"Dysfunctional"

"From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love." Ephesians 4:16 

When something is out of place from where it should be, it is not doing what it was designed to do. This is called dysfunctional. A dysfunction from not being in its proper place can cause many other problems to arise and even cause suffering. This is true in the church. When God calls you to be one thing and you are operating in another area, you are out of place. For example, you may be called to be an evangelist, but you are trying to operate as a pastor, so you are out of place. You may be called to be a Psalmist but are trying to operate as a teacher you also are out of place. When one member is out of place, this is a dysfunction which will cause suffering in the church. 

 

This is also true in our individual lives. If you are called to one area of ministry but you are trying to operate in another area, your life is out of order. If you are living with sin in your life, your life is out of order. If you are living in opposition to the commandments of God, if you are not living a holy lifestyle, if you are living in adultery or with some addiction, then you are out of order. If you are living in hate and bitterness, you are living a life out of order-- you are not fulfilling what you were designed to fulfill. You are not living as you are called to live. You are "spiritually" dysfunctional. 

 

Often, we are "out of order" not functioning where and as God wants us to and it is not noticed because we are still "prospering", still "functioning", still going on with the business of life, still seeing some "good" results. But it is only a matter of time before this is not the case. A dysfunction will eventually catch up with you. You will eventually reap the consequences of being "out of place". You can't continue like that forever.

 

Are you "out of order"? Out of the place the Lord designed you to fit into. Doing what He has not intended you to do? Not functioning as He planned for you to function? Then you are in a place of dysfunction and eventually it will cause suffering to you and to those you are connected with.

 

Have a great day. Are you living a dysfunctional life? Out of God's order for your life?

 

For further reading:

1 Corinthians 12:18, 26

"Love's Desire"

"My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times." Psalm 119:20

 I need to break this verse down into every day, modern English. And when I do it means: Every part of me (all of me- spirit, soul, mind, emotions, passions, the activity of my mind, will and character) desires more than anything else Lord, Your judgments (Your law, Your commands, Your word) all the time.

 

This speaks of an intense desire for God's word. The writer wanted to know God's judgments more than anything else. He didn't want to just memorize them. He didn't want to be able to just quote them. He wanted to know them more than he wanted to know anything else. Why? Where do we find God? Where do we find what He "looks" like, what He desires, what He requires, what His will is, what He wants for us? Where do we get a clearer picture of who He is? From His Word. 

 

The writer was not just saying that he wanted to know the "Bible", he was wanting to know the Author and Subject of the "Bible". He had a deep longing and desire for it-- more than for anything else. And his desire was not just on Sunday morning during church or Wednesday night during Bible study, or during revival services. He wanted it at all times.

 

Does this sound like you? If you are a Christian, it should? Our greatest desire should be to know Him. This should be our greatest longing if we follow Him because we follow Him out of love. He loved us so much. He loved us so much that He demonstrated it by dying on the cross for our sins. He only has one desire from us-- love Him with all our hearts, soul, strength and mind. Didn't He say that was the greatest of all His commands. And He went on to say that on this hangs all the other commands. When we truly love Him this way, we will keep all the other commands because they are kept out of love and not out of duty. 

 

The writer was not talking about some religious requirement. He was talking about the desire of the heart. When you love someone, your desire is toward them. Have you ever loved so deeply that you can't eat or sleep? Have you felt like your heart would just explode because you love them so much? This is the same thing the writer is saying. The word translated for break means to be crushed. His whole heart was crushed with such a deep love and desire. Does your love for Jesus consume you? Does it make your heart feel like it could explode with desire for Him? Do you long to know Him in a deeper way? Are you searching to know Him through His word? Or do you love Him less? Do you love Him when it is convenient, when you are in need, when times are hard? 

 

Have a great day. Is Jesus the love of your life and the whole desire of your heart all the time?

 

For further reading:

John 3:16

Romans 5:8

Matthew 22:36-40

 

"It Is A Pulpit"

"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." Mark 16:15 

Not everyone is called to be a pastor, evangelist, missionary or some other minister. That being the case, many sit down and do nothing for the Kingdom. They think that just because they aren't in a pulpit somewhere preaching the gospel they are exempt. Not so. These were the words of Jesus-- "Go ye". This was a command from Him to us who are His disciples-- not a suggestion or an option. 

