When You Were Little...

What a wonderful God we have—he is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the source of every mercy, and the one who so wonderfully comforts and strengthens us in our hardships and trials. And why does he do this? So that when others are troubled, needing our sympathy and encouragement, we can pass on to them this same help and comfort God has given us.
2nd Corinthians 1:4 The Living Bible

I remember the first time my daughter stubbed her toe. I was holding her and her dad was trying to attend to her toe - It was bleeding profusely and she was crying and did not want anyone to touch it! She was just sure her toe was going to fall off. I told her, "Punkin, I did the same thing when I was a little girl. Your toe is not going to fall off. Now, let Daddy clean it up and put a band-aid on it so it can start to get better."  Later that evening, of course her toe was throbbing. However, she thought if there was a band-aid on it, there shouldn't be any pain. So, we had to explain the "getting better" process to her. Then she asked, "When you were little, and you did this, how many days till it got better?"

That incident set the pattern for almost all hurts and questions from that point on. "When you were little, did you have this...?" And having experienced it before she did - and lived through it - I was able to allay her fears and offer comfort. In fact, to this day, we still have the occasional exchange along those lines, "Mom, did you ever...?" and then she'll giggle and say, "When you were little..."

If you ever wonder how you can be expected to give thanks IN all things, especially when there are LOTS of things happening and none seem good, remember that God is trustworthy, and He so wonderfully comforts and strengthens us in our hardships and trials, so that we might comfort others. Thank Him for the opportunity to grow in compassion so you will be able to comfort those in your future who will need you to testify of God's faithfulness, to allay their fears and offer comfort, and to know how many days till it gets better. 

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for all Your comfort and strength through the years. Thank You for all You have taught us through the trials and hardships of life. Cause us to be aware of those who might need from us what You have given so freely. Help us always to remain teachable and to remain grateful for the lessons learned. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* New and Improved

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. So do not be attracted by strange, new ideas.
Hebrews 13:8-9a NLT

Every advertisement for every item that can be purchased or consumed touts 'new and improved' or the latest, greatest, most innovative, high tech, best of the best, or guaranteed to make you look/feel younger, etc. Even food products! Better tasting, less fat, now more flavor, fat-free. All of it designed and needing improvement and constant changing of formula to make it "do" what it was supposedly designed to do in the first prototype. And when that doesn't work, they go 'back to the basics' or become 'all natural' and 'organic' and charge us more for it...

Do you ever wonder how we survived using all the lesser, not improved products while consuming less flavorful food? No wonder we were aging and looking old... Is there anything in the consumers market (besides Vaseline petroleum jelly and Lifesavers peppermint candy) that got it right the first time it got to market?

There is much to be loved about a God who knows we need - and like - change in our lives and then provides exactly what we need to make it happen. And the change is always for our good.

However, it is most important to know that His love has never changed. His ways have never changed. The way to Him has never changed. There has never been a need for improvement. Jesus Christ - the same yesterday, today and forever. You can't improve on perfect.

My prayer is from the same chapter as our text, verses 20-21, The Message:

May God, who puts all things together,
      makes all things whole,
   Who made a lasting mark through the sacrifice of Jesus,
      the sacrifice of blood that sealed the eternal covenant,
   Who led Jesus, our Great Shepherd,
      up and alive from the dead,
   Now put you together, provide you
      with everything you need to please him,
   Make us into what gives him most pleasure,
      by means of the sacrifice of Jesus, the Messiah.
   All glory to Jesus forever and always!
In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Don't Throw It Away

Everyone has to die once, then face the consequences. Christ’s death was also a one-time event, but it was a sacrifice that took care of sins forever. And so, when he next appears, the outcome for those eager to greet him is, precisely, salvation.
Hebrews 9:27-28 The Message

So let’s do it—full of belief, confident that we’re presentable inside and out. Let’s keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps his word. 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.

If we give up and turn our backs on all we’ve learned, all we’ve been given, all the truth we now know, we repudiate Christ’s sacrifice and are left on our own to face the Judgment—and a mighty fierce judgment it will be! If the penalty for breaking the law of Moses is physical death, what do you think will happen if you turn on God’s Son, spit on the sacrifice that made you whole, and insult this most gracious Spirit? This is no light matter. God has warned us that he’ll hold us to account and make us pay. He was quite explicit: “Vengeance is mine, and I won’t overlook a thing” and “God will judge his people.” Nobody’s getting by with anything, believe me.

Remember those early days after you first saw the light? Those were the hard times! Kicked around in public, targets of every kind of abuse—some days it was you, other days your friends. If some friends went to prison, you stuck by them. If some enemies broke in and seized your goods, you let them go with a smile, knowing they couldn’t touch your real treasure. Nothing they did bothered you, nothing set you back. So don’t throw it all away now. You were sure of yourselves then. It’s still a sure thing! But you need to stick it out, staying with God’s plan so you’ll be there for the promised completion.

It won’t be long now, he’s on the way;
    he’ll show up most any minute.
But anyone who is right with me thrives on loyal trust;
    if he cuts and runs, I won’t be very happy.

But we’re not quitters who lose out. Oh, no! We’ll stay with it and survive, trusting all the way.  Hebrews 10:22-39 The Message

Prayer:

Father,

Help us to stay focused on the goal - to finish the race - to not give up - to continue to trust You, no matter what! In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Taste and See

 Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
Psalm 34:8 NIV

I took part in a discussion today about emotional eating. The experts say it's a learned behavior. I think there's a bit of truth in that, but I also contend that it may have a little something to do with my genes. I'm half Italian. Food was the answer for everything when I was growing up. 

• Oh, you're sad? Mangia! Mangia! (Italian for "eat up")
• Oh, you fell down and got hurt? Here, eat a little something - you'll feel better! 
• Honor roll?!? That's marvelous! Let's celebrate - Mangia! 

Quick! How many comfort foods can you name? Truthfully, though, how many people do you know who go to food for comfort? Or to liquor or some other form of self-indulgence? The sad truth is it might feel like comfort in the moment, but it robs us of any real or lasting comfort. 

In John 14:26 (the Living Bible) Jesus said, But when the Father sends the Comforter instead of me—and by the Comforter I mean the Holy Spirit—he will teach you much, as well as remind you of everything I myself have told you. If we would go to God's Word and seek solace, the Holy Spirit would guide us into all Truth (John 16:13).  And where the Spirit of the Lord is freedom (2nd Corinthians 3:17). Freedom from the pain, freedom from the cares of this world, freedom from the desire to seek comfort from anything that is not God's comfort. Taste and see that the Lord is good!  Oh, that we would get to the place where we rightly divide His Word as quickly as we can divide a pie into six!

Prayer:

Father,
          Thank You for Your Word. Thank You for sending the Holy Spirit to comfort us and to guide us into all Truth. Help us to retrain our hearts and minds to seek Your comfort over anything and everything the world has to offer us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Keep It Moving

Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.
Philippians 3:13-14 The Message

Where are you going? I'm not asking about vacations or work trips. I want to know your destination in LIFE. Where are you headed? What's your goal? Are you in charge of your destiny? Think about it! Check your life.

Are we aiming for Heaven? Is that our goal? Are we actively taking steps and measures to get there? Is there activity that shows forward motion with Heaven as your destination? We can't move forward just for the sake of moving. Or are we just marking time - going to work, paying bills, mowing the lawn, trying to save for retirement? Are you working as diligently to get to Heaven as you are to succeed at work? Are we seeking God's "well done, good and faithful servant" above getting a raise at our job? 

The Truth is, if we have our eye on the goal, and keep pressing forward where God is beckoning us onward - to Jesus - all the rest of that stuff will be taken care of. Matthew 6:33 in the New Living reads, Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

I heard these pearls of wisdom from Alan Neel, "When we live without direction, we're living without a destiny." If we're not moving forward - toward Christ - seeking Him, serving Him, then we're living aimlessly, seeking our own satisfaction. That won't get us to Heaven. We gotta keep it moving... onward to Jesus.

Prayer:

Father,
          Forgive us for mindless living. Clear our vision to see our way to You. Renew the passion within us to keep moving toward You and to make intentional choices to keep us on our course. We want to finish well and hear You say, "Well done, good and faithful servant." In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Mumbling, Grumbling and Stumbling

To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.
Jude 24,25

Ever had one of those days where nothing goes the way you had planned? That's been today. I'd like to tell you that I took it in stride, kept my peace, and kept moving forward. I'd like to, but I can't. That would be a lie.

I have mumbled, grumbled and stumbled my way through most of this day. It started when my eyes were wide open and my brain on fast-forward a few minutes before 5am. MY plan was to sleep in until at least 7. Instead of giving God thanks that for the first morning this week I was awake and ready to go, I mumbled about it. 

Instead of thanking God for the strength and health to accomplish some Harvey-related restoration tasks, I grumbled because I could not complete all of them to my satisfaction. 

I may not have physically stumbled, but I sure stumbled when it came to maintaining walking in peace. Did I stop and correct? No, I just kept pushing, trying to accomplish what I wanted to get done... what I want...what I want...

And I was reminded of what my mother would say to me as a child if I complained about not getting what I wanted. "People in hell want ice water, but they're not getting it. Life is not about what YOU want. It's about helping others."

God forgive me! I cannot help anyone if I have nothing to give in the way of God's peace and His mercy and His grace. Thankfully, I have received all in abundance - once I humbled myself under His mighty hand...

Prayer:

Father,
          Forgive me for mumbling and grumbling - I have found what Your Word has to say about those. That's not who I want to be. Thank You for the promise You have given me tonight - that to You - the One who is able to keep me from stumbling and to present me before Your glorious presence without fault and with great joy—to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen

To Be or Not to Be

So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”

1^st Peter 1:14-16 NLT

Other than Christ, I don’t know one person alive today who has never sinned. And I think that’s one of satan’s most effective weapons in discouraging and attempting to defeat us. See? You can’t even go one day without sinning… You call yourself a Christian and you did that?  

Has anyone other than me ever heard anything like that in your head?

So how can we be holy? What does it mean to be holy? For Christians, it’s about being consecrated in our service to God and being conformed to His will in all aspects of life. How can we be holy like Jesus when He never once sinned? Oh, yeah, He was tempted in all the same ways – Hebrews 4:15 tells us, This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin.   Romans 6:19b&c tells us how we become holy; Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin. Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy.

But how do we know it is working? Well, personal holiness is a work in progress - verse 21, And what was the result? You are now ashamed of the things you used to do, things that end in eternal doom.  I don’t know any followers of Christ who are thrilled with what they did when they were sinners. Verse 22 reads, But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life.

It’s a matter of walking it out and our Christian walk is continually under attack. Sometimes, we grab on to the latest-greatest motivational speaker or system in an effort to make us feel good about ourselves. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with motivation, but I would offer a word of caution about espousing man-made ideas and ideals as our standard for living and building our self-esteem. They always seem to want to offer the easy way to it or out of it, which is directly opposed to Scripture.

God’s Word is full of instruction to watch and pray, persevere, endure. 2nd Timothy 4:3-5 NKJV reads, For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

God made The Way out of sin and into His holiness – Ephesians 1:4, Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eye. He’s done all the hard parts. Our hardest part is to choose His way over ours. So which is it to be?  

Prayer:

Father,

           We can do this easy or we can do this hard. Help us to follow Your design for holiness. Give us courage and endurance and guide us into Your wisdom and Truth of being holy as You are holy. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen