Category: Theme

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How Great – How Far – How Long

Let me start by saying that I am not an astronomer nor am I well educated in the aspects of space and our solar system but I do remember Junior High Science class and the models we had to construct of the planets. Our knowledge of space has greatly increased since those days at Fourth Avenue Junior High.

One of our favorite things to do in the evening is look at the stars. The sky is so clear and the stars are so bright. I can name a few constellations but not many. I really have no desire to learn all their names, I just enjoy looking at what God has made. However, the question does come to mind – how many miles is it to the closest star? Millions of light years, I’m sure. How close is Venus, the moon or Mars? Space travel is relatively new in the grand scheme of things but outer space has been intriguing man for centuries. Look at these words written by King David.

“The Lord is merciful! He is kind and patient, and his love never fails. 9 The Lord won’t always be angry and point out our sins; 10 he doesn’t punish us as our sins deserve.

11 How great is God’s love for all  who worship him? Greater than the distance between heaven and earth! 12 How far has the Lord taken our sins from us? Farther than the distance from east to west!” Psalm 103:8-12 CEV

King David had experienced the love of God most all of his life but when it came time to describe or explain the vastness of God’s love he lacked the adequate words so he compared it to the heavens.

How great is God’s love? Greater than the distance between heaven and earth! He could only perceive that distance with the naked eye and yet he understood that the expanse between heaven and earth was massive. Now, with the help of highly sophisticated technology scientist are discovering space is much greater than we first imagined.

Isn’t that true of God’s love? Just when we begin to think we understand God’s love we realize it is so much greater!

How far does the Lord remove our sins? Before I answer this question let’s remember that as little as six hundred years ago many people thought the earth was flat. King David, inspired by God, wrote that God removes our sins as far as the east is from the west. No matter how far east we travel we will never go west. God has removed our sins an incalculable distance from us!

One more question came to mind as I was reading Psalm 103 this morning. How long?

How long will God love us? The answer: forever. God’s love never fails. How long is never? Never and forever are non-measurable concepts of time. No one can truly perceive the scope of them. That’s what makes the love of God so amazing!

“I will sing forever about the Lord’s love. I will sing about his faithfulness forever and ever! 2 I will say, “Your faithful love will last forever. Your loyalty is like the sky—there is no end to it!” Psalm 89:1-2 ERV

Let’s ask those questions again. How Great – How Far – How Long? It’s mind boggling to consider. The love God has for us is more than we can possibly understand. When we accept it by faith and we begin to experience the awesome love of God!

Each time you look at the stars I hope you will be reminded of the depth of God’s love.

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Mercy & Grace

Someone needs to be reminded of the importance of mercy and grace today. Each morning I thank the Lord for His love, mercy, goodness and grace. I never want to take these characteristics of God’s nature for granted. I never want to forget ALL He’s done for me. I always want to live with an attitude of gratitude.

I wrote this morning’s devotional thought several years ago and the Lord reminded me of it again this morning so I am sharing it with you.

Mercy: (I want this word to become engrained in your heart) from Merriam Webster dictionary
1 a : compassion or forbearance shown especially to an offender or to one subject to one’s power; also : lenient or compassionate treatment

2 a : a blessing that is an act of divine favor or compassion

3 : compassionate treatment of those in distress

Compassion shown to an offender.

There was a place in the tabernacle and also in the temple called the Holy of Holies. It was there that the Ark of the Covenant and the mercy seat of God was housed. The priest would go into the Holy of Holies to obtain forgiveness for the sins of the people of Israel. It was there the priest would be in the presence of God. The focal point of God’s relationship to man was mercy!

“Bezalel built a chest of acacia wood forty-five inches long, twenty-seven inches wide, and twenty-seven inches high. 2 He covered it inside and out with pure gold and put a gold edging around the top. 3 He made four gold rings and fastened one of them to each of the four legs of the chest. 4 Then he made two poles of acacia wood, covered them with gold, 5 and put them through the rings, so the chest could be carried by the poles. 6 The entire lid of the chest, which was also covered with pure gold, was the place of mercy.” Exodus 37:1-6 CEV

This chest was the ark of the covenant – this ark was a sign of God’s presence and here in God’s presence was the place to find mercy! We so often run from God when we sin. The Father’s heart is that we run to Him, run to Him for mercy and for help, run to Him for forgiveness and restoration.

“With Jesus as our high priest, we can feel free to come before God’s throne where there is grace. There we receive mercy and kindness to help us when we need it.” Hebrews 4:16 ERV

The high priest could only enter the Holy of Holies, after he had offered the blood sacrifice, once a year. Each year he came to offer the sacrifice and ask for God’s mercy and forgiveness for the sins of the people. But that’s no longer necessary.

Jesus became our high priest and He offered His own shed blood for the forgiveness of sins and we have been forever cleansed! Hallelujah!

“Christ came as the high priest of the good things that are now here. He also went into a much better tent that wasn’t made by humans and that doesn’t belong to this world. 12 Then Christ went once for all into the most holy place and freed us from sin forever. He did this by offering his own blood instead of the blood of goats and bulls.” Hebrews 9:11-12 CEV

I heard mercy described like this.

We are taken to court with a long list of charges (sin) against us. The prosecutor (satan) stands before the judge (the Father) and declares that we are guilty. The defense attorney (Jesus) stands before the judge and says “My client throws himself on the mercy of the court, Your Honor.”

The judge then says I will grant your plea for mercy however someone has to pay the penalty. Then the defense attorney, Jesus, steps forward and says “I will pay the penalty Your Honor. Let my client go and take Me in His place. (grace)”

Mercy: not receiving the penalty we deserve
Grace: receiving God’s goodness and forgiveness that we don’t deserve

Thank you Father for your mercy and your grace!

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Boldness

Yesterday I told you the story of a man who had been crippled from birth. In a matter of moments, he was healed and walking around in the Temple with Peter and John praising God for His marvelous power.

This miracle caused no small stir. People were excited and the religious leaders were upset, to say the least. They came to break up the crowd that had gathered to hear this man’s story. They arrived with the head of security – really?

“The apostles were still talking to the people, when some priests, the captain of the temple guard, and some Sadducees arrived. 2 These men were angry because the apostles were teaching the people that the dead would be raised from death, just as Jesus had been raised from death. 3 It was already late in the afternoon, and they arrested Peter and John and put them in jail for the night. 4 But a lot of people who had heard the message believed it. So by now there were about five thousand followers of the Lord.” Acts 4:1-4 CEV

Later in this chapter we are told that Peter and John were brought in before the council to defend themselves and that the man who had been healed was there too. Can you imagine his dilemma in all of this. Begging at the Temple gate, no problem. Get healed and praise God, gets you hauled into court, big problem!

Peter spoke boldly to the council.

“The officials were amazed to see how brave Peter and John were, and they knew that these two apostles were only ordinary men and not well educated. The officials were certain that these men had been with Jesus. 14 But they could not deny what had happened. The man who had been healed was standing there with the apostles.

15 The officials commanded them to leave the council room. Then the officials said to each other, 16 “What can we do with these men? Everyone in Jerusalem knows about this miracle, and we cannot say it didn’t happen. 17 But to keep this thing from spreading, we will warn them never again to speak to anyone about the name of Jesus.” 18 So they called the two apostles back in and told them that they must never, for any reason, teach anything about the name of Jesus.

19 Peter and John answered, “Do you think God wants us to obey you or to obey him? 20 We cannot keep quiet about what we have seen and heard.” Acts 4:13-20 CEV

I love the response! We can’t keep quiet about what we have heard and seen God do.

This should be a mandate for each of us as Christians. What have we seen God do in our lives? How many times have we been in trouble, hurting, sick, desperate and God has come through to deliver from whatever danger we have faced? We have to be bold – bold as a lion, and tell of what God has done.

“The wicked are afraid of everything, but those who live right are as brave as lions.” Proverbs 28:1 ERV

Where did these men get this boldness? Just a few weeks prior they had been out in fishing boats, going back to their old lives. They didn’t know what to do or where to go because Jesus had been crucified, now they are standing before the religious council saying “we won’t back down”.

Jesus had given them a final instruction before going back to heaven.

” 4 While he (Jesus) was still with them, he said: Don’t leave Jerusalem yet. Wait here for the Father to give you the Holy Spirit, just as I told you he has promised to do. 5 John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit…8 But the Holy Spirit will come upon you and give you power. Then you will tell everyone about me in Jerusalem, in all Judea, in Samaria, and everywhere in the world.” Acts 1:4-8 CEV

Before Jesus started his earthly ministry the Holy Spirit descended from heaven, like a dove, and empowered Jesus to do the work God intended for him to do. Jesus knew the disciples needed this same power and that’s why He told them to go to Jerusalem and wait. Wait, they did and the Holy Spirit came as Jesus said, bringing power and boldness. They became witnesses to the world, telling them about the saving power of Jesus.

Bold as a lion!

When Peter and John left the council they went back to the other followers of Jesus and told them what happened. They all joined together and prayed:

“When the rest of the Lord’s followers heard this, they prayed together and said: Master, you created heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them… 27 Here in Jerusalem, Herod and Pontius Pilate got together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel. Then they turned against your holy Servant[b Jesus, your chosen Messiah. 28 They did what you in your power and wisdom had already decided would happen.

29 Lord, listen to their threats! We are your servants. So make us brave enough to speak your message. 30 Show your mighty power, as we heal people and work miracles and wonders in the name of your holy Servant Jesus.

31 After they had prayed, the meeting place shook. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and bravely spoke God’s message.” Acts 4:26-31 CEV

We should all pray such a prayer! “Lord, make us brave to speak your message in this day, in this time. Our desire is to be a bold witness for you. Bold as a lion!”

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Love to Give

If you were crippled and had been for many years and someone offered you money or healing which would you chose?

That’s exactly what happened in the story I was reading from the book of Acts this morning. Peter and John were on their way to the Temple at the time of prayer. A man was there begging, he was crippled. He asked for money. Peter told him they didn’t have any silver or gold but they had something to give.

“One day Peter and John went to the Temple area. It was three o’clock in the afternoon, which was the time for the daily Temple prayer service. 2 As they were entering the Temple area, a man was there who had been crippled all his life. He was being carried by some friends who brought him to the Temple every day. They put him by one of the gates outside the Temple. It was called Beautiful Gate. There he begged for money from the people going to the Temple. 3 That day he saw Peter and John going into the Temple area. He asked them for money.

4 Peter and John looked at the crippled man and said, “Look at us!” 5 He looked at them; he thought they would give him some money. 6 But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold, but I do have something else I can give you. By the power of Jesus Christ from Nazareth—stand up and walk!”

7 Then Peter took the man’s right hand and lifted him up. Immediately his feet and legs became strong. 8 He jumped up, stood on his feet, and began to walk. He went into the Temple area with them. He was walking and jumping and praising God.” Acts 3:1-8 ERV

Peter and John had been with Jesus for three years. They had experienced similar miraculous acts when Jesus encountered people who needed to receive a touch from God. Jesus would meet the physical needs of people and then minister to their spiritual needs.

Giving isn’t just about money, although that can be important. Giving is seeing a need and being used of God to meet it. Zacchaeus, the tax collector, needed to be accepted. Jesus met that need by going to his house for dinner. The adulterous woman needed a kind and loving heart. Jesus ran off her accusers and then gave forgiveness. The leper needed to be cleansed, the blind needed to see, the father needed his son delivered from demonic oppression, the multitude needed lunch and Peter needed the removal of the shame he felt for denying Christ.

Each and every time Jesus met the physical need and then offered the love and forgiveness that comes only from the heart of God.

“This crippled man was healed because we trusted in Jesus. It was Jesus’ power that made him well. You can see this man, and you know him. He was made completely well because of faith in Jesus. You all saw it happen!” Acts 3:16 ERV

Who is around you that needs a touch from Jesus? Maybe it’s the neighbor down the street who needs someone to help babysit for a few hours or perhaps the lady who sits next to you at work is feeling overwhelmed you can help by making a dinner for her family. Does someone need a hand with household repairs or is it the man at the gas station that could really benefit from someone filling his tank with fuel?

If we ask the Lord to show us people in need, He will! He will never ask us to give something that He hasn’t supplied to us in the first place. He asks us to be willing to give what we have. Peter and John didn’t have money but they had something much more valuable!

Once they met the physical need they were able to share the love of God with the man. When people know we care about them as a person, they will be more open to hearing what we say about the Father.

“Each of you must make up your own mind about how much to give. But don’t feel sorry that you must give and don’t feel that you are forced to give. God loves people who love to give. 8 God can bless you with everything you need, and you will always have more than enough to do all kinds of good things for others. 9 The Scriptures say,

“God freely gives his gifts to the poor, and always does right.”

10 God gives seed to farmers and provides everyone with food. He will increase what you have, so that you can give even more to those in need. 11 You will be blessed in every way, and you will be able to keep on being generous. Then many people will thank God when we deliver your gift.” II Corinthians 9:7-11 CEV

When we have a cheerful heart, God gives us what we need to help others. We get the joy of giving and God gets the glory!

Look for opportunities to be like Jesus. It’s fun!

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Not Afraid of Monsters

Years ago, when the movie was first released, Dave, Koy and I went to see Monsters Inc. We were amazed by the animation; we could see every whisker and hair move, the sweat glistening on Boo’s skin and the colors were so vivid. I remember it still.

But what I remember the most was the story. It was my story!

Remember when you were little and thought there might be monsters under the bed or in the closet? As a child, I was plagued with nightmares until one night I made friends with the biggest monster in my dreams. After that, whenever I would have a nightmare I would just call on my monster friend and he would come scare off all the other monsters that were there to hurt me. When I saw the movie Monsters Inc, I was reminded of my friend because he looked a lot like Sulley.

But now I don’t make friends with monsters, instead I rely on the Father and His Word. 

“3 For [then] He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. 4 [Then] He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings shall you trust and find refuge; His truth and His faithfulness are a shield and a buckler.

5 You shall not be afraid of the terror of the night, nor of the arrow (the evil plots and slanders of the wicked) that flies by day, 6 Nor of the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor of the destruction and sudden death that surprise and lay waste at noonday.” Psalm 91:3-6 AMP

In this day of terror plots, road rage, random shootings and all the mayhem that is loose in our world, not to mention the daily dangers we are exposed to, living in the power of God’s Word is a place of comfort and protection. 

These are the verses above from the Complete Jewish Bible translation.

“he will rescue you from the trap of the hunter and from the plague of calamities; 4 he will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his truth is a shield and protection. 5 You will not fear the terrors of night or the arrow that flies by day, 6 or the plague that roams in the dark, or the scourge that wreaks havoc at noon.” Vs 3-6

The way I see it, the Lord promises to protect us from hidden peril – from the things we can’t see. A bird doesn’t see the trap until it’s caught and plagues come without advance warning. 

He also protects from disasters that can be seen. The picture in verse 4 is that of a mother hen or bird that sets herself down over the top of her chicks to protect them from danger. She risks her own life and cuddles her young under her wings. Isn’t that what Jesus did for us? He gave His own life to protect us from the ravages of sin and its effects.

“What can we say about all this? If God is on our side, can anyone be against us? 32 God did not keep back his own Son, but he gave him for us. If God did this, won’t he freely give us everything else? 33 If God says his chosen ones are acceptable to him, can anyone bring charges against them? 34 Or can anyone condemn them? No indeed! Christ died and was raised to life, and now he is at God’s right side, speaking to him for us. 35 Can anything separate us from the love of Christ? Can trouble, suffering, and hard times, or hunger and nakedness, or danger and death?” Romans 8:31-35 CEV

No matter what time of day – night, daylight, or noon day, the Lord promises to be there and be our protection.

When our children were little, Dave and I would pray with them and over them each morning before they headed out to school. We would pray these verses over them then and we still do now. But now we’ve added their spouses and our grandchildren.  I have no idea how many times they have been protected as they go about their days. God is faithful!

We have traveled hundreds of thousands of miles, literally, in our vehicle without ever having an accident. We’ve been in the presence of danger many times and not even known it until later and then we saw how God’s hand protected us.

We can take these verses as our own and use them to bring a covering of protection for our families as well. God’s word is true; He does not lie! But it doesn’t just come automatically we have to appropriate it – we have to believe it. Just like the electricity that comes into our homes, it’s there but we will sit in the dark and the cold unless we turn on the switch and put the power to work. 

Turn on the switch in prayer and watch the power of God work in your life!

Let me end with this. God’s thoughts and ways are higher than ours – His plan of protection is better than ours. As the rain is higher than the earth and comes down to cover the earth; God’s ways are higher than our thinking and He rains down His protection to cover us.

“The Lord says: ‘My thoughts and my ways are not like yours. 9 Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, my thoughts and my ways are higher than yours. 10 “Rain and snow fall from the sky. But they don’t return without watering the earth that produces seeds to plant and grain to eat. 11 That’s how it is with my words. They don’t return to me without doing everything I send them to do.’

12 When you are set free, you will celebrate and travel home in peace. Mountains and hills will sing as you pass by, and trees will clap.” Isaiah 55: 8-12 CEV

God’s word will cause our lives to bring in a crop of good fruit – it will cause us to prosper and our lives to be filled with joy and peace.

As I said above, I no longer need to make friends with the monsters. God’s word is the word of my best friend and He is able to keep me safe in every situation. I trust Him and my life is filled with peace!

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I’m Going Fishing

Have you ever been through a time of crisis? I mean the gut wrenching, heart breaking, all hope is gone, kind of crisis.

It could be the death of a loved one; the end of a marriage you were trying to save; an attack that devastated your health and physical well-being or perhaps it was a financial situation that left you destitute.

Seeing the news of the last few days, I find myself praying for those who are losing everything to the floods, tornados, and snow storms. Homes are gone with everything that was in them; the livelihood of farmers and ranchers are lost; entire towns are being evacuated. What to do?!

I hope you will find comfort in this. I want to tell you about a man who had lost all and was fearful that he would be arrested and possibly killed. He went fishing. Yes, fishing! He went back to what he knew before his life was turned upside down. He went fishing. Some friends went with him.

“3 Simon Peter said, “I am going out to fish.”

The other followers said, “We will go with you.” So all of them went out and got into the boat. They fished that night but caught nothing.

4 Early the next morning Jesus stood on the shore. But the followers did not know it was Jesus. 5 Then he said to them, “Friends, have you caught any fish?”

They answered, “No.”

6 He said, “Throw your net into the water on the right side of your boat. You will find some fish there.” So they did this. They caught so many fish that they could not pull the net back into the boat.

7 The follower Jesus loved very much said to Peter, “That man is the Lord!” When Peter heard him say it was the Lord, he wrapped his coat around himself. (He had taken his clothes off to work.) Then he jumped into the water.” John 21:3-7 ERV

You know the background to this story. Peter and the others had been following Christ for three years. They left everything to be one of his disciples. They saw Jesus do miracles; they did miracles. They believed Jesus was the Messiah, God’s Son, and then they saw Him die. The Pharisees and religious leaders hated Jesus and his disciples. They were on the “Most Wanted” list.

Jesus had appeared to the disciples a couple of times after His death and yet, here they were. Floundering from their loss. They were emotionally undone. Where should they go from here? In true Peter fashion he declared “I’m going fishing”. I’m going back to the familiar, back to what I know. I’m finding something that will distract me and I’m going to a place of comfort.

Wow!

Some of us crawl into bed and pull the covers over our heads. Some find comfort in alcohol or drugs, they need to forget. Others find consolation being with others who have also experienced the same type of loss.

I want you to notice something from this story. In their loss and desperation the disciples didn’t go seeking the Lord. They went fishing and the Lord found them. He not only found them, He helped them catch a boat load of fish, cooked them breakfast and served them hope!

“The other followers went to shore in the boat. They pulled the net full of fish. They were not very far from shore, only about 100 yards.[b 9 When they stepped out of the boat and onto the shore, they saw a fire of hot coals. There were fish on the fire and some bread there too. 10 Then Jesus said, “Bring some of the fish that you caught.”

11 Simon Peter got into the boat and pulled the net to the shore. It was full of big fish—153 of them! But even with that many fish, the net did not tear. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and eat.” None of the followers would ask him, “Who are you?” They knew he was the Lord. 13 Jesus walked over to get the bread and gave it to them. He also gave them the fish.

14 This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his followers after he was raised from death.” John 21:8-14 ERV

We can trust Jesus to meet us in our time of crisis. He sees the hurt and brings comfort. He sees our fear and brings peace. He hears our cries for help and comes quickly to our aid.

“Jesus came to Nazareth where He had grown up. As He had done before, He went into the Jewish place of worship on the Day of Rest. Then He stood up to read. 17 Someone handed Him the book of the early preacher Isaiah. He opened it and found the place where it was written, 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on Me. He has put His hand on Me to preach the Good News to poor people. He has sent Me to heal those with a sad heart. He has sent Me to tell those who are being held that they can go free. He has sent Me to make the blind to see and to free those who are held because of trouble. 19 He sent Me to tell of the time when men can receive favor with the Lord.” Luke 4:16-19 NLV

This was Jesus life mission; healing, saving, restoring and forgiving those who were without hope and purpose.

“For because He Himself [in His humanity] has suffered in being tempted (tested and tried), He is able [immediately] to run to the cry of (assist, relieve) those who are being tempted and tested and tried [and who therefore are being exposed to suffering].” Hebrews 2:18 AMPC

Maybe you have “gone fishing” because of the overwhelming circumstances in your life. If you look around, you’ll find that Jesus is there. He’s come to bring comfort and assistance.

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Digging In!

Ever heard the expression “digging in your heels”? It’s a statement used to indicate determination to stand your ground, strength of position, fighting against resistance, steadfastness.

I don’t see it as a sign of stubbornness. Instead, I see it much like an anchor. It’s the kind of determination that keeps us from being drawn astray or floating off with the tide and winds of popular opinion.

In the last few days I have been reading in Deuteronomy. This is Moses final instructions to the nation of Israel before the get to cross the Jordan River to their “Promised Land”. He is taking this time to remind them of the promises the Lord made to them and also of the laws that God gave them to obey. Moses is reminding them to be steadfast on God’s word.

“I taught you the laws and rules that the Lord my God commanded me. I did this so you could obey them in the land you are ready to enter and take for your own. 6 Obey these laws carefully. This will show the people of the other nations that you are wise and sensible. They will hear about these laws and say, ‘Truly, the people of this great nation are wise and sensible.’

7 “The Lord our God is near when we ask him to help us. No other nation has a god like that! 8 And no other nation is great enough to have laws and rules as good as the teachings I give you today. 9 But you must be careful! Be sure that as long as you live you never forget what you have seen. You must teach these things to your children and grandchildren.” Deuteronomy 4:5-9 ERV

Moses wasn’t going to be able to go with them when they crossed the Jordan and he wanted to make sure that they knew how important it was to them and all future generations to follow God’s law.

“So you people must be careful to do everything the Lord commanded you. Do not stop following God! 33 You must live the way the Lord your God commanded you. Then you will continue to live, and everything will be fine with you. You will live a long life in the land that will belong to you.” Deuteronomy 5:32-33 ERV

God had led the Israelites with a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night since the time they left Egypt. If the cloud or pillar moved they moved; it if stayed in one place they did too. Moses words reminded them to keep following the Lord and not to move unless He directed it.

They were to dig in their heels and stay put even if everything looked good to them.

Oh for that kind of determination to be close to the Lord. Too many times I have found myself running out a head of the Lord and calling back for Him to hurry and catch up. Those are the times I found myself in situations that were not good for me. Those are the times I found myself asking the Father to rescue me once again.

How much better it would be if I simply sat down and said I’m not going if You’re not. Period. End of conversation.

We get caught up in our own plans, defending our own reputation, making our way when we should be waiting on the Lord’s lead.

“…But now you will again see the Lord, your teacher, and he will guide you. 21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, you will hear a voice saying, “This is the road! Now follow it.” Isaiah 30:20b-21

Just as the Lord led the Israelites, if was prophesied that Jesus would lead us but we need to listen for his voice.

“My sheep know my voice, and I know them. They follow me, 28 and I give them eternal life, so that they will never be lost. No one can snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father gave them to me, and he is greater than all others. No one can snatch them from his hands, 30 and I am one with the Father.” John 10:27-30 CEV

The Lord promised to lead and protect the Israelites as they followed Him and Jesus promises the same to us as we follow His leading. God will lead us by a peace in our hearts. Become determined that you won’t let your own ambitions, pride or desire for things lead you. You won’t let the enemy deceive you into following him.

Dig in your heels and say, “Lord if you don’t go, I’m staying put!”

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Friendship with God

Years ago Dave and I met a man by the name of David. It was after church on a Sunday evening and we stopped in at a restaurant on Central Avenue in Phoenix. We were there with friends for coffee and a snack before heading home. The restaurant was full.

We noticed a young man going from table to table. He stopped and visited for just a moment and moved on. We were told his name was David. David had a speech impediment that made him difficult to understand and his leg had been damaged so he walked with a shuffled limp as he moved from table to table. That evening we noticed that he had scratches and bruises that were fading from his face. Finally, he arrived at our table. David smiled at everyone who was sitting there. We said hello and then he delivered his universal message, “Jesus loves you and I love you and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

We were told that at times customers would complain and so management would ask him to leave the restaurant. At other times he would be beaten up by street thugs or pushed off the sidewalk and into the street. Thus, the bruises and scratches. But none of the abuse changed David’s message. No matter how badly he was treated, his remarks were always the same. “Jesus loves you and I love you and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

David had a friendship with the Father. He knew the depth of the love that Jesus had for him and he wanted to share it with everyone. Not just those who were nice and polite but also to those who took advantage and abused him. He truly lived the message of yesterday’s blog. He loved God and he loved others. He was a man with a message.

I imagine that Stephen, the first Christian martyr, was a man like this. He was chosen by the apostles to serve the new converts, especially the widows, along with six other men. This way the apostles could continue in prayer and the study of the Scriptures each day.

“The whole group liked the idea. So they chose these seven men: Stephen (a man with great faith and full of the Holy Spirit), Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus (a man from Antioch who had become a Jew). 6 Then they put these men before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.[b

7 The word of God was reaching more and more people. The group of followers in Jerusalem became larger and larger. Even a big group of Jewish priests believed and obeyed.

8 Stephen received a great blessing. God gave him power to do great wonders and miraculous signs among the people. 9 But some of the Jews there were from the synagogue of Free Men, as it was called. The group included Jews from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia, and Asia. They started arguing with Stephen. 10 But the Spirit was helping him speak with wisdom. His words were so strong that these Jews could not argue with him…13 The Jews brought some men into the meeting to tell lies about Stephen. These men said, “This man is always saying things against this holy place and against the Law of Moses. 14 We heard him say that Jesus from Nazareth will destroy this place and change what Moses told us to do.” 15 Everyone there in the council meeting was staring at Stephen. They saw that his face looked like the face of an angel…

When those in the council meeting heard this, they became very angry. They were so mad they were grinding their teeth at him. 55 But Stephen was full of the Holy Spirit. He looked up into heaven and saw the glory of God. And he saw Jesus standing at God’s right side. 56 Stephen said, “Look! I see heaven open. And I see the Son of Man standing at God’s right side.”

57 Everyone there started shouting loudly, covering their ears with their hands. Together they all ran at Stephen. 58 They took him out of the city and began throwing stones at him. The men who told lies against Stephen gave their coats to a young man named Saul. 59 As they were throwing the stones at him, Stephen was praying. He said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” 60 He fell on his knees and shouted, “Lord, don’t blame them for this sin!” These were his last words before he died.” Acts 6:7 – 7:60 ERV

I hope you will take the time to read chapters six and seven of the book of Acts. When the men brought lies to the council about Stephen, he boldly stood and preached the message of Jesus to all of them. This is what made them so angry – this is why they stoned him.

Stephen’s message made an impact on one young man standing there that day. He was holding the coats of those who were executing Stephen. The man’s name was Saul. Saul felt that he was honoring God in trying to annihilate the Christians. He had many of them arrested, imprisoned and even killed. Then he, too, have a life-changing experience when he met the Lord on the road to Damascus. His name was changed to Paul and he spent the rest of his life telling people about the love and the grace of God. He wrote over two-thirds of the New Testament emphasizing God’s grace, unmerited favor, and unconditional love.

When we have a true encounter with the love of God it will be a friendship like no other. Not only is God our father but Jesus becomes our Savior and our dearest friend. It’s only natural to tell people about our best friend – that’s what David would do as he walked from table to table.

I hope you have the opportunity to tell someone about your Friend today. The love of God is unstoppable!


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How Much Do We Owe?

Many people are working on their taxes at this time of year. Most are hoping they will get a refund; some just hope they won’t owe too much. Not sure which category you are in but I want to talk to you this morning about how much we owe.

Most people have a goal of being debt free; we don’t want to owe anyone – not the bank, the mortgage company, the credit card issuers, the Department of Education or the auto industry. But try as we might there is always debt. We’re looking at the bottom line – got to have a good profit/loss statement.

“Now Kristi, I just paid off my house last year. My cars are free and clear. I have no student debt and I pay the full balance on my credit cards every month. I don’t owe anyone, anything.”

Aww, but you do. We all do!

“Give everyone what you owe them. If you owe them any kind of tax, then pay it. Show respect to those you should respect. And show honor to those you should honor.

8 You should owe nothing to anyone, except that you will always owe love to each other. The person who loves others has done all that the law commands. 9 The law says, “You must not commit adultery, you must not murder anyone, you must not steal, you must not want what belongs to someone else.” All these commands and all other commands are really only one rule: “Love your neighbor the same as you love yourself.” 10 Love doesn’t hurt others. So loving is the same as obeying all the law.” Romans 13:7-10 ERV

We owe a debt of love!

First and foremost we owe that debt to our heavenly Father and to Jesus Christ, our Savior. Jesus told a lawyer who was trying to entrap Him that the greatest commandment was to love the Lord our God. (Lawyers haven’t changed much in the last 2000 years, have they?)

We owe this debt of love because He first loved us. That’s pretty basic. God loved us so much that He wanted to us be a part of His family. He wanted to adopt us and make us His own. But there was a price to be paid. It would cost Him the life of His Son, Jesus.

Imagine this – God was willing to pay the price, as high as it was, because He wanted to bring us into His family! Yes, I would say we owe Him a debt of love.

“We love because God loved us first. 20 But if we say we love God and don’t love each other, we are liars. We cannot see God. So how can we love God, if we don’t love the people we can see? 21 The commandment that God has given us is: “Love God and love each other!” I John 4:19-21 CEV

“We use our tongues to praise our Lord and Father, but then we curse people who were created in God’s likeness. 10 These praises and curses come from the same mouth. My brothers and sisters, this should not happen. 11 Do good water and bad water flow from the same spring? Of course not.” James 3:9-11 ERV

God has forgiven each one of us so very much. We all have multiple failings and shortcomings. We act ugly, we become self-righteous and critical. Because our Father and our God forgives us of these things He commands us to be forgiving of others! The price He paid for every individual was the same; no one is of greater or lesser value to the Father.

Let’s not be like the religious man in the story that Jesus told to some of his followers. They were dealing with the issues of self-importance and condemnation of others.

“There were some people who thought they were very good and looked down on everyone else. Jesus used this story to teach them: 10 “One time there was a Pharisee and a tax collector. One day they both went to the Temple to pray. 11 The Pharisee stood alone, away from the tax collector. When the Pharisee prayed, he said, ‘O God, I thank you that I am not as bad as other people. I am not like men who steal, cheat, or commit adultery. I thank you that I am better than this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week, and I give a tenth of everything I get!’

13 “The tax collector stood alone too. But when he prayed, he would not even look up to heaven. He felt very humble before God. He said, ‘O God, have mercy on me. I am a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, when this man finished his prayer and went home, he was right with God. But the Pharisee, who felt that he was better than others, was not right with God. People who make themselves important will be made humble. But those who make themselves humble will be made important.” Luke 18:9-14 ERV

So I will ask again what I asked at the beginning. How much do we owe?

Lord, let me always keep the “debt of love” forefront in my mind. Let me love others with an open heart that’s willing to forgive when wronged and not harbor any bitterness. Let me see and love others the way that You do! This is a debt that I will gladly pay.

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Proper Input

Last winter while I was working on my book, The Best Gifts of Christmas, I had a time of keyboarding that reminded me how important it was that I pay attention to what I was doing.

I had some handwritten notes and I was reading that text, inputting it word for word, or so I thought until I looked up and saw that my hands had been on the wrong keys. Seriously? I had several pages of jibberish! Absolute nonsense, not one word made any sense.

Our minds are much like the computer I am using to message with right now. They can only produce on screen or in memory what we input. Our minds can be our most valuable ally or our worst enemy, it just depends on how we use it.

God won’t force us to do things against our will. He won’t force us to accept His wonderful gift of salvation, even if it means we will eventually go to hell, and He won’t force us to accept His blessings that He is pouring out in this life either. We must willfully accept all of His provisions for them to work in our lives.

It becomes our responsibility to input the correct information. We move our minds from an adversary to an ally by what we consider. We can think on things that can make us angry and bring fear or we can focus on God’s promises and be filled with peace and joy.

“So I beg you, brothers and sisters, because of the great mercy God has shown us, offer your lives as a living sacrifice to him—an offering that is only for God and pleasing to him. Considering what he has done, it is only right that you should worship him in this way. 2 Don’t change yourselves to be like the people of this world, but let God change you inside with a new way of thinking. Then you will be able to understand and accept what God wants for you. You will be able to know what is good and pleasing to him and what is perfect.” Romans 12:1-2 ERV

The Apostle Paul instructs us to give ourselves over to the Lord and He will change us from the inside out. By changing our input and our minds will be renewed.

We should be considering what life will be like in heaven and all that Jesus did to provide this for us – if that’s our focus, we won’t have time to be “considering” thoughts that are contrary to God’s way of thinking.

“You were raised from death with Christ. So live for what is in heaven, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Think only about what is up there, not what is here on earth. 3 Your old self has died, and your new life is kept with Christ in God. 4 Yes, Christ is now your life, and when he comes again, you will share in his glory.” Colossians 3:1-4 ERV

It’s imperative that we guard our minds more than we guard our wallets. The damage caused by wrong thinking is more detrimental than loosing our cash. In fact, it’s very similar to spiritual identity theft. Thinking like the world thinks will keep us from realizing all the wonderful blessings that God has provided.

“We live in this world, but we don’t fight our battles in the same way the world does. 4 The weapons we use are not human ones. Our weapons have power from God and can destroy the enemy’s strong places. We destroy people’s arguments, 5 and we tear down every proud idea that raises itself against the knowledge of God. We also capture every thought and make it give up and obey Christ.” II Corinthians 10:3-5 ERV

Counteract the world’s influence today and live with the proper input.

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” II Timothy 1:7

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