Unmerited Favor

Good Morning!! I love the Old Testament stories that tell of God bringing someone into favor, in an unfavorable situation. Daniel was given favor in the king's palace,...even though he was a captive, and taken prisoner. Joseph was given favor with the guards, as a prisoner in Egypt. And even David, before he was king, was given favor when he sought refuge in enemy territory with the Philistines. Why such favor with these people, in these situations? Was it because of who they were, or what they had done to earn it? No. It was because of who God is.

Now God had caused the official to show favor and compassion to Daniel,...—Daniel 1:9 (NIV)

There are many times that we need to ask God to give us favor, in certain situations, or with certain people. Sometimes we hold back from asking, because we feel unworthy, or undeserving. But the Lord really wants us to ask,...because He loves to provide. I have been given favor in situations where nothing but wrath was deserved. When we truly embrace God's grace, we can begin to understand just a snippet of how much He truly loves us.

Even before we ask, God's favor is set upon us.

Father God, we thank You,...and pray that Your hand, stays on us. We ask that You continue to bless us,...and all that cross our paths. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

"We can sleep in peace when we remember that God is always awake."

Not Us, But God

Good Morning!! The Lord warned the Israelites to be very careful when they entered the new land of promise and prosperity. They would be tempted to think that their success and wealth were of their own doing. But the Lord wanted them to remember that; He was the One who brought them up from the land of Egypt,...He was the One who delivered them from slavery and bondage,...and He was the One who brought them to this land of blessings. As humans, we can be so arrogant at times. Not only do we start to think that we have made our own way by our own strength, but we also turn away from the One who blessed us in the first place.

You may say to yourself, "My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me."—Deuteronomy 8:17 (NIV)

When times are hard, we cry out to God for help. We press into Him. He is our only hope. We tend to be less attentive to God when we are doing well and life is cruising along. Regardless of where you are today, remember one thing: you have a Lord and Savior who only wants you. We have a Lord who desires to be with us, have a relationship with us, and wants us to desire Him above anything else in the world. He is a jealous God and He will do whatever it takes to get our attention. Draw closer to Him today. Don't get caught up in the things of life, and lose sight of your relationship with Him.

You may truly believe that you picked yourself up, by your own bootstraps,
...but where did you get the boots?

Father God, at times we seem to working so hard to avoid pain, suffering, and trials,...the very thing that draws us to closer to You. As we learn to praise You any how, again we give You thanks for all that is happening in our lives,...the good, and the bad. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

"We can sleep in peace when we remember that God is always awake."

Strength In The Lord

Good Morning!! As Christians, we are told not only to believe in Jesus,...but to follow Him. In Luke 14:27-28, Jesus speaks of those who choose to follow Him, that they must leave everything else behind. He tells them to count the cost before they make their decision. But we live in a world today that promotes "self" and all of the accolades that go along with self gratification and satisfaction. We want to be comfortable, we do not want to suffer. But the truth is; As we live and breath, we will have troubles in this world,...despite our efforts to avoid them. Live long enough, and we will have sickness, needs, and distresses.

That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.—2 Corinthians 12:10 (NIV)

We have our days so well-planned, so tightly-scheduled that even one deviation from our plan can send us into a frenzy. Even the weather can dampen our spirits. Throw in sickness and other types of problems and we soon find out where our strength is based. If our strength is not in Christ, then we are headed for a fall,...and for some that means several times a day. Jesus says that when we are weak,...He is strong. When we truly follow Jesus, we will discover just how weak we really are.

It is in the weakness of our lives that God is best able to show His power, and might.

Father God, today instead of complaining about our circumstances, regardless of how painful they may be, we're asking You to give us Your strength to see our way through them. Allow us to be weak, and depend on You. And, finally, we give You thanks for all that is happening in our lives,...the good, and the bad. We look up to see Your glory, for You are above the activities of this world. Amen.

"We can sleep in peace when we remember that God is always awake."

What Do You Boast In?

Good Morning!! Intelligence, money and strength are three areas that we think we can measure. Our intelligence is measured by how hard one needs to study, and the grades one receives. We form an instant opinion when hearing of certain colleges that were attended, and the credentials that were awarded. Money tends to reflect success. If someone is wealthy, and can manage their money well,...we give credence, as well as respect, to what they have to say. And strength is the last characteristic that helps us form our opinion of someone. Are they athletic? Do they handle pressure well, do they have the energy and focus to get important things done? Do they have a disciplined body and mind, or good self control? These are things, we admire,...in fact, these are things we boast about, in ourselves, and others.

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.—Psalm 20:7 (NIV)

But God does not value our intelligence, our wealth, or our strength. God values a person who trusts, and boasts in Him. All of those characteristics are gifts,...God given gifts. In light of eternity, they mean nothing,...and each one, could be taken away in an instant, through illness alone. Only God is the Creator, and Sustainer of life. I would rather boast in the name of the Lord, my God, than to put my trust in any man, despite their traits and credentials. Turn to the Lord and seek His face. Know that you serve a God who gives gifts to men,...and the greatest gift given, was Jesus.

We have nothing,...that was not given by God.

Father God, lift us when we fall,...You are our rock, and strenght. We have nothing, and are nothing without You. Forgive us for putting more faith in our gifts, than in the Giver. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

"Every saved person this side of heaven owes the gospel to every lost person this side of hell."

Trust The Promise

Good Morning!! As believers, we face so many obstacles that can take us out of serving the Lord. We have thoughts that control us, wants that consume us and feelings that move us. Because none of us were born understanding God’s ways, our natural inclinations work against living out a Spirit filled life. Coming to Christ means that we lay aside our natural inclinations and ask the Lord to fill us with His wisdom instead. That process is known as submitting. To submit means to be under obedience. So we take what we want to do, what we feel is right to do, and what we think is best, and put it aside,...telling the Lord that we want His Will instead. Waiting and trusting begins.

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.—James 4:7 (NIV)

To resist the devil means that after we have submitted to God, we go to the Word of God to counteract our thoughts, feelings and wants. The devil is fully aware of who we are, and how we think. As a result, he uses our desires to entice us to keep from submitting. We start questioning the love of God, and His motivation. We begin to fear and hold on, instead of trusting and let go. We have to realize that the devil is alive and well. His desire is to use our fleshly desires against us so that we may continue to sin against God.

If Jesus, the Living Word, needed to speak forth the written Word to resist the devil and have him flee,
...then how much more do we need to submit to God, in the same way.

Father God, we know that You know what's best for us. We believe You, we trust You,...and as we become better at submit to You, the devil will flee from us,...this is Your promise. Amen.

"Every saved person this side of heaven owes the gospel to every lost person this side of hell."

Stand And Soar

Good Morning!! No matter how firm we think we are standing, we will have moments when our faith becomes weak and uncertain. It may be the result of emotional wounds, or tragedy. Regardless of the source, if we approach these times remembering that Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith, and that it is through His strength that we are able to stand against incredible odds,...He will enable us to keep pressing forward.

If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.—John 8:31-32 (NIV)

It is usually during these times that we are most likely on the brink of discovering more of His truth, and He will reveal more of Himself to us. It is His truth that ultimately sets us free from all the doubt, and uncertainty,...and our faith will once again soar. We must continue to hold on to His Word and promises, especially during the difficult and uncertain moments in our lives.

It is only by the strenght and grace of God, that we stand.

We thank You Lord, You are good, You are unchangeable, You are our strength, our joy, our confidence. It is in You that we will continue to walk and to grow and to learn. In Your strength our faith will soar, and we will stand. Amen.

"Every saved person this side of heaven owes the gospel to every lost person this side of hell."

Don't Look Back

Good Morning!! A reference to going back to Egypt is made often in the Old Testament. The Israelites spent over 400 years in Egypt,...and for the most part, their time there consisted of hard labor and enslavement. They cried out to God, and He answered their cries. The book of Exodus describes their departure from this life of bondage, as Moses led the way. But, as soon as they encountered trials on their journey, the people were quick to want to go back to Egypt,...and return to their old way of life. You might ask; why would anyone want to go back to a life that was filled with bondage and suffering? Because they at least knew what to expect,...and for most people, that's more comforting, than having to face an uncertain future.

Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel, or seek help from the LORD.—Isaiah 31:1 (NIV)

As Christians today, we have God’s Holy Spirit, who is our Helper and our Comforter. Trials and hard times are inevitable in our lives because we live in a fallen world, that will bring sorrows and pains. Though we will be tempted at times, to give up and to go back to our familiar territories, we must press on towards the upward call of Christ Jesus. Do not put your trust in the strength of men, or money, or worldly power,...but put your trust in the Lord only. Let's keep our eyes on the path of Jesus, as He has marked the way.

Keep your focus on Jeses,...and He will see you through.

Lord, remind us that we were never given a spirit of fear, but rather One of power. Holy Spirit, encourage, and move us to a position of trust, that we may not prove weak in the face of men,...but trust fully in our God. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.

"Every saved person this side of heaven owes the gospel to every lost person this side of hell."