Find Your Refuge

Lord, You alone know what we each battle. We call out to You to be our Refuge in this world. Be our Stronghold as we fight the good fight and seek to glorify you today.

Remember, God is Great

God Will Not

Will not let your foot slip.

Will not slumber or sleep.

Will not stop looking out for you.

Friday's Prayer

The Word of the Day: Power

Psalm 89:11-13

and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms,  (Ephesians 1:19-20 NIV)

As you go through your day remember that God's arm is endued with power. That power raised Christ from the dead and is the same power that changes us, protects us, provides for us and keeps us in Christ.

Thank God for His Comfort

A blessed Sunday to you all! Today we remember to rest in the Lord. Psalm 86:17 reminds us that God has comforted us. 

I am first of all reminded of John 14:26, "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." (KJV) 

I am also reminded of the many times that the Spirit has comforted me through many painful and difficult circumstances. It wasn't in the highlights that I really learned that God is always with me, whether I feel his Presence or not, it was in the depths of pain, conflict and fear that I learned he is always with me, comforting me with the knowledge that he will never leave me or forsake me and he will use all things to work his good in my life. 

That leads me to our final thought and that is found in 2 Corinthians 1:4, " Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God." 

Word(s) of the Day: Slow to Anger

Thank you, Lord, for being slow to anger. I am too easily angered and yet, your patience, forgiveness, mercy and grace demonstrate your unfailing love, being slow to anger. Praise be to you!  

What to Hold On To

But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.

2 Thessalonians 2:13-15 NIV

I think sometimes we unintentionally fall into a few traps. In our sincerity to try to please God and we can miss the simplicity of the amazing grace of God in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. We sometimes seek that illusive experience where we suddenly understand it all and our faith becomes unshakeable. 

There is no mystical experience that turns us into super-saints that never sin, doubt or waiver. There is the wonderful truth that Jesus died to cover all our sins, he is faithful even when we are not, and his love for us will never be broken. 

There was a famous theologian who was interviewed near the end of his life and asked what was the most important thing he learned. He thought for a moment and then replied, "Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so."

The word of the day: Forgave, God forgave our sins.

The word of the day is forgave. God forgave my sins. 

Thank you Father for sending your Son, your One and Only Son to forgive our iniquities, to cover all our sins. Praise be to you for setting aside all your wrath and turning from your fierce anger. Thank you that you forgave us.

Word of the Day: Resplendent

You are resplendent with light,

   more majestic than mountains rich with game.

Psalms 76:4 NIV

May God shine upon you with the glorious light of his presence.

Put Your I Here

This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

Romans 3:22-24 NIV

These are great verses, a great truth. The righteousness of Christ for me by faith. I find it good to put myself in these verses and I suggest you do to and then thank God for his abundant love, mercy and grace. These verses become a declaration of praise.

This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to me when I believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile and me, for I have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and I am justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 

Thank you, Lord Jesus Christ, for my redemption! Praise be to you in me today!

What are you thankful for today?

Praise God in his glory! God will not share with anyone. But, he will be glorious in our lives. I am thankful that when I acknowledge him as God and Lord of my marriage and family he shines his glory upon us. 

The Word of the Day: Righteousness

Remember, he is our righteousness. It's not something we did or do, it what he did on the cross. May God bless you and keep you in his grace.

God Hears

The poor will see and be glad—

   you who seek God, may your hearts live! 

The Lord hears the needy

   and does not despise his captive people.

Psalms 69:32-33 NIV

I've heard politicians tell us that they hear the needy. They don't care about anything besides getting re-elected. They promise everything, but deliver little, if anything. 

God is not like that. God hears. He does not need your vote. He does not need your money. He does not need your affirmation. He just needs your trust. 

He will not despise your prayer for help or ignore your cry for release from captivity. Call upon him. He will answer you in the day of trouble. 

In a Nutshell

Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings! The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead—whom you killed by hanging him on a cross. God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins. We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

Acts 5:29-32 NIV

Peter tells it like it is and quite succinctly too. The bottom line is we must obey God first. Jesus was raised from the dead by God. We killed him. God exalted Christ as Prince and Savior so that we might repent and be forgiven of our sins. If we obey him we will be given the Holy Spirit. 

That's the gospel in a nutshell and if you're questioned about your faith it's good to start.  

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.

Deliver Me, Lord, In Your Great Love...

But I pray to you, Lord,
   in the time of your favor;
in your great love, O God,
   answer me with your sure salvation.
Rescue me from the mire,
   do not let me sink;
deliver me from those who hate me,
   from the deep waters.
Do not let the floodwaters engulf me
   or the depths swallow me up 
   or the pit close its mouth over me. 
Answer me, Lord, out of the goodness of your love;
   in your great mercy turn to me.
Do not hide your face from your servant;
   answer me quickly, for I am in trouble.
Come near and rescue me;
   deliver me because of my foes.
Psalms 69:13-18 (NIV)

Father, look upon me with favor. You sent your Son, your One and Only Son to die that I might have eternal life. Rescue me from the mire in my life. I look to you and you alone. Hear my prayer. Thank you, Lord. 

Know the Truth, He Never Lies

But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. 1 John 2:20 (NIV)

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."  John 14:6 (NIV)

The truth can be hard to come by. Think about it. How many times have you thought someone was telling you the truth only to find out they were lying. When someone tries to represent themselves as something they are not, we call that living a lie. Of course you have heard the joke, "Do you know how to tell when a politician is lying? Their lips are moving."

Knowing Christ is knowing the truth. God can not lie. What we learn from Christ, from the Bible, we can depend on as truth. I know that some people view the Bible as an antiquated piece of literature full of myths and fables. But, that is not what it is at all. One hundred plus years ago dictionaries defined Hittites as a mythological  group of people referred to in the Bible. Later, they discovered evidence of the existence of the Hittites. Admittedly, many people have misunderstood, misinterpreted and misrepresented the Bible. But, it has proven itself true again and again. 

Yet, truth is more than just an opinion of what one perceives to be true. Truth is about knowing who Christ is and knowing him as the truth. When you know Christ as Lord you know that the universe was made through him (Hebrews 1:2). Christ is the truth. Science may discover things but it does create the laws that govern the universe. Albert Einstein said, "I want to think God's thoughts, the rest are details." 

We can choose to live by faith in the truth or not. If you know Jesus, you know the truth. 

Father, thank you that Jesus is the truth and we may know him. Praise be to you in us today!

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!

Time To Call A Professional

And it will be said: 
“Build up, build up, prepare the road!
   Remove the obstacles out of the way of my people.”
For this is what the high and exalted One says—
   he who lives forever, whose name is holy:
“I live in a high and holy place,
   but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit,
to revive the spirit of the lowly 
   and to revive the heart of the contrite.
I will not accuse them forever,
   nor will I always be angry,
for then they would faint away because of me—
   the very people I have created.
Isaiah 57:14-16 (NIV)

Amazing! God, is high and lifted up, who lives forever, also lives with those who are contrite and lowly in spirit. My problem is that when I am feeling down I don't always look to God. I kind of want to pull myself together first. 

The truth is that the more I try to pull myself together the worse things get. Once I was going to try to fix a drain pipe below the sink in one of our bathrooms. As soon as I started to remove it I realized it was beyond me. The previous owners had tried to just throw more pipes onto the problem. It was a mess. We had a plumber come and he fixed it. 

This is kind of like us with our problems, we try to fix things and just add more problems. When we are lowly in spirit it means that we realize that God alone can make things right. Joy comes in knowing that God wants to revive us. 

God knows our weaknesses, our frailty and our need for him. He wants to build us up and remove the obstacles from our way. 

Father, we need you to work in our lives, to build us up and remove the obstacles from our ways. We look to you and wait upon you to lift us up in you. Praise be to you in us today!