity comes easier than exercising my heart for godliness. Renew my heart’s affection, adoration, and allegiance to You; for You alone are worthy of everything I am and have."

In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Through It All

Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.
Job 13:15a NKJV

Sometimes, I don't have the words. Sometimes, all I have is a song. Bob Benson once said, "There has to be a song— There are too many dark nights, Too many troublesome days, Too many wearisome miles, There has to be a song— To make our burdens bearable, To transform our successes into praise, To release the chains of past defeats, Somewhere—down deep in a forgotten corner of each man's heart— There has to be a song—"  This is one that's in mine...

https://www.facebook.com/reel/815158614221153

Prayer:

Father,
          Thank You for all of it. Thank You for everything that has caused me to chase after and cling to You. Thank You that You have promised to never leave us. Amen

Promise for Today - Reminder: That Warm Feeling

 John used many such warnings as he announced the Good News to the people.

Luke 3:18 NLT

You and I have talked about Truth so many times. What it is and what it is not. We have talked about having Truth as our standard - that the Word of God is Truth that will stand and be the measure by which we live. It's not a maybe. It's not a perhaps. It's not conjecture - pure or otherwise. It's Truth... absolute Truth.

John the Baptist spoke Truth...not a real popular guy. But in the telling of it, I made a connection that I'd never seen before in the Word and I'd like to share it with you. First, let me back up a little and give you the general gist of the chapter. John is in the wilderness. He's preaching true repentance. Repentance is NOT about asking for forgiveness. Repentance IS us choosing to do a 180-degree turn - away from those things that are sin and not aligned with the covenant God set before us - and then NEVER going back.

In chapter 3 of Luke, those who are in sin ask John, "What should we do?" and John tells them like it is. He does not mince words. He does not say, "Oh, poor baby, I know you're trying." He tells them flat out - Stop! Stop doing this! Start doing that! He speaks absolute Truth.

Just as the Word of God instructs, it is Truth that sets us free (from sin and its wages). Luke said of John in verses 4-6, Isaiah had spoken of John when he said, “He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! Clear the road for him! The valleys will be filled, and the mountains and hills made level. The curves will be straightened, and the rough places made smooth. And then all people will see the salvation sent from God." (That's from Isaiah, chapter 40).

It is Truth that digs out the lies underneath the anger. It's Truth that hacks away at the walls we build around us. It's Truth that fills the empty places and potholes in our lives. And I believe it's Truth that makes the road clear - that prepares the way of the Lord and that enables us to see salvation.

If I remove the dunghill between me and thee, I can see you. I can see much farther on a straight road than I can on a crooked one. When we get all the junk (sin) out of the way, we are enabled to see much clearer, much further. In Isaiah 45:2, God said to Cyrus, "I will go before you and make the crooked places straight..." Psalm 25:10a tells us, "All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth," but it doesn't end with that. There's a condition to it - part B - "To such as keep His covenant and His testimonies." Did you get that? Were you paying attention? All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth to THOSE WHO keep His covenant and His testimonies.

John spoke Truth and did not worry about giving people warm fuzzies. The Word tells us there is an eternal lake of fire for those who don't embrace His Truth and salvation. If you're more interested in feeling than Truth, you would do well to check to see where the heat is coming from that supplies the warmth for those fuzzies.

Prayer:

Father,
           Psalm 25:11, For Your name’s sake, O LORD, Pardon my iniquity, for it is great. Apply Your absolute Truth to our lives. Speak Your Truth in love so that we might see You and embrace the salvation offered. Reveal Yourself and Your absolute Truth to us, O God. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Rehearsing

Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and my God!

Psalm 42:11

Listening to the news, reading social media, perusing the headlines - literally everywhere you look, the news is discouraging. We live in a hurting world and their needs can sometimes feel overwhelming! And when we talk about it repeatedly with others, nursing and rehearsing all the bad, it just drives it deeper into our spirit.

I believe I've mentioned a quote I heard decades ago on a Marilyn Hickey broadcast. She was talking about sharing God with a lost and dying world and said, "If your outgo exceeds your income, your general upkeep will be your downfall." Do we fail to realize that if we continue to pour Christ into others without replenishing ourselves daily, we will become worn down? It's why we get discouraged; it's why we are so sad. We are empty.

It's too easy to get caught up in all that! We must put our hope in God! We must choose to praise Him again! If you want to nurse and rehearse things - make it the things of the Lord!

Prayer:

Father,
          We are forever grateful for the hope of our salvation in Christ; for the hope of Heaven; for the hope of eternity with You. Thank You for providing all of these things and so much more. Help us to keep our hearts and minds focused on that which is good - that comes from only You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

Promise for Today - Take Him at His Word

If anyone hears what I am saying and doesn't take it seriously, I don’t reject him. I didn't come to reject the world; I came to save the world. But you need to know that whoever puts me off, refusing to take in what I’m saying, is willfully choosing rejection. The Word, the Word-made-flesh that I have spoken and that I am, that Word and no other is the last word. I’m not making any of this up on my own. The Father who sent me gave me orders, told me what to say and how to say it. And I know exactly what his command produces: real and eternal life. That’s all I have to say. What the Father told me, I tell you.

John 12:47-50 The Message

I thank God for those people in our lives who speak truth to us, no matter what. We know that we can believe whatever comes out of their mouth. In today's vernacular, we can 'take it to the bank.' Their words are gold.

Isn't it great to have friends like that? Even if sometimes they say things we don't like, we still know that what they're saying is true. We believe them, and we can take action based on their word. Regular folks with skin on. Good as gold - we take them at their word.

So then that begs the question, if the Creator of Heaven and Earth, Almighty God, King of kings, and Lord of lords, tells us something - even goes so far as to write it down - how is it that we have a hard time believing what HE says?!? Jesus tells us that He only speaks what the Father tells Him to speak. That would be the Father - God - the same God who CANNOT lie... and yet, oftentimes we respond to His Word and His promises as though they were counterfeit or not true for us. Why don't we believe His promises made to us?

We must take Him at His Word. 

Prayer:

Father,
           Forgive us for willfully choosing rejection. This day, we repent and turn our hearts and minds toward You only and what You have to say to us. We want to take You at Your Word for everything. Let all other words fall on deaf ears. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Guest Author: Emily Rose Massey - A Heavenly Perspective

A Prayer for a Heavenly Perspective by: Emily Rose Massey

"If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth" (Colossians 3:1-2 NKJV).

It doesn’t take long to realize that Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, Twitter, and pretty much any other social media platform are a massive door to comparison. Your eyes begin to get fixated on earthly things instead of things of the Kingdom and God's plan for your life. This often negatively impacts your decision-making. Regarding material things, you are now spending money you don't have and are not just trying to "keep up with the Jones'" but everyone else in the entire world! People's lives are constantly on display, and it is a great temptation for us to become dissatisfied and unthankful for what God has given us. We become unhappy. Not only that, but we also aren’t happy for one another. "Everyone is getting married, having babies, getting an education, buying a house, getting a raise, a new job, a new car, pursuing their dreams, making connections to further their job/ministry, traveling, wearing the latest fashions, making more money, going on vacation, losing weight, AND WHY NOT ME?!” we think to ourselves. This type of mentality makes us question God’s goodness as we start to wonder if He is withholding things from us.

You may know in your mind that God is good, but is it truly rooted in your heart and applied to your life? The struggle occurs when we fix our eyes on ourselves, and it becomes worse when we turn our attention to others and begin to compare or judge unrighteously. We begin to believe lies and draw conclusions about others, consumed by jealousy. James calls this type of thinking worldly and even demonic (James 3:15).

When our fixation is on the temporal, as believers, Paul tells us in Colossians that we need to look up:

"If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth" (Colossians 3:1-2 NKJV).

Paul urges us to "put to death [our] members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walk when you lived in them" (Colossians 3:5-7 NKJV).

Did you catch that in verse 5? Covetousness is idolatry. When you covet, compare, and live in jealousy and envy over something that someone else is experiencing, you are worshiping what you don't have. Whether that is material things, a person, or a situation, that thing is now placed above God and God's plan for your life. You have made that thing, situation, person, or position an idol in your life. You become self-centered and too concerned about your life; You have put on “self glasses.”

“Self glasses” distort your vision and heart posture towards God and others. Practically, this means that God isn’t enough for you. These glasses also foster a victim mentality, where you compare and complain, leading to discontent. Before long, you will doubt God and begin to take control of your own life. Lifting our gaze upwards, as Colossians 3 tells us, shifts our perspective, and we begin to see how God is fully enough. This perspective shift helps us believe the truth about God’s sovereignty, about others, and about ourselves.

Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father,

Help me keep my eyes on Jesus and Your word. Remind my heart to cling to You, abide in You so that I will remain full of Your love and nothing else can satisfy. I truly only want what You have for me because I trust that Your promises are more than enough. I know that eternal things are far greater than anything this world can offer. Please help me to trust You with all my heart and lean on Your understanding, not my own. I believe You will direct my path and will never lead us astray.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Promise for Today - Gaining Access

Then Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. But John tried to talk him out of it. “I am the one who needs to be baptized by you,” he said, “so why are you coming to me?” But Jesus said, “It should be done, for we must carry out all that God requires.” So John agreed to baptize him. After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.”
Matthew 3:13-17 NLT

One of the tasks at my day job is to make sure my people know about and meet a contract’s required certifications to do the work for a client. There are safety trainings and certifications, as well as various mandatory drug and alcohol tests, and each has to be renewed annually. Once approved, they are also subject to random drug tests to prove that they are still in compliance with the requirements for entry to the facility.

There is usually a grace period, but once that's over, there are no excuses, no exceptions. The contract is there - it's specific about the requirements. It doesn't matter how much you think you know about it - or what you learned years ago. Have you done what is asked of you? If you want in, do what's required of you. When you do, then you get the stamp of approval that allows you into the facility. They'll wave you through the gate because your name is on the list.

It reminds me a little of the requirements to gain access to heaven. It doesn't matter if you're a "good guy." It's not about what you know or how long you've known it. The only way to gain entry is through the Blood of Jesus Christ. In John 14:6, Jesus tells us that no one gets to the Father, except through Him [Jesus]. It's about training - aligning ourselves with the Word. It's about keeping the training current.

Luke 9:23 NKJV tells us, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me."

1st John 2:23b-25, "...But anyone who acknowledges the Son has the Father also. So you must remain faithful to what you have been taught from the beginning. If you do, you will remain in fellowship with the Son and with the Father. And in this fellowship we enjoy the eternal life he promised us."

In other words, when you do, you get the Father's approval. Is your name written in the Lamb's Book of Life?

Prayer:

Father,
          Please notify us of the changes to be made in our lives, so that we fully comply with Your requirements of us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Patient Endurance

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.
James 1:2-3 NLT

If you have known me for very long, you have heard me say, What doesn't kill us only makes us stronger. I believe that. There have been times in my life when it seemed like it would be a whole lot easier to die than to endure. But God would get me through, and because of the endurance training I received during that trial, I would be able to be victorious over the next, bigger, tougher situation.

However, I can't say that I've ever been ecstatic or enthusiastic about trials and tribulations. I wasn't looking ahead - I wasn't looking "to the hills where my help comes from" (Psalm 121). I wasn't looking "to the Author and Finisher of our faith who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls." (Hebrews 12) Endured. Christ looked PAST the Cross to the joy that was set before Him.

The writer of Hebrews encourages us in 10:35-36, "So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will."

Just as God, for the sake of the Cross, looks beyond our frail, human nature so that Jesus can receive us unto Himself, so must we look beyond the trials and tribulations and patiently endure them so that we can continue to do the Father's will no matter what comes our way. It is in the patient endurance that we receive the Promise. (vs 36b) - "THEN you will receive all that he has promised."

Prayer:

Father,
           Your Word promises that You are the Lifter of our heads. Hold us up so we can see over this to the promise of eternity with You where there are no more tears. No more pain. No more separation. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Keep It Moving

Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.

Philippians 3:13-14 The Message

Where are you going? I'm not asking about vacations or work trips. I want to know your destination in LIFE. Where are you headed? What's your goal? Are you in charge of your destiny? Think about it! Check your life.

Are we aiming for Heaven? Is that our goal? Are we actively taking steps and measures to get there? Is there activity that shows forward motion with Heaven as your destination? We can't move forward just for the sake of moving. Or are we just marking time - going to work, paying bills, mowing the lawn, trying to save for retirement? Are you working as diligently to get to Heaven as you are to succeed at work? Are we seeking God's "well done, good and faithful servant" above getting a raise at our job? 

The Truth is, if we have our eye on the goal, and keep pressing forward where God is beckoning us onward - to Jesus - all the rest of that stuff will be taken care of. Matthew 6:33 in the New Living reads, "Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need."

I heard these pearls of wisdom from Alan Neel, 'When we live without direction, we're living without a destiny.' If we're not moving forward - toward Christ - seeking Him, serving Him, then we're living aimlessly, seeking our own satisfaction. That won't get us to Heaven. We gotta keep it moving... "onward to Jesus."

Prayer:

Father,
          Forgive us for mindless living. Clear our vision to see our way to You. Renew the passion within us to keep moving toward You and to make intentional choices to keep us on our course. We want to finish well and hear You say, "Well done, good and faithful servant." In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Not-So-Simply Love

There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear expects punishment. The person who is afraid has not been made perfect in love. We love because God first loved us.
1 John 4:18-19 CEB

Do you remember your first love? Do you remember how that felt? You could talk for hours. You were content just to sit and bask in the presence of your beloved. Just to be near was enough. You wanted to be better - to be more - to be everything that person "deserved" so you would be loved in return. Ahhhhh...first love... Oh, you just knew that person was perfect... or at least, perfect for you.

What if there really was such a thing as a perfect love? A perfect mate? A perfect relationship? Someone who was perfect for real, but at the same time would overlook your imperfections? Someone who could see past any physical flaws or your neediness or your inabilities. Someone who would love you no matter what you did, no matter what you said, no matter what you looked like. Someone who spoke the love language of your heart. Someone who knew exactly what it would take to love you and make you feel that love all the way inside. Someone who never leaves, is always there. Someone whose whole goal is a relationship with you. Someone who wants what is best for your life - to promote you and the abilities you have, and who will do and has done everything necessary to make that happen. Someone who has proven to be steadfast and true through the test of time and for all eternity.

Let me arrange the introduction. His Name is Adonai. God the Lord. God doesn't just love. He IS love and He commands us to love. Your ultimate perfection is guaranteed through His perfect love gift - His Son, Jesus Christ.

Prayer:

Father,
           We pray the words of the old hymn by Thomas Chisholm and William Kirkpatrick. ♪♫ O to be like Thee! Blessed Redeemer, this is my constant longing and prayer. Gladly I'll forfeit all of earth's treasures, Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear. O to be like Thee! O to be like Thee! Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art. Come in Thy sweetness. Come in Thy fullness. Plant Thine own image deep on my heart. ♪♫ In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Yeah, but God...

Into the land they went, and it became theirs. For our forefathers, You made sure even the Canaanites there were powerless. You subdued everything and everyone to their power— land, kings, and people—to do with as they pleased. They overwhelmed strong and secure cities. They overtook fertile, productive land. They claimed well-furnished houses, wells that were already dug, vineyards, olive groves and orchards filled with fruit. They ate their fill. They grew fat. They basked in Your generosity and goodness. Even so, again they chose to defy You.
Nehemiah 9:24-26a The Voice

One would think that a pattern of behavior repeated over and over would become obvious - even to the perpetrator. I know I would sit in disbelief as I read the number of miracles God performed for the people of Israel and how quickly they would forget and turn from following His ways. Unbelievable...

That is, until I saw the same thing in myself. There's something about the Truth that will strike you no matter what language it's spoken in. "They basked in Your generosity and goodness. Even so, again they chose to defy You." Like a video replay, I realized I have OFTEN basked in God's generosity and goodness, and at times, still chose to go my own way when an offense or perceived onslaught kept me from what I wanted to do. 'Yeah, but God - he did this...' 'Yeah, but God, she said...' 'Yeah, but God, I couldn't just let them get away with...' 'Yeah, but God...'

Today I realized the number of times that I did this or I've said that, and yet God has shown me unfathomable mercy on innumerable occasions... "basking in His generosity and goodness." Have you ever done that? 

The truth is that doing it our own way instead of walking in God's way is to defy God. No 'yeah, buts' about it. Forgive us, O God!

Prayer:

Father,
           We pray Your Word - "It was because of Your great mercy that we were not completely annihilated or forsaken. You are a grace-filled and mercy-laden God; Our True God—You who are great, majestic, and awesome, You who always keep Your covenant of loyal love— do not overlook the trouble we are facing here today. This trouble confronts us all: our kings and our princes, our priests and our prophets, our ancestors and all of Your people— From the time of the Assyrian kings until today. You are righteous in all that You have done to us. You have faithfully upheld Your part of the covenant, but we have acted with evil."  Forgive us, O God! Change our hearts. Make them ever thirst only for You. To walk in Your will and way and not our own. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Coming to a Complete Stop

I come to your altar, O Lord, singing a song of thanksgiving and telling of all your wonders. I love your sanctuary, Lord, the place where your glorious presence dwells.

Psalm 26:6b-8 NLT

The first traffic ticket I ever got was for not coming to a complete stop at a posted stop sign. On the daily route, there were 4 stop signs to get to the main road. At the last stop sign that morning, I slowed way down but did the infamous California roll instead of stopping completely...and I had to pay the price for it. Oh, I thought I was justified - even tried to talk my way out of it (I wasn't saved then). The officer patiently explained to me that the book did not read three out of four stops are okay, nor did it say I got to choose which laws I would obey, or that I could stop only when I felt like it and had the time.

There are days when life threatens to overwhelm us with all that we have to do and all the things and people who need a piece of us, and there just isn't enough time. Combine that with the time of year and making plans for the upcoming holiday season, all the extras we want to do as part of that (and more than likely won't get done), and it becomes our focus, creating a sure-fire recipe for potential disaster. It's the fourth stop sign all over again. Except this time, we're not stopping to acknowledge and praise God in all things. 

Are we stopping to give Him thanks in all things - everything - as Scripture instructs? Interesting that His Book doesn't read that three out of four times are okay, nor does it say we get to choose which laws we will obey, or that we could stop only when we felt like it and had the time. Oh, we may throw a few thanks heavenward - they may even be heartfelt - but are we taking the time to come to a complete stop and give Him our full attention to praise Him and thank Him?

If not, take 5 minutes right now and stop. Seriously. Stop. List 5 things you are thankful for. Something you know that you have only by the grace and goodness of God.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Now praise Him for who He is. Acknowledge His greatness. 

Sing with awe and wonder...How Great Thou Art!  
(This rendition is by the group Selah - the middle verse is sung in their native tongue -  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6ZbcCjoj70)

Prayer:

Father,
          It is only by Your mercy and grace that we even breathe. We acknowledge and give great thanks that it is only in You that we can even live and move and have our being. We know that every good and perfect thing comes from You and we give You praise. In Jesus' Name. Amen

Promise for Today - By His Grace

So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus. God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.
Ephesians 2:7-8 NLT

Do you ever find yourself reading about different ones in the Bible and wondering, 'Why? Why did you do that? How COULD you do that after all God had done? What were you thinking?' Only to read on a little further and recognize yourself in their actions? 'O Father, forgive me. Who am I to judge? Except for Your grace, I would be so much worse than what I am.'

Paul was well aware of God's grace in his own life and the lives of those around him, and for all future generations. Did you catch that part of the verse? 'So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace...'

A little further down in this chapter, verse 10 reads, 'For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.' There are many things God has laid on our hearts that we think, 'I can't do that. Un-unh...no way. I've done this or I've done that, who's gonna listen to someone who has done that? Nobody's going to listen to what I have to say. I'm not a speaker.' Except for His grace... Neither was Moses. Neither was Peter. Neither was Paul.

And the litany in your head continues, 'I can't...I can't... I can't...' And you're right, you can't. Except for His grace...

By grace, Paul - former Christian killer - became an apostle.

By grace, Rahab - a harlot - became part of the lineage of Christ.

By grace, David - a shepherd boy who was so NOT impressive that his father didn't even call him to the house when the prophet came - he became king.

By grace - Jacob - a liar and a cheat from a long line of liars and manipulators - inherited God's blessing and God changed his name to Israel.

Don't tell me what you can't do. Tell me what you will allow God to do through you...by His grace.

Scripture is quite clear..."For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we CAN do..."

Prayer:

Father,
          I pray as Paul prayed, When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to You, Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from Your glorious, unlimited resources You will empower us with inner strength through Your Spirit. Then Christ will make His home in our hearts as we trust in Him. Our roots will grow down into Your love and keep us strong. And may we have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep Your love is. May we experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then we will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from You. Now all glory to You, God, who is able, through Your mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to You in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

Reminder to Be Dramatically Different

Some skeptic is sure to ask, “Show me how resurrection works. Give me a diagram; draw me a picture. What does this ‘resurrection body’ look like?” If you look at this question closely, you realize how absurd it is. There are no diagrams for this kind of thing. We do have a parallel experience in gardening. You plant a “dead” seed; soon there is a flourishing plant. There is no visual likeness between seed and plant. You could never guess what a tomato would look like by looking at a tomato seed. What we plant in the soil and what grows out of it don’t look anything alike. The dead body that we bury in the ground and the resurrection body that comes from it will be dramatically different.

1st Corinthians 15:35-42 The Message

Has life ever made you feel like you'd been knocked down and buried in fertilizer... that keeps getting piled on?!? That's how I was feeling when God reminded me of this Scripture.

What is planted - buried beneath mounds and pounds of fertilizer - and what grows out of it don't look anything alike! Just like you can't tell what a tomato will look like from the seed you plant, there's no telling what we'll look like, either - but the Bible says we shall be like Him!!

Can we give God praise for that and thank Him - even in the fertilizer?!?

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for loving us more than enough to give us what we need rather than what we want. Help us to understand and continue to grow in the process. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - The Parts of Life

I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives. Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity. Anyone who wants to be my disciple must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me.

John 12:24-26

Do you ever find yourself dividing your life into parts? I'm not talking about being one kind of person at work and a different one at church. (We're supposed to be the same person wherever we are.) I mean parts such as Sundays and Wednesdays are church. And if you meet in a small group, that's another day that goes into that part. Then you've got the work week where hours vary but mine are generally Monday through Friday. Tuesday nights, some Saturday mornings and events for the grands. Oh, meet with friends? When? Can we get something on the calendar? And for those of you who have children living in your home, there's soccer practice, gymnastics, piano lessons, or some other sport or extracurricular activity, multiplied by how many children you have. Somewhere in there, we need to allow for cooking, cleaning, and washing clothes.

In all of that, you might ask, where's the part for you?

More important than that - where's the part for God? 'Well, didn't you read that part about Sundays and Wednesdays and small groups?' Sure, but what is that - 6 or 8 hours out of 168 hours? A total of four to five percent of our week for the One who gave us the week.

How often do we think these kinds of things?
'Oh, God understands. He knows I have too much to do today.'
'I need some downtime - some ME time.'
Oh, and here's the kicker -
'I can't take care of what God has given me if I don't take time for myself.'

I've been looking. Diligently searching. I haven't found one Scripture to support that train of thought. We're to follow Christ's example, right? I can hear some of you saying, 'Well, Sister, even Jesus took some time to get away from everybody.' Yes, He did. But it wasn't ME time - It was HE time. He took time to get away to spend it WITH God. He knew the Part that made it all work. Made it all worthwhile. The only way He could accomplish His purpose was to walk out what the Father had given Him.

Let's look at it this way. Everything we use - every appliance, every electronic device, phones, every light, vehicle, etc, has a power source. If we don't charge it first, or if we don't plug it in, it's not going to work. Without the power source, it just won't work. Even a battery will eventually wear down if it's not recharged.

Matthew 6:33 instructs us to "Seek FIRST the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." Are we missing our Power Source - the Part of Life that makes it all work?

Prayer:

Father,
            In the words of William McDowell's song, "Here I am. Here I stand. Lord, my life is in Your hands. Lord, I'm longing to see Your desires revealed in me. Take my heart. Take my life as a living sacrifice. All my dreams - All my plans. Lord, I place them in Your hands. I give myself away. I give myself away so You can use me. My life is not my own. To You I belong. I give myself, I give myself to You..." Father, You are the only Part that makes it all work. Forgive us for thinking otherwise. Please re-establish Your righteousness in us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Reminder - How to Fight Fire

Be angry without sinning. Don’t go to bed angry. Don’t give the devil any opportunity to work.
Ephesians 4:26-27 GWT

Do you ever get angry about stuff? Just stuff. Stuff that you can't physically do anything to change?

Back in the 70s, Eddie Chiles, former owner of the Texas Rangers, was an outspoken advocate for a smaller and less intrusive federal government. He was angry about what he perceived to be wrong about the US government. His radio commentaries were legendary and there was even an ad campaign complete with bumper stickers that proclaimed, "I'm mad, too, Eddie!" Have you ever noticed how easily you can fall into that anger and frustration when goaded by an inflammatory radio host or Facebook? All that energy wasted because the truth is that very few people do more than gripe and grouse to each other.

Did you know that Proverbs 22:24-25 warns us? "Don’t befriend angry people or associate with hot-tempered people, or you will learn to be like them and endanger your soul." If you think about it, you know that's the absolute Truth and you can get there in less than 6 seconds, depending on the subject at hand. And then there are those who retort, 'Well, you fight fire with fire!'  I remember a good answer I saw for that. The statement read, 'When tempted to fight fire with fire, remember that the Fire Department usually uses water.' And as Christians, we should also use water to put out fires.

And Jesus proclaimed Himself the Living Water. He gave Himself for us to put out the fires of hell that would consume us. Don’t give the devil any opportunity to work.

Prayer:

Father,
            Deliver us from the fiery darts of the wicked. Let the fullness of our joy in You be found in Your presence. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - This Kind of Friend

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.
Romans 4:18-19 NLT

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. Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.
Romans 4:20 - Romans 5:11 NLT

Prayer:

Father,
           Help us to be friends who don't let You down. Ones who won't forget all that You've done for us. Friends who hasten to answer when You call. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Plan

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
James 1:5-8 NKJV

How do I get from one place to another? Obviously, I have to know where I want to go. If I want to travel from Texas to Missouri, I have to decide which route I will take. What will be my mode of travel? How much time - how much money to buy gas or to pay for a ticket - how much food - all that will help determine what course I take. I have to plan and prepare all those things.

Praying in faith - without doubting - is a planned course of action. Faith is not action-less. Contrary to what some folks think, it is not living in la-la land, refusing to acknowledge what's going on around us. If we have faith, we are following a plan. We're following our course. We're not moved by what we see or hear. We are focused on following the plan. We've filed our intent with the powers that be to follow the course laid out by the God of heaven; the course that WILL get us to our destination.

Have you paid attention lately to the tenor of your prayers? No, not tenor like Pavarotti or Domingo, but tenor meaning the settled or prevailing or habitual course of a person's life. I believe in spontaneous prayer and/or praise, but I also think there needs to be intentional prayer and/or praise. We can NOT count worried thoughts thrown somewhere in the general direction toward heaven as prayer any more than we can throw our boots in the oven and bake and expect a biscuit when the timer goes off. We're talking about intentional. Settled. Prevailing. Habitual. The course of a person's prayer life. Planned.

If I ask God for wisdom to live my life, and I am not intentional about believing He will give it to me, according to His Word (THE Plan), then I would be drifting like a wave of the sea.
Merriam-Webster defines adrift as:
1 : without motive power and without anchor or mooring <a boat adrift on the sea>
2 : without ties, guidance, or security <people morally adrift>
3 : free from restraint or support.

And just like it is dangerous to be adrift on the sea - powerless and without an anchor - it is infinitely more dangerous to be adrift in the sea of life.

Although not being restrained may seem like a good thing to lots of people, no support is a bad thing (there is a way that seems right to a man, but the end of that way is death...Proverbs 14:12). Without God's motivating power, without the Cross as our anchor or mooring, without the ties, guidance, or security of our relationship with Christ, His Word, His people, we are unstable in all our ways.

How do we build relationship with Christ? We talk to Him. We get to know Him. We learn about things He's done. Things He's going to do. (Prayer, praise and pursuit).

So, do we just want to drift along or do you want to plan your course?

Prayer:

Father,
          According to Your Word in Psalm 141:4, Don’t let me drift toward evil or take part in acts of wickedness. Don’t let me share in the delicacies of those who do wrong. I need Your wisdom to plot my course in life and to follow Your plan. Let everything I do and everything I say be intentionally faithful to You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Promises, Promises

What? No Scripture?

That's because I couldn't find one - not one -  in any of the translations I have access to - not one single Scripture that tells me after I accept Christ as my Savior, I won't have any more problems, even though I've heard people say that. Yeah? Well, Promises, Promises.  I can't give you that promise - today or any day - because it is not in the Word of God.

However, Christ Himself gave the Promise that He will NEVER leave you (Hebrews 13:5, Deuteronomy 31:6,8, Joshua 1:5 NKJV). And the Promise that He will be with you until the end of the age (Matthew 28:20b NKJV). I can Promise that He will complete the work that has been started in you because He said so (Philippians 1:6 NKJV). You can see those have Scripture to back them up.  

Other Promises God offers include that whatever is born of God overcomes the world (1st John 5:4); that we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us (Romans 8:37); that we have victory over death, hell and the grave. (Revelation 20:14). Jesus also said that in this world we WILL have many trials and sorrows, but we are to "take heart" because He has overcome the world (John 16:33 NLT).

But I'd like to point out something for your consideration... You're not an overcomer unless there is something to overcome (Revelation 12:10-11). You do not become a conqueror unless you face something that needs to be conquered (Romans 8:36-37). How can you have a victory without a fight or battle (James 1:12, Revelation 2:10)? Promises, Promises, and more promises. And those are REAL promises.

Prayer:

Father,

         Give us beauty for ashes. The oil of joy for mourning. Be our Strength. Grow us up in You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen 

Promise for Today - Coming to Terms

God, our God, will take care of the hidden things but the revealed things are our business. It's up to us and our children to attend to all the terms in this Revelation.
Deuteronomy 29:29 The Message

Many large businesses today have their own legal department on payroll. It is their primary function to issue and approve contracts with all the acceptable terms and conditions before beginning work. 

The strangest thing to me when moving from a small-town position to a global corporation was just how binding the terms and conditions actually are between the two parties. The Party of the First Part has work that needs to be done. The Party of the Second Part has the right personnel who have the right training and experience to do the work, and they present a good estimate to do the work. It's fair, it's profitable to both sides, but instead of shaking hands on it, they move to the negotiation stage. Two teams in a room to try to hammer out the best deal for their side. Often, it's a case of concessions for both parties until the terms and conditions are agreed upon.

However, I have known times when they don't come to terms. It is frustrating to spend all that time, do all the prep and presentation, only to not be able to come to terms because Team One thinks they should operate according to Team One's Terms and Conditions, but Team Two thinks Team One should operate by Team Two's.

There are so many who do the same thing with their Christianity. They want to negotiate what they will or will not do. God has made all the preparation to line up the scope of the work that needs to be done, made the provision to get it done, personalized it for our own unique needs, and then presented it to us. We'd be crazy not to go for it. And yet, when it comes to God's terms and conditions, we don't want to give up anything. 

News flash! Our intimate relationship with Christ is not based on our own modified version of God's terms and conditions. His are the best...period. They are non-negotiable. So, adhere or adjourn.

Prayer:

Father,

         You made the preparation. You made the provision. You loved us first. You chose us. We choose and accept the relationship on Your terms and conditions. Help us to adhere to them, Father. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen 

Promise for Today - Source of Hope

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

Proverbs 13:12 NLT

Simply put, hope deferred is defined as something put off or postponed. In other words, a disappointment. Sometimes, if our hopes keep getting put off, it can lead to depression, making the heart sick. You may know what it's like to lose hope. It tends to make everything else seem useless. 'Why try? Why expend my energy?'

If our hope lies in this world - in this life - then there are days when it will seem absolutely hopeless. However, I must say that we need the right kind of hope! Our hope must be in the eternal.

Romans 15:13a NLT, Paul tells us, "I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him." If God is our Source of hope, He is a never-ending supply of it. Think about that!

Remember that the Word tells in Philippians 4:8, "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

God is ALL these things, and He is our eternal Source of hope.

Prayer:

Father,
          Forgive us for looking to anything or anyone else as our source of hope. You alone are our true hope. Help us to remember that there are no disappointments and no dissatisfaction in Heaven and that Heaven with You is our goal. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - About Surrender

He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.

2nd Corinthians 5:15 NLT

I believe God gave me a fighting spirit. My parents helped the idea along. My first name comes from the Greek language and means "strong, brave" - my middle name means "strong warrior" - and yet, I'm female. However, I feel as though the spirit of "Remember the Alamo!" emanates from my bones.

I could regale you with many tales of conflict, but I won't. Our purpose is to glorify God, not to brag on our before stories.

I cannot get away from the idea of surrendering. I have realized just exactly how foreign it is to my nature. And yet, that is what we are called to do - surrender to the Lordship of Christ and live our lives accordingly. Without exaggeration, I have sung this song at least several hundred times in my life; I Surrender All. I sang it passionately and with what I thought was my whole heart... but as of today, I know that is not true, but it is the prayer of my heart.

Think about this for a moment - in a today sort of moment. What does it mean to surrender? Well, the good people at Merriam-Webster define it like this:

a: to yield to the power, control, or possession of another upon compulsion or demand <surrendered the fort>
b: to give up completely or agree to forgo especially in favor of another
c: to give (oneself) up into the power of another especially as a prisoner
d: to give (oneself) over to something (as an influence)

None of it sounds like something I want to do in and of myself, but God IS still God. The Truth is - He is the one true God and He rules by HIS rules, not mine. He didn't ask me what I thought. He invited me to follow Him. And to do that, I must surrender my will to His. Will I? Will you?

Prayer:

Father,
          According to Your Word, give me the knowledge to wrap my head and heart around surrendering and the wisdom to know how to walk with You in it. My heart is to surrender to You, O God, and walk fully in YOUR ways. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Overwhelming, But Not Over

Then the word of the LORD came to him, [Elijah] saying, “Get away from here and turn eastward, and hide by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan. And it will be that you shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.”So he went and did according to the word of the LORD, for he went and stayed by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan. The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening; and he drank from the brook. And it happened after a while that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.
1st Kings 17:2-7 NKJV

Elijah was many things, but one thing he was not was politically correct. At the Lord's command, Elijah delivered the message to Ahab that there would be a drought and that there would be neither dew nor rain until he said so. And then immediately, God said, "Get outta town, son." (Texas vernacular).

If you walk with the Lord, you know that God has changed your path. And it's not always comfortable. First and foremost, He changed the direction of where you are heading for eternity. That's huge... and have you noticed, He doesn't stop there? He's either changed your employment or super-charged your passion in life - probably both - and that usually brings a change of scenery, as well. I'll bet you've moved a time or two. Yes?

Has God ever taken you someplace - so totally NOT in your plans or scheme of life - and then made provision beyond what you expected? And when you get there, you wind up so completely amazed at His working in your life and the blessings that overtake you! You just KNOW the only way you're going to leave the new place is if you die or Jesus comes back... but then the brook dries up (see the last sentence of our Promise for Today.) And there you have a choice. What do you do? It can be overwhelming...

I'd like to share an excerpt from a book titled "Lead Vertically", written by Craig Johnson. The message of it is profound. The following excerpt is "Who is in Charge of Your Change?"

"Change can mask itself to look like a problem, when in reality it is the answer in disguise. We can't always see that the thing that might be holding us back is the very thing we have been holding on to the tightest. Change will force you to step onto the playing field when you have been comfortable in the stands. You always have a choice: you either run from change or you respond to it. You can either be afraid or affirming; passive or powerful. It all depends on whether you are handling the change or God is handling the change. Have you ever experienced more change than you could bear? It's overwhelming...but it's not over!"

Allow God to be in charge of your change. It will do you good.

Prayer:

Father,
          Give us the courage to step out as Elijah did and do what You tell us to do, say what You tell us to say, and go where You direct our path. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Remembering How It Used to Be

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

2nd Corinthians 5:17 NKJV

People frequently ask me where I get the ideas for the Promise. I think God brings every day of our lives into His keeping. Therefore, everyday situations are not something that happen apart from our Christianity, but rather an opportunity to grow and mature - and to recognize the presence of God in every moment. Now with all that seemingly serious profundity, I'll tell you that today's Promise came from thinking about cleaning the coils on my refrigerator.

I'll spare you the gory details... Used to be, when I worked construction, I actually started as a painter. As an apprentice, you don't get to roll right away, you have to cut in and do baseboards and trim. Crawl around for most of the day, up and down the ladder. Great cardio, but boring. I was thinking about all that, and about how we used to knock out 2 to 3 apartments a day (determined by how many bedrooms)...all that crawling and all that up and down. Used to be, I could do that without even giving it a thought. However, cleaning coils on the refrigerator took an engineering epiphany just to get TO the floor; never mind, getting back up.

Used to be, I played competition volleyball. Used to be, I could carry 2 five-gallon buckets of paint up 3 flights of stairs and not even be winded. Used to be, I could lift 100-pound sacks of flour without batting an eye. Now there are days I'd better grab the 5-pound bag just right, or I'm gonna drop it.

As I was writing my own Book of Lamentations in my mind, while trying to get UP off the floor after cleaning the coils on my refrigerator, the Lord reminded me about how it used to be. Used to be when I worked construction, I was drunk by 6 o'clock on Friday night and stayed drunk until Sunday night and spent 3 days recovering, so I could start again the next weekend. Now, I get high on worshipping the Lord.

Used to be when I was lifting 100-pound sacks of flour, I was quietly going out of my mind because of the pain in my soul and the torment in my mind. Now, I fight the powers of hell and live in peace because my mind is stayed on Him.

Used to be...oh, really! Why go there? 

Used to be doesn't live here anymore... and I thank God for it every day. Praise His Holy Name!

Prayer:

Father,

          You overwhelm me with Your love and Your care. I have never done anything worthy to be called Your child and yet, You chose me to be Yours. O for a thousand tongues to sing praises to You! Help me to always see You in every moment of my life. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen