"For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth." Job 19:25
This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it. How is that possible? How can I rejoice? How can I have gladness when there is so much turmoil around me? How is it possible when the future is so uncertain, when evil is on the rise, when problems are plaguing the whole world, when there is lack, suffering, illness, etc?
It's possible because I know that my redeemer lives! He redeemed my life from destruction and crowned me with loving kindness once, He can do it again. He reached down into the pit of miry clay and brought me out and set my feet upon a rock and established my going once, He can certainly do it again. He delivered me in the past, He healed me in the past, He provided my daily bread in the past, He made a way when there seemed to be no way in the past, He met and supplied all my need in the past... He (my redeemer) lives today and does not change so I can trust Him to do the same for me in the present that He did in the past.
Just because the arm of flesh is weak and failing; just because men have no power to help me; just because the money is running short; just because the help is not available; just because the economy is sinking should not cause me to stop rejoicing and being glad today. Just because they are all failing doesn't mean that God is. My hope is in Him... not in "them"; not in "things"; not in "people". My hope is in the One who will not fail me, nor forsake me, nor leave me, but who will help me, will be with me, will love me always. That is why I can rejoice today and be glad!!! It's why you can too!
Have a great day. I know my redeemer lives and He will not fail me even if everyone or everything else does!
Friday, March 13, 2009
Thursday, March 12, 2009
"Flow Of Feelings"
"...the just shall live by his faith." Habakkuk 2:4b
How are you feeling today? Are you going to let your feelings dictate your day? If you are feeling pretty good that's one thing, but if you aren't that's another. When we aren't feeling "good", we have a tendency to get in the "flow" of our feelings. It's like a person in a boat letting the current take them in the direction that it is going. Our feelings are like the current.
If I get in the "flow" of my feelings this is what will happen: If I am feeling depressed, my feelings will take me back to bed to pull the covers over my head. If I am feeling like things are hopeless, I will despair of living. If I am feeling alone, I will become withdrawn. If I am feeling confused, I will throw my hands up or go aimlessly in circles. If I am feeling defeated, I'll stop trying and give up. Getting in the current's flow of your feelings is a dangerous thing-- at the end of the stream there is a waterfall and your "boat" is heading for it.
God gave us human beings emotions and feelings but never for them to be the leader of our lives. Our feelings are fickle, they are ever changing, they are deceptive, they are not a true indication of the way things are, they will hold you in bondage. God also gave us His word. That's what He intended to be the "current" to take us through life. We live by faith- by the promises of God- not by our feelings. God's word never changes, it is a constant, it is stable. It gives hope, peace, joy and strength. So don't go with the flow of your feelings, they lead to defeat and destruction. Go with the flow of God's word, it leads to victory and life.
Have a great day. Which current are you flowing with? Feelings or faith?
How are you feeling today? Are you going to let your feelings dictate your day? If you are feeling pretty good that's one thing, but if you aren't that's another. When we aren't feeling "good", we have a tendency to get in the "flow" of our feelings. It's like a person in a boat letting the current take them in the direction that it is going. Our feelings are like the current.
If I get in the "flow" of my feelings this is what will happen: If I am feeling depressed, my feelings will take me back to bed to pull the covers over my head. If I am feeling like things are hopeless, I will despair of living. If I am feeling alone, I will become withdrawn. If I am feeling confused, I will throw my hands up or go aimlessly in circles. If I am feeling defeated, I'll stop trying and give up. Getting in the current's flow of your feelings is a dangerous thing-- at the end of the stream there is a waterfall and your "boat" is heading for it.
God gave us human beings emotions and feelings but never for them to be the leader of our lives. Our feelings are fickle, they are ever changing, they are deceptive, they are not a true indication of the way things are, they will hold you in bondage. God also gave us His word. That's what He intended to be the "current" to take us through life. We live by faith- by the promises of God- not by our feelings. God's word never changes, it is a constant, it is stable. It gives hope, peace, joy and strength. So don't go with the flow of your feelings, they lead to defeat and destruction. Go with the flow of God's word, it leads to victory and life.
Have a great day. Which current are you flowing with? Feelings or faith?
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
"Shows Up"
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD." Isaiah 55:8
The Lord doesn't always show up the way we think that He will. We have a preconceived idea about how He will and should show up. Israel missed the day of their visitation because they thought that He would show up as a conquering king to deliver them from the oppression and bondage of Rome. Instead He showed up as a babe in a manger and a crucified Christ.
God shows up the way He wants to show up. We just need to make sure that we don't let our idea of how He should show up cause us to miss Him. When it comes to meeting our needs, we think He has to show up as a check in the mailbox, as a new scientific treatment or through another person. I am reminded that in His word He says that His ways and thoughts are so much higher than our ways and thoughts. He could show up to meet your need, to minister to you, to reveal Himself to you in many ways. But because He is a sovereign and mighty God He will show up in the best way according to His desire and plan.
Have a great day. Don't miss God because you are looking for Him to show up in a particular way.
The Lord doesn't always show up the way we think that He will. We have a preconceived idea about how He will and should show up. Israel missed the day of their visitation because they thought that He would show up as a conquering king to deliver them from the oppression and bondage of Rome. Instead He showed up as a babe in a manger and a crucified Christ.
God shows up the way He wants to show up. We just need to make sure that we don't let our idea of how He should show up cause us to miss Him. When it comes to meeting our needs, we think He has to show up as a check in the mailbox, as a new scientific treatment or through another person. I am reminded that in His word He says that His ways and thoughts are so much higher than our ways and thoughts. He could show up to meet your need, to minister to you, to reveal Himself to you in many ways. But because He is a sovereign and mighty God He will show up in the best way according to His desire and plan.
Have a great day. Don't miss God because you are looking for Him to show up in a particular way.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
"It Lieth"
"If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him." Genesis 4:7
"...sin lieth at the door..." When I was growing up, my parents were constantly telling us to "close the door we were letting the bugs in (mosquitoes, flies, etc.)." What a spiritual principal we find in this natural illustration. According to our opening scripture, sin lies at the door just like those bugs. If we didn't want the bugs to come in we had to keep the door closed or close it before they had a chance to come in. Same thing- if we don't want sin to come in we should either keep the door closed or close it quickly.
"...sin lieth at the door..." It "lies" at the door. It isn't standing at the door, it isn't pacing back and forth around the door, it isn't sitting down at the door, it isn't watching the clock wondering when you will open the door. It's "lying" at the door. That means that it has taken a comfortable position and is just waiting. It isn't going anywhere, it's content to just lie there and wait until you open the door. It "lies" at the door- it's also laying in wait. Waiting to "pounce" on you. Waiting as a lion lays in wait for it's prey. It's lying at the threshold so that at the first sign of movement, the first sign of the door opening it will make it's attack on you.
Since it's obvious that sin is going to wait you out and at the first sign of an open door it will make it's move to destroy you, then the only victorious course of action for us to take would be to keep the door closed. It's a whole lot easier to keep sin out than it is to deal with it once it has come in- just like those bugs. (It was an endless battle swatting flies and killing mosquitoes.) How do we do that? How do we keep the door closed? "If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door." Do what's right--- keep the commandments, obey the Lord, apply His word to your life. As long as you are living in obedience to God's word you will keep the door closed and sin won't have a chance to enter.
Have a great day. Close the door, you're letting "sin" in.
"...sin lieth at the door..." When I was growing up, my parents were constantly telling us to "close the door we were letting the bugs in (mosquitoes, flies, etc.)." What a spiritual principal we find in this natural illustration. According to our opening scripture, sin lies at the door just like those bugs. If we didn't want the bugs to come in we had to keep the door closed or close it before they had a chance to come in. Same thing- if we don't want sin to come in we should either keep the door closed or close it quickly.
"...sin lieth at the door..." It "lies" at the door. It isn't standing at the door, it isn't pacing back and forth around the door, it isn't sitting down at the door, it isn't watching the clock wondering when you will open the door. It's "lying" at the door. That means that it has taken a comfortable position and is just waiting. It isn't going anywhere, it's content to just lie there and wait until you open the door. It "lies" at the door- it's also laying in wait. Waiting to "pounce" on you. Waiting as a lion lays in wait for it's prey. It's lying at the threshold so that at the first sign of movement, the first sign of the door opening it will make it's attack on you.
Since it's obvious that sin is going to wait you out and at the first sign of an open door it will make it's move to destroy you, then the only victorious course of action for us to take would be to keep the door closed. It's a whole lot easier to keep sin out than it is to deal with it once it has come in- just like those bugs. (It was an endless battle swatting flies and killing mosquitoes.) How do we do that? How do we keep the door closed? "If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door." Do what's right--- keep the commandments, obey the Lord, apply His word to your life. As long as you are living in obedience to God's word you will keep the door closed and sin won't have a chance to enter.
Have a great day. Close the door, you're letting "sin" in.
Monday, March 9, 2009
"A Collision"
"I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes..." Psalm 101:3a
Have you wondered how two cars can collide when they meet on a straight wide road and there was no apparent reason for the collision? They say that we tend to go in the direction that we are looking. If each person is looking at the on coming vehicle they begin to steer the wheel in the direction they are looking and they wind up colliding. If you are looking at something on the side of the road, you start going in that direction and wind up running off the road.
That being the case we need to pay attention to where we are looking because we will tend to go in that direction- we are drawn toward whatever we are looking at. This was the case with David. He looked at Bathsheba bathing on the rooftop and headed in that direction- the direction of lust and committed adultery with her. Lot looked at the plains of Sodom and headed in that direction and wound up eventually vexing his soul. Eve looked at the fruit and went in that direction and ate it.
On the flip side, Jesus looked at the Father and that was the direction that He headed. Jesus kept His eyes on the Father- watching what He did, seeing what He was doing, seeing His will. This is why He was always doing the will of the Father- He was drawn in the direction in which He was looking.
What are you looking at this morning? Are you looking at the lusts that are in this world? If so, you will be drawn toward it and wind up having a collision with sin. Are you looking at the state of the world- the economic problems, the confusion, the corruption? Then you will be drawn toward fear and a feeling of hopelessness. Are you looking at the promises of God? If so, you will be drawn toward them and your faith will be built up, you'll be encouraged, you'll walk in victory because you will have a collision with the truth. Are you looking at Jesus? If you are you'll be drawn to Him and your love for Him will deepen, and you'll be transformed more and more into His likeness. Where are you looking?
Have a great day. You will have a collision with whatever you are looking at because you will be drawn in that direction. What do you want to collide with? Sin or God? Then pay attention to what and where you are looking.
Have you wondered how two cars can collide when they meet on a straight wide road and there was no apparent reason for the collision? They say that we tend to go in the direction that we are looking. If each person is looking at the on coming vehicle they begin to steer the wheel in the direction they are looking and they wind up colliding. If you are looking at something on the side of the road, you start going in that direction and wind up running off the road.
That being the case we need to pay attention to where we are looking because we will tend to go in that direction- we are drawn toward whatever we are looking at. This was the case with David. He looked at Bathsheba bathing on the rooftop and headed in that direction- the direction of lust and committed adultery with her. Lot looked at the plains of Sodom and headed in that direction and wound up eventually vexing his soul. Eve looked at the fruit and went in that direction and ate it.
On the flip side, Jesus looked at the Father and that was the direction that He headed. Jesus kept His eyes on the Father- watching what He did, seeing what He was doing, seeing His will. This is why He was always doing the will of the Father- He was drawn in the direction in which He was looking.
What are you looking at this morning? Are you looking at the lusts that are in this world? If so, you will be drawn toward it and wind up having a collision with sin. Are you looking at the state of the world- the economic problems, the confusion, the corruption? Then you will be drawn toward fear and a feeling of hopelessness. Are you looking at the promises of God? If so, you will be drawn toward them and your faith will be built up, you'll be encouraged, you'll walk in victory because you will have a collision with the truth. Are you looking at Jesus? If you are you'll be drawn to Him and your love for Him will deepen, and you'll be transformed more and more into His likeness. Where are you looking?
Have a great day. You will have a collision with whatever you are looking at because you will be drawn in that direction. What do you want to collide with? Sin or God? Then pay attention to what and where you are looking.
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