Advent Day 2 - God Keeps His Promise

This year's Advent devotionals are from A Celebration of Advent: A 25-Day Devotional
by New Spring Church of Anderson, SC
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You have said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one;
I have sworn to David my servant:
‘I will establish your offspring forever,
and build your throne for all generations.’”

Psalm 89:3-4   

Psalm 89 records Israel’s response to what seemed like a broken promise of God. God promised that King David’s rule would last forever (2 Samuel 7). But when Babylon defeated the nation of Israel, the people were taken captive into a foreign land and it seemed that God’s word was worthless. When the world was at its worst, God was at work, making way for the King of kings.

Often, what we experience doesn’t seem to line up with what God promised. Like the psalmist, we plead with God, “How long, O Lord? Will you hide forever?” Though He seems distant, Jesus promised to never leave or forsake His disciples.

Christmas is an annual reminder that God’s promises always come to pass. Jesus now reigns as king for eternity on the throne of David. His reign extends far beyond the borders of Israel. Christ is exalted as King of kings and Lord of lords.

As we wait patiently for God to fulfill His promises, remember His promise to David. The fulfillment of God’s promise always exceeds our expectations. God didn’t forget His people then, and He won’t forget us now.

REFLECT:
How has God been faithful to His people this year?

Is there a promise you are waiting to see fulfilled? Tell a friend, and ask them to pray with you.

(Read Psalm 89:1-52)

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Prayer:

Father, 

          We declare as Jeremiah did -  It is of Your mercies, Lord, that we are not consumed, because Your compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is Your faithfulness. You are our portion, therefore we will hope in You. You are good to those who wait for You, to those of us whose souls seek You. Keep our focus on You, our Promise Keeper. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Enduring the Process

For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross. This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.
Colossians 1:19-22 NLT

Our whole lives are not just carried out on whimsy, there IS a plan and a purpose. God has been intentional about His plan for us since before we were born - even before we were formed in our mother's womb (Jeremiah 1, Psalm 139:16). 

When my kids were little, there was a song they sang in Sunday School  ♪♫ I am a Promise. I am a possibility.♪♫  (written by Amber Nelon Thompson). And if we think back to when we were children, did we know what we would be when we grew up? How many of our life events shaped us into who we are now? The answer is ALL of them. Yes, all of them. As Christ followers, God used ALL of it - the whole process of good and bad - to fulfill His purpose and plan. 

There is a Promise over each of our lives - God's promise. However, we need to be where He is to obtain it. In His presence. In His Word. Trusting Him and staying with Him through the process. There are things we have now that were sown in our lives a long time ago, Strength and endurance are built up through the process. What do we want to reap? 

Prayer:

Father,

          Thank You for making provision for our reconciliation to You. Let this be a reminder that we can't do haphazard sowing and expect to reap only good things. Give us Your strength to endure and grow through the process, Father, to be able to enter into Your Promise. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

You're a Pro...

And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.
2nd Peter 1:4 NLT

Let's think about that for a moment. There is a lot of corruption in the world that causes lots of problems for people. We don't need to name the problems because odds are we've either been in those problems caused by our human desires or have been part of those problems in someone else's life.

The good news is - just as His Word states - we have been given great and precious promises that enable us to share God's divine nature and escape sin. Who wouldn't want to be free from the world's corruption?

We can be PROs! We can either be the PROblem or we can live His PROmise. It's our choice...

Prayer:

Father,
            Help us to walk in the light and truth of Your promises that enable us to share in Your divine nature. We want to be more and more like You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

We Learn What We Live +

Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.

Galatians 6:7-8 NLT

Pastor Alan Neel said, In order to have a new day, you have to be sick enough of your yesterday to plant something new. Selah... stop and think about that for a minute.

We may want things to change. We may even pray for deliverance of whatever it is we want changed. However, if we keep planting the same seeds of anger, bitterness, hatred, or strife, we will continue to reap the fruit of it. And you can't allow someone else to sow those things in your fertile ground, either.

Many years ago, I found this poem for the first time. And although it speaks specifically about children, it applies to all of us.

CHILDREN LEARN WHAT THEY LIVE

Dorothy Law Nolte

If a child lives with criticism, he learns to condemn.

If a child lives with hostility, he learns to fight.

If a child lives with fear, he learns to be apprehensive.

If a child lives with pity, he learns to feel sorry for himself.

If a child lives with ridicule, he learns to be shy.

If a child lives with jealousy, he learns what envy is.

If a child lives with shame, he learns to feel guilty.

If a child lives with encouragement, he learns to be confident.

If a child lives with tolerance, he learns to be patient.

If a child lives with praise, he learns to be appreciative.

If a child lives with acceptance, he learns to love.

If a child lives with approval, he learns to like himself.

If a child lives with recognition, he learns that it is good to have a goal.

If a child lives with sharing, he learns about generosity.

If a child lives with honesty and fairness, he learns what truth and justice are.

If a child lives with security, he learns to have faith in himself and in those about him.

If a child lives with friendliness, he learns that the world is a nice place in which to live.

If you live with serenity, your child will live with peace of mind.

With what is your child living?

With what are YOU living?

Prayer:

Father,

       Teach us Your ways, O Lord. Help us to be ever mindful of the thoughts and intents of our own hearts. May they always be pleasing to You. In Jesus Name we pray, Amen

* It Doesn't Get Any Better Than This

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. 

2nd Corinthians 5:17-18a NLT

One of the guys at work - when you ask him how he's doing - always replies, "Man, it doesn't get any better than this..." Usually what he means is, "This is it, so you might as well learn to live with it." On days that have been particularly trying, that is not what I want to hear. Although this evening, I was reminded that I used to believe exactly that because I had no hope. I was a hopeless case.

I've walked down Memory Lane a few times in the last week or so. You see, I have no problem remembering what I was and where I was when God finally got my attention. I remember thinking back then that I deserved everything that happened in my life because of the choices I'd made along the way. I distinctly remember thinking that it would never get better because I didn't deserve better... and truly, I didn't... 

But thank God, it wasn't about me and what I did. It was - and is - all about Christ and what He did to pay for my life - and yours - on the Cross at Calvary. And that has removed the pain from those memories and left only the glow of God's goodness, His love, His mercy, and redemption to cover the multitude of my sins. Praise God, by His grace, I am able to look down that road through the filter of His forgiveness and love. 

Tonight, I was blessed to sit down to supper with 30 women - strong women of God - women that Titus speaks of in chapter 2. Laughing, talking, sharing, eating Tex-Mex...sitting with them, loving them, one with them. And I marvel at what God has done in each of the lives represented there. New creations, The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. 

It doesn't get any better than this. Only Heaven will be better...

Prayer:

Father,

          I pray the words of Leeland's song - It feels like there's not enough praise inside of me. With all these words, all my heart can sing is 'Holy! You are holy!' I want to walk worthy of the life You have given me. I want to reflect You, Father, and only You, because it doesn't get any better that that. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen

Friends' Favorites - * The Danger of Criticism

Accept other believers who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong.
Romans 14:1 NLT

Today’s Promise is taken directly from Romans 14:1-13 New Living Translation

For instance, one person believes it’s all right to eat anything. But another believer with a sensitive conscience will eat only vegetables. Those who feel free to eat anything must not look down on those who don’t. And those who don’t eat certain foods must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them. Who are you to condemn someone else’s servants? They are responsible to the Lord, so let him judge whether they are right or wrong. And with the Lord’s help, they will do what is right and will receive his approval.

In the same way, some think one day is more holy than another day, while others think every day is alike. You should each be fully convinced that whichever day you choose is acceptable. Those who worship the Lord on a special day do it to honor him.

Those who eat any kind of food do so to honor the Lord, since they give thanks to God before eating. And those who refuse to eat certain foods also want to please the Lord and give thanks to God. For we don’t live for ourselves or die for ourselves.

If we live, it’s to honor the Lord. And if we die, it’s to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. Christ died and rose again for this very purpose—to be Lord both of the living and of the dead.

So why do you condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For the Scriptures say,

“‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bend to me, and every tongue will confess and give praise to God.’”

Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God. So let’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall.
Prayer:

Father,
            Help us to see and love each other as You love us. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen

Friends' Favorite - * All of Them

All of them were guided by a cloud that moved ahead of them, and

all of them walked through the sea on dry ground. In the cloud and in the sea,

all of them were baptized as followers of Moses.

All of them ate the same spiritual food, and

all of them drank the same spiritual water.

For they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ.

Yet God was not pleased with most of them, and their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.

1st Corinthians 10:1b-5 NLT

God declared a new beginning for all of them, whether they were born in the land or were strangers who chose to be a part of the assembly and follow the Lord; God made no distinction among them. It no longer mattered to Him. Here's all you have to do... (read Exodus 12).

And then He gave them the same instructions. All of them were given the same opportunity. And again, He made the point of expressing that it made no difference if they were born in the land or were strangers who chose to follow His ways. Follow Me and live. Not one of them could say, "Well, You gave him more than you gave me..."  Not one...

Did all of them follow Him? No, they did not. Will you?

You may say, Yeah, but that was back then and He provided their shelter and their food every day and they didn't have to earn a living and pay gas prices and... 

The great Equalizer is this, they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ.  The same Christ who instructed us in Matthew 28:20, Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world...

I ask again... Did all of them follow Him? No, they did not. The question is, Will you?

Prayer:

Father,

         Help us to examine our own lives - face to face with You. Cause the compass of our hearts to be totally fixed on You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* What to Wear

This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here.
Romans 13:11-12a NLT

Do you ever go through times when your perfectly good clothes no longer seem perfectly good? Especially when there's a special occasion involved. What was your favorite suit or shirt just last week is now totally unacceptable, but you can't seem to find another one that you like. And along that same line of thinking, isn't it funny how your whole attitude changes when you put on something you know looks good or feels good, depending on the occasion? Or the best case scenario - when it looks AND feels good? Ohhhh, that's the best! Especially if you DO have a special event you're planning to attend.

I love invitations that include instruction regarding the expected attire. Those are lifesavers. You know exactly what you should wear, even if you don't currently have it. And generally, those invitations arrive in plenty enough time to make provision for attending. Have you ever NOT gone to an event because you didn't have the right thing to wear? Oh, you could have gone, but you just didn't have the desire to invest the time or money it would take to get what you needed for it. Or you didn't remember until the last minute and then it was too late. Ever done that?

Well, this is your reminder. The biggest event of your life is looming large. The invitation has already been extended - and it's THE event of your lifetime! If you miss this, you miss it all! The only catch is that we don't know the exact day or hour, so you can't wait till the last minute to plan, because we don't know when the last minute is! You need to invest the time NOW to insure your attendance. You can only get in if you know the right person. And you can't just know OF Him, you really have to KNOW Him and He has to KNOW you. Have you RSVP'd? Do you have the right thing to wear? The instructions regarding attire are very clear. No exceptions. Isaiah 61:10 NLT, I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom in his wedding suit or a bride with her jewels.

How do we fit into the clothing He requires? Romans 13:12b-14 NLT, So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living. Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don’t participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.

Are you ready? What are you wearing? Do you know what to wear? Have you taken the time to put on Christ? Are you dressed yet? Do you know how to get there?

Prayer;

Father,
           Our self-righteousness, our selfish choices, our ways are as filthy rags before You and won't get us into the wedding feast of Heaven. Cleanse us, Father, from all unrighteousness. Put Your robe of righteousness on us, Lord, so we don't miss it. We want to be ready when You sound the call. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* Fatal Bruises

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
Luke 4:18-10 KJV

We've all had bruises. You whack your knee on the desk, your toe on the furniture, the back of your hand on whatever you're flying by at the moment, and you're the proud owner of a bruise. After a particularly nasty bruise-inducing event, some people will even ask, "Wanna see my bruise?"

I did a little research on bruises and unless you're in the medical field, would you ever guess that the following is the explanation/definition of a bruise? It sounds absolutely dreadful! Life-threatening... Here's what I found:

"a type of relatively minor hematoma of tissue in which capillaries and sometimes venules are damaged by trauma, allowing blood to seep into the surrounding interstitial tissues. The damaged capillary endothelium releases endothelin, a hormone that causes narrowing of the blood vessel to minimize bleeding. As the endothelium is destroyed, the underlying von Willebrand factor is exposed and initiates coagulation, which creates a temporary clot to plug the wound and eventually leads to restoration of normal tissue. During this time, larger tissue hematomas may change color due to the breakdown of hemoglobin from within escaped red blood cells in the extracellular space. The striking colors are caused by the phagocytosis and sequential degradation of hemoglobin to billverdin to billrubin to hemosiderin..."

Even if I added this - with hemoglobin itself producing a red-blue color, biliverdin producing a green color, bilirubin producing a yellow color, and hemosiderin producing a brown color - it would be difficult to determine, wouldn't it?

We may chuckle at the thought of "Wanna see my bruise?" and yet, we all know people who do that. In reality, bruises can be dangerous - depending on how they happened, how deep they are, how badly the tissue was damaged, and the resulting pressure in the surrounding tissue because of the trauma. In my research, I learned bruises are rated 0-5 - rather like a hurricane or tornado. One rated a 4 or 5 can be fatal, especially if left untreated. The combined treatment for a bruise is Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation.

How many people do we know who have bruised hearts? Some never say a word about it; others ask something akin to "Wanna see my bruise?" (See the evidence of the "battle" I've been in?) These are potentially fatal if they never get relief from their pain. They usually will ice it, thinking that is enough, but left untreated, all they get is cold-hearted. They don't rest in the Lord. They don't go to Christ so He can bind up their broken heart (compression). They never take it to the Cross (elevate the injury). The last thing we want is for them to throw a clot and die because they are hiding their pain.

If you can't see it, how can you tell if someone has a life-threatening bruise? The evidence is there. Just like a bruise - the colors are telltale. Look for them. Do you see the red-blue of the bleeding heart? How about the green of jealousy? The yellow of fear? Or the brown indicating the last vestiges of hope? Let's get them to the Master Physician, Jehovah Rapha, our Healer. A bruised reed He will not break. He specializes in mending the broken-hearted.

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for all that You are. Give us wisdom to understand it. Create in us Your heart of compassion. Help us to see with Your eyes. Let Your love shine through us like a beacon of hope for those searching for the Truth of who You are. In Jesus' Name we pray.

* The Perfect Intersection

For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.

Colossians 1:19-20 NLT

I cannot always wrap my mind around the depth of God’s love for mankind or the lengths to which He goes to prove His unconditional love for the vilest of mankind, but I believe with every fiber of my being that God is everything Scripture proclaims Him to be. I thought I might need to preface today’s promise with that declaration of faith because I may throw something out here that maybe you’ve never thought about. On the other hand, maybe I’m the last to realize it. I finally realized today that God understands - on a very personal level - the stress in life when dealing with people...

In today’s society, there’s much to be said about stress. Here are a couple of my favorites:

Frederick Saunders, author and poet, provided this famous quote ~ Brain cells create ideas. Stress kills brain cells. Stress is not a good idea. 

American theologian, Danzae Pace, said this about stress - Stress is the trash of modern life - we all generate it but if you don't dispose of it properly, it will pile up and overtake your life.  

I agree with both of those, but the quote that actually comes closer to my personal definition of it is this - Stress: The confusion created when one's mind overrides the body's basic desire to choke the living daylights out of whoever is not following one’s preferred plan… 

God knows what it feels like to be angry. He knows first-hand the frustration and stress caused by people not following the preferred plan. It started in the Garden of Eden, remember? And how about those Israelites in the wilderness? And then in the Promised Land? And then...?

I don’t know about you, but when I get stressed in or about a situation and it becomes prolonged, I want to rid myself of it. Cut it off, kill it – whatever it takes for it to be gone. I want to be done with it. If I get to that place and I can see no change in sight or no hope of change, then I find myself at a crossroad – an intersection where I can choose what suits my flesh (which is to cut and run) or I can choose to follow God. If I choose to follow God’s example, I have to properly weigh all the components to determine the best outcome of love in action for all involved. First and foremost, I must recognize and understand what hangs in the balance. 

That's what God did. He weighed it all - all the sin and evil and wickedness of all mankind for all time - and chose His love over killing all of us and wiping out the human race. 

When we hit that intersection, we must recognize and understand what hung in the balance. It was His Son.

In the book And the Angels Were Silent, Max Lucado defines it best - Calvary is a hybrid of God’s lofty status and His deep devotion. The thunderclap which echoed when God’s sovereignty collided with His love. The marriage of heaven’s kingship and heaven’s compassion. The very instrument of the cross is symbolic, the vertical beam of holiness intersecting the horizontal bar of love.

For God in all His fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through Him God reconciled everything to Himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s Blood on the Cross. 

The Cross. The intersection of holiness and love - the perfect drop-off location for our load of stress.

Prayer:

Father,

           Thank You for creating the ultimate intersection and loving us in spite of our selfishness. Set us free from our own road hazards. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* Do What? When?!?

     One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?”

     “I can’t, sir,” the sick man said, “for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone else always gets there ahead of me.”

     Jesus told him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!” Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking!

John 5:5b-9a NLT

     When my kids were little, they liked to watch Sesame Street, and one of their favorite things - besides Mr. Snuffleupagus - was the segment with the song where they would pull 4 things together and the kids chose which 3 things belonged together and which one didn't. Do you remember that? (Please, God, don't let that song stay in my head the rest of the day...) Well, let's think along those lines this morning. Let's look for the common thread in our text for today and the following three passages. See what you come up with... 

1. Matthew 4:18-22 NLT

     One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers—Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew—throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” And they left their nets at once and followed him.

     A little farther up the shore he saw two other brothers, James and John, sitting in a boat with their father, Zebedee, repairing their nets. And he called them to come, too. They immediately followed him, leaving the boat and their father behind.

2. Luke 5:18-25 NLT

     Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a sleeping mat. They tried to take him inside to Jesus, but they couldn’t reach him because of the crowd. So they went up to the roof and took off some tiles. Then they lowered the sick man on his mat down into the crowd, right in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the man, “Young man, your sins are forgiven.” But the Pharisees and teachers of religious law said to themselves, “Who does he think he is? That’s blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!”
     Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you question this in your hearts? Is it easier to say ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up and walk’? So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!”
     And immediately, as everyone watched, the man jumped up, picked up his mat, and went home praising God. 

3. Luke 5:27-28 NLT

     Later, as Jesus left the town, he saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Levi got up, left everything, and followed him.

There may be other things you see, but for me, it was first Jesus said and then... Instantly - at once - immediately...

In Matthew 4, when Jesus called James and John - the sons of thunder - they left the only job they'd ever done, their only source of income, their choice of vocation, their comfort zone (because it's what they knew) and they immediately followed Him, leaving the boat and their father behind. Matthew (Levi) himself did the same thing - left everything...

People will say, You can't do that. That's what they told the man who'd been lying by the pool of Bethesda for 38 years!  Continuing in our text for today,  John 5 - verse 9b through verse 11 - But this miracle happened on the Sabbath, so the Jewish leaders objected. They said to the man who was cured, “You can’t work on the Sabbath! The law doesn’t allow you to carry that sleeping mat!”  But he replied, “The man who healed me told me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’”  

Those were the leaders who objected to what he was doing. Those who were the ones who had been in charge of making the rules in his life... You can't do that! What would you do?

If Jesus says it... What do you do? You obey. You don't think about it. You don't question it. You don't over-analyze it. You don't come up with all the reasons why it won't work, why you can't do it, why it won't happen for you. You make like Nike and just do it. 

Jesus came to save souls - our souls are our mind, our will and our emotions. If the head (the mind) says yes, make the body get up and follow (the will). The heart will have to go along, too (the emotions). 

That's called faith. Do what? Whatever He says. When? Instantly - at once - immediately...

Prayer:

Father,

       Let all that I am praise You, Lord; You forgive all my sins and heal all my diseases. May I never forget the good things You do for me. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen

* What'd He Say?

[God speaking to Jacob while Jacob slept] What’s more, I am with you, and I will protect you wherever you go. One day I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have finished giving you everything I have promised you.

Genesis 28:15 NLT

God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through? Listen, I received a command to bless; God has blessed, and I cannot reverse it! That's from Numbers 23:19-20 - one of my favorite stories. It's where God uses a donkey to talk to a prophet...(that's how I KNOW He can use me to talk to someone.) 

Has God ever spoken something to your heart? Has it come to pass? Are you faithfully following Him while you wait for it to be completed? Do you command your heart to be full of faith concerning what God has said...even though time has gone by and you haven't yet seen  it? Or have you given up on it, no longer believing because you think too much time has passed for it to happen? Shall I remind you of Abraham and Sarah?

If we don't know His Word, we'd better remedy that, because God hastens to perform His Word. THAT's what He does! Do you know what His Word says? What'd He say?

Prayer:

Father,

          The cares and trials of this world are NOT greater than You or Your Word. Forgive us for living faithlessly in the face of them. Please provide us with a new view - one based on faith in Your Word. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* Our Reputation

Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important…
Galatians 6:1-3 NLT

What’s our reputation say about us? Are we good at what we do? Are we accessible? Are we a team player or are we shooting for celebrity status? I just love how Paul cuts to the nuts and bolts of a matter, don’t you? It doesn’t matter how high up we go on the proverbial ladder, we are never to be farther above than what it takes to be able to extend our hand to help another believer.

That’s not to say that we are not supposed to continually “come up higher” – you certainly can’t get any higher than Christ Himself- and yet He was never so far that He couldn’t reach us. In fact, quite the opposite. He laid it all down so that He could reach us.

Philippians 2:1-8 tells us, Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

So… which reputation are we working on?

Prayer:

Father,
           Strengthen us to take the encouragement from belonging to Christ, the comfort from His love, the fellowship together in the Spirit and keep our hearts tender and compassionate. Lord, we want to follow You by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, and of one mind. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen

What We Believe +

For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power.

1st Corinthians 4:20 NLT

A question has been raised concerning living what we believe vs. living what we've learned. Are they the same? If not, does it matter which one we live? Good questions...

I've pondered on it now for awhile and here's what I think. I think we live our lives based on what we believe - about ourselves, about others, and about God, (no matter what it is)... For instance, if we believe we CAN do something - we're right, we can! By the same token, if we believe we CAN'T do something - we're right again, we can't...

However, we do learn a lot of things. You can teach a child that hot will burn. But generally, they will still reach for the hot. It is imperative that we are careful about what we learn and how we learn it, because we must be on guard about what we come to believe. 

You see, if we truly believe the Word of God, we will act accordingly. If we don't believe the Word of God, we will act accordingly.

Let's not just talk it. Let's walk it, and live what we believe, and believe so we may live - truly live.

Prayer:

Father,

         Quicken Your Word in our hearts and minds. It is living and powerful and rightly divides between soul and spirit. Father, give us wisdom to know what to believe, preferably without getting burned. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mHiTVuGaKM

* Slave Phrases

Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ.

1st Corinthians 9:19  NLT

We've talked about first-time obedience and how we expect it from those around us. However, we don't give God first-time obedience. We call Him Master, Savior, Redeemer, Father, and yet sometimes, we don't do even His most basic instructions.

I truly believe the Bible is the Divinely-inspired Word of God. I believe that every word was intentionally included. Every story, every parable - I DON'T believe that God put fillers in there - it's all there for a reason and a purpose... just like us. I may love parts of it more than other parts, I may even have parts I don't like at all, but that doesn't make them any less true.

I never realized how many times the slave phrases reference us - you and me - Believers and followers of Christ. Sons and daughters of the Most High God. Joint heirs with Jesus Christ. Slaves of God. Servants of Christ Jesus.

Okay, don't look at me in that tone of voice... the same man who instructed us to follow him as he followed Christ, also wrote this in Philippians 1:1, This letter is from Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus. And in Titus 1:1, This letter is from Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ. I have been sent to proclaim faith to those God has chosen and to teach them to know the truth that shows them how to live godly lives.

James wrote the same in James 1:1, This letter is from James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. As did Peter in 2nd Peter 1:1, This letter is from Simon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ... And so did Jude in Jude 1:1, This letter is from Jude, a slave of Jesus Christ and a brother of James.

Slaves generally don't punch a time clock or get off at a certain time. However, I find myself trying to hoard my time at work - hating to be interrupted - and yet the nature of my job is to BE interrupted so I can help others. I only had an hour or so I could call my own...literal translation - an hour or so when it was all about ME and what I wanted to do without having to take anyone else into consideration. True definition - selfish. I really hate that. I don't want to be selfish - I don't like to even think of myself as being selfish, but the truth is I surely am... and that is definitely NOT being like Jesus who was totally selfLESS and humbled Himself unto death for me and for you.

When did I start thinking that I could take time off because I am tired of not doing what I want? Think of your loved ones who have not received Christ as their Savior or who are making bad decisions - ones that will pull them away from Christ. If you knew today was their last day on earth, or that Jesus was coming back tonight to take His bride, would you wanna watch that movie again - the one you've seen 6 times already or would you pray for all you are worth?  When we get tired, as we do and we will, we only need to go to our Master... In Matthew 11, Jesus said, Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

Slaves don't generally get a day off. Work for the night is coming...

Prayer:

Father,

           Remove everything that keeps us from fulfilling Your purpose and plan in our lives. Help us to better see our place and part in Your scheme of things. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

How Heavy is It? *

[Jesus speaking] Look at the fig tree and all the trees; When they put forth their buds and come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and perceive and know that summer is already near. Even so, when you see these things taking place, understand and know that the kingdom of God is at hand.
Luke 21:29-31 The Amplified Bible

Here we are the Wednesday before Easter. Did you know that in the Passion Week when Christ walked the earth, there is no record of His activity on Wednesday? Of course, He'd already had a very busy week.

Sunday was the triumphal entry into Jerusalem - what we know as Palm Sunday.

Monday, He cursed the fig tree and cleared the Temple!

Tuesday, they passed back by the now withered fig tree; the priests and rulers challenged Christ's authority in the Temple. He wrapped them up with their own words, then taught the Parables of Warning, publicly humiliated the Pharisees, and as His last act in the Temple, He taught His disciples and anyone listening the value of the widow's mites... Later that same evening (still Tuesday), He gave what is known as the Olivet Discourse, beginning with the prediction of the Temple's destruction. And that's where we pick up the Scripture in the Amplified Bible, leading to today's text.

And they asked Him, Teacher, when will this happen? And what sign will there be when this is about to occur? And He said, Be on your guard and be careful that you are not led astray; for many will come in My name [appropriating to themselves the name Messiah which belongs to Me], saying, I am He! and, The time is at hand! Do not go out after them. And when you hear of wars and insurrections (disturbances, disorder, and confusion), do not become alarmed and panic-stricken and terrified; for all this must take place first, but the end will not [come] immediately. Then He told them, Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. [II Chron. 15:6; Isa. 19:2.] There will be mighty and violent earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences (plagues: malignant and contagious or infectious epidemic diseases which are deadly and devastating); and there will be sights of terror and great signs from heaven. But previous to all this, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, turning you over to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be led away before kings and governors for My name's sake. This will be a time (an opportunity) for you to bear testimony.

Resolve and settle it in your minds not to meditate and prepare beforehand how you are to make your defense and how you will answer. For I [Myself] will give you a mouth and such utterance and wisdom that all of your foes combined will be unable to stand against or refute. You will be delivered up and betrayed even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and [some] of you they will put to death. And you will be hated (despised) by everyone because [you bear] My name and for its sake. But not a hair of your head shall perish. [I Sam. 14:45.]

Skip on down a few verses.

...And there will be signs in the sun and moon and stars; and upon the earth [there will be] distress (trouble and anguish) of nations in bewilderment and perplexity [without resources, left wanting, embarrassed, in doubt, not knowing which way to turn] at the roaring (the echo) of the tossing of the sea, Men swooning away or expiring with fear and dread and apprehension and expectation of the things that are coming on the world; for the [very] powers of the heavens will be shaken and caused to totter. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with great (transcendent and overwhelming) power and [all His kingly] glory (majesty and splendor).  Now when these things begin to occur, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption (deliverance) is drawing near. And He told them a parable: Look at the fig tree and all the trees; When they put forth their buds and come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and perceive and know that summer is already near. Even so, when you see these things taking place, understand and know that the kingdom of God is at hand. Truly I tell you, this generation (those living at that definite period of time) will not perish and pass away until all has taken place. The sky and the earth (the universe, the world) will pass away, but My words will not pass away.
*****

We'll stop there. Some will say that's a heavy word - a great load to carry. True, true. It is. But we haven't made it to Friday yet...   I'm not trying to throw guilt on anyone, just trying to get us to think realistically and get past cute bunnies and colored eggs. How heavy do you think it was to carry the weight of all our sins on the Cross?

Prayer:

Father,
           Open our eyes and our hearts to Your Truth and only Your Truth. Let us not be deceived by false witnesses and fakers. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Wonderful Works*

They wandered in the wilderness in a desolate way; They found no city to dwell in. Hungry and thirsty, Their soul fainted in them. Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, And He delivered them out of their distresses. And He led them forth by the right way, That they might go to a city for a dwelling place. Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul, And fills the hungry soul with goodness. 
Psalm 107:4-9 NKJV

My family and dear friends in the Midwest and on the East Coast are in the grip of winter and another 6"-12" of snow, depending where they live. It's so cold outside and the wind is whipping and there is ice and some sort of precipitation in all four directions, but there is much to be thankful for. We have homes. We are not exposed to the elements. I saw lots of photos showing blizzard buffets... so there is food that we are not digging out from underneath the ice.  We don't have to first milk the cow, to churn for butter to put on the popcorn...

Can you look for good in the midst of your "snow" day? Can you thank Him for the extra family time that you don't normally get? The extra time at home to get that project finished? The opportunity to sleep in a little? God can always be found. Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! 

Prayer:

Father,
           Oh, that we would see Your hand in everything that touches our lives and give You praise for it. Help us to see You more clearly. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Hard-core *

Therefore, since God in his mercy has given us this new way, we never give up. We reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods. We don’t try to trick anyone or distort the word of God. We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know this.

2nd Corinthians 4:1-2 NLT 

Have you ever met anyone who was hard-core about something? For the most part, it has a negative connotation. It is usually used when referring to someone who seems to be too far gone and will never change. However, the first dictionary definition is; The most dedicated, unfailingly loyal faction of a group.  Roget's Thesaurus lists dedicated, faithful, intense as interchangeable options for hard-core.

Oh, that we would be hard-core for Christ!

Excerpts from further in the chapter where our text for today begins:

 ⁵ You see, we don’t go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus’ sake. ⁶ For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.

 ⁷ We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.

 ⁸ We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair.

 ⁹ We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.

¹⁰ Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.

¹³ But we continue to preach because we have the same kind of faith the psalmist had when he said, “I believed in God, so I spoke.”

¹⁴ We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus, will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself together with you. 

¹⁶ That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. ¹⁷ For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!

¹⁸ So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

Oh, that we would be the most dedicated, unfailingly loyal faction for Christ - that He would return and find us hard-core for Him.

Prayer:

Father,

          Let us not confuse hardened hearts with being hard-core. In no way are they the same. Instead help us to be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in You our labor is not in vain. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen