"Issues Of Concern"

"Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved."  Psalm 55:22

A couple of nights ago I had a dream that I want to share with you.
The dream:  Several of us were in a room and waiting for others to get there to start our meeting.  For some reason I was suppose to speak and address some issues that were of concern to the folks there.  The people that I was to address and talk with were male and female, black and white.  Before the meeting started some of them were talking about their concerns.  One white gentleman made the comment that he only draws a certain amount of Social Security to live on each month (it wasn't very much).  Then a black lady said that she gets the same little amount each month to try to live on.  As I listened these thoughts and words kept coming to me-- It doesn't matter how many speeches I give, I can say all that I want to them, but the answer to their issues and problems is Jesus.  Only He can take care of these concerns of theirs.

What I received from the dream was this:  It doesn't matter who we are- male, female, black, white, old or young, we all have the same issues, problems and concerns of life.  We are all in the "same boat" together.  We all go through many of the same things.  But, like I said a few days ago in another devotion, we all have the same answer-- Jesus.  My words would not help these people.  My concern over their concerns would not solve their problems.  My speeches would not change their situation.  What I could tell them would not improve their lives or meet their needs.  But Jesus can and will.  He is all our problem solver.  He is our provider.  He has the words that will change our lives, meet our needs and turn our situation around.  He knows the issues that concern you.  He knows what you are facing.  He knows what you are going through.  He-- not men's wise speeches-- are what makes the difference in the issues we face.  He is the answer. 

Have a great day.  Your concerns and issues concern Jesus and He can take care of them.   

"He Is Also The Lily Of The Valley"

"Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord."   Ephesians 5:19

Let me preface everything that I am going to say this morning with this-- It is not my desire, or intention, to be condemning, critical or controversial.  When I make this next statement it is out of thoughtful observation.  The statement, or question, is this-- why is it that so many churches just will not sing any of the hymns?  They only want what is new, updated and the latest thing to hit the Christian charts.

The reason I bring this up is because I woke up with an old hymn on my mind that I have not heard in a while and the words truly ministered to me.  Don't get me wrong, I like the choruses and worship songs also.  If it glorifies The Father, Jesus and Holy Spirit, whether it is a chorus or a hymn, I love it. 

Our songs of worship should be to the Lord, never to self, but there are times when I am blessed and encouraged by the words that worship and glorify Him.  But then there are times when I am blessed and encouraged by the words that remind me of what He does, His greatest and His promises. 

Yesterday, I woke up with a newer worship song on my mind.  I was rejoicing that my King was here-- I was blessed by it.  But this morning I woke up with the words from the hymn "Lily of the Valley" on my mind and have been rejoicing because of His loving care for me.  (I will type the words of the song below.) 

I don't know about you, but I need to be reminded that He is my friend and everything to me.  He is all I need to cleanse and make me fully whole.  He is my comfort in sorrow and my stay in trouble.  He has taken my grief and bore my sorrows.  In temptation He is my strong and mighty tower.  He will never leave me nor forsake me.  He keeps me by His power.  He fills my hungry soul.  And through Him I shall safely reach the goal.  

Have a great day.  The King who is here is also the Lily of the Valley.   

1. I’ve found a friend in Jesus, He’s everything to me,
   He’s the fairest of ten thousand to my soul;
   The Lily of the Valley, in Him alone I see
   All I need to cleanse and make me fully whole.
   In sorrow He’s my comfort, in trouble He’s my stay;
   He tells me every care on Him to roll.
   
   • Refrain:
     He’s the Lily of the Valley, the Bright and Morning Star,
     He’s the fairest of ten thousand to my soul.
2. He all my grief has taken, and all my sorrows borne;
   In temptation He’s my strong and mighty tow’r;
   I’ve all for Him forsaken, and all my idols torn
   From my heart and now He keeps me by His pow’r.
   Though all the world forsake me, and Satan tempt me sore,
   Through Jesus I shall safely reach the goal.
3. He’ll never, never leave me, nor yet forsake me here,
   While I live by faith and do His blessed will;
   A wall of fire about me, I’ve nothing now to fear,
   From His manna He my hungry soul shall fill.
   Then sweeping up to glory to see His blessed face,
   Where rivers of delight shall ever roll.

"Inheritance To Obey"

"But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves."  James 1:22

It is not enough to know the word of God, you have to do it-- you have to obey it, live by it and put it into practice in your life.  We aren't justified by our knowledge only, but by applying it to our lives.  It isn't enough to be able to quote the word, the devil quoted the Word to Jesus in the wilderness.  The Pharisees were constantly reminding Jesus of what the law said.

Obeying the Word and living by it is not always easy.  Sometimes it is a struggle.  Sometimes it is hard to do.  Even Jesus who knew what the Father had said (the Word) concerning His mission on earth-- to be the sacrifice and pay the ransom for our sins-- struggled with it in the Garden of Gethsemane.  Jesus and the Father had talked about this before the foundation of the world.  They had decided to redeem mankind before mankind sinned.  Jesus came to earth to fulfill their plan.  While here He obeyed and did everything He heard His Father say.  But then it came time to obey the Father's word/will at the cross.  Jesus prayed three times to let it pass from Him.  He struggled with it because it was not going to be easy-- it would be hard, there would be suffering involved, there would be a separation from the Father, there would be the sins of the whole world laid upon Him and the forces of darkness would be unleashed on Him.  (Talk about being a hard Word to obey.)  But He said-- nevertheless not My will but Thine be done. 

When we are faced with obeying the word, we need to say the same-- nevertheless not my will but Your will.  But how do we do that when obeying is hard?  When it goes against our flesh, our will, our wants, our desires?  What about when we have to deny ourselves, take up a cross, lay down pride and humble ourselves?  We do it by remembering what we discussed yesterday-- we are heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus.  As an heir everything that the Father has is mine.  The Father has grace and strength.  He has the grace and strength that I need to obey.  Therefore, I can do it-- I can obey the Word even when it is hard to obey it-- because I have grace and strength as an inheritance.  Jesus received that grace and strength in the garden.  Paul received that grace and strength when dealing with the thorn in the flesh.  You and I can be a doer as well as a hearer of God's word because grace and strength is ours.

Have a great day.  When it is hard to be a doer of the Word, your inheritance of grace and strength will help you do it. 

"It Is Mine"

"And if children, then heirs — heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if so it be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together."  Romans 8:17

The Bible says that when we are born-again, we become heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ Jesus.  The dictionary defines heir as:  a person legally entitled to the property or rank of another on that person's death.  Through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus we became heirs of God.  This means that all that belongs to the Heavenly Father belongs to us.  It means that whatever belongs to the Son/Jesus we share with Him.

We became heirs of God through faith in Jesus Christ.  So now everything that He has is mine as well.  He owns the cattle on a thousand hills.  The earth is His and the fullness thereof.  That means whatever I need I already have because the Father has it and I am an heir to all that He has.  It is mine!
 
We are living so far below the privileges, rights and provisions we have as God's heirs.  We live like beggars, paupers, defeated, despondent, fearful, intimidated, weak, downcast, barely getting by, sick, afflicted and overwhelmed people.  

It is time we stop living lives of lack-- spiritually, mentally, emotionally, physically-- when we are heirs to the riches of His glory.  We need to start believing, receiving and possessing our inheritance.  

If I need peace, I am an heir to the peace of God that passes understanding-- IT IS MINE.  If I need victory, I am an heir to the victory that overcomes the world through Jesus-- IT IS MINE.  If I need healing, I am an heir to health and healing because of the stripes on Jesus' back-- IT IS MINE.  If I need strength, I am an heir to His perfect strength-- IT IS MINE.  If I need wisdom, I am an heir to the wisdom that He gives liberally-- IT IS MINE.  If I have a financial need, I am an heir to all the gold in the hills that He possesses-- IT IS MINE.  If I need understanding, I am an heir to the enlightenment and revelation that He has-- IT IS MINE.  If I need joy, I am an heir to His joy that is unspeakable and full of glory-- IT IS MINE. 

Whatever I need, it is mine because I am an heir.  Whatever He has, it is mine because I am an heir.  It is time we start living like His heirs and receiving all that we need to live the abundant life that He has given us so that we can glorify Him in return.

Have a great day.  All that the Father and the Son have are mine because I am an heir-- it is my inheritance. 

"The Same Answer For All"

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

To preach the acceptable year of the Lord."  Luke 4:18,19

The world is filled with lots of lost people, bound people, discouraged, depressed, sick, weak, fearful, anxious, worried, hurting, lonely, unloved and hopeless people.  But for all these people who are in all these different situations there is one answer.  It applies to all.  That answer is Jesus.

Jesus seeks and saves those who are lost.  He is the way and makes a way for those who can't find their way.  He sets captives free and opens prison doors to those who are bound.  He binds up the broken hearted.  He strengthens the weak.  He lifts up the hands that hang down and are ready to quit and give up.  He is touched by the feelings of our infirmities.  He is a present help in time of trouble.  He is the solid rock upon which we can stand.  He is hope for the hopeless.  He is the peace giver, whose peace is sufficient.  He comforts those who mourn and gives them the oil of joy.  He takes the part of those who fear Him and fights on their behalf.  He gives beauty for ashes.  He exchanges heaviness for praise.  He gives liberty to those who are bruised.  He heals the sick.  He draws near to the beaten and down cast.  He gives mercy and grace to those who have none.  He is with those who are lonely and will never leave nor forsake them.  He is love and lavishes it freely on all who will receive it.   

He is all-sufficient and more than enough for whoever you are, wherever you are, whatever you are going through and exactly when you need it.  He is the answer for us all.

Have a great day.  There is one answer for everyone regardless of their situation-- His name is Jesus.