Promise for Today - Give It Away

Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.

John 12:24 (NIV)

What does a farmer do when he has a barren field that’s producing no income? He doesn’t complain about it. He doesn’t even have to pray about it! He just goes out and starts planting seed, because nothing is going to happen until he plants the seed. He can pray all he wants, but prayer doesn’t replace planting.

Maybe you think you’re waiting on God. You think you’re waiting on God for that job. You think you’re waiting on God for a spouse. You think you’re waiting on God for the windfall. But God might be saying to you, “You think you’re waiting on me? I’m waiting on you! I’m waiting for you to plant a seed.”

Everything in life starts as a seed: a relationship, a marriage, a business, a church. And nothing happens until the seed is planted. Why does God require you to plant a seed? Because planting is an act of faith. You take what you’ve got, and you give it away. That takes faith, and it brings glory to God.

Jesus described this principle of sowing and reaping when he explained why he came to earth to die on the cross. In John 12:24, Jesus said, “Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds” (NIV). Jesus was saying, “People will be saved and go to heaven because of my death and resurrection. I’m going to plant a seed, and the seed is going to be my life.”

Here’s the principle of sowing and reaping: Whenever you have a need, plant a seed. Whatever you need—more time, more energy, more money, more support, more relationships, more wisdom—just plant a seed. If you need more time, give more time to your kids. If you need more money, give it away to someone who needs it. If you need more wisdom, share what wisdom you have with others. Give yourself away!

It may not make sense to you to give away something that you need more of, but that is exactly the kind of attitude that God wants to bless and that will produce fruit in your life.

Talk It Over

What need have you been waiting on God to provide?

What do you think God might be waiting for you to do about that need? What seed can you plant today?

What kind of results do you see in yourself and others when you plant a seed and give of yourself? How is God building your character through that?

- by Pastor Rick

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Prayer:

Father, 

           We come before You, asking for Your grace to transform us into more generous people. Help us to see that everything we have—time, talents, resources, and love—comes from You and belongs to You. Remove every form of selfishness, fear, or reluctance that holds us back from giving freely .
         Lord, we pray for a cheerful giving heart, one that flows from joy and gratitude rather than obligation. Teach us to give without reservation, whether it’s our time, our words, our encouragement, or our material blessings. Let our generosity reflect Your boundless love and compassion, and may our actions be a beacon of hope and kindness to those around us.
         Help us to overcome the fear of lack and to trust that You are our Provider. Give us wisdom in how, when, and where to give, so that our generosity blesses others and glorifies Your name.
         We ask You to break down the walls of scarcity in our spirit and replace them with a desire to bless. May our lives overflow with generosity, and may we be a vessel of Your grace, pouring out love and compassion to all we meet. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Wise Investments

Though I appreciate your gifts, what makes me happiest is the well-earned reward you will have because of your kindness. 

Philippians 4:17 (TLB)

Every time you’re generous, you invest in your eternal home.

Jesus called this principle “storing up treasure in heaven.” He actually used this phrase six times in the Bible! When Jesus says something six times, you'd better pay attention. If you don’t, you’re going to miss seeing the blessing.

In Matthew 6:19-20, Jesus said, “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal”.

Most people get less than 100 years on this planet. And when you leave, you leave all earthly treasure behind. But you will get to enjoy your heavenly treasure for eternity.

So how do you store up treasure in heaven? How do you send it on ahead? One of the best ways to do that is by investing in people. And I’m not talking about earning your salvation, because that’s already been secured by Jesus.

God wants you to invest in people because those investments have eternal effects and rewards. There are only two things that will last forever: the Word of God and people. People will spend eternity in either heaven or hell, and your investment in someone could make all the difference.

Philippians 4:17 says in The Living Bible paraphrase, “Though I appreciate your gifts, what makes me happiest is the well-earned reward you will have because of your kindness.”

Paul wrote to the Philippians to express his appreciation for their support. But he said what meant the most—what brought him the most joy—was knowing that their sacrifice and generosity gave them treasure in heaven. They invested in him, but they also invested in their eternal home.

