08/01/14
THE ROCK THAT IS HIGHER

Scripture: Psalms 61:2 "Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I."

When David's life was in jeopardy and his heart was overwhelmed he cried out to the Lord for comfort and asked God to lead him to a secure place. He needed a place of protection and a season where his soul could be restored and his spirit could find new strength. David knew exactly where he needed to be in this time of desperation. He looked to the Lord and spoke of Him as being a Rock, a Shelter, a Strong Tower from the enemy, and a Covering (Verse 2-4). David declared his confidence in the character of God and praised Him for His faithfulness, for he had never seen God fail.

There are times in our lives when we have no one to turn to but the Lord. He is our only hope because no one wants to listen to our problems or to be involved in our solutions. It is just us and the Lord. We may suddenly lose our grip on life when we get a bad report from the doctor, have a disturbance in a close relationship, or face a serious financial crisis. Sometimes we can't even figure out how things have escalated to this degree or where we went wrong in the situation. But none-the-less, here we are needing a Rock, a Shelter, a Strong Tower from the enemy, and a Covering that we can run to for help. Like David, we are overwhelmed and desperate to find that place of protection, restoration, and new strength. David's simple prayer; "Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I" should also be our prayer in the time of crisis. Our only hope is found in what Jesus has done for us, for He is our Rock and our Fortress. I invite you to pray these words with me, which incorporate the Lord's finished work on Calvary, as detailed in Isaiah 53:3-5. 

When I am suffering the rejection of others,
Lead me to the Rock who was despised for me.
When my soul is overwhelmed with emotional grief,
Lead me to the Rock who has carried my sorrows.
When I have transgressed God's commandments,
Lead me to the Rock who was wounded for my transgressions.
When I have committed sin,
Lead me to the Rock who was bruised for my iniquities.
When I am anxious, oppressed, and afflicted,
Lead to the Rock who was chastised for my peace.
When my body is threaten with disease and racked with pain,
Lead me to the Rock, by whose stripes I am healed.
When I am overwhelmed with life,
Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I. +++ 

08/04/14
THIS WILL - YOUR DESTINY

Scripture: Luke 22:42 "Father, if Thou be willing, remove this cup from Me: nevertheless not My will, but Thine, be done."

Jesus had taught His own disciples to pray for God's will to be done in their lives. He told them to pray, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Now as Jesus is in the Garden of Gethsemane and is facing the horror of the crucifixion, His own will and desires are being challenged and tested. His human side would rather have the cup of suffering pass from Him and He prays desperately three times to this effect. In His struggle, Jesus suffers so much agony and stress that great drops of blood begin to pour from His body. Yet, Jesus humbly yields Himself to the Father and submits Himself to God's will.

Even though Jesus was very willing in His spirit to give Himself for the Kingdom of God, it was difficult for His flesh to surrender. Likewise, God's will for us may not always be an easy choice. Many times it's hard to respond because obedience usually means great sacrifice in many areas such as time, energy, and finances. Yet, we know that the rewards of following God's will and obeying His voice always out measures any sacrifices that we may make. When we completely surrender and give ourselves over to God's will, we are acknowledging His claim over our life and giving Him license to be in control. In Jesus' case, this meant the necessity of the cross. In our case, it requires us to take up our cross by separating ourselves from our own desires and giving ourselves to His desires. In Luke 9:22-23, Jesus said that He "would suffer many things ... and be slain." He then told us that if we wanted to follow Him, we would also have to "deny ourselves and take up our cross daily."

Yielding to the cross daily is a great challenge, but Jesus said if you lose your life for His sake, you will also save your life. It is only when you are totally yielded to God and His will that He can do great things through you. When Jesus was faced with a decision, His thoughts focused on His mission and His destiny. He did not allow anything to draw Him away from God's plan, for He knew that His life and destiny not only affected Himself, but also the lives of the multitudes. Like Jesus, your life will eternally affect the lives you are destined to touch. For this reason, you must give yourself to God and pray, "Not my will, but Thine be done." +++ 

08/05/14
ENDURANCE

Scripture: II Timothy 2:3 "Endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ."

The Apostle Paul had spoken to young Timothy about faith, courage and faithfulness. Now he addresses the issue of endurance and instructs Timothy to endure hardness just like a good soldier would do. Endurance means to suffer patiently without yielding. It also means withstanding the stress and never giving up. It is continuing and persevering to the very end despite the hardships. Is it any wonder that Paul first spoke to Timothy about faith, courage, and faithfulness? For all three of these traits are needed in order to be able to endure until the end. 

Paul was not just expressing mere thoughts and empty words. He was sharing his heart and speaking from his own personal experience, for he had been through many adverse and difficult situations. He was whipped so many times that he lost count. Fives times, he received thirty-nine lashes and three times he was beaten with rods. He was shipwrecked and even spent a whole night and day adrift at sea. He was stoned and faced death again and again. Many times he was without food and water or enough clothing to keep him warm. Paul was fully aware of what it meant to endure the hardness that life and ministry offer. At the time that Paul wrote these words, he was in chains in the prison and many of his friends had deserted him. Yet, Paul endured all of it as a good soldier of Jesus Christ and never allowed anything to separate him from the love of God and God's call on his life.

Soldiers face many hardships and are limited in their choices about their life because they exist in a controlled environment. They are required to follow the orders of their commanding officer regardless of whether or not they understand or agree with the particular orders that are issued. They obediently go where they are sent without regard to their own preference. They dress the way they are told to dress whether it suits their personal taste or not. If they want to survive life, they eat the food that is set before them, disregarding the taste. Their life is under daily scrutiny with little personal privacy. In essence their life does not belong to them, for everything they do is based upon the service that they can do for others.

Life is not always easy and like Paul expressed, sometimes it may even seem that we are like a soldier on the battlefield. We have a fierce enemy who is out to destroy us and there are no grounds in our life that are sacred to him. Like the account with Job, the devil will attack everything that we hold dear. His purpose is to destroy our self esteem, our status in the community, our bonds with others, and our faith in God. The devil is subtle and works every angle so we must be alert and prepared at all times. We must realize that we are not wrestling with flesh and blood but against spiritual wickedness. And whatever comes our way, we must never yield our ground or give up. If we want to experience the victory, we must endure the hardness knowing that nothing can separate us from the love of God. We must follow God's directions as a good soldier of Jesus Christ and persevere to the end. +++ 

08/06/14
PLEASANT WORDS

Scripture: Proverbs 16:24 "Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and health to the bones."

Solomon, a man of great wisdom, wrote this proverb concerning the words of our mouth. He said that words spoken to us not only affect our soul, which is our mind, will, and emotions, but also affect our health. Pleasant words feed and nourish us, but words of strife and bitterness break our spirit and work havoc in our body. Proverbs 17:22 says, "A merry heart does good like a medicine; but a broken spirit dries the bones." We are healthier when we are happy, and we are happier when we hear encouraging words.

Words are important and they do affect us, for Solomon said that pleasant words are health to our bones. Sweet words strengthen us and help us to stand emotionally like our healthy bones support us physically. If pleasant words bring good health, we can assume that unpleasant words could possibly bring poor health. Proverbs 18:21 tells us that "There is life and death in the power of the tongue ... and we will eat the fruit of it." Words that come to us either feed us the fruit of life or the fruit of death. You may start your day feeling emotionally and physically great, but after an encounter with an irate individual you may find yourself mentally and emotionally stressed. Continual stress of this type will cause physical distress.

Likewise, the words that we speak can minister emotional well being and lead to health in the lives of others, or they can render stress and death. We need to think about our words. Before speaking, ask yourself if your words are pleasant and sweet. Are they ministering health and life? David asked God to help him in this area. He said in Psalms 19:14, "Let the words of my mouth ... be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength, and my Redeemer." James said that we could not bless and praise God while we are speaking curses to men. He asked the question in James 3:11, "Does a fountain send forth from the same opening fresh water and bitter?" Let us take his words to heart and strive to keep our fountains clean and our words pleasant and sweet so that they will minister health and life to others. +++ 

08/07/14
FAITH WAITS PATIENTLY

Scripture: Psalms 40:1 "I waited patiently for the Lord."

We want God to move in our lives, but we are often unwilling to wait patiently for Him and His timing. When we make a request we expect to see immediate results and if this doesn't happen, we begin to move in our own plans. In Psalms 25:5 (Amplified), David said, "For You only, and altogether, do I wait expectantly all the day long." He was waiting for only one person, and that was God. He wasn't going to hurry and he didn't want a substitute. He intended to wait until God, Himself, showed up, even if it meant waiting all day long. The scriptures declare that there were several things that occurred when David waited patiently on the Lord (Psalms 40:1-3).

1) God paid attention to him.
2) God heard his cry and listened to him.
3) God brought him out of a horrible pit of turmoil and
destruction.
4) God brought him out of the miry clay.
5) God set his feet upon a rock.
6) God steadied his steps and established direction in his life.
7) God put a new song of praise in his mouth.

David knew that deliverance came to him because he waited patiently on the Lord. And he not only experienced deliverance, but also became a testimony to the people who saw it and heard his new song. Because of his own testimony, he expected those about him to turn to God with trust and confidence. Like David, your life is also an open book for the world to read. Your situations and problems not only affect yourself, but also those who are watching to see if the God you serve will deliver you. When you pray, God wants you to completely put the matter in His hands and then rest in His promises. It is then that He can work out the circumstances in your life for your good and also for the benefit of those who will be witnesses to it. As God sees you waiting, He will pay attention to you and listen to your cries. He will deliver you and set your feet on a solid rock. He will also establish direction in your life and put a new song of praise in your mouth. You will be blessed if you allow your faith to wait patiently on God. +++ 

08/08/14
THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION POSED

Scripture: Matthew 16:15 "Whom do you say that I am?"

When this question was posed to Peter, he immediately knew the answer. Some thought that Jesus was John the Baptist or Elijah who had come back from the dead. Others believed that Jesus was Jeremiah or one of the other prophets. But Peter knew the truth and Jesus told Peter that this revelation did not come to him by flesh and blood. Instead, the Father in Heaven had revealed to Peter that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the Living God. 

Before His earthly birth, Jesus sat at the right hand of the Father in Heaven and now He sits there again as our intercessor. Jesus was with the Father when the world was framed and man was created. He witnessed Lucifer's rebellion when Lucifer declared that he would be like the most high God. Jesus, then, watched as God cast Lucifer out of Heaven along with one third of the angels.

Jesus Christ was the baby who was wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger (Luke 2:12). He was the One that the angels herald and the shepherds came to worship. A few years later, He was the Christ child that the wise men who journeyed from the East came to honor. They recognized Him as the King of the Jews and offered Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. At the age of twelve, Jesus was the young boy who stunned those in the temple with his knowledge and understanding of the scriptures. He was the obedient son who returned home with His earthly mother and father even though He knew that He was called to do the business of His Heavenly Father. At the wedding feast in Canaan, He was the respectful son who changed the water into wine in obedience to His mother even though He declared that He was performing this miracle before His set time.

Jesus was the multiplier of the fish and bread to the hungry thousands who had followed Him into the desert to hear His teaching. He was the healer of the blind, deaf, and diseased and He was the deliverer of those who were oppressed and held in demonic bondage. Jesus was the compassionate Messiah to the woman at the well who was living with a man that was not her husband and He was the forgiving Lord to the woman who was caught in the sin of adultery. Jesus was life to Lazarus and the others who had died as He miraculously raised them from the dead. He was the miracle worker who taught His disciples about faith. Jesus showed them that it is possible to walk on water and calm the raging seas with just a simple command. He spoke to His disciples of vision. Jesus first told them to go out into the deep waters to fish for their provisions, and then later, He told them to go to the entire world to preach the gospel and be fishers of men. The last thing the Apostle John wrote in his book were these words, "Jesus also did many other things. If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world could not contain the books that would be written" (John 21:25 - NLT).

We see Jesus in all of these various aspects of His life but we must individually decide who He is to us. Our decision will make an eternal difference in our life. There is only one way to Heaven's promise and that is in believing that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the Living God, that He sacrificed His life on the cross of Calvary, and that He rose from the dead on the third day. The entire gospel rests upon these truths and the most important question that you will have to answer is the same question that Jesus asked of Peter. "Whom do you say that Jesus is?" +++ 

08/11/14
RESPONSE TO A HOLY GOD

Scripture: Isaiah 6:5 " ... my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of host."

Isaiah had a vision of the Lord sitting upon His throne. He saw the angels surrounding the throne crying, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of host: the whole earth is full of His glory." As he witnessed this awesome sight, Isaiah realized his own shortcomings and said, "Woe, is me! For I am undone or ruined because I am a man of unclean lips." The holiness of God forced him to acknowledge and confess his own sin. God then touched Isaiah's life by purging his lips with a hot coal from the altar and sent him forth to minister to the people. 

Like Isaiah, we find ourselves lacking when we are confronted with the presence of a Holy God. For Romans 3:10 tells us that no one is righteous, not even one person. When we see God in His majesty and grandeur, we realize that our own righteousness is as filthy rags before Him. We stand in awe as we come to know that even our thoughts are not close to being equal with God's thoughts. Isaiah 55:9 says, "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are His ways higher than our ways, and His thoughts higher than our thoughts." Likewise, our prayers, in all of their verbal grandeur, are not sufficient enough to reach out and obtain all that God wishes to give to us because we can't imagine His bountiful supply. God tells us to ask largely. Yet, when we think we do, He still declares that He is able to do more than we've asked or even thought about (Ephesians 3:20). Without Him we can do nothing, for our strength is nothing without the working of God's mighty power.

We cannot grasp the graciousness of God or comprehend the multitude of His tender mercies, nor measure His love, which has no boundaries. God and everything about Him far exceeds our finite mind. Just one small glimpse of God's glory shows us that He is limitless and beyond our knowledge. The light of His presence reveals our darkness. Like Isaiah, all we can say is, "Woe, is me! For I am undone or ruined because I am a man of unclean lips." And like the angels who surrounded God's throne, we can only say, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts: the whole earth is full of His glory." +++ 

08/12/14
KNOWING THE WAY

Scripture: John 14:5 "How can we know the way?"

Thomas asked Jesus this question. Remember Thomas? He is the disciple who based his faith on the visible and tangible. When the other disciples told him that they had seen the Lord after His resurrection, Thomas said, "I'm not going to believe unless I can see and touch the nail prints in His hands and put my hand in His side." Jesus was so patient and understanding as He allowed Thomas to do just that (John 20:25-29). Then Jesus told Thomas, "You believed because you have seen, blessed are those who have not seen, yet believe."

Jesus had already encountered this attitude in Thomas towards faith in the unseen when Jesus explained to the disciples that He was going away to prepare a place for them. Jesus plainly told them, "You know where I'm going, and you know the way." Still Thomas asked, "We don't know where You are going, so how can we know the way?" Thomas wanted to know the place and see the way, just as he did with the nail pierced hands. He wanted something tangible and visible to hold on to. This was Thomas' nature and faith did not come easy for him. He wanted a detailed map, but Jesus told him, "God's presence is where I am going and where I will be."

In verse six, Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father but by Me." Jesus was saying, "Believe in Me. I'm your way into the presence of God. I am the road that will take you there." In other words, the name of the street is called Jesus, and you must enter God's presence by that road. Acts 4:12 says, "There is no other Name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." God hears us when we come to Him in Jesus' Name. Jesus said, "I am the Truth." There is no other way to come to God except by the words that He has spoken. Then Jesus said, "I am the life. My life's blood I shed for you and my resurrection will enable you to enter the presence of God."

If you have needs today, you must reach out by faith into the unseen and hold on to the things that are not tangible. You are not allowed the comfort of touching the nail-scarred hands or seeing the invisible. Yet, Jesus promised that you will be blessed if you believe in what you cannot see. Faith pleases God and He rewards those who believe in Him. I encourage you to simply trust in Jesus, for He alone is The Way, The Truth, and The Life. +++ 

08/13/14
SOMEONE TO LISTEN

Scripture: Job 31:35 "Oh that one would hear me! Behold, my desire is that the Almighty would answer me."

Have you ever sought out a friend to comfort you in your time of trouble and despair, but found that they were disinterested? Or worst still, they found fault and judged you while you were already suffering emotional pain or being tossed about in the storms of confusion. This has happened to most of us at some time in our life. Instead of finding the comfort we so needed, we were misunderstood and dealt harsh words that brought more discouragement to our wounded soul. If you have experienced this, you may have reached a point where you felt that no one cared.

Job had come to a place where it seemed to him that no one cared for his soul. He said, "Oh, that one would hear me." He couldn't find one person to listen to his problems without preconceived judgment in their hearts. None of his friends wanted to listen, but they all wanted to criticize, judge, and give him unsolicited advice. Job's attention turned to the Lord, and as he sought the Lord, he said, "Behold, my desire is that the Almighty would answer me."

Some years ago, I was in a place such as this. Unlike Job, my family and friends were available for me and encouraged me in every way that they could, but there was just so much that I could share with them. My heart was wounded beyond belief and my self-esteem was shattered. Confusion was coming from all sides. My heart was filled with grief and my spirit was engulfed in hopelessness. I saw no way out of my dilemma and I truly thought that my days of happiness and ministry were ended. During this season of despair, I thought if I could just sit down with Jesus for a while and if He could just hold me in His arms, none of this would matter. More than anything or anyone on earth, I needed the Him. I needed to hear the Lord's voice whisper in my ear that everything was going to be all right. Like Job, my desire was that the Almighty would answer me and bring resolution to my problems. In the end, God did come to my rescue, restored my life, and also enlarged the borders of ministry.

Trying seasons do come, but you must remember that God is always faithful. He sees your pain and He understands your heartaches. Job was only being tested because God believed that Job could pass the test. God will never put more upon you than you can bear. If you are in a difficult season, you should rejoice knowing that God's faith in you equals the trial that is set before you. If you stay steady and remain true to God, you will not vanished in the fires of adversity, but you will come forth as pure gold and be a vessel that is fit for the Master's use. +++ 

08/14/14
LUXURIES OF LIFE

Scripture: Proverbs 22:2 "The rich and the poor meet together: the Lord is the maker of them all."

Luxury is relative, which means that it is related to the matters at hand. The personal things that I would consider a luxury are not to even be compared to the real luxuries that I enjoy every day of my life. Life is like looking at a coin. We see one side and may never be exposed to other side of the coin. It is when you go to the poverty-stricken areas of our nation or to a foreign mission field that you come to understand what real luxury is all about. The things that you have consider to be luxuries no longer matter because you see the other side of the coin of life and what others are doing without.

When you see the women of other nations standing on the banks of the river and using a rock to pound their clothes against a larger rock, your washing machine becomes a luxury. When you see their clothes spread out on their rooftops, you also view your automatic clothes dryer as a luxury. When you realize that people get their drinking water just a little ways down the stream from where they washed their clothes and bathed their bodies, you thank God that you have pure water to drink and it becomes a luxury of life. When you see their children stripped bare so that their clothes can be washed, you stop complaining that you have nothing to wear when your closets are full. When you witness the hungry starving children going through the trash in search of a morsel of stale bread, you learn to appreciate your bountiful supply of food. When you see the houses that are made of cardboard or pieces of metal from a car, you see your own home as luxurious. Even those who are fortunate enough to have a real house with water and electricity suffer because their utilities are rationed every day.

We don't recognize the seemingly small things in our lives as luxuries because we are accustomed to them. We have plenty of food and water at the present time. Yet, if we did not have them, they would soon become the luxuries that we would desire the most and our definition of luxury would quickly change. We need to remember that we could easily be the ones washing our clothes on the riverbank and drying them on the rooftops if it were not for God's grace. I think that God would be very pleased if we started looking at our lives in a different way. We need to view every blessing that God gives to us as a luxury and thank Him everyday for every provision. God has given us the greatest luxuries of life; our eyesight, our hearing, mobility in our bodies, and the capacity to love, think, and feel. Finally, let us understand that even life itself is a luxury, for every breath that we breathe comes from God Almighty, who is the Lord and the Maker of us all. +++ 

08/15/14
LET NOT YOUR HEART BE TROUBLED

Scripture: John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be trouble, neither let it be afraid."

As a child you may have asked your parents to stay close beside you when you were facing difficult situations because somehow the promise of their presence dispelled your fears. Today, as an adult, you don't have that privilege even though you may often feel the same anxieties about facing the future. In these times of uncertainty and insecurity, your heart can only reach out to your loving heavenly Father, for He knows the future. He knows all about you and is acquainted with all of your feelings. If you listen closely, you will hear His still quite voice reassuring you with these same words, "Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

These are such wonderful words from our Master as He tells us two things. First, the Lord has left His peace with us. It is not the natural security of the world system, but His supernatural peace, which passes all understanding and works even in the midst of storms and adversities. Second, His peace is there for us, but we have to partake of it. He tells us to "Let not." This means that if we are going to enjoy the benefits of peace, we have to do our part. "Let not" means we must stop allowing ourselves or permitting ourselves to fear. If Jesus told us not to allow our hearts to be trouble or afraid, He surely left us the power to obey those words and the ability to resist the spirit of fear.

Fear doesn't just cause anxieties about the future, but uses another tactic by coming upon us suddenly with the purpose of catching us off guard. Proverbs 3:25-26 says, "Do not be afraid of sudden fear ... for the Lord shall be our confidence, and shall keep our feet from being taken." In Isaiah 41:10, God gives us the same instructions. He says, "Fear not, for I am with you; do not be dismayed for I am your God" and then He gives us three reasons why we do not have to fear.

1) God will strengthen us.
2) God will help us.
3) God will uphold us with the right hand of His righteousness.

You are to never allow your heart to be overcome with fear, whether you are facing the anxieties of the future or experiencing a sudden attack of the devil. When fear strikes, you need to pause and think on these simple truths. Jesus said that He would never leave you or forsake you and He also promised to strengthen, help, and uphold you through the situation. These words alone should encourage you for today and give you hope for the future. Fear is a spirit. When you resist that spirit of the devil, he has no choice. He must flee from you (James 4:7), for this is God's word. God has left you His peace and when you submit yourself to God and do your part, God will do His. +++ 

08/18/14
MINISTERS & WITNESSES

Scripture: Acts 26:16 "I have appeared unto you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness."

Paul experienced a tremendous conversion on the road to Damascus. At midday, a light from heaven shone around Paul. This light was brighter than the sun, and in the midst of this great light, Jesus spoke to Paul and explained the purpose of His appearance. The Lord told Paul that He appeared to him so that Paul could become a minister and a witness. A witness simply tells all the truth that he knows about a person or situation and God used Paul to do just that. Paul wrote about three-fourths of the New Testament and preached an uncompromising message about Jesus.
Paul was not only a witness, but he was also a minister. In I Corinthians 2:4 he said, "My preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power." Paul witnessed about the love, mercy, forgiveness, and power of God and also demonstrated it through ministry. As a minister, Paul assisted and served those whom God sent him to. The word "minister" translated in the Greek means to be an "under-oarsman." A minister is one who stays in the boat, tugs at the oar, and brings the vessel through the rough and stormy sea to a safe harbor. Ministers don't stop with just the verbal witnessing of what God has done in their lives. They try to assist others through the storms and difficulties of life. They tug at the oars, continually praying and encouraging, until they see the person reach a safe harbor.

God depends on us to be His witnesses and His ministers. He uses us to be His voice, His hands, and His feet in the earth. We do not have to be ordained or hold an office in the church. God calls us and gives us the opportunity to simply help our brothers and sisters in the Lord. When one is low in the faith, God gives us a word in season to lift them up. He allows us to share His love, peace, and joy through cards, email, telephone calls, prayer, and financial help. Opportunity is all around us. We just have to be sensitive and obedient to share. Our words and our life should continually minister grace to those about us (Ephesians 4:29). We should always be seeking to edify and build up those in need. Many people who seem strongest on the outside are really the ones hurting the worst on the inside. As a witness and a minister, our purpose is to love all people and help them make it to the safe shore. +++

08/19/14
RUN YOUR RACE WITH PATIENCE

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1 "Let us run with patience the race that is set before us."

The scriptures compare our life to a footrace. In order to run this race successfully, we must lay aside every weight and sin that would hinder us. And more importantly, we are to keep our eyes on Jesus who completed His race by enduring the cross and the shame it produced. We are to be encouraged by the witnesses that surround us and we are to run the race that is set before us with patience. We can relate to laying aside the weights, receiving encouragement from those about us, and focusing on the goal. But how do we run with patience? Running in itself suggests an absence of patience as we are trying desperately to reach the intended goal before our opponents.

Notice the scripture says to not only run the race with patience but to run the race that is set before us. We must realize that we all have individual races and we are not competing against each other, but against our adversary, the devil. We may not have to face the same obstacles and hurdles as someone else. We may not have to believe for God to roll back the sea, calm the storm, rescue us from the lion's den, or deliver us from a fiery furnace or the belly of the whale. In more specific terms, we may not even have to face cancer, divorce, or severe financial problems as others have, but we all have to face situations where we must allow patience to be perfected in our lives. When we face tribulations, we learn to abide in Jesus. As we begin to trust in Him, the Spirit of the Lord begins to grow and develop the precious fruit of patience in our lives (Romans 5:3).

In Luke 21:19, Jesus said, "In patience, you will possess your souls." Possessing your soul means that you remain in control, and even in the most intense situations, you determine the attitudes of your heart and mind, the strength of your will, and the display of your emotions. When you possess your soul with patience, you do not allow the enemy to distract you from the race that is set before you and you refuse to compare your race with the race of another lest you become weary. Instead, you keep your eyes on Jesus who completed His race. As you consider His sacrifice, you begin to understand God's will and purposes for your own life. When you focus on these goals that are set before you, you will inherit the promise (Hebrews 6:12). The race belongs to you when you rest in faith and exercise patience. The secret is to take one step at a time, one breath at a time, one hurdle at a time, and then allow Jesus to do the rest. +++

08/20/14
FENCED-IN

Scripture: Job 19:8 "He has fenced up my way that I cannot pass."

Job was challenged by many trials and temptations. When he explained his situation, he said that it was as though adversity surrounded him on all sides like a fence. Job had lost his wealth, his health, his children, his prestige in the community, the loyalty and honor of his friends, and the devotion of his wife. He had nothing left but his relationship with God and he mentioned that there were even doubts about that. He said that God had overthrown him, set darkness in his path, and stripped him of his glory (Verses 6-9). Job's losses had come suddenly and without warning and there was nothing that he could do about his extreme situation. Satan had been allowed to attack his body and vex his soul and Job knew that he could not pass from his dilemma except at the mercy of God.

There is a time in our walk with God that we face similar circumstances. They may not be as severe as Job's testing but it is a place of frustration because it seems that the season has no value. It is a time of waiting because the gates are closed and the doors will not open. We are not allowed to go in and out by our own choosing. We can't seem to do anything and we can't change anything. It is a season when God limits us to His design and tells us to "Be still." It is very difficult to be still when we do not know or understand what is happening. Yet, it is in these moments of isolation that God molds us into the vessel that fit His purposes. He uses this time to remove things from our lives, physically, emotionally, and spiritually, which are not pleasing to Him and are a hindrance to His work. For the moment, these losses bring confusion and grief, but when the process is completed, there is great joy.

A fence has two purposes. It keeps things within its borders while at the same time it keeps intrusions out. Both of these purposes are meant for your protection. Like Job, you may feel, at times, that God has overthrown you and set darkness in your path because, from your viewpoint, everything seems to be confusing and unclear. Yet when God is in control, you don't have to know what is happening; you just need to know the One who is making it happen. You must understand that if God is not allowing you to escape the fenced-in place and pass through to the other side, there is a valid reason for it. He is working something greater in you than you can imagine or protecting you from something that you don't even know exist. For as long as your shut-in season last, you must rest in faith, knowing that God's fence is there for you and not against you. It is God's sovereign design for you at this season of your life. So trust in Him with all of your heart. He will keep you safe and allow you to pass through the gate at His timing. +++

08/21/14
WELL DONE

Scripture: Matthew 25:21 "His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant."

In this story, the lord of the servant did not demean his servant because he had been given so little. Instead, the lord commended his servant for being faithful over the 'few things" that had been entrusted into his care. It is easy to relate to this story when we look at those about us who have been given great gifts. We may feel very humble and count ourselves as insignificant when we compare ourselves to them. Yet, God has created us in His image, and because He is faithful, He expects us to be faithful whether we have been endowed with little or with much. God never asks us to go beyond the abilities that He has placed in our lives or to do less than what He has entrusted us to do. Few talents and small abilities do not negate our responsibility to be faithful in His kingdom. We are accountable for every word and deed that we do or that we do not do.

However, the devil doesn't want you to be faithful in God's kingdom so he stays very busy trying to convince you that you can't do what God has asked you to do. The devil makes you fearful and encourages you to hide the gifts that God has given you. He tells you that no one will listen to you. Yet just a few seemingly insignificant words of witness spoken from your lips at the right time could save a soul that is headed for an eternal Hell. Your words of comfort and encouragement could be the message that draws someone out of the valley of discouragement to the mountaintop of joy. So, you must learn to be faithful over the few words that God has given you to say. Little will be much when God anoints it with His Holy Spirit.

When the devil is successfully able to keep you from doing God's will in your personal life, he succeeds in hindering the entire kingdom of God. He intrudes upon your territory just like he did with Israel. Every battle Israel fought was over boundaries. The enemy continually challenged God's Word concerning the Promised Land. If you are finding yourself in a busy but unfruitful place, reposition yourself and enforce your boundaries. Seek to develop every talent and gift and determine to be in the flow with the heart of God by committing to obey His Word at any cost. At the end of life's journey, wouldn't you rather hear God say, "Well done thou good and faithful servant" than for Him to ask, "The thing I gave you to do, did you do it?" +++

08/22/14
SEARCH ME

Scripture: Psalms 139:23 "Search me, O God."

This Psalm (139) speaks of the greatness of God and tells us that He is omniscient. He knows all about our ups and downs, our thoughts and ways, and even all of the paths that we will take. There is not one word that comes from our tongue that God doesn't know about and there is nothing in our lives that can be hidden from Him. God is not only omniscient but also omnipresent. There is no place that we can go to escape His presence. Verse seven says, "Where shall I go from your Spirit?" In other words, wherever we are ... God is! David said, "This knowledge is too wonderful for me, I can't attain unto it." He then concludes this Psalm in verse twenty-three and twenty-four by submitting himself totally to God and asking God to do several things.

David said, "Search me." In the original Hebrew language, this word "search" means to examine intimately. It is to look deep into ones most private and personal nature. One minister gives a brief description of "intimacy" as "in-to-me-see." Intimacy with God means that we allow Him to look at everything within our heart, even though He already knows everything about us. As we open ourselves to Him, His light shines upon us and exposes all of the darkness within us. 

David also said, "Know my heart and my thoughts." This word "know" in the Hebrew means to "ascertain by seeing." After God has searched us, He then examines and studies our heart more closely. He shares His truth and understanding and allows us to see ourselves as we really are. God reveals our true thoughts and motives to us and deals with our doubts and anxieties. He then shows us how we can change and encourages us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds through His Word (Romans 12:2).

David went on to say, "Try me and see if there is any wicked way in me." This word "try" means to examine through a process of proving, testing, and tempting. When we make this request, we are boldly accepting the challenge to be purified by the fires of adversity. As we are tested and brought through the fires, the Holy Spirit reveals any spiritual weaknesses within our hearts. Only God can do this work, for Jeremiah 17:9-10 tells us that "the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked."

David ended by saying, "Lead me." Doing God's will begins in our thoughts and hearts. God holds us in His power but He does not force us to go His way. Instead, He instructs us, grows us, and fashions our inner being. He then proves us through trials and testing. It is only after we have become intimate with God and allowed Him to search us, to know our heart and thoughts, and to prove us that we are truly ready to follow where He leads. +++

08/25/14
LIVING AN ABUNDANT LIFE

Scripture: John 10:10 "The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy: I come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."

This scripture paints the picture of the constant conflict of human life. There are two opposing forces; one good and the other one evil. Ephesians chapter six tells us that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the evil forces that invade our lives. These forces are principalities, powers, rulers of darkness, and spiritual wickedness in high places. They seek to steal, kill, and destroy. On the good side, however, Jesus came to Earth to make us more than conquerors over evil and to give us an abundant life. He was manifested as the Son of God and His mission was to destroy all the works of the evil one (I John 3:8).

God so loved you and me that He gave His only begotten Son so that we might have life, not just eternal life in Heaven, but also abundant life here on Earth. The Father watched in horror as they crucified Jesus, but Jesus' death was the price that was required to purchase our redemption and provide us with an abundant life. Because of His sacrifice and victorious resurrection, the provisions for an abundant life are available to us.

Jesus taught us to pray for our daily needs to be met. He paid a great price so that we may come boldly to the throne of God in the time of trouble. Jeremiah 33:3 says, "Call unto me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things which you know not." The answers to our prayers are not based upon our sacrifices and our works, nor upon our lack. They are based upon God's promises of provision and are met as we approach Him and believe for the abundant life that He has promised. God said, "You call, I will answer." God promised to answer in a great and mighty way. He said that He would do things that we had not even thought of, for His ways are so much higher than our ways and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. As we live life on a daily basis, we must continually remember the words that Jesus spoke to us. As we recognize the evil ploy of the devil and his intent to destroy everything good in our lives, we must look to Jesus and base our faith on the honesty of God's Word so that we can obtain and live an abundant life. +++ 

08/26/14
HUMILITY PRECEDES HONOR

Scripture: I Peter 5:6 "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time."

Humility before God is a simple principle that must come about within your heart before God's honor will rest upon your life. Humbling yourself means that you come to an understanding of your low estate without God in your life. Humility is acknowledging that God is smarter than you are and recognizing that "without Him you can do nothing" (John 15:5).

I Peter 5:5 says, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." Look at the contrast between Jesus and Satan. God highly exalted Jesus and gave Him a name above every name (Philippians 2:8-9). This honor came about only after Jesus humbled Himself. In the beginning, Jesus was equal with God, but He submitted Himself to the will of God, became flesh, and was obedient to the death of the cross. Even though Jesus wanted that cup of suffering to pass from Him and prayed three times to that end, He still humbled Himself and submitted to God's will. Jesus said, "Nevertheless, not My will but Thine be done." 

Satan, on the other hand, sought to exalt himself and was brought down to Hell. Isaiah 14:12-16 gives us the account of his downfall. Five times, Lucifer declared, "I will." Each declaration was a refusal to submit to God's will and a statement of his own self-exaltation. He sought to increase himself and to become equal with God. His final statement was, "I will be like the Most High." Satan could not be content with God's plan for his life, even though it was a place of greatness and high position. When Satan was first created, he was a beautiful and perfect angel, the anointed cherub, that walked and personally ministered before God, but because of his pride, he lost it all (Ezekiel 28).

We certainly are not on the same level as either one of the above examples, yet God expects no less from us. In every instance in our life, God wants us to submit to His perfect will. He is weary of hearing us ask Him to bless our choices as we try to walk in His permissive will. He desires that we rearrange our schedules and priorities around His purposes for our life. He wants us to "trust in Him with all of our heart and not lean upon our own understanding" (Proverbs 3:5). The Lord longs for us to be content with His plan and to hear us say, "Not my will, but Your will be done in my life." In due time, as we humble ourselves in this manner, God promises to exalt us. +++ 

08/27/14
ISSUES OF THE HEART

Scripture: Jeremiah 17:9 "The heart is deceitful above all things."

There are many deceptions in life that we must watch for and be aware of. Circumstances will lie to us, symptoms in our bodies will alarm us, and people will consciously or unconsciously deceive us. Yet, the greatest deception that we will ever encounter is that of our own heart, for God said through the prophet that the heart is deceitful above all things. Jeremiah declared that the heart was not only deceitful above all things, but that it was also desperately wicked. He then asked the question, "Who can know it?"

It is a sobering thought to know that our heart is desperately wicked and that we cannot truly know it or discern its motives. We want to think that we are in control and have it all together. We want to believe that we are right and are doing right. Yet, experience has taught us that our lust will draw us down a path of darkness that we never intended to go down. Then our desire to gratify ourselves will cause us to justify the path that we are traveling and we will believe every lie that supports our feelings. The sad truth is that this road of deception leads to heartache and pain, and if unchecked, it will eventually lead to death.

James 1:14-15 tells us, "Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust is conceived, it brings forth sin, and sin, when it is finished brings forth death." Briefly said, lust leads to temptation, temptation leads to sin, and sin leads to death. The enticement to sin is a deceitful and subtle trick of the devil. Lust that leads to sin may seem inconsequential for a moment, but sin is like conception. Once sin is conceived, there will be results. At the beginning the fruit may be hidden, but eventually the results will be evident and final.

If our heart is deceitful and we can't know it, who can? And, if we can't trust ourselves, whom can we trust? The answer is simple. God alone has all knowledge and is trust worthy. We can trust the Lord when we can't trust ourselves or anyone else. We must give ourselves totally to Him and not lean upon our own understanding, for He has all of the answers and knows our lives from the beginning to the end. God's plans are good and we must obey His Word even though we do not understand the whole matter. If we yield ourselves to this mindset and allow God full control of our lives, He will open our eyes and spare us from falling into self-deception. As the prophet said, the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, but if we turn to the Lord, He will lead us away from temptation so that He can deliver us from evil. Yielding ourselves to God in this manner should be a part of our daily prayer if we want to live in truth and victory. +++ 

08/28/14
PERSISTENT PRAYER

Scripture: I Kings 18:44 " ... and it came to pass at the seventh time."

When we pray in the name of Jesus and we know that we are praying according to the will of God, there is only one thing that is lacking, and that is to be persistent. We must stand in faith and believe that the Lord will bring the miracle. God looks for the man, woman, or child who will pray in this manner and not give up. Elijah prayed seven times for the rain to come. He prayed for rain and then he just kept on praying. He did not allow himself to be distracted by the negative reports that his servant brought back to him. He also did not become discouraged when things looked hopeless because there was no sign of rain. He bowed himself before the Lord and continued to pray until his answer came. James referred to Elijah's persistent prayer and said that the fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much (James 5:16).

Elijah had done mighty things in the name of the Lord but he, himself, was not a supernatural spiritual giant. James said that Elijah was a man who had the same passions that we have. He had his ups and downs and his own weaknesses to deal with. After a major victory over 400 prophets of Baal, Elijah became so terrified of one woman named Jezebel that he ran from her. Elijah also got physically tired and had to rest. He got discouraged and wanted to give up and die (I Kings 19:4). He had to deal with his own prideful thoughts. He declared that he was the only prophet left that God could use, but God let Elijah know otherwise. God told Elijah that He still had seven thousand in Israel who had not bowed their knee to Baal (I Kings 19:18).

Like Elijah, there are many challenges that come our way. Yet, we can't give up in the midst of fear and discouragement, and even when we are weary, we must continue to fight life's battles. The greatest weapon that we possess is the knowledge that our battles are fought and won while we are on our knees in prayer. Our prayers must be persistent. We may have to pray seven times or more concerning a single matter, but we must hold on in faith until the answer comes. When there seems to be no hope, no sign from God, and no rain clouds on the horizon, we must still believe that God's answer is on the way. His delay doesn't necessarily mean denial. So my friend, take courage and believe that God is listening when you pray. Your prayers and the words that you speak into God's ears today will make a difference in your tomorrow. Your destiny is at stake so keep praying until the answer comes. +++ 

08/29/14
DAY TO DAY

Scripture: Psalms 96:2 "Sing unto the Lord, bless His Name; show forth His salvation from day to day."

The Lord is our Shepherd and He gently leads us day to day. Whether He is coming or going, the Shepherd's path is always forward. He never reverses His steps. Many times, as His sheep, we have no idea where the path is leading or what to expect. The uncertainty can be frightening and frustrating, so the Lord asks us not to exercise our minds in things that we do not understand or think about the things that are too high for us. His words of wisdom assure us that His ways are higher than our ways and that His infinite knowledge is far greater than our finite mind can comprehend. As a loving Shepherd, the Lord has our best interest in mind at all times, so we must trust in Him with all of our heart and not lean upon our own understanding.

The Shepherd never asks His sheep to focus on the past or to look too far into the future. He said, "Today's trouble is enough for today" (Matthew 6:34 NLT). The joy of the journey is in the present moment and the Lord just wants us to follow Him in faith, one step at a time. His Word tells us not to dwell on the former things, for He forgives the sins of the past regardless of whether they were committed years ago or moments ago, or whether we consider them big or small. It makes no difference, for nothing is too difficult for the Lord to handle. He encourages us not to be condemned or overcome with regrets but to take every failure and discouragement as a lesson to be learned. He promised to restore the years that the canker worm devoured, to build up the old waste places, and make all things new in our life.

Neither are we to be anxious about tomorrow. And yet, too often, we either worry about it or pin our hopes on what will be in the future instead of the joys that are available to us today. You can plan for the future, but don't live there. Don't worry about what the future holds or look to it as a place of escape from today. Instead, live today and enjoy every moment. The joy of your journey with Jesus is daily feeding on the green pastures and drinking from the still waters that He provides. It is allowing your soul to be refreshed and restored in His presence. To sum things up,

If you dwell on the past, you will miss out on your future.

If you dwell on the future, you will miss out on the joys of today.

If you dwell on living today, you can experience life at its fullest.

Remember that life does not stand still and it does not last forever. Our time on earth is a precious season that God has graciously given to each of us. Let us enjoy all of life's moments as it moves forward, day to day. The psalmist declared, "This is the day the Lord has made and we are to rejoice and be glad in it" (Psalms 118:24). +++