Memorialize and Realize

   That night the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bless you and will increase the number of your descendants for the sake of my servant Abraham.” 

   Isaac built an altar there and called on the name of the Lord. There he pitched his tent, and there his servants dug a well.

Genesis 26:24-25 NIV

God speaks to us in many ways. Every time we read the Bible he is speaking to us. When we listen to a sermon or participate in a Sunday school class he is speaking to us. Often we are storing away the truth in our minds preparing to live by faith in love. Sometimes it really hits us in a special way and we know the truth we are reading or hearing is for us at the moment. 

When the Lord appeared to Isaac he had a very real response. He didn't just think about it. He built an altar and called on the name of the Lord. He memorialized the moment and began to realize the promise. After calling on the Lord he pitched his tent and dug a well. He was afraid (see verse 24) but, after being assured by the Lord that he, the Lord, would be with him, bless him and increase the number of his descendants, Isaac began to realize the promise by acting in faith. 

What do you do when you sense the Lord is speaking to you? I encourage you to memorialize it and then begin to act in faith. If it was a verse that spoke to you, you might write the date next to it. If the Spirit is prompting you to take a step of faith, write it down and then take that step. Where God guides, he provides. Isaac dug the well but God provided the water. Like Isaac, we need to build our altars and dig our wells, memorialize and realize. 

Righteousness and Restoration

I stand, by and in your righteousness. Your righteousness restores me. Thank you, Lord Jesus, reign in me and my family today.

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.

OK, Break It Up

“Break up your unplowed ground

   and do not sow among thorns. 

Circumcise yourselves to the Lord,

   circumcise your hearts,

Jeremiah 4:3c-4a (NIV)

I am not a farmer, but, I have had a garden. I did learn that you have to plow the ground before you sow the seeds. As a Christian, sometimes I do need to break up the hardness of my heart. I think self examination, confession and thankfulness are tools we can use to allow the Spirit of God to break up the hardness of our hearts.

By self examination I mean taking an honest look at yourself in prayer and while reading the Bible. 

We are all sinners. Our best is like filthy rags. Get real. Get honest. God is just waiting for you to get real. (See I John 1:9)

Be thankful. I believe true thankfulness is laced with humility because I know how sinful I am and how holy God is. 

Father, help us to allow the Spirit to break up the unplowed ground of our hearts. Praise be to you in us today!

Hang On, His Love Is Unfailing

Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed,
   yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken
nor my covenant of peace be removed,”
says the Lord, who has compassion on you.
Isaiah 54:10 (NIV)

The word of The Lord is good. The truth of his love for us is assurance in moments of doubt. Whatever you may be going through, God's love for you never waivers. 

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

JUST LIKE A BROTHER

"Keep on loving each other as brothers." Hebrews 13:1 

The thing about close families is that even though they do fight sometimes, they still love each other and pity the fool that tries to get between them. Brothers (and sisters) can argue and mess with each other and yet, will defend each other to the end. 

As Christians there will be times when it is not easy to love each other. That's all right. Think about Christ's love for us. He loves us when we don't love him. He just keeps loving us. His forgiveness just keeps washing us clean. 

I had this student once who just couldn't get with the program. He kept disciplined and finally with just a few weeks left he got it together. He finally realized I wasn't trying to punish him, I was trying to teach him. That's God's love sometimes. We reap what we have sown and it's not good. Christ faithfully forgives and the Spirit teaches and we learn that his love is eternal. He just keeps loving us. 

That's what are love should be for each other. We just keep loving. Our brothers (and sisters), like us, struggle along and we just keep loving each other in Christ.

Father, thank you that you first loved us and continue to love us. Help us to love each other. Praise be to you in us today!

ENDURE THE OPPOSITION

"Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." Hebrews 12:3

Jesus is God. He is all powerful. He holds the universe together with the power of his word.  Yet, he endured opposition from sinful men. He died on the cross. He took the abuse, to save our souls.

Sometimes we just get tired. Sometimes we're just tired of the routine, the same old, same old. Trials and temptations can seem to just wear you down. But, like Christ, we need to stay disciplined and endure. The Father will reward us. 

So, whatever you are enduring, keep seeking to do what you know is right. If you stumble and fall. Get back up, seek Christ's grace and move on. Jesus is faithful and just to forgive us all unrighteousness. He will never leave us or forsake us. 

Endure.

Father, help us to consider Jesus and to endure. Praise be to you in us today!

LOOK HERE!

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2

I am not sure why, but, it seems that we will try to look anywhere but Jesus. I'm not even talking about sinful things, necessarily. We'll look to our own righteousness. We'll try to pray more, read the Bible more, go to church more, serve more, anything but look to Jesus. Jesus told the religious people of his day, 

"You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life" (John 5:39-40). 