You will be rewarded for everything you’ve given away. Are you giving away your time? You’re going to be rewarded in heaven. Are you giving away your energy? You’re going to be rewarded in heaven. Are you giving away your money? You’re going to be rewarded in heaven.

There are opportunities all around you to be generous with your love, time, energy, and money, and invest in your eternal home. Don’t miss them!

Talk It Over

In what ways are you using your time, energy, and money to invest in people?

Is it hardest for you to be generous with your time, with your energy, or with your money? Ask God for faith to be generous in that area so that you can experience his blessing.

How can you cultivate a lifestyle of storing treasure in heaven rather than here on earth?
- by Pastor Rick

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Prayer:

Father, 

          Forgive us for being selfish with our love, our time, energy, and our money. Help us to keep uppermost in our minds to be like You - indescribably, overwhelmingly generous to all and in all. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Invested

I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death. 

Philippians 3:10 (NLT)

Happiness is found in getting to know God more every day.

Another translation says that Paul became “thoroughly acquainted” (AMP) with God because he had a relationship with him and took the time to get to know him. He understood the difference between knowing ABOUT someone and actually knowing someone—and Paul wanted to really know Christ.

You don’t become thoroughly acquainted with God by accident. You don’t just wake up and accidentally fall into a relationship with Jesus. Paul says it’s a determined purpose. It’s something you have to do something about. You have to invest your time in it. You have to invest your heart in it. You have to invest your resources and your energy. Getting to know God requires the best of everything you have!

One trap that can keep you from getting to know God better is busyness. Just like busyness can destroy your relationships, it can also destroy your relationship with God.

Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God” (NIV).

To grow in your relationship with God, you need to make time for him and be still. Just a few minutes of focused time every day can make all the difference in the world. I’m not saying you have to spend an hour in prayer every day. You can start with 10 or 15 minutes each morning, reading the Bible and talking with God.

The most important thing is to make it a habit and commit to getting to know God. Only then will you, like Paul, begin understanding the wonders of God with greater clarity.

Make this your daily prayer: “Lord, if I don’t do anything else today, I want to get to know you a little bit better and I want to love you a little bit more.” As you pray and live this out, you’ll begin to experience greater happiness in your life.

Talk It Over

What are some things you do every day for at least 15 minutes? Do you do them because they’re essential or just because they’ve become habitual?

What distractions can keep you too busy to spend time with God?

How will you adjust your schedule so that you can spend more time with God?
- by Pastor Rick

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Prayer:

Father,

         Thank You for loving us every moment of every day since before we were born. Help us to keep our focus on what is the most important part of our lives - to love You back. To spend time with You. To learn Your ways and to know You more. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - How Did We Get Here?

No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

Philippians 3:13-14 NLT

It seems like the older I get, the faster the years go by. Seems like New Year's Day was just the other day, and here we are in mid-February already.

We have to ask, how did we get here so fast? Not just this year, but life in general? And where are we going? Did we promote someone in our lives to traffic control who had no business blowing a whistle and telling us where to go? Did we decide to take a shortcut along the way and then miss our turn? Were we distracted from our directions and then had to detour? Have we been sidelined by only focusing on the tough things that have happened?

Today's Promise is one of Paul's greatest teachings - "I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead..." Let's not focus on what we've lost. Rather, let's thank God for what we've had for as long as we had it. If you're going to look back, I challenge you to look for the good because there's plenty of it. Square one - God is still on His throne. You're still breathing. He still has a plan and purpose for your life - plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Prayer:

Father,
           We pray this prayer from Guideposts, please keep Your hand of direction on us to strengthen our lives. Not by shielding us from sorrow and pain, but by strengthening us to bear it if it comes. Not by making our path easy, but by making us sturdy enough to tread any path. Not by taking hardship from us, but by taking all cowardice and fear from our hearts as we meet hardships. Not by granting us unbroken sunshine, but by keeping our face bright even in the shadows. Not by making our life always pleasant, but by showing us where men and Your cause need us most and by making us zealous to be there and to help. Father, let our joy be found in You. 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

For a Time

However, he [Yeshua] made a practice of withdrawing to remote places in order to pray.
Luke 5:16 Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)

Today, I had a fully illustrated sermonette of this Scripture. I chose to go to the office today to catch up on a task that required concentrated time alone - without interruption. Without distractions. Without noise. Without others... A task I have tried to complete in full for 59 days. I haven't been lazy about it. I've just been busy. 

Twice in the last few months, we've packed and unpacked our entire office for a complete remodel. There was much that went into that. Just to give you the gist, we'd been in the building for 15 years. You can accumulate a lot of stuff... But the day-to-day still needed to be done, etc, and on it goes. 

However, today being Saturday of a holiday weekend, no one else was in the office. I went with the express purpose of completing this task that has been such a stressor, always needing to be done. And it was in the quietness of the afternoon that I realized why Jesus withdrew to remote places to pray. Without interruption. Without distractions. Without noise. Without others...  for a time.

Isaiah 30:15 ESV, reads, For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” But you were unwilling,  Isaiah 55:6-7 NKJV, Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon. 

Prayer:

Father,

          O, that we would heed all of Your Word! Oftentimes, we are unwilling to be in quietness and trust; please forgive us. We recognize it is only in our time alone with You that our strength is renewed. Only when we purposely put away the distractions - the cares of this world, are we able to find peace and clarity of thought. Help us, Holy Spirit, to stay focused on God's Truths, so we can quickly recognize deceptive distractions. Change our hearts to want more of You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Busy

Let’s see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching.
Hebrews 10:23-25 The Message

Church, work, home, school, kids' extra-curricular practices and events - our lives are awhirl with obligations. Sometimes it feels like all we do is run from one thing to another. When was the last time we took the time to review all that we've taken on? 

It can be overwhelming when we take the time to think about all of it. However, we ARE supposed to think about it. We are not supposed to be mindlessly running from one thing to the next. That's how BUSY became an acronym for Being Under Satan's Yoke. Are we?

If you've ever stayed home from church because your week has been so busy... it's time to re-evaluate our lives and properly prioritize.

Prayer:

Father,

            Open our eyes to see the BUSY in our lives. Give us wisdom to properly prioritize life, putting You first in all things. Help us to be creative in encouraging love and helping others by making the time to be with You and with them. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Righteous Spending

Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.
Psalm 90:12 NLT

Interesting fact: This psalm was written by Moses, making it the oldest psalm. It speaks of the dismay of mankind being separated from God because of sin. It is the choices we make that separate us or draw us ever closer to the Father.

In our Promise for Today, Moses prays for God to drive home the stark reality of just how short our lifespan is so that we would have the good sense to make Godly choices in the time allotted to us. Dr. Tony Evans said, "Life is like a coin. You can spend it any way you wish, but you can only spend it once." We need the wisdom of God to properly utilize what we've been given - love, talents, and time - to increase the Kingdom of God.

Prayer:

Father,

           We pray as Moses prayed - Satisfy us each morning with Your unfailing love, so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives. Give us gladness in proportion to our former misery! Replace the evil years with good. Let us, Your servants, see You work again; let our children see Your glory. Show us Your approval and make our efforts successful. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Under Heaven

To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven:
Ecclesiastes 3:1 NKJV

This is the well-known chapter that lists all the times we experience -  a time to be born, a time to die, et cetera. I can almost hear Solomon muttering, "Same old, same old. Every day, it's the same old thing."

As we read through this chapter, it seems as though Solomon's frustration with life glares back at us from the page. However, I believe it's all part of God's design to make us want HIM more. He tells us not to love the world and the things of it.

If we were totally satisfied by what we could find on planet Earth, we would never seek a relationship with the Lord, nor would we seek Heaven. We were never meant to be satisfied with only time for every purpose under heaven. Our goal is IN Heaven, not under it.

Prayer:

Father,

          According to Your Word, help us to forget everything that is past and stretch forward to what lies in front of us. Help us to fix our eyes on the goal and push on to secure the prize of Your heavenward call. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

What Time?

What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.
Psalm 56:3 KJV

Scripture doesn't tell us we'll never be afraid, but it does tell us not to fear. There is a difference. 

Fear will come - just like every other test and trial - but in God's Word, there is an answer - an antidote - for every one of them, including fear. 

The miraculous thing is the antidote is the same for each of them... trust in God.

Some might say that's over-simplifying the message. No, it's not easy to trust God in the middle of it all. It's quite difficult. It takes FAITH. Ask Peter. Ask Abraham. Ask Mary...and the list goes on and on.

What time? Any time, EVERY time, all the time. Wherever, whenever. Trust in God. He not only has the answer, He IS the answer.

Prayer:

Father,
          Forgive us for not exercising the measure of faith You have given each of us. We choose to trust You - no matter the circumstance. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen. 

Plenty of Time

For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 NLT

I know we've been in Ecclesiastes 3 on several occasions this month. There's something about time that we need to understand. As we hurtle headlong into the end of time, it's the dichotomy of not having enough time to do everything we need/want to do and having all the time in the world. 

God tells us there is time for everything. He created time measurements for us; there is no time pressure or constraint on Him. He tells us in Isaiah 46:9 and 10, that He is God and there is no other like Him, making known end-times things from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that have not yet happened, saying, My counsel, purpose, plan shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure... 

Notice He says HIS plan and purpose and He will do all HIS pleasure, not ours. HE has plenty of time to accomplish His will. Do we? What will we do with the time we have remaining?

Prayer:

Father,

          We know that all things can change in the twinkling of an eye. Help us to understand the reality of that. Help us to be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in Your work, Lord, knowing that our labor is not in vain in You. Give us wisdom and understanding in how we are to redeem the time. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

How Do You Spell LOVE?

Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.
1st John 3:18 NLT

God is serious about love - that's because He doesn't just love us. He IS love. Of the 10 Commandments, six of them address how we are to be in our relationships with other people. The other four? Our relationship with God Himself.

If you've ever fallen in love, you know that the only thing you want is to be with that person. You can't wait to get out of work or school, chores are done in record time so that nothing interferes with being with that person.

How do you spell LOVE?  W-O-R-K? M-O-N-E-Y? M-O-R-E M-O-N-E-Y?

Are we guilty of trying to squeeze love and our relationships into our busy schedules? That should be a BIG hint.

How do you spell LOVE? T-I-M-E

Pr. Warren writes, "The most desired gift of love is...focused attention...Whenever you give your time, you are making a sacrifice, and sacrifice is the essence of love." He finishes that truth with these three statements.

"The best use of life is love.
The best expression of love is time.
The best time to love is now."

So...what are we waiting for?

Prayer:

Father,
           Help us to see what is MOST important in life is not work, tasks, projects, things, but people. Imperfect people, at that. Teach us to love as You love - holy and wholly. And to give of ourselves as You did and do. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

There was a Time...

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts."

Isaiah 55:8-9 NLT

I read an article today by a Christian woman who acknowledged that she would have tried to stop the crucifixion rather than allow Jesus to suffer like that and recognized that as a result, would have thwarted salvation for mankind. There was a time in my life, I would have probably done the same thing. Proverbs 16 tells us, There is a way that seems right to a man...  Of course, there was also an earlier time in my life when I probably would have identified more as a member of the crowd shouting, "Crucify Him!" 

The point is that we don't always understand why people suffer, why there is pain, why healing doesn't always happen, why people die, and all the rest of the whys and wherefores - but it is our choice to trust God. And when we choose to trust Him, the Bible says to do so without wavering. In other words, no matter what. God DOES understand the whys and wherefores - after all, it's HIS plan and He knows what it takes to grow us up in Him. 

Prayer:

Father,

        Thank You for the Truth of Your Word that we can make our plans, but You, Lord, determine our steps. Thank You that Your ways and thoughts are so much higher than ours. Thank You for Your plan of salvation to save us from our sins and to spend eternity with You. Thank You for having the Master Plan and executing it to perfection. Help us to know You more. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

What Time

What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.
Psalm 56:3 KJV

I had something else planned to write, but I keep coming back to this verse in King James. Maybe somebody needs to be reminded.

Scripture doesn't tell us we'll never be afraid, but it does tell us not to fear. There IS a difference.

Fear will come - just like every other test and trial - but in God's Word, there is an answer - an antidote - for every one of them, including fear. The miraculous thing is the antidote is the same for each of them... trust in God.

Some might say that I'm over-simplifying the message. I know it's not easy to trust God in the middle of it all. It's quite difficult. It takes FAITH. Ask Peter. Ask Abraham. Ask Mary...and the list goes on and on.

What time? EVERY time. ANY time. ALL the time. Wherever, whenever. Trust in God. He not only has the answer, He IS the answer.

Prayer:

Father,
           Forgive us for not exercising the measure of faith You have given each of us. We choose to trust You - no matter the circumstance - for Your Name is above everything that is named... including CoVid-19. Help us to trust You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

Time

How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.
James 4:14

Two days till Christmas. How busy are you? How much do you still have left to be done to be ready for the big day? Which will you run out of first - money or time? 😊 What is your priority?

I was convicted this morning (thank You, Holy Spirit!) that my priorities are out of order. I'm making time for guests and gadding about for shopping tasks, etc, but not making the time for that which should be the most important - time alone with God. All this hustle and bustle and time consumption on other things, when I have no guarantee that I will be here tonight, let alone two days from now.

What is your answer to the ages-old question, "How would you spend today if you knew it was your last day on Earth?"

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for the gift of life and for those You have placed in my life to love and cherish in my time here. Forgive me for squandering the precious gift of time You have given me. Forgive me for putting anything before You. Change my heart, Father. Give me the courage and strength to persevere. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen

Not Enough Time

But the one who plants in response to God, letting God's Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life. So let's not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don't give up, or quit. Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith.
Galatians 6:8b-10 The Message

We live in a fast and furious world. This highway sure seems to have a lot of potholes, detours and roadblocks, but there doesn't seem to be any speed limit signs or designated pit stops. We work crazy hours, the A/C is on the fritz, the car's making a weird noise, kids, grandkids, elderly parents, veterinary bills, health issues, funerals... I don't know where the time goes. We get up early and go to bed later than we wanted to and every minute in between seems to clamor for attention from something or somebody. At this point you might be thinking, "This is your Promise for Today? Is this supposed to make me feel better?"

No, those are the facts. Life. Things that are actually happening. For those of you who have been on this journey with me for awhile, you know about facts vs. Truth. The best illustration is the story of my life. Facts are: A drunk, drug abuse, and the garbage that goes with it. The TRUTH is: Born again child of the Most High God, walking in His righteousness - in right standing with the Father, my Redeemer, Deliverer. You see, God's Truth always - ALWAYS - overcomes the facts of life.

Fast and furious world, no time - those are the facts, but the Truth is found in Matthew 11:28-29 NLT, Then Jesus said,“Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

In the midst of our hurry-scurry world, that's our Promise for Today and every day. If we will take the time to spend part of our day with Him, He will give us rest and we will be strengthened for the rest of our day.

Be encouraged, Dear Ones. God is a faithful God. Look above the circumstances! Look above the cares and trials of this world to the Author AND the Finisher of our faith. If He started it, He WILL finish it. In a world where there is too much going on, I offer you Truth over the facts of your life. For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11).

Prayer:

Father,
             Thank You for Your Truth. In these crazy times we live in, help us to keep our focus on You, the Author and Finisher of our faith. In the tough times, Father, when it's hard to see and understand, cover us with Your wings of mercy and grace when we come to You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Need a Break

Glory in His holy name;
Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord!
Seek the Lord and His strength;
Seek His face evermore!
1st Chronicles 16:10-11 NKJV

At one time or another, for whatever reason, everyone reaches a point where they need a break. We can all relate to that. I read something today that struck me to the core in relation to 'needing a break'. It's from Secrets of the Secret Place by Bob Sorge; he wrote "The greatest lie satan attacks me with is, 'You deserve a break today!'"

[my examples] You deserve a break like sleeping in an extra hour instead of getting up for your quiet time. You deserve a break from journaling because it "takes time" and you need a break to not have to think after a stressful day or a long work week or whatever the case may be. 

Bob writes "...as though time away from the [Lord] is a break! It's not a break; it's a loss."

