Who Is Jesus? part 3

Who is Jesus?  Who is Jesus to you?  In this Christmas season, we are often reminded of key passages of Scripture.  In Isaiah 7:14, the prophet declares that the virgin will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel. This prophecy was given more than 700 years before Jesus was born, and was quoted in Matthew 1:23.  Jesus is Immanuel which means God with us. 

Immanuel, God with us, God with you, God with me.  Thank you Jesus that you are with us wherever we are.  What a blessed assurance to know that you are always with us.  How comforting! The little boy with asthma and other breathing problems, through frequent emergency room visits and hospitalizations ... the expectant mom whose blood pressure skyrockets ... the one who goes to sleep while driving ... the community of Newtown ... when you are laid off your job ... through the tornadoes, hurricanes, floods ... church splits ... spouse wants out of the marriage ... young daughter pregnant ... child on drugs ... son sentenced to life without parole.  Whatever the issue in our lives, God is with us.  Jesus is Immanuel.  He never changes.  He never leaves us alone.   

Who Is Jesus? part 2

Who is Jesus?  Who is Jesus to you?  As the horrific events in Newtown, Connecticut unfolded and my eyes and ears were attuned to every word and every minute detail, my thoughts ranged from "oh my God" to "Jesus help;" from "I don't believe it" to "how sick, how inhumane, how ungodly."  The next print edition of The Birmingham News devoted a full page to detailing acts of gun violence locally.  So much ... too much ... can't bear to read it all ... difficult to imagine ... hard to comprehend.  Jesus, where were you when these situations occurred? Where are you now?

In my time of seeking, I read John 1:1-14.  And I realized that Jesus is the light of the world.  Though it may appear that darkness is all around, that my world is full of darkness, that too many people seem to be filled with darkness, I needed to remember that light dispels darkness, regardless of how small the light. Jesus declared that He is the light of the world (see John 8:12).  He didn't stop there, He also declared that I am and you are the light of the world (see Matthew 5:14). Is my light shining?  How brightly?  Is your light shining?  How brightly?  In this world of darkness, we must let the light of Christ Jesus shine through us even more brightly.  Will you?  

Who Is Jesus?

 

Who is Jesus to you?  Do you identify Him by name?  By title? By occupation? By profession?  By genealogy? By heritage?  By place of birth?  By length of life? By roots?  By character?  By miracles? By parables? By spoken words?

Consider John 1:1, 2, 14.  ‎"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was with God in the beginning.  ¹⁴ The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us ..."

Who is Jesus to me?  At this point in my time, He is the Word.  He, Jesus, the Word was in the beginning.  When was the beginning?  Before the world was created.  And Jesus was there.  Wow!  To me, that is astounding, absolutely amazing.   So Jesus was there before the creation of the world (see John 17:5).  As the Holy Spirit was hovering over the waters, God spoke the Word -- Jesus, and the creation unfolded.

Since I am made in the image of God, when I speak the Word, I can create my destiny, my future.  I can speak things that are not as though they are, and they become real in my life. Clearly, there is power in the Word. This Word I need to know.  This Jesus I need to know.

Who is Jesus to you?

Is Anything Too Hard for God? part 3

What was Joseph thinking when his brothers threw him into a pit too deep for him to escape?  What was he thinking when they sold him to foreigners who were on their way to Egypt? What was  this favorite child of his father thinking when he was sold as a slave in a foreign land? On what were his thoughts as he slept night after night in a strange place, resigning himself to never seeing his family again?  When falsely accused by Potiphar's wife, what did he think? What could Joseph have been thinking when he was unjustly imprisoned?  When he interpreted dreams for his fellow prisoners, and asked the chief cupbearer to remember him upon his release, what was this believer in God thinking?  More than two years later when the cupbearer remembered Joseph to the Pharaoh, what was Joseph thinking when he was taken from the dungeon to Pharaoh?

Were you in Joseph's place at anytime along the way, what would your thoughts have been?  Like maybe -- God, is this too hard for you?  Are you real?  Are you there?  How am I missing you? Why have you forsaken me?  Is this really too hard for you? In your present situations and circumstances, hear the answer in the question from Almighty God.  "‎I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?" (see Jeremiah 32:27)

Is Anything Too Hard for God? part 2

More often than I'd like, I have come to realize that I really don't fully expect that God will move in some situations in my life.  I memorize the Scriptures, I quote the Scriptures, I pray the Scriptures.  Yet, there is that part of me that believes either God can't, or he won't move on my behalf.  Sometimes, I never even ask God to help or to intervene.  I choose to believe that I am facing an impossible circumstance, and that's just the way it is.  There are occasions when I think the matter is so trivial that it doesn't warrant calling on God. Then sometimes I think an issue is the status quo.  Everybody is dealing with this issue.  God isn't changing their lives, so neither will He change mine. 

What about you?  Ever feel the same way, or have similar thoughts?

Could it be a deeply ingrained belief that some things are too hard for God?  Could it be that God raised this question with the prophet Jeremiah back then, and so it's not applicable today?   Right now, I remind myself of God's message to Jeremiah (32:27).  "I am the LORD, the God of all mankind.  Is anything too hard for me?" And I encourage you to remind yourself. Whether a little health issue or a big one ... small debt or huge debt ... minor problem or major problem ... lost a job or got a job ... nothing is too hard for God.  That's a message from God to you and to me, right now.

What Does God Ask of You? part 3

" ... what does the Lord your God ask of you but to ... love him ... ." 

(see Deuteronomy 10:12-13)

What does God ask of you but to love Him?  Simple, just love Him.  How difficult can that be?  Two words -- love Him.  That's all God asks.  Seems easy enough, but is it really?  How faithful are you to loving Him? On a scale of 0 (no faithfulness, complete self-centeredness) to 10 (perfect faithfulness, total God centeredness), rate yourself.

Here is the space for your love Him rating _____.

Your love Him rating, what does that mean?  Are you clear on what love is? How do you love Him? Surely, God has already provided answers to all your questions.  Jesus said,  "if anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching."  Jesus continues, "he who does not love me will not obey my teaching."  (see John 14:23-24)  So then, your love Him rating is a factor of your obedience to His teaching.   Another way of rating could be this.  How obedient are you to His teaching?  On a scale of 0 (total disobedience to His teaching) to 10 (total obedience to His teaching), rate yourself.

Here is the space for your obedience to His teaching rating _____.

Are your two ratings the same?  Why? Why not?  How do you increase your ratings?  What would God have you do?

What Does Ask of You? part 2

" ... what does the Lord your God ask of you but to ... walk in all his ways ... ."

(see Deuteronomy 10:12-13)

Consider Saul, the young man ... learned in Jewish law ... zealous for what he believed ... committed to the cause ... bold persecutor of Jesus.  After years of intense persecution of the church, initially referred to as the Way, Saul encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus.  The bright light blinded him as he fell to the ground.  Jesus asked "why are you persecuting me?"  (see Acts 9:4) Saul's Damascus road experience miraculously changed his heart and his very soul.  His zeal for the gospel of Christ was unwavering. His commitment to the cause of Jesus Christ was unshakeable.  This bold persecutor of Jesus became just as bold a warrior against the spiritual forces of evil.

Despite his years of intense persecution of the Christians, God used Saul mightily.  The spirit and actions of Saul used for bad, God changed, including his name to Paul, and used him for His good.  Paul's commission, his charge, his assignment was to evangelize the Gentile world, and to suffer much for the name of Jesus (see Acts 9:15-16).

Are you available to be used by God?  No matter what your past, God has a future for you.  Will you choose Jesus and His ways or choose to remain set on the world's ways?  How far away from home are you willing to travel? How much time are you willing to devote to a particular assignment?  How much of your personal finances will you devote to the work of ministry?  Will you stay focused no matter how great the challenges you face?  Are you, at times, ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ?  Will you stand for what's right when all around you choose not to do so?  Will you walk in all His ways?

 

What Does God Ask of You? part 1

"... what does the LORD your God ask of you but to ...

observe the LORD's commands and decrees ... ."

(see Deuteronomy 10:12-13)

Consider the prophet Jonah.  God commanded him to go up, i.e., to go north, to Nineveh and preach against it. Jonah, apparently realizing that if Nineveh repented, God would not punish them for their sins against His chosen people.  So what did Jonah do? He went down, i.e., south to Tarshish.  God said go up, Jonah went down.  God said go north, Jonah went south.

How have you been like Jonah?  In what way(s) has the spirit of Jonah overtaken you? What has God asked you to do that you have, in actuality, done just the opposite? Where has God told you to go and you have refused?  To whom has God asked you to witness and you have chosen not to?  What has God advised against, and you've done anyway?  When God has said YES, you've said NO.  When God has said NO, you've said YES.

What difficulties are in your way because of disobedience to God's commands?  What lack may you be experiencing due to not giving as God has asked?  What sickness and disease are in your body because of your choice to not properly care for it?  What door of opportunity have you chosen not to walk through?  What relationship(s) is out of order because of your disobedience to His decrees?

God has not changed.  The same obedience He required of Jonah then, He requires of you today.  Choose willingness and obedience so that you may eat the best of the land (see Isaiah 1:19).

Is Anything Too Hard for God?

"I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?"
Jeremiah 32:27

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the issues of life? Ever felt that you were between a rock and a hard place?  Have your choices ever seemed like six in one hand, a half dozen in the other? Through the ages, so have other people of God thought and felt the same way.

In the 32nd chapter of Jeremiah, God tells his people that he has chosen Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, to take them captive, set the city of Jerusalem on fire, and burn it down. He lets them know they will be captive in a foreign land for 70 years. Even so, God promises to bring them back, let them live in safety, do them good, give them prosperity, restore their fortunes, and so much more. 

Remember that the same promises God made to those, His people, He makes to us today.  He does not change.  He cannot lie.  He is no respecter of persons. God wants you to know there is nothing too hard for Him.  There is nothing too difficult for Him.  There is nothing in your experience that God cannot handle. The answer you seek may not come when you want. It may not come in the way you think or desire.  But come it will, nothing is too hard for God.

What Kind of Body Are You Presenting?

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God,

that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice,

holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Romans 12:1 KJV

During a recent blood drive sponsored by the health ministry at our church, nearly half the persons that presented to give were deferred because they didn't pass the hemoglobin test. It is my understanding that low hemoglobin may be due to low iron in the blood. These prospective donors presented bodies not acceptable for giving blood. In turn, the Red Cross staff provided information on foods and supplements to increase iron intake into their bodies. 

This raises the question, what kind of body are you presenting? What kind of body are you presenting to God today? What is your physical fitness quotient?  On a scale of 1-10, 10 high, what is your health rating? How physically fit are you?  How healthy are you?  Is your health rating of you the same as your doctor's health rating of you?  What actions, on your part, result in your rating?

Some things, like a low iron level, may seem insignificant in the scheme of things.  Of course, a low iron level or anemia may become the little fox that, overtime, spoils your health. So how do you keep the little foxes from spoiling your health?  I'm glad you asked.  Proper diet ... adequate water intake ... sleep and rest ... physical exercise all combine to keep the little foxes from spoiling your health.

 

And guess what? This is your reasonable service, to present your body a living sacrifice.

 

Cheerful Givers

" ... for God loves a cheerful giver."

2 Corinthians 9:7b

Are you a cheerful giver? Quickly you think, so what is a cheerful giver? Who is a cheerful giver?  Glad you asked.  A cheerful giver takes pleasure in giving ... prizes above other things the ability to give ... unwilling to not give ... absolutely refuses to not give ... gives from the heart ... prompt to give ... does not sit back and wait to give ... later is always now when giving ... takes joy in giving ... finds pleasure in giving ... eager to give ... among the first to give ... happy to give ... gives joyfully ... is a selfless giver.   Get the picture?  Understand more clearly?

So, are you a cheerful giver?  Giver of what you may be asking?  Giver of your finances in support of your local church,  ministry work, and kingdom building.  Giver of your gifts, talents, skills, abilities. Giver of your time. 

There are countless opportunities to cheerfully give kind words to your spouse, children, neighbors, co-workers, employers, supervisors, strangers.  Those kind words may be spoken in person or over the phone.  They may be written via text or e-mail or note card or letter. So many opportunities are before you to give a smile, a hug, a pat on the shoulder, a firm handshake, or a warm embrace.   Cheerfully give an act of kindness before being asked, randomly, small gifts or tokens of love, caring, concern, and encouragement. 

Cheerful giver, God loves you!!!

 

A Double Blessing To You

What do you offer to others when you greet them?  Hello?  How are you?  How's it going?  Is all well? What do others offer to you in greeting? Let's learn a lesson from the Apostle Paul, the writer of half the books in the New Testament.  In each of his letters, his greeting was not simply a blessing, but a double blessing.  Yes, a double blessing. Whether he addressed the letter to an individual as he did to Timothy, Titus, and Philemon, or to the various churches, Paul offered a double blessing.  Not only did he offer the double blessing as his greeting, he offered the same blessing to every church and to each of the individuals that he wrote.

What was the double blessing?  GRACE and PEACE, and that extended not from Paul but from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.   What might be the result if you extended the same double blessing to everyone that you encountered?  What was Paul saying as he wrote GRACE and PEACE? GRACE means God's unmerited favor, that which is undeserving, favor, goodwill, kindness, thanks, benefit.  PEACE means tranquility, quietness, the concept of Shalom, and more. 

Consider the law of sowing and reaping.  Sow the double blessing of  GRACE and PEACE into the lives of others.  Reap the double blessing of GRACE and PEACE in your own life.  Try it.  Why not? What do you have to lose? 

My double blessing to you … GRACE and PEACE!!!

Nothing New Under the Sun

What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again;

 there is nothing new under the sun.  Ecclesiastes 1:9

These words are attributed to King Solomon who lived more than 900 years before Jesus was born.  That would have been almost 3000 years ago.  Can those words possibly be as true today as they were when written? Uhmm, makes you stop to think about it.  Lots of things change.  Change and new developments are ever before us. 

Wars and rumors of wars ... nothing new.  Man's inhumanity to man ... nothing new.  Births and deaths ... nothing new.  Marriage and divorce ... nothing new.  Sexual misconduct, fornication, adultery, homosexuality ... nothing new.  Children dishonoring parents ...  nothing new.  Prayer and prayerlessness ... nothing new. Rulers and leaders more concerned about themselves than those they are to serve and lead ... nothing new.  Corrupt government ... nothing new. Deadly emotions plaguing us ... nothing new.  People destroyed from a lack of knowledge ... nothing new. 

New knowledge and discoveries of what has always been.  New ways of doing the same things.  Success and prosperity ... nothing new.  Great leaders ... nothing new.  Great exploits by those who know their God ... nothing new.  Justice and fairness and equity prevailing ... nothing new.  Love, love for neighbor as for self ... nothing new.  Just maybe Solomon was onto something, you think? 

To get our attention, Solomon repeats the point (see Ecclesiastes 3:15 & 6:10a).  Since there is nothing new under the sun, God has already shown us, through his word, how to respond to every situation and circumstance that we face.  We've already been given the words to speak, no matter what or who is before us.  Indeed, there is nothing new under the sun.

 

Strengthen My Hands

But I prayed, “Now strengthen my hands.”

Nehemiah 6:9b

 

"i'm tired of this ... tired of you ... sick and tired of this ... tired of this job ... fed up with that ... tired of trying ... this is too hard ... too complicated ... an impossible situation or circumstance ... ."  Ever had one of these thoughts?  Ever made one of these statements?  Ever felt like getting away from it all?  Ever wanted to go to bed and just stay there? Ever been scared or afraid to move on, or make a change, or go in a different direction?  If YES to any one of these, join many others of us.

Nehemiah became so burdened upon hearing the Jewish remnant that had survived the exile and returned to Judah were in great trouble and disgrace.  The wall of Jerusalem was broken down and its gates had been burned. Nehemiah knew in his heart that he had to get involved.  And get involved he did, after much mourning and fasting and praying.  He asked the king for a leave, and for wall building materials, food and other provisions. The king provided everything he needed. Everything was falling into place.  God was moving miraculously.  And the enemy was at work as well. (see Nehemiah 1, 6))

If Nehemiah's story sounds familiar, consider doing what he did.  Nehemiah prayed a powerful, though simple and short, prayer -- "now strengthen my hands."  Let this be your prayer today, whatever the issue, concern, challenge, assignment, battle -- "now strengthen my hands." And my prayer for you is that God will strengthen your hands for whatever is before you.  Amen

What Price Friendship?

In a time long past, some friends carried their paralytic friend on a mat to get him healed by Jesus.  They were perfectly assured that his healing would occur once in the presence of Jesus, the Great Physician.  Well, they got to the house where  Jesus was, only to find no way to get through the crowd, to the door, or into the house where Jesus was teaching.  Not friends to be outdone by a standing room only crowd, they quickly determined that the only way into the house was through the roof.  So they went on the roof top and tore it apart tile by tile.  Did they stop to consider the damage being done to someone else's home?  Were they concerned about the obvious disturbance to Jesus as He was teaching?  Did the dirt and dust falling on the people below matter to them? Probably a big NO to each of the questions.

These friends were single focused on getting their friend, the paralytic, healed. No price was too great for them to pay.  After having already walked a considerable distance, their love, concern, caring, compassion, and zeal all combined to let nothing stop them from being the best friends they could be. When Jesus saw their faith, he forgave the sins of their friend, and healed him (see Mark 2:1-12).

What kind of friend are you?  What price are you willing to pay for your friendship(s)?  For your friend(s), how does your level of love, concern, caring, compassion, and zeal rate?

The Road Less Traveled, part 3

Life is indeed choice driven as my pastor often reminds us.  He goes on to say that we live and we die by the choices we make.  As the Israelites were setting out for the promised land, Moses pleaded with his brother-in-law, Hobab, to travel with them and serve as their eyes because he knew the desert and wilderness through which they would likely travel (see Numbers 10:29-31).  Each of the two men had choices to make.  Moses made the choice to seek help from one he knew.  Should he have trusted God to lead them as He had been doing?  Whose direction would he choose to follow -- God's direction, his own direction, or Hobab's direction?  Was God's way likely what I choose to call the "road less traveled?"

The choice for Hobab was whether to leave his family or go with Moses and a people he did not know?  For him, which was to be his "road less traveled?"  Moses certainly pleaded with him to go.  What was God's will in the matter? As we find, Hobab chose not to go.

Difficult choices are ever before us. Go or stay? Which road would God have me take? The high road or the low road?  North or south? East or west? Highway or byway? This job or that one? Marry this one or that one?  Go to school or go to work?  Do both?  Take the path of least resistance?  Make this purchase now? Buy or rent? New car or used one? Unplanned pregnancy -- abort or deliver? Leave home or stay? God's way or the world's way?  The road most traveled or the "road less traveled?"

 

The Road Less Traveled, part 2

If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land;

 but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.”

Isaiah 1:19-20

The experience is given of a man of God who repeats twice his very clear and precise instruction from the Lord, first to the king of Judah and then to another prophet.  ‎"For I was commanded by the word of the Lord: ‘You must not eat bread or drink water or return by the way you came'" (1 Kings 13:9).  With the king, the man of God insisted on following God's instruction, and took what I am calling the "road less traveled." 

He was later persuaded by an old prophet, who lied to him, to disobey God's instruction.  The man of God stepped off the "road less traveled" and followed the direction of the old prophet.  What was the result of his disobedience, you may be thinking?  Well, a lion met the man of God on his way home and killed him.  Are you now thinking, God, why?  What did he do to deserve this gruesome loss of life?  He believed that the prophet of God was being truthful with him.  Wasn't that a reasonable assumption for him to make?

God, are there really disastrous consequences when you direct us to the "road less traveled" and we take another?  My friend, are you willingly and obediently following the "road less traveled?"

 

The Road Less Traveled -- part 1

At a point in my life when I was struggling with several issues of life and seeking God for direction, God spoke. The still small voice gave me the direction that I had been earnestly seeking. The direction was given over several weeks in three parts, one part at a time. First part, "quit your job." Knew it was God, did it. Second part, "start a business." Knew it was God, did it. Third part in response to my question, what kind of business, was "do what you've been doing." Understood clearly. Started this new journey eagerly, excitedly,

Was it easy? No. Were there stumbling blocks? Yes, many! Was it difficult? Yes, at times. Did I lose my focus? Sometimes, I'd get off track, realize it, and then get back on track. Did I seek help from others? Of course. How helpful were others? On a scale of 1-10, there were those at every point along the scale.

I often thought about Abram's (Abraham's) disobedience to God's direction for his life to leave his country, leave his family, leave his father's household, and go to an unknown land (see Genesis 12:1). At times, I mistakenly and smugly thought that I was not as disobedient to God as Abraham had been. How wrong was my stinking thinking. One lesson I learned from Abraham was that God's way is, more often than not, the road less traveled.

How have you responded to God's direction and instruction for your life? Have you been willing to take the road less traveled?

When God Asks Too Much

Has God ever asked absolutely too much of you? Have you sensed God wanting you to make too much of a change? Has He requested that you step well outside of your comfort zone? Is God asking you to do just the opposite of what you most want to do? Has He sent you back down a path you've already traveled? Have you experienced your way being in direct conflict with God's way? If yes to any one of the questions, then know that you're in the company of many other believers, many other doers of the Word, many other soldiers in the army of God.

Did God ask too much of Jeremiah when He said "you must not marry and have sons or daughters in this place" (see Jeremiah 16:2)?   Jeremiah followed God's instructions.  It would appear that Queen Esther was asked to give up everything, her life included, if she went before the king on her own (see Esther 4-5).

Why should she go before the king and risk her life? To save her people required her taking a step outside of her comfort zone.  The prophet, the man of God, Hosea, was told to marry a prostitute, which he did. After giving birth to three children, she went back to the streets (see Hosea 1). The man of God went after her. Just a bit much, don't you think?

How will you respond when God asks too much of you? Or, what will you do when God asks you to step outside of your comfort zone? Has God requested too great a change from you? My pastor often reminds us that life is choice driven,  and that we live and die by the choices we make. When God speaks, when He calls, which choice will you make?

How Much Time Do You Have

How much time do you have? Let's get serious, how much time do you really have? Only God knows. Consider some of our thoughts -- I'll get right on it -- tomorrow. God, I'll get started as soon as . . . I'll make the decision next week.

Jesus gives each of us a powerful challenge to not be like the rich man who accumulated much in life (see Luke 12:16-21). One great harvest after another led him to consider how good life and living and working had been for and to him. So he thought, here's what I'll do. I'll tear down my barns and build larger ones. "Then I can take life easy; eat, drink, and be merry." That very night, his soul was required. He thought he had time that he really did not have.

Uncertain of how much time you have, what are you doing that you should stop doing immediately? What are you not doing that you should start doing immediately? In doing these things, are you being rich toward God or rich toward the things of the world?

Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things

The dictionary definition of ordinary is "normal, usual, not interesting or exceptional" while the definition of extraordinary is "very unusual or remarkable." So this focus is on usual people doing unusual things; i.e., ordinary people doing things out of the ordinary.

Consider. Once ordinary Ruth made a commitment to her mother-in-law's God, life for her took on extraordinary meaning to the extent that this Gentile woman is found in the lineage of Jesus (see Matthew 1:5). An ordinary shepherd boy named David was recognized by God in an extraordinary way -- God identified David as a man after His own heart (see Acts 13:22). 

The very ordinary and unlearned disciples became extraordinary apostles who created a new world order, the Christian church.

Are you allowing God to use ordinary you? Has God chosen ordinary you to do extraordinary things? See the Word,

Daniel 11:32b -- " ... but the people who know their God shall prove themselves strong and shall stand firm and do exploits [for God]" (AMP, emphasis added). Are you an ordinary person who knows your God?

Your Way or God's Way

What price will you pay to have it your way ... to live life as you want ... to get what you desire ... to get your needs met? In climbing the ladder of success, have you knocked others down? Is your mate of choice God's choice for you? Are you living life the world's way?

After the death of Gideon, the judge, his son Abimilech did not want to be the next judge but to be the king of a people that had never had a king before. To have it his way, he killed 69 of his 70 brothers on one stone. Did the people name him king? Oh yes, for sure they did. How long did it all last? Not long, for three years later a woman dropped a millstone on his head and cracked his skull. So set at having his own way, he asked his servant to kill him with a sword so it could not be said he was killed by a woman (See Judges 9).

I'm reminded of Isaiah's words that those who resist and rebel are devoured by the sword while the willing and obedient eat the best from the land (see Isaiah 1:19-20). Is having it your way worth it?

I Said No, God Said Yes

I Said No, God Said Yes

Just a few days ago, I was being informed by a new found friend in Jackson ,MS of the circumstances surrounding my brother's medical emergency. He shared that their church sponsored 3K walk/run had begun around 7:00 a.m. He had reminded my brother that he'd pick up his bag from the back of his truck upon his return. My brother, in his usual joking manner, matter-of-factly responded "I'LL BE GONE." This statement rang out loudly to me. And I quickly thought just as loudly, "NO, GOD."

When I thought NO, God said YES. He had already beckoned my brother home. Just as we ended this conversation, a doctor with the same last name as my brother informed me that their best efforts to revive him all failed. While I had thought, NO, don't go; God said YES, come. When this friend returned, my brother's last words to him rang true. And that was the end of that story. Before the call was ended, God reminded me of His Word found in . . .

Isaiah 57:1-2. The righteous perish, and no one ponders it in his heart; devout men are taken away, and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil.

Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death.

I could only say, "thank you Father for saying YES when I thought NO. Thank you for delivering my brother from a weakened, quite possibly debilitating state. Thank you for your miracle working healing power at work. Thank you for his life here. And thank you, Father God, for eternal life."

Help God Remember

Help God remember.  God is all knowing.  He is omniscient.  He knows everything.  He knows the end from the beginning.  He knows the new born babe even before birth.  He knows the number of hairs on your head.  He knows your next thought before you think it.  He knows your answer before you get the question.  So why do you have to help God remember?  Is that your question?  If yes, read on.

Through the words of the prophet Isaiah (see 43:26), we are invited to put God in remembrance of His Word.  The invitation in one translation (NIV) is to review the past and argue the matter together.  God is His Word.  He knows the Word.  Could it be that He wants you to know the Word? Could it be that you need to let Him know that you know the Word?  Could it be that He wants a conversation with you?  Could it be that He wants more than the usual one way communication wherein you ask and tell? 

So how does that work?  Consider -- God, you say that you will keep me in perfect peace as I keep my mind stayed on you (see Isaiah 26:3).  I am not in perfect peace.  So God, remember your promise to me of perfect peace.  Did I hear you say that I must pay attention to the condition?  Okay God, I will keep my mind stayed on you. If I don't have perfect peace tomorrow, I'm going to remind you again God.  Did you say that you look forward to hearing from me again tomorrow? Okay, tomorrow. And thank you God for perfect peace. Amen

Speak the Truth

Some time ago, I heard a televangelist say "speak the truth until the facts line up with it." Those words resonated deep down inside of me as I realized how profound and full of meaning the statement was. Speak the truth until the facts line up with it. Speak the truth until the facts line up with it.   I remembered that truth and facts are two different things.  I was reminded that the only real truth is God's Word (see John 17:17). I was also reminded that Jesus the Christ is the living Word, that He is the truth (see John 14:6).  I remembered that the Spirit is the truth (see 1 John 5:6). And I recalled that the facts are not the truth. They are not God's Word.

Let me explain.  You have been diagnosed with a health issue, say diabetes ... high blood pressure ... lower back pain ... insomnia ... heart disease ... cancer ... etc.  These are all real conditions.  As concerns the Word of God however, are these health issues the truth? Or are they the facts of the matter?  You are unemployed with no income.  Fact or truth?  Your expenses consistently exceed your income.  Fact or truth? You have more month than you have money.  Fact or truth? Your husband is filing for a divorce?  Fact or truth?  Your middle son is on drugs? Fact or truth? If the Word of God is the truth, are any of these statements the truth?  If not the truth, can they be the facts of the matter?

 So, what is the truth regarding your life's issues?  Will you choose to speak the truth or the facts of the matter?

What is Truth

What is truth? What is the truth?  Asked this very question by a college professor many years ago, I found myself unable to answer.  In a very small class of 10-12 doctoral students, no one could satisfactorily answer the question.  At least, that kept me from feeling really bad and singly uninformed.  The professor's assignment was for us to spend the following week seeking the question's answer. Upon return to class, we would write our responses in a blue book.  That I proceeded to do.  I literally looked 'high and low' starting with the best dictionary I could get my hands on, spent hours poring over books in the library, checked out the major philosophers, and more.  The dictionary definitions were so unhelpful: "fact, reality; real or actual, accurate or exact, opposite of false, fact or reality."

Somehow, I stumbled onto a verse of Scripture, John 8:32 (KJV) -- "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." ‎Repeating the verse, pondering its meaning, asking myself the question, so what is this truth? Looked in the bible's index or concordance and found two other helpful verses that helped me know and understand the answer to the question. One of the verses was where Jesus says "I am the truth" (see John 14:6), and the other was where Jesus prays to the Father saying "your word is the truth" (see John 17:17 ).  This is what I expounded on the following week during the blue book quiz, and received an A++.

I learned that if I could meet that class requirement of reading 16-17 books in one semester while taking 3 other classes, working a full-time job, and commuting four times a week to Tuscaloosa, I could read God's Word, the truth.

Given your situation or circumstance today, what is the truth regarding it? Are you seeking freedom from some issue of life; what is the truth regarding that issue?