 

When you look at "go ye", it actually means-- as you are going, preach the gospel. So now it no longer applies to only a certain chosen few. It is a command to all of us who follow Him. This means that we are to "preach" the good news (gospel) of Jesus' love and salvation everywhere we go-- the grocery store, family gatherings, the gas station, at work, the doctor's office... everywhere. You have heard the expression, "All the world's a stage"? Well for us it is, all the world is a stage... or rather a "pulpit".

 

Today, wherever you go remember that this is your "pulpit". Ask the Holy Spirit to guide and direct you. Ask Him if there is someone there that needs a word from Him. Ask Him if there is something He wants you to do or say where you are... from your pulpit.

 

Have a great day. All the world's a stage... or rather a pulpit... in which we are to "preach" the good news of Jesus. 

 

For further reading:

Acts 1:8

John 4:28-30

 

"Enjoying This Day"

"Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." Matthew 6:34 

We live such fast-paced lives. We are already thinking about and planning toward tomorrow or next week before we even start this day. Our lives are lived in the future, not the present. Sure, there are demands on us that we have to meet that keep us busy with tomorrow so that we can't enjoy today. But this needs to change. 

 

When was the last time you just enjoyed "this day"? When was the last time that you did not allow yourself to be preoccupied with tomorrow and just take time to make the most of today? When was the last time, like the old saying goes, that you just stopped to "smell the roses"? When was the last time that you just sit down with your child and read a book? Or how long has it been since you sit outside in the evening and looked up at the stars? How long has it been since you put aside time to just take notice of all that God has given you today?

 

There is a danger of living too fast a life and thinking about the future instead of taking time to enjoy today. The danger is that we can get so preoccupied with the busyness and what we have to do tomorrow, or a week from now, or a month from now, that we don't take quiet time alone with the Lord each day. Daniel was a very busy man. He had the responsibility of governing under kings. Yet, three times a day he stopped what he was doing and went to God in prayer. He went to Him to seek His counsel, to honor Him, to acknowledge Him, to praise Him. For most of us this is a foreign idea, we do good if we get a quick prayer in while rushing out the door in the morning. This needs to change. 

 

Not only do we need to slow down and enjoy this day, but we also need to stop and enjoy communion with our Savior every day. This is why so many are struggling, not knowing what to do or which way to go. We are taking thought of tomorrow, we are taking thought of all we have to do, we are taking thought of the future, but we are not taking thought of the Lord. 

 

Have a great day. Are you so consumed with tomorrow that you aren't enjoying today or the God who made this day? 

 

For further reading:

Daniel 6:10,13

 

"Same Treatment"

"Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets." Matthew 7:12 

There is a "Golden Rule"-- Do unto others as you would have others do unto you. It doesn't say-- Do unto others the way they have done unto you. If we would make it our goal to live in such a way-- a way of treating others the same way we want to be treated-- this world would be a different place. 

 

What do your actions say about you? What do they say about how you want to be treated? Think about it. If you apply this rule to what you do in regard to others, then what are you saying to them? How are you telling them to treat you? If you are unkind, then you are telling them to be unkind to you. If you are cheating someone, abusing someone, lying about someone, taking advantage of someone else, gossiping about another person, refusing to forgive someone, then you are saying that you want others to do the same thing to you. 

 

There is a law, not just a rule, at work here. It is the Law of Sowing and Reaping. Whatever you sow, that is what you will reap. When you do anything to someone else, you are sowing something that you will reap later. If you sow kindness, you will reap kindness. If you sow mercy, you will reap mercy. If you sow hate, you will reap hate. If you sow bitterness, you will reap bitterness. My mother always said, "What goes around, comes around". So how do we keep from reaping the bad? By sowing good "seeds". How do we do that? By treating others the way we want to be treated. 

 

We can't stop the actions of others. We will reap some unpleasant things that we have not sown because of the wickedness in the hearts of others. And just because we treat others in a manner of goodness that we want to be treated with, doesn't mean that everyone will automatically treat you with goodness in return-- some may not. But you can be certain of this, if you do treat others in a way in which you don't want to be treated, you will reap that because it will be like having a sign pinned to yourself that says, "Mistreat Me!" So, take heed how you are treating others. And ask yourself, "Is this how I would want them to treat me?"

 

Have a great day. The way you treat others is how you want to be treated.

 

For further reading:

Luke 6:13

Galatians 6:7

"Attacked Off Guard"

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." 1 Peter 5:8 

I woke up during the middle of the night not feeling well for a minute. Before my eyes could even get open my thoughts started going in a particular direction about what might be happening. What I was thinking was so foreign to me. Where did those thoughts come from? I went back to sleep but the rest of the night I was restless. I kept thinking, even in my dreams, about this. When I woke up this morning, I realized that it was the enemy trying to make me fearful and believe his lies. 

 

This adversary the devil does not "play fair". He comes against you at some of the most unaware times. He will come against you when you are asleep through your dreams. Or wake you up out of sleep like he did me and start his lies. He waits to catch us, snare us and devour us when we are at our weakest. He will try when we are going through an emotional time. He tries when we are going through a time of pain or grief. He waits until our bodies are suffering with some sickness. He will come against us when we have just received bad news and then he will make sure that we receive more bad news on top of that. He wants to catch us off guard when we are preoccupied with other things-- cares and trials of this life. This way he can "sneak in the back door" undetected. 

 

We must stay on guard. We must keep ourselves full of God's word. We must pray over ourselves, our dreams and our subconscious before we go to bed. When we receive bad news, we must immediately pray for grace over our minds. We must daily put on the full armor of God. The enemy attacks us during these times because he knows that otherwise he is no match for us because of Christ in us. This is why we must decrease daily so that it is Christ who is living in us at all times-- while we are awake, while we are asleep, while good things are happening in our lives and when bad reports come. "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world." 1 John 4:4.

 

Have a great day. Stay on guard because the enemy is trying to attack you from behind when you least expect him. 

 

For further reading:

Ephesians 6:11

John 10:10

"Torn Apart"

"O Lord my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me: Lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending it in pieces, while there is none to deliver." Psalm 7:1,2

Do you ever feel like this? Like you are being "torn apart"? Torn apart by those who are persecuting you? They are abusing you, using you, telling lies against you, taking advantage of you? Torn apart by circumstances that are beyond your control? Circumstances that are inflicted on you by life. Things that happen and you seem to have no answer as to why. Are you being "torn apart" by your emotions, by grief, by pain in your body, by demands of life, expectations of others? There are many things that happen in our lives that make us feel like they are literally tearing us apart. 

 

The Psalmist cried out for help when he was being persecuted, when he was going through this time. He knew that without help he would be "torn apart". He knew what he was going through would destroy him if he didn't find deliverance. We can learn from his experience during this time in his life, because it is no different for us-- we face the same things. 

 

Where did he go for help? "O Lord my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me". He knew that there was really only one place he could get the help he needed-- in the Lord his God. He knew there was "none to deliver" him here on earth. He didn't look to the king, to the army of men, to some military general, to the financial institutions of the day. He looked up to the only one who could give him the help and deliverance he needed. As we have said before, there are resources out there, but only one True Source of help. 

 

Are you being "torn apart" physically, spiritually, emotionally? Where are you going for help? Are you trying to help yourself? Are you running here and there? Have you considered the Lord? Have you sought His help? Have you looked to Him as your deliverer?

 

Have a great day. When life is "tearing you apart", where do you go for help to keep yourself together?

 

For further reading:

Psalm 121:1

Hebrews 13:6

 

"The Father's Love"

"The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee." Jeremiah 31:3

Sunday night, Father's Day, the service was a little different. We were all invited to share special memories with the congregation about our fathers. After most had done so, the pastor asked if anyone else wanted to say something. Our five-year-old Youth Pastor's daughter did. She was given the mic-- this girl is not shy of a microphone at all-- but when she started to open her mouth, she "choked up" (couldn't say a word) and the tears began to flow. It was very obvious that the love she has for her dad was more than she could describe. So, she stood there just weeping. In a couple of minutes her dad came down the aisle and picked her up, hugged her and carried her to her seat. 

(We saw a sermon with no words.) It touched me to tears and brought two things to mind:

1) Sometimes the overwhelming love we have for our Heavenly Father is more than we can possibly put into words. The love we have for Him-- with all our heart, soul, strength and mind-- is so deep that it is indescribable. And the love He has for us can't be put into words--it was demonstrated (at the cross when Jesus died for us). That type of love for Him and from Him has to be experienced to truly understand it. 

2) When this precious child was at a loss for words and all she could do was weep, her dad came to her rescue, embraced her, picked her up and carried her. She was comforted and reassured of his love through his action. When we are feeling lost, not knowing what to do, what to say, what our next move is, which way to go and all we can do is stand there speechless, our Loving Heavenly Father does the same thing for us. He draws near, carries and comforts us. He comes to our rescue. He is constantly reassuring us of His love for us by stepping into our situations and giving us guidance, strength, comfort, help, peace and anything else we need at the moment. What a wonderful loving Father He is!!!

The Lord loves you deeply and dearly. How deep is your love for Him? Does it leave you speechless to be able to articulate it? How assured are you that He really loves you and cares about you? When the Youth Pastor picked his daughter up, she knew that all was well because she was in her daddy's arms. Do you know that your Heavenly Father wants to hold you in His arms and comfort you and reassure you that all is well? Well, He does.

Have a great day. When we don't know what to do or what to say, our Heavenly Father comes to our rescue and carries us. 

"Sinking Fear"

"But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me." Matthew 14:30 

Peter had the courage to step out of the boat and walk on water at Jesus' command. But after he started walking, he started sinking. What caused Peter to sink? Was it the fact that what he was doing was impossible? Was it pride that he was walking on water? Was it concern about what the other disciples would think about him? No, to all. It was fear. 

 

Peter was walking until he got afraid. He got afraid because he looked at the stormy wind. The great lesson for us is two-fold: fear will stop us, fear will hinder us, fear will cause us to lose hope, fear will cause us to sink. Secondly, we will not fall prey to fear or be defeated by it if we keep our eyes on Jesus and off the situation that is promoting the fear.

 

Where are you looking this morning? At your circumstance? At the storm? At all that is raging around you? At the impossibility of what you are involved in? Or are you looking at Jesus? Jesus is the one who calms the storms, and who walks with us through them. Jesus is the one who told Peter to come when he asked. Jesus was on top of the stormy sea-- it was under His feet. It was under Peter's feet too. Jesus was the one close by and reaching out when Peter did begin to sink. He doesn't leave us in the storm or rough places-- even when we let fear start defeating us. 

 

Jesus is with you as well, walking on top of your circumstance. Keep your eyes on Him and you will keep fear from coming in to "sink" you.

 

Have a great day. Fear will sink you, but keeping your eyes on Jesus will sink fear.

 

For further reading:

Matthew 14:22-33 

"Eating The Word"

"Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts." Jeremiah 15:16 

God's word is not meant to be only read. We don't just read it like we do a newspaper, a magazine or an ordinary book. His word is meant to be "eaten". It is meant to be consumed. It is meant to be taken into our very being. We are to "consume" it and "feed" upon it. It is sustenance to our very heart and soul. 

 

Jesus said that man could not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. Meat and bread are for the physical body to give it nourishment, strength and support. It supplies it with all the minerals and vitamins that it needs to be healthy and live. God's word is the "meat and bread" for our spiritual man. It is what gives us nourishment, strength and life. 

 

God's word is meant to be eaten.  We do this through-- 

Meditating on it. "Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in thy word." (Psalm 119:148)

Through studying it. "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15)

By hiding it in our hearts. "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee." (Psalm 119:11)

By keeping it in our mouths. "But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach." (Romans 10:8)

By holding it in our hands and using the strength that it gives us. "And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." (Ephesians 6:17)

 

The word of God is more than just black or red words on white paper. We must take it into our very being each and every day because it is life, it is health, it is marrow and fatness to our bones, it gives salvation, healing and deliverance. It keeps us going in the right direction. It protects us from error. It gives us strength to continue on when we are weak. It gives us power over the enemy. It gives light to dark situations. It gives us wisdom to know what to do and peace when we are confused. 

 

Are you "eating" and "consuming" God's word daily? Are you letting it nourish your soul? Transform your mind? Sustain your spirit?

 

Have a great day. God's word is spiritual food to the spiritual part of you. Are you eating it every day?

 

"Secondhand God"

"And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the Lord God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord." 1 Chronicles 28:20 

In David's exhortation to his son Solomon, he told him that his God would be with him and that He would not fail him or forsake him but would stay with him until the task was finished. What David said about his God was all true. But Solomon needed to know how true it was for himself. He needed for David's God to be his God.

 

It is not enough to know about God through secondhand knowledge. It is not enough that He is your mother's God, or your father's God, or even the pastor's God. That does you no good spiritually. It is not until you know Him for yourself that you can have the confidence and trust in Him that you need to have. 

 

Jesus asked His disciples, "Who do men say that I am?" What others say about Him is not what is most important. "But whom do you say I am?" That was the heart of the matter that Jesus was getting to. Who do you say He is? Who is He to you personally? Is He someone else's God or your God? Do you know Him for yourself? Ruth knew about Naomi's God through all that Naomi had told her about Him. But that wasn't enough. She needed Him for her own self. We should be like Ruth to Naomi-- your God shall be my God. 

 

Have a great day. It is not about having a secondhand knowledge of who God is, it is about having a personal experience with Him. 

 

For further reading:

Matthew 16:13-16

Ruth 1:16

 

"Light For The Path"

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

When I have to go outside at night, and it is very dark, there is one thing I take with me.... a flashlight. If I don't have one, I wish I did. It brightens up my path so that I can see where I am walking. God's Word is light to our path, it shows us the way to walk when we are in darkness.

 

Are you walking on a "dark" path today? You don't know which way to go? You have decisions to make but aren't sure what to do? Are you going through a dark place and aren't sure how to get out? Then go get a light. Bring God's Word into your situation. What does it say? Look to it to direct you through this. Perhaps this sounds a little simple, but God's Word has been giving guidance and instruction to millions for thousands of years. It will still do the same for you today. If I am walking around outside and stumbling over objects, falling down, getting tripped up because of the darkness and my inability to see in it, one simple way to change that is by getting a light. 

 

Have a great day.  When you are walking around in darkness, not knowing what to do, take God's Word and let it enlighten your path.

 

For further reading:

Psalm 119:130, 133

 

"It's Not Neglect"

"Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee." Isaiah 49:15 

Some of you who are reading this are accusing God of "child neglect", because you think He has forgotten you and forsaking you. God, your Heavenly Father, has not forgotten you. He has not abandoned you. He is not neglecting you. You are falsely accusing Him just because He has not come through when you thought He should or because He has not moved in the way you wanted Him to. 

 

God, being the Father, is wiser than the child. He knows what to do, when to do it, and how to do it. His ways, and thoughts, are so much higher than ours. He moves in perfect ways with eternity in mind. We want things done in a way that will get the need met quicker. We also think in terms of the "here and now".

 

When Jesus was hanging on the cross, the mockers in the crowd kept taunting Him by saying, "If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross." (Matthew 27:40) He was the Son of God and He could have come down from the cross to prove it. Had He done what they wanted Him to do, some of those standing there that day would have believed that He was the Son of God when they saw it. It would have changed some of their lives that day, but what about the rest of us. What about all of lost humanity? What about those of us who were not born yet and still need a Savior? He stayed on the cross because there was a greater eternal value in doing so-- there was an eternal purpose to fulfill. 

 

When He delays in answering, when He delays in moving on your behalf, He is working out a greater plan than to just run to your rescue. It is a plan that will touch many other lives. It is a plan that will bring Him the greatest glory. It is a plan that will work all things together for your good.

 

Have a great day. Don't accuse God of neglecting you. He is working out a far greater, and eternal, plan on your behalf. 

 

For further reading:

Romans 8:28

Isaiah 55:9

 

"Finding God?"

"Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near." Isaiah 55:6 

There are people who are always trying to "find" God. Then there are those who have Him in their lives and are so thankful that they "found" Him. I have said the same, "I am so glad I found God". Well, God was never lost. We are the ones who were lost and needed to be found. We were lost in trespasses and sin. We needed someone to come looking for us, instead of us looking for someone to save us.

 

When Jesus came to earth, He came to "seek" and to save that which was lost. He didn't hide Himself. He was out in the public daily. In the very beginning, God didn't hide from man, it was man who hid from Him. "And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden." (Genesis 3:8)

 

Are you still "lost" this morning? Are you hiding from the Lord? Are you needing to be found? Finding God is not hard to do. He is not way off somewhere unable to be found. He is not hard to find. Seek Him and He will be found. Call upon Him, He is near. He will hear you calling. He will come to you. He will come just as He did for Adam in the Garden. He will come just as He did through His Son Jesus. This is the difference between Christianity and other religions. In the other religions man is making an attempt to find God and get to where He is by their own merits and deeds-- man is seeking God. In Christianity God is the One who came to earth seeking man and allows him to come through the merits and deeds of Jesus Christ-- God is seeking man. Since He is the One seeking, you can rest assured He will be "found". 

 

Have a great day. God is not lost. We are the ones who are lost and need to be found. God came looking for us through Jesus. 

 

For further reading:

Jeremiah 29:14

Luke 19:10

Isaiah 53:6 

 

"How Great Thou Art"

"When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained. What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?" Psalm 8:3,4

This song has been on my heart for the past couple of days. I believe it would be a good idea to just read and re-read the words and ponder and meditate on what it is saying.

 

"How Great Thou Art"

O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

And when I think of God, His Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration,
And then proclaim: "My God, how great Thou art!"

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art! 

 

Have a great day. How great is God? We can't even fathom just how great He really is! He's greater than we can describe!

"Get Jesus' Attention"

"And, behold, two blind men sitting by the wayside, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David. And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David." Matthew 20:30,31 

The crowd tried to shut these blind men up. They told them to be quiet, but they cried out to Jesus even louder. They knew that Jesus was their only hope. They knew their opportunity to be able to see was passing by. If they would ever be able to see, here was their chance. They paid no attention to the crowd. They did not allow the others to keep them quiet. They knew the crowd couldn't help them. They knew that no one who was telling them to be quiet had their answer. There was no one that day that could give them what they needed but Jesus. So, they did whatever it took to get Jesus' attention. 

 

It is the same with us. Jesus is the only one who can meet our need. Like we have said in past days. Others are only resources, but He is the source. Don't let anyone stop you from getting to Him. Don't let intimidation stop you. Don't let fear stop you. Don't let the jeers of people stop you. Don't let the accusations of the enemy- his condemnation and words of guilt-- stop you. Be persistent. Don't allow anything to shut you up or stop you. The woman with the issue of blood didn't let anything stop her either, she pressed through the crowd and the weakness of her own body to touch Jesus. 

 

Because they didn't let anything stop them, they got Jesus' attention. He heard their cries. He stopped and stood still and called for them to come to Him. When we will persist in our cries to Him, when we don't let anything stop us from getting to Him, He will stop for us too and call us to Himself. He will look at us through eyes of compassion and minister to us at the point of our need. We may not need to receive our sight. But whatever our need is, we must continue to call out to Him and He will meet it too whatever it is.

 

Have a great day. Don't let anything or anyone stop you from getting Jesus' attention. 

 

For further reading:

Matthew 20:30-34

Philippians 4:19

 

"Follow Him Wherever He Goes"

"And he saith unto them, Follow me..." Matthew 4:19 

We aren't called to follow a religion, a philosophy, or an ideology. We are called to follow a person, but not just any person. We are called to follow Jesus the Only Begotten Son of God. Many have turned back from following Him because they were disillusioned. They thought that following Him would mean a life of blessings, perfect peace, happiness, no hardships and nothing but joy. But they found that this wasn't the case. "From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him." (John 6:66)

 

Following Jesus takes us into many places. There are those wonderful times when following Him leads us besides still waters-- places of peace, rest and plenty. "He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters." (Psalm 23:2) But not all of them are "pleasant" places. 

 

Following Him also takes us into the wilderness to be tempted. "Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil." (Matthew 4:1)

 

It takes us into places of being hated for His name sake. "And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake." (Luke 21:17) 

 

It takes us into places of suffering. "Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered." (Hebrews 5:8)

 

It takes us to a place of crucifixion and self-denial. The crucifixion of self. The denial of our own selfish desires and ambitions. "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." (Matthew 16:24)

 

It takes us into a place where we may have to leave the familiar and comfortable. "Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me." (Matthew 19:21) 

 

Following Jesus takes us into some difficult places that is why we must count the cost before we begin the journey with Him. Will it cost us something? Did it cost Jesus something to follow His Father's will? The answer to both is yes. But will it be worth it? You have to decide. This is a question that we each have to answer for ourselves, no one can answer or do our following for us. Are you willing to follow Him? "And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." (Luke 9:62) Will following Him cost you something here? But what you will receive later at the end of the journey will far exceed what you went through here as you followed Him. "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." (Romans 8:18) "It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us." (2 Timothy 2:11,12)

 

Have a great day. Following Jesus takes us into many places- not always easy ones. But it will be worth it in the end. 

 

"The Real Source"

"And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me." Luke 13:38

Yesterday we talked about seeking the Lord first before we seek out others when we are in need. This morning, I feel compelled to talk about it again. If our needs are going to be met, we are going to have to go to the right source of help. 

