Our Security, His Greatness

He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord,
   in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
And they will live securely, for then his greatness 
   will reach to the ends of the earth.
Micah 5:4 NIV

The responsibility of the shepherd is to lead their sheep, to pasture and protect them from all harm. That's called security. Christ, our Shepherd, protects and provides for us and we tell of his greatness to the ends of the earth. 

Let's start with where we are today. Give God praise at home. Give God praise at work. Honor God by loving others, whoever he puts before you today.

If You're Ready to Learn, You'll Learn

Many nations will come and say, 
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
   to the temple of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways,
   so that we may walk in his paths.
”The law will go out from Zion,
   the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
Micah 4:2  NIV

You can't get there, until you go there. It won't get done until you do it. I know those sound a bit oversimplistic but, sometimes simple truths are quite profound. 

If I want to be taught by the Lord I better read the Bible and go to church. The Bible starts in Genesis and ends in Revelation. Sow the Word of God into your heart and mind and the Spirit of God will teach you. He speak to you alone and through other people. Here's the deal: You will be taught when you allow yourself to learn.

Seek to be taught and you will learn. Maybe not the lessons you want in the order you feel comfortable, but, God will teach us his ways.

Break Through the Wall

The One who breaks open the way will go up before them;
   they will break through the gate and go out.
Their King will pass through before them,
   the Lord at their head.”
Micah 2:13 (NIV)

Long before I was even a twinkle in my mothers eye, Christ went before me and died for my sins. Not just for mine, but for yours also! 

Christ, our Shepherd, knows what we are going through right now. He will make a way. He will break through whatever that wall is. With the Lord passing before us we will go through whatever gate is holding us in and pass through. 

Are you part of the deliverance?

Blessed is he who has regard for the week;
   the LORD delivers him in times of trouble.
Psalm 41:1

One of the fruits of being a servant of the Kingdom of God is God's deliverance. Isolation is the result of being a selfish person, a person who "looks out for number one". 

Last year I had the misfortune of having an incompetent, malicious, and immoral supervisor. She did her best to completely negate any progress teachers accomplished with their students. I had several fellow workers ask me about how to deal with her. I believe in telling the truth, even if it hurts me. I went to the principal and told the truth. Frankly, I did not want to put myself on the line and brought some unwanted "focus" upon myself. But, she no longer is at our school site. 

The point is that I believe that if we seek to defend those who can't defend themselves that we honor God. I lost a lot of hours listening to fellow workers describe the intrusive and destructive actions of this crazy administrator. But, I am where God put me to serve others, not myself. He promises to take care of me. He does. 

Has God Relented?

When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.

Jonah 3:10 (NIV)

If I honestly look at my life right now I know there are a few times I probably, with the gracious Sovereign hand of God, have been delivered from self-destruction. 

God wants us to turn to him. He longs to show us compassion, to forgive us and restore us to himself. Even if the circumstances are less than perfect, the Father is concerned with our reconciliation. Remember, the message to the Ninevites was delivered by a reluctant messenger who hated the people he was speaking to. God is concerned with our response to him. 

Take a moment and ask yourself if God has relented from sending destruction in your life lately...

What is your intent?

But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

James 1:25 (NIV)

Once while backing up my car I hit a little, but unforgiving two foot post sticking up out of the ground. I went forward, saw the stupid thing in my mirror, backed up again while avoiding the post. My intent was not to dent my car, but I did. Since my intent was to get out of the parking space without hitting  anything, in the end I got out without causing further damage.

Follow me on this. If my intent is to sin I will sin without concern for the damage it will do to my life and the lives of those around me. If my intent is to act in faith, even if I find myself in sin, I will back out - repent - and act by faith in love. 

Make it your intent to act in faith. Make it your intent to do the the word of God says and even when you get a bit off track the Spirit of God will help you to act in faith, to do live according to the word.

Be Restored, Rebuilt and Repaired!

“In that day “I will restore 
   David’s fallen shelter
I will repair its broken walls 
   and restore its ruins
   and will rebuild it as it used to be,
so that they may possess the remnant of Edom
   and all the nations that bear my name,”
      declares the Lord, who will do these things.
Amos 9:11-12 (NIV)

Sometimes we reap what we sow and the fruit of our choices results in messing up our lives. Sometimes it's just a trial and in the end we are out of sorts and everything is out of place. Whatever it is we know we aren't where we used to be or where we know we are supposed to be. 

The good word is that God wants to restore you, to repair you, to build you up so you may possess what he has called you to possess.

Father, Spirit of the Living God, we call upon you to restore us, to repair our broken places, to build us up again, and help us to possess that which you have given us. Praise be to you in us today!

Are You Blessed?

Blessed is the man
   who makes the LORD his trust,
who does not look to the proud,
   to those who turn aside to false gods.
Many, O LORD my God,
   are the wonders you have done.
The things you planned for us
   no one can recount to you;
were I to speak and tell of them,
   they would be too many to declare.
Psalm 40:4-5

Yesterday my youngest son and I came back from a Scouting event called Camporee. He had fun. I am a blessed man. 

It was great to come home to my wife and daughter and spend the rest of the day (after cleaning up) with them. I am a blessed man. 

Today I will go to my job that is about five minutes from my house. I am a blessed man. 

As I sit here reading God's word I am reminded of God's grace as I ask for his strength to overcome the sins that so easy tempt me. I am reminded that it is God's Spirit within me leading me to even think of him. I am a blessed man. 

Please take a moment and ask yourself, "How am I blessed?" Please bless us with a comment of how God blesses you.

There is no arguing with a fool

Therefore the prudent keep quiet in such times,
   for the times are evil. 
Seek good, not evil, that you may live.
Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you,
   just as you say he is.
Hate evil, love good;
   maintain justice in the courts.
Perhaps the Lord God Almighty will have mercy 
   on the remnant of Joseph.
Amos 5:13-15 (NIV)

There's no arguing with a fool. Sometimes you just have to wait things out before it's time to speak or act. A friend of mine once said that people aren't ready to hear something until they're ready to hear it. Love good, do the right thing and hate evil. Be prudent about your words.

Where are you looking for hope?

But now, Lord, what do I look for?
   My hope is in you.
Psalm 39:7

Have you ever been driving behind someone and their blinker indicated left but they turned right? What I've noticed is that people turn where they are looking, regardless of what their blinker indicates. 

Where we look, is where we go. Spiritually it is the same. Where do I look for hope, for help, for guidance? If I look to God that's where I'll find my answer. If I look to the world, that's where I'll find an answer. The difference is that my hope in God is in the truth! and will not disappoint, while hope in the world is temporal and usually is a snare set up by the enemy of our souls.

Hope in The Lord, because he loved you enough to send his one and only Son to die for your sins and make you a new creation in Christ. Look to Christ and find your hope.

Are You Religious?

Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

James 1:26-27 (NIV)

My mom used to always say, "You better watch your mouth. Somebody is going to give you a bloody nose!" I had a tendency to argue and talk a bit of smack. It is a wonder I never really got popped a good one (or two). Though I did talk my way out of a few confrontations, I also managed to talk myself into quite a bit of trouble. 

How this applies to Christianity is that if I talk about being a good Christian, I better act like  a good Christian. Frankly, this is about serving others. It's not about talking about serving, it's about just serving. If I tell my wife I love her but leave the dishes in the sink for her to get, that's not serving. If I ignore the person at work who is struggling and don't help them because I might have to stay fifteen minutes later, that's not serving. Do you get it? Christ sacrificed, Christ served. So should I.

I am thankful for...

What do you have to be thankful about? 

The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord;
   he is their stronghold in time of trouble.
The Lord helps them and delivers them;
   he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
   because they take refuge in him.
Psalms 37:39-40 (NIV)

I am thankful for my salvation. The truth is that without the Spirit of God reminding me every day to read the Bible and pray, I would just go on about my day. I am thankful that my salvation is for today, not just yesterday. 

What are you thankful for?

Word of the day: Refuge

The word of the day: Refuge. God is your refuge!

The Lord will roar from Zion
   and thunder from Jerusalem;
   the earth and the heavens will tremble.
But the Lord will be a refuge for his people,
   a stronghold for the people of Israel.
Joel 3:16 (NIV)

It's Time For A Self-Check

Sometimes you need to just stop, get yourself realigned with Christ, confess your sins, repent and go forward.

"Rend your heart

   and not your garments.

Return to the Lord your God,

   for he is gracious and compassionate,

slow to anger and abounding in love,

   and he relents from sending calamity.

Who knows? He may turn and have pit.

   and leave behind a blessing- 

grain offerings and drink offerings,

   for the Lord your God."

Joel 2:12-14

Is God Angry With You?

I will heal their waywardness
   and love them freely,
   for my anger has turned away from them.
Hosea 14:4

Let's be real. Sometimes we stray. We get a little off course. We sin. One of the absolutely amazing truths about God is that he loves us freely and heals our waywardness.

I don't know about you, but when I struggle my first instinct is to try to heal myself before I go to God. That is like being sick yet waiting until I feel better before I go to the doctor. 

The fruit of our sin can be very painful. It may seem like God is angry with you. The truth is that he loves us enough to send his Son to die for our sins and open the way back to him.

In Christ, your sins are forgiven. Whatever you have been struggling with, God knows. In Christ he heals. In Christ he freely loves you. 

Are You Looking Back to Egypt?

“But I have been the Lord your God 
   ever since you came out of Egypt.
You shall acknowledge no God but me,
   no Savior except me.
      Hosea 13:4 (NIV)

What lifestyle was the Egypt the Lord brought you out of? I definitely was heading down the broad path of hedonism. If the Lord had not called me out of that lifestyle I am sure I would of brought great harm to myself and anyone near me. 

Honestly, anytime I have "acknowledged" any other "god" it has only resulted in the lack of happiness and a painful lesson that sin feels good for a moment but after that moment...pain.

Remember, your only Savior is Christ. He is your hope, your righteousness, holiness and redemption (see I Corinthians 1:30). 

What Are You Aiming At?

But you must return to your God;
   maintain love and justice,
   and wait for your God always.
Hosea 12:6 (NIV)

As we start the new work week remember to refocus on Christ and reset you aim. At the end of this week you want to look back and know that by faith you acted in love and with justice. 

How will I serve others this week?

Are You Focused on the Water or the Fairway?

Do not fret because of those who are evil
   or be envious of those who do wrong;
for like the grass they will soon wither,
   like green plants they will soon die away. 
Trust in the Lord and do good;
   dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
Take delight in the Lord,
   and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalms 37:1-4 (NIV)

I golf. Not very well, but I do golf. One of my problems is focus. I'm not the only one. Whenever water is in play it acts like a golf ball magnet for a lot of us. I think it's because when you think about not hitting your brand new ball into the drink your focus goes there and that's where your shot goes. It is especially true when your "well meaning" partner quietly says, "Don't hit it in the lake", just before your tee off. 

What does that have to do with Psalm 37? It's all about focus. Am I focusing on what non-believers are doing or on the faithfulness of God? Although I need to be cognizant of the traps the enemy will set out in my life, I don't need to go examine them, walk all around them and see how close I can get to them. 

God has created us to have many desires. The way of the world is to fulfill their desires via any means possible. As a Christian we are supposed to trust God to meet all our needs in Christ Jesus. Psalm 37 tells us to trust God and do the right thing. Spend you time trying to do what you know is right. God will take care of the rest. 

In golf you are supposed to focus on the fairway. In Christ we focus on Christ's faithfulness while serving him and others. 

Is It a Choice?

Sow righteousness for yourselves,
   reap the fruit of unfailing love,
and break up your unplowed ground;
   for it is time to seek the Lord,
until he comes and showers his righteousness on you.
Hosea 10:12 (NIV)

When you simplify walking by faith it boils down to knowing what the right thing to do is and doing it and trusting God with the results. 

I look at it like this: Was going to work yesterday the right thing to do? Yes. (I know that's a gimme, but, bear with me.) There are many choices we make every day that are simple, but righteous choices. The challenging part is when I must choose to respond to difficult people, circumstances or outright temptations. Yet again it will narrow down to a simple choice to do the right thing.

Sow righteousness by choosing righteousness.

What Bothers Me About You Is the Reflection of My Issues

I attend a men's Bible study on Wednesday mornings and we have been making our way through the epistle of James. I sit with a great group of guys and a pretty good group dynamic has developed. A very nice gentlemen has joined our group lately. Observing him try to "lead" us along is interesting. The rest of us are comfortable with a moment of silence while we process whatever is being asked of us to discuss. Our new friend, I think, sort of sees us as a rudderless ship and he better get the conversation going. This week we looked at James 1:19-27. Verses 19-20 of course warranted much of our discussion. 

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 

James 1:19-20 (NIV)

Personally, waiting, being quick to listen to what the other men say has allowed me to hear some very wise words that I very much needed to hear. Even if I am the first to speak, I try to speak less so that I can hear what the Lord is speaking to and through the other guys. 

Now, one other thing. A pastor of mine once said that the imperfections of others was easy for us to notice (or bugs us) because it's like looking in the mirror. So I ask myself, am I bothered by someone else being quick to speak because I am quick to speak?