Standing Alone

He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the
  world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but
  his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those
  who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of
  God--children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or
  a husband's will, but born of God. (John 1:10-13 NIV)

Picture This

It has been said: "A picture is worth a thousand words." Being a
writer and photographer, I especially like "before and after" photos
because they tell a story so well. Scripture gives us an incredible
"before and after" of Jesus.

We often visualize Him in our minds as a tortured figure hanging on
a cross. That was before.

Other times, we visualize Him as the image depicted in paintings and
sculptures. That was never.

Visualize Him as He is now--after. Wow!
  

When I turned to see who was speaking to me, I saw seven gold
  lampstands. There with the lampstands was someone who seemed to be
  the Son of Man. He was wearing a robe that reached down to his feet,
  and a gold cloth was wrapped around his chest. His head and his hair
  were white as wool or snow, and his eyes looked like flames of fire.
  His feet were glowing like bronze being heated in a furnace, and his
  voice sounded like the roar of a waterfall. He held seven stars in
  his right hand, and a sharp double-edged sword was coming from his
  mouth. His face was shining as bright as the sun at noon. When I saw
  him, I fell at his feet like a dead person. But he put his right
  hand on me and said: Don't be afraid! I am the first, the last, and
  the living one. I died, but now I am alive forevermore, and I have
  the keys to death and the world of the dead. (Rev 1:12-18 CEV)

Darkness

• Sometimes I hear God very clearly. Then sometimes, I feel as though I am "groping in the dark" trying to understand what to do. Have you felt that way too? (I have yet to meet anyone who has not.)
  
  I have learned that even when I cannot consciously recognize His voice, He is still guiding, directing, and watching over my life--to the degree that I trust Him and allow it.
  
  Next time you feel "in the dark", read Isaiah 50:10-11. Those verses have been especially comforting to me during "dark" times. I hope they will be so for you too.

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So be careful how you live, not as fools but as those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity for doing good in these evil days. Don't act thoughtlessly, but try to understand what the Lord wants you to do. (Eph 5:15-17NLT)

He Is A Keeper

• I like to think about where this ministry was 30 years ago, and where it is today. And I believe that if He kept us alive and going for these many years, we have many more that just began today!
  
  I like to think about the always-on-time qualities of God's Word. The same insight that ministered many years ago is still fresh and potent today because He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
  
  There is more, but those are some of the things I think about when I send these messages. What about you?

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For the LORD grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He grants a treasure of good sense to the godly. He is their shield, protecting those who walk with integrity. He guards the paths of justice and protects those who are faithful to him. Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair, and you will know how to find the right course of action every time. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will fill you with joy. Wise planning will watch over you. Understanding will keep you safe. Wisdom will save you from evil people, from those whose speech is corrupt. (Prov 2:6-12 NLT)

Prepare Your Future

"As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it. There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day. For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it. I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say." (John 12:47-50 NIV)

Be Encouraged

We all need encouragement sometimes. Perhaps you need encouragement. Perhaps you can be an encourager. Either way, use what God has given you, what He has done for you, and what you have to give or do for someone.

• 
  One of the simplest things to do is to let the love of God show through your smile. Everyone can do that. Think about this: Your smile may be the only encouragement someone receives today.

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On that day tell your son, 'I do this because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.' This observance will be for you like a sign on your hand and a reminder on your forehead that the law of the LORD is to be on your lips. For the LORD brought you out of Egypt with his mighty hand. You must keep this ordinance at the appointed time year after year. (Exo 13:8-10 NIV)

Strength In Weakness (bonus)

For me, trusting that God is doing--or will work for--what is best
when I do not understand my circumstances, even when I am hurting,
is the very definition of faith. This is my defining point: When I
have to choose, I choose to trust rather than to understand.

Of course, that choice is seldom easy "in the moment", especially
because I am an analytical person. Difficult, bewildering, painful?
Yes. But easy? No!

Sometimes I come to understand later. Sometimes, I do not. But then,
understanding is not a requisite of trust, 

  But at the same time, God rescued Lot out of Sodom because he was a
  good man who was sick of all the immorality and wickedness around
  him. Yes, he was a righteous man who was distressed by the
  wickedness he saw and heard day after day.  So you see, the Lord
  knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while
  punishing the wicked right up until the day of judgment.
  (2 Pet 2:7-9 NLT

Strength In Weakness

• Surrender. Submit. Obey. Kneel. Worship. All alien concepts today.
  
  Our modern, independent culture conditions us to think that embracing these shows weakness. We are taught to think that we have to always be in control, have all the answers, show no weakness, make no mistakes... 
  
  And I believe any control we think we have is illusory.
  
  God's ways are opposite: Admitting weakness is how we gain true strength, surrender is how we become truly free, and confessing failure is how we will become perfect in Him.
  
  So, "Come, let us bow down in worship..."

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Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the desert, where your fathers tested and tried me, though they had seen what I did. (Psa 95:6-9 NIV)

The Faithfulness Of God

• I like to think about where this ministry was 30 years ago, and where it is today. And I believe that if He kept us alive and going for these many years, we have many more that just began today!
  
  I like to think about the always-on-time qualities of God's Word. The same insight that ministered many years ago is still fresh and potent today because He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
  
  There is more, but those are some of the things I think about when I send these messages. What about you?

