"The Word Perspective"

"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Romans 12:2 

Because we are so fleshly minded, we tend to look at everything from a fleshly/physical perspective. We respond, react, and live our lives by worldly principles. But if we are truly people of the Word, it should be the governing factor of our lives-- how we think, how we respond, how we react, and how we live. We should see and judge the circumstances of life, not from a worldly perspective but from a heavenly one. Some might say that is being too spiritually minded. I wonder if there is such a thing. Jesus was not earthly minded at all. We are told to have the same mind as Him. 

 

Our thoughts govern our actions. What we think is what we do. And what we think is what we become. This is why the Bible tells us repeatedly to watch what we think. We are to guard our thoughts. Think on things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely and that have a good report. We are to set our thoughts on things above and renew our minds. By doing so we know what is the good, acceptable and perfect will of God. His word is His will. If we are going to live by His will, then we need to start living by His Word. And living by His Word means looking at life through its perspective. 

 

Have a great day. We are to be people of the Word, therefore, we should look at the things of our lives from its perspective. 

 

For further reading:

Philippians 4:8; 2:5

1 Corinthians 2:16

Psalm 37:23

"The Place Of Rest"

"Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord." Acts 3:19 

We all need times to get away where we can be refreshed and regroup. We need times of solitude and quiet where we can rest our bodies and clear our minds. But taking a trip or vacation is not always the answer. Have you heard anyone say, "I need a vacation to rest up from my vacation."? Leaving the familiar and routine and getting a change of scenery is fine if you can do it, but it isn't our answer. It does help and there is nothing wrong with doing it. But there is only one place where we find true rest and refreshing. It is in the presence of the Lord. "To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear." (Isaiah 28:12)

 

Jesus showed us by example where this place was. If anyone needed a rest, and a break, it was Jesus. He was constantly surrounded by people wanting something from Him. He couldn't eat or sleep without someone right there all the time. Yet, He was always "refreshed", it never got "the best of Him". That place was in the presence of the Father. Often, He would get away, go up to a mountain, the other side of the sea, or stay up all night to commune with His Father. This is where we find the rest that we need. Like the old hymn says-- "There is a place of quiet rest, near to the heart of God." 

 

"For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul." (Jeremiah 31:25) We may not be able to go somewhere away from the place of demands upon us, but we can go straight into the presence of the Lord and find rest and refreshing for our weariness. The rest that He gives is complete-- not a little rest. It refreshes our whole spirit, soul and body. He satiates us and replenishes us when we ask. He causes us to no longer be weary but instead we receive the strength to "mount up with wings like eagles. So that we can run and not be weary, walk and not faint." 

 

There is no better place on earth to receive the rest that we need and are looking for, than in the presence of the Lord. The best thing about it is that you don't have to make reservations-- there is always a place available for you. You don't have to travel far to get there-- just the distance to your knees. It doesn't cost one cent-- it has been paid for through the blood of Jesus. And you can always go there at any time.

 

Have a great day. Do you need a break? Do you need a rest? Do you need to be refreshed? There is a place where you can find perfect rest. It's in the Presence of God. 

 

For further reading:

Isaiah 40:31

 

"Don't Camp Out In Yesterday"

"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 

Yesterday is gone, today is a new day. We have to leave yesterday's failures and victories behind and face what lies ahead of us this day. With each new day comes new challenges, new mountains to climb, new valleys to pass through, and new seas to cross. 

 

When Jesus walked the earth, He and His disciples were constantly going from one place to another. They were either crossing a sea, climbing a mountain, walking the shores or going from one town to another. They didn't stay in one "place" too long. On the mountain of transfiguration the disciples wanted to build a temple to the Lord and stay there. But Jesus took them back down into the valley instead. 

 

Life is not a place of standing still. It is a place of going forth and forward. We can't camp out on the mountain top. We can't camp out in the valley beside still waters. We can't camp out in yesterday's failures and give up and stop going to our next appointed destination. We can't camp out in yesterday's victories and not press on to new ones today. 

 

Are you "stuck" in yesterday? Are you wanting to camp out there? Camp out in self-pity, in the mistakes, in the condemnation, in the guilt. Are you wanting to camp out in the triumphs, in the victory, in the glorious experience? Get up and move on. It is time to "get into the boat". It is time to go to "Samaria". It is time to go to the "mountain of transfiguration". It is time to go to the "shore". It is time to go into the "highways and byways". It is time to leave yesterday and go forward into the new places of today.

 

Have a great day. You can't camp out in yesterday. Today is a new day with new battles to fight, new places to see, new challenges to meet and a destiny to fulfill.

 

For further reading:

Matthew 17:1-5

Luke 14:23

John 4:4

"Praise God On Both Sides"

"For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed." Malachi 3:6 

Anyone can praise God when things are going well. But can you praise Him in the storm? Can you praise Him in the darkest night of your life? Can you praise Him in trouble? Can you praise Him in the valley? Can you praise Him in the fire? When the children of Israel left Egypt, they soon found themselves hemmed in between Pharaoh's army and the Red Sea. God delivered them by parting the sea, making a path through it and drowning Pharaoh's army. When they came across on the other side, they sang a song of triumph, deliverance and victory. What a wonderful, glorious time! It was a time of rejoicing, celebration and giving praise to God. They sang the right song-- praise and glory to God-- they just sang it on the wrong side. They should have sung it on both sides of the sea.

 

You may ask, "How can you sing praise when you are in the middle of a trial, tribulation or problem?". That is the wrong question to ask. The right question is, "Why can't I?". After all, God is no different on this side of the sea then He was on the other side. He is the same on both sides of the trial. He is the same in the storm as He is after He calms it. He is still God. He is the Deliverer while you are facing the enemy as much as He is when the conflict has passed. He is as much the Healer when the bad report comes that you have an illness as He is at the end of it and the reports come back negative. He doesn't change after the problem has passed and then become the Victor. He already is the Victor-- before the battle, during the battle and after the battle. 

 

Job praised God when he got the bad reports that he had lost everything including his children. Paul and Silas praised God while sitting in chains in the prison. They didn't wait to praise Him after He delivered them. They praised Him before. They could do this because they knew who He was. They knew that He was just as powerful, just as mighty, just as able to deliver, and was with them while the storm was raging as He was after He had calmed it. Don't wait to give Him praise until after the problem has passed. Give Him praise and worship when it first comes, during the middle of it and after it is over because He is the same before, during and after the trial.

 

Have a great day. Praise God on both sides of your trial-- when it first starts and when it ends. Because He doesn't become your deliverer only when it ends. He is the deliverer even before it begins. 

 

For further reading:

Acts 16:25

Exodus 15:1-3

"Open And Not Ashamed"

"The Lord hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen." Psalm 98:2 

When the Lord made the provision for our salvation, He didn't do it in secret. He didn't do it behind closed doors. He did it openly before all to see. Jesus' death on the cross is our provision for salvation. He was crucified on a hill, not in a cave. He was crucified in the open, not inside the temple. He wasn't crucified on ground level but on a cross- lifted up so that even those who were in the distance could see it. 

 

He was crucified openly so that there would be no doubt as to what He did. He did it openly so that we would know that it was provided. He wasn't ashamed to be seen hanging on the cross for us. He did it openly as a reminder also. Should you ever doubt His love for you, should you ever wonder about the provision of salvation, just look at the cross. It is right there in the wide open for you to see. 

 

If everything He did for us was done openly, shouldn't we live our lives openly for Him? Should we be "undercover secret" Christians? I am not talking to my brothers and sisters who are in countries where you are being persecuted and martyred for the cause of Christ, and you have to be more "secretive" about your relationship with Jesus. I am talking to my brothers and sisters who live in countries where you have the freedom to live openly for Christ, but don't. We said earlier that He wasn't ashamed to hang on the cross for all to see because He loved you that much. Are you going to be ashamed to let others see that you love Him that much by living for Him openly? 

 

Have a great day. What Jesus did for you was done in the open, not in secret. He wasn't ashamed to love you and provide salvation for you so that all could see it. Are you ashamed to live openly for Him?

 

For further reading:

Mark 8:38

John 12:32

"It Will Reclaim Itself"

"O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" Romans 7:24 

There is one thing about nature that I have noticed, if left unattended it will always reclaim itself. You can take a piece of land and clear it but if you don't maintain it, it will go back to its original state. This happens with my garden each year. During the off season the grass and weeds take over.

 

This isn't just confined to nature; our souls will do the same. Once we receive salvation we then have to "work out our salvation". It isn't about a one-time trip to the altar. Daily we have to guard our hearts from the pull of the old man to "reclaim" itself. If we leave our lives "unkept" it will be noticeable- just like an unkept piece of land. Signs of the flesh will be seen. There will be no joy. Peace will not be evident. Love will give way to selfishness. And so on. If left unkept temptations will overtake us and we will find ourselves doing those things that we do not want to do. 

 

How do we do that? In order to keep my yard looking like a yard instead of a wilderness I have to work at it- constantly. I have to rake, pick up the limbs, mow it, pull up weeds, etc. It is the same with our lives. We have to "work" at it daily-- not just on Sundays at church. We have to read and study God's Word and apply it to our lives. We have to hide it in our hearts. We have to keep our minds renewed with God's Word. We have to pray without ceasing; seek first the kingdom of God; take up our cross; deny ourselves; put on the full armor of God. If we neglect those things that bring spiritual growth and change in our lives, it won't be long before it is evident. 

 

Have a great day. Nature will reclaim itself if left unattended. Our old nature will try to reclaim itself if we neglect our spiritual man. 

 

For further reading:

Romans 7:18-25

Philippians 2:12

"Seasons End When They Are Over"

"To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:" Ecclesiastes 3:1 

There are seasons in our lives, not just in nature. Like the four seasons- spring, summer, fall and winter- each season brings its own characteristic. Spring brings new life. Summer is hot. Fall things begin to transition. Winter is cold. Each of the four seasons have to "run their course" before they give way to the next one. It is the same with the seasons of our lives. We want certain "seasons" to "hurry and change", but they have to run their course as well. 

 

I much prefer the summer season. My least favorite is winter, and I look forward to it being over. But winter is needful to the earth. In life I don't enjoy the seasons of testing and trials, (I much prefer the seasons of peace and prosperity) but they are needful. The point I am trying to make is, although we don't enjoy some seasons and try to rush them up and get them over with, we need to learn to be content in them. They are set to "run their course". They will be over when it is time for them to be over. They are not going to end until they have accomplished their full purpose. Joseph tried to hurry his season in the prison up by asking the butter to remember him to Pharaoh. It was two years later before the butler told Pharaoh about Joseph. His season wasn't over until it had "run its course". It came to an end when it had accomplished what it needed to do. 

 

We might as well stop trying to rush whatever "season" we are in-- it will end when it is the appointed time for it to end. In the meantime, be content in it and let it accomplish its purpose.

 

Have a great day. This season will end when it has "run its course".

 

For further reading:

Philippians 4:11

Genesis 40

 

"Feelings Driven Or Word Driven?"

"(For we walk by faith, not by sight:) 2 Corinthians 5:7 

I woke up with another song repeating over and over in my thoughts again this morning. "I'm not moved by what I feel, I'm only moved by the Word that real." If we aren't careful it is so easy for us to walk/live by our feelings and emotions. We are "sense" driven people-- motivated by our own senses. (Seeing, hearing, feeling, tasting and touching.) If I can't see it then it isn't real. If I don't like what I hear then I ignore it. If it doesn't feel good then I don't want to do it. If it doesn't taste to my liking then I won't eat it. If I am not allowed to touch it then I get angry. 

 

If you walk by your feelings you will go astray. Feelings are fickle. They are constantly changing. What made me happy yesterday doesn't today-- if you don't believe it, look at marriage and divorce. What made me cry in the past may not any more because I have hardened to that situation. What once appalled me, may be acceptable to me now. Our feelings change daily. You can wake up feeling great and on top of the world and within minutes be so distressed that you just want to die. 

 

As Christians we can't allow our feelings to govern, dictate and influence our lives. Are "feelings" a bad thing? No, God gave us our feelings. But our feelings have to be kept in check, sanctified and brought into submission to the Lord. They have to be ruled by His Word-- not allowed to rule us. Our feelings don't "call the shots". They don't tell us what to do and what not to do. They don't tell us what is and isn't acceptable. They don't make decisions for us. We can't allow them the "headship" in our lives because they are often "false". The Word of God is the determining, ruling factor in our lives. 

 

Every situation we face should be governed by and viewed in light of the Word of God-- not our feelings. The Word of God is Truth-- it is the only truth. It isn't fickle. It isn't up today and down tomorrow. It doesn't change with every wind. It isn't affected by circumstances. It stays the same day in and day out. It has always held steady- the same. It is the same in adversity and in victory-- it does not change. It is the same yesterday, today and forever. It isn't moved by feelings, by the economy, by trials, by tribulation, or by temptation. It is the same in the good times as it is in the bad times. Therefore, we have to be "moved" by the Word of God and let it hold us steady in all circumstances of life-- and not our feelings.

 

Have a great day. We can't be moved by what we feel-- feelings can be false. We have to be moved by the Word of God-- it's the truth. 

 

For further reading:

Psalm 119:89; 160

John 17:17

Romans 1:17

Matthew 24:35

 

"Defeating The Enemy"

"And conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it." Nehemiah 4:8 

In context this verse is talking about when Nehemiah had gone to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls of the city, and while they were working their enemies - Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabians, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, came against them to stop the work. (There is still an enemy who will try to conspire against us in the work of the Lord.)

 

That enemy is not Sanballat, or the Ammonites, or any of the ones that were named in this scripture. But it is the same enemy. It is the same enemy that conspired against Nehemiah, against David, against Daniel, Paul and against the Israelites. The real enemy who is behind the one who appears to be the enemy is the devil/adversary. He is the one who tries to stop the work of the Lord. He is the one who goes about seeking whom he may devour. He may come in many "forms"-- a wolf in sheep's clothing, an angel of light, a wicked king, a seductive woman, etc.-- but it is still him. 

 

How do we withstand and fight against this enemy? How do we keep him from stopping us in the work of the Lord? How do we keep him from side-tracking us and causing us to stop doing what we are called to do? The answer is in the next verse. "Nevertheless, we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them."

 

The first thing we do is pray to God. We call upon the Lord to defend, protect, advise, give us strength and wisdom. We bring God into our situation-- not think that we can handle it by ourselves. (The battle belongs to the Lord.) 

 

The next thing we do is keep an eye out for the enemy. How do we do that? Through God's Word. Ephesians tells us to put on the full armor of God so that we can stand against the schemes and devises of the devil. That armor is Christ Himself-- it is the Word. When we are clothed with God's Word, our spiritual eyes are enlightened, and we see clearly the tactics and plans of the enemy.

 

How do we fight against the enemy who conspires against us in our work of the Lord. The answer is clear, Jesus summed it up for us-- "Watch and pray". 

 

Have a great day. The devil still comes to stop us from doing God's work, but he is defeated when we watch and pray. 

 

For further reading:

Matthew 26:41

Ephesians 6:11,12

John 10:10

1 Samuel 17:47

 

"I Am - Not I Was"

"And God said unto Moses, I Am That I Am: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I Am hath sent me unto you." Exodus 3:14 

We live in a world where literally everything around us changes. People change, weather changes, the economy changes, seasons change, there is nothing that does not change in this physical realm. In a world that is constantly changing we must remind ourselves often that God does not change. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. 

 

Whatever God was yesterday, whatever He was in the past, He still is in the present. He told Moses to tell the children of Israel that He is "I Am". He didn't say to tell them that He Was. When He says He was and is and is to come, He is referring to His existence. He has always been, and He always will be. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but He never will. 

 

If "He Was", instead of "I Am", then He Was the miracle working God. Then He Was the Healer. He Was the Savior and Deliverer. He Was Love, Peace and Joy. But He is not the "I Was". He is the "I Am". I Am the Healer. I Am your Fortress. I Am your Strength. I Am Love. For us past is past. Past will always be the past-- never the present. But for God when He says He is I Am, I Am is present tense. God is a present God, even the past becomes the present. For us the future is future, and it will always be the future. But for God, the future becomes the present. Past and future become present in God-- I Am. 

 

The point is that the past doesn't hold God back or confine Him. The future doesn't restrict Him. He is the ever-present God who is as He has always been. This is comforting to us. Knowing this should give us peace and confidence. It should bring us security in knowing that whoever and whatever He was and did for us in the past, He hasn't changed and will be the same for us today, in the future, and always. 

 

Have a great day. Everything in this life changes, except God. 

 

For further reading:

Matthew 24:35

Malachi 3:6

Hebrews 13:8

Revelation 4:8

"Just One Person's Prayer"

"The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." James 5:6 

In the Book of Daniel there were certain men who were jealous of Daniel. They schemed against him by tricking the king into signing a decree that no one could pray to any god but him for thirty days, the whole plot was to keep one man from praying.

 

One the surface it appeared to be an act of jealousy on these men's part. But in reality, it was a plot of hell to stop Daniel from praying. Hell/the adversary/the devil doesn't fear when all we do is "talk" about prayer. He fears when we actually put prayer into practice. We can talk about it, preach it, say we need to do it, but until we pray, we are not a threat to his work or plans at all. Daniel did more than think about praying, he prayed. Three times a day he prayed. He didn't let anything stop him. He didn't let his busy schedule stop him. He didn't let his responsibilities stop him. He didn't even let the decree of the king stop him. 

 

The adversary wants to stop you from praying. He wants to keep you from petitioning God for your needs, for direction, for wisdom, etc. Prayer is powerful, because it is the avenue that the All-Powerful God uses to administer His will in the earth. Scriptures are very plain about the power of prayer. It is our communion with God. It is our weapon to thwart the plans of the enemy. The kingdom of heaven suffers violence and the violent take it by force. Where do we take it by force? On our knees. Where is the battleground upon which we fight? On our knees. Where is the enemy defeated? On our knees. 

 

Why would the adversary go to such lengths to try to stop just one man from praying? What threat was one man? He knows that when men and women pray, he is defeated. He was afraid of just one man's prayer. Imagine what would happen to his plans if all of us who profess to be Christians would take prayer seriously and actually pray.

 

Have a great day. Hell trembles at the prayer of even one person because it knows how powerful prayer is. 

 

For further reading:

James 4:2

Matthew 18:19

John 16:24

Psalm 34:4

Daniel 6

 

"The Prepared Place"

"Then we which 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." 1 Thessalonians 4:17  

There is a blessed day that is coming when the Lord will return in the clouds and take His people home. Do we know when that day is? No. Do we know if we will be alive when it happens? No. There is much we don't know concerning the future-- even our own future. We don't know if we will go up with the Lord when He returns or if we will already be "in the grave". But there is one thing that we can know for sure-- regardless of how and when we leave this world-- "we will forever be with the Lord".

 

We will all leave this world one day. It is appointed unto man once to die. We all have an appointment with death. We just don't have the luxury of knowing when and how we will meet that appointment. That is not the important issue. The important issue is what will happen to you after you leave. When we leave this earth, we leave this earth. We don't come back in another form. We don't get a second chance to do it all over again. 

 

"Wherefore comfort one another with these words." (verse 18) Have you made preparation for that day? If you have and Jesus is your Savior and Lord, then you will forever be with the Lord. What a comforting thought. This life is not all there is. There is a better one that the Lord has prepared for those who love Him. It is a place of unimagined beauty. "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) It is a place where there is joy, peace and pleasure. It is a place of light, no darkness. It's a place of love, no hate. It is a place where the Lord rules and reigns. It is indescribable-- and it is a place where we will never have to worry about being away from His presence anymore. We will forever be "with the Lord". That is what makes that place so wonderful. His presence. Are you going to go there when that day comes?

 

Have a great day. There is a wonderful place prepared for those who love the Lord, and have surrendered their lives to Him, when they leave this earth. That place is the eternal presence of God. 

 

For further reading:

John 14:1-3

2 Corinthians 5:8

Revelation 21:22,23,27

Hebrews 9:27

 

"The Flashlight"

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." Psalm 119:105 

God's word is many things to us. His word is a lamp and a light unto our path. Have you ever walked outside at night when it is dark?  When there is no light outside to see by and if the moon is hidden behind the clouds, it can be very dark. The darkness leaves us with the inability to see where you are going. Because we are unable to see we don't know what lies ahead of us making it easy to stumble or fall. At those times it would be wonderful to have even a flashlight. 

 

Life has its times of "light" and "darkness". There are times when we see everything clearly. We know where we are going, what we are doing, and have clear direction. But then there are times when it is "dark". The way before us is unclear, we don't know what to do, we can't see to make the next step. This happens on "familiar" paths of life-- those places we have been through before-- and on "unfamiliar" paths-- the places we have never been through before. On either path, the familiar and unfamiliar, we have one desire-- light! 

 

The good news is that there is "light" for us so that we don't have to walk in darkness down any path that we are on. That light is God's word. His word will give us light to "see" as we walk the path of life. It will give us the light of peace, of direction, of comfort and of joy. When we read God's word, hide it in our hearts and apply it in the situation, it is like having a "flashlight" with us to light up our path. Also, when we have Jesus living in our lives, He is the Living Word and the Light of men, His presence gives us light. 

 

As long as we have God's Word-- the written promises-- and God's Word-- the Lord Jesus-- in our lives, we will never walk in darkness. The Light will always be with us shining on our path of life. 

 

Have a great day. We need a flashlight when walking through dark places. When we come to dark places/times in our lives, we need a flashlight then too-- it is God's Word. 

 

For further reading:

Isaiah 9:2

John 1:1,4,5

 

"You're More Than A Conqueror"

"Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us." Romans 8:37 

Before I got out of bed this morning the words to a song that I haven't heard in years began to repeat over and over in my thoughts. Let me share them with you. "We've been made more than conquerors, overcomers in this life. We've been made victorious through the blood of Jesus Christ." 

 

Daily I hear so many prayer requests. I can't get over how many needs there are among us. The list seems endless. The Bible says that the kingdom suffers violence, and that we have an adversary who comes to steal, kill and destroy, and that he is seeking whom he may devour. Jesus even told us that we would have tribulation in this world. But this morning I don't want to focus on the needs, the sickness, the problems, the trials. Instead, I want to focus on the fact that in all these things we are more than conquerors through Jesus Christ. That is why this song was on my heart. There is no doubt that we will face difficulties while in this world, but because of Jesus and His victory we can say with the Apostle Paul- "We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed." (2 Corinthians 4:8,9)

 

Let me share another verse of this song. "When trouble comes knocking at your door, don't be afraid it's not like before. Don't you give in, don't let it bring you down, you don't have to worry any more. Jesus said there would be tribulation, but He said, I have overcome. Brothers and sisters now is the time to stand. Don't you know the battles all are won."

 

"What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31) If you are going through a battle/trial this morning, you need to look it squarely in the eyes and say, "I am more than a conqueror over you through Jesus Christ". As you do, some of you who are reading this will receive your deliverance, and for some you may still walk through it but you will receive the supernatural grace and strength of the Lord that will cause you to "run through a troop and leap over a wall". Either way stand upon God's word and hold fast your profession of faith- which is "I am more than a conqueror through Jesus Christ!"

 

Have a great day. "We've been made more than conquerors, over comers in this life. We've been made victorious through the blood of Jesus Christ." 

 

For further reading:

Hebrews 10:23

1 John 4:4

John 10:10

1 Peter 5:8

Psalm 18:29

"Seeking The Ark - part 2"

"Lo, we heard of it at Ephratah: we found it in the fields of the wood." Psalm 132:6 

In the devotion a few days ago we said that the ark represents the presence of God, and the Israelites were searching for it because it was not where it was supposed to be. They did finally find it-- "in the fields of the wood". The commentaries say that this was a place- the "city of woods". 

 

Wood symbolizes humanity, flesh. When we "lose the presence of God" it is because we are giving into the flesh. When I say we "lose the presence of God", the presence of God is with us always-- He never leaves us nor forsakes us-- I am talking more specifically about the presence that we sense and know is actively involved in our lives. 

 

Giving into the flesh means letting your flesh do what it wants to do and have its own way. It means overindulging in worldly activities, spending too much time on things that your flesh enjoys, and less time on the things that provide a place for God-- Bible study, prayer, fasting, praise, worship. It also means spending your time worrying, gossiping, giving in to unforgiveness and bitterness, etc. 

 

If we are walking after the flesh, instead of the spirit, then we are not yielding to the presence of God. We are not giving Him place; we are not making room for Him. You can't serve two masters. You can't yield to flesh and spirit at the same time. You can't walk in both simultaneously. 

Does the presence of God seem far away in your life? Do you lack the peace and joy that comes from His presence? Does it seem like He is in the distant or the back of your life? Then pay attention to what you are doing each day. Are you giving place and time to Him? Are you living after your own desires? Are you more involved with fleshly or spiritual activity? God doesn't live in flesh. The Israelites brought the ark back to its rightful place of belonging. The rightful place of belonging in our lives is in the spirit and not in the flesh.

 

Have a great day. If the presence of God seems distant in your life, it may be because you have placed Him among the "woods"- the place of flesh.

 

For further reading:

Matthew 6:24

Galatians 5

"Seeking The Ark"

"Lo, we heard of it at Ephratah: we found it in the fields of the wood." Psalm 132:6 

The "it" in the verse was the ark of the covenant. The ark represented God's presence. The ark was not where it was supposed to be, so the Israelites were searching for it. They heard it was in one place but discovered that it was not there. After continually searching, they finally found it, but not where it should have been.

 

There are a few things I see in this. 

1) We must "search" out the presence of God. While His presence is everywhere- He is Omnipresent- there are times when His presence is near to us in a special way. "Search it out" means to keep pressing in through prayer or praise, or both, until we have "touched His hem" and He fills us with His presence. If we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us. If we seek Him, we will find Him. 

 

2) God's presence isn't always where we think it should be. We think His presence is only found in the good times, happy times, prosperity times and blessing times. When bad things happen, we think He has left and isn't with us. His presence is in the difficult times, the hard times and the trying times as well. You will find Him in the furnace, in the lion's den, in the pit, in the valley of the shadow of death, in the wilderness. He doesn't leave us in the bad times. 

 

3) Make sure God's presence in our lives is always where it should be-- first, front and center. We need to make sure that our lives evolve around Him always-- not just at church time, not just in hard times when we need His help, not just when it is time to perform some religious duty, not just when it is convenient for us. He has to have first place in our lives. He has to be Lord of our lives... all the time. 

 

Where is the "ark" in your life? Do you seek His touch/presence daily? Do you feel that He has forsaken you in the bad times? Have you "lost" that intimacy with the Lord? Do you give Him some place other than first place in your life? Where is He in your life?

 

Have a great day. Is the Lord where He should be in your life? 

 

For further reading:

James 4:8

Matthew 6:33

Psalm 105:4

Acts 17:27

"Trouble And Sorrows"

"The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow." Psalm 116:3 

When I read this verse, I thought it was interesting that the Psalmist said, "I found trouble and sorrow." I have discovered that you don't have to go looking for trouble and sorrow, it finds you. Trouble and sorrow are always "seeking" us. Ecclesiastes 2:23 says that all a man's days are full of sorrow. Are you facing a time of trouble? Are you facing sorrow? 

 

The Bible tells us that life is full of trouble and sorrow and that it will come to all of us, but that is not what I want to focus on. I want to focus on what it says about it when it does come. Namely, Jesus' role in sorrow. "Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted." (Isaiah 53:3)

 

The Bible doesn't say we won't have times of sorrow or trouble, but it does tell us that Jesus has carried our sorrows. Jesus knows what it is like. He knows what you are going through. He has felt your pain; He is acquainted with it. He knows about the emotions that you battle during those times. He is touched by the feelings of your weaknesses. He is called "a man of sorrows". Not a "man of sorrow", but a man of "sorrows". There is no sorrow, no pain, no weakness, no trouble that you go through that Jesus hasn't gone through already Himself. He understands what you are going through. People may not always understand, but He does.

 

Reach out to Him today with your trouble. Reach out to Him today with your pain. Reach out to Him in your weakness. Reach out to Him through your sorrow. I assure you that He will not turn you away. He will not turn His back on you. He will not turn a deaf ear to your cry. He will not ignore you. He will listen, He will comfort, He will restore, and He will guide you through it because He has been there.

 

Have a great day. Trouble and sorrow comes to all of us, even Jesus faced it. Therefore, He understands what you are going through. Turn to Him.

 

For further reading:

Isaiah 53

 

"He's Always There"

"... lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen." Matthew 28:20

 When you read the Bible, you will discover that it is full of stories of ordinary people just like you and me who met with daily difficulties, as well as extraordinary situations. As you look at their lives you will see that in each problem they encountered, they didn't go through it by themselves. The Lord was always there. He never left them, ran out on them or neglected them.

 

He was there when the disciples were in the boat facing the storm. He was there when Daniel was in the lion's den. He was there when the three Hebrews were thrown into the fiery furnace. He was there with David when he stood before the giant. He was there when Gideon went to war. He was there with Noah in the ark. He was there with Abraham during his greatest trial on the mountain. He was there with the children of Israel at the Red Sea. 

 

The Lord is always with His children. He never leaves us nor forsakes us. He doesn't leave us when the "going gets rough". He doesn't change. He has always been there, so why would you think that He would be any different today than He has always been? Why would you think He would abandon you when He never once abandoned any of His children throughout history?

He hasn't abandoned you. He hasn't left you. He is right there with you. And He will stay with you through the difficulty that you are going through just like He always had.

 

Have a great day. God has always walked through difficulties with His people. Why would He change now and not walk with you through your time of difficulty?

 

For further reading:

Hebrews 13:5

Isaiah 49:15

"Into The Unknown"

"Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:" Genesis 12:1 

The Lord spoke to Abram to leave his family, father, and country and go to a place where He would show him as he went. Not knowing ahead of time where he was going meant that he had to trust God as he never had before. It is one thing for the Lord to tell you where to go, it is another for Him to just say go and then tell you after you have started on your journey. 

 

The Lord has done this to me. He told me once to go and did not tell me where to go. I had to trust and seek Him continually. After I obeyed, He gave me the instructions as to where I was going. Maybe He has done this to you? Maybe not? While He may not have sent you into the "unknown" physically, with each new day we face the "unknown". When we wake up in the morning, we don't know what lies ahead of us. Oh, we may have plans to do this or that today, but plans can be changed, direction can be interrupted, unforeseen events can happen. We just don't know what we will face or where we might wind up each day. So, each day holds "unknown" situations, circumstances and challenges for us. 

 

Abram's "unknown" was physical, ours is spiritual and emotional mostly. But just as Abram had to trust God with his "unknown", so do we each day when it begins. We have to be prepared for the "unknown" that is waiting ahead of us. Abram was able to face the "unknown" because of his faith in God-- he knew that if God was going to show him where to go, that meant God was going to be with him in the journey. For the same reason we too can face the "unknown". We can face it with faith, courage and peace because as God was with Abram, He will be with us also. "Thou knowest not what a day may bring forth." (Proverbs 27:1b), but God does and He will be with you guiding you every step of the way. 

 

Have a great day. We don't know what lies ahead but God does, and He will be with us.

 

For further reading:

Matthew 6:25; 28:20

Genesis 26:3

Isaiah 43:2