Friday, October 31, 2014

Make it happen!


  • "Prosper" is a wonderful word. It means: "flourish physically; grow strong and healthy; be financially successful".

    It is not as commonly used today as in the past--but it is something we all desire in one way or another. Most think of it only in financial terms, but its scope if far beyond money!

    God gives us a "how to" in His Word, and today's Scripture is a key.

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. (Psa 1:1-3 NIV)

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Move your mountain



  • Faith is not a feeling or a product of feelings. Feelings change, and we cannot always control our feelings.

    Faith is not produced by an analysis of circumstances or evidence. Analysis is a process of logic. Faith, more often than not, appears illogical.

    I believe that, like love, faith is a choice, a decision. I also believe it is far more about trusting the integrity of the one who promised than about the circumstances--or even the promise itself.

Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be." Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead--since he was about a hundred years old--and that Sarah's womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. (Rom 4:18-21 NIV)

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Help in the time of trouble


  • Sometimes we get to the point that we cannot make it another day--or even hour or minute! If you are there, know that your faith has not failed, nor has God abandoned you.

    Feeling change: that is going to happen from time to time. But God is still the same, He still feels the same about you, and He remains faithful to do all that He promised. 

    Remember this: what you feel and what you believe are two distinctly different things. Believe and trust God in your spirit, and do not allow your feelings to change that.

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. (Isa 40:29-31 NIV)

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

The best is yet to come


  • Have you ever been in a situation that seemed bad at the time, but later, you discovered that it was for your good, perhaps even the best thing that could have happened? It is like finding a treasure in an unexpected place.

    I have experienced enough of those in my relationship with God to trust that regardless of what happens, He will work it out for my good--in the end. Those experiences have taught me that before "the end", there is a process. That process is where most of the education and maturity (and uncertainty and pain) takes place.

    If you are in one of those places, in pain, uncertainty, doubt, or even anger, do not despair. It is not the end yet. Wait for, look for, and expect the treasure to be revealed.

Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. (Phil 1:18b-19 NIV)

Monday, October 27, 2014

Faith or Feelings



  • Faith is not a feeling or a product of feelings. Feelings change, and we cannot always control our feelings.

    Faith is not produced by an analysis of circumstances or evidence. Analysis is a process of logic. Faith, more often than not, appears illogical.

    I believe that, like love, faith is a choice, a decision. I also believe it is far more about trusting the integrity of the one who promised than about the circumstances--or even the promise itself.

Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be." Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead--since he was about a hundred years old--and that Sarah's womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. (Rom 4:18-21 NIV)

Friday, October 24, 2014

But God!

When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, "Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?" Daniel answered, "O king, live forever! My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, O king." The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. (Dan 6:20-23 NIV)

Thursday, October 23, 2014

He is Able


  • I saw this a long time ago on a poster in a photo lab I used: "We have done so much with so little for so long, we are now qualified to do anything with nothing." (Sort of how I feel about my ministry. 

    Well, God did say that all thing are possible with Him--and He did EVERYTHING with NOTHING. However, for us, there are prerequisites to receiving spectacular answers to prayer. Jesus included conditions: believe and forgive.

"I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins." (Mark 11:23-25 NIV)

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Satisfaction

  • We spend a lot of time and energy doing a lot of things for... what?

    Will any of the things we do today last beyond this lifetime?

    These questions are worth considering. The seasons are changing: Fall 2014 begins today. Another year is passing.

    Our lives have seasons too. Consider these questions before another life-season changes. Will you join me in today's prayer?

I also tried to find meaning by building huge homes for myself and by planting beautiful vineyards. I made gardens and parks, filling them with all kinds of fruit trees. I built reservoirs to collect the water to irrigate my many flourishing groves. Anything I wanted, I took. I did not restrain myself from any joy. I even found great pleasure in hard work, an additional reward for all my labors. But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless. It was like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere. (Eccl 2:4-11 NLT)

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Live in his will

  • A question: How many prayers have you heard closed with, "Your will be done." or begun with, "If it be Your will..."?

    Another question: How many of those speakers meant what they said?

LORD my God, you have done many amazing things! You have made great plans for us--too many to list. I could talk on and on about them, because there are too many to count. Lord, you made me understand this: You don't really want sacrifices and grain offerings. You don't want burnt offerings and sin offerings. So I said, "Here I am, ready to do what was written about me in the book. My God, I am happy to do whatever you want. I never stop thinking about your teachings." (Psa 40:5-8 ERV)

Monday, October 20, 2014

Who's Spirit do you posses

And God has actually given us his Spirit (not the world's spirit) so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us. When we tell you this, we do not use words of human wisdom. We speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit's words to explain spiritual truths. But people who aren't Christians can't understand these truths from God's Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them because only those who have the Spirit can understand what the Spirit means. We who have the Spirit understand these things, but others can't understand us at all. (1 Cor 2:12-15 NLT)

Friday, October 17, 2014

Fountain of youth

He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them. (Mar 10:14-16 NIV)

Thursday, October 16, 2014

From Pain To Peace


  • In Psalm 142, David wrote what many feel: "...no one cares...".

    Feelings of loneliness, abandonment, or neglect: Perhaps everyone experiences them to some degree at some time. Sometimes the circumstances exist only in a person's mind. And again, sometimes, the circumstances are very, very real.

    Whether real or imagined, one thing is common to both: pain--deep, unrelenting pain that can defy all attempts for relief or comfort. I did not read that in a book somewhere. No. I know that pain.

    I have also experienced the peace that comes from reckoning my relationship with God to be more real, certain, substantial, and dependable than anything I can see, hear, or touch, and from trusting it more than I trust myself or my feelings.

  • I look for someone to come and help me, but no one gives me a passing thought! No one will help me; no one cares a bit what happens to me. Then I pray to you, O LORD. I say, "You are my place of refuge. You are all I really want in life. Hear my cry, for I am very low. Rescue me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me. (Psa 142:4-6 NLT)

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Your answer may be in your trails


  • I learned that hurricanes help keep Earth healthy. They stir up nutrients from ocean depths and influence our weather patterns. Though they can be very destructive locally, they do a lot of good.

    I see life much the same way. I learned a lot in trying and painful times. I would not want to go through those storms again, but neither would give up what I learned. God, through them, made by life better, and what I learned is very precious to me now.

    In my experience, God was in the storm. I got to know Him better there. I believe you can find Him there too--if you look for Him.

Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm. (Job 38:1 GW)

Trust

Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. (Psa 37:4-6 NIV)

Monday, October 13, 2014

Always hating


  • There is a figure of speech that refers to being "stuck between a rock and a hard place". There may be no easy choice: no matter what we do, we will offend someone or be rejected by someone.

    I believe the harder choice could be deciding who it will be, especially in spiritual matters. Do we offend people or God? Will it be Him or "them"? And whose acceptance is more important?

    My advice? Decide before you encounter the "hard place". Make it a life choice, so that regardless of circumstances, you know what you will do.

    Nehemiah was cruelly mocked and opposed for his choices, but that did not matter to him; he was only concerned with what God thought about him. (His life encourages me and he is one of those I especially want to meet in heaven.)

Sanballat was very angry when he learned that we were rebuilding the wall. He flew into a rage and mocked the Jews, saying in front of his friends and the Samarian army officers, "What does this bunch of poor, feeble Jews think they are doing? Do they think they can build the wall in a day if they offer enough sacrifices? Look at those charred stones they are pulling out of the rubbish and using again!" Tobiah the Ammonite, who was standing beside him, remarked, "That stone wall would collapse if even a fox walked along the top of it!" Then I prayed, "Hear us, O our God, for we are being mocked. May their scoffing fall back on their own heads, and may they themselves become captives in a foreign land! (Neh 4:1-4 NLT)

Saturday, October 11, 2014

Be care how you hear

  • We cannot always know if what we hear is true because there can a "spin" or biased (and perhaps even manipulative) opinion expressed.

    And sometimes we even do it with God: we put our "spin" on what He said so it will fit with what we want, or, we use out-of-context something He said to justify doing something we want. (In defense: most do it without understanding until after the fact, if ever.)

    Human nature has not changed since the beginning. In today's Scripture, Saul did it. He tried to "spin" God's instructions. Samuel called him on it, and the consequences were severe.

    Good object lesson for us today? I think so.

Why haven't you obeyed the LORD? Why did you rush for the plunder and do exactly what the LORD said not to do?" "But I did obey the LORD," Saul insisted. "I carried out the mission he gave me. I brought back King Agag, but I destroyed everyone else. But Samuel replied, "What is more pleasing to the LORD: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Obedience is far better than sacrifice. Listening to him is much better than offering the fat of rams. Rebellion is as bad as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as bad as worshiping idols. So because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you from being king." (1 Sam 15:19-21,22-23 NLT)

Friday, October 10, 2014

Let it shine

He said to them, "Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don't you put it on its stand? For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear." (Mar 4:21-23 NIV)

Thursday, October 9, 2014

Peace is a gift

John 16:33 In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. ( I pray In the midst of life's pain you will find peace in Jesus.) 

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Soul winning


When I am with the Jews, I become one of them so that I can bring them to Christ. When I am with those who follow the Jewish laws, I do the same, even though I am not subject to the law, so that I can bring them to Christ. When I am with the Gentiles who do not have the Jewish law, I fit in with them as much as I can. In this way, I gain their confidence and bring them to Christ. But I do not discard the law of God; I obey the law of Christ. When I am with those who are oppressed, I share their oppression so that I might bring them to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone so that I might bring them to Christ. (1 Cor 9:20-22NLT)

Monday, October 6, 2014

God can

Only God can turn a Mess into a message, a Test into a testimony, a Trial into a triumph, a Victim into a victory.

Friday, October 3, 2014

Can You Do It


Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. (Pro 3:5-6 NIV)

Thursday, October 2, 2014

Faith vs. Feelings


  • The situation: You "know that you know"--truly believe--that God commissioned you to do a certain thing, promised a certain thing, or showed you something that was to happen.

    That said, let me ask: Have you ever been so weary in working and waiting for God's promise that you felt like the only thing left to do was give up? Perhaps even now, logic, reason, your mind, and every feeling in you screams, "It's over!" or "You failed!"

    That is the moment that defines the line between faith and feelings. That is the moment that demands a choice.

    If you really "know that you know", you have to follow today's Scripture: "Take courage and work, for I am with you..." Easy to say. Hard to do. But worth it.

But now take courage, Zerubbabel, says the LORD. Take courage, Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Take courage, all you people still left in the land, says the LORD. Take courage and work, for I am with you, says the LORD Almighty. My Spirit remains among you, just as I promised when you came out of Egypt. So do not be afraid. (Hag 2:4-5 NLT)