---

For the LORD grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He grants a treasure of good sense to the godly. He is their shield, protecting those who walk with integrity. He guards the paths of justice and protects those who are faithful to him. Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair, and you will know how to find the right course of action every time. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will fill you with joy. Wise planning will watch over you. Understanding will keep you safe. Wisdom will save you from evil people, from those whose speech is corrupt. (Prov 2:6-12 NLT)

Witnesses

• Introducing God to someone who does not know about Him has never been easy. Just ask Moses!
  
  I remember being taught the textbook way to "witness" to people. It was like a memorized sales presentation with "right" things to say and clever answers to objections. (Never worked very well for me.)
  
  I believe the best introduction to God is the way we live our lives, because if people do not see Him in us first, they probably will not listen to what we say.
  
  If we really reflect Him--obey His Word, live according to His ways, character, and values--we are going to be different. Very different. And people will want to know why.
  
  Then we can tell them... and they will listen.

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Moses said to God, "Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' Then what shall I tell them?" God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.'" (Exo 3:13-14 NIV)

Worth The Risk

• If you truly love, you risk being hurt; you cannot have one without the other. Some people "shut down" to avoid pain. I know; I was one of them. I was emotionally dead, unable to feel anything.
  
  I cried out to God to bring me back to life. He did, but ironically, it required great pain.
  
  If you love, you may get hurt. But in my experience, not feeling anything was far worse than any pain I have ever felt.
  
  I am not afraid anymore. I learned that if I do get hurt, God can turn it into a treasure beyond price in my life. No doubt.
  
  I also have no doubt that He can do the same for you, if you are willing. Do not be afraid to love, beginning with God.

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And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ--to the glory and praise of God. (Phil 1:9-11 NIV)

Balance

• A critical or judgmental attitude can make us feel superior; it can lead to a feeling of "I know more than you do.". It is subtle, but powerful... and it is also very wrong according to God's Word.
  
  We should not, however, be oblivious to danger to error. God's Word calls that "foolish". We are accountable to God to use the wisdom and discernment He gives us.
  
  It is a balance to maintain, a "fine line" to walk, for certain! So, how do we walk that line successfully? By depending on His wisdom over our own. God knows what we do not, which is why He alone is ultimately qualified to pass true judgment on anyone (everyone!).

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While they were at Hazeroth, Miriam and Aaron criticized Moses because he had married a Cushite woman. They said, "Has the LORD spoken only through Moses? Hasn't he spoken through us, too?" But the LORD heard them. Then the LORD descended in the pillar of cloud and stood at the entrance of the Tabernacle. "Aaron and Miriam!" he called, and they stepped forward. And the LORD said to them, "Now listen to me! Even with prophets, I the LORD communicate by visions and dreams. But that is not how I communicate with my servant Moses. He is entrusted with my entire house. I speak to him face to face, directly and not in riddles! He sees the LORD as he is. Should you not be afraid to criticize him?" (Num 12:1,2,5-8 NLT)

Stewardship (Time)

• Some days, I "know that I know" that the Today's message I am writing is specifically for someone somewhere in the world. Today, however, it is for me; it hits me right where I am.
  
  Did you know that ministers struggle with "busy-ness"just as you do? No one is immune. It is difficult to plan time for prayer and study when, as you are doing one absolutely-necessary-for-survival thing, there are thirteen more just as important that are not being done. 
  
  It is not just going to happen. I have to do what today's message says: plan time for prayer and study, and make it my first priority.

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She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." (Luke 10:39-42 NIV)

Influence Your future

• In a bad situation, I believe that the solution is more important than the reason. Meaning: Do not dwell on regret over why you are there; focus on how you are going to get out because while you cannot go back and change the past, you can influence the future.
  
  The best place for that focus to begin in with God, in prayer, listening for His wisdom and direction.

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Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it." (Isa 30:20-21 NIV)

Applying Knowledge

Application!

• I had a childhood friend who became a "professional student". He has prestigious degrees in several fields--and last I heard, he has not worked in any of them. It compels me to ask: "What good is that?"
  
  I know Believers who do the same. They are always learning, but not applying what they learn. Same question: "What good is that?"
  
  Whether you know a little or a lot, put in practice what you know. Jesus said you will get more.

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So be sure to pay attention to what you hear. To those who are open to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But to those who are not listening, even what they think they have will be taken away from them." (Luke 8:18 NLT)

Your Reactions is Key

• Newton's third law:
  
  "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction."
  
  Actions have consequences. It is unavoidable--in the physical realm and in the spiritual. Scripture expresses the same concept: "A man reaps what he sows." (Gal 6:7b NIV)
  
  So, best to carefully consider what we set in motion by our words and actions... or lack of them. (The "equal and opposite reaction" pendulum could swing right back and bonk us!)

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The wicked conceive evil; they are pregnant with trouble and give birth to lies. They dig a pit to trap others and then fall into it themselves. They make trouble, but it backfires on them. They plan violence for others, but it falls on their own heads. (Psa 7:14-16 NLT)

Jesus

• I hope the new year is off to a great start for you! For many, this is the week things "get back to normal". It is a time to reflect on last year, and set the plans for this year in motion.
  I look forward with great anticipation to all that He has in store for us in 2015!

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Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the merchants and their customers. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the stalls of those selling doves. He said, "The Scriptures declare, 'My Temple will be called a place of prayer,' but you have turned it into a den of thieves!" (Mat 21:12-13 NLT)