Sep

03

Labor Day

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Cease from all labor!

Today, we celebrate the American worker’s contribution to the prosperity and the industrious work ethic that has made America an economically bountiful nation.

While Labor Day is a time to pause and reflect leisurely on life and what’s been accomplished through our daily tasks, more importantly, it’s a time to remember that the joy of our work comes at the hands of the Lord, who gives us the physical and mental strength to accomplish all we do.

Enjoy your day!

Aug

27

The lad who had a dream…

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The life of Joseph, the favored son of Jacob, could be defined by Romans 8:28: “All things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to his purpose.” In Genesis, we learn about young Joseph, whose dreams angered his ten older brothers. As his nightly visions spoke of his supremacy over them, they jealously plotted to do away with him.

In Egypt, Joseph became the servant of Potiphar, the captain of Pharaoh’s guard, and when falsely accused of misdeeds with Potiphar’s wife, he was thrown into prison. Slavery… jail time… What’s next for poor Joseph?

While locked up, Joseph interpreted dreams for his cell mates and, years later, drew the attention of Pharaoh, who summoned him to interpret his own dreams. Impressed by the interpretation of seven years of abundance, followed by seven years of famine, Pharaoh promoted Joseph to the highest office in the land directly under him.

Further in the Genesis story, we learn how Joseph eventually came face-to-face with his brothers, who came to Egypt during the famine seeking grain. They didn’t recognize him all those years later, but he knew them. Joseph’s heart seized with inward grief and he vacillated on what to do, even so much as secretly planting a silver cup in the youngest brother Benjamin’s grain sack to implicate him in stealing—as well as imprisoning the others for three days for being spies. All the while, he struggled with his emotions. When his grief waxed and eventually waned, he was convinced that his love for them would overcome all they’d done. He told them that what they had meant for evil, God had meant for good.

In the story of Joseph, we learn that we are destined for good no matter the course as we keep the love of our Lord at the forefront of our hearts and yield to him as the ultimate ruler of our lives. We’re instructed in James 1:2 to “Count it all joy…” and in 1 Thess. 5:18, “In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Aug

20

Fruit of the Vine… or just pulp?

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Fruit is especially delicious when it’s been given the proper dose of rain and sunlight. Too much rain or not enough sun, the fruit trees don’t produce as well or the growth turns out mushy or tasteless.  Apples, cherries, grapes… all have their charm. However, God’s fruit—that is, the fruit of his spirit—is even more scrumptious in that it is comprised of nine different flavors or attributes. His spirit is a delightful blend of love along with joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control—all in one fruit. This manifestation of collective attributes is what we need in order to live a complete and fruitful life in Jesus.

What’s good is that we don’t have to stress or strive to grow this fruit in our lives; it emanates from the Holy Spirit that works inside each believer as we are continually sanctified. God’s work in our lives, in combination with our yielded hearts, produces fruit that brings God the glory. Our yielding to the Father is the rain and sunlight.

By, through, and in Him, we are established to work for his good pleasure. As we remain in Him, we are promised that we’ll bear fruit that glorifies Him (John 15). In Acts 4:13, the disciples amazed the Jewish leaders by their insights despite not having any formal education. As we are steeped in Christ and abiding in his word, we have wisdom above and beyond our own capabilities to secure because the Lord is doing the increase in our lives.

When the world sees you bearing fruit for Jesus, they are now seeing the inner workings of the power of God’s grace. We may not be able to grow a fruit tree on our own, but with the Lord by our side, our lives can become a whole orchard by the time we get to Heaven.

Aug

15

Sealed with more than a kiss

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There are many spirits in the world though only one of them is holy. When Apostle Paul spoke to the Corinthians, he made a point to encourage them that the Holy Spirit is what now unites all of the believers whether Jew or Gentile. Unfortunately, the Corinthians thought that with the benefits from the power of the Holy Spirit, they would no longer have to suffer and would have an easy ride. They did not realize that God’s promises extended far beyond the day-to-day temporal existence and would be fully realized at Christ’s second coming.

What God gives to Christians is not the immediate benefit of these promises but the guarantee, or proof, of them. That guarantee is God’s Holy Spirit, who is working in the life of every Christian.  It is by the workings of the Holy Spirit that when we suffer, we lean on the power of the Lord for comfort. Suffering is there to prove God’s mercy in that we can rely on him for all of our needs.

When we sign a check or a contract, there is often nothing immediately seen; however, the law of the transaction and payment is certain. So God’s Holy Spirit proves that a person has the benefit of what God has promised.

Apostle Paul describes the Holy Spirit’s work in four ways: It establishes believers in their relationship with Christ; anoints or covers us; seals us to mark that we belong to him; and is a guarantee of God’s promises.

Aug

06

Surrendering to win

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In a world where the word surrender chafes the secular world view as one who’s not a winner or who lazily gives in to the enemy; in God’s economy, it means quite the opposite. Surrendering to the Lord is an act of the mind where we let go of ourselves and yield to the Almighty. It’s putting our faith and trust in Him alone and obeying what we know is right to do through his Word and the prompting of the Holy Spirit.

The world tells us we’re crazy or not using our heads when we put all of our faith into something we cannot see. While they struggle to be strong in their own flesh… we, as children of God, choose not to take over for the Lord but to let him have complete reign—of our hearts and minds as we serve out our days on earth.

The most telling example of surrender is Jesus, himself, who on the night before his crucifixion, prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane… “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.” Luke 22:42.

The word of God tells us to worship the Lord “in spirit and in truth” – John 4:24. May our hearts and minds be surrendered as we recognize the truth about who He is and give Him the honor, glory, and devotion He deserves.