Plans for the New Year

So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering.
Romans 12:1-2 The Message

Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

3 I'm speaking to you out of deep gratitude for all that God has given me, and especially as I have responsibilities in relation to you. Living then, as every one of you does, in pure grace, it's important that you not misinterpret yourselves as people who are bringing this goodness to God. No, God brings it all to you. The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him.

4-6 In this way we are like the various parts of a human body. Each part gets its meaning from the body as a whole, not the other way around. The body we're talking about is Christ's body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body. But as a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we wouldn't amount to much, would we? So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ's body, let's just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren't.

6-8 If you preach, just preach God's Message, nothing else; if you help, just help, don't take over; if you teach, stick to your teaching; if you give encouraging guidance, be careful that you don't get bossy; if you're put in charge, don't manipulate; if you're called to give aid to people in distress, keep your eyes open and be quick to respond; if you work with the disadvantaged, don't let yourself get irritated with them or depressed by them. Keep a smile on your face.

9-10 Love from the center of who you are; don't fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle.

11-13 Don't burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don't quit in hard times; pray all the harder. Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality.

14-16 Bless your enemies; no cursing under your breath. Laugh with your happy friends when they're happy; share tears when they're down. Get along with each other; don't be stuck-up. Make friends with nobodies; don't be the great somebody.

17-19 Don't hit back; discover beauty in everyone. If you've got it in you, get along with everybody. Don't insist on getting even; that's not for you to do. "I'll do the judging," says God. "I'll take care of it."

20-21 Our Scriptures tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he's thirsty, get him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness. Don't let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good.

And if we will daily choose to live by this epistle, it will truly be a Happy New Year.

Prayer:

Father,
          Thank You for everything You have done for us in this year. Thank You that we are still on the upside of the dirt and able to affect lives for eternal choices. Broaden our sphere of influence so that we may touch more lives with Your love and for Your glory. According to Your Word, we take our everyday, ordinary life—our sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before You as an offering. Help us, O God, to fulfill Your will. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen

What's your 20?

No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
Philippians 3:13-14 NLT

It seems like the older I get, the faster the years go by. And here we are - getting ready to head into a new year. So many times we hear people say, "I'm so ready for this year to be over!" You may have even said it yourself. 

As we make plans for the new year, perhaps listing resolutions, we have to ask ourselves this question: Where are we in life? Have we been sidelined by a physical illness or emotional injury? Did we decide to take a shortcut along the way and then miss our turn? Were we distracted from our directions and then had to detour?  Did we promote someone in our lives to traffic control who had no business blowing a whistle and telling us where to go? How about this - are we only focusing on the tough things that happened this past year?

Today's Promise is one of Paul's greatest teachings - I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead...  Let's not focus on what we've lost. Rather, let's thank God for what we had for as long as we had it. If you're going to look back, I challenge you to look for the good because there's plenty of it. Square one - God is still on His throne. You're still breathing. He still has a plan and purpose for your life - plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 

Prayer:

Father,

           We pray this prayer from Guideposts, make our new year a happy one. Not by shielding us from sorrow and pain, but by strengthening us to bear it if it comes. Not by making our path easy, but by making us sturdy enough to tread any path. Not by taking hardship from us, but by taking all cowardice and fear from our hearts as we meet hardships. Not by granting us unbroken sunshine, but by keeping our face bright even in the shadows. Not by making our life always pleasant, but by showing us where men and His cause need us most and by making us zealous to be there and to help. God, make our year a happy one. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Situational Salvation

While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God. 
Hebrews 5:7 NLT

When bad things happen in life, people often demand to know why and they tend to accuse God. Why would God allow this to happen? Why didn't God stop this? Why wasn't He there? Romans 8:35b reads, Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? Verse 38 emphatically declares No! Nothing can separate us from God's love. And yet, that's what we tend to believe. Or oftentimes, we think if we'd only known what was going to happen, that somehow we could have been prepared and it would be easier, or we could have found a different way around it. 

I find it interesting to note that in today's choice of Scripture, it says God heard Jesus's prayers when He was in the garden, praying to be rescued from death. Jesus KNEW what was coming. I find it even more interesting to know that God did NOT rescue Jesus from the situation. There was nothing lessened or made easier. Even though He prayed earnestly and fervently, Jesus was still scourged and beaten unrecognizable and then crucified.

He would have liked to have had a way around it, but Jesus chose to be obedient (Nevertheless, Thy will be done), based solely on what the Father had told Him. Hebrews 5:8 reads, Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered. In Matthew 26:53-54, Jesus confirms His choice to obey, Don’t you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly? But if I did, how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that describe what must happen now? As the Son of God, Jesus could do whatever He wanted. As a man, He had to walk in obedience or we would have no hope for salvation. 

Verse 9 of today's passage reads, In this way, God qualified him as a perfect High Priest, and he became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him. Our source of eternal salvation, not situational salvation. Not based on the situations in our lives, but based on the foundational Truth of God's Word. Can we stand in obedience to God even in our situations?

Prayer:

Father, 

          Thank You for the Truth of Your Word. Help us to be as David, Thy Word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against Thee... We choose to walk in obedience to You, regardless of the situations in our lives. Like the old song says, Father, "Lift me up above the shadows..." In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Forever

Those who are righteous will be long remembered. They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the Lord to care for them.

Psalm 112:6b-7

Trust in him at all times, oh people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.
Psalm 62:8

Today has been a hard day. The granddaughter of a dear friend of mine passed away (due to illness), and an older friend of mine died today, as well. I have cried a lot even though I know without a doubt where both of them will spend eternity. It is beyond sad when we lose loved ones. 

I am also moved to tears for the family members and beloved friends who are left bereft in their loss. We want to comfort them with word and deed, but the truth is there are no words spoken to them that will make it okay. However, words breathed in prayer to God on behalf of those in sorrow will bring both the comfort and the peace that passes understanding. We don't have to know how that works, we just need to trust God at all times that it will. 

We mourn, but not as the world mourns without hope. We trust a God who has promised us eternity with Him. This loss is not forever. 

Jesus is forever. Heaven is forever. This separation is not.

Prayer:

Father,

           Thank You for Your peace in the midst of the storms of life. Thank You for Your promise of no tears in Heaven. Thank You for the foundation and stability of Your Word that comforts us and holds us above the floodwaters of life. Wrap Your loving presence around us as we weep with those who weep, according to Your Word. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

On An Even Keel

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. 
Hebrews 13:8 NLT

The frantic hoopla and the preparation and the parties. It's over... well, almost. The after-Christmas sales have started - where they mark them up so they can mark them down and we take our gift cards and buy, buy, buy! And then what? How do we balance the adrenaline rush of Christmas with the rest of winter? It's so anticlimatic...

That tends to happen when we live our life and have our expectation based on what's going on around us, rather than in us. When we ask Jesus to be our Savior and invite Him into our lives, we have a constant, a balance, a solid Rock. 

In Malachi 3, God tells us, I am the LORD, I change not. That's how we know we can count on God, lean on Him, rest in Him and according to Scripture, in Him live, move and have our being. It doesn't matter how many laws are written to allow or justify sin, God doesn't change to adjust to society's demands or the latest trends. He doesn't change His mind in the midst of the storms of life, in the swells of life or in the depths.

We all know life is made up of change. Life as we know it changes so quickly and sometimes so violently, it's hard to keep an even keel. What does that mean? Even keel is a nautical term and it refers to the boat staying steady and not being tossed about. The reason is that it draws the same amount of water abaft as forward. Jesus proclaimed Himself to be the Living Water. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. If we steadily draw from Him, His Word, we will always be on an even keel.

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for being the One thing we can count on to keep us anchored and steady. Let Your light guide us through the storms, in the swells and in the depths. Keep us on an even keel, Lord. Draw us ever closer to You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

No Argument There

As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon possessed begged to go with him. But Jesus said, “No, go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been.” So the man started off to visit the Ten Towns of that region and began to proclaim the great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed at what he told them.
Mark 5:18-20 NLT

Have you noticed that more and more people like to argue - and sometimes over the least inconsequential matter? Only now they call it sharing... Some like to argue just for the sake of arguing. I'm half-Italian; we can argue loud and long over just about anything. 

People will argue about the virgin birth, where the wise men first saw Jesus, walking on water, healing, belly buttons, for crying out loud. However, there is one thing people can't possibly argue about and that is your testimony of what God did for you. In the simple telling of how you got saved, there is no room for argument. 

Take a minute and allow yourselves to remember the details of how and when you got saved. You don't need to get into a great theological discussion or debate. Go ahead. Think about it. Rehearse it... Pray for divine appointments, then go tell it. They can't argue with your testimony. 

Prayer:

Father,
          Awaken within us a burning desire to spread the Good News to this lost and dying world. Fan the flame within us so that no one within the sound of our voice spends eternity in hell. Bring peace and confidence - a holy boldness, Father. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

Non-Threatening

And the angel said unto them, "Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger."
Luke 2:10-12 KJV

Do you ever wonder why God chose to come as a baby to save the world? I don't have any great revelation on it, but when I think of all a new baby represents in my world, I am definitely in awe. There is something so pure, so new beginning, so apolitical. 

There are so many emotions that surround the birth of a child. Awe and wonder. Hope. Fear. Dreams. The promise of continuity. The uncertainty of the unknown. Joy unspeakable. Everyone reacts differently but no one is intimidated by the physical stature of an infant (unless maybe it's their baby and they're not sure of their ability to care and raise for it). Babies are defenseless. Non-threatening. 

Don't misunderstand. Jesus is very much the Lord of all lords. Every bit the Messiah. The Son of El Shaddai. King of the world. And He was all that before He was ever born! Do you suppose He came as a baby so we could feel the promise of all that He represented - all that was spoken of Him before He was born - all so that we could receive Him and not be afraid? 

Prayer:

Father,

           Thank You for such an incredible expression of Your love for us. Open our eyes to see, our ears to hear, our minds to understand, and our hearts to receive and embrace this precious gift of salvation that You have given us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen