How We Hear From God

Good Morning!! Be quiet, be still,...this is how we hear from God. Most people today, never hear from God,...because we live in a never ending stream of noises, technology, and motion. We're some of the most sleep-deprived people in the world. We work long hours, come home to more work, and there is always a radio or TV, blaring in the background. Some of us have become so accustom to the movement and noise, that we allow it with us when we collapse into bed,...just to repeat the process again the next day. Why do we live such frantic, hyper stimulated lives? Sometimes it's out of a sense of obligation,...we feel it's a sin to say "no" so we overextend ourselves trying to fill the roll of Savior for everyone around us. Sometimes our frenzied lives stem from a sense of inadequacy,..."If I work hard and accomplish such-and-such, I will have value." Sometimes it's a mode of escape,...burying ourselves in work or in a TV program, keeps our minds off life's disappointments. But mainly, I just think we've lost sight of our priorities, defaulting to the heightened pace of the culture around us, unaware that we're letting our down time slip away, little by little.

Be still, and know that I am God.—Psalm 46:10a (NIV)

We need time for ourselves, to recharge and renew. In Scripture we see that time and again, God calls us to find peace in Him, to lighten our burden with Him,...to set aside our anxieties and meaningless business. We see God speak to the prophet Elijah through a "gentle whisper",...and tell an anxious Martha that her sister Mary chose the "better" part when she abandoned household duties to sit at Jesus' feet. Even when life seems to be pressing on all sides, make the choice. By seeking stillness we are effectively saying, "Nothing else is as important to me as You at this moment, Lord." You'll find you're not just sitting in an empty room doing "nothing" but you're a place filled with God's presence and love,...a place where you I can truly hear from God.

Our souls crave peace, stillness, and silence,...and if we ignore the cries of our souls for too long, our minds and bodies will wear down, and out.
Lord, help us to find a place and time to be still. Teach us to retreat from the frantic forces, that would drain and distract us. But more important than all of this,...let us hear from You. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

"Small minds find faults,...great minds find solutions."

Stress is pressure applied

Good Morning!! Stress is pressure applied, or perceived,...and it was designed to keep us out of harms way. But I'm afraid now it's become common place. Most of us have been in a sink-or-swim mode for so long, that we've accepted it as normal. More than once, I’ve joked that all Sheila and I do, is go to work, or come home to work. There is always so much going on with family and jobs, that we find ourselves exhausted. The funny thing is we all work so hard, to simply be able to relax and enjoy ourselves. We’ve all heard, or read, dozens of encouraging bits about waking up early to start the day with God.

Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.—Psalm 90:14 (NIV)

The truth is, I don’t usually wake up wanting to praise the Lord,...there have been many mornings when I’ve rolled over looked at the clock, and moaned or grumbled. But lately, though, a quiet voice has reminded me that the "dis-pleasure" is in my own attitude,...in how I've chosen, to face the day. That voice doesn’t come from Christian inspirational reading, it comes from a Holy Spirit that reminds me from time to time, what the morning means,...new mercy, straight from the Lord. There is an order to things,...and starting your day with God, should always be "thing one".

Stress is a gift from God to keep you safe,...but the devil often uses it as a stick, to beat us with.



Sweet Spirit of God, we thank You for reminding us to take a moment to pause, at the start of each day, to rejoice that the Lord has made us new creations,...like the morning. Praise Him, Amen.


"Small minds find faults,...great minds find solutions."

Salvation

Good Morning, It's Another Wonderful, Worshipful Wednesday!! How do we handle our Salvation? Are we careless or slothful? Do we share it with others? What if we could lose it? Our salvation is the most precious of all gifts,...and these are questions we need to ask, now and then. Personally, I want to be found faithful with the gifts and talents God has given me. These gifts are too valuable to be taken for granted,...and yet, we still do.

Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.—1Timothy 6:12 (NIV)

At first, we cherish our salvation, knowing that it is a gift too precious to ever earn. We thank God for the privilege of knowing Him and we praise Him for His Spirit dwelling inside us. Then as time passes, we start to take our Christianity for granted,...mostly because we forget what it meant, and the price that was paid for it.

Jesus has given Himself to us as a gift,...and nothing is of greater value than that.
Are we thanking the Lord for it still,…every day?
Lord, impress upon us when our heart is wondering. We really do value all You've done for us, and we appreciate all that we have. We ask You to convict us of any behavior that is not pleasing to You. Forgive our carelessness regarding the privilege of knowing You through Your Son, Jesus. We pray for the return of the joy of our salvation, and to lead others to You. Amen.

"Small minds find faults,...great minds find solutions."

Being Blessed

Good Morning!! Believe it or not, showing signs of being blessed, can bother some people to the point of questioning God's judgment. This is a thyme that repeats it self, from the story of Jonah, to the older brother from the prodigal son story. We want to decide who is deserving, or worthy of God's blessings. Like the worker, that even though he had agreed on a certain wage, became angry at the end of the day, when he saw others getting the same amount without having spent as much time, as he had, in the field.

'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' "—Luke 15:31,32 (NIV)

What has it got to do with you, whom God blesses,...or by how much? Do you think that the God of ALL, will run out of blessings? Don't you know; that our blessings, are not based on our actions alone. What God has for us is for us,..and it will not run out before we receive it. When God blesses someone we should all rejoice. And if He blesses someone we think undeserving,..we should rejoice all the more,...because of what it means for us, and ours. If He takes care of those that do not know Him,...how much more will He care for His own children?

The reason so many people, past and present, have been confused by Jesus’ ministry is because; man continually tries to define who and how, God should be,...according to their own wisdom and standards.
Father God, who are we to question You? Even Your Word reminds us, that Your ways are not our ways. The righteous shall live by faith…no matter how it feels,...or how weak we are,...or how confusing the circumstances may be. We need to have an attitude of worship in our thoughts, our actions and our words. We are to follow Your lead,...not tell You where to take us. Help us to understand; that when there is hope for the least of us,...there is hope for the rest of us. In Jesus' name, Amen.

"Small minds find faults,...great minds find solutions."

Let It Go!

Good Morning!! What do we do when we’re faced with failure in our relationships,...especially when we fail to meet each others' expectations? (L.I.G.) Let It Go! Much has been said about the necessity for forgiving trespassers. Scripture makes it clear we are to imitate Christ and show mercy to those who have wronged us, and counselors have written extensively on the personal freedom one finds in forgiving, even the most terrible sins. But I think sometimes it’s not the huge transgressions that challenge us nearly as much as the smaller infractions,...that simply wear on our nerves.

Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.—Colossians 3:13,14 (NIV)

Sometimes our biggest stumbling block for living the Christian life, comes from our interactions with those closest to us. And it's no different for Christians. Those who profess faith in Christ are very capable of hurting each other,...perhaps even unusually “gifted” at it. Fellowship within the Church can be wonderfully fulfilling, offering true glimpses of the unity we will experience in heaven,...but (as life frequently reminds us) we’re not in heaven yet, so our relationships with one another will often fall short.

We must remember to be patient with others,...as we ask God to be patient with us.



Sweet Spirit of God, don't allow us to continue to run, hide or avoid the the people that rub us wrong,...but rather help us realize how we are failing to love, one of God’s children. Keep to the front of our mines, that we have personally experienced Christ's love, with full knowledge of our invisible imperfections,...so how can we hope to justify failing to love others,...just because their faults are more visible? In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

"Small minds find faults,...great minds find solutions."

Jesus Is The Gift

Good Morning, Great Friday!! Jesus is the Gift that gives,...and one of the gifts we get as a result of knowing Jesus, is a change of perspective,...we see those in need. We even see our own need for grace and mercy. And the more we come to know Him, instead of knowing of Him,...the more we can see through His eyes, and with His heart. We see a world that's filled with the people He loves, and died for,...people He expects us to reach out to.

When Jesus got out of the boat, he saw the large crowd. He felt sorry for them and healed everyone who was sick.—Matthew 14:14 (AAJB)

Jesus has the ability to transform the hardest of hearts, and fill them with love and compassion. Through Christ we change,...through Christ the world is changed,...not just for a moment but lasting changes that are birthed from a relationship with His Perfect Love. There is no other power in heaven or Earth that can create such a change to any life. Amazing!

Jesus is a gift we have received,
...and must share.
Father in Heaven, we thank You for the precious gift of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Refresh our hearts and minds,...continue to work within our life, transforming our every thought and emotion, bringing it into alignment with Your perfect will. Open our
eyes that we may see the world with Jesus' heart,...and give us the courage and strength to reach out to each aching and dieing soul, You place in our path. Allow us to reflect Your perfect love, and grace, in Jesus name, we pray. Amen.

"The nature of man is to seek explanations,
...because we believe whatever we can explain, we can control."

I Love Food

Good Morning!! Anyone that remotely knows me, know I LOVE food. I love to cook it,...I love to eat it,...I even love to experiment with new ways to serve it up.(So what else would my daily devotional be called?) For a long time, even my directions were associated with how far away, or near it was, to some place I had eaten at,..or wanted to. From microwave dinners, to drive-throughs,...food has become a part of our lives, and culture. Food is a necessity to our physical bodies,...and to enjoy good food is one of our greatest pleasures. However, even with all its necessity, this earthly food has no value, outside of fellowship, to us spiritually.

But food will not commend us to God: neither, if we eat not, are we the worse; nor, if we eat, are we the better. But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to the weak.—1 Corinthians 8:8, 9 (ASV)

It's been close to twenty year since I stopped eating pork,...mainly because I believe the harm it does, out weighs it's taste. But it does not matter what we eat, or don't eat,...none of it has any effect on our relationship with God. So then why can't we as Christians eat whatever, drink whatever and as much as we want? One reason is because the choices that we make impact others. And another is that God care about the behaviors and attitudes we exhibit that affect those around us. There are numerous examples of this behavior in our churches today. The things we display an appetite for; like movies, television choices, or places we chose to go, can influence our families and friends. if it OK for God's people, then it must be OK for others too.

For most hunger is simply a drive necessary to sustain life,
...while appetite is associated with the desire to satisfy our cravings in life.



Jesus, you gave Your Life for us, so that we could have the real food,...the bread of life. As we follow You, allow our choices in this world will bring glory and honor to Your name, while also setting the right example for others. We pray not to get hung up on things of no value spiritually,...but to get caught up in the Spirit of God so that we may be a blessing to others,...and not a stumbling block. Amen.


"The nature of man is to seek explanations,
...because we believe whatever we can explain, we can control."

True Faithfulness To God

Good Morning!! How did we come to equate having true faithfulness to God or being blessed with health, wealth, and prosperity? Then wouldn't that mean that those in poverty, with chronic illness, or failing to prosper in their business endeavors must not have the favor of God. If these two statements are true,....then how would you explain this? The wicked still live, have good health, and seem to have the most money.

Why is life so hard? why do we suffer? We are slaves in search of shade; we are laborers longing for wages.—Job 7:1, 2 ( AAJE )

There is nothing wrong with having your health, wealth or prosperity as long as it does not mean more to you than God,...or that it allows you to look down on others, without. We suffer perceived lack and cry over our troubles, because we don't understand their true purpose or meaning. Troubles and hardships are allowed in our lives as a test of our faith, or an examination of our character.

Faithfulness under pressure is the truest mark of God's blessing.
There is none so blessed as those that can see the blessings even in the midst of their troubles.
Praise God, at all times!!

Trust in the Lord and live right! The land will be yours, and you will be safe.
(Psalms 37:1)

Set Out

Good Morning!! The words "set out" are so prevalent in todays' verse. When God commanded,...the Israelites set out in obedience. If God did not command, the Israelites stayed encamped. Jesus said to His disciples in Matthew 16:24, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." As believers, we are commanded to follow Jesus,...but many times we act as if God should be following our desires, our goals and our agendas. We have the presence of the Great "I AM ", dwelling within us. We can be led like the Israelites, by watching for His lead and listening to His voice,...through His Word. There are times when He tell us to "go", and there are times He tells us "to be still and know that He is God."

Whether the cloud stayed over the tabernacle for two days or a month or a year, the Israelites would remain in camp and not set out; but when it lifted, they would set out.—Numbers 9: 22 (NIV)

Following Jesus leads us to the tops of mountains as well as through the valley of the shadows of death,...but He is there, leading and guiding and loving us through it. We will learn to weep with Him as we see things that hurt His heart and rejoice with Him as we embrace the things that bring Him joy. One thing is for certain, He will never leave you nor forsake us,...it's our tendency is to be tempted to leave Him. Each day, spend time in His Word,...listening for His counsel and ask His help in following His lead.

Jesus doesn’t follow us,
...He commands us to be obedient, and follow Him.
Lord, help us to make Your footsteps, our pathway. Remind us to turn to You throughout the day, in obedience before we set out. We now know that all things, God works for the good of those who love Him, and who have been called according to His purpose. In Jesus' name, Amen.

"The nature of man is to seek explanations,
...because we believe whatever we can explain, we can control."

Looking Up

Good Morning, Things Are Looking Up,...And This Is Going To Be A Great Week!! So many times in our lives, when troubles seem at their worst, it often appears there is not only no one to turn to, but no place to find comfort either. In those times, we feel lost, alone, and, often, unloved. The world seems like a gaint dark room, its inhabitants grasping for glimpses of truth and light. When hope is merely a word and not a reality, how easy it is to feel hopeless and forsaken during life's low points.

"..God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."—Hebrews 13:5

In the Bible, we are told that those who truly seek truth and righteousness will find it and those who are hurting and in sorrow will be comforted. In our heavenly Father's eyes, no one who earnestly seeks comfort is forgotten; all are loved in our Father's arms. When your burden becomes too heavy to bare, call on One who is willing and able to lessen your heavy load and guide you down straight paths. His name is Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Jesus' gift is hope and salvation! With Him, one is never alone.
" When you and I face problems that are bigger than us,
it's not time to get discouraged;

it's time to get help! "

(Running with the Giants, John Maxwell, p. 83)


"The nature of man is to seek explanations,
...because we believe whatever we can explain, we can control."

God's WIll Is For Our Life

Good Morning!! How many of us can honestly say that we know what God’s will is for our life,...or even in a specific area of our life? Most Christians today say they just want to know God’s will, but many also say they are not sure how to find it. The answer lies in His Word,...the Bible. It's so simple, yet so many of us make it more complicated than it needs to be. We just need to open the Bible, and ask the Lord to speak to us. We need to read God’s Word, and then start praying It back to Him. It's in praying God’s Word that we begin to truly understand His will for us.

I will bless the LORD who has counseled me; Indeed, my mind instructs me in the night. I have set the LORD continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.—Psalm 16:7, 8 (N.A.S.)

Read 2 Timothy: 15-26. Below, it's been changed to a personal prayer, to the Lord,...lives will be changed as a result. This 2 Timothy prayer has been posted in a variety of places,...from the mirror in the bathroom, to next to the telephone, glued into dayplaners.

Ask the Lord to teach you how to read other scriptures, and then pray it back to Him,
...use His Words from your heart, to open up His will.
Dear Heavenly Father, we pray that we will “shun profane and idle babblings” that increase ungodliness and “spread like cancer.” Lord, we pray that we “will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful” to You, our Master. We pray for Your guidance in leading us to “pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” Dear Father, lead us away from “foolish and ignorant disputes” that “generate strife.” And, Lord, give us a servant’s heart that does not “quarrel but (is) gentle to all,...able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition to Your Word.” Use us Father in those whose lives You want to touch “that they may know the truth,” “come to their senses,” and “escape the snare of the devil.” In Jesus name, we pray. Amen.

"A church is a gathering of real people, living real lives, struggling with real issues,...not a fortress to hide in or a pristine edifice to impress those who pass its doors."

WHY

Good Morning!! As a husband and father, I have been challenged to explain "why" I am making a certain decision. If my decision pleases those around me, no discussion is necessary. However, if they disagree with my thoughts or actions, I am sought out to discuss and debate why my choices did not match their hearts' desire. As head of my house, I have the right to make final decisions,...as much as I have the right to explain or not explain the factors that went into making those decisions. Those that fall under my care and protection, then have the right to agree or disagree with my decisions,...but what a joy it is when they understand and accept them as is.

The LORD looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.—Psalm 14:2 (NIV)

God is more than willing to reveal Himself to those who seek Him. HE does not want us to just believe in Him,...but to understand Him as well. He has given us His Son, Jesus, His Word, and His Spirit. The Spirit of God intercedes for us, convicts our hearts and leads us into all truth. We have the opportunity to seek God and to find Him. But we also have the ability to understand Him as we continue to choose to read the Bible, pray and submit to the circumstances that He has allowed us to encounter in our lives.

As our Heavenly Father, God knows what is best for us,
...and at some point we just have to trust and understand that.
Father God, as we struggle to understanding why You allow certain circumstances to continue in our life, we will seek Your Spirit for wisdom. James 1, tells us that anyone who is lacking in wisdom should ask You for it, because You will give liberally to all that ask. Allow us to be more obedient, as we seek to gain a greater understanding. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

"A church is a gathering of real people, living real lives, struggling with real issues,...not a fortress to hide in or a pristine edifice to impress those who pass its doors."

Safe Travel

Good Morning!! I love to drive. With summer travel season upon us,...well, for those who haven't been grounded by the economy. I've been reminiscing upon all the times the Lord has watched out for me and mine, on the road through all our journeys. Before every trip any of my family takes, I now have a tradition of reading Psalm 91,...as well as praying for safety, and mercy, and the opportunity to minister,...even if it is an inconvenience to our plans.

He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. 5 You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day,—Psalm 91:4, 5 (NIV)

One way or another, this prayer is always answered. Still, it's hard to remember that. Sometimes we still feel that the trip, the vacation, is our time. That whatever gets in the way, shows that the Lord does not care, or did not "bless" our travels. Then I remember Paul's travels. I am sure he didn't think shipwrecks and imprisonment were helps toward spreading the word. But in the end, they were.

Psalm 91, reminds us all, that God is our refuge as we go,
...wherever we go.
Father God, we pray for traveling grace. Sometime we are in need of a good samaritan,...and at times we have an opportunity to be that good samaritan. This summer especially, remind us to be on the lookout for fellow travelers, who are in need,...don't allow us to miss our opportunity to reflect Jesus. Amen.

"A church is a gathering of real people, living real lives, struggling with real issues,...not a fortress to hide in or a pristine edifice to impress those who pass its doors."