May You Flourish in God's Unfailing Love

 

Take a moment, as you do what you must, and remember what God has done in your life this last year. 

Thank you, Lord, for your unfailing love!

Is There a Way Prepared in You?

The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
It is written in Isaiah the prophet:
"I will send my messenger ahead of you,
   who will prepare your way"-
"a voice of one calling in the desert,
'Prepare the way for the Lord,
   make straight paths for him.'"
Mark 1:1-3

Tomorrow is the last day of 2014. Wow, 2015. Honestly, there has been times in my life when I never thought I would make it to 2015. So I am thankful for God's faithfulness in my life. 

In the Gospel of Mark we read about the beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. We are told about the way being prepared for Jesus. Prepare the way and make straight paths for him. 

We have a new year coming up. I am not good with New Year's resolutions, but I do believe in redirecting myself from time to time. This is a good time to think about what is directing me and what is motivating me to make decisions. If it is not what God would have me do, then I should change what I'm doing and/or what is motivating me. 

Here's the questions I think these verses ask me. First, am I prepared for the Lord to work in my life? Second, I am making straight paths for the Spirit of the Lord to work in me? 

What can I, what can we do? Here are a few things I think we can do:

• Give God time. Remember, a few minutes are better than none. A simple honest prayer is better than a long repetitious prayer meant only to say you did it. 
• Be honest with God. He already knows. You're still alive. So, there must be something he wants for you. 
• Do good where you are at. Let's get real here. For me today, doing good was (to start) putting the clean dishes away before my wife got up so she didn't have to. 
• Serve. This kind of goes with the last one. Specifically, do something to serve at your church. Just ask, they'll put you to work. Frankly, I have never truly felt a part of a church unless I was serving. 
• If the Spirit moves, move. About a month ago I felt compelled to email a note to a missionary couple I pray for. They needed to get in touch with someone we mutually know. I was the needed link (one they didn't have if I had not of heeded the Spirit's moving), though I was unaware of the urgency of the situation. 

If you have more ideas, please post them in the comments section. 

Say it with me, "Have mercy on me, O God."

Have mercy on me, O God,
   according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
   blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity
   and cleanse me from my sin.
Psalm 51:1-2

David knew he had sinned and the first thing he needed was mercy. Mercy is what you hope for when you know that what you deserve is not going to be good. David knew that he deserved to die. He committed adultery and murder. Not to mention lying and a slew of other things he did to manipulate the entire army to serve his own ends. 

David also knew that God, in his very nature is merciful. He called on God, he pleaded with God to be merciful. I don't think David expected God to make everything just go away. He just knew he needed mercy. We need mercy, too. Some things may not go entirely away, but, God is still merciful. Like David, who knew he deserved to die, we just cry out for mercy. 

In what area of your life do you need mercy? You would be hard pressed to do much worse than David, yet he cried out for mercy. God didn't kill him or allow him to be killed, so got some mercy. He still was used to be a link in the Messianic chain. That's mercy. 

So what these verses tell us is that David needed mercy and he asked for it. What it means is that we can ask for mercy and God will still use us to build the kingdom. What it does for us today is allows us to cry out for mercy, no matter what we've done. It gives us hope. Say it with me, "Have mercy on me, O God."

The Curtain Is Torn

We may not understand what God is doing, but, just when we think all is lost, that's usually when our God is doing his greatest work! Wait upon the Lord!

What Do You Want Blotted Out From Your Life?

Have mercy on me, O God,
   according to you unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
   blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity
   and cleanse me from my sin.
Psalm 51:1-2

David was definitely a sinner. This Psalm is not a Psalm of praise. It is not just a plea for forgiveness, it's a cry from David to God asking God to remove the guilt of the sin he had committed. He knew he sinned. He realized the devastation his actions had produced. He wanted God to blot out his transgressions,  wash away all his iniquity and cleanse him from his sins. 

Not to justify or minimize any sin, but to emphasize the mercy of God I want us to remember that we are all sinners. Haven't we all wished that God would blot out some things - sin - from our lives. 

The amazing thing is that even though David did reap some negative things, the Lord still completed his purposes. The Messianic line  still prevailed and Christ was still born, died for our sins and rose again. 

You may want God to blot something out of your life. The truth is, God will accomplish his will because he is Sovereign, merciful, his love is unfailing and he has great compassion toward you! 

What Will You Do With Those Gifts?

Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 

Matthew 25:14

Yesterday was Christmas. Today I will start to decide what I am going to do with the gifts I was given. Matthew 25 was the chapter I read today. It is a good reminder to take stock of what God has given me and check myself to see if I am seeking to build his kingdom or just mine.  

What gifts has God entrusted you with? 

How will you use them today? tomorrow?

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas! 

Remember to read the Luke chapter 2 to the family ;)

What Trial Are You Thankful For?

Whoever sacrifices a thank offering honors Me, 
   and he prepares the way, 
so that I may show him the salvation of God.” 
Psalm 50:23

On this Christmas eve I invite you to take a moment and remember something you are thankful for. Maybe you are in a line. You might be taking a moment between errands. Whatever you might be doing, remember and be thankful. Be thankful for the really easy things to be thankful for and also for the hard lessons that you needed to learn. Each tough lesson is a highway for the Spirit of God to move in your life. 

Who You Gonna Call?

To sacrifice a thank offering almost sounds contradictory to me. Sometimes, it can be hard to be thankful, especially when you don't see the hand of God or you didn't get the answer you were hoping for. 

What God does call us to do is to seek him, like we said we would when we gave our lives to him. In a way, I think that until Christ returns we live in "the day of trouble". Jesus told his disciples in John 16:33, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." 

The amazing truth is that the Lord says to call upon him in the day of trouble and he will answer us! Maybe it's that so often we look to ourselves or others and expect help from them, when God wants us to look to him for help. When God answers our prayers and we know it's him, we will honor him. 

Are You a Scrooge?

The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant.

Matthew 21:14-15 NIV

I went to college in the south back in the eighties when the Lakers and the Celtics were going at it for championships. I of course am a lifelong Lakers fan. There were a few Celtic fans from Boston at school. When the Lakers won I was of course pretty happy, but they of course, shall we say, indignant. (I must say, in all fairness, that when the Celtics won I was, of course, indignant too.)

In Matthew 21:14-15 we have the blind and the lame (and they know it) and the chief priests and teachers of the law (who were blind and lame spiritually and didn't know it). Those who knew they needed Christ received all Christ had for them. The so called spiritually elite didn't think anything was wrong with them and they missed worshipping the very Savior they professed to wait for!

The question of the day is: Do you know, like the blind and lame, that you need Jesus, or do you, like the chief priests and the teachers of the law, think you are good enough, see what God is doing and become indignant? This Christmas are you remembering how Jesus heals your life or you a bit of a Scrooge? 

Proclaim the Righteousness of God in Christ!

Baby Jesus, the Mighty One!

The Mighty One, God, the Lord,
   speaks and summons the earth 
   from the rising of the sun to where it sets.

From Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth.

Our God comes and will not be silent;
   a fire devours before him,
   and around him a tempest rages.

Psalms 50:1-3 NIV

Christmas is coming and I love this time of year. It always amazes me that Jesus came as a baby. He came down to earth and lived as one of us. Except without sin. This Jesus who humbled himself and became obedient to the point of dying on the cross for our sins. He is the Mighty One, God, the LORD of the whole earth. He is who we worship, trust and follow. 

Whatever the chaos, drama, or stress the season may bring, the real point is that we remember, celebrate and worship Jesus, who came in the flesh, lived and died for our sins and now sits at the right hand of the Father interceding on our behalf. 

Praise be to the Mighty One, the Lord Jesus Christ!

Is Jesus Welcome Here?

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.

Matthew 18:1-5 NIV

Do you welcome Jesus? 

You can seek success, do your best and try to be the best at what you do. But, do you welcome Jesus? 

I ask myself, is Jesus welcome in my life? Today as I go to work and deal with middle school students, fellow teachers and staff members and probably a parent or two, I have to ask myself, is Jesus welcome? 

