A Day Of Thanksgiving

Today in the United States we celebrate Thanksgiving Day. I have heard many comments, good and bad, about the origin of this holiday. I choose to treat it as a day that families gather to reflect and be thankful. It can be so difficult to stay tuned in to the fact that God is in control. Or that is true for me, at least. If we can focus on that fact, that God is working in everything and at all times, we can feel a sense of confidence and security in trusting Him. And, we can be thankful.

Maybe that is the best way to spend today, or at least a portion of it. In the Psalms God tells us that He does not want animal sacrifice, but rather our thanks. If we give that to Him, He will work on our behalf.

Psalms 50:14Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High:
15And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.

He wants us to pay what we owe, which is saying, singing, and praising with thanks. Then when we call upon us, He will deliver us because when others see it, He will be glorified. Today, take a moment to thank God for everything so far. Then ask of Him something that you need, something troubling you. Then stand back and watch our God deliver you that everyone might know that He alone is God!

Prayer
Father, we praise You for all You are and all You do. Thank You for this world You have created and are bringing into Your subjection. Please reach out to us today, and deliver us from our troubles. In Jesus’ (Yeshua’s) name. Amen.

Fighting With Snowmen

We can spend a great deal of time wanting to battle against things that do not matter. When I was a boy of six living in the country, I loved the winter. Why? Because of the snow. My sister and I would play for hours in the snow. As I grew older and had to drive back and forth to work in the slippery conditions it brought, I began to dislike it. I began to make plans for the day I would move south where it was warm all year round. Many hours and years of winters were spent thinking about, wishing for, and imagining warm winters in warm climates. As I look back at that now I see that I spent a large part of life battling against the snow, at least in my mind.

I never did move south. Today I live near the Indiana-Michigan border. Here we get not only regular snow, but lake effect snow that can almost instantly magnify those conditions of bad weather and snow without warning. But there is a difference. I realize that the snow is just what God is doing here. Here is where God put me. Battling the snowmen is something I no longer waste my time doing. However, there is a battle that all believers are called to battle. Paul tells us of this battle.

Ephesians 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

This winter, let’s not wrestle with the snowmen. Let us spend our time with God. We are in a battle against evil and darkness. Let’s spend our time in that battle, in the the whole armor of God, even if we have to put on heavy coats and boots for a season.

Prayer
Father, You alone are King. We praise and thank You for putting us where we are. Sometimes we may struggle with why we are where we are. Please help us today to enjoy where You have placed us. Please help us to battle the enemy, wearing the armor You have provided. Please reach out to Your people everywhere today and keep them safe, giving them the mercy, grace, provision, and healing they need today. In Yeshua’s (Jesus’) name. Amen.

The Building Is Going Up

Have you ever had a day or several days where you feel like nothing is happening, or at least not what you thought should be happening? I mean this in the sense that we can feel like we want certain parts of life to be moving in a certain direction, and somehow that just does not appear to be the case. I know that it is true for me at times, and that it can seem to drag on a really long time. As I was thinking about that today, I realized that maybe I was looking in the wrong direction.

God is always at work in the world around us. He made everything and He holds it together. Therefore, we know that He is working 24/7/365. If that is true, then it seems that from His perspective, He is likely doing something about the very thing that concerns us. But what? For me, the answer was easier than I thought.

God has a pattern that He created, and He follows that pattern. We see this in Proverbs where it talks about the earth.

Proverbs 3:19 The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens.
20 By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.

God also talks about building the house, which can also be interpretted as building His family.

Psalms 127:1 Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

If we combine these two we see God is doing the building, first the creation, then His people. It is interesting that He restates this in Proverbs 24.

Proverbs 24:3 Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established:
4 And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

God’s pattern is to start with wisdom, or knowing what to do. With understanding comes when to do it. And then with knowledge comes how to do it and get the details really moving. So those things we are concerned about, God has a specific order that things have to follow. And when we ask, He begins the wheels turning, setting in motion the results to come. If we plug in to what He is doing, we get to watch the building go up, and we are built up in the process.

Prayer
Father, we praise and thank You today for all You have for us. You are truly the Most High God. Thank You for the plan You have established. We ask that You show us Your plan and lead us through it. Please reach out to Your people today, Father, and meet them and their needs right where they are. In Jesus’ (Yeshua’s) name. Amen.

One Thing We Should Rule

As believers there are many things we can do to walk out our lives with God. Perhaps none is more important than to watch over one thing that has great power. That one thing is our tongue. James made a strong point of this in his letter.

James 3:2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
3 Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.
4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.
5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!

In this chapter James was making a point. At one time I thought the point was that controlling our speech was not possible. I no longer believe that. I believe he was trying to point out how powerful the tongue really is, that it can change the very course of our life and the lives of others. For us to use it recklessly is not good, for we can harm others and ourselves. Instead, as he says in the last verse, we can use it to bring peace, to encourage others and ourselves.

James 3:18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

It is up to us really. Will we do God’s work to bring peace and wholeness into our life and the lives of others, or will we instead cause damage and harm. WE choose.

Prayer
Father, we praise You as King. Your thoughts are pur, holy, righteous, and merciful. Help us to bring these same thoughts into our minds and hearts by the words we speak. Help us to learn to speak the words You would have us speak, and only those words. Help us to sow peace. In Jesus’ (Yeshua’s) name. Amen.

Someone Is In Charge

Today I awoke to a fluffy white blanket covering the ground and clinging to the few remaining leaves on the trees. As I gaze at it now through my window, small flakes and larger clusters of the cotton like snow float to the ground from the tree tops above when an occasional breeze breaks them free. The view makes me think of a several things. I am smiling as one of the first is I wonder what it is like in the Southwest this morning where it is warm. Then I also am thinking of just how peaceful it all looks. And it is also a constant reminder to me that someone is in charge. That someone is God.

Growing up I loved this time of year. As a middle aged adult I was often upset and complained about the cold and the snow. As I move into my more mature years, I have come to realize that our God is always at work. I know this because the scriptures say He holds everything together He holds everything together, as stated in Paul’s letter to the Colossians.

Colossians 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

Sometimes I just forget. I forget that God is holding everything together. I forget that without Him nothing happens or exists. And if I can get myself to rely on this fact, when I remember that, then I know that He is there for me. As the psalmist says, we only wait on Him, for Him to move in His time, to set things right in our behalf.

Psalms 123:A Song of degrees.
1 Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.
2 Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until that he have mercy upon us.
3 Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt.
4 Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud.

We lift our eyes to God. Just as a servant waits to see what the one that they serve wants them to do next, or to see the power the one they serve has to go about the business of the day, so we wait and watch for our God. We seek His mercy, and we wait patiently as we can for Him to show forth that mercy. There will be those that will shake their heads at those of us that believe, and will laugh at us behind our backs or to our face. Yet we will wait, and pray to God to send His mercy and judge between us, because He is at work. We only need to look around us at the wonder of the creation to see that the Creator has not forgotten us, nor will He turn His back upon us. In this we take comfort.

Prayer
Father, we praise You on this yet another amazing day. Thank You Father that You have something in store for Your people. Thank You that You never leave us in the dust, but rather raise us out of the dust and grant us deliverance from the troubles in our lives. Today we ask You come to our aid quickly, and help Your people, that all may know You alone are the One True God. In Jesus’ (Yeshua’s) name. Amen.

Resting And Watching

In the Psalms this morning I found a number of chapters that included in the heading, “Song of Degrees.” In the Hebrew this can also be, “Song of Ascents.” It appears historians think this refers to the travel up the road to Jerusalem or possibly the stairs to the temple. As I read them I saw something additional.

Paul said we each are a temple.

1 Corinthians 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

And again in the letter to the Romans, Paul said,

Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

According to John, we collectively are trying to become the New Jerusalem.

Revelation 21:9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.
10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,

As I read these fifteen Psalms, from 120 to 134, I could see these are also us singing about us to God as we become what God wants us to become. God wants us to collectively become the bride of the Lamb, His Son, Yeshua (Jesus). God wants us to be Zion, the place He chooses to dwell forever. Today, on the sabbath, it seems like a good time to praise and worship God with these Psalms, many of which have been made into songs in recent years. Today in our rest, let us draw closer to God.

Psalms 121 A Song of degrees.
1 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
2 My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.
3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand.
6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.
8 The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

Prayer
Father, we praise You today. Thank You for our rest. Thank You for this day to reflect on You as our Provider King. We lift up Your people to You Lord, and ask that You reach out to them today. We ask that You be strong and mighty on our behalf. Deliver us today from those with sharp tongues, that only want to destroy and enslave Your people. Return Your people from their captivity Father. Make Your people free, raise them from the dust heap, increase their prosperity that all men may know that You alone are God. In Jesus’ (Yeshua’s) name. Amen.

God’s House Is Holiness

In reading Psalms 93 today I was very moved. The psalmist wrote only a few lines, but they were powerful. It speaks of the majesty of our God. When I read it I immediately got a picture in my mind of a procession of royalty, moving atop the clouds. Although I could not see great detail, I can only imagine how enormous such a procession would be. The colors would be marvelous! There would be singing and dancing in the procession as it moved along the streets paved with the billowing clouds. And everyone would be happy and smiling. There would be peace. See if you can see this in the reading.

Psalms 93:1 The Lord reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the Lord is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved.
2 Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting.
3 The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their waves.
4 The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea.
5 Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh thine house, O Lord, for ever.

That was moving for me, but perhaps even more moving was the last verse. God’s house is in holiness forever. I was somewhat saddened upon reading that verse. Not because it should not be so, but because I know that I am human. Holiness is something we should all strive to attain, but I find absolute holiness difficult for me as a human. I still get angry with people. I still say bad things about the things that happen in the nation’s capitol. I still make comments to my wife that I think are funny, but then I see that they can hurt her. I long to be what the psalmist describes, and I earnestly seek to be that today.

Prayer
Father, we praise You for Your holiness today. We ask Father that You extend Your mercy to us as we try to be holy, and frequently fall short. We thank You for the holiness You extend to us through Your Son, Yeshua (Jesus). We appreciate that You alone are worthy and love us where we are. In Yeshua’s (Jesus’) name. Amen.

Glad In God’s Work

God is at work in the earth. I know sometimes I have wondered about His planning and timing. Today as I was thinking about this I realized I was looking from my perspective and not God’s perspective. Yo see, I realized that what is just beyond my window – the beauty of trees, the forest animals, the birds that still remain here in the north – all of these God created. And it is by the work of His hands that they remain as living creatures, playing and interacting with one another. He also made everything inside this house. Jesus (Yeshua) spoke of this when He told us not to worry, after teaching us to pray in the manner of the Lord’s prayer, giving it as an example of the meaning of that prayer.

Matthew 6:25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

For me I need to remind myself than when I talk to God He hears me. He is on our side and clearly wants to provide for us, as Jesus (Yeshua) tells us. And what brought me to think of these things was Psalms 92. The psalmist first tells us to thank and praise God.

Psalms 92:1 It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High:
2 To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night,

The verse that really got my attention is one I had previously not really fully grasped. I always pray and ask God to bless the work of my hands, which He does promise. However, the psalmist is rejoicing in something diefferent here. He is rejoicing in the works of God and in the works of His hands.

Psalms 92:4 For thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands.
5 O Lord, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep.

He is saying we will triumph by the work of God’s hands, not ours! That made me rejoice because that means that it is God that will do the work, and He does great work! This causes such a burden to lift, a feeling of joy, and thankfulness!

Prayer
Father, we praise and thank You for this day in Your plan and in the works of Your hands. Thank You so much for all You do for us. Thank You for taking care of all of nature. Thank You for taking care of all of Your people. I will continue to praise You today for the works of Your hands. Please reach out Your hands and deliver Your people today Father. Please reach out and give them their needs for today. Father, please forgive us our sins, and we forgive those that sin against us. Father, please grab hold of humanity today Father and show Yourself God. Judge the earth today for the judgement it needs today, setting aright those things that are not straight. We thank You for Your deliverance, healing, and provision. In Jesus’ (Yeshua’s) name. Amen.

With The Battle Comes The End And Reward

Recently I have struggled with patience. Perhaps you have the same experience. Praying and wanting deliverance from some attack by the enemy. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting. Sound familiar? I was just expressing to a friend and to my wife that I could not understand exactly what God was doing.

Today in the mail came some of the deliverance. It was unexpected from an unlikely source. Then I also received another piece of mail that holds great promise for deliverance from some very strong oppression. Both just when I was telling God, or asking, “What’s up?” Our God always defends us. If you need to, say that out loud to yourself until it sinks in deep.

Then patiently wait while you offer up prayer and thanksgiving to the Master and Creator!

Prayer
Father, we praise and thank You for being with us. It is good to fight at Your side, but it is also good to begin to taste victory. Thank You for Your deliverance. We ask today that You stand up today for Your people. Let them taste Your victory! In Yeshua’s (Jesus’) name. Amen.

Back Up To Build Up

Sometimes our lives become so busy we run past some of the fundamentals. That happened for me yesterday. As I thought about my return trip home from a business meeting three hours away, I realized I still needed to write. Exhausted and with a full day today ahead of me, I had to rest. As I sat down to catch up, the title of this post came to me.

God has created us as whole beings. There will come times in life when we have to keep moving full speed ahead. I think what may be important is that we do not make that our way of life. Our way needs to be God’s way. As I write this I think of the scripture in Psalms about overworking.

Psalms 127:1 Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.

It is God that lifts us up. Yes, let’s work hard. But we need always work hard at the tasks that God gives us.

Prayer
Father, Thank You for life’s blessings, and the blessing of life. Thank You for what You have in store for each of us. Thank You for standing up strong in our behalf. You alone are God. In Jesus’ (Yeshua’s) name. Amen.