 

When Queen Esther's people were threatened with death, she didn't go to one of her servants for help. She didn't turn to her friends. She went straight to the one who could grant her petition-- the king. When the blind man sat by the roadside desiring to have his sight restored, he didn't cry out to Peter or James, he cried out to the One who could give him sight- Jesus. 

 

Who are we crying out to? Are we looking to politicians to meet our need? Are we looking to some prophet to help us? Are we looking to the doctors to heal us? Are we looking to the credit union to pay our bills? Like I said yesterday, God can use any vessel He wants to use-- He has used a donkey, a raven, a pitcher of oil, judges, doctors, kings, etc. But these only offer aid and assistance-- they are not the source of our help.

 

I don't have the power in and of myself to save myself, heal myself, deliver myself, provide for myself, strengthen myself, give myself wisdom, and so on, and neither do you or anyone else. It is because we are not the Source. We have nothing and can do nothing apart from God. Whatever we have, whatever we can do, it all comes through Him. It is only because He gives us the power, the ability, and the know how to do it. Outside of Him we possess nothing. Even Jesus said that He could do nothing without His Father. 

 

We must stop running here and there seeking out help that is just as inadequate as we are. We must go directly to the Source of our help. Again, hear what I am saying-- what the Spirit is saying through me-- God has all kinds of resources available to us. But they are only resources not the Source. We tend to seek out the resources but neglect to seek out the Source of those resources. God is saying, "Seek Me first. Come to Me first and I will lead you and guide you and direct you in the way to go". 

 

Have a great day. Resources are only aids. God is the true Source of our help. 

 

For further reading:

John 5:19

Philippians 4:13

"The Wrong Order"

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

Where is the first place you go when you are in trouble or need help? Do you run to this person or that person, to this place or that place? Do you, after you have exhausted every avenue you can think of that might give you help, then turn to God? Do you wait and go to Him after all else fails? If so, you have got it out of order.

 

Am I saying that we shouldn't seek out places and people that have been established to offer help with certain needs? Am I saying that when we are sick we shouldn't go to the doctor, or seek council from a friend, or guidance from someone qualified in that particular area? No, I believe God can, and does, use people to help us. What I am saying is that we should not automatically turn to them as our "first" resort. And then after they can't help us, we decide to turn to God. He should always be our first resort. We should look to Him first. It might be that He will then tell us to seek out the help of this one or that one. 

 

We should give God the first "option" to see what He says, or will do, about the situation. Then do whatever He tells us to do. At the wedding of Cana they ran out of wine. Mary told the servants to do whatever Jesus told them to do. She turned to Him first with the need. He met it and a great miracle was seen. I tend to believe that if we would do the same, we might see more miracles than we have been seeing. But how can we ever witness a miracle if we don't bring the Miracle Worker into the situation? 

 

Again, I am not saying that God can't or doesn't use people to meet our need, He often does. I am just saying that He should not be our last resort after everything else we have tried has failed. He should always be the first place we run to, and maybe we would experience more miracles if we give Him the chance to do something on our behalf first.

 

Have a great day. Who do you go to first when you have a need?

 

For further reading:

John 2:1-11

"I Need Water"

"O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is." Psalm 63:1 

There are times when my body feels so dry and thirsty. When this happens, I go get a drink of water. I have plants in my house and when they start looking dry and beginning to wilt, I water them. When the flowers in my yard are dry and shriveling up, I get out the water hose and water them. When our pets are thirsty, we put a bowl of water out for them. 

 

When living things get dry and thirsty, we water them. The spiritual part of us is living and if we neglect it, it will get dry too. So, what do we do? If water is the remedy for every other living thing, then it is the same answer for our spirits. We have to water them. 

 

Are you feeling dry inside? Are you feeling like you are "wilting" on the vine? Well, when was the last time you were "watered"? When was the last time you watered your spirit? How do we water our spirits? "That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word." (Ephesians 5:26) With God's Word. You water it by opening God's Word and filling your spirit up with it. You read it and you meditate on it. I am not talking about just a verse or two. I am talking about a good "soaking". When my plants are dry and wilting, I don't just give them a drop or two of water, I give them a good soaking. It is amazing what that will do for them. Their leaves are no longer droopy. They stand upright. And they look refreshed again. 

 

We need to daily water our spirits. We need to soak them in God's Word. It is the "water" that we need to get refreshed and come back alive.

 

Have a great day. If your spirit is feeling dry, when was the last time you watered it?

 

For further reading:

Psalm 68:6; 107:35

Isaiah 55:1