Grace On The Field Of Battle

This morning as the sun came up I was thinking of the battle we are in as believers. It is difficult for me to easily describe this battle. I say this because one day seems good another not so much. Why is that? Actually, even within a day things tend to go up and down, and if I focus on that, I go up and down with it. It seems to me there is a war raging, and these “events” we experience are just the movements, the battles, in this war. The war is for our eternal future, and each battle is a step toward that future. All of these points caused me to wonder about the battle, how it is fought, by whom and the outcome. It seems to me that I would really like to win these battles as often as possible.

There are so many great promises in the scriptures to those that believe. In Psalms 113:7-9 we see that God raises the poor out of the ash heap. This sounds like when I have experienced negative news and then He gives me some good news. This is especially true for me when this news has been about my finances. Then God says He takes that person and has them sit with the princes. It is amazing to me how God can give us a place with people that I would never have thought I would have. We actually get to influence the earth with our prayers. Even princes would be envious of this! He ends this segment saying He gives a barren woman a home and children. For those who have sought to have either of these there is a strong emotion that arises. God does all of these things by His grace. We will come back to this point on grace in a minute.

I Samuel 17:47 says that the battle is the Lord’s. This is the famous story of David and Goliath where David told Goliath it was not about swords and spears. God does battle on God’s terms against the enemies of His people. And God never, never, never loses! This was a small shepherd boys words against a giant and a nation. We all know what happened. Goliath trusted in his own ability, in his sword and in his spear. David trusted in God, and slung a single stone that knocked the giant to the ground. David used the giant’s own sword then to kill him and cut off his head. He used the enemies weapons against him after God helped him. The battle truly was God’s by the grace of God.

In James 4:6 it says God gives grace to the humble but resists the proud. David was not a proud warrior. He was a shepherd. His attitude was that of someone that wondered why the army was concerned about the giant, because he knew God was the deliverer. All he knew was that God had helped him with the sheep. Certainly God would prevail when his people’s lives were on the line! He had a humble heart, the heart of a TRUE shepherd. So what is the moral of the story?

God is on our side and will put our words into action when we declare His wonders to men. He does this for the humble. God will deliver our enemies into our hands, if we will humble ourselves in His sight.

Prayer
Father, please forgive me for all the times when I have said or done things in pride. I really have nothing to be proud about because all I have You have given to me. Please strike down the enemies of Your people, in every place in every land and country. Please deliver Your people today Lord, and knock their enemies to the ground. Please let Your people see and feel Your presence today Lord through Your Holy Spirit. In Jesus name. Amen.

What Are We Building?

Life is a reflection of what I see in the scriptures. This really makes sense, if we think about it, because God created both. Same author, same theme. As believers, we look to the scriptures to guide our path and light our way. We see in the scriptures we are to edify ourselves and others. Ephesians 4 makes it plain that this is part of the job description for the leadership of the church. God was smart. In 1 Corinthians 14 we see this is also extended to all believers through the gifts of the Spirit. And there are others, like Acts 15, Romans 15, 1 Thessalonians 3:2, and so on. The need to edify ourselves and others is well known. What is more challenging is, how do we know when we are doing this?

The easy way is to speak scriptures that are positive in nature to ourselves and others. We can also sing the Psalms and the hymns we know. Paul speaks of this in Ephesians 5 when he says to speak to ourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. These are excellent directions for us to go. However, is there anything else we can do? How do we know if we are actually edifying others, and that we have good intent? This leads us back to the title of this post.

When you are speaking or taking an action, stop and ask yourself, “What are we building from this?” If you like what you see, keep doing it. If not, stop, seek forgiveness (and accept it), and move on to something that has a good end.

Prayer
Father, thank You for making us into a building. Thank You for giving us a good Chief Cornerstone, Jesus. Thank You for being a very positive Father to us all. Praise Your Holy Name. In that name, the name above all others, Jesus, we pray. Amen.

Another Week, Another Road

On Monday mornings I try to think of something to encourage me for the week, more than just that first cup of coffee. It can be almost anything. Today it was very simple. I am encouraged because God has entrusted to me eternal life.

Growing up my Father gave me many instructions. Frequently he told me what to do, what not to do, when to do something, and so on. It was fairly restrictive. My heavenly Father is somewhat similar, and yet quite different. He gives me the basics and asks I commit myself to them. Then He lets me choose to serve Him forever or not. After that, He remains at my side, ever playing the coaching role. The really amazing thing is, He gives me eternal life. Why does that encourage me?

Because it means He believes in me. He believes in you. He believes that we will one day come together to be His bride and serve Him and make the right choices forever.

It is good to know that someone, like a very awesome and powerful God, believes in us, don’t you think?

Prayer
Father, thank You for believing in us. Thank You for giving us eternal life. Thank You that You are always there, our ever present help at all times. In Jesus name. Amen

Forrest People

Life daily presents us with the opportunity every morning for having a good day, or not. Did you ever wonder how that is determined? As a kid I thought perhaps there were angels shooting dice in a heavenly casino named Destiny, and we just got to live with the result. And, yes, the name of that would explain some of what I experienced in life. However, as I have grown older I have come to realize that it is mostly up to God and us, and God already voted.

In Psalms 1:1-3 God tells us if we choose to follow Him, He will provide us certain blessings. Verses 1-2 are the conditions (serving God with everything within us both night and day). Verse 3 is the result. We will be like a tree planted by the waters that has seasons (not season) of fruit bearing, that we will not whither away, and whatever we do will prosper. Over the years I have thought on this a great deal. I have seen many trees near water like rivers and lakes. Those trees are very near their source of life, the water, and therefore grow rapidly and with great endurance because they have all they need and more. They endure and have season after season after season of great production. Makes you want to find our river, makes you want to be a tree, right? Glad you brought that up.

In Psalm 46:4 talks about God as our refuge, stating that there will be a river coming that makes the city of God (like New Jerusalem, the Bride of Christ) happy, and it is connected to the Most Holy Place. In Isaiah 43:19 it God promises to make a way in the desert wilderness of life, and cause a river to flow there. Finally, Jesus said in John7:37-38 that we should come to Him to drink, for if we do we will be the ones that believe in Him, and out of our hearts will flow the rivers of living water. When we give our life to God, in the midst of that desert we call life He makes a way and a river will flow out of our heart, the Holy Spirit which we can receive. Every one of us has a promise from God to leave behind the wilderness and not whither, prospering in all we do. And that gets renewed daily! We get to sign up with God every day!

Prayer
Father, thank You for your blessings every day. Thank You that You are not like men, but are true to Your word every day. Thank you that You decide to give us what a loving Father wants to give their child, and not what we deserve. Thank You for your mercy to forgive every day. Please touch and renew the hearts of all those that read these words, and all those that we come in contact with today. Help us to be Your trees. In Jesus name. Amen.

Professor Caterpillar

Springtime is filled with life. This morning I imagined all of the caterpillars that will become beautiful butterflies soon. They go from toil, to rest, to transformed creatures of beauty. With this being the sabbath, it made me wonder why we rest. I believe I found a part of the answer in Isaiah.

In Isaiah 58 the largest portion of the chapter is dedicated to fasting. As someone not unfamiliar with fasting, I enjoy this chapter very much. The point that I have always gotten from this passage until today is that people tend to fast to get things from God, almost like punctuation to a point they are making in and with their life. What God intended was for us to fast to focus on others, and to stop focusing on ourselves and what we think. There are great blessings promised to those that fast in this manner. Healing, sustenance, happiness – all of what we would consider the good things in life are promised to us by God if we make our fasts His and not focus on what we think. What is interesting is what appears after this toward the end of the chapter in verses 13-14 where He speaks about the sabbath.

Isaiah 58:13-14 talks about keeping the sabbath, the day of rest to God. He admonishes us not to do our own thing but to keep the sabbath according to how God has commanded it. If we do, there is great blessing. It was not until this morning that I understood the parallel between fasting and keeping the sabbath that was being made here. It is that same transition. More importantly, I think the point is it is a day where stop our thoughts and doing our own thing, and focus on God and His ways. We reset the clock to zero. We recharge the batteries with God stuff so we can experience the God stuff in our lives.

Isaiah 55:10-11 God compares the words from His mouth to the rain and snow. The rain and snow don’t come down from the heavens and just bounce back up (my paraphrase – sounds like a song), they water the plants that enrich the whole earth before they return to the heavens. He then says His words out of His mouth are just like that – they go out and accomplish the task to which He sent them before they return to Him. In Isaiah 58:14 God ends with the mouth of the Lord has spoken it (the things about the sabbath). So what we have here is a weekly cycle where we receive the words God spoke into us on the sabbath. If we keep the sabbath, if we rest and consider Him, He will manifest those blessings in us that He promised, and those words return to Him accomplished. And guess what? The cycle repeats itself! What a great plan, don’t you think?!

All we have to do is be as smart as the caterpillar…

Prayer
Father, thank You for this day to rest and think about You and the works of Your hands. It is good to shut out the daily routine and to just spend time with You. I very much enjoy Your plan to help us. I ask that You reach out and touch the lives of Your people, and call them to Your rest once again. Call them to receive Your blessing again. Let it begin a revival in our hearts Father. Let those around us see and feel Your loving-kindness, both around us and through us. Let the land be restored. In Jesus name. Amen.

For Worriers Like Me

Do you know anyone that is what some might call, a “natural worrier”? Growing up I often heard people say let tomorrow worry about tomorrow, focus on today. What I did not know as a child that this was one of the teachings of Jesus. In Matthew 6: 34 it says “Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” I have often thought about this in my Christian walk, I guess because I have thought of myself as a natural worrier. This one scripture is great, but it is even better if we read what leads up to it.

For me most of my worries are about my family and their well being. Will they have the food they need? What about the clothes for that certain thing at school? Or when they are old enough how will they buy a house? Matthew 6 actually addresses this more fully. Jesus is explaining the bigger picture of life, which was always the good news He was trying to bring. God is watching over His creation. He provides food for birds, yet they have no barns. The lilies and wild flowers are arrayed like kings, but they did not search for that covering. God cares much more for us. God is on our side. His point was that we run into trouble with our eyes because they are the lamp to the body. What does He mean?

From outside us we get inputs. We get to choose what inputs we pay attention to with our eyes, ears, actions, etc. If we let our concerns rule us, we will forget that God is watching over us and that He is on our side. We can be in danger of becoming like the children of Israel in the wilderness, believing in God but also not trusting that He was on their side – no faith. Jesus was doing what He often did, providing the course correction away from the doctrines of men and the fears within us and toward the good news that God was on our side. “Seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things, [your every need] will be added unto you (Matthew 6:33).”

Prayer
Father, thank You for being on our side. I ask that You give us what we need today, for me and my family, for the those that are worried today and their families, and for those that do not yet know Your greatness. Reveal Yourself to men that they might know that it is You alone that are the King of the universe. In Jesus name. Amen.

Every Day Has Its Choices

We serve an amazing God! Every day we are faced with choices. Are the scriptures real or not? Do they accurately and fairly describe our God or not? Every person is free to choose every day what they will believe for that day. The truth is, our choices can change from day to day.

Today, I thought, I want to choose to believe the scriptures. I want to choose to believe God is who He says He is there. What examples did I find today?

Isaiah 63:1. God says, “I who speak in righteousness mighty to save.” When He speaks there is power to change our lives. I remembered the song that says, “He is mighty to save.” Psalm 113:3 says, “From the rising of the sun to its going down, the Lord’s name is to be praised.” Again I remembered the song, singing parts of it. Thankfulness began to rise up in me. Psalm 112:1-3 speaks of how blessed are those that choose God, choose to fear Him, choose to delight in His commandments. Their families will be blessed. Both wealth and riches will fill their homes. Back in Psalm 113:7 God says He raises the poor out of the dust to sit with princes.

As I considered these things I realized, if I choose to believe the scriptures today, if I choose to believe today that God is who He says He is, then I am most blessed. I chose that for today. It made me feel very thankful, like an overflowing from deep within my heart.

Did you ever want to thank someone, but somehow the words, “thank you” just did not seem to cover it? Me too. This morning, while reading and writing. I decided, I chose, to just raise my hands and sing…

Prayer
Father, I thank You for being the King of the universe. I thank You for speaking to me this morning through the writing of others. I thank You that You never walk away, never turn Your back, never look at me and shrug and say, “What’s the use?” Instead, You choose to encourage me. You choose to light my path out of darkness. You choose to try one more time, every time I need You, which is basically all the time. I love You and I thank You and I raise my hands and my voice to You, My Deliverer King. In Jesus name. Amen.

The Procession of the King

When I think of the days when the scriptures were written, I think of the rulers in battle. Originally it was a time when kings ruled the earth when the first scriptures were written. Later other forms of government appeared when what we call the New Testament scriptures were recorded. Perhaps it is the influence of the movie industry, but I see the days of the kings from a certain noble perspective. Armor, shields, swords, spears, horsemen and cavalry all in great processions when the king wants to make a statement. I imagine waves of such troops with the king on the battlefield, as a means of protection, to instill fear into the enemy, and even to destroy the enemy. What a sight that must have been in the days of King David. But what about today?

We see in the scripture that we are today in a fight for our lives. The difference is, the outcome is already known. We serve not a king but the King of kings. It makes me wonder who are the troops and how do they battle. In Psalm 68:24-26 it states that this procession, these warriors, are those that give praise to the King. They are lead by the singers, the dancers and flag waivers are in the midst, and the players on instrument follow. In verses 4-5 we see a sample of what they sing that destroys the enemies. They extol Him and His name, the One that rides on the clouds. He is the defender of the fatherless and the widows. He helps families. He delivers those in bondage from bondage in to prosperity. Our praises are our chief weapon, and our King enforces our words on our enemies! Praise God!

Prayer
Praise unto the mighty and holy King of kings! His name is above all names. Him alone will we serve. Let our enemies be scattered as our God arises at the sound of our praise! Crush our enemies God that Your kingdom might be made manifest in the earth, and that men might turn their hearts to You! In Jesus name. Amen.

Where to Begin

When I awoke this morning I was thinking about houses. My son has just purchased his first, and we have been working on it to get it move in ready. As I thought about houses in general it made me think about what happens when we build anew. Where would we begin?

A house has to start with a foundation. If there is something wrong with the foundation, the building is doomed because it is built on top of that. It occurred to me that we are just like that. We have to have a good and solid foundation or the rest of us, the building we call our life, will be doomed as well. So what should we be start with in us that will make the building we call our life to have the best chance at turning out to be something we can enjoy? Let me start with a hint – It’s not a good job, or a spouse that’s perfect, kid’s that don’t act up, or a boss that treats you with respect. These are all great things to experience in our life, but they are not the first thing, the foundation. What is the foundation?

Jesus. In the time I have been writing these short messages, these daily devotionals, I had not stopped to consider that someone reading these may not know this, that Jesus is the Rock, He is our foundation. We all need to lay that first foundation stone, calling out to Him, asking for His forgiveness, asking Him to cover us with the blood of His sacrifice, and giving our lives to Him as our Messiah, our Savior King. For those of us that have taken that first step, I suggest it is good at the start of each day to check out the foundation, to re-establish that right position with God in prayer. If you are someone that for whatever reason has not taken that step, or you just do not feel sure that you have received that newness of life in Jesus, won’t you do that today?

Prayer
Father, You have said to us that You so loved the people of the world that You gave up Your only begotten Son Jesus to die and be raised from the dead that we might have not perish but have life, and that more abundantly forever (John 3:16). Father, let me now pray for, and with, anyone that reads this that is uncertain. Jesus, You alone can save me from anything and everything, even from me. Please forgive me for my sins. Please be my King forever. In Jesus name. Amen.

God Remembers

Looking into the woods a few moments ago I saw some of the small summer birds. What type they are is unknown to me, but I call them summer birds because they are not with us in the snow. It reminded be of the scripture about God knows all about the sparrows, and knows about us.

In Luke 12:6 Jesus was telling people that when the sparrows are sold, God remembers everyone of them. Luke 12:7 says the hairs of our head are numbered. In Matthew 10:29 the story of the sparrow includes the fact that one cannot even fall to the ground without God watching over it. Matthew 10:30 repeats the comment about the number of hairs on our head. In both cases the story is near the teaching on how to pray (referred to as the Lord’s Prayer). All of this is in reference to being afraid of what man can do to us, our circumstances, and the challenges of life. The point He is making is that if God remembers the sparrow, and He knows even how many hairs I have, then we need not worry about our life but should be encouraged because God remembers, has a plan, is the All Mighty God, and is watching over us.

As I was writing this, I smiled. It occurred to me that God not only loves me, protects me, and is on my side, He also has a sense of humor. After all, As I get older, every day God has to change the numbers he has to assign for me on the hair thing… Yes, we can even have humor in our relationship to the King of kings!

Prayer
Thank You for watching over us, Father. Thank You that You know every detail about me, and love me anyway. It is good for me to know that You never fail and never give up on me. Praise be to the most glorious King of the universe! In Jesus name. Amen.