He goes on to explain that loss, "You missed drinking deeply of the Spirit's fountain; you missed being washed and cleansed and renewed in His presence; you missed getting fed by the illumination of God's word; you missed taking the time to calm your hectic heart and hear His precious voice... You was robbed!" [end quote]

Any time spent with God is life-giving (and life changing) whether it's 15 seconds or 15 minutes or an hour or hours. I know I can't do anything apart from God, let alone anything well. I can't love. I can't work. I can't create. The Truth of the matter is that the time I spend with God - ANY time I spend with God - is never wasted. Like Mary at the feet of Jesus, when Martha demanded Mary's help, I find that I don't ever feel guilty about the time I spend with God. It is the one thing that is needful (Luke 10:42). But I have felt guilty about time I've wasted elsewhere...

We all like to focus on the harvest of seeds we've planted. Time is no different. If you sow time to God, you will reap time - a clearer mind to complete tasks quickly. Time to spend with your loved ones. What will bring the greater harvest of good - an hour with Facebook or an hour with God? We all want bumper crops and ask God to bless us... but what are we sowing? Do we really want a bumper crop of THAT? If you've known me for very long, you know I like to collect quotes. One I read recently is from A.W. Tozer, a great Christian pastor, "If a man wants to be used by God, he cannot spend all of his time with people." Need a break?

Prayer:

Father,
          Thank You that You always have the time - that You literally make the time so we can have time with You. Change our perspective on our quiet time from duty to delight - from 'I've got to...' to 'I get to!' Forgive us for buying into the lie of the enemy of our souls. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

What Time is It?

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 NIV


Whenever I read this passage, I hear it as the song, Turn Turn Turn recorded by The Byrds back in the 1960s. The music was composed by Pete Seeger. How far we've come in the lyrics of popular music!

However, first written by Solomon, there is great wisdom in these verses. It is vitally important to know what to do. It's just as important, (if not more so) to know WHEN to do it. There truly is a time for everything, but it's not always clear what time it is. How do we know what it's time for?

Jesus told us in John 16:13, that the Holy Spirit will tell us - But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.

How can we hear the voice of the Lord, the guidance of the Holy Spirit, or even comprehend His Word if we don't make the time to spend with Him so we can hear?

Prayer:

Father,
            We know the time is fast approaching for Your return. Help us to know when we should hold our peace and when we should fight. Give us the wisdom to know when and how to love, and for every activity under the sun, Holy Spirit, guide us into the Truth. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Part 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 in the work place 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 every other Sunday are for my grandchildren. 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 may 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 down time - 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. 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 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, 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 won't work. Even a battery will eventually wear down if it's not recharged by the power source.

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

Not Enough Hours (re-posted by request)

See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Ephesians 5:15-16 NKJV

How many times have you heard the phrase - There aren't enough hours in the day...? I've said it myself, more often than I care to admit. In fact, I used to try to convince God I needed at least 2 more hours in a day, that if He would make it so I only needed 4 hours sleep to be good that would work better for me. He didn't buy it.

Have you ever stopped to think about how many hours there are in a week?  Seven days of 24 hours equals 168... 168 hours. I don't know too many people who actually sleep a full 8 hours, but we'll use that as the norm. If I sleep 8 hours a night, that's 56 hours a week. Subtract that from 168 and I have 112 hours left. That's okay. If I work 50 hours a week, that leaves me with 62 discretionary hours...

62 hours a week - not accounted for. That's two whole days, plus 14 more hours. When was the last time you remember having two whole days' worth of hours, plus 14 more to be used at your discretion? Okay, even if you work 60 hours a week, you still have 52 hours, which is still more than two days. Whether or not we remember them, that's what we have. The numbers don't lie.

What do we do with those hours? Why don't we think we have enough? If we divide 62 by 7, it equals 8.86 hours a day... If hours are the currency of our lives, how are we spending our lives?

Prayer:

Father,

           Strike this truth deep into our spirits. Help us to be better stewards of the time You've given us. May that time be spent wisely, in a worthwhile manner, and not wasted. Cause us to be AWARE of this. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen