Living Each Day as a Gift from God

Psalm 118:24 This is the day that the Lord has made;

let us rejoice and be glad in it. ESV

In an proclamation of praise the psalmist gives us the key to a life of daily joy. He reminded us of the simple truth that “every day is a gift from God” and therefore we should live each day in knowledge and the attitude that “I am a blessed man.” He emphasized “this” or “today” is the day that the Lord hath made: not yesterday nor tomorrow, but “today”. Yesterday is past and cannot be reclaimed and tomorrow may never come.

Therefore, we should live our lives one day at a time enjoying it as a precious gift from our Lord. Sadly, I believe that many forget this simple truth and thereby living presumptuously that every day is a given and wasting the precious moments that have we have been graced. Not only do we rob ourselves of each day's blessing, but we rob God of the praise He is due.

Another simple truth in close relationship is that “Life itself is a gift from God and should be handled as such.” I must admit that I have not been a good steward of this truth at many times in my adult life. I have at times become so caught up in “doing life” that I have robbed myself of “celebrating life.” I have been so busy in the management of life, the ministry of life, and the work of life that I have forgotten to enjoy life.

At times I have forgotten to enjoy the very basic realization that every day is God's new gift of life. Every breath I take, every butterfly I see, every melody I hear, every morsel I taste, every person I encounter, and even every challenge I face is a part of life and that life is a gift from God and is to be enjoyed. The very idea that God should grace me with anything should result in my praise and gratitude. Yet, there have been too many times that I have simply trudged through day after day thinking to myself “this is vanity.” Wow, I sound like the preacher of Ecclesiastes. God forgive me.

Oh, what a wasted life that does not receive and live each day with merriment understanding that day as God's precious gift. Oh, how God must be insulted and grieved when we trudge through life complaining about the monotony and the troubles rather than rejoicing and celebrating each precious moment.

What about you? Do you live each day as a gift of God or do you trudge through each day in monotony and complaint? Let us each be reminded of the proclamation of the psalmist, “This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Let us understand and live each day as a precious gift from God. Let us celebrate life!

Let us not grow weary

 But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good.  2 Thessalonians 3:13

Paul was speaking a challenge to his brothers and sisters in Christ to keep their chins up and their hearts encouraged as they continued to serve their Lord. He understood from personal experience that walking faithfully as a follower of Jesus can and will become tiring and weary at times. God's word is very clear that a faithful follower of Christ will face many difficulties on life's path. Our Lord Jesus had explained, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)

Paul himself had tasted the bitterness of pain and tribulation in the service to Christ. He had been stoned and left for dead for preaching the gospel, but he and Barnabas continued to proclaim God's word. Then Paul returned to the same city of his stoning "strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, 'We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God'"(Acts 14:22). Paul practiced what he preached. He would not give up and challenged us to do the same.

Paul's focus was not on his difficulties, but on those whom he was ministering. He did not take the time to feel sorry for himself as this was the cost of serving Christ. Was this not the same pattern that Christ Jesus had set before us? We should rejoice that our Lord did not grow weary in well doing as our salvation and eternity was secured through His faithfulness. Let us be thankful for those who persevered before us so that we may hear the glorious gospel. Let us also be faithful and not grow weary as there is much work to be done and remember more words from Paul, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;” (2 Cor 4:17). ---To God be the glory!

Giving Thanks for the Thorns

 And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.       ----2 Corinthians 12:9-10 

What a joy to gather around our tables this Thanksgiving day to enjoy good fellowship, good food and most importantly to give thanks for the abundant blessings the Lord has poured out on us this past year.  A tradition of many is to allow each person around the table to take time to list what she/he is grateful.  These times can be contemplative and sometimes emotional as we think upon the many ways God has moved in our lives recently.  Even last night at a pre-Thanksgiving meal my heart was moved by the thanksgiving made by Sarah, a beautiful young single mom who chose life and has been blessed by a precious son, Jack, and now has found life in her new relationship with Christ a few months ago.  Two years ago the world seemed to be collapsing around her but through God’s grace and mercy she is now experiencing the abundance our Lord has promised.

Yes, God’s grace is sufficient as He reminded Paul during his time of deepest trials. It is during those darkest moments of life, those torturous thorns and infirmities that life sometimes gives us, that we can truly see the grace and power and faithfulness of our loving God and Savior.  Except for the thorns of life we would not be shaken from our own self-sufficiencies and weaknesses and come to understand that our sufficiency comes from Christ and Christ alone.  Only through the pain and the confession of our weaknesses can we hear the great promise, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness," and then turn our thorns into a matter of thanksgiving as the apostle Paul proclaimed with a grateful heart, “Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

This Thanksgiving as we take time to thank God for all the “good” things that He has so graciously blessed us with, let us not forget to also thank Him also for the thorns by which He revealed His strength and sufficiency.  To God be the glory!

God bless and Happy Thanksgiving

Lord, Teach Me to Pray

Luke 11:1-4, Matthew 6:9-13

When I think on the countless graces that our Lord has poured upon us I cannot help but to think and rejoice in His glorious grace of prayer.  Prayer is simply communion with the God of Creation, the God of Redemption.  To understand the beauty of this grace one must understand the significance and the realization that the God of Creation desires communion with man.  He wants relationship and fellowship with His people on an individual level.  He is concerned about our every need and has made provision through the grace and the privilege of prayer that we may communicate with Him at a very personal and intimate level.  He knows us and wants to know Him.  

Yet, many never tap into and experience this sweet and powerful grace.  Even his disciples did not fully comprehend the grace and the practice of prayer as they asked, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples (Luke 11:1).   What sweeter words could have been asked to Jesus, our Lord and Savior, than “teach me to pray.”   Jesus responded immediately by giving them an incredible outline to pray.  Therefore, for anyone who desires to learn to pray or to strengthen his/her prayer life then there is no better place to start than with the instructions of Jesus Himself.   Let’s us break down this model prayer that we may grow in the grace of prayer and develop deeper communion with our Lord and Redeemer.

“PRAY LIKE THIS”             ----Jesus (Matthew 6:9-13)

PRAISE HIS HOLY NAME                         -Pray the names of God

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

Jesus teaches us to begin our prayer by focusing first on God Himself and not on ourselves.  We do this through spending time on praising His holy name.  Notice that we are to present our prayer to “our Father” who dwells in heaven.   We must understand and accept that as a child of God He wants to be addressed as “Father”.  This reminds us of the role He works in our lives.  Only those who have been born unto Him can make this claim, and for those who do we can be assured that He is the perfect Father who only desires that which is best for His children.  Jesus explained this, "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” (Mat 7:11).  Again, begin your prayer meditating on the fact that you have a Father in heaven that wants the best for you.

Then we are to praise Him for the holiness and the glory of His Name.  Take time to meditate and then rejoice in the wonderful names that are attributed to God in the Scriptures.  Each of these reveal attributes of our Father in Heaven that deserve praise and can bring great encouragement to our souls.  I have included many of the names of our Lord below. Study them, meditate on them and praise Him for the great God that He is.  If the list seems too overwhelming then just focus on one or a few of His names each prayer time and  rejoice in Him

NAMES OF GOD                                “Hallowed be Thy Name”

Elohim:                      the Creator, Preserver, Transcendent,  Gen. 1

El Shaddai:                the All Sufficient God,  Gen 17:1-2

Adonai:                       Lord,Master,  Gen.15:2                                                               

Jehovah:                    the Self-Existent One    I AM WHO I AM,  Ex. 3

Jehovah Jireh:          The Lord Will Provide,  Gen. 22:14

Jehovah Rapha:         The Lord that Heals,  Ex. 15:22-26

Jehovah Tsidkenu:    the Lord our Righteousness,  Jer. 23:5,6; 33:16

Jehovah Mekoddishk:        the Lord Sanctifies You,  Lev. 20:7-8

Jehovah Nissi:             the Lord is My Banner,  Ex. 17:15

Jehovah Shalom:         the Lord is Peace,  Judges 6:24

Jehovah Saboath:        the Lord of Hosts,  Isa. 1:24, Ps. 46:7,11; 2Kings 3:9-12

Jehovah Shammah:    the Lord is There,   Ex. 48:35

Jehovah Ra’ah:            the Lord is My Shepherd,  Ps 23

Jehoshua “Jesus”:       the Lord is My Salvation

If you spend time focusing on the person of our Father through meditating and praising His names, then your heart will be prepared to experience true communion with your Lord as you continue to pray.

 

PRAY FOR HIS PERFECT WILL

Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

We are then to focus on God’s will for our lives and not our own.  Remember, He is our Father in heaven who desires that which is best for us.  We are to seek for His kingdom to be accomplished in our lives and not our own.  Again, remember the words of Jesus when He was warning us about worrying about the cares of this world, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Mat 6:33).  This requires humility and a daily dying to self and by praying for His will to be done will turn our eyes off of ourselves and onto Him.

 PETITION FOR YOUR NEEDS:

After we have given our Father the recognition that He deserves and submit ourselves to His will, then our hearts are ready to bring to Him our personal needs which He desires to meet

Needs of  Daily Provision

Give us this day our daily bread

Our Father knows of our needs even before we ask but petitioning Him for our needs is a practice in humility whereby we are saying, “God, I need you.”  When we pray we need to ask specifically for those things pressing upon our hearts and never be afraid to ask for something that you may think is “too small” or “too big.”  Your Father is concerned for the smallest of your needs as well as the greatest.  These requests can be for your daily substance, physical or relational healing.  God wants to know your heart and has an open ear.  Remember, He is your heavenly Father.

Needs of Forgiveness

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

An extremely important part of our time with the Lord is the seeking of forgiveness.  Christ paid our sin debt on the cross of Calvary, but our unconfessed sins affect our relationship with God.  Unconfessed sin keeps our prayers from being answered (Isaiah 59:2).

We must spend time searching our heart for anything not pleasing to our Lord and confess the sin by name.  John writes, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).  There is nothing sweeter and more refreshing than to experiencing the cleansing of our sins and being restored to full relationship with the Father.

A key point to asking God for our own forgiveness is how well do we forgive those who have sinned against us.  Jesus clearly addresses this issue at the close of Matthew’s recording of the Lord’s prayer by stating, “"For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Mat 6:14-15).  Unforgiveness of others clearly affects our relationship with God, but also our relationship with the person who offended us and is a cancer that eats away at our own lives.   Therefore, Jesus teaches us to address this very important matter in our time with Him.

 Needs of Protection

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:

We are taught also the need to pray for our protection.  We must understand our weakness in standing against the temptations of this world and our spiritual adversary, the devil, alone.  We need to identify those areas in ours lives in which we struggle and ask the Father to protect us even from temptation in those areas.  Do you struggle with anger, or lust, or covetousness, or ……?  Then, call upon God in your prayer to protect you from temptation, from the evil one and from yourself.

CLOSE IN PRAISE AND REMEMBRANCE:

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

We are to close our time of prayer by reminding ourselves that all things are His and that He is to receive all glory.  Think about it: we are to begin our prayer focusing on God and we are to end our prayer in the same manner. 

Again, prayer is one of the great privileges offered to us as the children of God.  This grace is available to the each Christ whether new in the faith or a seasoned believer in Christ.  Jesus has given each of us a powerful and effective model to pray and the more we exercise this privilege of prayer the more comfortable and natural we become in our time with God.

Prayer is a discipline and is expected by God.  Therefore, you must set aside time each day and guard it diligently.  I can promise you that this will be the most important, refreshing and fulfilling time of your day.

“Is There Not a Cause?” Living Life Greater than Ourselves

And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?

---1Samuel 17:29 

Someone once said, “Until a person has something thathe is willing to die for, then that person has not yet began to live.”  David had a cause and this cause was greater than himself; a cause he was willing to die for.  The thing which young David cherished even more than his own life was the honor of the name of the Lord his God.  When reproach was made against his God’s name David considered it his duty and responsibility to defend it even to the grave.    It mattered not that David was a mere lad compared to this great warrior of the Philistines, a giant of a man who was mocking the God of Israel.  His cause was much bigger than himself. 

The army of Israel had no such cause.   Instead, they placed their personal lives and well-being in higher regard than the name of the Lord God.  Therefore, they shook in fear not willing to risk their lives even though the adversary was daily railing against their God.  They lived for nothing larger than themselves and as a result could not see beyond their own selfish desires.   This is not living, but only existing.  

How small and shallow is life if it is no greater than ourselves?  David lived with a cause and thus he lived. Let us do the same.   There is simply no greater cause than to live our lives glorifying God by honoring the name of Jesus, our God and Creator and the Blessed Redeemer.  Our Lord’s cause, revealing His glory through the redemption of mankind, was bigger than Himself and not even the cross and the grave could deter Him.  He died for you and me.   

Therefore, when we hear His name being mocked, see His truth being trampled upon, and His honor being ridiculed, should we not like David say, “Is there not a cause?”  Stand up for Christ and begin to taste the blessing of living.

God’s Grace and the Law of Aging

Revelation 21:5  Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful."

Last week the air-conditioning unit in our home gave up its last breath, its last puff of cool air.  We knew that it was old and struggling but were trying to squeeze the most we could from it: maybe one more season. But finally age and wearing won out.  I guess, in technical terms, it fell prey to the second law of thermodynamics which explains that everything will run down, age, or decay over time whether it be machinery, mankind or the universe itself.  Yes, everything will die in its time, everything.   No amount of repairing, or patching, or beauty creams, or facial tucks will reverse this certainty.

This is simply a part of God’s curse against sin which affected all of His creation and created order.   Ultimately God created all things to exist forever.  He Himself said after each day of His creation, “It is good.”  Yet, man’s rebellion against God set into motion not only God’s penalty against man’s sin: “death” as He had warned; but creation itself was touched and began to groan due to its certain demise.  This law of aging and downgrade entered into creation after the fall cannot be reversed by any of man’s best plans or efforts.  This law of aging and decay also stands in total opposition to evolution, man’s attempt to remove the reality of God from His own creative order.  But try as they may, man cannot stop the second law of thermodynamics, nor can they explain God away apart from utter denial of the obvious and blatant hypocrisy.

Now back to my air conditioning unit.  First, I realized how spoiled I have become.  None of the good ole days for me laboring through steamy, sleepless nights soaked in sweat wishfully hoping for a puff of breeze through the window.  I want cool air.   Also, I didn’t want to patch an old system which I knew was soon to die again.  I chose to purchase a new unit and willing to pray the price, while knowing even my new unit will immediately begin the process of aging.

And finally back to the law of aging.  The only One Who can redeem creation from the curse and reverse the law of aging is the Creator Himself, yet this came with a great price.  By His grace God gave His only Son to receive upon Himself the penalty of man’s sin: death.  He alone overcame the penalty and was resurrected to newness of life.  One day He will return and make “all things new” while destroying death and the curse.  This is called “the regeneration.” 

Jesus is not in the business of “repairing.”  He is in the business of “regenerating,” making things new.  He has promised a new heaven and a new earth and a new body to all who believe.  Death will be abolished, the curse will be broken, and the law of aging will be wiped away.  In the regeneration He will complete what He purposed in creation. No more aging bodies and no more aging air conditioners.  Hallelujah!

To God be the glory.

Talk is Cheap

1 Corinthians 4:20 For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.

Talk is cheap, especially in the service to our Lord.  If someone has to tell you how much he loves the Lord and the great things he has accomplished for Christ, then this may only be the guise of an unfaithful servant.  Sound testimony is important as long as it glorifies Christ rather than self, yet it can never replace faithful service empowered by the Spirit of God.  Words can never be an effective substitute for actions; and even then one’s actions must be examined according to motive and whether they have been endowed by the power of Christ.  

Many like to tell a story, but few are willing to create the story through their hard work. Paul is a great example for us. Others proclaimed to be servants of Christ while Paul displayed his servanthood through faithful service.  Others boasted of positions of authority as Paul exercised his through the anointing of Christ.  Others preached many eloquent words of persuasion while Paul preached a few simple words of power.  Paul wasted few words speaking of himself, but preached and wrote a lifetime of words glorifying his precious Savior and sovereign Lord.  Others talked while Paul served. 

Again, talk is cheap.  It is time to be about our Lord’s business.

Blesssedness of Brokenness

Psalm 51:16-17  For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering.  17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart— These, O God, You will not despise.

David was a man after God’s own heart, but he had wandered far from God.  Success, pride, and presumption had made him self-sufficient opening his soul to places of sin he thought he could never go.  This left David dry and in a spiritual wilderness. He found himself in the lowest and darkest time of his life.  David desperately needed restoration and revival but from where would it come? 

 

David learned that the journey to revival always begins on a street called brokenness.  Desperation always precedes revival.  Until man is brought low he will never cry out to God in brokenness and without brokenness there can be no revival.  When a heart is broken before the Lord nothing else matters but the Lord.  All of our lofty dreams and worldly desires have been shattered.  All of our lovers of whom we have adulterated ourselves and have consumed our minds are exposed as nothing more than false gods and they are crushed under the weight of our brokenness.  Every mask that we have carefully painted on while pretending to be someone or something that we are not is painfully stripped away. 

Yes, in our brokenness we are laid bare, naked before God in a humiliating, helpless state with no else one else to turn to but our Redeemer, the only true lover of our souls.  With everything stripped away nothing else matters but God.  We once again begin to be consumed with Him and His righteousness during the night and when we first awake.  Brokenness brings restoration to the One who truly loves us, the One who gave Himself for us. 

And when did the brokenness begin?  It began at the house of judgment where God’s truth reveals us for whom and what we are and have become.  This righteous judgment drives us to desperation, and desperation to revival.   Let us therefore praise God for His truth, His judgment, and His grace of brokenness.

Blessing My Grandchildren

Proverbs 13:22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children…

The greatest inheritance I can give my grandchildren is parents who love Christ and walk in His ways.  I may never have the opportunity to lavish my grandchildren with the riches of the world, but I can give them the riches of Christ.  This process of bestowing spiritual riches to them begins long before they are ever born.  I bless my grandchildren before they enter this world by pouring my life and the love of Christ into my own children, their future parents.  When I invest spiritual truths into the lives of my children, then I am also investing into my grandchildren.  And, oh, how the investment will provide sweet dividends in the future.  My investments today will provide my children and their children with opportunities of an eternal mansion in heaven on a street of gold which leads to the throne of a loving and merciful God.  I am a rich man indeed and I can share my riches with my grandchildren, but I must begin now.

Faith in the Storm

Psalm 88:13-14
 But to You I have cried out, O Lord,
And in the morning my prayer comes before You.
14 Lord, why do You cast off my soul?
Why do You hide Your face from me?
 
There will be times in the life of every believer when God appears to have deserted him/her. These are times of darkness and despair. Our prayers seem to fall limply from our lips never reaching their desired destination while never being heard. The circumstances which engulf us keep us from feeling God’s embrace, seeing His majesty, or hearing His voice. Our flesh cries out, “God are You even out there?” and “If You are, do You really care?”

These are the times when our faith is severely tested and proven to be real or counterfeit. True faith needs nothing to support it other than a heart felt belief that God is who He says He is and can do what He says He will do even when the circumstances of life shout otherwise. These are the times when we grab hold of God and say, “Although I can’t see You, or hear You, or even feel You, I am not letting go.” 

Our faith is purest when everything is stripped away and we have nothing to hold onto but God. As the storm passes, and it will, we then begin to see that He was present all the time sheltering us. He had been there all the time. Faith is believing He will never forsake you or leave you regardless what the circumstances might seem.  Remember, "faith is the substance of things hopes for, the evidence of things not seen" (Heb. 11:1).

Help Me Understand

Luke 24:45       And He opened their understanding that they might comprehend 

                                 the Scriptures.

Understanding the Word of God is the foundation of our faith. Through the Word we are taught the truth concerning the Triune God. Only through Scripture can we learn of the person and works of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Only through Scripture and not though humanistic philosophy can we learn the truth about man: that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

The glorious doctrines of grace, redemption, the church, and the second coming can only be found in God’s Word. Yet, only God can give us understanding of these powerful truths. Until He gives us spiritual eyes to see, the Scriptures are meaningless to us. This is the reason the world calls God’s Word nonsense. It simply is incapable of understanding.  We must pray that our Lord will open our understanding that we might comprehend the Scriptures. Then and then only can we know Him in a deeper, more meaningful way.  Then and only then can we see the beauty and majesty of a glorious God and His glorious plan of redemption.       –To God be the Glory

The Encourager

Acts 15:37-40  Now Barnabas was determined to take with them John called Mark.   But Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work.  Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus;   but Paul chose Silas …

           

Barnabas, the son of encouragement, saw things in people that others could not.  He looked past the blemishes and the failures to the heart and the potential. He was so passionate in his belief in others that he was willing time and again to risk his reputation to stand by those whom others had cast off.  

It was Barnabas who stood by the new convert Paul in the presence of the disciples in Jerusalem when they did not believe Paul’s authenticity as a Christian (Acts 9). And it was Barnabas who brought Paul from Tarsus to help him teach the new believers at Antioch. Now it was Barnabas who stood up, even against Paul, for Mark the young man who had deserted them on their first missionary journey. Yes, Mark had made a mistake in his immaturity, but Barnabas saw something in him and was not willing to give up on young Mark.

God honored Barnabas’ risk taking. Mark proved faithful and grew into a mighty servant of the Lord. It was through the pen of Mark that God gave us the first written gospel. Even Paul later recognized the faithfulness of Mark as he requested Mark be sent to him because of his usefulness in Paul’s ministry (1 Tim 4:11). How many times have we given up on young believers because of their immature mistakes? Let us be as Barnabas and see the gold beneath rather than the dirt.

Give While There is Still Opportunity

Proverbs 3:28  

 Do not say to your neighbor, "Go, and come back, And tomorrow I will give it," When you have it with you.

Each time I read this verse my thoughts rush immediately to my late dad.  Over the latter part of his life he told me time and again, as if he were trying to leave me a precious nugget, “Son, I have always thought it to be a sin if I saw someone in need and money in my pocket to help them but did not.”   In my younger years I watched him time and again live out this core value of his life even at times to the detriment of him or his family.  He simply could not say “no” to a person in need and surely was taken advantage of many times, but that never kept him from giving.  Even the week before his death when Hospice was attending him he had someone drive him, while still in his pajamas, to minister to a family in need.

Let me explain something about my dad.  He loved the Lord, but he still had many rough areas in his life that he never overcame.  Others may have looked and acted more spiritual than him but I can assure you no one loved people and served people like him.  His giving was simply an outpouring of his love.  I do not even know if he ever read Proverbs 3:28: “Do not say to your neighbor, ‘Go, and come back, And tomorrow I will give it,’ When you have it with you” , but I do know that Christ had etched it upon his heart.  And isn’t this the very essence of the Christian life?  Aren’t the two great commandments to “Love God’ and to “Love People?”

My dad simply loved people and he displayed that love through ministering to the needs of anyone that sought help from him.   He taught me many things, but the greatest lesson was to love people and always lend a helping hand.   Next month will mark the fifth anniversary of his homegoing but still etched in my mind is  his words, “Son, I have always thought it to be a sin if I saw someone in need and money in my pocket to help them but did not” and his actions that proved his sincerity.  He was a living example of Proverbs 3:28 that commands us to give while there is still opportunity.  I pray I can only love others as much and be as faithful in helping others.

Love you, Dad.

All That She Had

Mark 12:43-44 And he called his disciples to him and said to them, "Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. 44 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on."



How many of us can truly say that we have given the Lord “all that we had?” Most of us, if we are honest with ourselves, are much more like the rich givers who gave out of their abundance rather than the poor widow who gave all. Jesus makes it clear that it is not the amount given but the sacrifice by which we give; and it is not about our bank account but our heart. The widow gave all her livelihood, therefore she could give no more. She emptied herself not knowing where her next meal would come. She placed her total dependence upon God believing that if she was faithful to Him, then He would be faithful to her. A key to this passage is that Jesus already knew the accounts by which each giver had to draw upon. It is He in His sovereign will who has given to us whether it be great or small. He is not impressed with large gifts given from our abundance. Instead, He rejoices in the smallest of gifts which are given in sacrifice. Which are these givers were rich in Jesus’ eyes? Certainly, it was the poor widow. She is rich in the kingdom of heaven.

His Thoughts are Upon You

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Jeremiah 29:11 is one of the great comfort passages in all of Scripture. Many have made it their life verse. But to understand the true meaning and the impact of such a verse one must grasp the context of the passage itself. Specific questions must be asked such as” To whom is the Lord speaking?” and “What were the circumstances of the times?” Only then can one see the beauty and the power of the words spoken.

God’s people were in turbulent times as destruction was upon them. God was using the kingdom of Babylon to bring discipline against His people who had forsaken Him for other gods, made mockery of the Jewish faith and polluted God’s land with pagan idols and corruption. A large contingent of Jews had already been taken captive to Babylon during the initial invasion while Jewish false prophets were prophesizing peace and victory while the worse was yet to come.

These comforting words from God did not come to those still living in Judah, but to those already taken captive. The words were part of a letter God wrote through Jeremiah to a people whom apparently had lost everything: their homeland, their families, their dignity, their religion, and their hope. Surely, they longed to return home from this pagan land and they must have understood themselves as the “unlucky” ones. Surely, they had cried out to God passionately for their deliverance, but instead of words promising immediately deliverance from their trials God instead instructed them to “build houses and dwell in them; plant gardens and eat of their fruit. Take wives and begat sons and daughters…and seek peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive.” God was simply telling these captives to settle in and make themselves productive until He completes His purpose of which He was working in and through them, a purpose which would keep them sojourning another seventy years.

It was to these people, people living under captive circumstances and a people to whom God was telling to wait on Him that He gave these great words of encouragement, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you…thoughts of peace and not evil, to give you a future and a hope.” God was reminding them that His thoughts were on them and His plans included them. Also, even in their captivity they were not the ones to be pitied as those who remained in Judah would soon face destruction.

God spoke these words to encourage people who were experiencing difficult trials so they would trust Him and wait upon Him. He had them exactly where He wanted them in order to fulfill His purpose and plan through them. 

You may be in a very difficult place today, a place not of your own making, a place from where you long to be freed, but God does not seem to even hear your prayers. This is no different from the Israelites held captive in Babylon. Maybe God has you right where He wants you so He can fulfill a greater purpose through you. Remember, His thoughts are upon you and He has plan for your life.

Glory in This

Jeremiah 9:23-24 Thus says the LORD: "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, Let not the mighty man glory in his might, Nor let the rich man glory in his riches; 24 But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight," says the LORD.

The chief purpose of man is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. Man’s very existence and reason for being is to bring glory to His Creator. Yet, to understand man’s struggle in fulfilling his purpose is the need to understand man’s chief sin and that is pride which is simply self-glory. Paul addresses this in the first chapter of Romans by explaining “…although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were they thankful….who exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator…”

From the beginning man has desired to rob God of His glory. This was the core of the serpent’s temptation to Eve as he cunningly pricked her desire by saying, “For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God knowing good and evil.” Eve desired to be “like God” and thus obtain the glory due only to Him. Since the fall man has sought glory for himself through his wisdom, his might and his riches as well as many other idols that simply are an attempt to reflect glory back to himself. 

Again, selfish pride is the basis for all sin and it strikes against the very purpose for which man was created: to glorify God. If I struggle to find fulfillment in life and thus peace and joy, then I should first honestly ask myself, "What does my life glorify, me or my Creator?" True life will only be found and experienced when man repents of his self glory and then gives His Creator and Redeemer the glory that He alone is due.
---To God be the glory!

Living in Readiness

Mark 13:35-37 Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming--in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning-- 36 lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. 37 And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!"


When being asked by His disciples about the timing of the last days, Jesus made three matters perfectly clear: 1- The Son of Man is coming again to judge the world, 2- No one knows the exact time of His return other than the Father, 3- All must watch and be ready for His imminent return. In the most basic terms Jesus was telling His followers not to be so concerned about laboring over the minor details of His return, but instead, simply live each day with the readiness and anticipation of that He may arrive today.

The problem with most of us is that either we do not honestly believe Jesus is coming again to judge the living and the dead, or we do not truly believe that His return is could be at anytime. Otherwise, we would live our lives in marked difference. These are the same issues of the unfaithful steward (Matt. 24) and the five foolish virgins (Matt. 25) of whom were each condemned for the lack of readiness. Jesus addresses this readiness issue time and again in direct teaching and in parables. 

This “living in readiness” would radically change most of our lives. Think for a moment; just how different would my daily plans, daily routines and daily actions be if I truly anticipated the return of Christ sometime today? Obviously, if I truly believed that Jesus was the Righteous Judge and would come at a time unexpected then I would be certain my life, my affairs and my house would be in order. As a host preparing for a special guest I would meticulously examine every room to ensure my guest would be pleased and to avoid embarrassment to myself. For some this task would be overwhelming and in anxiousness since no prior preparation had been made, and therefore much cleaning and rearranging would have to be done. For others, those who live daily in expectation of a special guest, the announcement of arrival would be met with joy since preparations had already been made and their house is already in order.

I must then ask myself, “Do I live in readiness?” And, “How must preparation would I require if I knew Jesus was coming today?” Let us not be caught unprepared and not ready. Oh, the joy of living daily in the anticipation and readiness of Christ’s return! Oh, the peace of knowing that when He knocks at the door my house is already in order!

The Beauty is Worth the Effort

Romans 11:33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!

I had heard of the Grand Canyon, of its indescribable beauty and its overwhelming vastness, but I never desired to spend the necessary time to see this treasure for myself. I had heard the testimonies from others, believed in its reality, but had no desire to experience it for myself. 

Then on a family vacation in the western states my wife insisted we visit the Grand Canyon. Inwardly, I growled as this would take at least two days out of our schedule to see nothing more that a gigantic hole in the ground. My thoughts of displeasure only intensified as we drove through hours of desert to arrive at the stated destination.

Upon arrival my displeasure soon began to flee. As I walked to the edge of the canyon I became immediately overwhelmed with the beauty and the vastness of this treasure of God’s creation. The words and photos of others could not accurately describe the vivid colors, the immensity and the glory of this wonder of God’s handiwork. I was wrong, so very wrong! My regret now was that we did not schedule enough time to truly explore the many hidden wonders of this divine masterpiece. 

The taste of standing on the edge and gazing at the beauty before me only made me hungry for more. Thank God for my wife insisting this to be in our plans. The drive back through the desert did not seem as tedious as the images that would not be forgotten continued to flash into my mind.

I am afraid that many view Scripture in the same way I viewed the Grand Canyon: belief in the truth of its reality but not willing to take the time or the effort to experience it for myself. I had heard what others had to say and sadly was satisfied, and was never willing to do what was necessary to taste it for myself. How foolish to eat the crumbs of others when we can indulge in the feast itself.

No one will ever taste the depth, the beauty and the majesty of God’s Word until he makes the commitment and the sacrifice to do whatever it takes to stand at its edge and wonder at its glory. Then and only then will one not be satisfied with simply a taste but desire to explore for even more of God’s indescribable riches. No one else’s explanation will do. 

Thank God for those who have challenged me to explore for myself the vastness and beauty of God's majestic Word.

Lord, Give Us More Stephens

Acts 6:15 And all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him (Stephen),
saw his face as the face of an angel.

Lord, give us more Stephens: Men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom; Men who are faithful servants to your people and bold preachers of your word. Men who are full of faith and power; Men of whom when they find themselves in the midst of false accusations and persecutions do not lash out, but have the countenance of an angel; Men whose light shines bright in the darkest of times.

I believe in the heat of persecution the face of Stephen and his final words of compassion for his persecutors were permanently etched in the mind of one of his tormentors, Saul of Tarsus. Could it be that Stephen’s testimony in death was a preparation of Saul’s soon salvation and a prod for his future ministry? If so, Stephen's light continued to burn bright through the powerful ministry of the apostle Paul.

Trials of the Race

Jeremiah 12:5 "If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, Then how can you contend with horses? And if in the land of peace, In which you trusted, they wearied you, Then how will you do in the floodplain of the Jordan?

Jeremiah was tired, weary, frustrated and now complaining to God about the persecution he was facing from his own Jewish brothers for preaching God’s Word. He was in the midst a major pity party complaining of God’s injustice for allowing the unrighteous to prosper while the righteous perished.

There will be times that any faithful servant of God will find himself in the very circumstance of Jeremiah. We would like to think that our faithfulness to God and His Word would be rewarded by immediately blessings from God and appreciation of the people, but history proves this is not necessarily the case. God’s prophets who faithfully preached His Word rather than tickling men’s ears were seldom applauded by their contemporaries and in most cases disdained by their listeners. One has to look no further than Jesus Christ who was crucified by the very people He came to save.

In truth, faithful service to our Lord can be at times a treacherous road and a weary task. This can cause the servant to lose sight of the mark and to begin to feel sorry for himself. But God will not allow us to wallow in the mire of our self-indulgent sorrow. In His grace and mercy He will strengthen and encourage us, but in His truth He will remind us of the preparations for task before us. He will remind us just as He did Jeremiah, “If you become weary in the little skirmishes then how will you stand in the major battles ahead?” 

God loves us and His work too much to allow us to remain where we are. He is constantly testing and stretching His servants with trials and tribulations for a greater work ahead. Instead of a spirit of complaint which naturally reveals itself through our flesh, may we have a spirit of rejoicing that God would count us worthy to serve and grow in His work. Let us be as the early church who rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer for His name (Acts 5:41).
--To God be the Glory

Loved Him

Mark 10:21 "Then Jesus looking at him, loved him, and said to him, 'One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross and follow Me.'"

This young man was so close but yet so far. He came sincerely to Jesus seeking eternal life but was confused on how to obtain it. He had been faithful, in comparison to others, in keeping the law but this was not the way unto salvation. Jesus looked at the young man with eyes of compassion and with a heart of purest love knowing exactly what was keeping him from eternal life. He had made idols of his riches and thus measured himself by his possessions rather than by a Holy God. Jesus understood this idol had to be removed before true worship could be made and true life obtained. Thus, out of a heart of love Jesus addressed this man's need and what needed to be done so he could obtain the eternal life he was seeking. The idol must be destroyed, all had be given away, and then he must selflessly follow Christ. The words were hard but they were true and flowed from the love of the Lord. Sadly, the young man was not willing to give up his idol of riches for true eternal life. He would rather glory in temporal pleasure than in eternal delight. He walked away sorrowful but in love Jesus did not follow him. Jesus had given him riches greater than any he owned: the riches of truth and love. Sadly, he rejected truth wrapped in love and thus eternal life.

Imitate Me

1 Corinthians 4:16 Therefore, urge you, imitate me.
11:1 Imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.

One of the boldest statements in all scripture is made not once but twice by the apostle Paul, “Imitate me.” Paul was writing to a group of believers who were blessed with strong spiritual gifts from the Lord, but whom had great difficulty separating themselves from the ways of the world. Obviously, they were having a hard time understanding what a Christ-like should appear, and even a more difficult time walking it. Therefore, Paul offered himself as a living example by challenging them to “imitate me.” This statement may appear brash or arrogant on the surface (and it would be if made from a pompous heart) but this was not the case. Paul’s statement flowed from a heart of humility and confidence. Humbly, he understood the magnitude of his challenge for himself and his readers as a failure of him to live a proper example of Christ would place him in great jeopardy of Christ’s judgment and place his readers in danger of a wayward walk. Yet, his dependence was on Christ and not on himself as he could not provide the proper example apart from the power of Christ in him and through him. He was confident in Christ’s provision. His heart was pure and his understanding was clear that as believers we are to be living letters to others to teach them the ways of Christ. We are to be the world’s examples of Christ as we are His body. As Paul, we must not be arrogant but humbly confident in our faith and in our walk. May we, as him, not fear to make ourselves examples of Christ and even challenge young believers, “If you want to live like Jesus, imitate me.”