There is a lasting thought in my mind since we graduated our seniors yesterday in an online zoom ceremony. It was beautiful and the sharing of these young people being grateful for their parents and all who invested in their lives was touching. Secondly, seeing the growth in character and their relationship with the Lord was inspiring.
The reflection God gave me was from Psalm 19, which declares that all creation shows His handiwork. So obviously there are patterns in nature that have lessons for us who seek to walk in God's ways. For example, do you know that the Monarch butterfly migrates from Mexico all the way to Canada every Spring. This 2000 mile distance is beyond the flying lifespan of the butterfly. It takes 3 or 4 generations. So the butterfly that starts the journey, lays eggs and dies. Then the new larvae grow into butterflies and somehow God has put in them the direction and desire to complete the mission of migrating. Then they fly as far as they can in their lifetime, lay eggs and die. The new larvae grow into butterflies and continue the migration, until the mission is accomplished.
It is not hard to see the parallel for God's mission of sending Jesus to die for all, rise from the dead, and establish the kingdom of God and His love on earth. He then entrusted the disciples to go as far as they could go, then entrust the message to the next generation. Jesus prays in John 17:20 "not for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word." We blessed these young people with the commission of carrying on as the light of the world wherever God leads them, and continuing the faith and love shown by those who went before them representing the Lord Jesus.
So my word is, continue to share and spread the love of Jesus, go as far as you can go, then entrust this great faith to the generation that will rise up to complete the task. In the book of Hebrews, God points out that those before us will be united with us to reap the rewards of living for Him, and together we will make it!
So hear the Word of the Lord, give all you have and go as far as you can go, trusting the Lord Jesus to raise up the next generation to carry on the task of building up His Kingdom on earth until it is complete. Come Lord Jesus!
Monday, May 25, 2020
Sunday, April 26, 2020
Aim to Please HIM
Have you ever sat in an airport or a busy mall, and just watched and studied people who go by. What is on their minds, where are they headed, what is important to them, what is driving them to do the things that they do, and who do they love and who loves them? Going a little deeper, what does God see and think when He looks at them? What does He see when He looks at me?
Fallen man, our flesh which looks out for ourselves as number one, will and cannot please God. So since, according to Revelation 4, all things were created for His pleasure, we need to change the way we think from "me" centered to become "pleasing God" motivated. It follows that the way most people live life, the things that they do and what they are concerned about, fall short of the real purpose of life.
It is not in a man to change himself. First, we need to come to the place where we need a savior. In Colorado there is a bridge at Royal Gorge above the Arkansas River that is more than a 1000 feet over the river below. If I happened to slip and fall over the edge, with sheer rock on both sides and sure death ahead, my first impulse would be to cry, JESUS SAVE ME! Clearly this really is the position that sinful man is in, because the wages of sin are death. Usually it takes something desperate to happen before our eyes are opened to see it, and do cry out for help.
Continuing with the example, if Jesus reached down from heaven and grabbed my hand, do you think that I would argue or tell Him which way I want to go? Of course not, if He said "do this" my answer would be a quick and sincere, "Yes, sir." So the second step in pleasing God is to learn what He wants. God says His thoughts are not our thoughts, and His ways are not our ways. So there is a genuine learning curve needed where "line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little, there a little" we can learn what pleases Him and be transformed in the way we think. Jesus said it this way, if you continue in My Word, you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free."
If we are created for God's pleasure, what pleases God? Jesus said it is not those who say "Lord, Lord" but those who do the will of the Father. A good study of the Word of God provides many instructions explaining God's way of walking in the spirit verses man's way of choosing the flesh. God calls this the difference between life and death with the instruction, choose life!
There is a promise in Psalm 147 that says the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him and in those who hope in His mercy. Fear of the Lord is a strong concept, much more than being afraid, that suggests pleasing God is our greatest concern, above what others think, above our physical desires, and stronger that our cultural and family background. It is the motivation that make us willing to turn from sin and selfish desires.
You don't get fear of the Lord by just saying "okay, I have it." It has to be revealed. God says in Psalm 34, "Come, you children, listen to Me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord, who is the man who desires life, and loves many days, that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit. Depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it." Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you.
Agree with Paul, in 2 Corinthians 5:9, who states that whether I live or die, my aim is to please Him.
Fallen man, our flesh which looks out for ourselves as number one, will and cannot please God. So since, according to Revelation 4, all things were created for His pleasure, we need to change the way we think from "me" centered to become "pleasing God" motivated. It follows that the way most people live life, the things that they do and what they are concerned about, fall short of the real purpose of life.
It is not in a man to change himself. First, we need to come to the place where we need a savior. In Colorado there is a bridge at Royal Gorge above the Arkansas River that is more than a 1000 feet over the river below. If I happened to slip and fall over the edge, with sheer rock on both sides and sure death ahead, my first impulse would be to cry, JESUS SAVE ME! Clearly this really is the position that sinful man is in, because the wages of sin are death. Usually it takes something desperate to happen before our eyes are opened to see it, and do cry out for help.
Continuing with the example, if Jesus reached down from heaven and grabbed my hand, do you think that I would argue or tell Him which way I want to go? Of course not, if He said "do this" my answer would be a quick and sincere, "Yes, sir." So the second step in pleasing God is to learn what He wants. God says His thoughts are not our thoughts, and His ways are not our ways. So there is a genuine learning curve needed where "line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little, there a little" we can learn what pleases Him and be transformed in the way we think. Jesus said it this way, if you continue in My Word, you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free."
If we are created for God's pleasure, what pleases God? Jesus said it is not those who say "Lord, Lord" but those who do the will of the Father. A good study of the Word of God provides many instructions explaining God's way of walking in the spirit verses man's way of choosing the flesh. God calls this the difference between life and death with the instruction, choose life!
There is a promise in Psalm 147 that says the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him and in those who hope in His mercy. Fear of the Lord is a strong concept, much more than being afraid, that suggests pleasing God is our greatest concern, above what others think, above our physical desires, and stronger that our cultural and family background. It is the motivation that make us willing to turn from sin and selfish desires.
You don't get fear of the Lord by just saying "okay, I have it." It has to be revealed. God says in Psalm 34, "Come, you children, listen to Me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord, who is the man who desires life, and loves many days, that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit. Depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it." Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you.
Agree with Paul, in 2 Corinthians 5:9, who states that whether I live or die, my aim is to please Him.
Tuesday, April 7, 2020
Who Do You Think You Are?
These are the times that try men's souls. Yet they also are the times which force us to consider who we are and where we are going. Nothing gets our attention like trouble. In these times our first impulse is to turn to God and cry out for help.
Yet, something deeper is happening than just our current pandemic situation. There is a shaking of the whole normal order of life, which brings us to ask some important questions beyond just are we going to get through this. The heart of all questions is who am I?
First, you didn't come into being by any effort on your part. Secondly you would not have made it if someone didn't love you, take care of you, and help you to grow up. And thirdly, you have somewhere acquired some meaning and direction for which you live and do the things you do. The Word would say that you are "From Him, through Him, and for Him.
From Him. In reflection this week, the Holy Spirit opened my mind to consider that I am an eternal being. Somehow I was given existence and I will always be. My flesh can;t handle the thought of always being and I want to shudder thinking what that may mean. Just the same, that is the way it is. On the other hand, all I can do is be thankful, thankful that Someone created me a living person, that others nurtured and invested their efforts to raise me, and that through the people and experiences of life, God has given meaning and direction in living out my life.
Through Him. Likewise, along the way, God has always been with me. Life has a way of confronting us with challenges, problems, and choices, some of which we completely fail. Yet, in looking back, God has always been with me and given me the strength and peace to overcome and move forward. Through it all, He gracious;y revealed Himself to me and allowed me to understand His Word, His love, and promises.
.
For Him. Without a vision, people perish. In the process of the business and responsibilities of life, somehow God has given me the motivation and enjoyment of being the person He made me and using the talents that I have. He calls me to be faithful to His calling and what He has given. The reason I live is to please Him.
In reading Psalm 119 this morning, it was easy to be reminded how awesome and eternal, yet gentle and delightful God's Word is. We are the most blessed people on earth (Psalm 21:4) to know Him and to have His Word in our hearts and minds. It blows my mind, too much to handle, when I consider the eternal plan of goodness and complete fulfillment God has for me, forever. (to give me a future and a hope) So I am who He says I am, I live because He created me, I will make it because He is with me, and finally I will live abundantly forever because He is that kind of loving, forgiving, awesome God who has provided it all from start to finish. What a joy and privilege to know and love Jesus, embrace the presence of the Spirit each day, and cry "Abba Father" to the living God. No wonder we will join the angels and saints in crying, "Holy, Holy, Holy" forever.
Wednesday, April 1, 2020
Fight the Good Fight of Faith
Lord Jesus,
You are here, moving in our midst, I worship you, I worship you.
You are here, working in this place, I worship you, I worship you.
The words of the song Waymaker are a great reminder that God is always here and working for our good. The challenge is to keep this truth central in our heart and thinking. Paul encourages us to fight the good fight of faith, because without faith it is impossible to please God. As Hebrews 11:6 states, "for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."
Clearly a lot of things are being shaken right now. Panic, fear, uncertainty, insecurity, worry and even doubt are influences of the enemy that can easily attack our thinking. My prayer is, "Holy Spirit, help me take every thought captive to obey the knowledge of Christ." according to the instruction in 2 Corinthians 10:4-5. So when I am challenged with a fear or doubt, I deliberately declare a Bible verse such as "By His stripes I am healed" or "No weapon formed against me will prosper." or "Thanks be to God who always leads me in triumph." Jesus quoted the Word when the enemy challenged Him.
Sometimes the Holy Spirit reminds me that all authority in heaven and earth are in the name of Jesus, and He has given me authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy. So then I declare, "In the name of Jesus, fear be gone." and often I just simply say, "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus" until the negative thoughts lose their power and leave.
Jesus reminded us that after the demon is cast out, it is necessary to fill the "house" with new furniture. So I begin filling my mind and heart with thanksgiving, with reminding myself of all God has done for me. Or I begin thanking Jesus for taking those stripes for me and I try to picture Him being beaten. It is also helpful to just declare God's truth from the Word about the situation. Maybe you should write a list of verses that God quickens to you in your quiet time each day, so you have a fresh anointed Word to stand on.
"Thou does keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee," (Isaiah 26:3) Why does Philippians 4:7-8 encourage us to think about what is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtue, and praiseworthy? The reason is simply because our fallen human nature gravitates toward the negative. You recall that the Israelites in the wilderness were always complaining. Therefore, since God's ways are always the opposite of man's ways, this means we have to choose God's way, choose life, rather than the ways of death that our flesh produces.
The best way to fight the good fight of faith is to let praise and the Word of God fill our mind. When the battle of our thoughts gets tough, it is time to declare God's Word out loud and praise Him for all He has done. Sing songs of worship, especially those that are Bible verses, to help us keep the Word of God in our heart and on our lips. Several Scriptures such as Psalm 1:2, Joshua 1:8, and Proverbs 4:20-23 all declare the necessity and blessing of letting the Word abide in you and continuing to speak it into life. It is as simple as saying, "No, devil, you are a liar, I choose to declare God's truth." Don't give up. All those who use their faith overcome the evil one. We will be eternally grateful that we chose to "Fight the good fight of faith."
You are here, moving in our midst, I worship you, I worship you.
You are here, working in this place, I worship you, I worship you.
The words of the song Waymaker are a great reminder that God is always here and working for our good. The challenge is to keep this truth central in our heart and thinking. Paul encourages us to fight the good fight of faith, because without faith it is impossible to please God. As Hebrews 11:6 states, "for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."
Clearly a lot of things are being shaken right now. Panic, fear, uncertainty, insecurity, worry and even doubt are influences of the enemy that can easily attack our thinking. My prayer is, "Holy Spirit, help me take every thought captive to obey the knowledge of Christ." according to the instruction in 2 Corinthians 10:4-5. So when I am challenged with a fear or doubt, I deliberately declare a Bible verse such as "By His stripes I am healed" or "No weapon formed against me will prosper." or "Thanks be to God who always leads me in triumph." Jesus quoted the Word when the enemy challenged Him.
Sometimes the Holy Spirit reminds me that all authority in heaven and earth are in the name of Jesus, and He has given me authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy. So then I declare, "In the name of Jesus, fear be gone." and often I just simply say, "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus" until the negative thoughts lose their power and leave.
Jesus reminded us that after the demon is cast out, it is necessary to fill the "house" with new furniture. So I begin filling my mind and heart with thanksgiving, with reminding myself of all God has done for me. Or I begin thanking Jesus for taking those stripes for me and I try to picture Him being beaten. It is also helpful to just declare God's truth from the Word about the situation. Maybe you should write a list of verses that God quickens to you in your quiet time each day, so you have a fresh anointed Word to stand on.
"Thou does keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee," (Isaiah 26:3) Why does Philippians 4:7-8 encourage us to think about what is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtue, and praiseworthy? The reason is simply because our fallen human nature gravitates toward the negative. You recall that the Israelites in the wilderness were always complaining. Therefore, since God's ways are always the opposite of man's ways, this means we have to choose God's way, choose life, rather than the ways of death that our flesh produces.
The best way to fight the good fight of faith is to let praise and the Word of God fill our mind. When the battle of our thoughts gets tough, it is time to declare God's Word out loud and praise Him for all He has done. Sing songs of worship, especially those that are Bible verses, to help us keep the Word of God in our heart and on our lips. Several Scriptures such as Psalm 1:2, Joshua 1:8, and Proverbs 4:20-23 all declare the necessity and blessing of letting the Word abide in you and continuing to speak it into life. It is as simple as saying, "No, devil, you are a liar, I choose to declare God's truth." Don't give up. All those who use their faith overcome the evil one. We will be eternally grateful that we chose to "Fight the good fight of faith."
Thursday, March 26, 2020
Holy Spirit, teach me to pray-read the Word
Holy Spirit, You teach me all things, You lead me into all truth, You bear witness to Jesus, You cry in my heart, "Abba Father." Jesus (in John 15:7-8) instructed "if you abide in Me and My words abide in you..." as a basic condition for bearing fruit that would remain. Holy Spirit, teach us how to bring and keep this Word abiding in us.
One of the ways the Holy Spirit has been teaching us to strengthen our inner man through the word is the practice of "pray-read" the Word. Let me give an example.
This morning I was reading Psalm 107. It begins with "O give thanks to the Lord,.." - so I simple look up to Him and thank Him for my life, for saving me, for my wife and family, for ways He has blessed me.
for He is good - so I declare HIs good promises, You are so good to me, You give us abundant life whenwe deserve death, You take our sins, You are faithful to Your Word and Your nature.
for His mercy endures forever - using this truth I declare "You took my judgment on the cross, You greet me each morning with fresh mercy and a new start, You always rescue me when I turn to You in trouble, and I can count on Your mercy carrying me into eternity with You.
Then the psalm states, "Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has delivered from the hand of the adversary. What a privilege to declare "I am redeemed by Your blood and in You have paid in full my debt. Thanks to you, I am alive, free, and belong to You forever."
Later it says, "They cried to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them out of their distresses." It is easy to remember so many of the times when I did something stupid and when in trouble, I called on God to help me. AND HE DID! So I just thank Him for each time that comes to my mind.
Finally in verse 8, "Oh, that men would praise the Lord for His goodness and mercy, and His wonderful works to the children of men!" God is absolutely awesome. Look at His glorious creation, from the beauty of the mountains, the sunrise, the stars, the trees and flowers, to the wonderful way that we are made, our eyes to see, our ears to hear music and sounds, to be able to speak and communicate our deepest thoughts with one another, for an inner person of the heart that can know love, peace, joy, truth, strength, and most of all, know the infinite creator of the universe as our closest friend who has chosen to live inside us. What an awesome, beyond comprehension, powerful yet intimate God! Oh Holy Spirit, help me always remember to praise Him for His goodness and mercy, for His wonderful works to me.
We could and should go on. I just wanted to share this morning how simple and yet powerful it is to pray-read the Word, to let it be the content of my conversation, and to begin to let that life-giving Word abide in me. May I ask you to do the same. The Holy Spirit is here to help us. Come, Holy Spirit, You are welcome in this place.
One of the ways the Holy Spirit has been teaching us to strengthen our inner man through the word is the practice of "pray-read" the Word. Let me give an example.
This morning I was reading Psalm 107. It begins with "O give thanks to the Lord,.." - so I simple look up to Him and thank Him for my life, for saving me, for my wife and family, for ways He has blessed me.
for He is good - so I declare HIs good promises, You are so good to me, You give us abundant life whenwe deserve death, You take our sins, You are faithful to Your Word and Your nature.
for His mercy endures forever - using this truth I declare "You took my judgment on the cross, You greet me each morning with fresh mercy and a new start, You always rescue me when I turn to You in trouble, and I can count on Your mercy carrying me into eternity with You.
Then the psalm states, "Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has delivered from the hand of the adversary. What a privilege to declare "I am redeemed by Your blood and in You have paid in full my debt. Thanks to you, I am alive, free, and belong to You forever."
Later it says, "They cried to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them out of their distresses." It is easy to remember so many of the times when I did something stupid and when in trouble, I called on God to help me. AND HE DID! So I just thank Him for each time that comes to my mind.
Finally in verse 8, "Oh, that men would praise the Lord for His goodness and mercy, and His wonderful works to the children of men!" God is absolutely awesome. Look at His glorious creation, from the beauty of the mountains, the sunrise, the stars, the trees and flowers, to the wonderful way that we are made, our eyes to see, our ears to hear music and sounds, to be able to speak and communicate our deepest thoughts with one another, for an inner person of the heart that can know love, peace, joy, truth, strength, and most of all, know the infinite creator of the universe as our closest friend who has chosen to live inside us. What an awesome, beyond comprehension, powerful yet intimate God! Oh Holy Spirit, help me always remember to praise Him for His goodness and mercy, for His wonderful works to me.
We could and should go on. I just wanted to share this morning how simple and yet powerful it is to pray-read the Word, to let it be the content of my conversation, and to begin to let that life-giving Word abide in me. May I ask you to do the same. The Holy Spirit is here to help us. Come, Holy Spirit, You are welcome in this place.
Monday, March 23, 2020
How to Take Your Proverbs 4 Medicine
Have you taken your medicine today? Do you expect it to heal you instantly or do you need to take it 3 times a day until all the sickness is gone? Do you take it because you believe it will overcome your health problem? Do you have someone's authority, probably a doctor, who has told you it works?
Good news! There is another medicine that has great reviews and authority that declares it works.
In Proverbs 4:20-22, "My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings, do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to all their flesh." The word "health" in verse 22 has the original meaning of to heal, to cure, to act as a medicine.
Sometimes people don't get instant results of healing when they declare, "By His stripes I am healed" or the words of Isaiah that Jesus quoted in Matthew 8:16, "He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses." So they give up and say I just don;t have enough faith. Let me ask a question, do you give up if you take one pill and the sickness isn't gone? Of course not. You faithfully take the pill 3 times a day until the symptoms disappear.
So the answer is to keep taking the medicine. It is not based on whether you have enough faith, it just depends upon you continuing to take the medicine until your health is restored. Every time you declare the Word something happens in the heavens and on the earth. Death and life are in the power of the tongue. You release life. Stay with it, keep paying attention to God;s Word, keep your eyes focused on the truth, and keep treasuring that thought in the midst of your heart. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. You don't have to judge how much you believe or how good your faith is, just read the word, think about it, and say it. Quit debating whether the medicine works, just take it.
Whenever I start to declare God's Word and am struggling to believe it (I believe, Lord, but help my unbelief!), God is so merciful He comes through for me so much more than I could have expected or imagined. He is so good. Do what is in your power to declare it and believe it. Say the verse out loud so your own ears hear it (faith comes by hearing), and take your medicine regularly--3 times a day--until you see the salvation of God.
Good news! There is another medicine that has great reviews and authority that declares it works.
In Proverbs 4:20-22, "My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings, do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to all their flesh." The word "health" in verse 22 has the original meaning of to heal, to cure, to act as a medicine.
Sometimes people don't get instant results of healing when they declare, "By His stripes I am healed" or the words of Isaiah that Jesus quoted in Matthew 8:16, "He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses." So they give up and say I just don;t have enough faith. Let me ask a question, do you give up if you take one pill and the sickness isn't gone? Of course not. You faithfully take the pill 3 times a day until the symptoms disappear.
So the answer is to keep taking the medicine. It is not based on whether you have enough faith, it just depends upon you continuing to take the medicine until your health is restored. Every time you declare the Word something happens in the heavens and on the earth. Death and life are in the power of the tongue. You release life. Stay with it, keep paying attention to God;s Word, keep your eyes focused on the truth, and keep treasuring that thought in the midst of your heart. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. You don't have to judge how much you believe or how good your faith is, just read the word, think about it, and say it. Quit debating whether the medicine works, just take it.
Whenever I start to declare God's Word and am struggling to believe it (I believe, Lord, but help my unbelief!), God is so merciful He comes through for me so much more than I could have expected or imagined. He is so good. Do what is in your power to declare it and believe it. Say the verse out loud so your own ears hear it (faith comes by hearing), and take your medicine regularly--3 times a day--until you see the salvation of God.
Sunday, March 22, 2020
Hear the Word, Think Truth, Bless the Lord
This morning I was spending some time in Psalm 103. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name! What a great reminder that we need to let the " Word," which is spirit and life according to Jesus in John 6, take charge over our flesh and soul and simply obey.
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases, who redeems you life from destruction (KJV says the pit), who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagles's. God has done so much for us. How can we focus on the negative when we are so blessed!
This morning in the midst of the coronavirus crisis, we are reminded by His Word that not only are my sins forgiven, but my diseases are healed. So I have been trying to fight the good fight of faith by declaring "Thank you, Jesus, for taking those stripes for me and carrying away my diseases and pains. By your stripes I am healed." and "Thank you, Holy Spirit,. You, who are the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead, now give life to my mortal body." and "No weapon formed against me shall prosper."
Somehow I had forgotten the line that He crowns me with lovingkindness and tender mercies. To me "crowns" means makes me a king, or gives me authority to rule. HIs mercy allows and empowers me to take charge and declare God's kingdom over every circumstance. Praise God forever, when I realize how blessed I am, no wonder my youth is renewed like the eagles. I want to be like a little child that trusts his Mom and Dad and is excited and enthusiastic about all tthat they have planned for him. God has done great things for me, and now I trust Him to work all things for my good because I love Him and am called according to His purpose.
One more line, later in the psalm it talks about God showing His ways to Moses, and I remember an old song, "Teach me thy ways, thy ways O Lord. Show me thy paths, thy paths, O Lord. O my God, I trust in thee, let me not be ashamed, let not my enemies triumph over me." Truly, God;s ways are perfect and we are always right when we declare and take time to "Bless the Lord, O my soul!"
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