Lesson Learned?

And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, which do not see or hear or know; and the God who holds your breath in His hand and owns all your ways, you have not glorified.
Daniel 5:23 NKJV

Nebuchadnezzar was the king who God caused to lose his mind because of his pride and arrogance. He lost his kingship and lived like a wild beast in the field after declaring the mighty works of his kingdom were his - done by his own hands - and did not glorify God. He was also Belshazzar's ancestor. Belshazzar knew all this and still didn't humble his heart. The breath God gave them, they used to deny God and renounce Him. So he lost everything, too.

You'd think they would learn, wouldn't you? The question is, Have we?

Do we acknowledge and glorify God for the strength and the wisdom and the abilities He alone has given us or do we take the credit? Do we still insist that we don't want to do or go or be what the Holy Spirit is leading us to?

...and the God who holds your breath in His hand and owns all your ways, you have not glorified. Let's learn the lesson before it's too late.

Prayer:

Father,
           Forgive our foolish pride and pathetic attempts at greatness. Teach us how to humble ourselves - to throw ourselves on the rock before we are crushed by it! It is only through You that we have life at all. Any and all talents and gifts were given to us in our mother's womb when You created us and numbered our days. All glory and honor and praise to You, O God! In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Need More Light

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
Psalm 119:105 ESV (English Standard Version)

There are amazing things done with lights these days, and as incredible as those are, that's not what I want to talk about. I want to talk about the basics of light. 

I like light and plenty of it, especially when I'm trying to read or find something. Just like the woman in Luke 15 who lost one of her silver coins, what's the first thing she did? Light her lamp. I like that when I turn on the light, the darkness is gone and it's easier to see.

If we have to go outside at night, or if we go camping, what do we make sure we have? Flashlights and/or a Coleman lantern with batteries and/or matches because we need to be able to see our way. It shines the light on tripping hazards. It keeps critters at bay. It gets us safely to our destination as we walk the path.

God's Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. We need the Light of His Word to dispel the darkness of this world so we can see where we're going. His Truths will prevent us from being tripped up by the lies and deceit of the evil one. The light of His presence will keep the enemy at bay. And Christ the living Word will get us safely home to Him.

Read your Bible. You need the Light.

Prayer:

Father,
           We pray according to Your Word in Luke 11, shine Your light of Truth so we make sure that the light we think we have is not actually darkness. Let us be filled with light, with no dark corners, so our whole life will be radiant, as though a floodlight were filling us with light. Your light, Father. Birth in us a fresh desire to read Your Word so that we will shine for You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

It's All About the Attitude

Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
Philippians 2:5 NLT

This is a beginning-of-the-year check-up. We often start the new year with new resolutions and plans and rules to follow. However, true life change isn't always about following the rules. When you think about it, you can follow the rules and still have a bad attitude about doing something. You can go to church because it's the right thing to do, but not want to be there. You can go to work, but not want to be there. You can help someone and be angry about it. The attitude is bad...

Attitude is more than just a certain mindset whether good or bad. Did you know there is such a thing as attitude flying - having to do with an airplane's attitude? According to the public domain edition of the Airplane Flying Handbook by the US Federal Aviation Administration, "flying by attitude means visually establishing the airplane's attitude with reference to the natural horizon. ... Airplane attitude is based on relative positions of the nose and wings on the natural horizon." It's about getting in the right position. 

Our Promise for Today is You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Our attitude in relation to following Christ is all about setting ourselves into position to be able to follow, to receive, and to be in obedience to the Lord of lords. We must humble ourselves - position ourselves - under the mighty hand of God. Matthew 7:21-23, Jesus speaking, “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’ 

How's your attitude? 

Prayer:

Father,

          We want to be in right-standing with You through the work of the Cross. Help us to righteously examine our hearts. We repent of wanting to do life our own way and ask You to forgive us. We want to be in perfect alignment with You and Your purpose for our lives. Help us to see clearly, Father. InJ Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Hands On

One day as these men were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Appoint Barnabas and Saul for the special work to which I have called them.” So after more fasting and prayer, the men laid their hands on them and sent them on their way.
Acts 13:2-3 NLT

I was listening to a message about fasting today and in the process found this Scripture concerning the anointing before Saul/Paul was sent on his first missionary trek. The elders laid their hands on them after fasting and prayer, and MORE fasting and prayer. 

In the Old Testament book of 2nd Kings, Jehoash went to see Elisha when the old prophet lay dying, and during their encounter, Elisha put his hands on the hands of the young king as he gave Jehoash instruction. Two different scenarios, but both involved elders putting hands on the younger. I like the idea of hands-on active participation rather than just trying to talk something done.

The younger generation of today may not always realize that they need the older generation to help fulfill their calling. We may not bring the same gifts, but together our gifts are multiplied. The hands of the elders on the young ones, combining strengths. Pr. Franklin said it this way, "The strength of the young, the direction of the old. The zeal of the young, the wisdom of the old." The pattern of hands on is worth searching out. 

Prayer:

Father,

           Thank You for the anointing that comes with the laying on of hands. We pray for fresh anointing in our lives. Show us what to put our hands on to best serve Your purpose in our lives and in the lives of those You have placed within our sphere of influence. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen 

One Season Following Another

To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven...

Ecclesiastes 3:1 NKJV

It's winter in south Texas - at least that's what the calendar indicates. However, a balmy 76 degrees Fahrenheit does not equal winter weather in the USA; although there is a storm front expected tonight that may usher in some cooler temperatures. Personally, I like mild warmer weather. I hate snow - much to the dismay of my youngest grandchild. (I'm sure the difference in age has everything to do with that.)  I have found myself wishing part of my life away by hoping to quickly advance to Spring which is unequivocally the best season in Texas... well, in my humble opinion, anyway. At any rate, we all have our favorite seasons. 

What about our seasons of life? Unlike Earth's seasons which range from 3 - 6 months long, hard life seasons seem to stretch on indefinitely sometimes. So much so that when the Spring arrives we may miss it because we're still focused on the bad "winter". Have you ever done that - been so caught up in the tough stuff that you miss the good? We have to take our eyes off the circumstances and look to Christ, the Author and Finisher of our faith. Remember that Heaven is our goal and every day that passes means we're one day closer to eternity! 

Hebrews 12:2&3 in the Message read, Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls! 

Seasons come and go; even bad ones eventually end. We need to be ready for the final season. Are you?

Prayer:

Father,

           Thank You for choices of where to live in climates we prefer. Thank You for seasons that change even if it's only from hot to less hot. Help us to leave past seasons behind and to look forward to Heaven. Thank You for always teaching us no matter what the season and help us to stay focused on what You want us to learn in the current season. We don't want to miss any of it. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Say That

The future glory of this Temple will be greater than its past glory, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. And in this place I will bring peace. I, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, have spoken!
Haggai 2:9 NLT

I am fascinated by words and people's ability to put them together in such a way that those around them feel they are worth recording and repeating. I like to read quotes. They are words that we as a society tend to live by. 

A few of my favorites:
   Garrison Keillor said, God writes a lot of comedy... the trouble is,
   He's stuck with so many bad actors who don't know how to play
   funny.

   Thomas Edison has one of the best ever for maintaining the right
   attitude in the face of adversity. The world's opinion of his many
   attempts to invent was that he was a failure. He told them:
   I have not failed. I have just found 10,000 ways that won't work.

   Galileo, who said, I do not feel obliged to believe that same God
   who endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect had intended
   for us to forego their use. Amen, brother!

   Famed comedian, Milton Berle quipped,
      I'd rather be a Could-Be if I cannot be an Are;
      because a Could-Be is a Maybe who is reaching for a star.
      I'd rather be a Has-Been than a Might-Have-Been, by far;
      for a Might-Have-Been has never been,
      but a Has was once an Are.

Of course, those are somewhat sardonic, but I'm also amazed at how this person or that person is credited for wise sayings, when the basis of their truths are Scriptural. For instance, Anton Chekhov is credited with, Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.  Alice Roosevelt Longworth said, I have a simple philosophy: Fill what's empty. Empty what's full.  These are based in biblical truths. 

One of my all-time favorites that I rediscovered recently is, Never let your memories be greater than your dreams. 

It so reminds me of our text for today. Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the remnant of God's people hearkened to the voice of Haggai and finally began to rebuild the temple. It surely had taken them long enough! They had previously set out to do it, but got caught up in their day-to-day lives. The temple before had been such a glorious structure - all the gold and silver overlay and craftsmanship. Do you remember the story in the Old Testament? And because it had been so glorious, their attempts to rebuild seemed paltry in comparison. They got discouraged.

Don't we get like that? We want to quit because it doesn't seem like it's ever going to be as good as it once was in the good ol' days!  Isn't it easier to rest on our laurels (another famous quote), than try to forge ahead into the unknown?

In times of trouble, we tend to be able to see more clearly into the past and what we knew that WAS than to look toward the future with hope. However, I'll tell you there is no faith in looking back at what once was unless we're using it as a foundation on which to build our faith.

Adlin Sinclair, accomplished businessman and creator of the infomercial media format, is recorded as saying, The tears of faithfulness to your beliefs cleanse your spirit to envision the road ahead. Everything is possible for the person who believes. I believe the direct quote is in Mark 9:23, where Jesus said, All things are possible to him who believes. Hmmmm...what Jesus said. True words to live by.

Prayer:

Father,
         Keep our eyes focused on You - the Author and Finisher of our faith. You started it. You'll finish it. You are the Alpha and Omega, beginning and the end. Words we can live by. Your Word is alive - quick and powerful, rightly dividing between soul and spirit. Keep us by Your Words. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

In League with...

And you shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; you shall throw down their altars: but you have not obeyed my voice: why have you done this?
Judges 2:2 AKJV

God was very clear about not making any treaties or agreements with the inhabitants of the land He had promised to Israel. Yet, they forsook His plan and decided to do it their own way... never a good idea. 

You don't want to be in league with the enemy! Don't endorse them. Don't be on their team. Don't claim ownership of what is not - and never should be - yours. Don't lend your power to help sustain their way of life. We must be cognizant of the truth! Any power that we have is from the Lord to begin with and He will not lend His power to anything that He has not chosen. So if we choose UNwisely, He will withhold His power from us. And then where will we be?!?  Definitely out of our league.

Prayer:

Father,
           Help us to see and understand that anything we choose to align with that does not have You at the center of it all is NOT where we need to be. Open our eyes to fully see the whole Truth of the matter. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen