SEEN FROM UNSEEN

"By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible." Hebrews 11:3

I remember when I first started at my job and they gave me the option of automatic deposit. It's great. On paydays a few of my co-workers would be rushing to get to the bank to deposit their check, so they could wait a few days for it to clear. They would always say,"I like to see it in my hands." I would reply, "I like drive by you in line and just go home and go out to dinner." 

I kind of think trusting God is a bit like the whole automatic deposit thing. I just trust they put the money in my account and then I write the checks to pay my bills, believing the funds are there. In a similar way, I trust Christ that he paid the price for my sins. I don't want to sin and I try not to sin. But, I do. The bible says that if I confess my sins he is faithful and just to forgive me from all unrighteousness (I John 1:9). 

I don't see how God does everything, I just see that he does. This year we had some added expenses (you know braces and teenagers eating like teenagers type stuff) and I was given the opportunity to work a bit extra. God provided. I didn't see God working but he heard my cry and did work. 

Our faith is in God who can do things we can't anticipate. By faith we understand that God works even when we don't seem him working. 

Father, open our eyes to see you working in our lives. Praise be to you in us today!

A Psalm and a Prayer for Mercy

"I love the LORD, for he heard my voice; 
     he heard my cry for mercy.
 Because he turned his ear to me,
     I will call on him as long as I live."
 Psalm 116:1-2


Thank you Lord, for hearing our voice, our cry for mercy. We cry out to you, "Have mercy on us!" We will call on you as long as we live. Praise be to you in us today!

FAITH IS NOT GETTING WHAT I WANT...

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1

The Apostle Paul said that he was, "an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope" (I Timothy 1:1). And in Colossians 1:5 he reminds us that faith and love spring from the hope that is stored for us in heaven. 

Jesus is our hope. We can be sure that that our hope in him is real and certain that he will do what he set out to do and that is save us from sin and make us God's children. 

Faith is not getting what I want but knowing that God will provide what I need. God has me where he wants me. God is doing what he wants to do in my life. I may not see where he is taking me, but I trust that it will be where I need to be. 

Father, thank you that in your Sovereignty, grace and mercy, you reign in my life. Praise be to you in us today!

LOVE AND FAITHFULNESS ARE GOD'S GLORY

"Not to us, O LORD, not to us

     but to your name be the glory,

     because of your love and faithfulness."

 Hebrews 115:1

Sometime things get pretty crazy. Whatever the crisis, whatever the trial, it will be the Lord's love and faithfulness that will carry us through. He will be glorified.

Everyone has struggles. But, we have God. Everyone encounters difficult people who seem to be enemies with everyone they come in contact with. But, we have the Lord on our side to fight our battles and vindicate us.

What is your trial today? Who or what is your enemy that you are battling?  Call on God. Trust in him. He is loving and faithful. It is his glory to help us and shield us. 

Father, help us to call upon you and trust you with the trials and enemies we face. Be glorified in us. Help us and shield us today! Praise be to you in us today!

STAND AND BELIEVE!

"But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved." Hebrews 10:39 

I often tell my children when they go someplace to remember who belong to and who they represent. They are God's and mine. That reminds me to remember who I belong to and who I represent. 

Since we belong to God we don't shrink back from conflicts with the world. We don't necessarily seek conflict out, but, we do realize the world is diametrically opposed to Christianity and therefore us. I don't have to be loud or obnoxious, I just have to be willing to stand my ground and do what is right. Everyone else may go left, but I must go straight. 

If I believe in Christ, I need to act like I do. It's about loving and serving others, not about the things the world does that we may not do. 

So, what will we not shrink back from doing today? 

Father, help us to do what is right and act in love by faith. Praise be to you in us today!

DEFEAT INTO VICTORY!

"So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised." Hebrews 10:35-36

Yesterday morning at a men's study I attend we were discussing how you turn defeat into victory and victory into defeat. What it made me think about was the times that I was impatient and not willing to wait for God. In that I turned victory into defeat. 

I think about Saul and how he got impatient waiting for Samuel  (I Samuel 13) and offered up the offerings himself. If he would of waited his kingdom would of been established for all time, instead, he lost it all. 

Hebrews reminds us to persevere. Don't give up! I may be a long wait and may seem like God isn't going to show up, but, in his time, he will! We turn defeat into victory by persevering. 

God has promised us abundant life. Our perseverance will be rewarded. Keep on trying to do the will of God and he will be faithful to reward you. 

Father, help us to be confident in you. Show us yourself! Help us to persevere and do you will. Praise be to you in us today!

GIVE ME AN ENCOURAGING WORD!

"Let us not give up meeting together, as some men are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching." Hebrews 10:25

If you're not dead, God's not done with you. 

Jesus died for you, and he lives for you! He lives to intercede for you! He's on the job right now!

Do you have a word of encouragement to share? Please share!

Father, pour your spirit upon us! Encourage us in Christ today! Praise be to you in us today!

JUST SERVE!

"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds." Hebrews 10:24

Every now and then one of my children will do something that my wife, their mother, really appreciates and she will say, "My child loves me" (you know, with the head tilted and a thankful dreamy voice, kind of sappy). Then the other one will say, "I love you too!"  An "I love mom more than you battle" may follow. They, in a way, spur each other on toward loving mom. 

I am not saying we should be having some sort of "I love God more than you" type of battles or even discussions, just that when we see someone else serving God we should be moved to serve God ourselves. 

The two sides to this are one, me being willing to jump in with others and do what needs to be done and two, me being in, encouraging others to serve also. The question for me is: How can I do this this week? maybe even today?

Father help us to serve and serve alongside others. Praise be to you in us today!

HOW HAS GOD DELIVERED YOU?

"I am under vows to you, O God,
     I will present my thank offerings to you.
 For you have delivered me from death
     and my feet from stumbling,
 that I may walk before God in the light of life."
 Psalm 56:12-13

How has God delivered you?

KNOWING GOD IS WITH YOU

"Then my enemies will turn back 
     when I call for help.
     By this I will know that God is with me.
 In God, whose word I praise, 
     in the LORD, whose word I praise - 
 in God I trust; I will not be afraid. 
     What can man do to me?"
 Psalm 56:9-11

What or who is your enemy? Are you calling on God to help? Do you know how you will know if God is answering your prayers?

I have had a few prayers answered lately where I noticed I prayed about them for quite a long time. But, he answered. 

Sometimes I meet the enemy, and it is me. God needs to change me before he can answer some of my prayers. I need to be willing to be changed. 

So, keep praying, keep humble and don't be afraid to trust in God.

Father, open our eyes to see you working in our lives! Answer our prayers and may our enemies turn back before us! Praise be to you in us today!

IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU

"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful." Hebrews 10:23

The reason we can hold on to Christ is because it is all about his faithfulness, not ours!It's not about you, it's about Christ! In I Timothy 2:13 Paul encourages us by saying, "if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself." 

Hold on to Christ. Do let go. Do give up. He is holding on to you! He is faithful and will complete the work he began in you (Philippians 1:6). It's not about you, it about Christ's faithfulness!

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your faithfulness! Thank you that I can hold on to you! Praise be to you in us today!

COME ON IN

"Let us draw near to to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water." Hebrews 10:22

I think it was Popeye that said, "I yam what I yam and that's all that I yam". The point? To God you are you are and that's all you are. No fooling God. No need to try to be what you are not. That is why Jesus died for our sins. 

Sincerity is truth without pretense. I not sure what is worse, to try to get right before you seek God, or, to think you are right when you are not when you go before God. Probably the later because then you don't think you need his forgiveness. We ALL need his forgiveness because all have sinned and fallen short of his glory. 

The good news is that drawing near him knowing that you need his forgiveness is what you are supposed to do. There are no required words, no set formulas to be draw near to God except to do so sincerely, truthfully. In Christ God says, "Come on in." 

"God, I am what I am and here I am. And I come to receive grace  and mercy." Praise be to you in us today!

DRAW NEAR TO GOD

"Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water." Hebrews 10:19-22

Sports teams love to have little catch phrases to keep themselves focused. The school I work at has the motto, "Make it matter!" to encourage everyone to always do their best. I think "let us draw near to God" is a pretty good reminder for Christians. 

Whatever is or has been going on in you life, "Draw near to God". Because of the tremendous sacrifice of Christ on our behalf, "Draw near to God". Because you want to know God more, on a deeper basis, "Draw near to God". Because your wife and kids need you to be their spiritual leader, "Draw near to God". Mostly, because in Christ God is drawing us near to himself, "Draw near to God"! 

Spirit of the Living God, help us to draw near to you. Praise be to you in us today!

GO AHEAD AND ASK

"Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus". Hebrews 10:19

When I was around twenty I was blessed to be able to attend Capernwray Bible School in England. The head of the school befriended me and I spent a good amount of time hanging out with him. For a while I was struggling with something and I didn't want to talk to him because I knew he would cut straight to the chase. Finally I went to talk with him about what I was struggling with and when I told him he said, "I knew it, I was just waiting for you to come talk to me." There was no condemnation, just help.  

Sometimes we act like that with God. We try to fix ourselves before we go to God. When we get tired of just messing it up more, we go to him and he simply says, "I know, I've just been waiting for you to come to me." 

Is there something you have been trying to fix or make right before you really seek God? Whatever it is, he knows and he is just waiting for you to call upon him. 

Father, thank you for being so patient and loving. Thank you that you do not condemn us, you sent your One and Only Son to die for us! Praise be to you in us today!

YES YOU ARE

"And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

 But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy."

Hebrews 10:10, 12-13

Sometimes I don't feel too holy. I don't think I ever feel perfect. But, in God's eyes, seen through the holiness and perfection of Christ, I am being made holy! 

Isn't that the good news, the gospel? We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all! That is good news! Right now, in God's eyes, if you are in Christ, you are holy! 

And we are being made holy. You see, part of salvation is the end of it all. We are saved and we are going to heaven. The other part is in the here and now, the "being made holy" part which is often called sanctification. Salvation is not just from the overall effect of sin which is death, but, salvation is also from the rule of sin in the here and now, in our daily lives. We are being made holy. 

Christ's sacrifice is complete and our salvation is a complete salvation. The trials we go through are vehicles that the Holy Spirit uses to mold us into the image of Jesus Christ. That is the plan. Don't be surprised, God's not. 

Are you holy? Yes, you are. You are holy and you are being made holy.

Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on us. Make us, mold us, and use us. Praise be to you in us today!

WORST CASE SCENARIO: VICTORY

"Be merciful to me, O God, for men hotly pursue me; 
     all day long they press their attack.
 My slanderers pursue me all day long;
     many are attacking me in their pride.
 When I am afraid,
     I will trust in you.
 In God, whose word I praise,
     in God I trust; I will not be afraid.
     What can mortal man do to me?"
 Psalm 56:1-4 

When David was writing about being pursued, attacked and slandered he was not just speaking metaphorically. People were really pursuing him to kill him. There has been times when I felt like someone was trying to kill my career or slander me, but, not actually trying to kill me. For David, his fears were real.

In the end though, David says, "What can mortal man do to me?" Well, they could kill him. But David understood that then he would just go be with his Father, God. In Matthew 10:28 Jesus taught his disciples before sending them out, "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both the soul and the body in hell." 

When it feels like the world is caving in around you. When people are against you and you think it's you against the world; trust in God. Sometimes we just need to remember that the worst case scenario (in our eyes) is we die. OK, not fun, but, then you are with God in heaven. So what can the enemy do to you, kill you?  

If I live I see God work. If I die, I see God. 

Father, sometimes everything is against us and we struggle to trust in you. Help us to rest in you and open our eyes to see you working in our lives. We trust in you, what can mortal man do to us? Praise be to you in us today!

CAST AND SUSTAIN

"Cast your cares on the LORD
     and he will sustain you;
     he will never let the righteous fall.
 But you, O God, will bring down the wicked 
     into the pit of corruption;
 bloodthirsty and deceitful me
     will not live out half their days.
But as for me, I trust in you."
Psalm 55:22-23

This world is full of corruption. To most people, truth is optional and the value of a human is not much more than any other animal. Trusting in man is useless. 

Trusting in God is trust that does not let you down. God does what he says. The bloodthirsty deceit and corruption of the world swirls around us, but, God is not moved nor is his faithfulness compromised. Cast your cares on the Lord. Tell him what is concerning you. Share with him what worries you. He will sustain you. 

I know because he has. He has sustained me through self-inflicted trials and trials that I did my best to avoid. 

Take a moment and remember how God has sustained you...do you remember? 

ONCE IS ENOUGH

"But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away  with sin by the sacrifice of himself. Just as man is destined to die once, and after that comes judgement, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him." Hebrews 9:26b-28

I think the point is not sinless perfection on our part (see I John) but the completeness of our salvation and the removal of sins guilt and control. 

There is a story of a wealthy man who was purchasing a Rolls-Royce car. At that time Rolls-Royce did not list it's horsepower. The buyer asked what the horsepower was and the only answer he received was, "Adequate." He even wrote to the company's main offices and each person's answer was always, "Adequate."  

The message is that no matter the depth of our need of his forgiveness, mercy and grace, Christ's death covers the need. A matter of fact, his grace is more than adequate it is all sufficient. Christ's death was enough. 

Jesus, thank you for dying for our sins and sacrificing yourself in our place. Thank you that you will come again! Praise be to you in us today!

IS GUILT STOPPING YOU?

"For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance - now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant." Hebrews 9:15

Imagine that every time you sinned you had to go down to the temple with an offering. You had to or your guilt would remain. Think about it. The offering would remove the outward debt of the sin but never truly dealing with your conscience. 

In I John 1:9 we are reminded, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." The guilt, from the inner man out, is dealt with and removed. A great part of the new covenant is that God gives us a new heart. He renews our inner being in Christ. Our conscience is clean to live by faith in the love of Christ.

I guess the question is what guilt is stopping you? That is what Jesus died for. Take it to him. 

Thank you. Jesus, for dying, once and for all...Praise be to you in us today!