Our salvation is about what Jesus did and what he is doing right now. He died for our sins. He died knowing we would sin, again. That does not condone sin. It only recognizes that reality of sin. But Jesus intercedes on our behalf. He doesn't just start our faith he completes it. He is the perfecter of our faith. Not us, him. 

He is at the right hand of the Father, interceded, perfecting our faith. Remember that your salvation is about his sacrifice, his faithfulness, his righteousness. 

Father, help us to fix our eyes upon Jesus. 

    Fix your eyes upon Jesus, 

    look full in his wonderful face, 

    and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, 

    in the light of his glory and grace... 

Praise be to you in us today!

GOT TROUBLES?

"I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you;
     I will praise your name, O LORD, 
     for it is good.
 For he has delivered me from all my troubles,
     and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes."
 Psalm 54:6-7

I think there are few types of troubles. 

• You can have the "that's just life" troubles. Things like the tires on your car wear down, the three-millionth flush is apparently the most you toilet can flush, your daughter needs braces and her dentist needs a new Porsche. Just life.   
• Then there are the "well, you asked for it" troubles. You choose to say it, do it or avoid it and the consequences are you have to pay the price.  
• Maybe you've experienced the "what mine is thine and thine is mine" troubles. You know, your boss makes a promise to deliver something and you have to make it happen. They leave early and you stay late. You get a ticket, so now that isn't enough cash to buy groceries for the family. 
• My personal favorite, the "open the door, step on the burning bag of crap" troubles. You're minding your own business, trying to do the right thing, and the next thing you know you find your self holding a nasty can of worms. You're coaching your sons baseball team and two parents get in an argument, that come to find out, has something to do with that time the thing happen that one year.  

Whatever the kind of trouble you are in, God can deliver you. Look to him and call on his name. 

Father, help us to look to you and call on you in the midst of all our troubles. Thank you for the countless times you have delivered me! Praise be to you in us today!

DO YOU NEED TO GET IT TOGETHER?

"We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised." Hebrews 6: 11-12 

One of the things I don't appreciate about some of the online "devotional" pages on say Facebook or Google+ is that they are all about the warm fuzzy. You're supposed to read it, get a little warm fuzzy inside and move on to a blessed day. Sometimes (a lot of times times) we really need something more substantial.

I remember once my wife and I were experiencing a bit of a trial and we were blindsided by something and didn't really know what was going on. I ran into a friend and pastor of mine. He didn't tell me, "Everything is going to be all right. Just trust God." No. He basically gave me a verbal face slap and told me to get it together because my wife needed me to be strong and to know that I knew God was in control and would, like always, take care of us. It was what I needed. It was what my wife needed from me.

The writer of Hebrews is giving us a bit of a verbal face slap. Not what we may want to hear, but, what we need to hear. I think most of the time we need to stop trying to wait to feel like God is going to work all things for good and start acting like we know God is going to work all things out for our good! 

We need to be diligent. We need to have faith and be patient because God is doing what he wants (which is working out all things for our good) in the time that he knows is best. I must tell you that I don't always get why God does things the way he does them or with the timing that he does them. But, my inability to see things from an eternal perspective does not inhibit or alter what God is doing in my life. I just need to be diligent, have faith and patiently wait on God. 

Father, help us to be diligent and wait upon you. Praise be to you in us today! Show us yourself! 

WHO NEEDS ENCOURAGING?

"See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness." Hebrews 3:12-13

Hang on! Keep believing! God is faithful and he will do what he has promised to do. The enemy wants to discourage you and make you turn away from faith in Christ. There will be trials and you may not be able to make any sense of what is going on in your life at this time. But, keep on turning to Christ. He will complete what he has started!

Now, I have a challenge for you. Can you think of one, maybe two people who might need encouraging? I challenge you to encourage them in some way today. Who is God putting on your heart as you read this? I can think of one person in particular. Maybe the Spirit will put someone in my path today. 

Who will you encourage today?

Shhhhh! / Titus 3:1-2

"Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable, and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men." Titus 3:1-2

The past few years have held a bit of a dilemma for me. A couple of people I worked with operated in a manner I just didn't agree with. I had to deal with them and the backlash of how they treated other people. The difficulty is not in telling the truth. The challenge of grace is to tell the truth in the spirit of grace and love. For me that has meant there were times when I had to bite my tongue and not interject a comment about them into some conversations. Sometimes, in the middle of a statement I could sense the Spirit convicting me that I was going over the line. Shhh!

Two interesting thoughts here. One, the word for slander in the Greek is where we get the word blaspheme. It also has a sense of to vilify. To be honest, I kind of look at these people as villains.  But, I don't need to go on and on about how bad they are. Frankly, their actions have spoken louder than anything I could say and their reputations are set in stone. My response is to be peaceable and considerate with a healthy dose of humility. Shhh!

I think it was the movie Jumanji where a character tries to cheat the game by rolling early and his penalty is to be turned into a monkey. Another character asks him if he cheated and he replied something like he just tried to get ahead and she said, "That would be cheating." Sometimes we want to say, "I just..." and the Spirit says, "That would be wrong. Shhh!"

Trust God to deal with others, you just do what is right. 

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

GOT HOPE / Titus 2:13

"While we wait for the blessed hope - the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ." Titus 2:13

Well, it's Friday. Thank God it's Friday! That is a sentiment echoed by many people every Friday. Maybe it has been a very stressful week, or you just looking forward to being with people or a person who you really enjoy being with. 

Waiting for our Savior's return is that to the nth degree! In Revelation 7:14 and 21:4 we are told that God will wipe away every tear from our eyes. Have you ever been in that place where you just know God is in control and everything is going to work out for the best and all is well? That is eternity with Christ...

When our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ comes again he will come in victory. He will fight the final battle and destroy the enemy. Whatever is against us now will be forever defeated. Yes, in this world we will have tribulation. But, when Christ comes again, all that is against us, every power and every accusation, will be destroyed by the power of his word!

Lord, give us hope and help us to see the hope we have in you. Praise be to you in us today!

THE GOSPEL ON TWITTER/ Titus 2:11

"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men." Titus 2:11

I was engaged with someone on Twitter the other day concerning God and why there is evil in the world. The guy was sort of arguing that evil in the world is really God, if you believe in God, so therefore how can one believe in a God who allows or commits evil. I just think that if a person is an atheist, who by definition doesn't believe in God, can't bring up something they don't believe exists. So, if someone ia an atheist and God is out of the equation, how do they explain evil, or good for that matter? 

Here's the deal: to this atheist, whom I do pray God reveals himself to, the grace of God is revealed to him, even on Twitter. I also Tweeted to him that my belief in God leads me to value him, even if he disagrees with me, because he (in my world view as a Christian) is created in the image of God, and was worth dying for. 

He of course avoided that and wanted to dialogue about why someone would believe in such a "fantastical" book. 

The grace of God that brings salvation appears to all men. Sometimes through some odd ways, but, God ordained nonetheless. I just pray that my interactions, however they may appear, will bring grace and salvation to all men.

Father, help us to always be ready to give a reason for the hope within us and give us wisdom at the moment we need it to know what to say and how to say it with grace. Praise be to you in us today!

REPRESENT!/Titus 2:10

"and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive." 

Titus 2:10

I have always been pretty upfront about my Christianity. Some people don't like that. But, whether they like it or not I don't want them using my life as an excuse not to believe in God. Only one or two of the people I have worked under have been Christians. I am sure that for most people it is the same. Since there is a spiritual battle always gone on, whether or see it or not, we need to remember that we represent Christ.

It is up to God to deal with peoples' hearts. There will be people who will find fault in you no matter what you do. But, that is because within themselves they are fighting against the Spirit of God and they can't admit God works in anyone in any way or else they will have to consider Christ. Every faithful moment of working as unto Christ is a testimony to those who don't believe. 

Father, make our lives attractive advertisements of your gospel to those who don't believe. Use us to build your kingdom. Praise be to you in us today! 

GOD IS FAITHFUL: II Thessalonians 3:3

I have worked with several administrators during my tenure as an educator. Some, have been good and some, have not. The good ones generally do what they say and you know they are on your side. Frankly, they are few and far between. But, they really can help a school be successful. As a Christian, the Lord is faithful to always be there with us. That is our strength.

"But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one." II Thessalonians 3:3

The wonderful truth is that God is faithful, even when we are not. Paul also shared with Timothy, "if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself" II Timothy 2:13. This is meant to be a lifeline, not a loophole. The truth that God is faithful to always be there to strengthen and protect us is awesome! Sometimes, we fail. We try to be holy, but, we still fail. But God is faithful and just to forgive us. That is good news! That is the gospel. 

Father, help us to rely on grow in your grace. Thank you for your faithfulness! Praise be to you in us today!

FINDING REFUGE IN GOD: Psalm 36:7-9

     "How priceless is your unfailing love!
 Both high and low among men
     find refuge in the shadow of your wings.
 They feast on the abundance of your house;
     you give them drink from your river of delights.
 For with you is the fountain of live;
     in you light we see light." Psalm 36:7-9

God's unfailing love....

• for everyone... that means you.
• provides refuge as we seek to abide in him.
• abundance... Christ came that we might have life, more abundantly, to the fullest.
• drink from the river of delights. Yes, often our life is supposed to consist of enjoyment.
• life, eternal life is knowing we are connected to eternity in Christ. Life is not just about the here and now, but, there will be eternity with God. He will provide justice. We look for grace and mercy in Christ.
• light. The true color of something is best seen in sunlight, not artificial light. In the same way, the light of God's Word tells us the truth in ways the nothing or no one else can. 

Find refuge in God's unfailing love today.

Father, show us yourself today! Open the eyes of our understanding to see your love in us today! Praise be to you in us today!

DON'T BE SURPRISED, LIVE IN THE LIGHT!: I Thessalonians 5:4-6

If you are a parent, then, like me, I am sure you have told you children as they headed off to be with their friends, "Remember who's child you are. I don't care what everyone else is doing, you do what you know is right!" And where did we hear that? From our parents. As Christians we are to remember to whom we belong as we live our lives in this world. 

"But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us be not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled." I Thessalonians 5:4-6

Paul is speaking to the Thessalonians about the day of the Lord and how they live their lives knowing that he could return at any time. He reminds them who they are in Christ.

First, Paul reminds us that we are not in darkness. We know Christ is coming back and we should not be surprised if he came in one minute or one year. 

Secondly, because we are children of the light we should not act like people who don't know who God is. Sometimes we think too much. The Bible is pretty clear about most things. I had someone pretty close to me tell me that the people could translate the Bible any way the wanted. I asked him, "How do you translate, "You shall not steal, you shall not commit adultery, you shall have no other gods before me"? God has spoken to us pretty clearly. We are not in the dark about what God has done for us or what he wants to do in us. We just need to live in light of that truth. 

Lastly, we need to remember to be alert and self-controlled. We need to be alert to what is "trending" in and around our lives. Not just physically and financially, but the spiritual battles that are the primary influences of our lives. Think about that. There is a spiritual battle for you and your family. The cares of this life are just bit players. We must attend to them with integrity and yet remember that life is more than what the world tells us. 

So, pay attention. Be alert and be self-controlled in Christ.

Father, help us to live like children of the light and of the day, your children. Praise be to you in us today!

GOD CONTENDS FOR YOU: Psalm 35:1-3

"Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me;

     fight against those who fight against me. 

 Take up shield and buckler;

     arise and come to my aid.

 Brandish spear and javelin

     against those who pursue me.

 Say to my soul,

     "I am your salvation."" 

 Psalm 35:1-3

Have you ever felt like everyone was against you? I have. Sometimes it just seems like no matter what you do, someone is trying to take a shot at you. If you don't find trouble, it will find you. Well, if your seeking God that will happen. But, the battle is not yours, it's God's. 

That is why David called upon God. He realized that the bottom line in all of life is that it's all about spiritual warfare. Life was not his battle it was God's. We need to come to that place where we realize, since our lives are not our own, the battles in our lives are God's battles because we are his. God contends for us.

Father, we are your children. The battles in our lives belong to you. Contend for us against those who contend against us. Arise to our aid. Be our salvation today! Praise be to you in us today!

LOVE MORE, BE STRONG! I Thessalonians 3:12-13

Paul the Apostle kind of reminds me of a coach sometimes. I have a friend of mine who calls his team together during a game and says, "Your guys are doing great! Now just..." and then he tells them what he wants them to do. Think about the Thessalonians. They are going through trials and persecution. Things aren't easy but they are hanging in there! So Paul emphasizes a few things he wants them to keep doing.

"May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy  in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones."                   I Thessalonians 3:12-13

The first thing Paul reminds them to keep doing is loving. Don't just love a little or just enough to get by but, love more than you think is enough. Remember, we love because Christ love us! Our aim is to have a love for others that grows and overflows. That is God working in and through your life. Look to love. 

The second thing Paul stresses is that God would strengthen their hearts. We need to look to God. Isn't that what we are doing right now? Seeking God to strengthen us so that we might, as Paul encourages the Thessalonians, be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones. 

God is our source of love and strength. The reality is you don't know the love of God is really in you until you love someone else. You don't know the strength of God in you until you need to be blameless and holy. At some point today I will need the love of God to deal with someone. I will need the strength of God to be blameless and holy in my actions. He will provide.

Father, we look to you for love that increases and overflows. We call upon you to strengthen us to stand the tests we will face today! Praise be to you in us today! Thanks you, Lord!