"Don't You Waver"

"Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)." Hebrews 10:23

If there is any wavering it is clear that it is on our part, not God's. He is faithful- always has been, always will be. He hasn't changed and He never will. He was faithful in the past and He will be faithful in the future. He was faithful yesterday and He will still be today. He remains faithful even when we aren't.

We are the ones who need to hold fast- be firm, not give up, not change, not waver- in our profession of faith, in our trust in Him, in our belief in His word. We are the ones who need to anchor our trust in His word, pattern our lives after it, build our hopes upon it. And we can, because He is faithful as promised.

How do we hold fast our profession of His faithfulness? How do we keep from wavering when the storms and trials come? By being grounded in His word. By hiding it in our hearts. By studying it. By renewing our minds with it. By keeping it before our eyes and in the hearing of our ears. This will build our faith and reinforce the foundation of His faithfulness that we are standing upon.

Have a great day. God will always be faithful, there is no wavering in Him.

For further reading:
Lamentations 3:23
Deuteronomy 7:9
1 Corinthians 1:9
1 Thessalonians 5:24

"Ignorance Equals Anxiety"

"But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope." 1 Thessalonians 4:13

It is always our ignorance that gives us cause for concern. When we are concerned about a matter, it is usually because we are ignorant of the details, outcome or results concerning the matter. If I have understanding and knowledge of the matter I am less concerned. As in the verse above. These believers at Thessalonica were concerned about their brothers and sisters in the Lord who had already died as to what would become of them at the resurrection. The apostle set their minds at ease with the truth of God's word concerning this matter.

We don't have to stay in a state of confusion and concern because of ignorance. God's word gives us clarity, enlightenment and understanding- and along with that comes hope. If you are concerned about a matter, if you aren't sure about what is going on, then go to God's word, go to Him in prayer, seek Him. He will enlighten the eyes of your understanding. He will give you revelation and insight. He will guide you, calm your fears, and clarify your concerns. After all, He doesn't want us to be anxious, worried or overly concerned. And He doesn't want us in ignorance. He wants us to know the truth because when we do, the truth will set us free-- free from worry and anxiety.

Have a great day. Ignorance often causes us to worry and be anxious, but the knowledge of the truth gives clarity and peace.

For further reading:
Philippians 4:6
John 8:32
Ephesians 1:18

"Peace Where?"

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." Luke 2:14

"On earth peace". These words brought hope into a world that is without peace. There is no peace to be found in this world. There are wars, rumors of war, murder, hate, toil, strife, hardships, burdens, oppression, calamities, etc. When the angels pronounced their good tidings, they pronounced that peace was on its way.

Peace had to come from somewhere besides the earth. It had to come from heaven. Man cannot devise peace. He had tried for over two-thousand years without success. Mankind has been unable to achieve it through his wars for peace, through his compromises, through his threats, through his plans or through his resources. As a matter of fact, man lost the peace that was on earth back in the Garden of Eden.

We are hopelessly without peace and the ability to make peace, no matter how hard we try. So, peace had to come from the only true source of peace- God Himself. Peace was entering the world again after two-thousand years. It was coming to set itself up in the earth once more- this time within the hearts of men.

There won't be total and lasting peace universally on earth until Jesus Christ the Prince of Peace returns to set up His Kingdom here on earth. But this peace that the angels proclaimed is a peace that can abide in the individual hearts and lives of those who will receive Jesus as Savior and follow His plan for their lives.

The peace He gives doesn't necessarily mean we will live peacefully with everyone we encounter or the rest of mankind. It doesn't mean that enemies won't rise against us. It means that we now have peace with God and are no longer His enemies. Only Jesus' coming and death on the cross could pave the way for us to have peace with God. To have peace with God and know all is well between you and Him is so much better than to have peace with the rest of mankind. And the key to have any peace with others comes from having peace with God. Do you have peace with Him?

Have a great day. Jesus came to bring peace into the hearts of those who would accept Him.

For further reading:
John 14:27
Isaiah 9:6
Romans 5:1
Psalm 29:11
Colossians 3:15

"The Plan"

"...To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world..." John 18:37

We have all heard the saying: He who fails to plan, plans to fail. This is not always true. Even the best laid plans can do awry, they can fail, they can fall through, and they can change. Planning is a good thing, we should plan, but just because we do there is no guarantee that our plan will succeed.

God has plans as well. His plans are unlike ours-- His plans never fail, they always succeed. This Omniscient God looked through time and before He ever laid the foundation of the earth or called anything into existence, He saw that the creation (man) He would eventually create turn in disobedience from His command and open the door to sin upon all mankind and broken relationship with Him.

Before the act of Adam's disobedience ever occurred, God already had a plan to redeem mankind. When we make a plan, it has to make sense to us and those who hear it. God's plans, on the other hand, often seem foolish and make no sense. God's plan to redeem us included a young virgin girl, a manger, swaddling clothes, a baby (not just any baby, but the Son of God clothed in flesh), a cross and an empty tomb.

When God began to put His plan into action, He entrusted the care of His plan into the hands of humans but not the fulfillment of it. God planted His plan (Jesus) into the womb of Mary. She gave birth to it, nurtured it/Him and raised it/Him; but Jesus Himself went to the cross to fulfill it. This is why His plans never fail. He planned it and presented it, but fulfilled it Himself.

Every plan should have a reason behind it. God's plan had a reason- it is so that no person would perish but that all may have eternal life. God succeeded in His plan. The way to eternal life has been provided through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus. But in order for us to receive the benefit and promise provided by His plan, we must plan something. We must plan to receive Jesus as Savior, turn from our sins in repentance and follow Him. When we do this, then God's plan is fulfilled in our lives. When we don't accept His plan, we are planning to spend eternity separated from Him in torment.

God's plan, the gift of eternal life, came wrapped in swaddling clothes that first CHRISTmas. Will you receive His plan for your life?

Have a great day. God's plans never fail; therefore, you and I have the opportunity to receive the wonderful gift of eternal life.

For further reading:
John 3:16,17
1 Corinthians 1:25
Romans 11:33
2 Peter 3:9
Jeremiah 29:11
Revelation 13:8

"To Save People"

"But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive." Genesis 50:20

"To save much people alive." When the Lord uses us or places us in some position, we must resist the temptation to "think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think". We must not look at what He is doing through us as an avenue solely for the purpose of blessing us or making us great.

When Joseph was promoted in Egypt to the place of leadership, it was not so that Joseph could have a great biography to write about how he went from being betrayed to power. It wasn't so that he could brag about how he got from the pit to the palace. It was so that he could save many people during the famine. When Esther was made queen, it wasn't so that she could have a rags to riches story. It wasn't so that she could boast of being a captive who became a queen. It was so that she could save her people from annihilation. When Mary was chosen to give birth to the Son of God, it wasn't so that she could find a place of honor among the saints. It was so that the Savior could come into this world who would save us from our sins.

When God uses you to do something great in His kingdom, it is not about you either. It is not so that you can become famous or popular. It is not so that everyone will know your name. It is not so that you will be admired. It is always so that He can receive glory because whatever He has called you to do will "save many people". Remember this- God in His sovereignty could have chosen someone else besides Joseph, Esther or Mary. It was nothing that they did to cause Him to chose them. In His sovereignty He could have also chosen someone else to do the task He has called you to do. He could have even called a "donkey" to do it. So never think more highly of yourself than you should. Always remember why He called you. Stay focused on Him and what He has called you to do and not on yourself.

Have a great day. Whatever He has called you to do will be about saving people, not about you.

For further reading:
Romans 12:3
Genesis 45:7
Matthew 18:11

"Right Timing"

"But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law." Galatians 4:4

"The fullness of time" is a phrase that I have been hearing in my spirit a lot lately. The Bible says to everything there is a season and a time. There is a time when a certain thing occurs, when an event happens, when a birth takes place, when a promise is fulfilled. We would call it-- right timing. It's a time when all the conditions have been met and everything that needs to be in place is.

The thing about "the fullness of time" is that it is God's time- not ours. The "fullness of time" is when God says that it is time for this thing to happen. Eve thought the fullness of time- the promise of the seed that would bruise the head of the serpent- was when she conceived Seth. This promised seed did not come until two-thousand years later with the birth of Christ. Abraham thought that the fullness of time to receive the promised son would be in nine months- the length of time a baby is carried in the womb. But for Abraham the fullness of time came twenty-five years later. The fullness of time did not come for David at his anointing by Samuel, but around fourteen years later. The fullness of time for the Israelite's deliverance from Egyptian bondage did not come the day after Moses went to Pharaoh asking for the release of God's people- it came after all the plagues were fulfilled. Mary did not birth the Christ child the morning after the angel gave her the news, He came nine months later.

We don't understand why the manifestation of the promise of God often waits in coming to pass in our lives, but it is because it is not the "fullness of time". All things aren't ready. Some things need to happen first. Some things need to change. Some things need to be put in place. If it happens too early something may be lacking. You may not can handle it then. But just because it delays doesn't mean it will not happen. Just because it doesn't happen when we think it should doesn't mean that He won't fulfill His promise. God is a sovereign God who sees the end from the beginning, therefore, He sees all things in the middle and by seeing the whole picture He is orchestrating things to be in the right place at the right time. God moves on His time clock. He does everything perfectly. He is never late and never early but always at the right time-- which is called the "fullness of time".

Have a great day. God doesn't work according to our time clock but His own, and in the fullness of His time the promise will be fulfilled.

For further reading:
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
Genesis 3:15
2 Peter 3:8
Isaiah 57:15

"Praise Among The Presents"

"Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name." Psalm 100:4

Perhaps you are wondering why I would use the verse above to open the devotional- after all, we tend to associate this verse with the Thanksgiving holiday and we are getting ready to celebrate Christmas. For the Christian each day should be a day to give God thanksgiving and praise, but especially now as we are in the Christmas season. What better time to thank the Lord for the wonderful gift of His Son who came into the world to save us from our sins.

It is so easy to get caught up in all the trappings that we associate with Christmas that we forget why we are celebrating. It is so easy to get anxious about all the demands and details that go along with the preparation for our celebration. It is so easy to let the pressures of finding the "right" gift, having the finances to pay for it, and time limitations to get it all done before it's too late, make us frustrated. As we are paying attention to the "externals" that we call Christmas we can miss the true reason for our celebration.

We need to stop all our running around and take time to offer up thanksgiving and praise for the true reason behind Christmas. We need to thank the Lord for His gift. We need to thank Him for not leaving us in our sins but providing a way of escape. We need to thank Him for paying the greatest price ever paid to redeem us. We need to praise Him for His wonderful grace, for eternal life, for devising a plan to save us and for fulfilling that plan. In short, we need to praise Him for the true meaning of Christmas and the great gift of love that He gave to the world that first Christmas night.

Have a great day. Don't let the true meaning or your praise get lost among the trappings of what we consider Christmas.

For further reading:
John 3:16,17
Romans 5:8
Matthew 1:21

"We've Come To Worship Him"

"Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him." Matthew 2:2

The goal of the wise men that searched for the new born King of the Jews was that they might worship Him. Their goal was not to receive something from Him, but instead give something to Him. Their plan was not to petition Him for some need, or seek His hand of favor, or gain some position. It was simply to worship Him.

Imagine traveling the great distance they traveled and under such conditions- on camel, facing the elements (rain and heat), with the threat of robbers during the journey. They did not have planes, trains, buses or cars to travel in. They did not have luxury automobiles (no air-conditioning or heaters or comfortable seats). They did not have iPods to keep them entertained on their journey. They could only travel at one speed. Yet they endured and continued on in order to worship this new King.

I can't help but wonder what price we are willing to pay to worship our glorious King of kings, the Lord Jesus. If all the conditions aren't just right will we do it? If we have to get out of our comfort zone will we do it? If it places any inconvenience upon us, do we withhold it?

I can't help but wonder when we do worship Him if our motive is pure. Or is our worship self-centered, because of what we hope to receive from Him instead of give to Him? Do we worship Him with hopes of something in return?

It cost these wise men much to go and worship the new King- time, comfort, material things (those were no cheap gifts that they were bringing- gold, frankincense and myrrh). They did it and they were from heathen lands-- they weren't Jews. If that was the case and they paid this great price, how much easier should it be for us, how much more should we desire to worship Him if we call ourselves Christians because of our love and gratitude to Him for all He has done for us.

Have a great day. Are you a worshipper? If so, what is your motive behind your worship?

For further reading:
Matthew 2:1-12
John 4:23,24
Psalm 29:2; 95:6; 96:9

"What Do You Want To Reap?"

"Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same." Job 4:8

There is a law in the natural called sowing and reaping. If you sow corn seeds, you will reap corn. If you sow butter bean seeds, you will reap butter beans. If you sow apple seeds, you will reap apples. Whatever type of seed you sow is the type of fruit you will reap. You can't sow orange seeds and expect to get peas. It doesn't work that way. Everything reproduces after its own kind.

The law of sowing and reaping is also a spiritual law. The principles in the spiritual law of sowing and reaping are the same-- you reap the same thing you sow. So why do we think that we can sow one thing and get another? Why do we think that we can sow the wrong kinds of food into our bodies and not reap the consequences of it in our health? Why do we think we can sow fearful, negative, worldly thoughts into the ground of our minds and not reap fear, negativity and worldliness? Why do we think we can sow seeds of rudeness and not receive rude treatment in return?

The law of sowing and reaping is one of the most powerful laws naturally and spiritually. It doesn't change- never has, never will. It doesn't alter itself for certain individuals- there are no exceptions. Each and every seed that is sown produces according to its nature. It won't become something else just because it is planted along with other seeds of a different kind. Remember the story of the wheat and tares. Both seeds were planted in the field and both grew after their own nature. The wheat didn't change into a tare, and the tare didn't change into wheat just because they were planted side by side.

What kind of seeds are you sowing? When a farmer gets ready to plant his crops, before he even purchases his seeds, he is looking ahead to the harvest. He knows when the time comes to reap, exactly what kind of crop he wants to have so he plants that type of seed. We should do the same. We should have "harvest time" in mind. If we did, we would be more careful about what we are planting/sowing.

Have a great day. Whatever you are sowing is what you are going to reap.

For further reading:
Galatians 6:7,8
2 Corinthians 9:6
Matthew 13:24-30
Genesis 1:11-25
Luke 6:38

"Gaze Upward"

"But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." 1 Corinthians 2:9

Life may not always go the way we plan. We may not always have everything we want. There may be things we don't have. Most people tend to spend so much time focused on what they don't have instead of what they do have. When we do that, it tends to make us ungrateful and complaining. The best way I know to counteract this type of attitude is by changing your focus.

If you are a Christian, instead of being focused on what you don't have here in this life turn your focus upward. Begin to focus on what you do have- on what awaits you in heaven. There is a place that is being prepared for us. It is a place where there is no need for the sun or moon because Jesus is the Light that shines always there. It is a place where the streets are pure gold, and the gates are pearl. It is a place where there is no sickness, pain, death, sorrow, wars, murder, abuse, adultery, or any other evil. It is a place of indescribable peace and joy. It is a place where those who have put their faith and trust in Jesus have a home- the Bible calls it a mansion.

We may not have it all while we are here on earth. Actually, the Bible never promises that we will. But it does promise us eternal life and a home with the Lord forever if we have faith in and follow Jesus. So don't bemoan what you don't have, instead change the direction you are looking and gaze up and into the future to what awaits you.

Have a great day. We may not have all we want down here, and when we start feeling down and depressed about that we need to turn our gaze to heaven and think about what we do have, and what awaits us.

For further reading:
Revelation 21:18-23; 22:14,15
John 14:2
Matthew 25:21

"You Are God"

"Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable." Psalm 145:3

Before I could even get my eyes open this morning, I began hearing the words of a song playing over and over in my thoughts. Let me "sing" it for you this morning. "You are God on the highest mountain. You are God in the deepest sea. You are awesome in power and glory. Great is Your love for me."

No matter where you may be, or what you may be going through, there are a few of things you should remember:
1) God is still God when you are on the mountaintop- when you are in a place where trouble is "below" you and you are looking "down" on your problems.

2) God is still God when you are in the sea- the sea of despair, the sea of trouble, the sea of fear, the sea of pain, a sea of overwhelming odds, the sea of financial ruin, a deep sea that threatens to drown you.

3) God is awesome in power and glory- He is more powerful than sickness and disease, then the addiction that has you in bondage, more powerful than the guilt and condemnation that plagues you, more powerful than the enemy of your soul and the weapons that he forms against you.

4) God's love for you is GREAT- the magnitude of His love for you is incomprehensible, the depths of His love for you is unsearchable, the abundance of His love for you is inexhaustible. Nothing separates you from His love. He loves you with an everlasting love. And He demonstrated how great His love for you is by giving His one and only Son Jesus as a ransom for your sins. He loves you so much that He paid the greatest price in order to have a relationship with you.

Have a great day. God is the almighty, powerful, glorious God on the mountain and in the sea... and He loves you.

For further reading:
Romans 5:8
1 John 4:4
Romans 8:1, 31-39
John 3:16

"In Bondage"

“And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?” Matthew 7:3

Why is it that when we think about someone being in bondage, we think about addicts who are in bondage to drugs or alcohol.  And true they are.  But that is not the only kind of bondage there is.  There are some that are just as destructive and just as hurtful to self and others.  While we want to look down our noses and condemn those who are in bondage to chemical substances, let's not forget to take a look at our own lives. 

Many of you are in bondage to other things besides drugs and alcohol.  Some of you are in bondage to anger.  You seem to always be "mad at the world".  It controls you and makes you say things you regret later and act in ways you should not have and are hurtful to those around you.  Some of you are in bondage to bitterness.  Life dealt you a bad hand, or you made wrong choices, or things happened to you because that's just life, and now you are bitter and you spue out that bitterness to those who love you the most.  Kindness eludes you.  Bitterness not only hurts you, but it defiles others. Some of you are in bondage to fear.  You won't make a step forward for fear of failure, fear of getting hurt, fear of being judged.  You stay where you are day after day and are too scared to enjoy the abundant life God desires for you to have.  In turn you are robbing others of the pleasure of your company and the gifts and talents that you possess. Then there are those who are in bondage to pornography, pride, jealousy, greed, confusion, frustration, unforgiveness, grief and many other things.  

These all rob you of having the life God intended for you to have.  They hinder your God-given purpose.  They keep you defeated and won't let you walk in victory.  Drugs and alcohol aren't the only things that destroy relationships, these bondages will as well. 

It takes the power of the Holy Spirit to break the bondage of drugs and alcohol.  It also takes the power of the Holy Spirit to break any bondage-- those we have named and those we haven't.  The first step to getting free from bandage, regardless of what it is, is to recognize and acknowledge it. (Confess your sin.) Then repent of it. Call out to God and ask Him to deliver you and set you free.  He will! He came to set the captive free and open the prison doors to those who are bound.

Have a great day.  Bondage comes in many forms.  All of them are destructive.  Jesus wants to set you free by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Let Him!  

For further reading:

1 John 1:9; Isaiah 61:1; Luke 4:18; Hebrews 12:15  

"Mishandling Jesus"

"Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created." Revelation 4:11

The other night I attended a Christmas play.  The children did a great job and it was a sweet program.  There were a couple of cute little fellows (very young) in the play.  For some reason one little guy in particular wanted to play with the "Baby Jesus" who was lying in the manger.  (Of course, the baby was a baby doll.) He would grab the doll and hold it just anyway he decided to.  A couple of times I noticed that he had the "baby" holding it upside down by the foot.  His "mishandling" of the "Baby Jesus" spoke something to my heart.  That is:  many people are mishandling Jesus.

The word mishandle means: to treat or deal with something roughly, manage wrongly or ignorantly, to treat carelessly.  I said many people are mishandling Jesus.  How?  When you don't give Him the reverence, respect and honor that He deserves you are mishandling Him.  When you take Him for granted, you are mishandling Him.  When all He is to you is a prayer to help you or get you out of a problem, then you are mishandling Him.  If you take Him for granted, if you take His name in vain, if you neglect Him, then you are mishandling Him.  If you say He is your Saviour, but you aren't following Him, you aren't surrendering to His will, you aren't following His commandments, you aren't spending time with Him in prayer and reading His word, if you are forsaking His house, then you are mishandling Him.  

If you are handling Him in any way other than one that places Him in His rightful place as God and the Lord of your life, then you are mishandling Him.  He is not a "baby doll" laying on a pile of hay.  He is not a Christmas story.  He is not just a helper when you are in trouble.  He is not a curse word.  He is not your servant or a Santa Claus that gives you your every desire and bows to your every whim.  If this is how you look at Jesus, then you are mishandling Him.  And if you are mishandling Him, you need to repent and start handling Him in a manner that is worthy of who He is.

Have a great day.  Stop mishandling Jesus and handle Him in a way that gives Him honor and glory.     

"Eat"

"But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with the oath: wherefore he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand, and dipped it in an honeycomb and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened." 1 Samuel 14:27

The Israelites were fighting against the Philistines and on this particular day King Saul commanded that none of his men eat anything that day. They were tired and faint from hunger. But Saul's son Jonathan did not hear the charge of his father so when he saw the honey he dipped his rod in it and ate what was on the end of it. As a result of eating even that small amount he was strengthened and refreshed. "See, I pray you, how mine eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey." (verse 29)

The Psalmist described God's word as sweeter than honey on his lips. The honey that Jonathan ate refreshed him and gave him strength physically. When we "eat" God's word, it does the same thing for us spiritually. God's word refreshes our weary souls. It strengthens us for the journey. It enlightens our understanding. It gives health. It lifts up our heads. It brings peace to our hearts.

King Saul foolishly commanded the men not to eat that day. The lack of food during the battle hindered their victory. We do foolishly too when we do not "eat" the word of God each and every day- whether we are in a battle or at peace.

When the men came to the woods, the Bible recorded that there was honey all around them- on the ground and dropping from the trees. God's word is in abundant supply. Its pages are filled with wonderful promises, blessings, hope, encouragement and everything else that you need. I wonder how long it sits around in our houses and we never pick it up and taste of its contents.

King Saul had made an oath that placed a curse of death upon any man who ate. Therefore, none of the men would eat the honey although they wanted to, needed it and it was in abundant supply because they feared the king's oath. King Saul was just foolish for making such a command, but the enemy of our soul is strategic. He knows that without the word of God in our lives we will be weak, grow faint and weary- enabling us to be more easily defeated. So he uses fear tactics as well to try to keep us from God's word.

Are you suffering from lack of spiritual food? Are you growing faint and weary? Then take not just a taste, but heartily eat God's word and you will be refreshed.

Have a great day. What honey does to refresh the body, God's word does to refresh the soul.

For further reading:
Psalm 119:103
1 Samuel 14

"Trusting Who?"

"It is better to trust in the Lord: then to put confidence in man." Psalm 118:8

Yesterday I talked about putting our faith in God.  It reminded me of a video clip someone sent me on the subject.  This person said that when we get on a plane, a train, a bus or a taxi we don't know these people who are "driving", but we put our trust in them that they will carry us to our destination.  It made me think of the trip that I just took.  I went on a bus tour.  I didn't know the bus driver.  Had never laid eyes on him before.  I didn't know his name until someone told me.  I didn't know anything about him-- his age, his background, where he lived, if he was married, etc.  

When I watched the video, I could relate to what this person was saying.  On my trip I had put my safety and life in the hands of a complete stranger.  I was putting my life in the hands of just another person.  I was trusting that this bus driver would get me to where I needed to go without incident. (I even closed my eyes a few times to take a nap). 

So, the point is... why do we trust people, even strangers, but won't trust God with our lives?  Why do we sit back and "enjoy the ride" when someone else is doing the driving, but get anxious, worried and fearful when it comes to trusting God with our lives?  Why do we draw back from Him and act like He is untrustworthy and can't take care of us?  I had no clue how to get to where I was going, but the bus driver did-- so I trusted that.  In life we don't know where we are going and how to get there, but the One who sees all and knows all does.  When are we going to trust Him?  When are we going to put more confidence in the Lord Jesus who sees the beginning and the end of our journey through life, then we do in other people?  When are we going to sit back and let Him be in the "driver's seat?  This bus driver knew what he was doing-- I didn't.  God knows what He is doing, therefore, we can trust Him.  

Have a great day. Do we put more trust in other people, including strangers, than we do in the Lord?

"Have Faith Where?"

"And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God." Mark 11:22

This statement made by Jesus may seem odd-- "Have faith in God". Why would He tell us to have faith in God? Where else would our faith be based? Of course our faith is in God-- or is it? It may seem odd that He would tell us such a thing but He said it because our faith isn't always in God.

There are many things, people and places that we can place our faith in. The banks, loan companies, the doctor, modern technology, the word of some person, our education-- all these are where we often tend to place our faith. We have faith that the medicine the doctor prescribes will heal us. We have faith that our education will open doors of opportunity for us. We have faith that if the bank will loan us the money we will make it.

I am not saying that it is wrong to go to the doctor or take medicine. I am not saying that you shouldn't get an education. I am not saying that you shouldn't work. What I am saying is that your faith should not be in any of them as your healer, deliverer or provider. I know people who have years and years of education with so many degrees in front and behind their name that it takes ten minutes to read them- yet they can't find a job. We all know that medicines don't always work and doctors can't always save someone's life.

Putting your faith in people and things is not putting your faith in a firm foundation. God is the only true foundation upon which to place our faith. Men will fail. Things will fail. The products of men's hands will fail. Our monies will fail. Our abilities will fail. But the Lord never will. You can put your faith in Him eternally and know without a doubt that He will not fail.

Have a great day. Have faith in God because He is the only source that will not fail.

For further reading:
Hebrews 10:23
1 Chronicles 28:20
Lamentations 3:23

"Trust The Lord With The Future"

"They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever." Psalm 125:1

One of the biggest problems we have is the desire to know everything. We want to know what is going to happen before it happens and how things are going to turn out before they begin. We want to know the future. The knowledge of what will happen in the future will always elude us because no one can tell the future. We each have to wait until it gets here.

When we read the stories of Bible characters who have gone through tremendous trials, we have the advantage of reading the whole story- from the beginning to the end. Those who we read about had to take it one day at a time. They did not know what each day would bring, they did not know how things were going to turn out while they were in it any more than you and I know what will happen while we are in our trials.

Job could not see into the future when his trial began. He didn't know that he would come forth from it as gold. When Naomi's husband and two sons died and she was left a widow, she didn't know that she would become the great-great grandmother of King David through her daughter in law Ruth- who was in the lineage of Jesus. When Joseph was thrown into the pit, he had no idea that one day he would rule "the world"- second to Pharaoh. When the three Hebrews were thrown into the fiery furnace, they didn't know they would come back out alive.

They didn't know the future, they didn't know what was going to happen to them in the end. They had to trust the Lord each and every day with their lives. Since we don't know what the future holds, since we can't see the end from the beginning, since we don't know what the outcome of our trial will be, we have only one course of action that we can take-- we have to trust the Lord. That's what it means to live by faith.

You may be suffering with an illness in your body and unsure of the outcome, but trust the Lord- He knows the outcome. You may be facing financial loss and don't know if you will have a roof over your head in the future, but trust that the Lord sees the outcome. You may be going through a broken relationship unsure if reconciliation is in the future, but trust the Lord because He sees the end. Whatever you may be facing, you may not know what will happen next, but trust the Lord because He does. He sees the end from the beginning; He is the Author and Finisher; He is the First and the Last. He already knows how it is going to end. And the outcome will always work together somehow for your good.

Have a great day. We don't have the luxury of knowing the future, but God does so we can put our trust in Him.

For further reading:
Job 23:10; 13:15
Revelation 1:11
Hebrews 12:2; 10:38
Genesis 45:5-7

"Right In Whose Eyes?"

"In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes." Judges 21:25

During this time in the history of Israel there was no king to govern the people. They had God's law but they ignored it and did not follow it. The priest and the Levities did not follow it either. They did exactly as the verse says, "What was right in their own eyes." This verse sounds like it is talking about our modern day society- especially in the Western world. People are being led by what they deem as "right". They are following their own lusts, feelings and emotions. They are led by selfishness, greed and their own understanding. Sadly, this mentality isn't just reflected in the "world", it seems to be pretty prevalent in the present day church as well.

In the period of time in which the verse above was written there was no regard for the commandments and law of God. Have you noticed how little regard there is for God's word among professing believers? They attend church, but they don't live their lives after the guidelines of God's word. They are doing what is right in their own eyes. Many in the church are living in adultery and immorality- which is contrary to God's word, but it is right in their own eyes. They see nothing wrong with it. They see nothing wrong with cheating, lying, cursing, getting drunk, watching pornography, etc., and they justify it by saying, "For me it isn't wrong". One question-- why isn't it? If God's word says it is wrong then why isn't it wrong for you? God's word is the determining factor as to what is right and what is wrong; what we should be involved in and what we shouldn't; how we should conduct our lives and how we shouldn't; what we should participate in and what we should avoid.

If a person continues to do what is right in their own eyes, it will lead to the ways of death. In Israel during this time, as I said earlier, even the priests and Levities were guilty of doing what was right in their eyes instead of following after and holding God's word up as the only true standard of living. It is clear that these religious leaders weren't following God. So whoever you are- pastor, evangelist, church leader or lay person- if you are doing what is right in your own eyes and ignoring God's word as your guideline, then you aren't following Him either.

As long as we are doing what is right in our own eyes we are not following the Lord. And if we aren't following Him, then we are going in the opposite direction. When we are going in the opposite direction, we will get further and further away from Him and find ourselves on a way that leads to destruction. We must repent and turn back to following Him and doing what is "right in His eyes".

Have a great day. Are you doing what is right in your own eyes? Or are you living your life doing what is right in God's eyes?

For further reading:
Proverbs 12:15; 21:2; 16:25; 3:5
Judges 17:6

"Lifted Up"

"And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." John 12:32

Jesus said that if He was lifted up He would draw all men unto Himself. I see this verse as two-fold. In context the verse means the literal lifting up of Jesus on the cross on Calvary's hill for all to see. Being lifted up on the cross opened up the way for all men to now be able to come to the Father and receive eternal life.

The second way I see this verse when I think about it is lifting up Jesus through our praise. We lift Him up when we tell of His goodness and greatness and testify of His wonderful love. This morning I would like to take this time to do just that. I want to lift Jesus up through praise and adoration and remind you of just who He is.

He is the great and mighty God. The Counselor; Prince of Peace; Everlasting Father. He is the Beginning and the End; the Author and Finisher of our faith. The One who was and is and is to come. The Ancient of Days who has always been. The Eternal One who will always be. His days have no beginning and no end. His Word is powerful- sharper than a two-edged sword. His mercies are new each morning. His faithfulness cannot be measured. His promises never fail. He will never abandon His children. He gives rain on the just and unjust. He is a very present help in time of trouble. Every soul that cries to Him, He gives an attentive ear. He does not cast us away. He loves us with an everlasting love. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. He does not change. He is as powerful as He has always been. He can still put money in the mouth of the fish. He can still send manna from heaven. He is still able to part the sea, quench the fire of the furnace, shut the mouths of lions, command ravens to bring bread, call all the stars by name and He rides upon the wings of the wind.

I have a two-fold reason for lifting Him up this morning. One is because He is worthy to be lifted up through praise. The second is to remind you who He is. We do not act like God is God. For the most part His children appear to live discouraged, defeated, depressed lives. Why!? I believe it is because we have forgotten just Who He is. He is no "wimpy, feeble, weak" God that we are serving and placing our faith in and love upon. He is who He says He is in His word. He hasn't, and never will, changed. I think we need to start reminding ourselves daily who God is. And one way we do that is by lifting Him up through our praise.

Have a great day. Lift Him up today through your praise- it will help you remember how great He is.

For further reading:
Psalm 95:3; 86:8; 145:3-5; 105:2; 26:7
Jeremiah 10:6,7

"The Greater Reward"

I won't be sending out the Coffee Break devotional the rest of the week... I am taking a little break.  God bless you, all.

"The Greater Reward"

"Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment." John 12:3

We learn from the scriptures that the ointment that the woman with the alabaster box poured out on Jesus was very expensive and valuable. As I was thinking about that fact I couldn't help but think that as she poured it out on Jesus, she was giving away something expensive but not as expensive as what she would get in return.

While it was a great price for her to give up, the price of what she got in return was so much greater. It reminds me of the words of Jesus, "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it." (Matthew 16:25) When we try to keep and hold on to what we have, instead of "spending" it on Jesus, we wind up the loser in the end.

What are you withholding from Him this morning? What is that thing which you esteem as valuable that you aren't releasing to Him? Your talents? Has He blessed you with some talent- singing, writing, creativity- but you won't use it for His glory, but for selfish gain instead? Your time? Are you spending your time on you with no regard to spending time doing His service? Your financial/material blessings? Are you being stingy with them? What about your children? Perhaps the Lord has called your children into His service, but you are unwilling to let them be used by Him.

Are you withholding from Him the most valuable thing you have- which is your life? What the woman with the alabaster box gave to Jesus was more than just costly perfume or expensive ointment. It represented her life. Everything she had was in that box-- blood, sweat, tears, her future, her worth. But she gave it to Jesus, and she gave all of it to Him. While others accused her of wasting it on Jesus, she didn't waste anything- she "invested" it. She invested her life into Him and received eternal life in return.

Have a great day. When we give our lives to Jesus, we are making an investment that will receive an eternal reward.

For further reading:
John 12:1-8
Mark 14:1-5
Matthew 16:26

"The Wedding Dress"

"And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless." Matthew 22:12

It seems like all night I dreamed about weddings. Mostly about wedding garments- namely wedding dresses. The first dream dealt with a young lady who was looking for a wedding dress. Everything she tried on was as far from a wedding dress as you could get. There was another lady who had on one of the most beautiful and elaborate dresses I had ever seen. She looked like a princess in it. There was one more wedding dress in the dream. It wasn't as elaborate, but extremely beautiful. Then I saw a stack of bridesmaid's dresses- they were all very lovely.

The more I thought about the dream the more it made me think about the wedding to end all weddings that will take place one day- hopefully in the near future- the marriage of the Lamb.

Wedding gowns are reserved for the bride. The gowns that were the most beautiful and traditional in my dream were all designer originals. The garments that will be worn at the marriage of the Lamb are garments that the Master Designer Himself has prepared for the bride. They are made of fine linen, clean and white. The Bible calls them the righteousness of the saints.

As I was thinking about the young lady who was looking for a wedding dress but nothing that she tried on looked like something a bride would wear- they were made of cotton, one was pants, one outfit was black, one was short another was long, they were non-traditional- I thought about the many people who are trying to be a part of the "bride" their own way. Many are trying to do enough good works and deeds to be a part. Others are trying to go through "other ways"- thinking "all ways" will get them there. Some are trying to be religious in their attempt to be a part of this marriage. Their efforts are in vain, they will not have on the proper wedding garment. (The young lady in my dream never did find her dress.)

The only wedding garment that will be acceptable at the Marriage of the Lamb is the one that is designed by the Father and purchased through the blood of His Son Jesus. These garments are His righteousness that has been applied to the lives of those who have come to Him and made Him Savior and Lord of their lives.

Have a great day. There is a great marriage coming one day. We may all have a part in it, but only if we have on the right wedding garment. Do you?

For further reading:
Revelation 19:6-9
Matthew 22:1-13; 7:21-23
Ephesians 2:8,9
Titus 3:5
2 Corinthians 5:21

"Lower Than Dirt"

"My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word." Psalm 119:25

When the Psalmist said his soul "cleaveth" to the dust, he was saying that he and the dust were "joined together"- they had become one. Literally, he was as low as "dirt". The dirt under our feet is about as low as you can get. Have you ever felt that way? Have you ever felt that you were as low as you could get-- you couldn't get any lower because you were already on bottom? Perhaps you are feeling that way today?

Sometimes the mistakes we make cause us to feel lower than dirt-- we betrayed a trust or caused someone unnecessary grief and pain, now we are feeling like "dirt" over it. Sometimes the sin we indulge in takes us to the place of feeling like we are on the bottom. Repeated sin and the remorse that comes from it will often make us feel like we are no better than the dirt we walk on. Sometimes what others do to us make us feel like dirt. They abuse and misuse us and we begin feeling not only taken for granted but worthless- as worthless as dirt. Regardless of the circumstances that make us feel this way (whether self- inflicted or inflicted by others) I want you to know that there is hope. "Quicken me according to Thy word".

God's word gives us hope and rescues us "out of the dirt" as we look to it. His word has the power to lift us up and sit us on high. It lets us know that we are loved, that we are valuable, that there is no condemnation, that we have not been forsaken, that there is forgiveness, that we can hold our heads up, that we can be victorious and it restores us.

Whatever has caused you to feel so low this morning look to God's word and you will find that it will lift you up. We may have been made "from" the dirt, but we aren't "dirt". We were made "in" the image of God and that is the way we should be "feeling".

Have a great day. When you feel as low as dirt, look to God's word and let it lift you up to a higher place.

For further reading:
Genesis 1:26
Psalm 40:2; 3:3; 113:7

"What Are You Feeding?"

"For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would." Galatians 5:17

Have you ever heard the Native American wise tale about the two dogs? It goes like this- A Native American elder once described his own inner struggles in this manner: Inside of me there are two dogs. One of the dogs is mean and evil. The other dog is good. The mean dog fights the good dog all the time. When asked which dog wins, he reflected for a moment and replied, The one I feed the most.

There is so much truth in this, but instead of there being two dogs inside of us the Bible says that it is the flesh and spirit that are constantly at war with each other. "The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions." (Galatians 5:17- NLT)

The key to overcoming the flesh is to stop feeding it! There is a natural principle that lets us know whatever we feed is what will live and grow. Feed a baby and it will grow, starve it and it will die. The same is true with plants, animals and any person.

So what are the things that we do that feed the flesh? When you give it everything it desires and withholds nothing from it, you are feeding it. When you sit for hours in front of the television, you are feeding it. When you neglect to fast, you are feeding it. When you sit at the computer playing games all evening, you are feeding it. When you stay in bed when it is time to go to church, you are feeding it. When you listen to gossip, murmuring and complaining- or engage in it yourself- you are feeding it. When you spend more time involved in entertainment then you do doing those things that will feed your spirit- like reading the Bible, prayer, worship and Christian fellowship- you are feeding your flesh. (These are just a few ways we feed our flesh, there are many others.)

There are three categories of people: 1) the ones who feed the flesh, 2) the ones who feed flesh and spirit, 3) the ones who feed the spirit. Feeding the flesh will never overcome it. Feeding the flesh and spirit together will never overcome the flesh. Starving the flesh by feeding the spirit more is what overcomes the flesh. We need to stop feeding the flesh and start starving it instead so that it will die. "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry." (Colossians 3:5) 

Have a great day. The way to overcome the flesh is to stop feeding it.

For further reading:
Romans 8:13
Galatians 5:19-25
Matthew 4:4

"They Are For His Glory"

"But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men." Matthew 9:8

When God places His call upon our lives, when He puts His anointing within us, when He gives us spiritual gifts, we tend to think that it is "about us". We look at it as a personal thing that God has done for us. We seem to have the attitude that we have received these blessings so that others will see how powerful or spiritual we are. When God does something supernatural through us, we want people to notice us and talk about what we are doing. This is not the reason why He has given us gifts or the anointing.

There is only one reason and it is not so that flesh can glory in His presence. It is not about us. These gifts are given to us so that He and He alone will be glorified. They are given to point people to Him. They are a sign and witness to the power, grace, goodness and love of God. It is so that people will realize the reality of who He is.

I had received Jesus as my Savior early in life but then turned from Him and went my own way. A little over forty years ago the Lord began to deal with my heart to return to Him. One day I was sitting in my home and heard a knock at the door. It was a lady from the church- I had not met her because I was not attending church at the time and she had just moved to town and started going to the church a couple of months earlier. I invited her in and while she was there she began to talk to me in "casual conversation". The things she was saying to me were things that were hidden away in my heart. She was describing the very issues that I was dealing with internally. No one knew my struggle- not even my husband or best friend. I knew that it was God speaking through her. After I surrendered my life to the Lord I realized that what she was doing was called the gift of the "word of knowledge". I didn't know what it was at the time, all I knew was that through the things she was saying it let me know that God was aware of me and that He still loved me. You know the rest of the story- I am living for, serving and loving the Lord today.

So you see, the gifts are not for us or about us. They are for making God famous in the earth. They are manifested for His glory. Not for the accolades of men on ourselves. Not so that others will think highly of us. Not so that we can amass a following. But so that people will be convinced that God is real and that He loves them.

Have a great day. The gifts that we have been given are not for self, but in order to bring people to Him.

For further reading:
1 Corinthians 12:1-11
John 3:2
Matthew 25:14-28

Virus Scan

"Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." Psalm 139:23,24

I am a little late in sending out the devotional this morning because when I sat down at the computer I had a warning from my virus protection software that I needed to run a scan in order to make sure my computer was fully protected. Of course this warning was much too important to ignore even though it took a while to do it.

As the scan was running I started thinking about this in a "spiritual application". Jeremiah 17:9 tells us, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" This lets us know that we don't know what "evils" lurk within our own hearts. We may think that "all is well" when it is not. I may think that all is well with my computer and it might not be. There is only one way that I know whether there are any viruses hiding in my computer-- I have to run a scan.

In order for us to discover any wicked, deceitful thing that is hiding in our hearts we have to run a "scan". We do this by earnestly praying that the Lord will show us the truth about ourselves and expose anything in us that is deceitful, is a work of the flesh, or that is the opposite of the fruit of the Spirit. We need to also take His Word and as we read it allow it to be the mirror that will reveal any thing that does not look like Him in our lives. Another way is by listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit when He quickens us to the fact that there is something that needs to be dealt with. I could have ignored the virus protection warning but that would have put my computer at risk. If I ignore the prompting of the Holy Spirit it will put my spiritual well being at risk, and that is something that I cannot afford.

My virus protection program warned me to run the scan because it said that I have not done it in a while. Evidently, I have to do it on a regular basis. When was the last time you ran a "scan" spiritually speaking on your life? When was the last time you allowed God and His word to search you and clean you up? It is something that we have to do, without neglect, on a regular basis if we are going to be, and stay, "healthy" spiritually. We cannot "function" properly for the Kingdom of God if we don't.

Have a great day. When was the last time you ran a "virus scan" on your heart?

For further reading:
James 1:22-24
Psalm 51

"You Are Never Alone"

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." John 16:33

These words are the last thing that Jesus taught His disciples in the Book of John before the crucifixion. He was warning them that as long as they were in the world they would have tribulation/troubles/problems/suffering. It is a warning to His disciples today as well.

If we just stopped there we could become discouraged that all we have to look forward to are  troubles. But Jesus also gave them some good news- "I have overcome the world, therefore, be of good cheer". How did He overcome? I believe the main key to overcoming is found in verse 32- "Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me."

When we are facing difficulties and trials, we must remember that we are "not alone", our Heavenly Father is with us. He is walking every step of the way with us. He will never leave us nor forsake us in our time of need. And when He says "never", He means "never".

We may not feel His presence, we may not see His presence but He is there. He was there with Daniel in the lion's den. He was there with the three Hebrews in the fiery furnace. He was there at the Red Sea. He was there when David stood before Goliath. And He is there with you, and always will be. So when you are walking through the valley, through the midnight hour, through the storm, through the fire and when all others have left you, you are not going through it alone. Always remember that and never forget it.

Have a great day. Never forget that you are never alone in your times of trouble.

For further reading:
Hebrews 13:5
Daniel 3:23-25
Matthew 28:20
Psalm 23

"Father Neglect"

"In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried to my God: and he did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did enter into his ears." 2 Samuel 22:7

I was thinking about how wonderful the Lord is for allowing us to come to Him in our times of need. When we turn to Him in our troubles, He hears and answers us. But sadly, for many who call themselves Christians that is about the only time they do turn to Him- when they are in trouble or need His help.

How would we feel if our children neglected us until they wanted something? How would you feel if your spouse paid you no attention until they had a need that they wanted you to fulfill? You would feel rejected, used, unloved, unwanted and taken for granted- and rightly so. Yet we don't think anything about doing this to God.

He is not our "Santa Claus" making a "once a year appearance" to fulfill our wish list. He is not our "loan officer" that we visit on occasion when we need the extra to purchase something that we want. He is not "Sunday morning"- taken for granted all week until it is time to go to church.

He is our loving Heavenly Father who desires to have a relationship with us. He wants to be "active" in our lives. He wants to be involved in "all of it". He wants you to come to Him in the good times as well as the bad times; in the times of peace and in times of distress; in the times of laughter as well as in the times of sorrow; in the times of plenty as well as in the times of want and lack; in the times when you have all the answers or when you have lots of questions; in the times when you know which direction to go and in the times when you have no direction.

So let me ask you this morning, "which category are you in?". The one who only calls on Him when you are in need? Or the one who has a daily relationship with Him regardless of what is happening in your life?

Have a great day. He is a loving and gracious God who allows us to come to Him with our needs, but He wants more than just a relationship based on need and want.

For further reading:
Psalm 120:1; 34:1; 103:13
Luke 11:2
Matthew 23:37

"Bellhop"

"Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before." Philippians 3:13

In the past most hotels had a guy on staff who was called a "bellhop"- some still do. His job was to carry the luggage/bags of the hotel guests when they checked in or out of the hotel. Hotels are not the only place you find them any more. There are many Christians who do the same thing- they carry around lots of baggage.

Each day they gather up all their "bags"- guilt, condemnation, remorse, shame, bitterness, anger, revenge, etc- and carry them around. One difference between a guy who is hired to do this for a hotel and these others is destination. These guys carry the baggage to a destination- the guest room or their vehicle upon check-out. We carry them around all the time without leaving them any where. As a result we get weary, hard hearted and confused.

The guys who carry our bags at a hotel know which room they will leave the baggage in. We should know where to leave it too. God never intended for us to carry around this baggage endlessly. Like the desk clerk who instructs the bellhop as to where to take the bags, He has told us where we can take and leave it. It is called the cross. When we catch ourselves carrying around all this baggage that weighs us down and robs from us, we need to make the place of prayer our destination. And while in prayer remember the cross and how Jesus took the burden of our sins and all the "baggage" that came along with it.

Is this you? Are you a "bellhop"- carrying around all this excess baggage? Don't you think it is time to place it somewhere? Give it to God and place it at the cross. "For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:30)

Have a great day. Are you like a "bellhop" carrying around "baggage" all the time?

For further reading:
1 Peter 5:7
Matthew 11:29
Psalm 38:4; 118:24

"The Second Step To Success"

"Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the Lord had said unto him..." Judges 6:27a

Last week we talked about the difference in assuming we have heard from God and praying to see if it was Him. Just because we "assume" it is God, doesn't mean that it is. Therefore, we need to pray and seek Him for His will and plan. Perhaps what we are assuming truly is Him, but perhaps it is not.

Once we have sought the Lord and heard from Him on the matter, that is not the end of it, that is just the first step. The next step is to do what He has told you. When Gideon was met by the angel's salutation, "The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valor" and he told him that he was going to save Israel from the Midianites, Gideon made no assumptions. He "tried the spirits" to see if this was God. Some may say that Gideon was acting in unbelief-- maybe so-- but at least he made sure so that all room for doubt was removed. Perhaps what we consider lack of faith in praying about what we believe may be God is wisdom instead.

Gideon discovered that it was indeed God and His plan. But there was more to fulfilling God's plan that just being reassured that it was God. There was obedience that had to be walked out. The first step to success is knowing that you have truly heard from the Lord. The second step is doing what He tells you to do. You can be convinced (by an angel or God Himself) that what you have heard is definitely God, but if you don't act upon it you will not succeed.

God removed all Gideon's doubts and fears that this was Him, but Gideon had to then act on what God told him to do if the Midianites were going to be defeated. Once you discover that this is not just an assumption, but truly God, then you are going to have to get up and act on what He has told you. Once you do, success will follow.

Have a great day. Discovering that what you heard is from God is only the first step. You then have to act upon what He has spoken. Then success will come.

For further reading:
Judges 6 and 7
1 John 4:1

"Prayer or Assumption"

"And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper." 2 Chronicles 26:5

Many confuse prayer with assumption. They assume this or that is the will of the Lord without ever seeking Him on the matter to find out if it truly is His will or not. They reason within themselves that this thing is a "good" thing, therefore, it must be a "God" thing. Or because whatever it is appeals to them, so it has to be from God. Some assume that it is God's plan because it came across their path- surely if this wasn't God this "door" never would have opened.

There is one sure way in which to know the will and plan of God-- it is called prayer! If we aren't seeking God in prayer concerning a matter then we really have no assurance that it is God. And we have no guarantee that we will prosper in it. We talk about the importance of prayer, yet we neglect it much of the time- and on some of the most important matters.

A couple of familiar verses are Proverbs 3:5,6- "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." These verses are not just guidelines to making sure we are in the will and plan of God, but I see a warning here also. "Don't lean to your own understanding". Why? Let's face it, we aren't as smart as we would like to think we are. We don't know everything. We don't know the future- we can't see the outcome of our decisions before we ever make them. We tend to judge things after appearance. But just because it looks good doesn't mean it is good- a beautifully decorated cake may look appealing, but if it has poison baked into it, it is deadly; one bite can kill you. There is a way that seems right to us, but the end leads to death. (Proverbs 16:25)

True success comes as a result of seeking the Lord- "as long as he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper." Just because we "assume", doesn't mean we have "sought". And if we have not "sought", we will not have success.

Have a great day. Prayer and assumption are not the same thing.

For further reading:
Philippians 4:6,7
James 4:2
1 Samuel 10:22; 16:7
Matthew 7:7; 6:6
John 7:24

"Footprints To Victory"

"When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost." John 19:30

Yesterday we talked about how Jesus is touched by the feelings of our infirmities because He faced everything while He was on earth that we face. He suffered. He was rejected. He was hungry, etc. We discussed the fact that He left His footprints on the road of suffering for us to follow.

This morning I want us to take note that His footprints lead to victory. He was victorious in every trial and the suffering that He went through. Because He was victorious, we can be too.

I want to zero in on this word "victorious". Our definition of victory and God's definition of victory are not always the same. We view victory as escaping the trial, as a healing from an illness, as a restoration of a broken relationship, as a check in the mail that pays off our debt. Jesus' greatest victory was in His "death". It was when He bowed His head and gave up the ghost that the final victory was won.

Victory doesn't always mean deliverance or escape from the suffering. Victory doesn't necessarily mean a favorable outcome, but rather what is accomplished through the suffering. The end result may not be what you want or expect, but if God is glorified through it and His purpose is accomplished then we are truly victorious.

When my attitude is one that does not return evil for evil when I am persecuted; when I can stand in the face of my enemy and truly love him; when my faith is not shaken though calamity is present; when my light is still shining no matter how dense the darkness-- then I am victorious. Joseph was tempted by Potiphar's wife and even though it got him thrown into prison, he was victorious because he still maintained his integrity. Daniel was tempted with the king's meat then put to a test, yet he did not defile himself. Jesus did not revile or threaten when He was being falsely accused and crucified, yet He did not falter from the Father's plan. Their lives were a true definition and picture of victory.

Have a great day. Victory does not always mean deliverance from the trial or the outcome you desire. Victory is when what is accomplished in you brings God glory.

For Further reading:

Hebrews 11:35
2 Corinthians 4:17
1 Peter 2:23; 3:17,18

"Follow His Footprints"

"For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." Hebrews 4:15

One thing I have noticed in studying the Book of 1 Peter is that each time Peter talks about the things they were suffering, he then reminds them that Jesus suffered too. Jesus went through the same things they were going through. He went through the slander, the reproach, the lies and false accusations. He was beaten. He was rejected. He was tempted. He was acquainted with their suffering because He went through it Himself. This is why the verse above tells us that He is "touched with the feeling of our infirmities". He knows what it is like- He went through it all when He was on earth.

Jesus knows what you are going through today. He has already walked that path before you. And now, may I say, He is walking it again-- this time with you. You are not walking it alone, He is right there with you. And not only is He with you, He is shining a light on the dark path which reveals His very own footprints so you can see how to walk through this. You have His presence to comfort you, His footprints to follow, and His word to light up the way. You can make it through this and come out victorious-- because He did.

Have a great day. Jesus knows what you are going through, He's been down that same path and left His footprints to lead the way through it.

For further reading:

1 Peter 2:20-23; 4:1

Hebrews 2:18; 5:8

"The Unchanging Love of God"

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?" Romans 8:35

In this ever changing world, it is comforting to know that there is one thing that never changes-- the love of God. We see a beautiful illustration of this in the story of the prodigal son. When the son finally repents and makes his way home, the father is waiting for him. He runs out to embrace his son and receive him back into the family.

This father could have rejected the son. He could have turned his back on him. He could have sent him away. He could have had him put to death. He could have made him a servant. But he didn't. He rejoiced and planned a big celebration for his son. He put the family ring on his finger and robe on his back. Why did the father do this? After all, the son had shamed him, had shamed the family name, had dishonored him, had hurt him deeply, had disappointed him and had rebelled against him, yet we see his treatment of him was with such extreme kindness. It was because of love! The father never stopped loving his son. His love was the open door for his return.

Perhaps you have turned from the Heavenly Father. Perhaps you have been rebellious against Him- you've turned your back on Him, left the relationship you once shared with Him, went out into the world and did your own thing and told Him you didn't want to have anything to do with Him. Perhaps now you have come to the place where you see the error of your way and desire to return to Him. If that is you, rest assured that you can return. He is waiting for you. He is longing for you to come back "home". He will gladly receive you with out stretched arms. Why? Because His love for you has never stopped. Even when you were in the "pig pen", He never quit loving you. His love for you has not changed- He loved you at the beginning, He loves you now. So get up today and begin making that step toward Him. You will find that as you do, you won't have to make it very far before He runs out to meet you.

Have a great day. God's love for us never changes, even when we turn away our love from Him.

For further reading:
Malachi 3:6
Luke 15
John 3:16,17
Romans 5:8; 8:35-39
1 John 1:9

"A Famine Of Hearing"

"Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD." Amos 8:11

I was thinking about how gracious the Lord is to speak to us the way He does. He is constantly speaking. There is no shortage of His word. He speaks to us through His written word (the Bible). Each day I receive close to a dozen different email devotionals. I have numerous books that have been inspired by Him which expound His word to me. Then there are Christian programs on television and radio, church services during the week, not to mention the conversations that I have during the day with other believers- all avenues through which He speaks to me. When you think about it, it seems as if He is never really silent because there is always some sort of "preaching" of His word going forth.

He is speaking, but the problem is-- are we listening? The prophet didn't say there was a famine of the word, but of the "hearing" of the words of the Lord. If we are listening, then why aren't we being transformed? Why aren't we any different? Why are we still living in bondage as slaves to besetting sins? If we are hearing His word, why aren't we treating each other with more kindness? Why aren't we loving our enemies and blessing those who curse us? Why are we becoming more materialistic and less self denying? Why aren't we sharing the good news of salvation through Jesus with the lost?

When I send out the Coffee Break devotional, I always pray that the Lord would give those who receive it an "ear to hear what the Spirit is saying" though it. I pray that He would help each one to be a "doer and not a hearer only". (I pray this for myself as well.) God's word has been given to us for more than to just have some good "reading material" available to us. It was given to us for many reasons, but mainly to reveal who He is and for application. Are you applying it to your life? Are you living by it? Does it govern your actions, speech and attitudes? Are you really hearing it? If you are, then it will have an affect on you, that affect is a transformed life.

Have a great day. Did you hear what the Word said?

For further reading:
James 1:22-25
Luke 6:49; 8:5-15
1 Peter 2:2

"His Word Is Enough"

"Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again." Luke 24:7

Jesus told His disciples that He was going to be crucified but that He would rise again. They saw Him being arrested. They saw Him beaten. They saw Him die on the cross. They saw all their hopes and dreams and all they had believed vanish before them. All they had was Jesus' word- "I will rise again on the third day".

"And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side." (Mark 4:35) While they were in the boat all the disciples could see was a violent storm, the seas roaring and the wind blowing. They could see the water in the boat. They could see the helplessness of the situation. It did not look good for them at all. All they had was Jesus' word- "Let us pass over to the other side".

In both cases the disciples saw nothing encouraging, nothing hopeful, nothing but darkness and death. All they had was Jesus' word to hold on to, but that was enough.

When you face the storms and trials of life, when you go through difficulties, when all looks hopeless, when there is nothing around you but despair, and all you have is God's word about the situation, then that is enough.

All the disciples saw was death, but Jesus said they would see Him raised from the dead--- and they did! All the disciples saw was a storm that was about to destroy them, but Jesus said they were going to the other side--- and they did!

Things may not look good, but we don't walk by sight, we walk by faith-- faith in what Jesus has said. It is not about what we see, but about what we hear. It doesn't matter how dark it may look, if Jesus said the light is coming, then it is. It may look like you are going to drown, but if Jesus said you are going to survive, you will. If whatever you face is saying one thing, but Jesus is saying another-- then what Jesus said is what you can count on.

Have a great day. If all you have is God's word about the situation- no matter how it looks- His word is enough.

For Further reading:
Mark 4:35-41
Romans 1:17
Hebrews 11:1
2 Corinthians 5:7