As a child I didn't know how my parents provided breakfast, lunch and dinner. I just knew they did. I didn't know they had to pay the mortgage. I just went home, and lived in our house.  

I think humility is knowing who you are in Christ. A child is just a child and they generally don't even think about it, they just are. Every now and then parents do remind their children they are still children, they're not adults yet. If you have a teenager you know what I mean. The funny thing is even when a teenager tries to tell you they are an adult they still expect you to pay.

My point: Know Jesus. Welcome him. Remember that he is your Lord. He is your Redeemer and Savior. Trust him. He is faithful and will complete the work he is doing in your life. 

Is Jesus welcome in you life?

In the Batter's Box of Life, Listen to Christ.

While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”

Matthew 17:5  NIV 

I was managing my youngest son's baseball team about a year ago and there was this one father who could be very encouraging. But, he could also be a bit overwhelming at times too. I kind of had to throw him out of the dugout. Then, he would tell his son what to do when he was up to bat. That's OK, except it would sometimes go against what my first base coach was signaling him to do. The poor kid would be up to bat, look over to the coach, then get in the batter's box and his dad would be trying to signal him what to be doing and his head would be going back and forth and then the pitch would come and you could just see that too much was going on in his head. He really struggled at the plate because he was trying to listen to the coach and his dad. I finally had to ask his dad to stop because it was confusing his son. 

I think sometimes we are a bit like that kid in the batter's box. We might go to church, read our Bible a bit, but we listen to a lot of other stuff too. The world is always trying to tell us something. We just need to listen to God. 

Bless or Curse, You Choose.

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

James 3:9-12 NIV

Today I will encounter people in many different settings. My choice is: will I be a vessel of blessing or cursing? 

I need the Spirit's wisdom and guidance to say things that will build up each person. My prayer is that the Spirit of the living God will use me and rivers of living water will flow through me to others in Jesus' Name.

Your Hands Are Dirty, So What?

Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand. What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean', but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean'.”

Matthew 15:10-11 NIV

Jesus has an amazing way of taking things straight to the heart of the matter. The Pharisees and teachers of the law were concerned about seeking God outwardly. They were focused on the disciples eating without washing their hands because that was a tradition of the elders. A tradition of the elders is not a commandment, it's a rule created by the religious leaders to try and keep people from breaking the commandments. 

Jesus then explained it further by saying, "But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man 'unclean.' For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man 'unclean'; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him 'unclean.'" ( Matthew 15:18-20) So, we should be concerned with more about our hearts than our hands. (Yes, I do wash my hands before eating. Except when camping, working construction or otherwise away from soap and water.) 

I can wash my hands all I want and that will not keep me from sinning. The only thing that I know of that will wash my heart is the forgiveness of my sins by the death of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 

Who Needs a Touch?

And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.

Matthew 14:35-36 NIV

Sometimes we just need a touch. Our spouses need a touch. Our children need a touch. Our friends and people we work with need a touch. There are a lot of sick people out there. They need to touch Jesus.

If you need a touch, Jesus is just a prayer away, just a moment remembering his love for you on the cross. 

Father, I come to you and ask that we would touch you by faith. I pray that as we seek you in prayer, reading and meditating on your word that your Spirit would heal us and renew our hearts in you. Use us as instruments of salvation. May our words and actions bring people to you. 

How Has God Been Your Fortress?

God is my fortress. 

I had a pretty tough day on Friday. But, the truth is that God is my fortress. He has shown himself to be my fortress in the past in similar situations. I thought the opportunity for a position I applied for was gone but a week later I was offered one within five minutes of my home. God has been and he will be my fortress.

Do Good, It's Not Against the Law

He said to them, “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”

Matthew 12:11c-12 NIV

The image is still clear in my mind. I was in England at Capernwray Bible School. I sat down in my seat for class and the head of the school, Mr. Stracum, was at the podium and he just started quickly leafing through his Bible and every few seconds look up and sharply snap, "What does the Bible say? What does the Bible say?" 

We had just had a class on ethics the day before and the topics set off a barrage of verbal scrums usually only seen at the local pub when rival teams squared off for a championship match. 

Mr. Stracum reminded all of us that the Bible teaches about mercy, grace, forgiveness and redemption. Sometimes when we seek to follow Christ we get locked into legalism without even trying. Why? There's a lot of reasons, but, I think it's usually because we want to lock into  routine where we can just choose and act. We set a few guidelines that we inwardly make laws because we feel guilty if we don't do them. 

The point the Mr. Stracum made was that Jesus was more concerned about the person with the need than the rules and regulations added by the teachers of the day. We need to look at the person. Each person has an inherent value because they were created in the image of God, whether they know that or believe that to be true. 

I guess, in the end the point is: Do good in Jesus' Name and don't worry about what anyone else thinks.

Come and Find Some Rest

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30 NIV

It's Friday, it's the holidays, it's the end of the year, it's busy. Getting things done, keeping people happy, doing what you have to do. 

I really like Christmas time, but, it can still wear me down a bit. So, I need to remember that no matter what time of year it is, it's Christ's time for me. Rest is found in him and him alone. Gentleness and humility, trademarks of a godly leader, are the marks I should seek to leave behind as I interact and engage with a world seeking hope. 

Christ came into the world as a child. He grew up into a man and born the sins of the world; yours, mine and everyones around us. Come to Jesus. Learn of his love. Find the rest you need. 

Be a Shrewd Dove

I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. 

Matthew 10:16 NIV

The world looks at things completely differently than Christ compels us to view our lives. The end justifies the means permeates the beliefs of the world we live in from top to bottom.  From politics to literature the idea that you can break the rules if it helps you "make things better" in the long run. 

I think we need to love as Christ loved us. I don't believe that means that we have to be the victim. When Christ was questioned by Pilate (John 19) Pilate thought he was in power, but, Christ enlightened Pilate that the power he thought he controlled was given by God. We stand in the truth. If we suffer for that, we suffer in Christ's Name and for his glory. 

I also think that we need to be wise in all our dealings in life. I look at it like this: If someone asks me to do something inappropriate or questionable I should say no. 

Also, for the most part, people only hurt us as much as we allow them. So, trust people, but only as much as you are willing to be hurt. Then, forgive because none of us is perfect and we all sin. 

The Power of The Tongue

Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.

James 3:1-2 NIV

What I say can control the direction of my life. It's not just that I feel, rightly so, I need to do what I say, but people around me respond to me according to what I say. 

Phrases to practice:

• Please & thank you.
• I love you.
• I'm sorry.
• I'm praying for you.

What God says, about us, should direct us.

Give the Grace You Hope to Get

So, in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

Matthew 7:12

Sandwiched in between teachings on judging others, asking God who wants to give us good gifts, entering through the narrow gate and recognizing a tree by its fruit is the Golden Rule. 

In verse 11, Jesus stressed that we need to understand that our natural desire to give good gifts to our children is just a fraction of the love that God has for us and his desire to give us good things. Then, in verse 12, in the Golden Rule, Jesus teaches us to go beyond empathy and treat others how we want them to treat us. This he says is what the entire Law and the Prophets is trying to say. 

Just take a moment and apply the Golden Rule to a few things...

You forgot to do something.

You lost your patience.

You spoke too soon.

You misunderstood.

Again. 

Give the grace who hope to get. 

No Matter Where You Go, There He Reigns.

God reigns over the nations;

   God is seated on his holy throne.

Psalm 47:7

This truly a remarkable statement, an amazing truth. God reigns. Not only does God reign, he reigns over the nations. Think of Israel, a country whose people often found themselves in the midst of turmoil. Little Israel vs. Egypt. Israel verses Babylon. Israel under the Medes and the Persians. For the most part, a bunch of tyrants. These are the times that the Sons of Korah would have written this Psalm. 

Today we live in a world of great unrest. I'm pretty confident that a least a few of you may work for a tyrant. But, God reigns. He is seated on his throne. I don't know what the unrest is in your life. I have no clue about the exact measure of your trials, but I do know that the Bible says that God reigns, and is seated on the throne. I also know that Jesus is there, interceding on our behalf (Romans 8:34 and Hebrews 7:25).

Whatever you are going through, God reigns and he is seated on his throne and Christ is interceding on your behalf!

Remember What to Seek First

Just a little frame of reference for the holidays. 

And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or "What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will given you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 6:28-34

The LORD Most High Over...

The Psalm for today is Psalm 47. I like to take word from the Psalm I am reading each day that expresses God's nature. I try to remember that word throughout the day when I am feeling anxious or stressed. "The LORD Most High" is the phrase of the day. God is the LORD Most High. 

What am I encountering today that I need to remember that God is the LORD Most High over? What are you encountering today that you need to remember that God is LORD Most High over? 

Whatever you are struggling with, whether it be within yourself or outside yourself, God reigns and he is the LORD Most High over even that. 

Show Me Your Faith

What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such a faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 

James 2:14-17

Someone once said, "It ain't bragging if you can back it up." On the other hand, if your actions don't match up with your words, you're deceiving yourself. A fellow teacher used to talk like she was just the most awesome teacher ever. To listen to her you would think that her students were always on task and just learning up a storm. But, whenever I walked by her room the students were swinging from the chandeliers and she was up there in front of the class oblivious to what was actually going on in front of her. During meetings we would look over data and her class always went down. 

The Christians who James wrote to were trying to say that they had faith that saved them but he was showing that their actions did not match up with their words. Let me put it this way: I can tell my wife I love her all day long but if I don't spend any time with her, if I don't help around the house, if I don't ever do things she wants to do, and spend time with someone else, how am I loving her? 

Christianity is not about the pie in the sky, salvation when we die. Christianity is about loving others by faith, today. I think this section of scripture is really about where reality hits our walks with God. James is talking to his readers about poor people of their congregations who they were pretty much blowing off so they could get the best seats to enhance their own status.  The point is that faith in action is meeting the needs of those around us. 

What need is right in front of your face? Frankly, I tend to think that if someone is sort of in my way, maybe that is who I am supposed to serve, by faith, at this moment. This year there has been several occasions where I was trying to get a certain amount of tasks completed by a certain time and someone asked me a question and I ended up helping them with anything from getting a printer to print to dealing with an immoral aggressive supervisor. The cool thing is I got to share my faith with some and pray for one colleague in his room! 

How do you live out your faith, today? 

Are You a Jacob? God is Your Fortress.

The LORD Almighty is with us;
   the God of Jacob is our fortress.    Selah
Psalm 46:7,11

God is with us...whatever else is going on around us, God, the Lord Almighty is with us. Every now and then when we are out doing something my son will just sort of come up next to me for a moment and then go off and do his thing. It's like he just has to see if I am there, and then he's good to go. 

We're the same way, aren't we? Throughout the day we just need to take a moment to remember that the Lord Almighty is with us. 

I am encouraged that the psalmist says, "the God of Jacob". The God of Jacob, to me, signifies that God works with those of us who seem to find trouble all by ourselves. Jacob's name means "he grasps the heel" or figuratively, "to deceive". A pastor of mine once paraphrased the meaning as "lying, sneaking, thief". Jacob seemed to struggle through everything. But, God was with him. God used him and God fulfilled his promises to Jacob and through him. 

Maybe you are like me and you identify with Jacob. Jacob's God is our God too. He is our fortress. That is good to know.

Thank you, Lord Almighty! 

Reverence: A Good Deal

But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall. 

Malachi 4:2

I think this is a good deal. I revere God's name. He heals my life. 

What can I do today to revere his name? 

I can read the Bible. I can pray. 

From the book of Malachi I can: 

• remember and thank God that he has loved me in Christ Jesus.
• be honest in my offerings to God.
• tithe.
• keep my marriage vows. 

These may seem simple, but, sometimes simplicity is the key to success. I find it profound that the last book of the Old Testament, Malachi, begins with the reminder that God first loved us. The New Testament will be the demonstration of God first loving us by the sacrifice of Christ on our behalf. Our response is to revere his name and love as he has loved us.