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Isaiah 43:19 "Behold, I will do a new thing."

God has always been a God of new things. He has never been a hand me down God and doesn't like to settle into the old or become stagnant in His works. Everything God creates is fresh. Each mountain, river, and ocean is distinctly different, as is all of His other works of nature. He is a master artist and every day He creates a new sunrise and a new sunset that is never to be repeated. God's work is glorious and profound, and like He said in Genesis, "It is always good."

God makes a wonderful promise through Isaiah, the prophet, to do a new thing for His people. He promised to make a way in the wilderness and create streams in the desert places for them. He also promised to give them a path in the mighty waters. He declared that He was their Lord, their Holy One, their Creator, and King. He was all that they needed and all they would ever need. God also promised new things for us. When we receive Jesus into our hearts, we become a new creature with a new covenant and He gives us a new name (Revelations 2:17). He creates within us a new heart and imparts a new Spirit into our lives (Ezekiel 36:26). He instructs us to put on the new man (Ephesians 4:24) and gives us a new commandment and a new song (Psalm 40:3). When He touches our lives with these new things we are totally transformed.

As you face the New Year, believe God to do new things in your life. Remember that He is still your Creator. Regardless of whether you are faced with a wilderness place or a dry barren desert, God has the answer. He will make a way, create a stream, or do whatever is necessary to help you through your dilemma and correct your situation. Trust in Him with all of your heart and don't lean upon your own understanding. In all of your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths. Don't base today's answer on yesterday's solutions, for God is doing a new thing in your life. +++

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01/04/05
KEEP THAT WHICH IS COMMITTED

Scripture: I Timothy 6:20 "Keep that which is committed to your trust ... "

Another year lies before us and as with everything new and fresh, it begins with excitement. At the beginning of the year, it is easy to commit to change, for there are new calendars to fill in, new journals to start, and new resolutions to make. It's even easy to start a diet during this season because we are tired of all the food that we have consumed over the holidays. Yet, as we go through the days and months ahead, we must realize that most of our commitments will be challenged. As we settle into the routine affairs of life, the new will eventually wear off and the fresh season of change will disappear. We will again find ourselves facing the mundane process of daily business. We face pressures, experience disappointments, and have to overcome the obstacles that appear in our path. This is life.

God is very gracious and giving and He commits many things into our hands. He then tells us to keep those things that He has committed to us. He gives us family and friends, finances, professions and ministries, material things, and our own being, but He expects us to guard and protect them. He also gives us intangible things such as the revelation of His word, spiritual gifts, talents, and time, but makes us the stewards over them. He diligently watches to see what care we give to these things that He has committed to our trust. Throughout His word, God gives us instructions and examples to show us how we are to manage and handle all of these blessings, for they are not to be taken for granted or abused but to be handled with wisdom and discretion. Yet, He doesn't just give us rules and regulations but instills His nature within us so that His character can dictate our actions.

As we think about the new year and the blessings that have been committed to us, let us be passionate and determined in our resolve to keep them even though many challenges will come our way. Let us not grow weary but hold tightly to the natural and spiritual things that the Lord has so graciously entrusted to us. Let us understand that He trusted us enough to make us managers over our own lives and His work here on Earth. With His help, let us do the best we can to manage His endowment in a way that pleases Him. +++

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01/05/05
TRUST HIS SOLUTIONS

Scripture: James 1:2 "When you fall into various temptations..."

James, the writer of this epistle, took it for granted that the followers of Jesus Christ would encounter various trials and temptations. He was aware that challenges would come against their deep desire to walk uprightly. He knew falls were inevitable, as he did not say "if" you fall, but rather "when" you fall. Falls are never planned. They just happen suddenly and without warning. You find yourself going down, but there's nothing you can do but brace yourself and hope for the best.

In verses two through five, James gives instructions as to what to do when we fall into temptation and our faith is being tried. He says, "When you fall, be joyful, be patient, and ask God for wisdom." Maintaining joy and patience puts enormous pressure on the devil. As we respond to the situation in joy, we are letting the devil know that we believe that God is still the One on the throne, and that He is in control regardless of what is happening. As we remain patient, allowing God to do a perfect work, we in essence show that we are trusting God's perfect timing. Our faith speaks and says, "everything is in God's hands." We are assured that He will not put more upon us than we are able to bear. We know that if things get too rough, God will make a way of escape. He is the keeper of His word.

However, our enemy, the devil, is roaming about seeking whom he can devour and we are his open prey. He knows our individual weaknesses and uses every means to cause us to stumble and fall. But if we ask God for His guidance and help, He will provide a way out of every temptation and trial. He is the God of all wisdom and He is still the Almighty Creator. He will create a way where there seems to be none. He can make a way in the wilderness or streams in the desert. Nothing is too hard or impossible with God. He specializes in rivers that seem to be uncrossable and mountains that can't be tunneled through. His wisdom is so much higher than our wisdom and He can do what no other power can do. He is the God of all grace, and He wants to impart Himself and His wisdom to you. He has your best interest in mind. In the midst of temptation, stop for a moment and in simple faith ask God for His wisdom and then trust His solutions. +++

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01/07/05
FAITH IN GOD

Scripture: Mark 11:22 "Jesus answered and said unto them, Have faith in God."

Jesus instructed His followers to "Have faith in God." He then proceeded to say, "Speak to the mountain to be removed and cast into the sea." He said, "If you don't doubt in your heart, then you will receive those things which you say." Jesus made it very plain that we must first have faith before our confessions of faith will come to pass. Yet, we tend to complicate and reverse His instructions. Instead of developing our faith in God, we base our faith in our own abilities and presume upon God to honor our confessions. We have developed our formula and even titled it "name it and claim it."

However, according to Romans 10:17 faith doesn't come by hearing our own words. It comes when we hear what God is saying to us. In other words, if God "names it," then we can "claim it" for we know that He is speaking His will into our lives. I John 5:14-15 says, "This is the confidence that we have in God, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us; and if we know that He hears us, we know that we have whatever we ask of Him."

If you are in a place of adversity right now and are facing an enormous mountain of difficulty, don't just try to cast it into the sea with your own words and confessions. Find out what God is saying about your situation. Faith is not of yourself. It is a gift that God instills in your heart (Ephesians 2:8). The father who requested healing for his son in Mark 9:24 had to ask God to increase his faith. He cried out to Jesus, "I believe, but please help me overcome my unbelief." When God speaks, His voice will give light to your vision and life to your faith. His word in your ear will drive out doubt and unbelief and His Spirit will empower you. The Lord says, "It will not be by your might, nor by your power, but by My Spirit" (Zechariah 4:6). When you make true confessions that are in line with God's word and in agreement with His will, His Spirit will tear down the great mountain in your life by crying "Grace, grace unto it". Don't lean upon your own strength, but have faith in what God has spoken to you and then allow Him to use that faith as you speak to your mountain. +++

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Scripture: II Corinthians 6:2 "...Now is the accepted time; behold now is the day of salvation."

Many times we sit passively by, waiting for the manifestation of God's awesome works. We may grow weary and impatient in the process and question God saying, "When." "When am I going to be delivered from this situation or when are you going to move on my behalf?" God's firm answer is, "Now." "Now is the acceptable time; now is the day of salvation."

God is waiting for us to appropriate the provisions of His promises for our own lives. He wants to answer our prayers and see more of His wonders accomplished in our lives today than He has in the past seasons of our lives. Our faith has the power to change our destiny and reverse our circumstances if we just activate it. God longs for us to go from glory to glory by the anointing of His Holy Spirit. He rejoices when we take hold of what He has promised and made possible through the life, death, and resurrection of His Son. He is pleased as He witnesses our spiritual growth when His word illuminates our spirit with the revelation of His awesome power. He rejoices as we receive answers to our prayers and solutions for our problems. It thrills Him when He sees us celebrate our victories because we have overcome our adversaries.

When Jesus died on the cross, He declared that the work of Calvary was finished and that redemption was complete. Healing had been paid for by the painful stripes that had been laid upon His back. Agony and emotional stress were conquered as He sweat great drops of blood in the Garden of Gethsemane. Peace and clarity of mind had been secured by the crown of thorns that pierced His tender brow. Our shame was renounced as He, Himself, hung upon the cross in our place. He unselfishly sacrificed His body and blood to pay the awful price of our sin and to overturn the curse of the law so that our day of salvation could be announced. Let us rejoice in the good news of this gospel. +++

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01/11/05
BE AN EXAMPLE

Scripture: I Timothy 4:12 "Be an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity."

There is an awesome power that dwells within our being. Romans 8:11 tells us that it is the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead and it is so powerful that it quickens our mortal body. It also empowers us to minister to others as we touch their lives in a personal way. Our mission doesn't start with a vision and then end when we reach that goal. Our purpose is fulfilled as we make our journey towards our goal. Our assignments are our family, our jobs, our friends, and our church. Each and every gift that God has so graciously endowed to us belongs to them.

There is a great need and an abundant harvest before us. If we remain sensitive in our spirit, we will recognize that no place is meaningless. No matter where we find ourselves, that place is an open mission field to hurting souls, for everyone has needs of one kind or another. Those who deny their need of others are living behind walls of deception that they have constructed to protect themselves for one reason or the other. These individuals need our love most of all. It may be a stranger you meet who has a scowl upon his face. A consistent smile on your part may turn his life around. I ventured to smile at someone each morning as I passed them at the post office. The response that I received caused me to never want to smile at them again. But as the days went by, the smiles I gave away soon returned to me. I began to understand that the scowl was a billboard that simply advertised the pain that was in the heart.

The Apostle Paul told Timothy to be an example of the believers. He was supposed to show what a believer did through the actions of his own daily life. He was to put God above the system of the world. We must make a decision to do the same and then keep that commitment. An example of a believer is one who is willing to make sacrifices as Christ did for the church. We must allow the anointing of God's Spirit to flow through us and quicken us in such a manner that as we touch others it will cause them to come alive. Our words should be examples, ministering grace to the hearer. Our love and faith should ignite the love and faith in others. Our conversation and life should enhance the way they live their lives and our purity should convict them to remain pure. These six words can change the world about you; Be An Example Of The Believers." +++

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01/12/05

YOUR FRUIT IN YOUR SEASON

Scripture: Psalms 1:3 "He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth his fruit in his season."

The first verses of this psalm explain the process and conditions of blessings and spiritual fruit. They declare that you can't expect blessings or fruit in your life if you walk with the ungodly, stand in the place where sinners congregate, or sit with those who are scornful. Exposing yourself to these conditions will cause you to wither and dry up within. It is like planting a perfectly good plant in the dry and barren desert, where it's total surroundings produce death. All of us have experienced these places of entrapment at some point in our life, and before we could flee the situation, the circumstances and the people involved seemed to draw the life from us. There was nothing edifying or encouraging in their scornful words or misconduct, and in most instances, we were shamed by their actions.

The psalmist said that those who mediate upon God's words will bring forth "his fruit in his season." He stated it as a matter of fact. God has planned for every life to bring forth fruit and has ordained its particular season. Yet if you want to produce the fruit that the Lord has ordained for your life, there are conditions that must be met. You must delight yourself in His law and meditate upon His words day and night. This means 24-7, you are to think on God' words; in light and in darkness; in good times and bad times; when you are rich and when you are poor; when you have energy and when you are weak; when you have friends that surround and support you and when you are all alone; when you are encouraged and when you are discouraged; when you are in health and when infirmity is attacking your body; when you are experiencing victory and when you are facing defeat; and when everyone loves you and when everyone rejects you.

Delighting yourself in God's word and meditating upon it is the only environment that will keep you fresh and green because this continual nourishment from His word gives you life. His word keeps you on track in the good times and strengthens and encourages you in the bad times. When you mediate upon what He has said, God establishes your spirit in His concepts and thoughts. When He establishes you, you become like a tree that is planted by the rivers of water. You can't be moved from your zone and you will never wither or shrink in adversity. Your roots run deep and because you are strong within, you are able to stand in the seasons of draught and famine and still bring forth fruit. +++

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01/13/05

BREAK UP THE FALLOW GROUND

Scripture: Hosea 10:12 "... break up the fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord ..."

Fallow ground is ground that has not been plowed and turned up for some time. Because it has been neglected, it has becomes hard and crusty. Nothing can grow or flourish in it because of its condition. Seeds can't even be dropped into it because of its hardness. And even if they were forced by some means into the hardened soil, they wouldn't survive because the rains that came to water them could not be absorbed. The ground itself becomes a monument of hopelessness to others until the keeper of the ground makes a decision to break up the soil and prepare it for a fruitful harvest. This decision demands time, involves much labor, and is not an easy process.

The condition of fallow ground is a parallel to the condition of the spiritual state that we find ourselves in at times. Because we have not diligently sought the Lord, read His word, and lingered in His presence, our hearts have become hard and cold. The further we fall away, the worse the condition of our hearts become. Eventually, like the hardened soil, we can't receive anything from God's word, our prayers can't get past the ceiling, and we lack the enthusiasm that we once had for anything spiritual in our lives. The lust of the flesh and other things consume our very being. Only thorns are able to survive in the gardens of our hearts because of our hearts' lack of nourishment. We find ourselves in a pitiful state.

Oh, but God is good. His word says, "Break up the fallow ground. It is time to seek the Lord." The Lord leaves the initial effort up to us. We must repent and seek Him. We must turn over the hardened clods of soil in our hearts and expose ourselves to the Lord. We must allow Him to discard the weeds and hard pebbles and deal with anything in our life that prevents our spiritual growth. As we draw near to Him, He promises to draw near to us. As we allow our hearts to be broken and contrite before Him, God will again minister to us. He will pour out the seeds of His Word and rain His Holy Spirit upon us. He will touch our hearts and cause us once again to flourish in His presence. Others will rejoice because of the bounty of blessings upon our lives that not only touch us, but also reach out to them. Begin to break up the fallow ground, for this is the season to receive the good things that God has for you. +++

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01/14/05

RELATIONSHIPS CEASE, THE LORD REMAINS

Scripture: II Timothy 4:16-17 "No man stood with me, but all men forsook me ... But the Lord stood with me, and strengthen me."

Earlier in this chapter, Paul says that he fought a good fight, he finished his course, and he kept the faith. He had a determination not to let anything or anyone deter him from preaching the gospel and fulfilling God's plan for his life. Paul goes on to explain that Demas deserted him and that a coppersmith by the name of Alexander did much evil towards him. Not only that, Paul faced other disappointments. When he had his court hearing, no one defended him. Paul found himself standing alone, but took comfort in his situation, for he knew that the Lord was with him and would strengthen him.

There are seasons in life when relationships become strained or cease to be. Those who were with you suddenly turn and leave with no decent explanations. And those who have conflicting opinions stir up confusion and fight against you. For one reason or another, you are abandoned by those that you loved and trusted and those that you thought loved you. And like Paul, there seems to be no help even though you are endeavoring to serve the Lord. In your darkest hour, you are left alone in the arena of life to manage your disappointments and your discouragement.

However, you can always take comfort in knowing that God will always be there for you. Even though others desert you, He will never leave you or forsake you. Each new door will present the opportunity to fail or succeed, to win or lose, to continue or to quit. The actions and opinions of others do not fit into this equation. It remains your choice to fulfill God's will and purposes for your own life. With Paul, he fought a good fight, he finished his course, and he kept the faith. Regardless of his hardships and the disappointments of his relationships, he did not quit and his battle scars won him a crown of righteousness. God also has a crown for you. Trust in Him when all others forsake you. He will give you strength to endure the present and empower you for the task that is set before you. +++

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A Word In Due Season
3rd Week of January 2005

01/17/05
WHEN WISDOM CALLS

Scripture: Proverbs 8:1 "Does not wisdom call out?"

Have you ever had someone follow you around and continually give you instructions and directions? Or have you ever treated someone else in the same manner because of your concern for the decisions they were making? Looking at the situation from the outside perimeter, you could see the error of their ways and feared the consequences they would have to face. Solomon said that this is how the spirit of wisdom operates in our lives. He spoke of wisdom as a person who stands in the paths that it knows we will take and also sits by the doors that it knows we must enter. Wisdom waits for us at each crossroad of our life and continually cries out to us, for it is full of valuable knowledge and insight that it wants to share with us.
Wisdom doesn't mince words but speaks of that which is right and tells the truth in all matters. Wisdom is discerning and is very persistent in making its voice known in our lives in an effort to keep us from making bad choices. Yet, how many times have we pushed wisdom aside and proceeded to do things our way. We have bought things, gone in debt for things, said things, and done things that we knew were contrary to wisdom. We have pressed through and opened the doors that were meant to be shut. We have closed our ears and knowingly shut off our understanding because our desire was greater than the discipline in our lives. We turned our eyes away from the Holy Spirit, laid caution aside, and disregarded the warnings of this wonderful counselor, who only had our best interest in mind.
Wisdom was with God when He created the heavens and the earth and was also God's daily delight (Verse 22 & 30). God exercised wisdom in all of His creation and as He finished each project He was able to declare that it was good. Can we say that everything that we have accomplished is good? Many times we limit ourselves by not allowing wisdom to have full reign in our lives. Solomon asked, "Does not wisdom call out?" These are stout words from a very wise man and words that we must give an account for. Let our answer be, "Wisdom called out and I listened and adhered to its instruction." +++

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01/18/05
DO ALL THAT YOU CAN

Scripture: Galatians 6:10 "As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith."

Our Christian character doesn't come by just exercising moral or legal correctness, but comes as the Holy Spirit works within us to minister to those around us. Each day provides us with ample opportunities to do good. We just have to watch for them. There are hurting people everywhere who need a good word spoken to them or a helping hand stretched in their direction. They need an ear to listen to their heart beat or a shoulder to cry upon. They need someone who can envision their dream and dream with them. There are also those who have grown weary in well doing and need someone to encourage them to continue. Many just need a friend to pray or an ally who will stand with them against the enemy who is attacking their soul.

There is an interesting story concerning World War II. Some of the details escape my memory, but there were some soldiers who were being held captive by the Germans. The Germans forced the soldiers to make weapons that were to be dropped on the soldier's own men and allies. They faced death themselves if they did not comply with the orders of the Germans so they faithfully worked as instructed. However, all of the bombs turned out to be duds and none of them exploded when they were dropped from the warplanes. When the bombs were investigated, they found notes inside that said, "Doing everything we can, with all that we have, for as long as we can." The soldiers were held captive and couldn't fight against the enemy themselves, but they wanted their comrades and allies to know that they were still working with them and making the most out of every opportunity.
In essence, this is all that God wants or expects from us. He is all knowing and never asks us to do the impossible or to give what we do not have. He simply asks, "Do everything you can, with all that you have, and for as long as you can." His requests may require faith and sacrifice, but He will see you through every situation and reward all of your efforts. Nothing will go unnoticed by the Father as you do good to all men and especially those of the household faith. +++

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01/19/05
MIRACLES OF LIFE

Mark 6:52 "For they considered not the miracles of the loaves: for their heart was hardened."

The disciples witnessed Jesus walking on the water just after they had watched Him miraculously multiply five loaves and two fish into enough food to feed five thousand men plus the women and children. However, verse fifty-one says that when He came walking to them on the water, they were amazed beyond measure. They had seen Jesus do so many miracles up to this point and yet they were amazed and wondered when they saw Him walk on the water. It seemed that it was too much for them to comprehend. There is no mention that the disciples were ever amazed or wondered when He multiplied the loaves and fish even though they gave out the food as it was multiplied and also gathered up the abundant leftovers. They never questioned how all of this could be and now it seemed that somehow their hearts had become hardened to this miracle of provision, for they didn't even consider it.
Albert Einstein said, "There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." When we think about it, life itself is a wonderful miracle that we can't comprehend with out finite mind. Our whole being has been created in God's image and the scriptures declare that our physical bodies are fearfully and wonderfully made. The world around us is a miracle and everything in it functions in a miraculous way. We have electricity, transportation, and communication systems among other things. Yet too often, we take all of these things for granted and disregard God's amazing miracles that are at our fingertips and that we enjoy every day of our lives. One of the greatest wonders to me is the fact that we have twenty-six simple letters in an alphabet that allows us to communicate through writing. Where would we be without books and literature or the ability to communicate with written words? Life would be dull indeed. Also we have nine numbers and a zero that allows us to count further than we really need to. These are very simple but amazing things that we can be thankful for.
Most of us can recall things that happen in our past that we counted as miracles and we can remember how excited we were when the incident occurred. Perhaps we found some money, or provision came in unexpectedly to pay a debt. Our bodies may have experienced a supernatural healing or a relationship was restored that we thought was lost forever. Maybe God had intervened in our lives and caused us to escape a terrible accident. Too often we allow time to pass without considering those things that once were so precious in our thoughts. We must allow our hearts to go back to these awesome experiences and recall the special things that God has done in our lives. As we do, we will find that our faith will be renewed for the things of the present and our hope for the future will be strengthened. Let us consider the words of Albert Einstein and determine to live our lives as though everything is a miracle. +++

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01/20/05
CUMBERED WITH MUCH SERVING

Scripture: Luke 10:40 "Martha was cumbered about much serving."

Multitudes followed Jesus and sat for hours and days at His feet in order to be able to hear His counsel and wisdom. Yet, when Jesus came to Mary and Martha's home, Martha was so cumbered down with the cares of this life that she allowed them to steal her opportunity to enjoy a time of intimate fellowship with the Lord. She was so distracted by the preparations of the food that she had no time for the true Bread of Life and she was so worried about the beverages that were needed that she couldn't stop and be refreshed by the Living Water. Her troubled heart would not permit her to lay everything aside and rest for a few moments in the presence of Jesus.
No one was forcing Martha to serve with such zeal and sacrifice. This was her personal choice. She felt that she had to be busy about "much serving" and she tried to inflict this same spirit of obligation upon her sister, Mary. Martha was so busy that when Jesus spoke to her, He had to call her name twice to get her attention. Jesus then defended Mary, who had chosen to sit at His feet and listen to His words. He spoke to Martha and said, "Mary has chosen the good part, and it will not be taken away from her." Jesus was not concerned about the food preparation, for He had taken care of these matters before. If necessary, He could turn the water into wine and multiply the food to feed thousands.
Many times our lives become hectic and like Martha, our troubled hearts can't hear from God because we are taking care of too many things and allowing circumstances to dictate our lives. We often are so busy serving that we can't find time to worship. There's just always one more thing to do before we can stop and sit at Jesus' feet. We allow other things to be preeminent in our lives, and in so doing we rob ourselves from hearing the Lord's voice and experiencing His presence. Intimacy with Jesus doesn't happen by accident. It is a deliberate choice that we make. Jesus knocks on the door of our heart and waits for us to respond to His invitation. We can either choose the good part, which is to sit and linger in His presence, or we can allow ourselves to be overburdened with much serving. If we want to hear from Him we must not allow the moment to pass. +++

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01/21/05
SPIRIT OF TRUTH

Scripture: Numbers 23:19 "God is not a man that He should lie."

God speaks only truth into our lives, for He is the Spirit of Truth. He doesn't repent or turn back on the words that He has spoken, for He cannot lie. He fulfills every promise and stands by His covenant. James 1:17 says "There is no variation or shadow of turning with God." He is a constant God, setting the days, seasons, and years into motion, and then keeping it all on tract and in order. He has a lot to take care of, yet He is never too busy to be concerned with our personal affairs. His word tells us that "All things work together for good to those that love God and are called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28). If He can keep the whole world and universe in line, we can trust Him to cause our lives to also come together.

When His Holy Spirit inspired the words, "All things work together for good," those words were meant to lead us into God's truth. God meant just what He said, even though during times of rough and endless battles, we may have our doubts. God knew that there would be seasons that our faith would be challenged so He gave us many scriptures to dispel those doubts and to let us know that regardless of how things look on the outside, God is working a greater work on the inside of the whole situation. All things are going to work out for good because He is going to take the lemons of our life and make them into lemonade. The situation may be bitter in the process, but God will cause sweetness to come out of it, just like He turned the water into wine.
People make many promises that they don't or can't keep. But God doesn't make any empty promises, for He is well able to perform all the words that He has spoken. He has good plans for you and whatever He told you will come to pass. In Jeremiah 29:11 God says, "I know the thoughts I think toward you, thoughts of peace, and not evil, to give you a future and a hope." When the way seems narrow and the road seems long, remember His words and let Him guide you through your situation. Don't lean upon your own understanding. As you allow Him to direct your path, all things will work out for good. Listen to the still small voice of the Spirit of Truth, keep your faith in Him, and trust His words because good results are on the way. +++

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A Word In Due Season
4th Week of January 2005

01/24/05
YET WILL I TRUST IN HIM

Scripture: Job: 13:15 "Though He slay me, yet I will trust in Him."

Job wrote these words after many afflictions had come upon him. Before the enemy's attack, Job was a righteous man who lived a good life. He was rich, healthy, and had a happy home and wonderful family. He was secure in all that he had because there was a hedge of protection about him. Without warning, this hedge was removed and He lost his possessions, his sons and daughters, his personal health, his position in the community, and also his self esteem. His closest friends condemned him and his wife even turned against him and encouraged him to curse God. He had nothing left and yet even as he faced death itself, Job declared that he would continue to trust in God.

There were many other noble men and women of God in the scriptures who showed their trust in God as Job did when things looked pretty bleak. Queen Esther went before the king and risked her life to save the Jewish nation. As she fasted and prayed, she put her life in God's hands and said, "If I perish, I perish." Habakkuk faced a time of lack, but even though he could have perished in the famine, he declared, "Yet will I rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation." His lack of provisions did not dictate his praise to God. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego faced a fiery furnace knowing that God was well able to deliver them. Yet they boldly declared to the king, "If God doesn't deliver us, we still will not serve your gods, nor worship the golden image which you have set up." Their minds were settled and their allegiance was to the true and only God. The Apostle Paul and Silas were in prison, yet they placed their trust in God and that trust brought forth a song within their heart. As they began to sing, God delivered them. This is how God always works. He rewards trusting hearts and brings them deliverance.

It is much easier to rejoice and trust in God when things are going good than it is when things are falling apart around us. Yet, like the examples of these men and women, we must come to the place in our lives that we can trust God in every situation, for sincere trust will produce freedom in our spirits. It doesn't matter if we are facing famine, a fiery furnace, imprisonment, or death itself, we must remember that we still have God and He is all that we need. We cannot compromise one moment to the enemy of our souls. In the midst of turmoil and confusion, we should let our voices ring out with songs of praise and declare our statements of determination:

"If I am in God's will and I perish, then I perish; regardless of the fires that surround me, I will not serve or worship other gods; even though my provisions are failing and my finances don't look good, I am still going to offer a sacrifice of praise and rejoice in the God of my salvation; and even if God slay me, I will still trust Him." +++

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01/25/05

GIVING

Scripture: Luke 6:38 "Give, and it shall be given unto you..."

There is a story about giving that I would like to share. A woman moved back to the farm where she had been raised as a child. She soon noticed some special plants blooming in the flower garden, which her mother had planted years ago. This was a sweet reminder of their times together so she weeded the garden and gave the plants special care. Then one day an elderly neighbor passed by and noticed her garden and the rare plants. The woman noticed the desire in her neighbor's eye, but was reluctant to part with her few precious plants that had belonged to her own mother. However, she finally dug up a few of them and gave them to her grateful neighbor to enjoy.

A few years later, the woman who had shared her plants lost her few remaining plants during a bitterly cold winter, and not even the slightest seedling survived. She desperately searched the garden but none of the special plants remained. A few weeks later, in the Spring, her elderly neighbor called her on the phone, as the woman's neighbor had heard that her plants were all lost. The elderly neighbor told her that her own plants had made it through the winter and were doing fine. Later that afternoon she brought some of the plants to the original owner. It was more seedlings than the woman had originally given to her neighbor.

This story teaches that sharing doesn't mean losing. Jesus shared with us this same principle of giving. He said, "Give, and it shall be given back to you." In fact, He said that you would receive more than you originally gave. He also said that it would return to you pressed down, shaken together, and running over, for you can never out give God. The more you give, the more you receive. Like these precious plants, it may not come back immediately, but it will come back and at the right time. Ecclesiastes 11:1 says, "Cast your bread upon the waters: for you will find it after many days." It has been stated that your gifts may leave your hands, but they never leave your life. Some way and somehow God will cause them to return to you. +++

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01/26/05

ON THE EDGE

Scripture: Exodus 15:1 "The Lord has triumphed gloriously."

As God's people fled from Pharaoh, they found themselves trapped between their enemy and the Red Sea. Their situation was seemingly hopeless and fear consumed their thoughts. They reacted to the circumstances that surrounded them and began to wish that they had never left Egypt but had stayed in the cruel bondage that they had been in. At the moment, serving the Egyptians seemed a lot better to them than facing death in the wilderness.

Difficult times bring a reality check. When Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, they saw God do amazing things and were excited about their deliverance until this first impossible situation came along. At the edge of the Red Sea, they failed to understand that the same God who had brought them out of Egypt was the one who was going to make a way for them and also keep them from perishing at the hands of Pharaoh and his army. In fact, instead of standing on the edge of destruction, they were standing on the edge of a miracle, for God had a magnificent plan of deliverance in His mind. The Red Sea that frightened and challenged them was going to be the instrument that God used to destroy their enemy once and for all.

If you have been in a place where it seemed that you had a Red Sea on one side and the Egyptians on the other, you can understand the turmoil that went on in the hearts of the Israelites. You know what it was like when your mind and emotions began to reel totally out of control because you had no valid options. You have experienced the sinking feeling of hopelessness when you realized that you couldn't go forward and you certainly couldn't turn back. Yet, impossible situations have a purpose in the heart of God and He uses these places to work His wonders in your life. He wants to do something awesome in your life that will utterly destroy the things that have plagued you for so long. All He requires from you is that you put your trust in Him and go forward in your commitments. When you do, it becomes His responsibility to deliver you from the enemy that has held you in bondage. So, instead of viewing the future with fear, realize that you are on the edge of God's miracles. Declare that He reigns in your life and believe that He has a magnificent plan for you. As you trust God and allow Him to work in your life, He will triumph gloriously by making a way for you where there seems to be no way and will destroy your enemies in the process. +++

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01/27/05

GIVING YOUR DESTINY BACK TO GOD

Scripture: Genesis 22:9 " ... Abraham built an altar ... bound Isaac ... and laid him on the altar on the wood."

God made a covenant with Abraham and called him the father or many nations. God told him that his seed would be as numerous as the stars in sky. Abraham waited many years for the promise of God to come to pass. Finally, when Abraham was one hundred years old, Isaac was born. Abraham enjoyed Isaac for a few years but then there was a new turn of events. God asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac on an altar. The three days journey up the mountain to fulfill God's instructions must have been the hardest days of Abraham's life. He probably reflected on the good times that he and Isaac had shared together and was most likely very anxious about his present state as the time grew nearer for him to sacrifice Isaac. How was he going to explain this to Isaac and what words would he use to say goodbye? And surely he must have been dreading the future without his precious son at his side.

Who knows what other thoughts went through the mind of this loving father as the pain of the situation gripped his heart? If you have ever walked through the valley of the shadow of death with a loved one, you may in a small sense know how Abraham might have felt. Sometimes it becomes very difficult to obey God and do His will, particularly when you don't understand what He is doing. Yet as Abraham's obedience prevailed, God rewarded him and provided another sacrifice. A lamb was found in the brush. God is always faithful and trustworthy. His original promise did come to pass in Abraham's life and through Isaac, Abraham's seed was blessed.

God's will can become very mysterious at times. He speaks a word or plants a vision in our hearts, then as we try to follow that dream, it seems that He changes His mind. Like Abraham's situation, God stops us right in the middle of the process and tells us to give it back to Him. We watch Him as He builds an altar, binds up our dream, and then lays it upon the wood that is on the altar. We may question Him in our hearts, "Don't You know that the fire is going to consume the wood." This is an awesome test and is never easy. He wants to find out what passion consumes our heart; our vision from God or the God of our vision. Our word from God cannot consume our heart and dethrone the God who gave it. If we cannot place our dream upon on the altar and allow God's fire to consume it, it has become an idol. There are to be no other God's before Him. When we discover that our destiny has become bigger than God, we must place it in His hands and trust Him to be Lord. +++

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01/28/05
DON'T LOOK BACK

Scripture: Luke 17:32 "Remember Lot's wife."

Jesus used these words to warn His disciples as He emphasized the importance of being prepared and ready to leave all. When He spoke these words, He was referring to the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, which was a city that God destroyed with fire and brimstone because of its wickedness. Before God destroyed it, however, He shared His intentions with His faithful servant, Abraham. In turn, Abraham pleaded with God, asking Him not to destroy the righteous with the wicked. Because of Abraham's intercession, God spared Lot and Lot's wife and his two daughters. But when the angels came to deliver Lot and his family, Lot lingered (Genesis 19:16). Yet, God is so merciful and even though Lot hesitated, God remained committed to His covenant. The angels came and physically took Lot and his family out of the city and gave them instructions, "Escape for your life, and don't look back."

The angels did all that they could do and took Lot and his family as far as they could. It was now up to Lot and his family to heed the words that were spoken to them. Genesis 19:26 records a very sad ending, "But Lot's wife looked back from behind him: and she became a pillar of salt." Lot's wife had difficulty letting everything go and leaving it all behind. Her heart was still in Sodom and Gomorrah. Instead of fleeing for her life with her husband and daughters, she trailed further and further behind until the effects from the destruction of the city finally reached her. She was incased in salt and became a pillar of bitter remembrance instead of a testimony of deliverance.

Like Lot's wife, you may have people, situations, and memories that you need to walk away from. Regardless of the pain and abuse that you may have suffered in the past or the temptation that is now pulling at your soul, God wants you to walk away from all of it. As you leave it behind, He will work His deliverance in your life. He will make a way of escape for you, free you from bondage, and give you a new start. But He can only take you so far. Each hesitating step hinders His work. As He instructs you to "Escape for your life, and don't look back," you must make the choice not to dwell on the past and all of its hurts or give in to the present schemes of the devil. God has good plans for you so focus on the future. Become a testimony of His deliverance rather than a pillar of bitter remembrance. +++

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A Word In Due Season
4th Week of January 2005

01/31/05
GIVE NO OPPORTUNITY

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

Just as we are on guard for our safety in the natural, we must be the same in our spiritual welfare. Peter said that we have to be sober-minded or well balanced and temperate. We also must be watching for our adversary and cautious at all times, for the devil is like a fierce hungry lion who is ready to devour his prey. He roams about just looking for opportunities. In the natural, if we received word that a lion or some other danger was lurking in the darkness waiting for a chance to attack, we would take every precaution to protect ourselves. We would lock our doors and be very vigilant if we went out. Yet many times in the spiritual, we leave the door to our hearts wide open, without regard to dangers that are near.

I work in an office that has two doors that have access to the street. I am alone there for as much as eight hours of the day so I always lock both of the doors, which have a regular lock and a dead bolt. Recently, when it was time to go home I couldn't find my keys. I finally discovered that they were still in the lock on the outside of the door. The phone was ringing when I had unlocked the door to come in that morning and in my haste I had shut and locked the door from the inside but had left the keys on the outside. The keys had a large wood carved fish attached to them and were very visible to anyone who may have wanted to enter, as they dangled in the lock all day long. In reality, when I thought that I was safe, I actually had unknowingly left myself unguarded and subject to the opportunities of harm.

Life is like that many times. We shut and lock the doors of our hearts on the inside and are unaware that we have left the keys on the outside. We think that we are totally protected but instead, we are vulnerable to spiritual attack. The Apostle Paul told us not to give any opportunity to the devil (Ephesians 4:27). We must guard our hearts above all things and be established in our faith. We can't harbor sin, hate, jealousy, bitterness, unforgiveness, or anything that is contrary to God's word and allow it to dangle as keys on the outside of our hearts. These things give opportunity to the devil and are an open invitation for him to come in. We must remember that the devil is a fierce enemy and be vigilant concerning his strategies. He walks about looking for a chance to devour hearts that are vulnerable. We cannot allow ourselves to be naive or negligent in any area of our lives but must make sure that when we have shut and locked the doors to our hearts that we are still holding the keys. +++

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