Testing Our Words

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. Ephesians 4:29

God’s standard for conversation is high! His desire is that each of us would qualify our words thru the grid of Ephesians 4:29. This verse entails much more than the avoidance of certain language. It goes beyond what we should not be saying and urges us to see our words as a means for encouraging others.

Corrupt communication is alive and well in many homes, businesses, and churches today. While some of us would avoid swearing and telling off color jokes, we might think nothing of gossip, crudeness, sarcasm, or telling someone off. We seem to think the only qualification for our words is whether or not what we are about to say is true. Lashing out at others is “justified” in our minds because of our own hurts, disappointments, rage, or frustration. But God has a better way.

We need to ask ourselves if our words are accomplishing the things God would desire. Anything within the hearing range of another person should be good, edifying, and gracious for them and us. They should walk away from the sound of our voice encouraged, built up, nurtured, and refreshed. Not troubled, disheartened, or spent.

The motive behind our words is as vital to check as the message of our words. Before we say something to or around another person we must see why we are about to say it as well as what we are about to say. If it is to make us feel betterand release our rage, it would be better to leave it unsaid. Confrontations and conversations should be full of grace, love, and mercy.

Here are some good measuring tools for us to use in regard to our words. Speak to others the way you want to be spoken to. Make sure that what you are about to say is true, kind, necessary, and helpful. Since the words we speak begin in our heart, it is imperative that we take the issues to God first and ask Him to help us over come any bitterness, anger, or hurt that will affect our conversations if left unchecked. He has our best interest at heart as well as the best interest of the ones who will hear us speak today.

Father, may the words of my mouth be pleasant to other’s ears as well as Your ears. Help me to be a conduit of wholesome speech. Amen.

The More and Better Life

I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. John 10:10 KJV

Jesus never spoke promises half heartedly. His words can be taken at face value and owned. Jesus promised that He would give us life more abundantly. Do we have any idea what a more abundant life looks like? The MESSAGE defines it as a “more and better life than they ever dreamed of.” The Amplified Bible says it means “to the full, till it overflows.” According to Strong’s Concordance, the original Greek definition of abundantly is “superabundant (in quantity) or superior (in quality); excessive, exceeding abundantly above, more abundantly, very highly, beyond measure, superfluous.” If we limit this to just the physical, material possessions of our life, many of us would assume the abundant life was not what Jesus intended for us.

Jesus Himself did not pattern a life of affluence, popularity, comfort, or ease. He knew tears, betrayal, cruelty, and homelessness. He felt the sting of rejection, misunderstanding, disbelief, and scorn. From a crude manger for a birth place to the cross of Calvary, He did not live a life that most people would consider abundant! But maybe that is because they have a wrong concept of an abundant life.

It has been said that we cannot give away what we don’t first possess for ourselves. Jesus is offering to give us life more abundantly because that is the kind of life He possessed here on earth and still possesses today. What were the marks of His abundant life? A walk of obedience and connection to His Heavenly Father. It was not found in what He had but in who He knew. Not in what He did but in who He was. Now He did many miraculous things but none of them defined Him. They simply showcased His identity.

What does all of this mean to me this morning? The quality of my life is based on my connection to God and demonstrated in my obedience to Him. My words and actions flow out of my relationship with my heavenly Father. Each day I have an opportunity to showcase my identity which is found in Christ. I am His precious, cherished, much loved child! Therefore I am given a life that truly is more and better than I ever dreamed of!

Father, today I open my hands to receive the more and better life You offer. May it flow out of me in marvelous ways! Amen.

Learning to Receive What He Offers

Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. John 14:27 NASB

On the very night that Jesus was to be betrayed and eventually crucified He left His disciples with the assurance of His Spirit and His peace. Troubled and fearful hearts were apparent, but it is not condemnation I sense in His words to them. He has the presence of a mother holding a frightened child close and speaking words of comfort. He knew His words that night would shake up their world and He was telling them of the gifts He had for them to receive.

The Christian life is meant to be lived out in daily relationship with God. He has much to give us if we will but open our hearts to receive it. In addition to peace, He offers us countless things such as love, joy, satisfaction, confidence, definition of who we are, purpose, nurturing, comfort, strength, and direction. Who in this world isn’t looking for those very things? But He wants us to know they are different from the duplications the world attempts to give us and we attempt to receive from them.

I remember being somewhat confused when I realized my needs were legitimate and God-given but where I sought to get the needs met was actually hurting me. There is not a thing I look for from people that God is not offering to give me. So I must do some comparisons. What I receive from people is usually temporary, incomplete, and shallow. While their words and actions can certainly make me feel good for a while they cannot make a lasting change in me. What I crave and what they are able to give are proportionately worlds apart. But God’s gifts are different. He wants to meet my needs on a deeper level and the work He does is lasting. He wants to be my ever-available Source.

So as my needs surface, may I take them to Him and experience His ability to meet every one of them. Will He still use people in my life? Absolutely! But I must see them as the faucet while He is the main source of Living Water.

Father, drinking from the broken cisterns has left me thirsty. Only You truly know my needs and are able to satisfy the longings of my heart. Amen.

Ending the Similarities

The sons of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the LORD’s hand in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat, when we ate bread to the full; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” Exodus 16:3 NASB

I am always amazed at how quickly the children of Israel draw the conclusion that their present circumstance is going to actually end their life! In Exodus 14, they are sure they are going to die at the hands of the approaching Egyptian army. In Exodus 16, they are sure they are going to be killed by hunger and then by thirst. No matter what threat they face, their response is to think of the worst possible outcome and own it as truth. They saw the drama of their life unfold in front of them and thought they knew what the final act would look like. I marvel at God’s graciousness to deliver them from the very things they feared would be their annihilation. Each incident was actually a test to see whether or not they would finally trust the heart, wisdom, and power of almighty God! How He longed for them to not only know the truth but to live by it!

Are we really very different from those who lived in the wilderness? What does it take for us to shake in fear, give up hope, live in despair and defeat, lash out in anger, and be filled with frustration? How long do we last before we feel God has forsaken us, forgotten us, or just stopped thinking about us? What news could be delivered to us that would send us reeling emotionally, mentally, and spiritually?

It might be the loss of a job, failed health, unrealized dreams, or weather related disasters, or changes in profound relationships. But rather than live with a defeated attitude there are things you can do. Be in daily relationship with God and know Him intimately. Review His past provision for you as well as others. Personally apply Scripture to your life. Finally realize that the very thing you think is going to do you in is simply the backdrop for God‘s intervention. He is just as involved, just as attentive, and just as present now as He was in Bible times. He never changes!

Father, I am learning to trust you in the dark like I do in the light. The truth of You that I take in today will be what I hold on to in the midst of the next storm. May nothing in this life shake my confidence in You. Amen.

Invitation to be Involved

The Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to Me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward! Lift up your rod and stretch out your hand over the sea, and divide it, and the Israelites shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.” Exodus 14:15,16 Amplified Bible

Sometimes, God’s instructions to His people are to stand still and watch Him work! Their own involvement seems to be observing God at work. But many times in Scripture, God invites people to become involved in His activity. Such was the case with Moses and the children of Israel. Numerous times Moses was instructed to use his rod in a display of faith before God moved in a mighty way. There wasn’t anything miraculous about the rod that Moses held. The miracle was in God’s power. The rod was simply a demonstration of faith and an act of obedience.

In the New Testament there were many times people were instructed to do something before the miracle took place. A blind man was told to go wash his face in the Pool of Salome. A paralyzed man was told to get up and walk. A man with a withered hand was told to stretch out his hand. A leper was told to go show himself to the priest. These were small acts compared to the miracle that followed. How precious of God that He invited people to take an active part in the very work He would do!

Each day we have the opportunity to be God’s hands and mouthpiece to a world who does not know Him. While God certainly reveals Himself through His Word, He also reveals Himself through His people. He invites each one of us to become involved in His kingdom work. The actions vary but each one houses significance.

What is it God will invite us to join Him in today? Will it be words He nudges us to speak? Will it be an act of kindness He urges us to do? Will it be extending a helping hand or a listening ear? Will it be lifting up prayers on behalf of another person? Will it be giving in order to meet the need of a person? Will it be taking something we possess and allowing it to be the demonstration of our faith that God will do mighty things?

Moses used a rod. David used a sling. Queen Esther used influence. Paul used words. What is it we will use? Whatever it is, may we see God do amazing things with it and us!

Father, You could certainly work alone but instead You graciously ask us to join You. I marvel at such an invitation! Amen.

Today's Pillars

The Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. Exodus 13:21 Amplified Bible

When the children of Israel were delivered out of Egypt, God had a precious way of leading them into and through the wilderness. At any time, they could look up into the sky and see a pillar of cloud (by day) or a pillar of fire (by night). The reason for that was three-fold. It assured them of God’s presence, it lead them along the way, and it allowed them to travel at any time. When it moved they moved and when it stood still they set up camp. There was no question as to when they were to move and which way they were to go. The view of this “sky compass” was always in site. I would have loved the experience of lying on the ground on a starry night and taking in the sight of the pillar of fire! Oh, to be one who lived with a view of God’s presence and God’s guidance.

We may not have a visible sign in the sky, like the children of Israel had, but we have God’s presence and guidance in every sense of the word. Allow Jesus’ words of “I am with you always” to sink in today. Review the “pillars” of guidance available to us today. The Bible, the Spirit, and fellow believers. God went with the children of Israel and He goes with us today. He does not just point the way, He accompanies us! For that reason, a Christian can never be totally alone.

God is reminding me this morning that the Christian life is truly a journey in every sense of the word. It is an excursion that is under His constant watch care. May I live so connected to God that I continually sense His presence and confidently experience His guidance. Every stop and every move forward is most assuredly at His design. He called me out of the world, wooed me to Himself, set my feet on a path, and has had His eye and hand on me every step of the way. As my Shepherd He leads, as my Potter He molds, as my Counselor He advises, as my Physician He heals, and as my Father He protects. As personally involved as God was with the nation of Israel, He is the same with me. May that truth make a profound impact on the way I head into today.

Father, Your presence and guidance are not just nice thoughts, they are real and meant to be experienced by me. May I continually be aware of and thrive under both! Amen.

What Will It Take?

Pharaoh sent to find out, and, behold, there was not one of the cattle of the Israelites dead. But the heart of Pharaoh was hardened (his mind was set); and he did not let the people go. Exodus 9:7 Amplified Bible

Have you ever come across an account in the Bible and the actions and thoughts of a person leave you baffled? Pharaoh’s refusal to let the children of Israel go is one such bafflement to me. As plague upon plague is sent his way, the scenario is always the same. Pharaoh is told, he sees it happen, and yet he remains unmoved. How can that be? For him, there is a refusal to change even when powerful evidence is placed right before his eyes. He is not just hearing some distant story. He is experiencing all of it! And yet it never reaches his heart. His mind is not swayed, his thinking is not affected, and his resolve is not weakened.

We often think if God would just do certain things in a person’s life they would surely turn to Him. Each of us who have trusted Christ as Savior wonder that everyone who hears about salvation does not respond as we did. We often think if only we can present it clearly enough and say just the right thing they will get it! While it is certainly appropriate to learn to share our faith affectively, the bottom line is that God must open the eyes of their heart to hear, understand, and accept salvation and all other biblical truth. It is God who must remove the things that hinder them from coming to Him. It is God who must give them the insight to what He is saying.

Whether we are talking to a non-believer or a Christian, spiritual truth will not be seen, digested, or accepted apart from a work of God in their heart, mind, and soul. May the truth of that, alter our prayers in mighty ways. May we not only take the opportunities for sharing as they come, but may we diligently ask God to do the preparatory work in their life so they can truly receive what we are saying. While God certainly uses us as vessels and mouth pieces, He alone works in the heart and mind of individuals. Any spiritual truth I ever took in and fully realized was only possible because of His work in me. Even as a believer, my ability to digest truth and see change will only come as God removes the hindrances of my heart and mind, and helps me to grab on to what He is teaching me. I do not take that lightly…..I take it in awe!

Father, without Your intervention and interaction, hearts and minds will remain unmoved. Open the closed hearts and blind eyes today. Amen.

For My Ears as Well

I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will free you from their bondage, and I will rescue you with an outstretched arm ~with special and vigorous action~ and by mighty acts of judgment. And I will take you to Me for a people, and I will be to you a God. Exodus 6:6,7 Amplified Bible

We miss the poignancy, power, and practicality of Scripture when we limit what is being said to just the ones being spoken to at that time. Years ago, I would have read the account of the children of Israel and Moses’ message to them and seen it as just a part of Biblical history. God’s words would have been for their ears only and my part would have been to simply observe. I would have noted their situation, heard what God said to them, seen His deliverance for them, and walked away impressed but unmoved. I did not have the ability within myself to see that the message was meant for me as well. I could not imagine God’s words were powerful enough to span the centuries and hover over my own life all these years later.

This morning, God is allowing me the wonderful experience of seeing His words to Israel as words for me as well. The very things that weigh me down and hold me in bondage are being met with His phrases of “I will bring you out, I will free you, I will rescue you, I will take you to Me, I will be your God.” While it may not be a nation I am enslaved to, God wants me to know He is aware of the oppressions of my own soul. He knows what dreams have been dashed, what longings have gone on fulfilled, what things tear at my emotions. He does not see me as a lost cause. He is not looking the other way waiting for me to get my act together. His arms are not crossed, His face does not house condemnation, and His voice does not have tones of harshness.

How do I know? Because His words in Exodus 6:6,7 came as an answer to prayer for me this morning. I read them within minutes of crying out to God for freedom from those things that continue to eat away at me. Am I free yet? No. But I take His words to heart and hold on to them as a promise that WILL be fulfilled as surely as it was to the children of Israel. I do not know all that God will do and I do not know how He will do it, but that does not stop me from resting in His pledge.

Father, You are getting a lot of mileage out of Your message to Israel. I drink in the truth that You are now speaking it to me. Amen.

Wineskins and Boxes

And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled out, and the skins will be ruined. But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. Luke 5:37,38

I often wondered why Jesus used this particular illustration with the Pharisees and Scribes when they wanted to debate with Him about the necessity for prayer and fasting. They could not grasp the fact that He fellowshipped with sinners and had disciples that did not fit into their picture of the “spiritual” life. After all, they had become quite adapt at putting God, the law, the Scriptures, and God’s people into a neat little box that left little room for variety, change, or uniqueness. Their self imposed, rigid life styles could not grasp the concept of freedom in the secular or religious areas of life. To them, Jesus and His teachings were too radical. So why Jesus’ talk of wineskins?

In Bible times the wineskins were made from goatskins. As grape juice would ferment it would expand. An old goatskin no longer possessed the ability to stretch so it would eventually break due to the expansion of the formation of wine. But a new wineskin would be able to stretch and hold its substance well.

The Pharisees were living their life out of the tradition of the law but completely missing a connection with the Law Giver. They had the requirements down pat….they were set in their ways. They could not see that Jesus offered a better way for them to live their life. It was a life lived under grace and mercy rather than law keeping. But this was too much of a stretch for them. Jesus wanted them to see that new life could not be poured into the old religious, legalistic life. In Him we are made new creatures.

There was a time when holding on to my way of thinking hindered me from stretching and growing in my Christian life. Without realizing it, I had placed God and my Christian life in a neat little box. At His urging, I dared to open the box and climb out. I dared to let go of what I thought was the only way to live the Christian life. Was there fear? You bet! Were there tears? Plenty! Did others see the change as a good thing? Not always. But I will say with passion, the changes have been necessary and life saving!

Father, may I never again live my life out of an old wineskin. Amen.

Whose Heart Do I Have?

But it greatly displeased Jonah and he became angry. Jonah 4:1

We often read the story of Jonah and at first draw the wrong conclusion for why he ran. We assume he feared the people of Nineveh or thought himself incapable of carrying out the mission God assigned to him. After all, he was being sent to a people known for their cruelty and godless lives. Given the same assignment some might conclude, “Why go? It is no use. They will never change.” It is easy to fall into the trap of picking and choosing where we want to go and who we want to share the gospel with depending on how we think they will respond. If most people knew someone was definitely going to turn to God they would not be able to go to them quickly enough. But if it seems impossible (given their life style, religious background, or poor reputation) we grow hesitant.

But fear or discouragement are not the reasons for Jonah trying to escape God’s call on his life. It is in the last chapter of Jonah the real reason is given. Following a great city-wide revival that most evangelists and pastors would die for, he storms off enraged that God was compassionate. He would have rather seen no repentance and God’s wrath poured out on this city of 120,000 people than to see grace, compassion, mercy, and loving kindness displayed. Why? Because they were his enemies and the enemies of his nation. He had one thought in mind and that was that God would judge and destroy them. There was no desire for forgiveness, compassion, or mercy. Where they would spend eternity was not his concern.

In recent days I have seen individuals within the body of Christ display the same animosity toward the immigration problems, toward cults and other religions, and toward Iraq. Are there reasons for concern? Yes! Are the actions of individuals and nations wrong? Yes! Should we come against false teaching that leads people astray? Yes! But at the same time let us not forget that souls are at stake. God longs to be compassionate to EVERY person. His desire is for them to come to know Christ and spend eternity with Him….the same as He desired for each of us who know Christ. Do my attitude, words, and actions display God’s heart or Jonah’s heart? While I know it is necessary to protect our country, may I not forget the very souls Christ died for.

Father, give me Your heart! I repent of my Jonah-like tendencies. Amen.

Who Are We Living For?

So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. Luke 12:21

Jesus told of a man who had an abundance of crops. His plan? To tear down his present barns, build bigger ones, hoard the harvest for himself, and basically live the good life in retirement. What is missing? Any thought or mention of God and what He would have him do. He does not know that even as he speaks the words of his “plan”, they are spoken on what will be the last day of his life. God calls him a fool. What he thought to keep for himself will be passed on to another person.

The question running through my mind this morning is, “What am I doing with the excess things in my life?” What is being saved for myself, what is being used for others, and what is being given to God? Not just in the area of material things, but also in the area of my time, acquired knowledge, and usage of talents. If I knew that my life would come to an end in the next year, month, week, or day, how differently would I view these things and how differently would I use them? Would I be more prone to give away what I otherwise would have kept for myself?

While God does not tell me the amount of time I have left on this earth, He does tell me my life is but a vapor compared to eternity. I have a daily choice to live my life for myself or to live it for God’s design and purpose. How many people will cross my path today with whom I can invest something? What is it that I hold in my hands or in my heart that can be given to God as I am giving it to another person?

Being rich toward God has nothing to do with the amount of things we are able to do but rather with what we choose to do with what we have. I do not want to come to the end of my life here on earth and find that I lived my life with a “hoarding” mentality. May I learn how to give away what God so graciously gives to me. The list of His gifts is impressive as He lavishes on me grace, mercy, love, forgiveness, material goods, attention, and a host of other blessings. May I learn to be a distributor in God’s kingdom. What I choose to do with the things I have will keep them temporary or make them eternal.

Father, help me to see that being rich in You and being rich in this world are two different things. What I give away, I give to You. Make me a willing and joyful giver. I choose to follow Your example! Amen.

Who Am I?

And you shall know the Truth and the Truth shall set you free. John 8:32

Who am I? Who is God? And who are we together? These are the questions for the beginning of a new journey in my life. Up until now I have not thought or even dared to ask them. Allowing God to give me the answers will forever change me. It will change the way I view myself, it will change my actions, it will change my desires, it will change everything about me, it will change the way I treat people, and it will change the rolls people and things play in my life.

This morning God is helping me to see what should not define me. What are the things that really do not tell me who I am or what I am like? Here is the list so far. I cannot define myself by what I own, who I know, what people think of me, how I look, opportunities I have, things I can do, what I portray to others, how people treat me, my limitations, my finances or lack thereof, the kind of car I drive, the kind of house I live in, the family that I grew up with, the family I now live with, my failures and successes, my ambitions, my disappointments, my joys, or even my personality. For if I define myself by these things that can so quickly change I am building my identity on shifting sand. They will not sustain me, fulfill me, satisfy me, or stabilize me to live my life as God intended me to live it. My identity cannot be based on anything external.

It is far too easy to think if I change things in my life, take on the characteristics of others, and have the right relationshipsTHEN I am improving who I am. But the person I am is not a garment I can put on and take off. While these things may shape me and change the way I think of myself they cannot change who I really am. They can only lead to living a life whereby I play dress up, make believe, and pretend. If they are removed from my life and I stand naked before God THAT is who I am.

It is essential that I look to God to show me who I am. His Word will tell me the good and bad about myself....my true self! I must see the full picture. If I only accept the bad then I will live in condemnation and shame. If I only accept the good then I will battle with pride and arrogance. Because God created me and He alone knows me inside and out, He is the only One qualified and able to tell me who I am.

Father, as I accept Your definition of who I am and allow it to become my identity, I will see myself with value, worth, and genuineness. Amen.

Where to Look

But Jesus said to him, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:62

Paul said it this way in Philippians 3:13,14 “Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” The Christian life is a life of advancement and looking ahead.

There are two ways of “looking back.” There are times precious memories come to mind and bring a smile to our face. We think back to particular people, places, and events and the thoughts encourage our heart. We make decisions and go back in our mind to when that decision was made as a way of rekindling the flame of that decision. We remember the sense of God’s call in a certain direction and renew our commitment to follow through. We realign ourselves with the reason and purpose for our journey. There is nothing wrong with those kinds of visits down memory lane. They are encouraging and often times necessary.

The other kind of “looking back” is done when the going gets rough, the storms of life intimidate us, and the journey gets difficult. We look back to when decisions were made and we second guess ourselves, doubt the choices we have made, and play the “if only” game. We lose sight of the reason for the journey and the ability to see God’s hand in all of it. We somehow think if we had really made the right decision, life would be easier and trials would be few. This kind of looking back leads to discouragement, regret, and uncertainty.

I am finding that during times of greatest difficulty I must not let the circumstances I am in and the emotions I am feeling interpret my journey for me. But rather I must review the truth about God and His divine leading in my life. I am not talking about facing the consequences of sin. That is a completely different topic. I am talking about knowing that I live my life with a passion for God and whether the daily results are comfortable or not, holding to the hand that never lets me go! Certain things do not change from day to day: God’s goodness, God’s love, God’s purpose, and God’s sovereignty. They form the guard rails and safety net of my existence.

Father, let me see the beauty even in the darkest of moments. You are my Strength, my Comfort, and my Guide. I follow on! Amen.

What Music Does for God

But now bring me a minstrel, and it came about, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him. 2 Kings 3:15

Music is so multi-faceted in its effects. When King Saul had an evil spirit, David’s music sent it packing. When the children of Israel went to war, music led the way to victory. Music was a part of Old and New Testament worship. In today’s verse as music is played, God’s hand is present. Paul and Silas sang and an earthquake followed.

In the past I have always viewed music in two aspects ~ what it does for me personally and how it can be used to praise the Lord. But today I am seeing another benefit. Throughout Scripture I see a pattern whereby music actually attracts God. He is drawn to it and moved to action by it. The music before a message, music before our quiet time, or music at any time is like putting a welcome mat out for the King of Kings. It is an invitation for God to be present and to display His power.

I had to stop a moment just now and listen to a praise song called “Shout to the Lord.” As I listened I could see how that song would attract God. How it would draw Him into the where I am at. Songs that are sung from our hearts cause God to take notice. We were created in God’s image. Our attraction to music and how it affects us is a mere shadow of what it does for God as well.

Think of what it would be like if someone wrote music with you in mind. The words talked about you and presented all the positive aspects of your life and accomplishments. Many songs written today are stories put to music. I have always loved music but when I became a Christian the music took on a whole new meaning for me. As I listen it draws my attention to the One the music is about. Whether it is a song of praise, a song about God’s character or work, or a testimonial type song about God’s intervention in a person’s life, I am affected by it. God is bigger in my mind after the music plays. But this morning I am hit with the realization that music affects God as well.

I think back to church services and I want to envision the music drawing God into the worship service. I want to see Him pleased and touched by the songs that are about Him and for Him.

Father, music touches You, doesn’t it? May I be more drawn to that aspect. Amen.

What Forgiveness Really Looks Like

So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. Luke 15:20

Every time I read the story of the prodigal son I am struck by the response of the father. It stands out in such stark contrast to the depravity of the younger son and the harsh judgment of the older son. The younger son is not even hoping for this gracious response of his father. He is ready and willing to accept the role of a slave. He knows his sin and the just consequences of it all. The reception he expected was demonstrated in his brother’s reaction not his fathers. How often do we as God’s sons and daughters hesitate to receive the very things our Father stands ready to offer us because of self condemnation, a feeling of unworthiness, and the inability to grasp how loving, merciful, and tender God really is? While Scripture is full of examples of God’s true character, why is it we so often struggle to grasp it during times we need to see it the most?

I find in the area of forgiveness I am sometimes limited by my own past experiences and the reactions I received from significant people. When are we going to understand that our reaction to a repentant person is going to do much to shape their view of how God will react? Too often a person’s brokenness over their sinful condition is not deemed as sufficient for them to have learned their lesson. It is almost as if people stand back and say, “That isn’t enough.” Or they have the proud outlook of, “I have never done that and you shouldn’t have either.” It is the modern day Scarlet Letter that demands others walk in shame and regret rather than celebrating radical forgiveness.

Maybe it is time for each one of us to take a good hard look at God’s way of forgiveness as seen in this verse. It is a forgiveness some of us are not use to, a forgiveness some of us are not showing toward others, and a forgiveness that is still foreign to us. When we finally do experience this for ourselves we will be ready to show it to others.

Father, sometimes I feel like the prodigal son and sometimes I feel like his older brother. May I see this side of You and when I do may it forever change the approach I take with my own sin as well as with the sins of others. Amen.

Under His Care

He found him in a desert land, and in the howling waste of a wilderness; He encircled him, He cared for him, He guarded him as the pupil of His eye. Like an eagle that stirs up its nest, that hovers over its young, He spread His wings and caught them, He carried them on His pinions. Deuteronomy 32:10-11

We live in a world that can leave us feeling unloved, uncared for, and neglected. In the midst of loss, pain, heartache, depravation, loneliness, rejection, and unmet needs, where or who do we turn to? This morning my mind reflects on friends who are presently experiencing the harsh realities of life. A dear friend buried a much loved cat last night. For some that would be a small thing but her loss brings an ache. Other friends face cancer, multiple sclerosis, infertility, divorce, death of loved ones, unemployment, depression, separation, and regret. They all need a safe place for their hearts.

In this passage I see a tender picture of God as He cares for each of us. The verbs alone speak volumes to me. It is in the storms of life that shelter is sought. And it is in the desert lands and howling waste of the wilderness that we need a refuge in which to hide. God is inviting each one of us to close our eyes and picture ourselves as the eaglet in this passage. He wants us to drink in the truth that He is the One who longs to encircle, care for, guard, hover over, catch, and carry us. He wants to protect, nourish, and sustain us much like a mother eagle with her young.

This passage spoke volumes to me last night. I needed to see it and have it minister to me specifically. For once again God was reminding me that running to the wrong sources to get my needs met will leave me with empty arms and an aching heart. If I look to anyone or anything besides Him to give me significance, affirmation, acceptance, approval, or unconditional, unlimited love then I am setting myself up for disappointment. It is in the midst of my disappointment or loss that He calls me to come to Him. For He longs to give me what others cannot.

May others learn to do what I am doing this morning. I am putting my name in this verse and reveling in the thought that God’s tenderness and care are directed toward me.

Father, I once again look to You as my life source. May I experience all the ramifications of being under Your care. Amen.

Two Thrones to Choose Between

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. Romans 6:12,13

This morning I am picturing two throne rooms. In each a king sits upon his throne and not only allows but welcomes your presence. He smiles when you enter, motions for you to come closer, and is pleased to hear you say, “I am here to do as you wish. All that I am is yours. Please use me in your service. I am here to serve you.” At this particular moment you are there to present your eyes, ears, mouth, hands, and feet as tools to be used as he pleases. One throne is occupied by the King of kings and the other throne is occupied by sin.

In this passage I see choice written all over the place. As God’s child, I (more than anyone) have a choice as to whom I present myself and for what I proceed to do. Neither sin nor God forces my entrance or my involvement. It is by my choosing that I enter and volunteer. I cannot be in both throne rooms at the same time….it is impossible. Each room has its own unique atmosphere. Each has an agenda with very different consequences for service. The question is, “Which will I enter? Whom will I serve?”

There are two verbs of choice that I notice……let and present. In this passage the word let means to allow, give permission, permit, agree to, consent to, assent to, and accede to. Each time I sin I am the one granting permission for sin to reign. Allowing sin to be my king in the kingdom of my body. How sad to think that I would enter, kneel, and extend the parts of my body for service to this particular ruler…voluntarily!

Yet, the whole time God Himself is wooing me into His throne room. Granting me the desire and power to leave sin’s throne room. Inviting me to let Him rule and reign in my life. May I enter His throne room and abide in His presence continually. My actions, attitudes, and spoken words will reveal where I am spending my time.

Father, help me to make myself at home in Your throne room of my heart. Have the sovereign rule over me. I choose You! Amen.

Touching the Heart of God

When the Lord saw her, He felt compassion for her, and said to her, “Do not weep.” Luke 7:13 NASB

The stage is being set for a miracle. What has touched the very seat of Jesus’ emotions and affections? A widow who now grieves the loss of her only son! The NIV says His heart went out to her. Can you digest the tenderness of this scene? I have often heard it said that when we are in sorrow or distress, God’s tears mingle with our own. That is exactly what I see happening in this verse. Jesus doesn’t just feel sorry for the woman, He enters into the grief with her.

Think of the last time you grieved over something. Your chest could barely contain the pain, the tears flowed unceasingly, and you were consumed with such a cloud of heaviness that you feared you would never feel anything but grief again. It may have been the loss of something or someone dear to you. It may have been unalterable, horrible circumstances in your life. It may have been so wounding to you, that even now you struggle to put it into words. Got the picture? Now in that time, what did you sense Jesus doing? If you do not see Him as compassionate with you as He was with this widow, then there is work to be done!

I am moved by the fact that Jesus is about to do something radical. Not as a response to a person’s faith and not even in answer to a request that has been made of Him. He is about to intervene on behalf of this woman strictly out of compassion. How tender! But may I be so bold as to suggest that even when there is faith involved or a request being given, Jesus still acts on our behalf out of compassion.

He walked this earth for a little over thirty years as God in the flesh. During that time He experienced sorrow, loneliness, pain, rejection, loss, and a host of other deep emotions. That is why He is able to enter into our sorrows with us. He knows how we feel because He knows how all of THAT feels. Each time we go through a time of grief He looks at us with compassion and quietly says, “Don’t cry.” The next time you experience what I am talking about, invite Him into the place where you are hurting. Then get ready to experience comfort and compassion in a whole new way!

Father, there are times I need to know the kind of compassion that You give so abundantly. I am learning to cry on Your shoulder and I am always touched by Your response to my grief. Amen.

Thought of, Known, and Valued

Are not five sparrows sold for two cents? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear, you are more valuable than many sparrows. Luke 12:6,7

We come into this world with many needs and this passage expresses three of them. We want to be thought of, known intimately, and valued. When those areas are met through loving parents it is easier to digest the fact that God feels that way toward us. But some of us lived with deprivation in one or more of those areas and it took years to realize God is different than our parents.

For me personally, the deprivation came because of alcoholism in our home. I would tell you to this day I was very close to my mom and had a special relationship with her. I cannot say the same thing about my dad. Nonetheless, in both cases they drank. My dad had a drinking problem throughout my life and my mom had a drinking problem during my pre-teen, teen, and young adult life. To this day I can remember the feelings of neglect and loneliness. There is no way for a child or even an adult to compete with “the bottle.”

I did not realize until recently that those same feelings carried over into my perception about God. They manifested themselves in feelings of being lost in a crowd, unknown, and not at all valued. The fact that God loved me was a generic, one-size fits all theology. I failed to see the preciousness of the truth of His love for myself. My soul craved more than what felt like empty words to me. After all, my parents said they loved me.

The change? It came as God introduced me to people who taught me what God’s love really looks and feels like and it came through seeing Scripture in a whole new light. The book of Psalms is filled with verses that tell me God delights in me. Zephaniah tells me God sings over me. Isaiah tells me God loves me so much He has inscribed me on the palms of His hands. My eyes get misty just reviewing these precious truths that have finally helped me see my heavenly Father in the right way.

Father, now when You say You love me it meets the deepest needs in my life. I no longer feel lost, lonely, or forgotten by You. Amen.

The Starting Place of Our Words

And at once his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he began to speak in praise of God. Luke 1:64

Silence had marked Zecharias’ life for almost a year. An angel had told him of his impending inability to speak because of his unbelief and said that would be his way of life until the things spoken had come to pass. Of course, God could have made his consequences for unbelief last until every prophet word about his son had come to pass but that was not the case. In actuality it lasted for eight days after his birth. Upon letting people know that he would be called John, Zecharias was finally able to speak his first words since his encounter in the temple. Can you imagine the how strange his own voice would have sounded?

His experience of living without speaking had given him plenty of time to think. I am sure he went through many emotions during that time. Maybe there were times of regret, self-pity, anger, frustration, and fear. But there is not a hint of this when he is given back the gift of speech. His ability to talk began with praise of God. This shows me that instead of harboring a bitter attitude he had cultivated a deeper walk with God. What came out of his mouth exposed what was in his heart. He had been given the gift of seeing first hand that God keeps His Word and accomplishes His will. God’s faithfulness, sovereignty, and control must have been a part of his voiced praise that day. What had built up for a little over nine months had finally been allowed to escape his lips and it was praise!

This causes me to think back to my own reaction to the uncomfortable events in my life. I have a choice as to what I choose to dwell on during those times. I can choose to dwell on the negative and grow bitter throughout my difficulty or I can choose to keep my eyes on Jesus and develop a heart of praise for what He is going to accomplish through all of it. I can take the attitude it will do me in or do me good. Whatever I choose will have a definite effect on the words that come from my mouth. If I am going to be like Zecharias when I come out on the other side of a hard time then I must take every thought captive as I go through the hard time.

Father, You have already said all things will work out for good. May I rejoice over the end of the story even when I don’t presently see it. Amen.

The Simplicity of Prayer

Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” 2 Kings 6:17

I love this story of Elisha and his servant. The king of Aram has sent an entire army to take Elisha captive. He is angry because Elisha is thwarting his military plans. Elisha’s servant is fearful as he sees his city being surrounded by this marauding band of Arameans. When he asks Elisha what they are going to do Elisha assures him there are more with them then with their enemy. Comforting words but not enough. Elisha then prays for a specific need his servant has. He simply asks God to open his eyes so he can see the truth of the situation. What the servant then sees changes his entire outlook for he sees the mountain full of horses and chariots of fire! What he could not accept by faith God allowed him to see with his physical eyes.

What strikes me this morning is the simplicity of Elisha’s prayer. Jesus said we must come to Him as a child. So often I have read those words and limited it to salvation. But the same is true as we approach God in prayer. When my children were small and they came to me for something they usually got right to the point. The request was simple as they pinpointed exactly what it was they wanted. As long as it was good for them and within my power to give them what they asked for, I usually did so. Imagine the things they would have missed out on had they never bothered to ask me! James 4:2 reminds me of this truth when God says, “You do not have because you do not ask.”

Elisha did not petition God with a fancy prayer or use a complicated prayer formula. His prayer was a mere eleven words in length but the ramifications were profound. I am not saying we should not persevere in prayer or never use a prayer formula. What I am saying is when we come before God with a request we can feel free to get right to the point. Some of the most profound answers to prayer for me have come from the simplest of prayers.

Father, may I not be intimidated by the thought of prayer. You never meant for it to be complicated or beyond my reach. I like that! Amen.

The Quality of Spoken Words

The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life….the tongue of the righteous is as choice silver…the lips of the righteous feed many…the mouth of the righteous flows with wisdom…..the lips of the righteous bring forth what is acceptable…the tongue of the wise brings healing…the lips of the wise will protect them….the tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable…the lips of the wise spread knowledge. Proverbs10:11, 20, 23, 31, 32; 12:18; 14:3; 15:2,7

Have you ever gotten so carried away with something that you found it difficult to stop? That is what happened when I started reading verses I had highlighted this past month. These positive phrases grabbed my attention and I found it impossible to choose just one to share. They cause me to ask myself if my words are portraying and accomplishing what is stated so eloquently. I long for them to be!

The older I get the more I am becoming aware of the power of words…for good or bad. Words can wound or heal. Words can encourage or discourage. Words can proclaim truth or spread lies. Words bring life to a situation or envelope it with death. Words value or devalue another person. Words can cheer a person on or stop them dead in their tracks. Since words originate in my heart, it is imperative that I examine my heart for dangerous words that would escape from my mouth.

Just by listening to myself or another person talk, I can tell by the words spoken if that person lives in fear, hostility, bitterness, anger, selfishness, or love, forgiveness, joy, wisdom, and righteousness. That is because words are a reflection of the heart. I am not talking about occasional conversations. I am referring to the patterns of a person’s speech. But I am here to tell you that as God begins to change the heart, the words will be transformed as well.

What would happen if a person took the above verses and prayed each one over themselves for a week? Asking God to anoint her with the kind of words that demonstrate the qualities listed. There is no doubt God would delight to hear such a request. Even praying just one of the phrases would result in a change for the good.

Father, Your Word is full of the qualities I desire in my own life….my speech in particular. Help me to be aware when my words do not reflect Your character and heart. Amen.

The Power to Turn the Words Away

Perhaps the LORD your God will hear all the words of Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to reproach the living God, and will rebuke the words which the LORD your God has heard. Therefore, offer a prayer for the remnant that is left. 2 Kings 19:4

We can so easily accept the things that are said about us. Some adults still carry the words spoken to them or over them from their childhood. Words that were spoken in anger, words that were spoken to hurt, words that were not true. I would venture to say that most of the negative thoughts we have about ourselves can be traced back to something that was said about us by our family, classmates, neighbors, or even church members. For some reason, we too easily dismiss what is true for what another person says or thinks. And worse yet, we accept what another person says over what God says in His Word about us.

I am learning more and more how important it is to know what God says about me. To find my value and worth in His Word. He has heard every negative accusation that has been leveled against me. His ears have been witness to the lies, misperceptions, and unreliable words spoken to, over, and against me. Each one of us have a trail of such sentences flung at us that stick like darts in our souls. God is the only One who can truly define me and place the appropriate labels over my life. For He is the only One who knows me thoroughly and can read my thoughts, motives, and intentions. Others are limited by what they see, perceive, and understand. But they are limited to the external view. Only God can look on the heart.

I love the reminder in this verse that God can rebuke what He has heard. One definition of rebuke is to turn back or keep down. I like to imagine the negative words like arrows being turned back by my Father.

Whether it is something presently being said or something that was said years ago I can rebuke it. I can stand up and say it is not true! Spoken out loud, my rebuke carries the power to turn back the words. It grounds me once again in the reality of who God says I am. While God says I am a sinner, He also says I am cherished, loved, the apple of His eye, delighted in, rejoiced over, engraved on the palms of His hands, and made in His image. He not only loves me unconditionally, He loves me completely!

Father, keep reminding me of what You know to be true. I turn my ears to hear Your whispers. Amen.

The Power of My Words

Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down, but a good word makes it glad. Proverbs 12:25

I am struck by the power of words. The most recent lesson I am learning to date is the choice I have to speak life or death over my situations, my relationships, my dreams, my family, and my internal or external world. I want to make sure that the words I release from my mouth will have the greatest, most positive effect on me as well as on the people within the range of my voice.

Knowing Scripture and the character of God are my two greatest assets to right speaking. As I implement them into my every day speech patterns, things begin to shift in a dramatic fashion. I have to realize that the things I feel, see, experience, and think must take a back seat to the realities of who God is and what He is able to do. If I only give voice to the doubts, discouragement, and fears, that will be what I wrap my soul in for the day. I will walk in defeat with a strong sense of hopelessness. I have been there and it is not enjoyable in the least! While there are times for being honest before God and admitting to Him and myself what is going on in my head, I must never leave the conversation on a down note.

David knew how to pour out his complaint before God but he always ended it with praise and proclamation of the power of God. There was no doubt that he felt more cared for by his heavenly Father than controlled by people or circumstances. A friend of mine once told me about the reversal rule. Rather than say, “I know the Lord is faithful but the situation looks hopeless” the reversal rule says, “The situation looks hopeless but I know the Lord is faithful.” That slight change puts the focus back on the Source of life.

The words that I choose to speak today will reveal a lot about what I really believe. They will reveal whether I believe God has more power or my circumstances have more power. They will reveal whether I walk in hopelessness or am held by Hope. God spoke the worlds into existence. What will I choose to speak into today? May they be words that express faith, truth, and power. I cannot live on anything less.

Father, I cringe when I think of the words that have been spoken by me in the past. May I live each day speaking words that empower myself and others. Amen.

The Permanence of His Gifts

Thus says the Lord GOD, “If the prince gives a gift out of his inheritance to any of his sons, it shall belong to his sons; it is their possession by inheritance.” Ezekiel 46:16

I have often heard it said if a person does not use the gifts God gives them they will lose them. But this morning I am seeing a principle in Scripture that challenges such thinking. Apparently if a gift of inheritance was given to a son it was given on a permanent basis. If a gift of inheritance was given to a servant it was his until the year of jubilee (the ending of every 50 years). As a child of God I can rest assured that the Prince of all princes lavishes His gifts on me and never takes them back. What security!

While it is true that I can miss an opportunity to use my gifts and that particular opportunity may not come my way again, the gift remains. It is also true that I have a gracious heavenly Father who will present other opportunities to use my gifts if I but ask. It wasn’t until recently that I began realizing and thanking God for the gifts He has freely given to me. It has been in recognizing the gifts that I am placing myself in a position to begin using them. Two come to mind this morning.

God has given me the gift of humor. For years I misused it and others misunderstood it. At one time, being funny was labeled as immature and became an area of shame for me. I tried to lock it away and keep it from surfacing. But God in His tenderness revealed to me the purpose of that gift…it was to bring laughter and delight to others. Now I thank Him for the opportunities to make another person smile and feel better.

Communication is the other gift. Whether in written or verbal form I love to communicate. If I am not careful this gift can be misused but God is showing me ways to use it properly and as I follow His lead I am amazed at what He does with the words. Like the humor, there was a time I thought I had to squelch the words but I never quite succeeded. Good thing!

Why the examples? To illustrate the fact that while I may misuse a gift, while some may misunderstand a gift, while I may go through a time of not even using a gift….it is still there. God will not remove it. He gave it to be used and will in time help me to use it for its intended purpose. The same is true for you, dear one.

Father, I often failed to see what You so freely gave. Now I treasure each gift and stand in awe of how You allow them to be used. Amen.

The One We Turn To

And He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And there was a woman who for eighteen years had had a sickness caused by a spirit; and she was bent double, and could not straighten up at all. Luke 13:10,11

Eighteen years! Think of what your life has been like for the past eighteen years. Now imagine living your life doubled over and unable to stand straight up, walk straight up, or even sit straight up. Looking at the ground and people’s feet instead of at the sky and into their faces. Humiliation would mark your daily existence. All could see your condition and their responses would probably range from pity to disgust.

We are not told the age of this woman so we don’t know how old she was when it happened to her. We are not told the circumstances that lead up to her condition. But we are told a spirit was involved. At some point in her life she was open and vulnerable to this attack and the enemy wasted no time in seeking to destroy her life.

I imagine her internal world was filled with shame, resignation, and hopelessness. She was robbed of more than the ability to stand straight. She was robbed of value, normalcy, comfort, dignity, and all the things we take for granted. How many people would have stayed involved in her life? How many places was she able to go? And yet on the Sabbath day we find her in the synagogue listening to Jesus’ teachings. While some would choose to blame God and turn bitter, this woman is still found in a place of worship.

I wonder how many would read this account and admit they are still affected by something that happened to them many years ago. It might have been brought on by themselves, by a family member, by a stranger, or even by the enemy himself. It may have come through a choice they made or, like Job, it may have happened even in the midst of living right. Consequences of our own choices, other people’s actions, or satanic attacks are not reasons to walk away from God. They are the very reasons we need to draw close to Him and allow Him to redeem what is left. The question is, will we do it?

Father, may nothing in my life cause me to turn away from You, blame You, or distrust You. You are the only One who knows me completely, loves me fully, and can still bring beauty for ashes. Amen.

The Master Teacher of Each Day

I have not turned aside from Your ordinances, for You Yourself have taught me. Psalm 119:102

When I taught school, nothing blessed my heart more than seeing students sitting on the edge of their seat taking in everything that was being taught. I took delight in their hunger to learn. And God takes delight in my hunger to learn from Him. Throughout Psalm 119, David continually asks God to teach him. There is no doubt he sits on the edge of his seat of life with a ravenous appetite to learn from the Master Teacher. He knows it is the most essential element to his life.
What strikes me this morning is David’s realization that it is God Himself who is his teacher! David was not only in love with God’s Word but he was in love with the God of God’s Word. His appetite was huge, his passion was deep, and his teachable spirit was profound.

God has the same desire for each of us. He notices when one of His children is longing to hear His voice. He sees the eagerness in their eyes, the thirst in their spirit, and the openness of their mind to what He has to teach them. He honors the short cries of their heart like, “Show me Yourself. Teach me Your ways. Let me know You better.” He is a God who wants to be known by His creation! His intent is that we go through each day taking in His lessons of life.

Whether I am reading His Word, sitting under a speaker, reading a book, taking a walk, listening to music, or doing any number of other things, God wants to speak to me and teach me valuable things. I don’t want to miss any of it! I want Him to be my primary Teacher. So even when it is another individual doing the talking or writing, I want to sense His voice coming through their words. And I see that happen every time I really connect with what I am hearing or reading. It is like an antihistamine for my spirit. My thinking becomes clear, the truth is very understandable, and I walk in confidence that God has just given me a one on one lesson!

God’s classroom door is always open. May I step in, take a seat, and drink in all that He has to say to me today. It will affect not only my thinking but my actions, attitudes, and words as well.

Father, You are the ultimate Teacher. I am ready to listen and learn in Your presence today. May I not miss a thing! Amen.

The Hand of the Lord

All who heard them kept them in mind saying, “What then will this child turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was certainly with him. Luke 1:66

Whenever I read the phrase ‘the hand of the Lord’ I instantly picture a hand like mine only larger. The word hand is used in many ways today. A person can be given a handout, a child can be a hand full, a person can offer a helping hand, we can have a hand in things. A grandmother in anticipation of the birth of a grandchild may say, “I can’t wait to get my hands on him.” That is far different from a person seeking revenge saying “Wait until I get my hands on you!” So I was curious as to what ‘the hand of the Lord’ meant.

In the Old and New Testaments there are many references to it and they mostly refer to God’s power, means, direction, nearness, guidance, and leadership. Hence, God’s intent seems to be to assist, empower, and direct us. The Lord’s hands involve provision, protection, chastisement, healing, comfort, or favor. He is a personal God who is deeply involved in every one of our life. As I become more aware of this, it changes the way I look at life…..at my life.

It is interesting to watch people’s responses to God’s hand in their life. Some harden their heart with an air of independence while others are fully aware of their need of Him. Some squirm under His hand while others find it a place of rest and assurance. It is trust versus mistrust. Much has to do with our understanding of who God is and what His character is like. If we view Him as One who is angry with us, out to get us, or disappointed in us we have a tendency to keep our distance. But if we learn the truth about God and His radical love for us we are drawn toward Him. His hand becomes something we welcome in our life.

May each one of us feel the weight of God’s hand on us today. May we be aware of His very presence and power in our life. And just like in the case of Zacharias’ son, may others see the hand of the Lord with us and wonder how our life will turn out.

Father, You formed me in my mother’s womb and You have continually kept Your hand upon me. May I not only sense Your hand on me but may I see Your fingerprints all over my life! Amen.

The Cure For What Troubles Me

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3:5,6 (KJV)

If I had to put this passage into my own words, it might read something like this, “Put full confidence in the Lord with your entire emotions, will, and intellect. Do not rely on your own interpretation of things. In every situation and part of your life know God and realize His presence, and He will definitely make the road you travel straight and discernable.”

This is such a common verse and there are times I say it with little or no thought. But in moments of doubt, fear, or apprehension I need it to be more than just a cliché to me. I need it to be my lifeboat on the storms of my soul. I need it to be my compass when I have lost my way. And like last night, I need it to be the words that rock me to sleep when I wake in the night with uncertainties racing through my mind.

For each of us, there are different reasons this passage of Scripture becomes a lifeline. It is usually an area that is out of our control and something that means a lot to us. Some of those areas might be the loss of a job, a serious health issue, uncertain future, important decisions, places of danger, family issues, or change in relationships.

God has given each of us the unique abilities to figure things out and consider our options. We love to brainstorm and see the best way to approach certain situations. There is nothing wrong with any of that. But when that simple exercise fills us with worry and causes us to lose sleep we have begun to live life far removed from Proverbs 3:5,6.

What this passage causes me to do this morning is review God’s character, power, and control. One way I do that is by reviewing incidents in the Bible of God’s intervention, direction, provision, and protection in the lives of His children. I belong to Him! And unless I am living in direct defiance of His will, I can be sure that each day He will straighten the path for me to walk on. This morning He quiets my heart and stills my fears with His words to me. I will go through the day digesting and embracing the truth of what He is saying.

Speak, Lord. I am listening. Amen.

The Cure for Cupidity

Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” Luke 12:15 NIV

Have you ever made the mistake of defining your life by the many things you possess? Thinking you are what you have? A greedy person assumes that is how it works. The more he possesses the more he thinks of himself as important, valuable, successful, and a notch above others. Jesus makes it very clear that possessions do not define us and they should not be what we use to define others.

There are a couple of reasons for this. Possessions are external and temporary. They tell very little of what the person is like on the inside. Possessions cannot satisfy the deepest desires of our heart. Have you ever noticed how something can excite you for a time but all too quickly your attention is drawn toward the next thing you want? Greed causes people to live in a constant state of dissatisfaction, ingratitude, and discontentment. It tells them the answer is found in accumulating more, but the truth of the matter is obtaining more to find satisfaction is like pouring water into a bucket with many holes. God did not create us with the ability to be satisfied or defined by the things we have.

If I am looking to anything or anyone to satisfy me or define me other than God and my relationship with Him, I am in danger and headed for disappointment. How do I know if this is the case? My days will be spent looking at what others have and wanting it for myself. There will be a sense of restlessness. My happiness will be contingent on possessing it for myself. I will live with an overall feeling of dissatisfaction.

So what is the cure for the excessive desire to get more? Cultivating a heart of gratitude for what I presently have. Reviewing the truth that God defines me….not possessions or relationships. Setting my heart on those things which have eternal value. Coming against the spirit of greed with prayer and Scripture. Asking God to show me where I am presently living my life out of greed and repenting of it. In Christ there is a cure for cupidity.

Father, there are many things I long for. Change me! Amen.

The Benefits of Exposure

And they have not exposed your iniquity so as to restore you from captivity. Lamentations 2:14

Ever since Adam and Eve tried to hide behind fig leaves, people have tried to hide the issues and sins of their heart. We use many techniques to avoid confronting and confessing the things in our life that are not good. Excuses abound in hopes that somehow we can circumvent dealing with the truth. Many times we forget God’s purpose in revealing those things we are trying so hard to hide.

Two of God’s motives for exposing our sin are for restoration and release. He wants nothing more than for us to be restored to right fellowship with Him. But He also wants us released from the things that have us in their grip. The first step someone must take when trying to overcome an addiction, be it with drugs, alcohol, food, or relationships, is to admit there is a problem. As long as they just keep referring back to the many reasons they have the addiction nothing will happen.

Lamentations is a short five chapter book that depicts God’s people under judgment for their sin and rebellion. While God holds them personally responsible for their actions He also makes it clear that part of the problem has been in the false prophets who did not point out their sins so that they could be restored from captivity. They sugar coated their messages to appease the masses. They said what people wanted to hear rather than what they needed to hear. They actually hindered God’s work rather than helped it.

I see two extremes in our pulpits today. While some pastors never mention sin and warn of consequences others are all too happy to brow beat and shame their congregations. Sitting under the first gives people a false sense of security in the way they are living their Christian life. Sitting under the second causes people to walk in shame, condemnation, and the feeling that they just can never measure up. Both ways leave out the very heart of God. While God does not ignore sin, neither does He expose it for the sole purpose of letting us know how horrible we are. He is a loving Shepherd who wants to woo us back to Himself. His motives are always for our good. May we find a good balance between hiding and harping!

Father, I am learning to trust the exposure of my heart to You. Show me my own captivity and any area that hinders fellowship with You. Amen.

The Antidote For Play Acting

And the Lord answered him and said, “You hypocrites, does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the stall and lead him away to water him? And this woman, a daughter of Abraham as she is, whom Satan has bound for eighteen long years, should she not have been released from this bond on the Sabbath day?” Luke 13:15,16

Have you ever had God ask you a direct question about your internal world? Jesus knew how to ask good, heart-probing questions to the people who had learned to play the pretend game so well. He could pinpoint the exact area that stood in the way of any person coming to know Him in a personal way. The religious leaders of His day had become masters at the game of hypocrisy. They used words and actions to attempt to cover up the hidden agendas, motives, and deceptions of their own heart. Their mantra in life was, “I am what I pretend to be.” Apparently they had become quite good at fooling other people and maybe even at fooling themselves. But Jesus wasn’t fooled and He had no trouble in letting them know what He saw. Having been confronted with such truth, what would they choose to do with it?

I ask myself the same question this morning. I am learning the wisdom and necessity of coming to God on a daily basis and asking Him to reveal my own heart to me. For if I do not allow Him to “search me and know me” I will too easily walk through my day in a pretend mode. So I must go to Him and ask Him to show me where I am being a hypocrite, where I am being judgmental, where I am being unloving, where I am harboring hidden agendas and wrong attitudes. I cannot trust what others might say about me. I cannot even trust what I think of myself. God is the only One who knows me thoroughly.

It is very much like exploratory surgery. The purpose is to expose the problem and remove it. God wants to reveal truths to me about myself in order to bring about change. Not behavior modification but genuine transformation. May I stop assuming the role of a stage character in any area of my life and allow God to make me genuine and authentic, so that what is seen on the outside is a true reflection of what is on the inside.

Father, there are things You will show me about myself. I look to You for each revelation and desire change to come. Amen.

Telling Your Story

And Gehazi said, ‘My lord, O king, this is the woman and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life.’ When the king asked the woman, she related it to him. 2 Kings 8:5,6

The Shunammite woman has sought an audience with the king. She has just returned from a seven year absence due to a famine in her home land about which Elisha had warned her. She plans to make a request of the king for the return of her property. But she has entered his presence at a time when Elisha’s servant is actually telling the king about God raising her son from the dead! Upon learning this is the woman, the king asks her to share her story and she does. I am sure it is a story she has already told countless times and has never tired of sharing it. Her story was one of God allowing her barren womb to conceive a son, that son dieing later on, and then that son being brought back to life. Not only must she have enjoyed sharing it but so did God as He had it recorded in Scripture for future generations to read.

Each of us have stories living in us. Many of us will never stand before audiences to tell of God’s intervention, provision, and power in our own lives but there will be opportunities to share our stories with individuals. What God has done in us can restore hope to another person’s situation. As we share, we are saying in essence, “The God of the universe is personally involved in not only my life but in yours as well.” God does not mean for us to keep the stories to ourselves. Each time we tell them they come alive and infuse truth into another person’s life. I cannot tell you the number of times I have listened to a person’s story only to walk away and say to myself, “If God can do that for that person, He can work in my life as well!”

The stories recorded in Scripture are meant to reveal truth to us about God. They show us who He is, what He is like, what He can do, and how He works. Today, God wants to use each of us who know Him to continue to reveal Him to others by telling our stories of His involvement in our life. May we do so with gratitude and passion!

Father, I love to tell the stories of my salvation and finding freedom in Christ. Right now You are writing a new story that I don’t know the ending of yet. As people come across my path may those stories live with power as I share them. Amen.

Taking a Hard Look at My Prayer Life

It may be the LORD thy God will hear all the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living God; and will reprove the words which the LORD thy God hath heard; wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that are left. 2 Kings 19:4

Does prayer really make a difference? Look at this verse and see the challenge that lies before us to lift up our prayers on behalf of others! I compare this verse to Ezekiel 22:30 & 31 where God says He looked for someone to intercede in prayer on behalf of His nation so He would not destroy them but He found no one. The result was destruction instead of deliverance. How different the story would have been had someone stood in that gap and lifted up their prayers for God’s mercy.

Hezekiah took the challenge and the results were incredible! He went to God with acknowledgement of who God is and what He had done, acknowledgement of who his enemy was and what he had done, and then got very specific as to what he wanted God to do on their behalf. The result was that God sent an angel to kill 185,000 Assyrian soldiers and thwarted their plans to attack His people! Did prayer make a difference? You bet it did!

My own prayer life is being challenged this morning. I am asking myself some questions that are uncomfortable but necessary to answer. Do I pray for myself and others believing it will make a difference? Does the idea that God is sovereign cause me to think it is useless to pray because God is going to do what He wants anyway? Do I come to God with expectancy, boldness, and confidence? Do I take the challenge to pray seriously? Do I spend more time thinking about the need to pray instead of actually praying? Has my prayer life been reduced to such general phrases that are so hazy that I am not only unsure of what it is I really want God to do but can’t begin to know how they have been answered?

None of these questions are coming to my mind as condemnation but rather as a realization that God wants me to have an effective prayer life. He wants me to interact with Him and see how my prayers can move Him to act in mighty ways on behalf of myself and others. It is time for a change!

Father, my prayer life needs a radical over haul! I see the problem and I turn to You for help in this area of my life. Amen.

What It Means to Stay

The Lord was my stay. 2 Samuel 22:19b KJV

Let him trust in the name of the LORD, and stay upon his God. Isaiah 50:10b KJV

We often hear words but don’t fully grasp their meaning or significance. One thing I have come to appreciate about God’s Word is its richness and depth. When I read a verse and understand where it applies to my life, situation, and circumstances, it infuses within me a confidence to move forward with renewed strength, joy, and resolve. Such is the case with the word ‘stay.’

When God is referred to as my stay, it means He is my support. He is the One who holds me up and gives me strength. He is the One who keeps me on course and establishes my way. How assuring and securing it is to realize God is the One who will protect, hold, bear, carry, prop, sustain, maintain, shore up, keep up, back, provide for, confirm, and affirm me. No wonder David often referred to Him as his rock, strong hold, shelter, and tower! He is our stability in a world that can seem like anything but stable.

Once we see God as our stay, we can heed the words of Isaiah when he says to stay upon God. Who better to rely upon, lean on, lie in, rest upon, take hold of, and stand fast in? Like a trusting child in the arms of a loving parent, God woos me into a restful relationship with Himself. He knows that any relationships I look to for security will leave me wanting. He knows that all the external things of life that I would attempt to draw strength and support from would fail. He loves me too much to allow anything or anyone to take His place or give me what He offers.

So when I am faced with disappointment, discouragement, confusion, uncertainty, or doubt He invites me to stay on Him. When there is a vagueness to my journey, valleys to walk through, or trials to endure He welcomes me to stay on Him. And even in the times when things go my way, joys abound, and life feels good He still whispers, “Stay on Me.” That is why the song writer so eloquently said, “Stayed upon Jehovah, hearts are fully blessed. Finding as He promised, perfect peace and rest.”

Father, I rest in You because You are my stay! No one else can hold me, assure me, or comfort me like You can. Thank you for offering me the shadow of Your wings to abide under. Amen.

Take It To Heart

If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto My name, saith the Lord of hosts. Malachi 2:2a

Anyone who has children or works with children knows the frustration that comes when your words fall on "deaf" ears. Many parents resort to having their children make eye contact with them and then repeat what was said to them. But the real test as to whether or not the child took in what was said is whether or not he acts upon it.

Malachi records God's words to the priests when He gave two desires of His. That they would listen and that they would lay His words to heart. Or as we would say "take it to heart." When something is taken to heart it is carried through and acted upon. The recipient goes beyond just doing what is told to him. He understands the heart wishes of the one speaking. His heart has been engaged ~ not just his ears and his mind.

Someone once said, "I please the one I love the most." When God is the One I love the most, I take His Words to heart and I make personal applications to my life. It goes beyond duty and becomes my joy! Paul said, "The love of Christ constrains me." In ourselves we come up short in loving God consistently. Perfection in that area (as well as in all areas) will not be attained until Heaven.

So daily we must come to God and ask Him to help us take His words to heart. Not just His words of correction but also His words of love and affirmation. I say this because I use to struggle to know I could own for myself the positive verses in scripture. Words of judgment and condemnation were easily applied to myself. They seemed to fit the false view of God I held. To me, He was a harsh judge who tolerated me more than He loved me.

The day I realized His love was not dependent on what I did was the day I began to see Him as the loving heavenly Father that He is, One who actually likes me, and One whose arms were no longer folded. When I understand the truth about God I am ready to listen and take His words to heart. For too many years my false view of God resulted in an inability to hear Him speak to me. My heart was closed to receiving His words. I walked empty.

Father, thank you for restoring my sight, my hearing, and my life! Amen.

Suspicions of the Heart

Perhaps the Spirit of the LORD has taken him up and cast him on some mountain or into some valley. 2 Kings 2:16 (New American Standard Bible)

Fifty prophets witnessed some remarkable events. They saw Elijah and Elisha cross the Jordan River on dry ground. They saw Elijah depart for Heaven in a chariot of fire. They saw Elisha cross back over the Jordan River on dry land. They proclaimed the truth that Elijah’s spirit now rested on Elisha. After all that, I am amazed that their suspicions of God surface. They not only entertain thoughts of God tossing Elijah’s body into a mountain or valley grave, but they actually voice the suspicions. They want to search for the body they are sure God has dumped. I’ll give them this much, they are not guilty of hiding their true feelings and thoughts.

This is no new experience for God. Ever since the Garden of Eden man has continually raised a suspicious eye brow to God and questioned His character, motives, power, love, and heart. When life gets messy and uncomfortable the nagging accusations against God begin to rear their ugly heads. I have to admit to many times in my own life when the spirit of suspicion desires to instill in me lies about my heavenly Father. Times when deep down inside my heart are the statements too dark to voice. Statements like, “God doesn’t care. He doesn’t see what is happening to me. He isn’t involved in my life. I am of no concern to Him. He enjoys seeing me struggle. I am just one of many to Him. He has more important things to tend to.” The list could go on and on. All lies but all desirous to see me stay in a position of fear, discouragement, and shame.

It is a horrible way to live the Christian life. For years I did not know God was the One I needed to take those thoughts to. The very One who could defeat the thoughts was the One I stood suspicious of. The enemy of my soul loved the fact that I remained in a prison cell from which God longed to release me. How He aches for each of His children to know the truth about Him. He longs to help us replace the lies and distortions with truth from His Word and His Spirit. While the wrong thoughts have abounded, He is still in the business of causing blind eyes to see!

Father, I acknowledge my suspicions so that You can extract them from my mind and implant me with the truth about Yourself. This is a process we must journey together. I place my heart in Your hands where I know it will be well cared for. Amen.

Standing In Amazement

And amazement came upon them all, and they began talking with one another saying, “What is this message? For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits and they come out.” Luke 4:36

When was the last time you stood in amazement? Perhaps it was at receiving something you never dreamed would be yours. Or you saw something that took your breath away. Someone did or said something that left you speechless. Perhaps you can relate with a friend of mine who after two years of struggling with infertility has finally heard those long awaited words, “You are pregnant!” She is so amazed that God moved on her behalf and blessed her with her heart’s desire. I rejoice with her!

The people at a synagogue in Capernaum were amazed at Jesus’ teaching as well as his intervention in the life of a man possessed by a demon. It was a short but powerful moment. This demon, more than anyone else in the room, knew who Jesus was and knew that even he had to obey His commands. And Jesus’ command was effective! “Be quiet and come out of him!” was said with such authority and power that the demon was forced to leave and the crowd stood in amazement. They left this church service like they had never left one before. They couldn’t stop talking about it or thinking about it.

That is what I want my relationship with God to be like on a daily basis. When I open His Word I want the wisdom and beauty of what I read to amaze me. When I receive His encouragement throughout the day, take in a new truth, see Him work out situations, experience His power in my life, watch Him intervene in the life of a loved one, or even open the barren womb of a friend, I want to be so amazed I can’t talk about it or think about it enough.

A number of truths come to mind that amazed me when I first saw them. God’s love is not dependent on what I do. God’s forgiveness is complete. Freedom in Christ is a gift God loves to bestow on us. Prayer is a two-way conversation. The positive verses in the Bible are meant for me. God has a specific call on my life. Tears often flowed as truth entered. May I never lose the desire or ability to be amazed by my Abba Father.

Father, I truly stand amazed in Your presence! May amazement fall fresh on me today. May I not allow anything or anyone to amaze me more than You. Amen.

It is Meant to Go Both Ways

You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance. I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you. Psalm 32:7,8 NASB

My concept of prayer was distorted for many years because I was under the impression that while praying I was the one who was suppose to do all the talking. It was a one-sided conversation that left me feeling quite alone and disconnected. Much like speaking into a tape recorder rather than having a two-way conversation over the phone. My prayer life took on a whole new dimension when an insightful person shared this profound truth with me: “Prayer is meant to be a dialogue not a monologue.” Talk about a huge revelation! Today’s passage is a demonstration of one such dialogue between God and David.

As David is proclaiming the truth about who God is, God is declaring what He will do! David isn’t asking God to be his hiding place, his preserver, or his deliverer. He is stating those things as facts. May that concept alone reshape my prayers. Many have been the times I have asked God to be certain things for me when all the while I should have been proclaiming that He WAS those things to me. Just imagine God’s delight when we voice to Him, “You are my strength, my help, my refuge, my stronghold, my comforter, my friend, my counselor, my protector, my shepherd, my rock, my guide, my deliverer!”

Once we have stated those truths we need to take the time to listen for God’s response. He gave one to David and He desires to do the same for us. It may be Scripture He brings to mind, a song, or just a thought that you know came from Him. I think back to moments when the dialogue has been that real for me. I can remember a time I cried out to Him that I felt worthless and mattered to no one. His response? “You matter to Me.” The tears flowed as I drank in His words to me. How incredible to realize that God not only hears us when we pray but He has something to say to us as well!

Father, open my ears to Your voice. May my prayers never again be one-sided. May listening be as much a part of my prayer life as speaking has been. Amen.

Having the Right List

I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonders. I will be glad and exult in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High. Psalm 9:1,2 NASB

David knew the secret of living a victorious life no matter the circumstances, fears, sorrows, troubles, problems, heartaches, failures, or difficulties…..and he had plenty of those! It came down to choices. Turn to just about any Psalm and you will find something David has made up his mind to do. Each proclamation begins with a confident and determined “I will!” One of the reasons for that is David knew that where the mind went the man would follow. He knew that his words and actions were birthed in his thoughts. It is there they start as seeds and later come to fruition.

What would an “I will” list look like if we were to write one this morning? What would it sound like if we dared to speak it out loud? How different our day would be if we were to start it by saying, “I will trust God. I will tell others about Him. I will acknowledge Him. I will obey Him. I will make His plans my priority today. I will praise Him with words, music, actions, and activities. I will talk to Him and about Him. I will rejoice in Him. I will believe Him. I will follow Him. I will focus on Him. I will think about Him. I will serve Him. I will depend upon Him. I will go to Him. I will receive from Him. I will confide in Him. I will stand in awe of Him.” Oh, my, the list is endless!

This must be an active process we walk through. For if we do not intentionally determine our course of action for today, our list may look very different. It might read more like, “I will gossip. I will complain. I will argue. I will hold a grudge. I will worry. I will struggle. I will fail. I will miss all that God has for me.”

All I have to do is read through both those lists and my spirit reacts differently to them. The first list is empowering while the second is draining. The first builds confidence while the second robs me of peace and joy. I know which one I would rather live my life out of. But it is not just a matter of positive thinking. It is when I take my determined will and combine it with God’s will, Spirit, and Word that the victory comes.

Father, You know what today holds. Help me to formulate a list full of strength and confidence. Walking in victory will start with the steps taken in my mind. Amen.

Proof That Isn't True

And he left his garment in her hand and fled, and went outside. Genesis 39:12

There are parts of Joseph’s life that are so disturbing. He paid a high price for untrue things that were said and believed about him. Twice we see incidents where he is doing what he is suppose to do and yet “evidence” is presented that is used to paint an untrue picture about him. The result was separation and imprisonment.

In Genesis 37, Joseph is sent to check up on his brothers. His visit with them results in him being sold as a slave to some passing merchants. As a way of covering their tracks his brothers take his special coat that his father gave to him, dip it in the blood of an animal, and present it as apparent “proof” that he is no longer alive. Heartbroken and full of grief, his father accepts what he sees and what he is told as truth.

In Genesis 39, Joseph is bought as a slave and rises to a prominent position in Potiphar’s house. He refuses the advancements of Potiphar’s wife and runs, leaving his garment behind. As a way of hiding her own tracks, Potiphar’s wife takes his garment, holds it up to her husband as “proof” of Joseph’s intentions, and proceeds to malign Joseph’s character. Full of anger and rage, he accepts what he sees and what he is told as truth.

What was presented as truth and believed to be true was not true! How imperative it is that we not be found presenting lies as truth and also that we not be found accepting lies as truth. May we walk with integrity and discernment when it comes to handling and accepting actual truth.

And may we follow Joseph’s example when lies about us are being spoken and believed. God knows the true nature of our hearts, intentions, and actions. If we entrust the situation to Him, He will make sure the truth is eventually known. In the mean time, we must continue to live out each day with a determination to do what is right and faithfully carry out His plans for us. We cannot control what others may say or believe about us but we can rest in the fact that our Heavenly Father knows the truth. That knowledge alone should cause us to hold our heads up high when others would shake their heads because of faulty beliefs. In time, He will expose the truth and bring about what He intended for our life.

Father, when it is all said and done, I rest in the fact that You know the truth. No one else’s opinion or beliefs compare to Yours. Amen.