* Based on the Evidence

 As Paul gathered an armful of sticks and was laying them on the fire, a poisonous snake, driven out by the heat, bit him on the hand. The people of the island saw it hanging from his hand and said to each other, “A murderer, no doubt! Though he escaped the sea, justice will not permit him to live.” But Paul shook off the snake into the fire and was unharmed. The people waited for him to swell up or suddenly drop dead. But when they had waited a long time and saw that he wasn’t harmed, they changed their minds and decided he was a god.
Acts 28:3-6 NLT

How quickly the people of the island judged Paul to be a murderer, then almost as quickly decided he was a god, based on the 'evidence' in front of them. In both instances, with the so-called proof right before their eyes, they were wrong. 

God had a plan for Paul's life, and it didn't include dying on that island. The circumstances and their opinions didn't determine the outcome because Paul knew - and believed - what God told him was going to happen.

In Psalm 139, David tells us that God formed us in our mother's womb, and every day was planned out before we ever drew our first breath. Does that mean that every sin, every mistake, every mess up we make was already planned for us? No, it doesn't mean that. I believe God has a perfect plan for our lives, but sometimes we don't follow His plan. What happens then? 

I believe God pulls out His potter's wheel and remodels the clay, because of what is written in Jeremiah 18:1-6, The Lord gave another message to Jeremiah. He said, “Go down to the potter’s shop, and I will speak to you there.” So I did as he told me and found the potter working at his wheel. But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so he crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over. Then the Lord gave me this message: “O Israel, can I not do to you as this potter has done to his clay? As the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand."

Oftentimes, people are quick to judge and hand out predictions about our lives, too, based on the evidence of what they see. Even worse, WE are quick to judge ourselves unworthy or incapable of fulfilling God's plan based on what we've done and what we know about ourselves. However, even with what we know, we can be just as wrong about that as the island people were about Paul.

God already knows what's in us. He put it there along with a measure of faith. You remember faith, right? Hebrews 11:1, Faith shows the REALITY of what we hope for; it is the EVIDENCE of things we cannot see. [emphasis mine] 

It is THAT evidence on which we should base our lives. 

Prayer:

Father,
           Open our eyes to see Your Truth as written in Ephesians that we are Your masterpiece. And You created us anew in Christ, so we can do the good things You planned for us long ago. We want to fulfill Your plan. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

Job's Comforters +

Submit to God, and you will have peace; then things will go well for you.  Listen to his instructions, and store them in your heart.
Job 22:21-22 NLT

A Job's Comforter is defined as "a person who aggravates distress under the guise of giving comfort." Our text today is from the third and final speech of Eliphaz to Job. I'm relatively certain he was passionate and persuasive, given the circumstances. In fact, the man was outright eloquent in his delivery! However, his assessment of Job and the situation was decidedly limited, and although what he was saying was absolute Truth regarding repentance, he missed the mark in how it applied to Job. We've all had friends who meant well and yet misspoke. 

Oftentimes, we, being human, only know or are known in part. Paul tells us in 1st Corinthians 2:11, No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. Two verses later, Paul writes, When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. And therein lies the crux of the matter - human wisdom. 

The Word also tells us that the Holy Spirit will guide us into all Truth. Are we listening?

In Proverbs we learn that death and life are in the power of the tongue. Given these truths, whether we are the speaker or the recipient, we must be sure to follow the Lord's leading. We do NOT want to be a Job's Comforter.

Prayer:

Father,
          Give us Your wisdom. Guide us into all Truth. And let us be like Jesus and only impart to others what we hear You say. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Feet to the Fire*

Who out there fears God, actually listens to the voice of his servant? For anyone out there who doesn’t know where you’re going, anyone groping in the dark, Here’s what: Trust in God. Lean on your God!

But if all you’re after is making trouble, playing with fire,

Go ahead and see where it gets you.

Set your fires, stir people up, blow on the flames,
But don’t expect me to just stand there and watch.
I’ll hold your feet to those flames.

Isaiah 50:10-11 The Message

It snowed today where my sister lives, so she had a fire going in the fireplace this evening when we were chatting. She reminded me of how when we were little, she and my younger brother and I would sit on the floor by the fireplace and hold our feet to the firescreen to get our feet warm. Innocent memory, but definitely not what God meant here in our text for today.

Holding someone's feet to the fire is an idiomatic phrase that generally means you'll make them do what they promised or committed to do. 

The book of Isaiah always speaks to me. This particular chapter addresses the sin of self-sufficiency. Israel had promised to follow God, to trust Him in all things, but they chose to do things their own way.

When we place our confidence in what WE can do - when we believe our own ability to care for ourselves is quicker, better, more trustworthy, we're heading for certain trouble! We age, and as we do, our strength fades. Our minds are not as quick to remember all the details. But God, our God never fades. Hebrews 1:10-12 (in the Message Bible) tells us, You, Master, started it all, laid earth’s foundations, then crafted the stars in the sky. Earth and sky will wear out, but not you; they become threadbare like an old coat; You’ll fold them up like a worn-out cloak, and lay them away on the shelf. But you’ll stay the same, year after year; you’ll never fade, you’ll never wear out.

Who then will we choose to trust? Here’s what: Trust in God. Lean on your God! 

Prayer:

Father,

           You and You alone are trustworthy and we choose to trust You in all things. Forgive us for trying to do everything by ourselves. Break and remove the curse that comes from trusting in the arm of man, even when it's our own. Illuminate Your ways, O God. May the only fire we experience be like Jeremiah's - Your Word in our hearts, like fire shut up in our bones. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* Regarding Faith

And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

1st Corinthians 2:4-5 NKJV

It's an incredible time to be alive! There is SO much knowledge available at our fingertips through the Internet! I'm not sure that's always good; however, there are times it is absolutely wonderful! 

There are how-to videos and instruction for just about everything. I once tore apart a washing machine down to its frame and transmission - and at the time, I didn't even know washing machines had transmissions! That was before smart phones, so I had to keep going back and forth to the computer for instruction because the printer was out of ink! Oh, the irony... And yes, I was able to put it all back together and it worked. I felt like Superwoman!

In that same quest for knowledge, when I was diagnosed with cancer, I researched everything! I thought knowledge was power, and I still believe that to a certain extent. But there came a time in the treatment process where all the knowledge I had was not enough to bring me peace or to make me feel powerful. In fact, quite the opposite. And there were extremely knowledgeable physicians and specialists on my team - some of the best in the field - but their knowledge was not enough to bring me peace, either. 

It was when I stopped searching for knowledge and turned to the ONLY ONE who actually had the answers - when I stopped Googling and got back to Bible-ing - when my faith in the power of God instead of the wisdom of men became my mainstay that the insurmountable peace I'd had at the beginning of the journey returned to me - mind, body, soul, and spirit. 

Knowledge is good. Wisdom is better. Faith in the Almighty God is best.

Prayer:

Father,

          Many a long night in the course of our lives - as the old song says, You give us peace in the midst of our storm-tossed lives. You are the Anchor. You are the Rock to build our faith upon. You and You alone are ever faithful and faithful forevermore! Keep us ever mindful of Your greatness, O God! In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* Instructions

I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.
John 14:27 NLT

I just keep thinking about the 'fear nots' in relation to the boldness, the confidence that will come as a result of following those words of instruction. If a king or queen gave you or me a directive to do something and backed it up with the promise of any means available in their realm, I sincerely doubt there would be any hesitation. I mean, in a country where "by the king's order" was the top of the pecking order, we'd get it done. We would follow the royal instruction.

The King of kings and Lord of lords has specifically stated that He is GIVING us peace of mind and heart - and we both know the world cannot give us that! (It's not the world's to give - it can't give what it doesn't have.) Then He instructs us, "So don't be troubled or afraid." When this King speaks, it is with the authority of God, backed by all of Heaven. Think about that for a little while - really think about it - then answer this question.

How are you at following instructions?

Prayer:

Father,
        Open our hearts and minds to hear and understand the magnitude of what You are telling us. Help us to walk how and where You would have us go. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

100% Sure +

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?
Numbers 23:19 NLT

We have all been let down by someone in our lives, at one point or another. Maybe it wasn't intentional - someone just forgot what he or she promised. But maybe it was on purpose (that hurts more). Maybe it wasn't within the time frame that was expected - that can lead to misunderstandings and might even break a trust. We wouldn't be as quick to trust or believe the next time, would we? Thank God, HE'S not like that!

One of the most basic, foundational Truths that ALL Christians believe is that God does not lie. Would you agree? Our Promise for Today assures us of this very Truth, right? Right?

As I was reading other passages today, I was convicted to the depth of my soul! How many times have I been fearful or afraid to do something that I believed God asked me to do or wanted me to do?!? Afraid of what - people's opinions? Fear of failure? Did God say it? If so, then why didn't I believe it and act on it? 

How many times have I not walked in the measure of faith He supplied to all of us? How many times have I allowed my perception of a situation to determine my actions rather than my faith? How can we be sure?

1st John 4:16-18 tells us, And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

God has told us numerous times to not fear. HE is love. It is HIS perfect love that drives out fear, according to His Word. Of that, we can be 100% sure!

Prayer:

Father,
          As it is written - the words of Your only begotten Son -Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Let the Truth of Your Word pierce our hearts, rightly dividing between soul and spirit. Cause our hearts to cry out as the child's father in Mark 9, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* A New Start

Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:22-23 NKJV 

New Year's Day. The start of a brand new year - most of us are full of hope to have a good one. Many are glad to be leaving the old one behind. I don't know anyone who doesn't love to have a clean slate, with all the endless possibilities of good that could happen.

Our heavenly Father is known as the Ancient of Days, where a day with the Lord is as a thousand years and a thousand years as a day (2nd Peter 3:8). Yet, in His lovingkindness, He knew in our flesh, we would need boundaries of time. Times of hope for times of change. How many of us have said, "Next week..." or "Next month..." or "Next year..." with the promise of possibility for what it could hold?

Last year was a tough year. I remember crying out to God, "I can't do this for the rest of my life!" And His response to my heart's cry was, "Can you do it for today? Just for today."

So, today, on this first day of a new year, I am so grateful to be reminded in His Word that we get to start new every morning. We don't have to wait. EACH day is new when we choose to follow the Lord. 

Prayer:

Father,
          We are so grateful that through Your mercies we are not consumed and Your love never fails us. Help us to walk mindful of the great gift of Your faithfulness. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen