Risen

“The angel said to the women, 'Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.'"
Matthew 28:5-6

Jesus’ death on a Roman cross, paid in full the debt of all of our sins – but it is the resurrection, His victory over the grave that brings us life.

Because of the resurrection we can know for certain that we will never be alone in this world and that we, who believe will live for all eternity in the presence of God.

So live victoriously today no matter what you are facing because Jesus is alive and by the power of His Holy Spirit He lives in You. Stand on His promises and live by His power.

He is risen indeed!

A prayer
Father –thank you that because Your Son still lives, we can live powerful and victorious lives no matter what circumstances we are facing in this world. May we be a reflection of that power, and of His mercy and grace. In the mighty name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

 

Together

“On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’”
John 20:19

It had been a horrible few days. On Friday they had watched their friend and teacher, the one they thought was the Messiah brutally beaten and crucified. Some of them had fled and those that remained were together. Hold up together out of fear and grief. Jesus had told them but they didn’t get it. Then all of a sudden He is there with them, the locked doors hadn’t stopped Him, the Romans hadn’t stopped Him, death hadn’t stopped Him. He was with them giving them peace.

Humans were never meant to be alone - when Adam was alone God said it wasn’t good (Genesis 2:18). The church was built on people being together in the name of Jesus the Christ. Acts 2:1 says: “When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.” Later in the same chapter we read that the believers were together - the met together, ate together, prayed together, and worshipped together… “And the Lord added to their number daily” (Acts 2:47). The apostles never traveled alone they were always together with someone.

When we stand together in life and prayer - faint hearts are strengthened, burdens are shared, blessings are celebrated and when we fall, someone is there to help us up. In the book of Hebrews we read “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit if doing, but let us encourage one another…” (v. 25).

We were made for relationship, we need each other. Whether you are in the midst of a storm or on the mountain top make sure you are not on the journey alone. As followers of Christ we need to be together often… it one of the ways His kingdom grows.

Jesus was in their midst when they were together. Jesus told them they would have power when they were together. He said, “For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them” (Matt. 18:20).

A prayer
Father – Thank you for putting people in our lives who help us grow, who help and encourage us when we are down. Who celebrate with us when things are good. Thank for Your promise of being with us when we are together in Your Son’s name. May we be together more than just on Sunday mornings. Help us in the busy world we live in make time to be together and to invite You to join us. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

 

Love Is A Choice

"My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."
John 15:12-13”

At a wedding my husband and I attended once, the pastor used this scripture as the starting point for his message about the commitment of marriage. It is a great verse.

It starts out with a command from Jesus telling us, we must love one another the way He has loved us. Now stop and think about what He is saying.

Jesus is the incarnation of the One True God – He loved us so much that He made the choice to leave the glory of heaven and come be with us. While on this planet Jesus was both fully God and fully man – He showed us love is a choice, he asked His Father to remove the cup, and yet HE ultimately made the choice of obedience, stretched out His arms and laid down His life us.

Today as we consider the cross, really think about how much God loves you. He made the choice to love you so much that He willingly went to the cross for you and me so that we who believe can spend eternity with Him.

Then think about how our own relationships might be strengthened if we make the choice to love sacrificially. If we place others before our selves, if we would love and respect others the way Jesus loved us – can you imagine how much better our families and communities would be?

If that newly married couple heed the words spoken to them at their wedding and build their marriage on a foundation of Jesus – they will have a long and happy life together.

And if we treat everyone in our lives with the love of Jesus, we will bring positive change to our world.

What we call Good Friday was a dark day some 2000 years ago brought about by the choice Jesus made to love. Think about that today as you take time to come to the cross.

A prayer
Father –thank you for loving us so much that You came to be with us and to show us much you loved us by paying the cost of our sin. By the power of Your Spirit may we fulfill the command to love one another the way the You love us. In the might name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

I Died For You

“…just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Matthew 20:28

As I write this two things are on my mind - the hit television show Once Upon A Time and the cross of Christ. I know, I can hear some of you thinking - how do those two things fit together? Let me try to explain.

Snow White under the influence of a magic potion has forgotten what true love is, her heart has grown dark and she is bent on murderous revenge - she plans on killing her stepmother, the evil queen. True love’s kiss had failed to break the spell, so Prince Charming had to find another way to break the spell and save his beloved Snow White. He takes the arrow intended for the Queen and when Snow asks him why - he looks her in the eye and says: “I love you, I would die for you.” Now it isn’t the prince’s willingness to sacrifice his life, after all that’s what fairy tale princes do. Instead, it is Snow’s response that got me thinking. As his words sunk in to her heart the spell was broken, her heart was softened and filled will love again. Her whole countenance changed.

We have a prince too, a real prince. Isaiah calls Him the Prince of Peace (Isa. 9:6). John 3:16 says “For God so loved the world…” God speaking through the prophet Ezekiel says: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh” (Eze. 36:26). Jesus, hanging on the crossing asked His Father to “forgive them for they know not what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34). This is God’s true love for us. He died for me and you, so that our hearts would not become black and hard - so that we would know what true love is really like.

Can you see him? Beaten and near death as he stumbles down the road carrying His cross on the way to Calvary. Did He see you in crowds that lined that ancient street? Did He look you in the eye and say “I love you - I will die for you”. Can you hear Him even now whispering to your heart “I love you, I died for you.” Allow those words to sink in and chase the darkness away. Allow His light of true love to fill your whole being and then let it shine for the world around you to see.

A prayer
Father – Thank you for being the source of true love. Thank you for loving us so much that you laid down Your life to heal our world wounded hearts, souls and minds. May we hear often Your words of love as we travel on this journey home. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

He Told Them...They Told Us

“The angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.’”
Matthew 28:5-6

Have you ever wished that you had been there? Drinking the water that had been turned to wine, witnessing Lazarus walking from his tomb, in the crowd fed with a few loaves and some fish, on the mountain where Jesus met with Moses and Elijah, at the empty tomb on the first day of the week. Have you ever wondered about how they – the apostles and other disciples – were there and didn’t get it? The angel had to remind them that Jesus had told them what was going to happen. I have wished and wondered those things and then this thought occurred to me.

I wonder if the apostles and all the other heroes of faith are in heaven watching us and thinking. They – us that is – they have all our stories; they know what happened and what will happen. They have experienced their own miracles, why don’t they get it? Why do they still doubt? Why do they have to be reminded that Jesus told them?

I began to think what is it that links us with them? Why even when we know the truth do we doubt, do we have to be reminded? From Noah to now we are all human, even when we know the plan we still have to make the journey one step at a time without being able to see the end. Our minds cannot truly comprehend the greatness of God and so we often suffer from a kind of spiritual Alzheimer’s. Noah knew the plan… but had never experienced rain, Abraham moved to a new land without knowing where he was really going. The disciples followed not clearly understanding what was happening and the Apostles helped to change the world not truly comprehending the effect they would have. We do our best to remember the stories but we too must walk by faith and not sight. We – like those who have gone before do not really understand all that we will do in the name of Jesus and we cannot see where we are going. So we like them doubt and need to be reminded.

Here is the best part – Jesus doesn’t mind sending us reminders because when the light goes on we worship authentically with our whole lives and the people around us are changed as well.

He is not here. He has risen – just as He said. HE is Risen indeed.

A prayer
Father – Thank you for the daily reminders that you have a plan, that You desire good things for Your people. Thank you for being patient with us when we doubt and grumble. Forgive our unbelief. Grant us the faith we need to take the next step – to stay the course, so that like those who have gone before we too will one day see Your face and fully understand. In the name of Jesus Amen.

How Big is Big?

“Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance?”
Isaiah 40:12

At some time or other we have all seen an image of the mythological Atlas holding the world on his shoulders, but how big is God really? How big is your God? What I am learning as I walk this journey we call life is that GOD is bigger than anything we can possibly comprehend.

Take for instance the words in our passage today “Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand…” Have you ever taken a drink from a mountain stream? It can take a few handfuls to satisfy your thirst. Yet this scripture tells us God measured the waters in the hollow of his hand – one hand mind you. I did a little research to find out how much water that might actually be, the total amount of water in all its forms on, in and around the planet amounts to 332.5 million cubic miles. A single cubic mile equals more than 1.1 trillion gallons – that would fill 1.6 million Olympic sized swimming pools. I think you are getting the picture. If God’s hand is that big how big is the rest of him? How big is his heart?

His heart is so big, that He became human size and then poured out His blood to restore the relationship between us and Him. If He is big enough to do that – He is big enough to provide everything we need – like water.

Another thing about the size of God is that He is so big that He cannot and will not fail at anything He has determined to do. He has determined to love us and to bless those who walk in His ways, those who uphold His command to love God and love others.

Today, as you go about your life, spend some time really trying to understand just how big God really is. I think you will find that everything about this planet and the trials we face will fit in His hand and be overwhelmed by the love in his heart.

A prayer
Father, forgive us for placing human limits on you and your plan for us. Our minds cannot truly comprehend Your unlimited size but help us to catch a glimpse of it as walk the path you have laid out for us. Thank you for the amazing things You have done, are doing and will be doing for us. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Signs

“From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it.”
Matthew 27: 45, 51 and 28:2

No matter whether you think the world is millions of years old or considerably younger, the planet has seen the beginning and end of many ages. It would seem that each age comes and goes in an environment of great turmoil.

Jesus had denied the religious leaders of His day any additional signs to prove He was who He claimed to be. In the days following His triumphal entrance into Jerusalem, Jesus spent much of his time trying to prepare His disciples for what was coming. He tried to answer their questions about the end of the age. He warned them about imposters, about war, natural disasters - He warned them of the turmoil, pain and suffering that would come with the end of the age. They did not understand that they would witness some of these things in just a few days.

On Friday the sky went black and the ground shook. The war was won with a rugged Roman cross and an empty tomb - an age ended and another began. Yet, battles still rage for the hearts and souls of mankind.

We will battle on; we will continue to witness the sorts of things Jesus warned His disciples about. In the midst of all the turmoil of this life, if we dare to keep our focus on our conquering servant King and Savior - we can live the abundant, victorious life He intends for us today and every day.

A Prayer
Father, help us to be mindful of the signs of times, so we can respond with grace and mercy to the circumstances around us. Above all else help us to focus on the One who has gained the eternal victory for us, using a cross and empty tomb. In the name of Jesus, our Servant King and Savior - Amen.

Triumphal Entry?

"The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,
'Hosanna to the Son of David!'
'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!'
'Hosanna in the highest!'
When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, 'Who is this?'
The crowds answered, 'This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.'"
Matthew 21:9-11

Recently, as I was reading Matthew 21 I began to wonder, what made Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem triumphal? Did Jesus think it was triumphal? Was it more triumphant for the crowd, who didn’t quite understand what was going to happen in just a few short days?

Today is Palm Sunday – it is the modern church’s memorial to the event described in Matthew. For us looking back it can be seen as triumphant because we know what happened. We know the end of the story. But back then only Jesus knew what was going to happen later that week and I don’t think he looked at his entrance to the city as a celebration. I believe his heart was heavy because he knew the crowd didn’t get it and that even though they were crying Hosanna in the Highest then – they would soon be shouting crucify him.

But here is the good news – there is something triumphal about Jesus’ visit to the city during that particular Passover celebration, it wasn’t his entry though – it was his exit. The triumph started with a beating, and continued as he exited the city with a cross on his back on his way to Golgotha. The triumph became even greater when He exited the tomb three days later and He continues to be triumphant today. Because of His triumphal exit we can live victorious and abundant lives because the One who died and rose for us will not let us be defeated. There is nothing that we will face, that by His power we cannot be triumphant over.

A prayer
Father – thank you for Your Son's triumphal exit from Jerusalem so many years ago. Thank you for saving us. May we cry Hosanna in the highest with all our hearts. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

 

The Power Of His Promise

“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”
John 15:7

I have read that God’s word contains 7,487 promises to his people. I have not counted them for myself – at least not yet. Today’s verse is one of those promises. Let me be very clear God is not a genie in a bottle to grant our every want and desire. He is a loving father desiring to give good things to his children in accordance with His good will and our faith put to action. Notice this verse says “if”. If we remain in Christ and His words dwell in us – what we ask we shall have. What kinds of things should we ask for?

Like Solomon we should ask for wisdom. We should ask for the ability to see the world as God sees it. We should ask for the power to love others the way God loves us. We should ask for things that will help us to serve one another. We should ask for a pure heart.

Here is another promise “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:31-34). God knows what we need and promises to provide it – I have seen this at work in my own life have you see it in yours?

We, who follow after Christ – who seek to be like him, we may – no, perhaps we must claim the power of His promises. If we do not are we keeping God in a box – in our own lives, in the life of our world?

I want to encourage you to seek His promises and to claim those that apply to where you are in your journey to eternity. Claim the power that is yours as a child of the King and watch him do a powerful work in your life and the world around you.

A Prayer
Father, thank you for the many promises you have given us. Thank you for the fathomless depth of your love for us. May we boldly – as we are told to do – come before your throne to claim the promises you have for us through Christ Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Your word instructs us to ask in His name and so in the name of Jesus, Amen.

 

A Good Night's Sleep

“The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. "Quick, get up!" he said, and the chains fell off Peter's wrists.”
Acts 12:6-7

Did you catch it as you read verse six? Peter was asleep and he was not sleeping restlessly – he was sound asleep. So asleep in fact that the angel that came to rescue Peter had to kick him in the side to wake him up.

Maybe, I should back up a bit. Peter’s friend James had just been beheaded by King Herod. The king seeing that it pleased the Jews decided to arrest Peter and do the same thing to him. The king knew better than to have the execution during the Passover feast, so he throws Peter in prison to wait. So here is the thing, Peter is mourning the loss of his friend James and he is in a filthy, varmint infested Roman prison, chained to Roman soldiers awaiting his execution – sound asleep. I don’t know about you but I lose sleep over much less. I have no doubt many of you have stuff going on in your lives keeping you up at night as well.

I have been sleeping much better since I discovered part of the secret to Peter’s restful night.
First – before Jesus was crucified he gave the disciples his peace. John 14:27 says, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you. I do not give as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” That is a gift for us as well - we just need to accept it. Peter had Jesus’ peace so he could sleep. Another part of the secret is prayer. You see there was a houseful of people praying for Peter as he slept in the prison. We all have at least one other person and probably many more praying for us as well. I have slept well every night since I got it. When I get in bed I simply claim Jesus’ gift of peace and give thanks for all of the people who are praying for me.

Can’t sleep – give it a try, accept Jesus’ gift of peace and remember to give thanks for those who are praying for you. I’ll be praying that you sleep better this week.

A prayer
Father – thank you for gift of peace offered by Your Son Jesus. May we accept it fully into our lives. Thank you also for the people who pray regularly for us and for the situations of our lives – may they also find peace and rest in You. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Productive Pain

“He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not…. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.”
Isaiah 53:3 & 5

We have all heard the phrase “No pain, no gain” and most of the time that phrase conjures up the image of being sore after exercising. But are there other times when pain brings with it some other kind of gain? A friend of mine recently had surgery and is experiencing what she called “Productive Pain.” You see she knows that the pain of surgery and recovery will lead to feeling better.

There are lots of different kinds of pain, physical, emotional, spiritual. The loss of a loved one, the betrayal of a friend, the loss of a job or home, an injury or illness all cause pain. Some pain can easily be described as “productive” while other kinds of pain leave us asking: Why? or What could I have done differently? I tried to figure out what can be gained by these experiences and I discovered there are no easy answers – is there something to be gained by the painful experiences in life? Yes. Are we going to “get it” in this life time? Not necessarily.

Here is what I know for sure - we are never alone in our pain. Someone else has experienced it, may be experiencing it right now and Jesus also understands – He has been there too. Loss of a loved one – John the Baptist was his cousin. Betrayal of friends – Judas sold him out for money and Peter denied knowing Him when the chips were down. Jesus witnessed the injustices of this world and I would say suffered the most “Productive Pain” ever experienced. His beating and death on the cross and resurrection is the pain that allows us to go to Him with our pain and find peace, comfort and rest.

A prayer
Father – thank you that you understand the pain we experience, thank you that Your Son Jesus was willing to endure the productive pain of your plan to bring us back into Your family. You know that we don’t like pain so we ask for the comfort and peace You offer us. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Royalty

“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 1:12-13

When you keep track of world happenings on the internet, like my husband and I do, you can get a different perspective on life. I was catching up on the news via Yahoo when the following headline caught my eye: “Secretary by Day, Royalty by Night.” I clicked on the story because I was pretty sure, that being a king is a life-long, full-time job. It seems Miss. Peggielene Bartels is both an executive secretary at the Ghanaian Embassy in Washington D.C. and the new king (that’s what I said – king) of Otuan, Ghana. She received a call at 4:00 am telling her that her uncle the king had died and that “the ancestors had blessed her as the new king.” She struggled with whether or not she wanted the position but came to the conclusion – “You can’t escape it. It’s yours.” She visits when she gets vacation and rules via the internet and phone the rest of the time. She will relocate to Otuan in a few years when she retires from her U.S. job. In many ways she is living a double life – ordinary person by day and king by night.

Now I don’t know how many of you became a child of God and so a child of the King at 4:00am – but in reading the news story I wondered how many of us are leading double lives to some extent. Whoever we are Monday through Saturday (mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, friends, secretaries and so on) and Christians on Sundays and other occasions like Bible study. I know I may be preaching to the choir here but I want to be a Christian 24/7/365. Am I succeeding? Sometimes.
How about you? I suspect that Miss Bartels is king 24 hours a day even though she isn’t in Ghana (she still gets calls at 4:00am). We have responsibilities as well – we are to Love God, love our neighbors and love one another. That’s plenty to keep us busy. I want to encourage you to live out your royal position everyday – God will provide everything you need to be His prince or princess in this world.

A prayer
Father, by our relationship with You we have become members of The Royal Family. Like those on earth who belong to royal families, we have responsibilities because we are Your princes and princesses. Help us to live out our family responsibilities each day, so that You our King may be honored and glorified. In the name of Jesus whose blood made us family we pray. Amen

God Does Care

“What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?”
Psalm 8:4

Who are we that He is mindful of us? Psalm 8 says that He has made us just a little lower than those who reside with Him in heaven and that He has things for us to do. If you look deeper at verses 4-6 I believe not only do we see how God cares for us but we catch a glimpse of Jesus – who has been given all authority in heaven and on earth. As God’s special creatures on this planet we humans are supposed to care for all of the rest of his creation – including one another, it is hard to get through this life on your own. God cares and He has given us responsibilities – that in and of itself is enough to warrant praising Him.

A prayer
Father – thank you for caring about us and for giving purpose to our lives. Thank you that we have one another to lean on in the hard times and to rejoice with, in the good times. When we are struggling help us to reach out first to You and then to those who love us. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Not Part of the Plan

“Oh LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago.”
Isaiah 25:1

Something incomprehensible happens - children are cut down at school, someone opens fire in a movie theater, a plane full of people disappears or a tsunami, tornado or earthquake wipes whole communities and hundreds of people off the face of the planet. Inevitably, someone trying to make sense of the whole mess says something like “guess it’s just part of God’s plan.” What, really? 

When God finished creating this amazing universe and world we live in, He said it was “very good” (Genesis 1:31). The Hebrew word translated "very" means greatly or exceedingly - we could say it was perfectly perfect. James writes: “Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:16-17). It is not God’s plan that children should get gunned down. We humans managed to muck up God’s creation and ever since that first bad choice God’s plan has been to restore our world and us to it’s perfectly, perfect state. 

What I do know, is that in the midst of the horrendous things we experience He is there with us. He understands pain and loss. He can, will and does use these kinds of things to draw us back to His perfect plan. 

His plan carried Him from the majestic throne room of heaven to a simple manger in Bethlehem to a rugged Roman cross and a cold tomb. His resurrection turned that same rugged cross into a bridge from death back to life. 

We will face terrible things in this life. Some of those things will be the direct result of our own selfish choices. Many others will be simply the results of living on a fallen world. But God’s plan was to create a perfect place for us to live and love in always and His plan will restore us to that perfect place and He will once again say it is very good.

A Prayer
Father, forgive us when we muck up your plan for us. Thank you for being with us in the midst of the hard stuff of life on this planet. Give us the strength we need to lay down our selfish desires so we can cross over the bridge You built as part of your perfect restoration plan. In the name of Jesus who built a perfect bridge from an old rugged cross - Amen.

Praise Him

“O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!”
Psalm 8:9

It is hard to believe that this season of Lent is almost over and we will soon be celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus. Time is flying so quickly these days. Psalm 8 ends the same way it begins - praising the LORD. Author Derek Kidner has this to say: “We have been given much responsibility on this planet and the greatest of these is to be servant and worshipper.” Jesus was and is a servant and a worshipper, that is the example He set for us to follow with His life.

May the words of the closing line of Psalm 8 be on our lips with the dawn of each new day – they have power, the power we need to be who we are supposed to be in Christ.

A prayer
Father – Your name is indeed majestic and powerful, forgive us for the times when we do not give You the praise You deserve. Help us each day to see the ordinary miracles that You work in our lives and may we give You the praise and glory for it even in the midst of the storm. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

 

A Dry and Weary Land

“O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water”
Psalm 63:1

God where are you? I need you. Over the past few years that has been my heart cry and like King David, since I have seen the power of God I will trust. Psalm 63 reveals the anguish of one in the wilderness but it also reveals the trust that same one in the wilderness has for God.

I know that some of you reading this are traveling through the wilderness right now. This might sound strange but enjoy the journey. Why? This a time of growth, a time of trusting that the One who made you is bringing you to a new and better place. Growth is painful, but it brings beauty to the wilderness and brings the kind of faith the moves mountains, calms storms and allows us to walk on water.

If you are not in the wilderness right now, you probably know someone who is – walk with them for a while and encourage them on the journey - to see the beauty of the wilderness.

A prayer
Father – it can be so easy to get discouraged in the wilderness, thank you for being there even when we are not aware of Your presence. Help us to blossom into who You desire us to be. Thank you for those who encourage us and help us to encourage others. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Better Than Life

“Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.”
Psalm 63:3

David is in the wilderness again, this time running from a rebellious son. He is longing for God. Do you ever feel like you are just going from one wilderness experience to another, just when things seem like they are getting better, something else goes wrong? It seems to me David might have felt that way.

I hope I am coming to the end of the wilderness, but if I am not I will stay and praise God for all that I am gaining in this dry place. I want to be so dependent on God that I can sing praise to Him no matter what. Because He is able turn the wilderness into paradise. He can mend broken hearts, heal bodies, restore marriages, bring encouragement and provide us with all the wisdom we need for the moment – for that I will praise him.

What is happening in your wilderness? Whatever it is you are not alone; Jesus has spent time in the wilderness too, so God is with you. 

A prayer
Father – We will praise you today whether we are in the wilderness or on the mountain top. We will praise when things go right and when they go wrong. Thank you for being with us today and everyday. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Content and Secure

“My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.”
Psalm 63:5

Have you ever had a perfect meal, the type of meal that left you perfectly satisfied? Maybe it was the company that you were with that made the meal more special. My husband Dan and I have shared lots of great meals together over the years. One experience stands out in our minds especially – we were out for dinner in San Francisco. It was late in the evening and the restaurant was very quiet, we ordered our meals and talked, when dinner arrived it was perfect – the kind of meal that compels you to send compliments to the chef and you remember 20+ years later.

That kind of experience is rare, but we can be content no matter the situation we find ourselves in. That is what David is telling us – trusting in God is satisfying, like a great meal only better. HE can and will take care of us if we let Him. Not only can he satisfy our souls, making us content in this world, but He’s got our backs too.

Here’s what David has to say: “Because you are my help… your right hand upholds me. … They who seek my life will be destroyed.” (Psalm 63: 7, 8, 9). See what I mean the Lord is watching out for us – it certainly make me feel secure. No matter the situation He is there, even when you don’t think so.

If we want to heal our lives, to be content and secure, we must fully surrender to God. We must acknowledge that we too have seen His power and recognize that His love and care for us is better than life. The world – our friends, families, jobs, etc - will never meet our needs the way that God can, the way that God wants to. We live in a dry and weary land but if we seek, trust and praise the One who made us – He will make it a paradise.

A prayer
Father – be with each one reading this today. Help us to seek you to supply all our needs whatever they are so that we can live content and secure. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Not Down or Out

“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”
2 Corinthians 4:8-9

Life on this planet is messy. We get pushed around, knocked down and battered by the storms of life. But we who are followers of Christ are not defeated by this life. Paul reminds the Corinthian Christians that they will not be permanently damaged by what the world throws at them. We need to be real about it – we get discouraged, we are not always “fine” and yet we can have peace and we can find encouragement for the hard days we face. 

Paul continues by telling the Corinthians “not to lose heart even though outwardly we may be wasting away because inwardly we are being made new day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:16). Today if you are feeling discouraged, be real about it – don’t hide behind the “I’m fine” mask and then remember that God is in control, you will be encouraged again and then you will be more than fine.

Stand on the promise contained in Paul’s words and you be able to get back up and live in Christ’s victory. 

A prayer
Father – Thank you that we are not crushed, that we are not hopeless, that we are not alone – we have you and each other, that no matter how many times life throws us to the ground we are not destroyed. Thank you for making us new day by day. May we encourage one another and give you thanks. In the name of Jesus Amen.

A New Attitude

“You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”
Ephesians 4:22-24

I have a confession - my attitude is sometimes not the best, in fact sometimes it is well and truly in need of a major adjustment. Perhaps, that it why the word’s of Patti LaBelle’s 1985 hit New Attitude popped into my head. To be honest I am not a Patti LaBelle fan - so it just goes to show that God does indeed work in mysterious ways. How has your attitude been lately?

The apostle Paul actually talks quite a bit about our attitudes. In today’s passage he reminds the Ephesians that they were suppose to have new attitudes. In his letter to the Philippians Paul tells them “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5)” and he also talks about our attitudes in Romans 15.

A particular line in Patti LaBelle’s song caught my attention “I tidied up my point of view, I got a new attitude…my worries are few cause I’ve got love like I never knew…” As followers of Christ we have a love like we never knew, in fact it is a love that we have a hard time understanding. Yet, it is that love that gave Christ the attitude we are suppose to model to the rest of the world.

Isaiah speaking of the suffering servant who is Christ Jesus says: “He was despised and rejected…a man of sorrow and familiar with suffering, and we esteemed him not” (Isaiah 53:3), yet He did not complain, His servant attitude never wavered even as He carried his cross to Golgotha, even as the nails pierced His flesh - He showed us the attitude we should have.

The season of Lent is a great time for an attitude adjustment. Let’s try to see life from Jesus’ point of view and allow His love for us to give us new attitudes.

A Prayer
Father, sometimes I don’t understand how you can put up with our lousy attitudes, but thank you for never giving up on us. Help us to see the world around us, the people around us through the eyes of your Son, so that we can adjust our hearts and take on His servant’s attitude. In the name of Jesus who can give us a new attitude, we pray - Amen.

How Many Hairs?

“Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”
Luke 12:7

Do you know how many hairs are on your head? Some of us have lots, some not so much - but I know I don’t have the patience to count them. I don’t have the eyesight either. But God knows how many hairs are on your head. He knows what your real hair color is and he knows how many hairs fall out each day. The point is God knows you!

Because He knows you personally - better really than you know yourself He knows exactly what you need and when you need it. Keep in mind that what we think we need and when we think we need it, is not the same as His plan – at least most of the time. Unfortunately because we work on a different clock than God does we often times get frustrated, perhaps we even doubt his love for us. Today if you are frustrated and doubting – look beyond the storm or trials you are facing to a Roman cross where Jesus once surrendered His life for you and then look beyond that cross to an empty tomb that assures us of a victorious and abundant life.

He knows how many hairs are on your head – He knows you personally and He loves you more than anything – rest in that today and be blessed.

A prayer
Father – Thank you for caring about the little details of our lives, thank you for the cross and the empty tomb that allows us to rest in Your arms and live abundantly in Your grace. Show us the blessings you have for us this week – help to be watching for them. In the name of Jesus Amen.

 

Is It Time To Update Your GPS System?

“Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”
Esther 4:16

Detours, detours and still more detours. Life it would seem is full of detours and that can upset the performance of your navigation system. I don’t really care much for detours although it appears my life will once again be taking an unexpected turn. To be honest I am feeling a bit lost – what about you? Are the detours in your life leaving your head spinning? If you have a GPS in your car or on your smart phone when you need to update all it takes is a push of a button and you are good to go - but how do you update the GPS of your life. God’s Word provides us with the key.

Esther’s life was certainly on a detour – from Jewish peasant to Queen of Persia and now she is faced with having to ask the king to do something to save her people. How did she get her course of action right? She called for prayer and fasting. She told her cousin Mordecai to call the people to fast and pray for her and that she and her staff would do the same. Daniel - in another time and place also used prayer and fasting to maintain his GPS system. In fact throughout the Bible people who wanted to get back on track or stay on track used prayer and fasting because it gave them a better connection with the One who can see the entire journey.

Traditionally, in the church, Lent is a time for fasting and praying. I like to use it as an opportunity to get my personal GPS system updated and reset - so I can have clarity for the detours of life. If you would like to gain some clarity for your journey I encourage you to consider taking some time to pray and fast. The type of fast doesn't really matter. Just remember that the purpose of whatever kind of fast you choose should be to grow closer to God.

A prayer
Father – Thank you for being our guide for this journey called life. We are sorry for the times we get off track. Give us the strength we need to seek Your face in a new way through Your update program of prayer and fasting. In the name of Jesus Amen.

Just A Glimpse

“He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’ Then he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.’”
Revelation 21:5

Despite the recent rains I believe that spring has indeed arrived in my part of the world. The hills surrounding the valley - where I used to live are lush and green, the orchards are blooming, trees are getting leaves, birds that had left for winter are returning. The air smells fresh, the greens are vibrant and the sky seems extra blue now that the clouds have parted. Spring in its newness is just a glimpse of what will one day be. We live on an amazing world – yes, filled with struggles we would rather not have – but amazing just the same. While spring is arriving where I am - autumn is approaching on the other side of the world. This too is just a glimpse of what is happening to our world.  

In today’s passage Jesus is telling us that one day everything will be new, He is not only going to restore our world and us to our original state – He is going to make us and the world even better. 

Paul writing to the church at Corinth tells the followers of Christ that “Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known” (1 Corinthians 13:12). What Paul is saying is that we don’t have a clear picture of what our world can be or who we are in Christ but one day, one day we will. Until that day – God gives us glimpses of what it will be like. He gives us glimpses of who he has created us to be. 

We see glimpses of our better selves in scenes from our world – a soldier sharing a candy bar with a child in a war torn country, a stranger giving a kidney so someone else can live, a hug when someone is hurting, a party when someone has been blessed. All of these things are glimpses of us becoming like Jesus. 

Yes He will make all things new and until then find strength and hope in the glimpses He gives.

A prayer
 Father – Thank you for the changing of the seasons that show us just a glimpse of your plan for us. Thank you for the times we catch a glimpse of the way we can really be as Your master creation. Help us to find strength and hope in these moments. Bless each one reading this today with just a glimpse of You. In the name of Jesus Amen.

HE Hears Your Cry

The LORD is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does. The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.
Psalm 145:17-19

The drama of life can at times be overwhelming. Unexpected health problems, renewed unemployment, natural disasters and the list can go on and on. Yet the sun shines, the birds sing and life continues when perhaps we would like it to stop so we can get off and rest for a while before re-entering the battle. During these times it can seem like God is nowhere near, we sometimes wonder why? Why do I have to be sick, why can’t I find a job, why is there so much violence and suffering?

Jesus told us life would not be easy but that He would be with us. He hears us when we cry and He desires to give us good things. King David the writer of today’s verses could relate to the trials of life, He often cried out in his anguish to his GOD. The whole of Psalm 145 is David’s praise for a God who is faithful, a God who is near. Sometimes we need to draw nearer to him by reading His word, praying and fasting, and praising Him for all He has already done.

I don’t know what you may be facing today – important decisions, financial trouble, relationship issues or whatever – I do know that God is there waiting for you to call on him, when you do He will give you peace and will work out things out as He sees fit and in His time. He wants the best for you – stand on that promise today. I will be praying for you.

A prayer
Father – Sometimes the drama of life gets to be too much for us to handle. We need you to walk with us and hold us. May we seek you each and every day. Thank you for all You have done and all You will be doing in our lives. May we find rest in You. In the name of Jesus Amen.

Friends

“You are my friends if you do what I command. I know longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”
John 15:14-15

Do you get that? Jesus – the incarnation of the One True God, the Creator of the universe, the King of kings, calls us friend. Sit with that for a moment, let it sink in – you and I are friends of God. He shares all that He knows with us – so we know God’s business.

Friendships are important to our well-being. Not long ago I got to spend some time with some “old” friends – we spent an afternoon celebrating the retirement of one of our gang. It was great to see people I hadn’t seen in a while and for all of us to greet one another with many hugs – being really glad to see one another after so many years.

Made a new friend recently – making new friends is also fun, you can never have too many people with you on the journey of life. Then there are far away friends – these are the friends you can’t wait to meet even if you have to wait until heaven to meet them. Friends help us get through the drama of life. They celebrate the good times with you and hold you in the bad times, they offer words of encouragement, condolence or they are just present in the moment with you.

Jesus, calls us friend and He is there celebrating the good, sharing in our pain and just being present in the moment with us.

A prayer
Father – Thank you for the friends we have both old and new. Thank you that we do not have to face this life alone that our friends are there to journey with us. Thank you that Your Son counts us among His friends – may we love one another the way that He loves us. Help us today to let our friends know just how much they mean to us. In the name of Jesus Amen

A Better Way

“Jesus called them together and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’”
Matthew 20:25-28

“It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known.” This quote, the final line in Charles Dickens’ novel A Tale of Two Cities would seem to be the final words of Sydney Carton, who lays down his life for Charles Darnay. How was Mr. Carton able to take the place of the other man - it is quite simple really, he bore a striking resemblance to the innocent, yet condemned Darnay. Carton chooses a better way, when he surrendered his life for another.

Jesus, taught His disciples a better way. He taught them a better way so that they and now we, who are called followers of Christ, would bear a striking resemblance to Him in this world. We are called to serve one another, to lay our lives down for others. When we authentically, put the needs of others before our own needs and comfort - we bear a striking resemblance to the One who allowed His arms to be stretched out on a Roman cross, in order to pay the price we owed.

This better way does not mean, we are to be weak, doormats for others to walk all over - rather we are to find divine strength that allows us to overcome our own selfish desires. When we decide to follow the better way that Jesus sets before us, we can be confident that no matter what we face on this planet, our efforts will one day be rewarded as we stand in the presence of the LORD.

Not many of us will be called to literally give up our lives, but we all will be called to lay aside the things of our hearts that keep us from being who Jesus wants us to be. Will you choose the better way?

A Prayer
Father, you know how selfish we can be; you know we sometimes pull hard against the way you want us to go, wanting to go our own way. Still you sent your Son to teach us a better way and to teach us by example. For His obedience He has been exalted to the highest place, where He waits to meet us face to face. Help us to grow in our likeness to Him, by becoming servants in His better way. Grant us the kind of strength that comes with true humility. In the name of Jesus who sets the perfect example, we pray - Amen.

Worship - The Best Lifestyle

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Colossians 3:16-17

Sunday morning we enter into the church sanctuary, the band starts and we sing, clap or lift our hands in worship. Maybe we listen to Christian music on the radio as we do our errands – maybe we call this worship too. But worship is so much more than that. Worship should be the lifestyle of choice for every Christian and that is what should set us apart from everyone else.

Paul in his letter to the Colossian church wants them to understand that there is more to worship than the songs they sing, or the prayers they pray or even the reading of God’s word. Don’t misunderstand me all three are important aspects of worship – over and over in Scripture we see the importance of all three of these activities. But have you ever thought about your attitude as worship? Have you ever considered how you treat others as worship or not? Do you consider what you do for a living worship?

Jesus tells us that we are to love God and others. When we love one another that is worship and it lets God know we love Him. When we have attitudes of gratitude and humility we are living the lifestyle of worship. Being a good employee, who works with integrity, is also living the lifestyle of worship. I could go on and on about how every aspect of our lives can and should be a continual act of worship but I think you get the idea.

Today choose the lifestyle of worship – it will set you apart and I think you will come to believe that it really is the best lifestyle to live.

A prayer
Father – You alone are worthy of our praise and worship. May we give you that worship with our whole lives, with the attitudes we display, with how we treat one another, yes even in how we do our work. May whatever we do or say be an act of worship. Grant us what we need to live the best lifestyle – the lifestyle of worship. In the name of Jesus Amen.

 

Sacrifice of Prayer

"I call to you, LORD, come quickly to me; hear me when I call to you. May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice."
Psalm 141:1-2

Sometimes we don’t take prayer seriously enough. Sometimes we use prayer to try and get what we want. For those of you who know me personally it is no secret that I really want a white, four-door - Toyota Tacoma pick-up. I have prayed for one to appear miraculously in my drive way. That is not what prayer is for. In today’s passage David wants his prayers to be like a sacrifice.

The dictionary provides a couple of definitions for the word ‘sacrifice’ that might help us with this idea of prayer as sacrifice. The first definition is: “A thing so surrendered or devoted” and the second is: “to surrender, or give up, or permit injury or disadvantage to, for the sake of something else.” These definitions seem to be talking about selfless acts. Now let me make myself clear – I am not trying to say that we should not pray for our personal needs, we should and God desires that we do. What I am saying, however, is that it is the way that we pray that we need to consider.

Are we willing, as we pray for our needs to surrender them to God’s will? Are we prepared to recognize that He may and mostly likely does have something better in mind for us? Are we getting want confused with need? Are we willing to face a trial if it means something better in the long run?

What about our prayers for others? Are we willing to surrender our needs for someone else’s? Jesus prayed in the garden…yet not my will but Your will be done. I have said it before that is a scary thing to pray – that is a sacrifice of prayer.

During this season of Lent I am striving to offer a sacrifice of prayer, will you join me?

A prayer
Father – prayer is one of the ways we communicate with You, find fellowship with You, learn from You with. So often we use prayer to give you our shopping list – forgive us when we fail to make our prayers a sacrifice that is pleasing to you. Help us to surrender our needs and the needs of those for who we intercede to Your will. Thank you for hearing the prayers of Your servants may they be a pleasing to You. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Sacrifice of Praise

“Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.”
Hebrews 13:15

As I write this it is a glorious day – the sun is shining, the trees are blooming and all around are the indications of spring. It is one of those days where for me everything seems right with the world. In times like this praising God is anything but a sacrifice – or at least what we would define as sacrifice. When things are good we have no trouble finding the words to express how awesome God is, in fact we may think our words do not adequately express what we feel.

But then there are other days, days when the sun may be shining but all is not right with the world. On those days when our spirits and lives are shrouded by the gathering storm clouds, praise becomes a sacrifice. It can be so easy when life gets tough to not praise God, the words don’t come, the doubt creeps in and we scream why me.

The writer of Hebrews tells us that “through Jesus” we are able to offer praise as a sacrifice. In difficult times we need to lay down our desire to have an “Oh woe is me, pity party” and praise God for the simple fact that He is God and we are able to take a life giving breath.

Maybe, some times our honest cries for help, of doubt, our asking why - is just as much praise as our words of thanksgiving and adoration.

Our God is an awesome God, deserving of every form of praise that we can conceive. I don’t know what kind of day you are having. I don’t know what today holds for any of us, so I want to encourage you to offer a sacrifice of praise whether the sun is shining or the storm clouds are gathering.

During this season of Lent and beyond I want my life to be a sacrifice of praise, how about you?

A prayer
Father – thank you for understanding that sometimes we find it hard to praise you. Help us in those times to embrace the storm and praise you any way we can. Hear the cries of our hearts, may they be pleasing to you. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Sacrifice of Love

“Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
Ephesians 5:1-2

I’ve been thinking about what it looks like to be an imitator of God or more precisely an imitator of Jesus. Certainly there are things that we can do, like caring for those in need and showing love to those who the world ignores. We can set aside our selfish desires and work to make the world a better place, but I think there is more to it than just doing stuff.

I have been thinking about Jesus’ attitude as he served the sick, washed the feet of his disciples and had dinner with those who were outcasts - the tax collectors and sinners. Rarely was he thanked, usually he was questioned by the “religious authorities” and no doubt people talked behind his back. Never once have I read that he felt unappreciated (even though he was) even as he hung dying on the cross the closest thing we get to a complaint is his cry of “my God, my God why have you forsaken me” (Matt. 27:46).

I have been wondering how my attitude is when I am striving to be the hands and feet of God. Am I serving so that my life reflects Jesus, so my life is a living sacrifice or am I serving in hopes of receiving some kind of praise from the world? I want to not only do the kinds of things that Jesus did, I want to have the attitude and motivation He had as well.

I want my life to be a sacrifice of love, with no expectation for getting anything back until that day when I stand before the throne and look Jesus in the face. What about you?

A prayer
Father – to echo the Psalmist teach us to walk in your ways. In this world it can be so easy to do the “right” things for all the wrong reasons, so help us to have a right attitude, help us to be motivated by our love for you and you alone. Thank you for being patient with us as we become less and you become more. May our lives be a sacrifice of love. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Revolution of the Heart

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”
2 Corinthians 3:17-18

In the 2011 movie Seven Days in Utopia an up and coming pro golfer named Luke, has a meltdown on the course and in trying to escape finds himself in the small town of Utopia. In Utopia he meets a man who helps to revolutionize his golf game and in the process brings about a revolution in Luke’s heart. In today’s passage we read how we are being transformed into Christ’s likeness by the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

One of the ways that the dictionary defines transform is “to change in condition, nature or character”. The dictionary provides a definition of revolution that is in keeping with this idea of change when it says revolution is “a sudden, complete or marked change in something.” Transformation and revolution rarely come without some degree of pain, without something being broken. But the healing worked by the Holy Spirit will make us stronger, more faithful and change who we look like. This is the kind of heart revolution Luke has in the movie.

Most of us will not have to worry about the pressures that come with being a public figure - like professional athletes, entertainers or politicians and the worldly image many of these people reflect. However, we are just as likely to reflect the world as they are. We are called to something greater; we are called to a life of revolutionary transformation that allows our hearts and lives to reflect the amazing grace and love of God.

Revolution and transformation require sacrifice. Jesus sacrificed His life so that our lives might be revolutionized. The process may be painful are you willing to be broken in order to be transformed?

A prayer
Father – make us new, day by day. We are often afraid of change, of rocking the boat. We read in your word that Your love casts out fear and that because Your Son overcame the world, we have already overcome. We already have the victory; we need only to let Your Spirit work to bring healing and to mold us into Your image, so that we can reflect the light of Your glory. Thank you for your grace, mercy and love as you make us new. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Mice and Men

“Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil.”
Luke 4:1-2a

“The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” For some odd reason this quote taken from Robert Burns’ poem To a Mouse popped into my head as I started thinking about this devotion. The quote ultimately refers to the idea that no matter how much we plan, something is bound to happen to the plan. If you have been alive for more than five minutes on this planet you know there are at least three possible outcomes to the plans we make: all goes according to plan, everything turns out even better than we could have imagined or they inevitably fall short in some way. So what does this have to do with Jesus’ time in the desert?

Have you ever wondered why Jesus needed to spend that time in the wilderness dealing with the schemes of the Devil? Why couldn’t He have just gotten right down to work, picking disciples, teaching and healing? Would it have been possible that in His humanness he could have chosen to rebel against His own divine plan? After all we humans have managed to mess up God’s plans in the past. What matters here in my opinion is the outcome of the test. Jesus did not allow His humanness to fall into the Devil’s trap and because of that - everything else He did, including His garden prayer - where His humanness shows through - allowed Him to do a few things that help us live transformed lives.

Jesus’ time in the desert allows Him to:

· Understand the temptations we face.

· Show us the importance of being obedient to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

· Show us that it is possible to stand against the temptations we face.

· Be the perfect sacrifice needed to redeem and restore us to a right relationship with God.

Have your plans gone awry? Are you being called into the wilderness? Are temptations closing in on your heart and mind?

Jesus passed the wilderness test and He is standing ready to help overcome whatever you are facing.

A Prayer
Father, you know that we do not like to be tested but you test us anyway. Thank you that Jesus had to face the same kinds of tests while He was on the planet. Thank you that He sets an example for us and stands ready to help us be over comers. Help us to be obedient to the leading of Your Spirit and grant us the strength we need to stand against temptation. Thank you that because of Jesus we are part of your family. In the name of Jesus who passed the wilderness test so we can too, we pray - Amen.

You Are So Loved

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
John 3:16

I just recently finished reading a book that contains selected sermons by A.W. Tozer taken from John’s Gospel. This short verse is the basis for everything that Jesus - as the One and Only Son - would do. Jesus’ ministry was driven by His love for individuals, His love for you and me. Concerning this verse Tozer wrote: “When I read those words ‘God so loved the world,’ it means in personal terms that I mean something to God. God has His eyes on me and is emotionally concerned for me.” Let that thought sink in for a few moments - You and I mean something to God.

Everything Jesus did from changing water to wine, healing those who came to him, feeding the hungry, restoring life and bearing the weight of mankind’s sin on a Roman cross were all done out of his intense love for every individual human that walks this planet.

As followers of Christ, as creatures made in the image of God we are supposed to reflect His image to the world around us. When we realize how intensely He loves us, His love should flow out of us and into those around us even into those who have hurt us, who live differently than we do, who don’t agree with our politics or our religion.

In a world where hopelessness seems to be on the rise, imagine what coming to the realization that God loves you just because you are you. What a difference that would make - what a difference that has made in many of our lives.

Today, if you know how much God loves you, pour that love into the lives of those around you, especially those who do not understand how much they are worth to the heart of God. Today if you are someone who is feeling hopeless - know that God loves you and that there is at least one person praying for you to feel in a tangible way just how much God loves you - so you will know how valuable you really are.

A Prayer
Father, thank you for loving us so intensely, thank you that Your Son was driven by that love in everything He did, including dying in our place to restore our relationship with You. May we who are filled with your love pour into those around us that same love in which we find our hope and our value. May those who think they are worthless and that no one cares for them, feel Your love in a new and tangible way even now. In the name of Jesus, Amen

 

I Powered or God Powered?

“I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
Luke 24:49

Three years, Jesus’ ministry on this planet was three years and during most of that time he was training the disciples to do the work He would leave for them to do. Three years of on-the-job training and Jesus still tells them to wait for a bit longer before they get down to real business. In today’s business organizations including the church, three years of on-the-job training is unheard of, people are expected to jump in feet first and get the job done. How is that working for you?

If you were to take a new job or start a new endeavor and didn’t get the right training, resources, authority or power to actually do the job - how successful would you expect to be? Sheer determination and grit may help you make some progress, but eventually the feeling of fighting a losing battle will take hold. Then attitudes turn sour, jobs are lost and hopelessness can find its way in.

Imagine what might have happened if Jesus’ ministry was shorter or if the disciples immediately took charge after His departure, during a time when they still were not sure what just happened. How successful would Paul have been if as soon as he received his sight he had charged back to Jerusalem and tried to join the apostles? I quite possibly would not be writing this kind encouragement and you might not be interested in reading it. There might not even be a church if they had taken it on themselves to act.

In everything you do, it is ok to wait until you have clear direction and all that you need before you act. While you are waiting - pray and listen. The Lord can see the whole picture, but He only gives us enough information to take a step at a time. When you take that step, He will make sure you have everything you need - including His power and authority to act or to wait again.

Today, will it be I power or God power? Which will make you more effective in what you have been called to do?

A Prayer
Father, thank you for taking your time as you teach us how to lead, how to love, how to reflect Your image to the world around us. Thank you for giving us all we need including the power and authority to act. Help us not to take that for granted. Grant us the wisdom to understand that without the guidance of Your Holy Spirit, we are less able to accomplish what you have for us. May we chose Your power over our own power every day. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Unexpected

“He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again.”
Mark 8:31

The people of Israel had been waiting for a very long time for the expected Messiah to come. The prophets seem to have made it clear what would identify the man. I don’t know if they simply did not understand what the prophets had said or if over the course of time their circumstances colored their expectations of who and what the Messiah would be. Many missed Him because he did not meet their expectations. They were expecting a warrior and political king. The Father’s Son came as a carpenter, a teacher and a servant. They expected someone who would overthrow the government. He came to overthrow their hearts and ours.

Even those who did recognize Jesus as the Messiah had expectations that were met with the unexpected. Just as they were starting to “get it” Jesus tells them that He will be killed and then three days later be raised from the dead. What? In the next verse we see Peter rebuking Jesus for what He has just told them and Jesus responds be telling him “get behind me Satan!” That certainly must have been an unexpected response. Jesus was killed just as He had said and the confused and scared disciples wondered what had happened - this was not what they expected. Then there He was standing in their presence, eating with them, talking with them.

The leaders of the day would never have picked any of Jesus’ disciples to be counted among their number, Jesus did the unexpected and left a new community in the hands of fishermen, tax collectors and women - some of whom were of ill repute. This group had no idea that they with the power of the Holy Spirit would change the world by helping God overthrow the hearts of men, women and children.

Today, we have our own expectations of who God is and how He operates. The question is do we allow our expectations to get in the way of how He unexpectedly works? Today try setting your expectations aside so the Lord can work in unexpected ways - I know that could be scary, but ultimately it will be amazing.

A Prayer
Father, thank you for not living up to our expectations, instead treating us in unexpected ways that take us far beyond what we can imagine. Forgive us when our expectations get in the way of what You want to do for us, with us and through us. Help us Lord to be ready for the unexpected, the kind of unexpected that changes hearts and the world. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Washed Clean

“…let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.”
Hebrews 10:22

I am never sure what will bring about the inspiration for these devotions, on this occasion it was a memory from my younger years. My mom comes from a ranching family and once a year there are round ups, to bring the cattle in. Lots of things are done to the cattle at that time but let’s just say it can be a dirty job. At the end of the day, it feels so good to take a bath and wash all that stuff off.

The selfish behavior that causes us to willfully disobey a Holy God, that causes us to be separated from a God who only wants the best for us, created us for the best, makes us dirty too. In the days of the Old Testament, the Israelite priests would offer sacrifices to wash away the sins of the people. The problem was their sacrifices were not sufficient and had to be repeated. It was a get dirty, wash, repeat kind of cycle that didn’t really draw the people back to God the way He wanted.

But God had a bigger plan in the works all along; the Father would send the Son. The Son would have an up-close and personal encounter with mankind, feeling everything we feel, experiencing everything we experience except one thing - that selfish behavior that takes us away from a Holy God. Jesus Christ is that Son, fully man and fully God he was able to live a sinless life. Jesus died on a Roman cross and left His tomb empty three days later, so that whoever believed would have their sins - the dirt of their self-focused lives - washed away.

Because of His death and resurrection, we who believe and have been washed clean can draw near again to the Holy God who made us in His image. Enjoy His presence as he pours out his mercy, grace and love on you.

A Prayer
Father, thank you that from the moment of that first act of disobedience in the garden you had a plan to draw us back into your holy presence. Thank you that Jesus willfully carried out that plan and that His death as agonizing as it was makes us clean again. May we draw near everyday to know you more and love you better. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Through the Looking Glass

“For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.”
1 Corinthians 13:12

At some point in our lives we all have a day when we get out of bed look at ourselves in the mirror and think… it would just be better to climb back into bed and pull the blankets over our heads. One look and doubt about our value, our purpose creeps in and we haven’t even faced the world yet. We make the choice not to hide and go out into the world where our reflection can become even more clouded. The world has very definite ideas about how we should look and act and if we are living against the current that reflection can really beat us up.

Today’s passage from Paul’s love chapter reminds us that the mirrors in our lives do not reflect who we really are. Imagine that the mirror we gaze into in the morning, the one that reveals the wrinkles, dark circles under our eyes and the graying hair, is actually a two way mirror. On our side we see our flawed selves, the self the world has turned us into. The reflection that says we are not worthy, we have little value. On the other side of the mirror God is looking at us just as intently.

He sees a different version of us. He can see beyond what the world has made us to be. He sees beyond what we are and how we look. He sees beyond our flaws and sin. He sees us as He created us. He created each of us perfectly to fulfill the purpose he has given us. He sees our value and He loves us.

As we race toward the solemn observance of Christ’s passion and the celebration of His resurrection, remember that His sacrifice was made because He loves us and He wants a vibrant relationship with us.

As Paul says today we see only a reflection. Someday we will look Jesus in the face and see who we really are in the glow of His glory. We will see what He sees and he sees us as beautiful and more than worth the price He paid to restore us.

A Prayer
Father, thank you that You see through what we see when we look in the mirror. Thank you for giving us value and beauty. Until we see you face to face, help us to catch a glimpse of who we are in you the next time we see our reflection. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

A Road Less Traveled

“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross!”
Philippians 2:5-8

The world Jesus was born into was all about wealth, power and military might. It would seem that nothing has really changed in the two millennia since then. A look at the news will prove that the world is still about wealth, power and military might. But, Jesus whose life, death and resurrection changed the course of mankind took a different road, a road less traveled.

The God of the universe, the creator of everything we see left behind His seat of power, the unfathomable riches available Him and the strength of His supernatural army to become a man, to become a servant, to become the ultimate sacrifice and He did it all for us out of His unfailing and magnificent love.

In today’s passage Paul is telling the Philippians that they too should humble themselves and be servants. In his letter to the Romans Paul says: “I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God…” (Romans 12:1).

Jesus told his disciples that if they wanted to be great they needed to be servants to one another and others. He wanted them to know that when they finally became the leaders He was training them to be, that it wasn’t going to be about wealth, power and military might.

Jesus wanted his leaders to love and serve His people and His enemies with humble hearts and attitudes. The same still holds for us today - are we seeking to walk the road set before us by Christ? Are we taking the road less traveled?

A Prayer
Father, help us to live sacrificial lives. Give us humble hearts and attitudes so that we can love and serve others. Show us the road less traveled and grant us the strength to lay aside the things that the world says makes us great for the things that you say make us great. Thank you that Your Son provides the perfect example of humble service and love. In the name of Jesus who leads us on the road less traveled we pray - Amen.

Show Us - February 13, 2016

“Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.”
Psalm 25:4-5

There are times in life when the cry of our hearts should be simply show us Lord. Show us your love, your strength, your plan, your path, your mercy, your grace - show us.

We live in an ever darkening world and even those of us who call ourselves by the name of Christ can sometimes find ourselves wondering in the shadows, unsure of where we should go, what we should do or what we should say. Those are the moments and seasons of life when we need to ask the Holy Spirit to show us because He will be faithful to make clear the path even if it is just one step at a time.

Not only will He show us, He will give us everything we need to take the step, speak the words and do whatever He has called us to do. He will be our courage if we need it. He will grant us His wisdom and He will be our light.

Where are you today? Do you need new direction - ask Him to show you. Do you need to show mercy and grace - ask Him to show you. No matter what you need or where you are in the journey - take heart and be hopeful because He will show you, guide you and teach you everything you need to know, when you need to know it.

Today ask Him to show you what you need to see, show you what you need to do, show you what you need say and when He does… just do it.

A Prayer
Father, thank you that you are ready to show us what we need to see, teach us what we need to learn and give us what we need to do Your will. Help us to ask when we are uncertain. Be with us, give us hope. In the name of Jesus our Savior, Amen.

All We Need Is Love

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s command and remain in his love. …This is my command: Love each other.”
John 15:9-10, 17

“Love, love, love all you need is love, love is all you need” that’s what the Beatle’s sang. I am not a Beatle’s fan but as I was thinking about today’s passage these words of the song came to mind. Perhaps we could change them to read: Love, love, love because of Love, all you need is love.

Jesus loved his disciples because He was loved by the Father. So He wants his disciples to love others because He has loved them. Earlier in his Gospel John shares similar words from Jesus “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34-35).

The Greek word translated as love is agape - it is defined “as the active love of God for his Son and his people, and the active love his people are to have for God, each other, and even enemies. For the humans who live in this world, the command to love one another can be a tall order.

Spring is at hand, trees are blooming and soon some will bear fruit. The branches of fruit trees cannot bear fruit without the roots that nourish and water them. We cannot love as we are called to love without Jesus and the Holy Spirit. If we are to love as Jesus loved, if we are to love because Jesus loved, we must stay close to Him. We must live by His example.

Love, love, love - Yes, all we need is love - God’s love. Today as He fills you with His love, show that love to others, especially to those who are hard to love. By that others will see God’s love and you will bear the fruit you are meant to.

A Prayer
Father, thank you for the love relationship you have with Your Son. Thank you that Your Son loves us so much, even when we are undeserving. Help us to love as we have been loved. In the name of Jesus our Savior, Amen.

Something New

“I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.
Ezekiel 36:25-26

In the course of a single week my husband and I became grandparents for the first time, I started new classes at school and one of our daughters moved with her husband out of our state, that is a lot of new for one week.

As I was thinking about all the “new” in my personal life, I spent some time contemplating the cross of Christ. You see, as we read in this week’s passage God promised to cleanse the people of their sin and to give them a new heart. Jesus’ atoning work on the cross, the surrendering of His life for ours is God’s method of heart replacement.

Left to our own devices, we would try to fill our lives with new stuff - cars, clothes, recipes, furniture, whatever. For a while, those things might make us feel better, might mask the tight feeling of a hardened heart - but the feeling will not last. The search for a heart replacement will continue in a sometimes vicious cycle. Only Jesus can cleanse us from what separates us from God. Only Jesus can give us the new heart we need.

Best of all, because Jesus - the Son of God, paid the unfathomable price warranted by the cross, we can have a new heart as a gift. The remembrance of His death and the celebration of His resurrection will soon be here, so spend some time contemplating Jesus and the cross.

If you haven’t already accepted the gift of a new heart, now could be the right time to get one. The new heart will not guarantee smooth sailing in this life, but it does make new our relationship with God, it grants us an abundant life that allows us to really love and it comes with a warranty that will last for eternity.

A Prayer
Father, only You can make things new. Only You can make us new. Thank you for sending Your Son who willingly paid the price for our heart replacements. Help us to use our new hearts as you would have us use them. In the name of Jesus, the giver of new hearts, Amen

Out of the Ashes (Ash Wednesday)

“…and provide for those who grieve in Zion - to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair…”
Isaiah 61:3

The mythical bird called the Phoenix is held up as a symbol of renewal, resurrection and eternal life. The descriptions of it vary but it is always described as bird of strength and beauty connected with royalty. The Phoenix was reborn from the ashes of its life. In the Bible ashes are a symbol of mourning and often time’s repentance.

Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of the church’s Lenten season. Traditionally it is a time to look inward and reflect on the state of our hearts. It is also a time to look to the cross and contemplate the amazing sacrifice made there for us.

Because Jesus, in obedience to His Father, willingly sacrificed His perfect, sinless life for our lives we like the Phoenix can rise out of the ashes as new creatures of strength and beauty connected to the divine royal family.

As we begin this forty day journey to the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection may we look into our own hearts and then look humbly upon the cross of Christ knowing that He has stretched out His hand to lift us from the ashes of our sinful, self-centered lives to crown us with beauty, anoint us with oil and clothe us in the garments of royalty and praise.

This Lenten season may we reach out and take the hand of Jesus so we can rise out of the ashes.

A Prayer
Father, search our hearts today, let us bear the ashes of mourning for our sins, humbly as we repent and seek your forgiveness. Thank you that Your Son has made a way for us to rise out of the ashes. Thank you for making us new day by day. In the of Jesus our Savior, who lifts us from the ashes we pray - Amen.