* A Heart Toward God

Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well:

2nd Kings 4:26 KJV

In the book of Job, chapter 1 - Job, a very wealthy man, loses all of his children and all his possessions in one day. Scripture tells us at the end of the chapter, Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, “Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.

How many of us would be able to do what the Shunammite woman did, let alone what Job did?!? Some of us get a hangnail and we want to blame God. Get stuck in traffic and "God, you could move this, if you wanted to..."  Go to bed late because we get caught up in Youtube or Facebook, and when the alarm goes off, instead of 'Good morning, Lord', we're groaning, 'Good Lord, it's morning!' as though it's His fault we're tired...

Let's take a little time to think about the good things God has done for each of us. The times He's brought us through, pulled us up and lifted us out, covered us, delivered, redeemed, and set us free.  Just to name a few...Is your focus - your heart - toward the circumstance or toward God?

Prayer:

Father, 

           Forgive us for the petty things in life that steal our focus away from you. Let us ALWAYS think of what You've already done, what You're doing, and what You're going to do. Keep our hearts, minds, and souls ever toward You, O God. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* What You Sow...

“And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You.
Psalm 39:7

What is your hope? What is it anchored in? When the storms of life come (and they will!), do you lose hope or is its foundation sure? 

♪♫ My anchor holds and grips the solid Rock... His Name is Jesus... yes, He's the One... ♪♫

I have set the Lord continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 
Psalm 16:8 NASB

When it's blowing and going with gale-force winds, what do you have to hold onto that is secure? Where will you 'hide' from the storms of life, and yet maintain your hope?

When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been a shelter for me, A strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings.
Psalm 61:2b-4 NKJV

Do you have any guarantee for your hope? Anything that will back it up? What about the following?

God also bound himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind. So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls.
Hebrews 6:17-19 NLT

Word upon Word, promised forever. So in the principle of sowing and reaping, what are YOU sowing? I've just given you a page of encouragement to keep your hope!

Prayer:
           
Father,
           Let everything we sow be pleasing unto you. Let it bring forth fruit, according to Your word. Encourage those who are reading this around the world. Multiply their hope in You. In Jesus' Name we pray.

* What Do You Say to That?

21 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth Does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable. He gives strength to the weary, And to him who lacks might He increases power.
Isaiah 40:28-29 NASB

Have you ever had those days that feel like all you do is go from one fire to the next without any lasting results? I've had a month of them. It's like trying to run a marathon with one foot nailed to the floor. You're giving it all you've got, but you're not getting anywhere. 

I've been SO much more busy that at first, I didn't recognize what was going on. Then through the hustle and bustle, I heard Him whisper, "Come away. Come spend time with Me. Make more time for Me - I will help you." In our finite minds, that doesn't make sense. What do you say to that? More time spent on something means less time for everything else when it can feel like we don't have enough time as it is to get everything done in a day. 

However, we're talking about the Creator of the universe. The God of multiplying, not dividing. The One Who always gives more! I was reminded of that when I read Proverbs 21:21, He who pursues righteousness and loyalty finds life, righteousness and honor. We pursue righteousness and loyalty and He gives us LIFE. God gives so much more than we could think or ask. So what do you say to a God like that?

You say, "Yes, Lord."

Prayer:

Father,
          Thank You for always loving us. Thank You for always having the right answer and providing it for us. Thank You for knowing what we have need of before we even ask and for being patient and kind enough to allow us to come into Your presence where all our needs are met. Father, let our heart's desire be always toward You. We want to know You more. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* For Such a Time as This

You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.
Psalm 139:16 NLT

Let's talk about Esther. Orphaned at an early age, taken in by an older cousin, and offered up in the B.C. version of Queen for a Day - but only if you qualify. (This would not be my first choice, nor my second, not even my thirtieth...). However, think about this. If she hadn't been orphaned, if her older cousin hadn't taken her in and then offered her up for the king's wife lottery, where would she be when the time came to fulfill her purpose in life?

An entire culture had been sentenced to die. Mordecai expected Esther to fix it. Period. No excuses, because she was in the right place at the right time. He asked her, "If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?”

She was scared witless. She could die merely by taking the first step into the ruler's presence without his expressed permission. I am positive the words kept ringing in her spirit, 'For such a time as this!' 'For such a time as this!' 

It rings throughout my day, 'For such a time as this!' 'For such a time as this!' and echoes as Ephesians 2:10 repeats itself in my heart, "For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."  

God knows all our days. He planned them... long ago.  As scary as this world can be in its' worst days, we are here for such a time as this. God ordained that we would be here... in the right place at the right time... 

What will WE do?

Prayer:

Father,
       In the words of King David, Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. Let me fulfill the purpose You have planned for my life... for such a time as this. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen

* Background Checks and Jesus

Later, Levi invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. (There were many people of this kind among Jesus’ followers.)
Mark 2:15 NLT

In my day job, one of the tasks in my portfolio is processing new hires. Regardless of the position offered, it is mandatory to run a background check and prescreen for drugs and alcohol. There is a variety of background checks from which to choose; some vastly more stringent than others, depending on the job description and work location. Only those who pass are eligible to begin the actual process to be employed. 

Once in a great while, we meet a candidate who has a questionable past but who is forthright about the circumstances. Often, we are able to work with that person and proceed with employment, (depending on the grade/number of hits on the prescreens). While reading Mark 2 for our promise, I was reminded of this particular employment scenario. 

In verse 17 of Mark 2, Jesus said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.” 

In my opinion, this passage is one of the greatest stories in the Word of God! He's choosing His disciples and they are not the crème de la crème. Jesus has the background knowledge of EVERYTHING we've ever done, said or even thought! And yet, nothing can disqualify us when we give it ALL to Him, good AND bad. There isn't anything that can preclude us. God tells us in Isaiah 1:18, “Come now, let’s settle this,” says the Lord. "Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow." It doesn't matter how it's graded - or how many hits are on it when it's processed - our background check comes back clear when Jesus runs it. In Christ, our past does not determine our future.

Prayer:

Father,
          Thank You for making every provision for us in preparation of our permanent, eternal position with You. Give us opportunities to tell others of Your greatness and Your faithfulness and Your great love toward us. Give them hearts and ears to hear. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

*+ The Same

There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
1st Corinthians 12:4-11 NKJV

God loves you and wants the very best for your life. My pastor declares this all the time. He's not a "name it, claim it", "blab it, grab it" kind of guy, but he is steeped in the Word of God and proclaims Truth every time he speaks. 

God really DOES love you and He TRULY wants the best for your life! So, because He loves us so much, He made each of us uniquely ourselves. Think about the billions of people and no two fingerprints alike. Mind-boggling! He didn't make us unique in order to be in the spotlight. He didn't make us unique so that we could laud it over anyone who doesn't have the same giftings we might have. He made us unique because we each bring something of value to the table to accomplish His purpose - His goals in our lives and the lives of those around us. Something that is uniquely our own, yet a vital part of the whole picture. 

The world calls for us to celebrate diversity and to make it our focus. The world encourages us to find the thing that's different and exploit it; to focus on what separates us and divide into groups accordingly. God never called us to division. He called us into relationship with Himself and the Body of Christ - which is you and me.

How do you make a friend? You either get thrust into a forced connection or you first notice that there is some kind of common ground on which you can connect? Right? 

That is EXACTLY what God is calling us to do in our Scripture text for today. Yes, we're all different, but we are to celebrate the SAME! The same Spirit (the one that raised Christ Jesus from the dead). The same God who works all in all. We are not called to separatism.

Prayer:

Father,
         We don't want to lose our lives by lauding it over everyone. Lord, may we remember and focus that we were created to do things for others - things that You ordained for us to do long ago. Help us to recognize Your handiwork and cause us to hasten to do all that You have in Your Heart and Mind for us. In Jesus' Name, we pray. Amen

The Twenty-third Psalm +

Sometimes, I have no words of my own. The only insight I have about this is that there's a reason it's one of the most favorite passages of Scripture. It is a declaration of who God is and who I am NOT.

The Lord is my shepherd;

I shall not want.

He makes me to lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside the still waters.

He restores my soul;

He leads me in the paths of righteousness

For His name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil;

For You are with me;

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

You anoint my head with oil;

My cup runs over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

All the days of my life;

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord

Forever.

Prayer:

Father,

           Thank You for all that You are and all that You have provided for us, are providing for us, and will provide for us. Lord, we need so much more of You and so much less of us. Cause it to be so. Clean hands and a pure heart, O God. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen