Keep The Faith

 2 Tim 4:7
I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 
The year has ended, the last day for 2022. It has been a year of change, but the goal has been the same. The course has been completed for another year, and my resolution to keep the faith has not been deterred. As we enter into 2023, the course is still the same, and has not changed. Heaven is the end goal, and being faithful to Jesus and His word. The enemy will do all he can to alter our course, we must continue the good fight. Stand for what is right, live out our faith, let our light shine for Christ. We may make many resolutions for the new year, but the most important resolve we make is to keep the faith, love Him with all our hearts, and show others the love of Christ.

At Our Wit's End

 Psalm 107:27,28

They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit's end…Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.

My kids grew up with the popular Christian radio show, “The Adventures of Odyssey”. The radio show was designed to nurture children’s imagination and teach children to put their trust in God regardless of what happens in life. Wit’s End was a soda shop owned by Mr. Whittaker, a wise elderly man who had a way of knowing how to solve problems. We sometimes come to our wit’s end and don’t know what to do next. Life takes on a roller coaster of up and down emotions, tossed about in unknown outcomes. We cry out to the Lord in desperation, because He is the one who controls our destiny, and it is at His pleasure we are rescued. Life is like a ship at sea. We don’t always anticipate when the storm will come, but we can stand on God’s promise, that when we are at our wit’s end and distress with life, that He will bring us out of our troubles and calm the waters that trouble us. 

Let God Speak Through You

 Matt. 10:20

For it is not you that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaks in you.

For some people like Peter, speaking out for the Lord is second nature, they have the gift of speaking. There are many like Moses that find it hard to speak in front of others. Most of us are somewhere in between these spectrums. Finding the right words to say without coming across too aggressive, or overbearing is always a concern. Not saying the right words for the situation is a fear that others may have. There are times that it is best not to say anything, and let your presence speak for you. But, there comes a time that God wants us to speak, He has something to say, and He wants to say it through us. We are His vessels of honor, we are the instruments that He has chosen. At that moment, we speak to Him in prayer. “Lord, may the Spirit of the Father help me to say what needs to be said, no more and no less.” We can take comfort in the words of Jesus, for He has promised when the time comes to speak, the Holy Spirit will speak for you.

God Makes Everything Good

 Gen. 1:31

And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good…

From the beginning, we were created in the image of God. In the likeness of his holiness. Not created to be a god, but to have a relationship with a holy God. We were made good and without sin. “Everything He made was very good”. Good turned to bad when Adam and Eve yielded to temptation. Satan deceived them, causing them to disobey what God forbidden them to do. God’s good creation fell from having a good heart to a sinful heart of unbelief. The sin was not in the fruit, but in their unbelief to trust God and obey his commandments. This is a sad story given to us in His word. But, the story does not end there. Christmas came, and Christ was born. Born to save us from our sins. Restoring the goodness that we lost when He died and paid the supreme sacrifice for our sins. Sin has been nailed to the cross. The blood of Christ has been shed that we may once again have pure fellowship with the God of creation. We who were born in sin, can be made good when we accept Christ as our Redeemer and Savior. God is so good, and He makes everything good.

The Battle is God's

Judges 7:9

And it came to pass the same night, that the Lord said unto him, Arise, get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered it into thine hand.

The story of Gideon (Jerubbaal) reminds us that the battles in life we face should not be dependent on human strength and ability. God took down Gideon's army from 32,000 to 300 to prove to him that this battle he was facing is not won by the arm of the flesh, but by the hand of God, when we follow His ways. This does not mean that we don’t have a part to play in seeing God move. Our faith is challenged and we act on what God leads us to do. God helps those who act on their faith to put the outcome of the battle in the hands of God. He should not be our last resort when we find ourselves in a difficult situation. His ways are not always conventional, and may at times seem to be out there beyond reasonable, but learn to trust your heart when your heart is following God. He just may ask you to break some pitchers and blow a trumpet!

In My Youth

 Psalm 71:17

O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works.

God first spoke to me in my youth. Raised in a religious Catholic home, I knew the importance of church and the reality that there was a God. But, I did not know Him. I was familiar with the teachings of the church, having been confirmed at age 12, and taught the 10 commandments and the rules of the church. But in my youth, I came to know that Jesus was more than God’s Son who came to earth to die for the sins of man. I came to understand that He came for me. Confession of sin was personal, like King David, I went straight to the source for forgiveness of my sinful ways and sinful heart. Confessing my sins to a priest gave me a sense of relief, but it did not give me peace that passes understanding. From the time of my youth, I came to the realization that I could have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, the Son of God, I devoured His word. I meditated on His word day and night, His word I hid in my heart that I would learn to please Him. “Hither-to, I have declared His wondrous works”, and His marvelous grace. Almost 50 years later, I still desire to know more of Him. He is everything to me, may I continue to declare that He is good and desires only what is good for me.

Prayers Night and Day

 2 Tim 1:3

I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day.

Pray for those you care for and love every day. We often keep our loved ones in our thoughts, but Paul did more than think about them, he prayed for them. It is nice to think about those we care about, but the power of prayer connects our thinking to our Father in heaven, who controls the affairs of people. He knows what others are going through, He sees the trails and stressful circumstances that they are facing at that time. Positive thoughts do not change things, it is through prayer and petitioning God that makes the difference. Prayer moves the hand of God, prayer makes it possible to see God move in the lives of people. Without ceasing, let us remember our loved ones in prayer as often as we can, trusting them over to God who is able to meet their needs when they need it.

He Is All I Need

 2 Sam 22:3

​​The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my savior…

 

He is all we need in times of trouble and distress. We are more than conquerors through the help of the Holy Spirit. We not only are protected by all that is evil through the blood of Christ, but we have not only overcome the enemy, but we are victors over sin and the devil. He is the horn of our salvation. “The horn of salvation symbolizes not only strength to help, but victory over sin.   Forgiveness of sin, the strength of God through all Jesus accomplished on the cross and resurrection, gives overcoming power and triumph to the child of God.  Not only over sin but strength to achieve daily tasks and energy to do more than we think we can.”-(wordimpartation.com) 

Show Kindness

 Ruth 2:20

 …Blessed be he of the Lord, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead…

Showing kindness is one of God’s many attributes of who He is. As children of God, it is only natural that we do the same. Boaz saw a widow and daughter in need of extra help, and made sure that they were taken care of. In his case, such kindness led to a close relationship with Ruth the Moabite. There are many applications that can be derived from this story, but it is evident that kindness is a sure take away. Moabites were enemies of the Israelites. Jesus teaches us to love your enemies. One of the core values of being a Christian is to love others, not just those who befriend you, but even those who despise you for what you believe. It was through this kindness shown by Boaz that Christ was born. God chose kindness to bring salvation. We live in a needing world, and many people are in need of love and respect. May you and I be the agent of kindness that brings more love in the world we live in.

Daily Bread

 Matt. 6:11

Give us this day our daily bread.

Give us this day Jesus. He is the bread of life that will be what we need for today. We are not able to make it without Him. Without the bread, we become weak and our strength is diminished. Energy to carry on is made possible because he provides for us what we need. And, our Father knows what we need before we even ask. Daily we need His help no matter how long we have served Him. The longer we serve Him, the more we realize how much we need Him. 

“There are no self-made believers in Jesus, and we’ll never graduate from His grace.”

This Present World

 Titus 2:12

Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.

The grace of God (Jesus)through His death and resurrection saved us from eternal death. His teachings were taught among us. His teachings are relevant for this day, for this culture in this present world. We live in a world that seeks the pleasures of self gratification. Immoral and temporal desires that are forbidden in His Word. Temptation is real and Christian are not exempt. By the grace of God, we deny those things that are ungodly and draw us away from God. We have but one life to live and give, we should not live it frivolously and flippantly, but soberly, guarding our action and behavior to always please Him. A godly life is possible in this present world, Jesus made this possible if we cast our cares on Him, trust Him to give us the strength in the time of need.

For Those Who Are Thirsty

 Rev.21:6

And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is a thirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

The old world has passed away and a new world has been created. It is done! The end of the world as we know it has come to an end. Those who have searched for eternal life will be given the water of life. Those who have lived for self and refused to submit to Christ will be cast into the lake of fire. Such are those who have lived sinful and wicked lives. Consuming the deeds of the flesh in ways that God’s word has forbidden. The promise is given today, to forsake the ways of the flesh, take the living water, and believe in the Alpha and Omega. He who is timeless. For in Him, all things consist, for He is in all things. The day is coming. We do not know the time or day, but Jesus said, “Write: for these words are true and faithful.” For those who thirst and hunger after righteousness shall be filled.

Not By Faith Alone

 Jame 2:20,24, 26

 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?...Ye see then how by works a man is justified, and not by faith only… For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

 

It would appear that James had something to say about getting saved or being justified before God. Paul is pretty clear that we are saved by grace, through faith, and that it is not by works or by any merit in ourselves. James is not saying that works will save you, but if you have faith that God has saved you, this faith will be demonstrated in the way you live your life. How can a person be delivered from sin, receive God’s gift of salvation and not love your neighbors by spreading works of love and kindness. A person who is hateful and selfish must examine their heart to see if they have truly believed. It could be that their faith, or belief was an intellectual acceptance to truth and not a faith that submitted to the practice of that truth. James points out that even devils could believe, and that does not save them. He who commits works of evil is of the devil, the father of deception. John was clear when he said, “He that commits sin is of the devil.” It was for this purpose that Christ came, to destroy the works of the devil. Faith in Christ will destroy the works of sin in our lives and allow us to manifest the works of godly living, doing what is right and good in the world we live in.

Letter of Recommendation

 1 Corinth 3:2
Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:
 
I often write letters of recommendation for students who are applying to colleges or jobs. The letter is an insight to the character of the person, it speaks to the person’s integrity, work ethic, and ambitions. As Christians, our lives should reflect the Spirit of Christ. His law is written in our hearts to be seen by all men. We need to live in a way that our lives recommend the life of Christ. We may be the only Bible that others will read. Therefore our lives should be in harmony with its teaching.  What do people read when they observe your life? Does your life reflect a life that glorifies God, and reflects the image of Christ? Your actions and reactions determine your influence for Christ. Let it be known to all men, that you live a life that is consistent with God’s word.

Salt of the Earth

 Matt 5:13
Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt has lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
 
The familiar scripture of Jesus teaching on the mount off the lake shore of Galilee, now known as the Sermon of the Mount was given to His followers. They were given a glimpse into the true nature of what it will mean to be a true follower of Christ. Jesus is the true salt of the world, and to follow Him means that we also are the salt of the earth. Sermons have been preached of the significance of being the salt that makes a difference. Salt that has lost its true properties of salt is of little use and is no different that any other dirt mineral that is used to trod upon. If we are to be His disciples, then our life must make a difference. It can be said that a life that follows Christ will make a difference in the world, if such a person is not making a difference, then they are not truly following Christ.

Confidence in God

 1Sam 17:46

This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand…

 

Confidence in our ability to fight the giants in our lives at some points becomes unattainable. There is only so much we can accomplish in our own strength and self determination. Yes, we must be strong, and we must decide to take a stand against the enemy that oppresses us. But our human abilities come short when facing giants that are bigger than us. The confidence that David had was not in his ability to swing the rock, but his trust in God that the Lord would deliver the victory. If it did not happen on the first swing, he believed that God would find a way to deliver this giant into his hands. He had five stones. He only needed one as God guided the stone to hit the forehead of the giant. The metaphor here is that we face giants (problems and difficulties) that take divine intervention. Through prayer and faith we can overcome those giants. Today, the Lord will give the victory.

Pray For Restoration

 Obadiah 1:12

Do not gloat over your brother’s day, The day of his misfortune. And do not rejoice over the sons of Judah On the day of their destruction; Yes, do not boast On the day of their distress. (NASB)

The downfall spiritually of a nation or an individual should cause us to grieve and pray. Pray for restoration, pray for healing, asking God to show mercy. The attitude, “They brought this on themselves, now they are reaping what they sowed” may be true, but this is not a time to judge. We are all human and subject to failure and temptation. It is only by the grace of God that we can stay faithful. We are not immune to temptation, and Satan is out seeking whom he can destroy. Pray for the restoration of our brothers and sisters. The day of judgment is upon us, and our hope is to trust in the Lord and allow the Holy Spirit to empower us to live victoriously in these perilous days.

Light Came

 Gen. 1:3

And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. 

This light was either the light of God’s presence, or could have been the sun. It appears that the light that ruled the day (sun?) was created on day 4, but possibly the sun was already created to bring light to the world that was full of darkness on day one. 

 

Day 1- Light (possibly the sun)

Day 2- Sky/clouds

Day 3- Earth/grass

Day 4- Moon

Day 5- Sea creatures/birds

Day 6- Land animals/Male, Garden of Eden, Female. 

Day 7- God rested- Sabbath

Jesus came to be the light that would shine into a world that was spiritually darken with sin. He is the true light that lights every man to see the salvation of God.

All Your Heart

Jeremiah 29:13

 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

We are saved by grace and grace alone, but grace cannot be obtained without a willful seeking of Him. How can you find God? We are not saved by any works of good deeds, or high moral standards. God’s word gives us direction and instruction on how we are to live if we are going to be a follower of Christ, but it is not in the things we do that will bring us to God, but in the obedience and trust we put in Him. God said, if you search for me with all your heart, you will find me. ALL YOUR HEART, is what He requires if we are to find Him. What does “all your heart” mean? There is no holding back, He is all we hope and desire. Our affection are set on Him and Him alone. There is no room for self and things that break the heart of God. We desire to keep His commandments, Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments''. Finding Him will require full submission to His will and way. Abandon your heart to find Him. He will be there waiting for you. 

Cast Your Cares

 Philippian 4:6

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

 

The cares of life can be heavy. We care about many things and don’t even realize that we are doing it. In this case, to care is to carry a burden, to be anxious, or to worry about the material needs, our daily bread. Peter said, “to cast your cares on Him for He will take care of what you need.” We need not worry about what life will bring to our doorsteps tomorrow. Today He will watch over us. Paul says here, “don’t worry, but give God thanks for all His blessings and provisions.” Place your faith and trust in God to meet your needs. He knows what we need and don’t need. Our life is under His control, and we in faith submit to His will. “Give us Lord our daily bread…” and lead us not to doubt your love and care.

Add To Your Faith

 2 Peter 1: 5-7

And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

 

Living for God with intentionality, There are some behaviors that are done by setting our will to make choices that lead to godly living. There are some things that just don’t happen just because we have given our lives to Christ and have surrendered our heart to God in sanctification. There are virtues of Christian living that are works in progress. The end goal is to have our lives demonstrate love and kindness to everyone that crosses our path. Knowing the will of God, we seek to control our impulses and desires. Having the Holy Spirit to guide and empower us to make the right choices is to live a holy life, and blameless in this present generation. 

The Interest of Others

 Philip 2:3,4

Do nothing from selfishness or conceit, but in humility count others better than yourselves…Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

 

Being selfish is defined as “(of a person, action, or motive) lacking consideration for others”). Taking care of self is not wrong or sinful, but doing so without consideration of how it may affect others is. We live in a world that is focused on self. “Looking out for number 1, no one else will.” There may be times that we may feel neglected and left out, and feel justified in putting ourselves before others. This may require some deliberate choices we make, and may go against what we want and desire. Does serving self first cause others interest to be hindered? This may depend on what that interest is. If their interest is wrong or sinful, we then make a choice on what is right and not what is self-serving. Let us examine our hearts to make sure we are not making choices that will cause others hurt or hindrance. Let us,  “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another”- Roman 12:10

Man's Religion

 James 1:26

If any man among you seems to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.

 

To be religious implies that someone follows a belief system. In our culture, it indicates that that person believes something or someone. I often hear, “I’m not a religious person, but…” In the days of Jesus, most people in Israel followed the Jewish religion. James is saying that following the ritual of the Jewish faith or Christian faith is not enough. Words that come from your mouth are an indication of what is in your heart. You are deceiving yourself if you think that your faith will save you if you speak unkindly, lash out with hurtful words, spread gossip about other people, use words of profanity or vulgarity. You may believe that God is real and Jesus is the Son of God, but it is all in vain if you don’t speak from a heart of love and compassion.

The True Light

 John 1:9,10

That was the true Light, which lights every man that comes into the world.  He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

 

All light is not true light. Satan can come as an angel of light. His purpose is to deceive people into believing a lie. We are faced daily with old and new information about the world and about what is true and what is false. God’s word is a daily challenge of its authenticity and its reliability. John declares that Jesus is the true light, and that he is the light for every human that is born into this world. Satan has blinded people with his light of deception, and the world is blinded to the light that Jesus brings to humanity. People are quick to try and disprove the Bible, but they will never disprove the true light of God. God is faithful to shine His light of truth on all men and women. The choice is always left to people to decide what they want to believe.

Our Days Are Numbered

 Psalm 90:12

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

 

We are only here for a short time on earth. Life is a vapor, before we know it, it is gone and we are left with a legacy that glorified God or lived for self. Each day is given to us by our Creator, and we don’t know our appointed time. We may live to be 70, 80 or more years on this earth, but our days are all numbered. May we seek each day for God to give us wisdom, to let our life count for Christ and eternity. Let go of the sin that so easily besets us. Let us run the race to cross the finish line. Looking to Jesus, the author and completer of our faith. Life is too short to waste on negativity and past failures. May we apply our heart to wisdom every day of our lives.

Loose From Sin

 John 11:44

And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

 

A preacher I heard a long time ago took this verse to show evidence of a second work of grace. I don’t know if the intent of John’s writing was meant to convey this meaning, but it does make a good analogy. We are dead in our trespasses and sin, dead to the things of God. Jesus died on the cross to give us life, He brought us from death to life. But, carnality still has us bound up. Our carnal nature desires to have its own way. It binds us up with fear and pride. Jesus desires for us to be set free, and let loose from the chains that keep us from being all that God wants us to be. He sent the Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth. His Spirit sets us apart from the world to make us a vessel that can be used for His glory. We can be set loose and totally abandon ourselves to God, letting go of our selfish desires, submitting our will to His will and be holy sanctified to follow Him.

Called To Be Helpers

 Roman 16:3,4

Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus: Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.

 

Called to be a Helper. God uses people to be His helpers. The Lord is our ultimate helper in times of trouble and hard times. A helper when the load gets heavy, but He will often send others to help lift the load. For Paul, it was Priscilla and Aquila, and a host of other believers. This journey on earth is not meant to be traveled alone. We live in a busy world, everyone is caught up with things that need to be done. But there are times that we need to drop what seems to be important to us and look to the needs of others and give a helping hand. Take a look at the people who surround your life, step out of your little world and reach out to be a helper to someone who is carrying a heavy load.

He is Everything to Me

 Psalm 18:2

The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.

In summary, He is everything to me. When my life is shaken with uncertainty, He is the rock that will not move, stand firm on His word. When I am surrounded by the pressures of life, He is my fortress, my protector from the evil one.  When I don’t know where to turn and trouble is all around me, He is my deliverer, recusing me from danger. When I am weak, and don’t know how I will take the next step, He is my strength just when I need it. When the fiery darts of Satan are causing me to doubt God’s love, He is my buckler, my shield of faith to trust Him. When temptation to sin oppresses me, He is the horn of my salvation, giving me victory over sin,  And when the storms of life come, and the flood waters of despair flood my heart, He is my high tower. He is everything to me. In Him, I will put my trust.

He Will Not Abandon Us

 Psalm 9:10

And those who know Your name [who have experienced Your precious mercy] will put their confident trust in You, For You, O Lord, have not abandoned those who seek You.

 

Feeling of abandonment is experienced by many who feel that no one cares about them. Children in foster care often deal with feelings of abandonment. Regardless of the reason, they feel mom or dad did not love them enough to keep them. Abandonment leads to loneliness, and loneliness to depression, and depression leads to unpredictable behaviors. Most people want to be connected and feel like they are wanted. There are the rare individuals that always want to be left alone, but even they want to have someone in their lives that will care. Regardless of what life brings us, we have the promise that God will not abandon us. If we seek His name, put our trust in Him, He will be there with us and for us. We are told that if we draw near to God, He will draw near to us. We always have a friend in Jesus, He will never leave us or forsake us.

Rapture

 1 Thess 4:17

Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

 

The church teaching of the rapture is based on many scriptures in the Bible, but this letter to the Thessalonians from the Apostle Paul is foundation to the truth that Jesus is someday returning to the earth. It appears that Paul thought that it could even happen in his lifetime (We who are alive). Jesus said that no man will know that day, except the Father in Heaven. Believers in Christ are still waiting for that day. Skeptics today still try to disclaim that such an event will ever happen. Over 2000 years have passed, and we who are alive today still hold to the promise that Jesus will return for those who have put their trust in Him. We are to live each day knowing that this life is not the end. If God chooses to take us in death before this great day, we are given hope that we will rise again with Him. Until then, we do grieve for our lost loved one, but we need not grieve for those who have gone before us. For those who die in Christ, shall be made alive, and be with Jesus forever. Let us keep our eyes on Jesus, His coming is imminent.

More Than A Religion

 Matthew 16:16

 “You are the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed), the Son of the living God.”

 

Christianity is more than a doctrinal religion. The fact that it is a belief system and one that is a faith base makes it a religion. Many will say that it is not a religion, but a relationship. I believe it is both. The doctrine of believing that Jesus is the Son of God, Deity in the flesh is grounded in historical religion taught in the Holy Scriptures from the day that Jesus walked this earth. What makes it more than a religion is personally knowing this Christ, Jesus the Son of the living God. Who is He to you? Not what the church says, or what you were taught at home. Who is He to you personally? Jesus has the power to forgive sins, He desires to forgive the sins of anyone who confesses and believes that He is more than just a doctrinal statement. He sent the Holy Spirit to us that He may abide in our hearts and purify our souls. Jesus, yes He is a religion, but it is a religion that can live in your heart. He is the Christ, the Son of the living God!

I Was A Foreigner

 Ruth 2:10b

“Why have I found favor in your eyes that you should notice me, when I am a foreigner?” 

 

Reflecting on my journey in life, I marvel at the grace of God. As a young teenage boy, God in His providence noticed me. He revealed Himself to me, showing me the sinfulness of my heart, but did not leave me there, His grace showed me the way to the cross. He favored me with His love and forgiveness. Raised in a religious home, I was taught the doctrine of the church, but never was made aware that God’s grace gave me access to the throne of God, and a personal relationship with Christ. I was a foreigner to the Word and its place in my daily life. I’ll never understand why God chose me out of the billions of people in this world to make me a vessel to serve Him. I want to glean in His fields, and live my life, so I will always find favor in His eyes

Be Ready

 Luke 12:40

You too, be continually ready; because the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect.”

 

Be ready! The word of Jesus to His disciples. Two questions; ready for what, and how to be ready? The owner of the home was unprepared when a thief came into his house in the night. The owner most likely was asleep or preoccupied with the cares of life. Maybe he failed to lock his doors, or set his alarm. Most likely if he would have known that an intruder was going to break into his home that night, he would have made sure that his house was secure and possibly armed himself for protection. Jesus said, like this unsuspected thief, His return to the earth will be without knowing the time and day He would return. But, He made it clear that He would return and told them to be ready. What does it mean to be ready? Jesus says, those that are ready will have their lamps filled with oil. The oil represents the Holy Spirit. As we are occupied with the work that God has called us to do, we are to be diligent and live our lives as if He would return today.  Like the foolish virgins without the oil, there may not be time to get ready. Let’s keep our lamps filled and trimmed, to be continually ready for His return!

The Lord Willing

 James 4:15

Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”

 

Planning and making goals is good and is a responsible practice, but life has a way of sometimes breaking up those plans. We don’t control our destiny as much as we like to think we do. The best plan is not to lean on our own understanding, but to acknowledge Him in all that we do. In all our planning for the future, we must be willing to accept change that is bound to happen. I believe that God is pleased when we set goals and aspirations, seeking His will for our lives, but life is so fragile, there is no guarantee that there will be a tomorrow. It is an attitude of submission when we give each day to Him. “If the Lord is willing this day, I plan on doing this or that”.  Accepting change has part of the providence of God. Trust your life to Him for He never changes.

Don't Worry, Trust God

 Philip 4:6
Do not be anxious or worried about anything, but in everything [every circumstance and situation] by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, continue to make your [specific] requests known to God.
 
It is within human nature to be anxious and be worried. It is a natural response when things in life turn against you. Paul’s admonition to us is not to worry about the unfortunate events that happen in our life. How is this possible? When we sense danger, our response is to flee, run, our body naturally responds to danger when we encounter it. Yet, Jesus says, “fear not”. Overcoming fear or worry is not done by human efforts, it is done by prayer and supplication to God. He provides grace, He is the one that will take care of us. It is supernatural. The power of the Holy Spirit to overcome the human reactions of anxiety. Letting go of our circumstance and situation and allowing God to take control. Knowing that He is the one in control will bring peace to whatever we are facing. Don't worry, trust God!

His Loving Kindness

 Psalm 104:17, 18

But the lovingkindness of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who [reverently] fear Him,...To those who honor and keep His covenant, and remember to do His commandments.

God is good to all of His creation. His loving kindness extends to all, but He especially shows favor to those who fear and respect Him. The children of God who desires to know Him, He draws close and His love is special.  Those who put their trust in Him, can claim the promises of His word. All who not only read His word, but imprint His word in their hearts will see the loving kindness of God. Even in difficult times, they see God’s love. They may not see at the time of their emotional distress, but trusting in His providence, and staying true to His word, He never fails to show His lovingkindness. God is good, God is kind, God cares for His own.

Train Up A Child

 Prov 22:6

Train up a child in the way he should go [teaching him to seek God’s wisdom and will for his abilities and talents], Even when he is old he will not depart from it.

The internet is filled with information about raising children. I sometimes wonder how we managed without it. The goal of training a child is to teach them to always seek God’s righteousness and to follow the teachings of Jesus. A child who learns to trust in God and rely on God’s wisdom will never forget what is important in life. It is not necessarily the goal to train our children to be just like us or to even see everything the way we do. As Christian parents, we do our best to teach our children to live close to God and avoid the traps of Satan that will ensnare them into a life of sin. We set guidelines, rules of conduct and behavior, teaching them the commandments of God and to listen to the voice of God in prayer.  The fear of God is the beginning of knowledge. If our children follow the precepts and principles that are given to us in His word, we can be assure that they will find the way they should go. Their abilities and talents that God gave them can be used to glorify God

Heartfelt Prayers

 James 5:16

Therefore, confess your sins to one another [your false steps, your offenses], and pray for one another, that you may be healed and restored. The heartfelt and persistent prayer of a righteous man (believer) can accomplish much [when put into action and made effective by God—it is dynamic and can have tremendous power].

Praying from the heart is made possible when the heart is right with your neighbor and with God. It is difficult to pray when you have ought against your brother. A righteous believer is able to pray fervently with clean hands and a pure heart. I often hear words like, “Say a prayer for…”. I sometimes wonder if “saying” a prayer can accomplish much. How heartfelt are our prayers? To be heartfelt is to be sincere, feelings are deep and strong. It is a prayer of passion and earnest desire. Saying a prayer must go beyond the words spoken from the lips. For it to be effective, it must be heartfelt and persistent. God who sees the heart, is not impress with our articulation of our prayer, He wants our prayers to be heartfelt. 

Receiving Correction & Instruction

Prov 15:32

He who neglects and ignores instruction and discipline despises himself, But he who learns from rebuke acquires understanding [and grows in wisdom].

Being corrected is never pleasant. We often will accept instruction from someone we respect, but to receive correction or criticism from someone who has a “beam in their own eye” is very difficult. We may even cast off their words with disdain or indifference. But the wise person who desires to grow will listen, “The ear that listens to and learns from the life-giving rebuke (reprimand, censure) Will remain among the wise.” Likely, the words they speak often have merit. They may not be delivered in kindness, and may even be misplaced, but in them are elements of truth that we need to correct. A wise person will take correction (No matter how it is given), and take to God is prayer and ask God to examine their heart and do what is necessary to correct what God shows. A heart that fears God, will demonstrate a life of humility and be willing to receive instruction regardless of its source.

Exercise Faith

 2 Peter 1:5

For this very reason, applying your diligence [to the divine promises, make every effort] in [exercising] your faith to, develop moral excellence, and in moral excellence, knowledge (insight, understanding)

The natural life cycle of living things is at some point it stops growing and it slowly begins to die. It is the process that God created for all living things. The exception to this process is our spiritual life, our soul. This soul never dies, it continues to grow in the knowledge of Christ for them that make every effort to exercise and develop it. The soul that ceases to grow will eventually die. “For whoever lacks these qualities of growing is blind—shortsighted [closing his spiritual eyes to the truth], having become oblivious to the fact that he was cleansed from his old sins''. Will find themselves reverting back to a life of sin. “For the wages of sin is death”. As Christian we are to continue to develop and mature in our Christian walk. Seek to live unselfishly and show brotherly love

The God Who Sees

 Gen 16:13 (AMP)

Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, “You are God Who Sees”; for she said, “Have I not even here [in the wilderness] remained alive after seeing Him [who sees me with understanding and compassion]?”

The “God Who Sees”. The implications of this verse can be convicting and comforting. He who is Omnipresent sees all that we do. He sees us when we think no one is looking. Nothing escapes the eye of God. He sees how we treat others, the motives of our heart. He sees if our intentions are for good or evil. God sees and knows our heart. Others may see through a human perspective, and judge incorrectly, but God truly sees us for who we are. God sees when we are going through a storm, He sees our situation and circumstances. We may think that we are all alone facing unfortunate events in our life, but God sees us and will deliver us. Deliverance may not take on the form we hope, but He sees what is ahead of us and will do what is best. Like Haggar, we may understand all that is happening, but He sees us and is in control.

Book of the Law

  2 Kings 22:11

 Now when the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes.

God’s word is like a mirror, (James 1:23) it reveals our sinful condition. People are quick to hold on to the comforting truths that God’s word provides when going through tough times. His word is an inspiration and brings hope and purpose in life. But His word is like a two edged sword, (Hebrews 4:12) it also reveals the darkness of our heart, how all have sinned and come short of God’s will. When King Josiah heard the word of God read, he was struck with conviction, the word had revealed the sin in Judah, and he was responsible to do something about it. Like Josiah, we can open our hearts to God’s truth, walk in the light He reveals to us. Repent and cast away every sin that so easily besets us, and serve Him with a humble heart. For humility brings us the grace of God, that give us hope to live today and all our tomorrows.

Two Edge Sword

 2 Kings 22:11

 Now when the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes.

God’s word is like a mirror, (James 1:23) it reveals our sinful condition. People are quick to hold on to the comforting truths that God’s word provide when going through tough times. His word is an inspiration and brings hope and purpose in life. But, His word is like a two edged sword, (Hebrews 4:12) it also reveals the darkness of our heart, how all have sinned and come short of God’s will. When King Josiah heard the word of God read, he was struck with conviction, the word had revealed the sin in Judah, and he was responsible to do something about it. Like Josiah, we can open our hearts to God’s truth, walk in the light He reveals to us. Repent and cast away every sin that so easily beset us, and serve Him with a humble heart. For humility brings us the grace of God, that give us hope to live today and all our tomorrows. 

Sweeter Than Honey

Psalm 19:10
They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.
His law, His statues, precepts, and commandments are not grievous, they refresh the soul, they are the source of what is right and good. His word brings joy to the heart and opens the eyes to truth and the way of righteousness. His word brings eternal life. Silver and gold, the riches of this world fade away in light of what is most important in life. We desire many things in this life, and God has provided us with such blessings, but our daily bread is the word of God. We seek first the things of God and all other desires in life will fall in place. Living in His word is more than reading a morning devotion, it is the source of our life that guides our every action and reaction. He is the living Word, and through Him we find our purpose in life. Jesus is more desirable than gold, finer than the things of this world, He grows sweeter every day, making life worth living.

Love Bears All Things

1 Corinth 13:7 (AMP)
Love bears all things [regardless of what comes], believes all things [looking for the best in each one], hopes all things [remaining steadfast during difficult times], endures all things [without weakening].
“All things” Hard to wrap our minds around the concept that in all things we are to love, believe, hope, and endure. The Amplified Bible adds commentary to “all things”. Life happens and both good things and bad things happen, regardless of the circumstances or situation, love is to bear it and believe that God has something good in store. We hold on believing that “all things will work together for good to them that love and trust God in faith. He desires to make us into His image. Things come into our lives to allow Christ to live through us, and this is "good". The temptation is to doubt God’s love and His power to work it out. The human tendency is to give up and withdraw into depression or even blame God for “all things”.  The love that God puts in our heart when Jesus comes into our lives is super natural, a stranger to human love. This love is the Holy Spirit that comes into our lives and gives us the power to manifest the fruits of God’s love in our circumstances. Love, without it, we will miss the mark.

Believe in The Lord

 Act 16:31

 And they answered, “Believe in the Lord Jesus [as your personal Savior and entrust yourself to Him] and you will be saved, you and your household [if they also believe].” 

It appears for this jail guard that seeing was believing. Sometimes God has to do something drastic to get our attention. We (humanity) are so busy making a living, entertaining ourselves with the things of this world that we fail to see God’s purpose for our lives. Even good people who love their family and want what is best for others, can be distracted from God’s purpose for their lives. It is the will (purpose) of God that all people will come to believe that Jesus can be a personal Savior and come to a place where we put our entire trust in Him. Jesus came to earth for more than just showing us how to love others and treat our neighbor with kindness, He came to take us out of the darkness of sin, forgive our sins, send the Holy Spirit to dwell in our hearts. This is what living is all about, serving Him brings fulfillment, knowing that He will guide our steps and walk this earthly journey with us. 

Culture Change

 Psalm 46:1.2

God is our refuge and strength [mighty and impenetrable], A very present and well-proved help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change And though the mountains be shaken and slip into the heart of the seas.

Change is not always good, especially if that change leads us away from God’s presence. We live in a changing world, especially in the attitudes about what is right and wrong, what is good and evil. Evil is called good, and good, evil. The changes can cause us to fear. We certainly are seeing the earth change, the foundations of our Biblical morals shaken, and the heart of our nation slip into seas of wickedness.  We have lost our scruples following the wisdom of the world instead of the wisdom of God. During these difficult times, God has promised to be our refuge and strength. We don’t know about tomorrow, but we can know that whatever changes we face, He will be there to help us!

Whatsoever You Do

1 Corinth 10:31
So then, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of [our great] God.
The day to day things of life matter to God. The everyday things we do have purpose. Eating, drinking, working, entertainment, conversation, the places we go and whatever we do is all done to the glory of God. Our purpose is to glorify God. That is the motivation to live a life of holiness and blameless before God. The influences of the world outside of Bible principles press all around us to cause us to make choices that can deviate us from our purpose. Paul tells us to “Abstain from every form of evil [withdraw and keep away from it]”.  We are to be the light of Christ to the world, and guard against doing anything that will cause one to live outside the light of Christ or forsake the way.  

Remember Me

Luke 23:42

“Jesus, [please] remember me when You come into Your kingdom!

The cry of every soul when death draws near is to be remembered. The criminal on the cross would be remembered by those around him for the evil deeds he had committed . Scripture will forever remember this man who recognized his sinful condition and called out for mercy. We all deserve to die, for the wages of sin is death. Physical death comes to all. We will all someday take our last breath, the heart will cease to beat, and our mind will no longer function. Our soul will continue to live on, and we will come face to face and be judged by a Holy God who knows our heart and desires. He will remember when we yielded to His tender love and confessed our sins. He will remember our commitment to follow Him and to obey His word, He will remember our humanity and failures in life. We desire only to hear the words, “Enter in my good and faithful servant…” Remember me Lord when I pass from this life into eternity. 

Planted By The Waters

Jer. 17:7, 8

Blessed [with spiritual security] is the man who believes and trusts in and relies on the Lord...For he will be [nourished] like a tree planted by the waters, That spreads out its roots by the river; And will not fear the heat when it comes...

A tree is able to withstand the heat of the day because the tree is planted near a reservoir of water. The roots go down deep into the ground and tap into this water source. In the heat of the day, it will maintain its green lively leaves, and give forth fruit of its kind. Such is a person who taps into the living water of Christ. He is the source of life, the water that gives us the strength to face the hardships of life and difficult times when the heat of the day is more than we can bear. We can know without doubt and remain secure in our faith knowing that God will bring us through. Hold on, stay faithful, trust God, and believe that He is still in control. 

Put Off and Put On

Eph 4:22

Regarding your previous way of life, you put off your old self [completely discard your former nature], which is being corrupted through deceitful desires.... and put on the new self [the regenerated and renewed nature]..

The way we lived before coming to Christ will look different for everyone. Before Christ, we looked at life through a different lens. In our sinful state, we were focused on our own desires and contentment. For some, it may have been the pursuit of a career and financial security. Others focus on personal and social relationships, and there were those who looked for contentment by partaking of the pleasures of sin. But we have come face to face with Christ, and our way of life has changed. The looking glass of life has been renewed and we now see life through the eyes of Christ. Life takes on a new perspective, we may still desire to have career goals, social relationships, and even some of the pleasures of life that God has blessed us with.  But we now seek to please our Creator in everything we do. Christ is the center of our life and through the help of the Holy Spirit, we put on behaviors that will please Him.

Follow Your Heart

Proverbs 23;7

For as he thinks in his heart, so is he [in behavior—one who manipulates].

Outward appearance and action can be deceiving. Jesus speaks of the Pharisees who appear to be spotless on the outside keeping all the rules and religious practices, but they were filthy and dirty inside. Even acts of charity and good deeds do not speak to the real condition of the heart. From the heart, springs the true nature of humanity. In its natural state, the heart is sinful and self-serving. That is why following your heart is not always the best answer for making life changing choices. It is a heart that seeks first the kingdom of God, and sees the need for a cleansing of the heart, then it can be trusted. A heart that follows God will manifest behaviors that truly demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit. Always follow your heart if your heart is right with God

Striving into the Kingdom

 Luke 13:24

Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

The scripture is clear that salvation cannot be obtained through works, no amount of good deeds, or self effort is enough to secure our place in the kingdom. But, it is also clear that there is a role we play in having full salvation. Jesus said, “Strive to enter'' What is it that we strive for? The doorway to heaven is through Christ. We must strive to put our faith in Jesus. He is the only way to the Father. We strive to trust God to keep us in the path of righteousness. We are tempted daily, but we strive for the grace of God to bring us through temptation. Striving is to make a great effort to achieve a goal or obtain something. Striving is essential to maintain a life that pleases God. By faith we strive to accept Christ, and it is by striving that we enter into the straight gate into the kingdom of God.

Live in the Spirit

 Gal 5:24-25

And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

If Christ owns our life, then our sinful affections and desires have been nailed to the cross of Christ. We now live in the Spirit and the fruits (attitude, actions, affections) of our lives now reflect the life of Christ. We no longer live and follow the ways of the flesh if we continue to walk according to the fruits of the Spirit.

He Loves Us

 Zephaniah 3:17

The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.

The judgments of God are real and He will someday judge each one of us of the deeds that we’re done with the time He has given us in this world. We will be judged on the choices that we have made. Did we choose to give our hearts to Jesus? There is a judgment day coming, but today we live in a time of grace. The good news is that Jesus loves us. He looks upon us with mercy, grace, and love. God the Father is not willing that any should be judged to eternal damnation. He loved us so that He sent His Son in the form of a man to die and take on the wages of sin, and sent the Holy Spirit to us to lead and guide us into all truth and holy living. His love will bring a rest to the soul, His love will quiet the trouble waters in our lives. His love will sing forth our name and give us peace.

Don't Be Anxious

 Philip 4:6 & 13

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God...I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

Impossible! Being anxious is part of human nature, right? The definition of being anxious: worried, concerned, uneasy, apprehensive, fearful, perturbed, troubled, bothered, disturbed, distressed, disquieted, fretful. All of these words describe a person who has forgotten that God is in control, and having such feelings and thoughts will lead to despair. Our human reaction is often displayed in this way. Like temptation, we have a choice to make. Scripture admonishes us to take all our worries and concerns to God in prayer, put our trust in Him, lean not to our own understanding, trust and surrender our lives and situation to Him. We can do this! How? “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”

Trust in the Lord

 Isaiah 26:3-4
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength.

If we keep our focus on Jesus and His love and care for us, we can have peace in every situation. Peter during the storm was able to have peace and confidence to walk on water when he kept his focus on Jesus. It was only when he allowed the turbulent water around him to distract him, he began to sink, and lose control. Life is full of things that disrupt our peace. The things of life hit us like a storm, and our focus is on our problems and not on the One who can solve our problems or the One who is in control. We stress over little and sometimes not so little things in life. Human nature will cause us to fret and worry. It is only by resisting our human inclination and focusing our trust on the Lord will we be able to overcome and conquer life’s stressful situations.

I Shall Not Be Moved

 Psalm 16:8
I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
When our focus is on Jesus, we are able to stand and not be moved or shaken from our faith. When everything in life is changing and things seem to always be moving we can trust Him to always be at the right hand of the Father making intercession for us. Christ is our firm foundation and we shall not be shaken when the winds blow, the storm hits, and the earth is moving. Keeping our eyes on Jesus, believing He will see us through, even when we don’t see it for myself. We can choose to trust Him, “I shall not be moved”.

Complete in Christ

 Matt 19:21

Jesus said to him, “If you want to be complete (perfect), go and sell…

What do you possess that you are not willing to let go in order to be complete and whole in Christ? The call to follow Christ requires that we take up our cross and let go of those things that hold us back from fully serving Him. The scripture has many examples of those who held back, and did not gain entrance to eternal life. The love of money has kept many people from having eternal life, but money is not the only thing that keeps people from having eternal life. Eternal life is given to us only through Christ, and knowing Him is to follow Him in complete obedience to His word. We cannot be perfect or complete in Christ if we don’t have a heart single toward Him and Trust Him with our whole heart.