"But To Unbelief"

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

Yesterday we talked about how Jesus is the same as He has always been.  We said He was still the healer, deliverer, Savior, etc.  I didn't give a commentary to explain some things because what we needed to focus on, meditate on and renew our minds with was who He is-- His character and attributes.  This morning I want to add that I didn't give a commentary because it is so easy for us to "but" our way into unbelief and question His character. 

For example, we tend to focus more on this-- but why didn't He heal me if He is the healer; but why isn't everyone saved if He is Savior; but why aren't all people delivered if He is the deliverer?

There are some "whys?" that we will never have the answer for-- some we will.  Our focus should not be on what comes after the "but"-- but why wasn't he healed, why did she die, why wasn't my prayer answered, why doesn't He care?  Our focus should be on Who He is, not what He hasn't done.

When we focus on what wasn't done, and we continue to focus on it, it opens up a door to anger, frustration, bitterness, distrust and even depression.  Our adversary the devil will use this as a weapon against us and take us into a deep dark pit of unbelief and even get us to turn our backs on God.  This is why it is so important that we stay focused and renew our minds with who God is and even if you feel He let you down, He didn't do what you wanted Him to do, He didn't do what He can do, you can say along with Job, "Though He slay me, yet I trust Him".  What He does or doesn't do is not as important as who He is.  Trials will come and go in our lives as long as we live.  They won't always turn out the way we want them to.  But in each one we have to have an anchor for our soul.  We have to have a firm foundation to stand upon on.  We have to maintain our faith and trust in Him.  That is why you can't throw away your confidence just because He didn't "do it" this time.

Have a great day.  Don't focus on the "but why", focus on the unchanging character of the Lord. 
 

"He Still Is"

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

The Lord is the same today as He has always been.  He has not changed.  We change.  We try to change Him to suit us.  We try to make Him what He isn't.  But He is the same.  He hasn't changed with society, with culture, with fads, with religious beliefs-- He is the same now as He was in the beginning.

He still heals the sick.  He still delivers the captive.  He still judges sin.  He still loves with an everlasting love.  He still forgives sin when He sees repentance.  He still saves by His blood.  He opens prison doors to those who are bound.  He gives strength to the weak.  He gives wisdom when we ask.  He answers prayer.  He gives good gifts to His children.  He still shows mercy.  He will not always strive with a person, or mankind.  He is the lifter of our head.  He still meets and supplies needs.  He is the Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father.  He holds the universe in the palm of His hand.  He sits high but looks low.  His is coming again-- the soon coming King of kings and Lord of lords.  He has always been, still is and will always be-- whether man agrees with who He is or not. 

I am not going to write any commentary on what I have said about Him.  Who He is speaks for itself.  What you need to do is renew your mind with what has been said and remind yourself of who He has been, what He has done, and take comfort in the fact that He has not changed.

Have a great day.  The Lord is the same-- He still is.   

"Get Up"

"And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons".  1 Samuel 16:1

It is time to "get up" and "move on".  That was the word I heard the Lord say this morning.  Samuel mourned over Saul's rebellion against God and the consequences of being rejected as king.  During his time of mourning the Lord came to him and told him it was time to stop and get up. 

We go through situations in life that cause us to have regret and remorse, grief and anger, bitterness and frustration, unforgiveness and distress.  Some of those places are natural processes for us.  Others are traps of the enemy to keep us held back, held down and in bondage.  The ones that are part of the natural process have to be walked through.  The ones that aren't have to be resisted and turned from.  The ones that are natural and have to be walked through, only have to be walked through, not lived in. 

Have you "camped out" in some of the attitudes we have named?  Are you living in them?  Are you staying there longer than you should?  If so, it is time to let it go.  It is time to get up and move on.  It is time to go forward.  It is time to leave it behind.  You may say that it is impossible for you to do that.  You might argue that you can't.  Yes, you can.  It is possible.  God got Samuel up and sent him to anoint a new king.  He can get you up too and help you get on with life and with the plan and purpose that He has for you.  Listen to Him and obey what He tells you to do.

Have a great day.  It is time to get up and move on.   

"The Bible Will Answer It"

"The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple".  Psalm 119:130

We live in a world that is always looking for answers.  We are constantly running here and there, spending time and resources and still we can't always find answers.  We look to medicine to give us our answer.  We look to doctors, lawyers, professionals in every area, councilors and yet we still keep coming up short in most cases. 

I am not against seeking out help and answers through any of the resources named above-- I believe God gave them to us because He knows how we are and it is His mercy to provide them for us.  But I have a question for you-- when was the last time you sought your answer from the Word of God? (The Bible) 

God's Word has our answer for every question and every problem.  Its words hold our solution.  They give strength to the weak.  Peace to the distressed.  Hope to the hopeless.  Wisdom to those who don't have direction.  Joy to the downcast.  Salvation to the lost.  Deliverance for the bound.  Comfort for those in sorrow.  Encouragement to the discouraged.  Healing to the sick.  Clarity to the confused.  Power to the powerless.  Victory to the defeated.  

What answer do you need today?  There is nothing wrong with asking people, but what about asking the Lord?  What about listening to His answer from His Word? 

Have a great day.  Have you even thought to seek the answer in the Bible? 

"What Is First?"

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you".  Matthew 6:33

I think that we tend to interpret this verse to mean that we are to seek God first thing in the morning when we wake up and start our day off with prayer.  Yes, we should.  We should seek Him early before the day starts crowding in on us.  We should face Him before we face anyone else.  We should get guidance from Him to be able to go through the day that lies ahead of us.

But this verse means so much more than just praying in the morning.  It says to seek first the kingdom of God.  We are to make God's kingdom the priority.  We should seek His kingdom above anything else.  We should seek His agenda above our agenda.  We should seek His plan above our plans.  We should seek His purposes above our purposes.  We should desire His will first above our own. 

Seeking His kingdom first means that we are seeking after righteousness, peace and joy, above seeking wealth, ambition, a career or material blessings.  It also means we should be seeking the eternal instead of the temporary-- His kingdom is eternal.  It means we should seek to glorify the King of the kingdom above everything and anyone else, including self. 

When we get things in the right order-- Him first then me; His will first then my will; His glory first not mine-- all the things we thought we had to seek after first will be added to us.  The things that are truly important and have real value will be added to us. 

Have a great day.  Seeking the kingdom of God first means more than just praying when you first get up in the morning.