Reminder - What's In Your Luggage

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. 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.

Romans 13:11-14 NLT

While there are many different types of travelers, there are generally only two types of packers. Those who pack ahead of time and those last-minute packers... of which I am one.

Being a last-minute packer can be beneficial if you have back-to-back trips. You just leave some things in the suitcase and then throw in a few more depending on where you're going, and you're off on the next trip. And if you forgot something, don't worry, you can probably buy it at your next destination.

However, according to our Scripture passage today, in light of our final destination - Heaven - we need to be very intentional with what we have in our luggage. What preparation have we made for eternity? Remember, we won't be able to run out and "buy" whatever we missed. So, depending on where we want to go, we need to remove the dark deeds and immoral living. Get rid of the quarreling and jealousy so we can make room to pack the shining armor of right living. We also must clothe ourselves with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. That's going to need a serious amount of space. 

So, what's in your luggage? What do you need to get rid of?

Prayer:

Father,
          Thank You for sending the Holy Spirit to guide us into all Truth and to help prepare us for this journey to You. Open our eyes to see what needs to be removed to make plenty of room for Your presence. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Travel Advisory

Do this and you will never ever be lost. In this way you will receive a rich welcome into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
2nd Peter 1:10b-11 CEB

Today was Thanksgiving Day in the U.S. - a national holiday. Lots of people traveling this week and returning home later in the weekend. Regardless of your mode of travel, I hope you have great directions for your final destination.

When I travel on the road, I used to use the AAA Triptik. They were great - maps laid out in a spiral flip binder in doable miles per page without being overwhelmed by the overall trip. The route to travel was clearly highlighted along with bits of vital information: the terrain was described (mountainous, flat lands, rolling hills), rest stops and road construction were marked, AAA-recommended hotels were noted with information to make reservations, etc. It would even warn you of speed traps! It was nigh on impossible to get lost while using a AAA Triptik. Now we use GPS or Waze... which are great as long as you have reception...

As one who can get lost so frequently that all roads look familiar, I am thrilled to find today's promise - Do this and you will never ever be lost. Since our destination is the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, it would behoove us to follow the trip advisory that God has laid out for us. 

If we go back a few verses in our text for today, we find this vital information:
By his divine power the Lord has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of the one who called us by his own honor and glory. Through his honor and glory he has given us his precious and wonderful promises, that you may share the divine nature and escape from the world’s immorality that sinful craving produces.

This is why you must make every effort to add moral excellence to your faith; and to moral excellence, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, endurance; and to endurance, godliness; and to godliness, affection for others; and to affection for others, love. If all these are yours and they are growing in you, they’ll keep you from becoming inactive and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
These are the things we must do, so that we will never be lost.

Peter goes on to tell us, Whoever lacks these things is shortsighted and blind, forgetting that they were cleansed from their past sins.

Let's not get lost. God has given us the directions for our journey - His Word. It has all the vital information we need. The route is clearly highlighted. Use it! Don't take one step without it. And the reception is always great!

Prayer:

Father,
            Thank You for the ultimate travel advisory. We are so grateful that You have paid the way for us to get to You. We want to be around Your banqueting table on the day You call us home. Keep us ever mindful of the trip advisories in Your Word. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Regardless of your mode of travel, please be aware of your surroundings and stay safe.

Travel Advisory

Do this and you will never ever be lost. In this way you will receive a rich welcome into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
2nd Peter 1:10b-11 CEB

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Lots of food. A long weekend. What’s not to love? Lots of people travelling. Regardless of your mode of travel, I hope you have great directions for your final destination.

As one who can get lost so frequently that all roads look familiar, I am thrilled to find today's promise - Do this and you will never ever be lost. Since our destination is the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, it would behoove us to follow the trip advisory that God has laid out for us. If we go back a few verses in our text for today, we find this vital information:

By his divine power the Lord has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of the one who called us by his own honor and glory. Through his honor and glory he has given us his precious and wonderful promises, that you may share the divine nature and escape from the world’s immorality that sinful craving produces.

This is why you must make every effort to add moral excellence to your faith; and to moral excellence, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, endurance; and to endurance, godliness; and to godliness, affection for others; and to affection for others, love. If all these are yours and they are growing in you, they’ll keep you from becoming inactive and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

These are the things we must do so that we will never be lost.

Peter goes on to tell us, Whoever lacks these things is shortsighted and blind, forgetting that they were cleansed from their past sins.

Let's not get lost. God has given us the directions for our journey - His Word. It has all the vital information we need. The route is clearly highlighted. Use it! Don't take one step without it.

Prayer:

Father,

Thank You for the ultimate travel guide. We are so grateful that You have paid the way for us to get to You. We want to be around Your banqueting table on the day You call us home. Keep us ever mindful of the trip advisories in Your Word. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

The Right Guide

You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Psalm 16:11 NKJV

Traditionally, the women in my family line don't like to travel. Don't get me wrong, we go places and we generally have a good time once we get there... It's the process leading up to getting there that makes us (and everyone around us) a little crazy. My mother immigrated to America on a ship, a war bride, by herself with my oldest brother who was a toddler at the time. I've lost count of the times I've driven back and forth across this country. Several times, just me and the Lord - just like my sister's done it - and just like my daughter's done it... It's way out of the comfort zone, separation anxiety, all the what-ifs - like what if I get lost, what if I break down, the whole what-if thing that happens.

That makes me acknowledge one of the things I love best about the Lord. I found Him because He kept calling me so I'd know how to find Him. Now, I always know where He is because He never leaves me.

And I can live my life in Don't-Worry-Be-Happy-mode because in His presence is fullness of joy and at His right hand are pleasures forevermore. And He makes the crooked way straight and He guides my footsteps AND guards them so that I don't fall. (It's all there in His Word. Check it out!)

And to top it off, there's NO separation anxiety because Scripture assures us in Romans 8:38-39, that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Prayer:

Father,
           You are the quintessential travel guide. Not only do You guide our every step, You designed the scenery. You are amazing! Cause us to always be mindful to follow the path of life You have chosen for us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

What's In Your Luggage?

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. 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.
Romans 13:11-14 NLT

Can you believe we're already at the end of October? The holiday season is just around the corner and chances are you or someone you love will be traveling. While there are many different types of travelers, there are generally only two types of packers. Those who pack ahead of time and those last-minute packers... of which I am one.

Being a last-minute packer can be beneficial if you have back-to-back trips. You just leave some things in the suitcase and then throw in a few more depending on where you're going, and you're off on the next trip. And if you forgot something, don't worry, you can probably buy it at your next destination.

However, according to our Scripture passage today, in light of our final destination - Heaven - we need to be very intentional with what we have in our luggage. What preparation have we made for eternity? Remember, we won't be able to run out and "buy" whatever we missed. So, depending on where we want to go, we need to remove the dark deeds and immoral living. Get rid of the quarreling and jealousy so we can make room to pack the shining armor of right living. We also must clothe ourselves with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. That's going to need a serious amount of space. So, what's in your luggage? What do you need to get rid of? 

Prayer:

Father,
          Thank You for sending the Holy Spirit to guide us into all Truth and to help prepare us for this journey to You. Open our eyes to see what needs to be removed to make plenty of room for Your presence. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* Nothing I Can Do

When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.”
Exodus 13:17 NIV

When I travel, I look at all the routes. I want the quickest one with the least amount of hindrances along the way. When I fly, I want non-stop. And I know I'm not the only one. However, even the best-laid travel plans don't always work out the way we expect. Sometimes there's a detour; sometimes a traffic jam. Or in this case for the Israelites, the Red Sea.

If God had given me the choice on which route to take - whether I would want to fight or cross a body of water - I'd go for the fight every time. I can't help but think that some of the Israelites were already wondering why they didn't just go through the country. It's not like God didn't know where the sea was.

If I put myself in their place - I've got my family and my livestock and I'm facing the Red Sea with the Egyptian army in hot pursuit right behind me. In my mind, there's no way out. There is nothing I can do.

How many times in our lives have we been at a similar junction? The bills are overwhelming, the illness that no one could foresee or prevent, the circumstances over which we have no control. And we wonder, "Why?!?" We've tried to follow God. We've tried to hear His voice. And yet here we are at our own version of the Red Sea with no way out. Nothing we can do.

And that's just it. We MUST learn to trust God! To follow Him wherever He leads us, and in the process, we learn (hopefully) that HE is in control. If He's led us to this place, He already has our way out made for us and He will do it. We can't see it, but that's why it's called faith. And just like He did for the Israelites, He will use that same path to wipe out whatever is trying to keep us in bondage or destroy us.

What we CAN do is faithfully follow Him, no matter what it looks like.

Prayer:

Father,
            Thank You for being the Way Maker. Help us to lay down our own reasoning and those ways that seem right to us, and choose instead to follow the leading of Your Holy Spirit. May we ever be open to hear AND obey whatever You speak to our hearts. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* Trip Advisory Thanksgiving

Do this and you will never ever be lost. In this way you will receive a rich welcome into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.

2nd Peter 1:10b-11 CEB

Today is Thanksgiving Day in the U.S. - a national holiday. Lots of people travelling this week and returning home later in the weekend. Regardless of your mode of travel, I hope you have great directions for your final destination. 

When I travel on the road, I always like to have the AAA Triptik. They're great - maps laid out in a spiral flip binder in doable miles per page without being overwhelmed by the overall trip. The route to travel is clearly highlighted along with bits of vital information: the terrain is described (mountainous, flat lands, rolling hills), rest stops and road construction are marked, AAA-recommended hotels are noted with information to make reservations, etc. It will even warn you of speed traps! It's nigh on impossible to get lost while using a AAA Triptik.

As one who can get lost so frequently that all roads look familiar, I am thrilled to find today's promise - Do this and you will never ever be lost. Since our destination is the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ, it would behoove us to follow the trip advisory that God has laid out for us. If we go back a few verses in our text for today, we find this vital information:

     By his divine power the Lord has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of the one who called us by his own honor and glory. Through his honor and glory he has given us his precious and wonderful promises, that you may share the divine nature and escape from the world’s immorality that sinful craving produces.

     This is why you must make every effort to add moral excellence to your faith; and to moral excellence, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, endurance; and to endurance, godliness; and to godliness, affection for others; and to affection for others, love. If all these are yours and they are growing in you, they’ll keep you from becoming inactive and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

These are the things we must do, so that we will never be lost. 

Peter goes on to tell us, Whoever lacks these things is shortsighted and blind, forgetting that they were cleansed from their past sins.

Let's not get lost. God has given us the directions for our journey - His Word. It has all the vital information we need. The route is clearly highlighted. Use it! Don't take one step without it.

Prayer:

Father,

          Thank You for the ultimate Triptik. We are so grateful that You have paid the way for us to get to You. We want to be around Your banqueting table on the day You call us home. Keep us ever mindful of the trip advisories in Your Word. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Regardless of your mode of travel, please be aware of your surroundings and stay safe.

* The Road to Hell is Paved with Good Intentions

Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.

Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right for the sake of your own salvation and the salvation of those who hear you.

1st Timothy 4:12b, 16 NLT

I like this story of a wayward traveler...

I'm leaving Houston, and I'm going to Los Angeles. I arrive in Florida. Someone asks, "Where are you going?"  and I tell them, "I'm going to Los Angeles."  

"Well, this is not Los Angeles."  
"I know, but I'm going to Los Angeles." and so I leave. I arrive in New York City.

Someone asks, "Where are you going?"  and I tell them, "I'm going to Los Angeles."  "Well, this is not Los Angeles."  
"I know, but I'm going to Los Angeles." and so I leave. I arrive in Tennessee.
Someone asks, "Where are you going?"  and I tell them, "I'm going to Los Angeles."  "Well, this is not Los Angeles."  "I know, but that's where I'm going." and so I leave... The traveler never gets to Los Angeles even though he kept saying that's where he was going. 

The point is that it doesn't matter that his intention was to go to Los Angeles. He never made preparation or a reservation or even a true determination to ensure his arrival there.

And in our walk on earth, we tell everyone we're going to Heaven... Is that our intention or our determination? Which "tion" is it? And what will we shun to make sure we get there?

Prayer:

Father,

        It is written that Your Word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. We cannot lose our way when the Light of Your Son directs our path. Help us to read and understand the map of life that You've given us in Scripture. Let our lives be a living epistle according to Your Word so we can lead others to You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* No Separation Anxiety

You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Psalm 16:11 NKJV

Traditionally, the women in my family line don't like to travel. Don't get me wrong, we go places and we generally have a good time once we get there...  It's the process leading up to getting there that makes us (and everyone around us) a little crazy. My mother immigrated to America on a ship, a war bride, by herself with my oldest brother. I've lost count of the times I've driven back and forth across this country. Several times, just me and the Lord - just like my sister's done it - and just like my daughter's done it... It's being out of the comfort zone, separation anxiety, all the what-ifs - like what if I get lost, what if I break down, the whole what-if thing that happens.

That makes me acknowledge one of the things I love best about the Lord. I found Him because He kept calling me so I'd know how to find Him. Now, I always know where He is because He never leaves me. 

And I can live my life in Don't-Worry-Be-Happy-mode because in His presence is fullness of joy and at His right hand are pleasures forevermore. And He makes the crooked way straight and He guides my footsteps AND guards them so that I don't fall. 

And to top it off, there's NO separation anxiety because Scripture assures us in Romans 8:38-39, that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Prayer:

Father,

         You are the quintessential travel guide. Not only do You guide our every step, You designed the scenery. You are amazing! Cause us to always be mindful to follow the path of life You have chosen for us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen