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Apr

30

Got thanks?

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Thanks. A simple one-syllable word. It’s expressed when someone does something pleasing and when credit is due. It’s not hard to say, and while only a word, it’s meaning encompasses so much. When we thank people, we’re expressing not only our appreciation but also our heart’s gratitude.

If there’s one entity in the world that deserves our utmost thanks, appreciation, and gratitude, it’s our blessed Creator. When things go swimmingly for us, it’s easy to express our thanks. When God chastens or chastises us or allows something to occur that is not of our choice, the thanking may grow quiet.

Some would say they cannot thank God for the storms in their lives. However, if God allows “all things to work together for good to those who love him and who are called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28), then he is there in the midst of the storms and allows them for a purpose. Out of love for us, God works in ways that are beyond our comprehension. We can thank him for being in control of the storm and for sustaining us while in it.

There have been scientific studies, including one from Harvard, indicating that giving thanks and having gratitude lends positively to human lives. As Christians, we already know this. Giving thanks is rewarding not only to the recipient but also to the giver.

In everything, give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Apr

23

He reigns

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If there is anything we can be assured of, it’s that God is real and not fiction. He’s alive and always was. His reign knows no beginning nor end. In our finite minds, it’s impossible to capture the awesomeness of the nature of God, for how can our limited minds fully understand the complexity of an infinite God?

Everything he’s made has an order to it—whether small or large. The atoms that make up matter…the path of the earth as it revolves around the sun…the natural design of a man and a woman—all are governed by his superior creative intelligence.

God’s works are immeasurably beyond awesome. Whether in the heavens or on earth, in the quiet of a starry sky, or the melodies of a tiny song sparrow, he is not so far removed from his design as some would believe. No, he’s closer than that. In the sunlight of the early dawn bursting on the horizon or the sharp peels of thunder, his power and presence are all too real. His creation is beyond inspiring.

The next time you take notice of the newly sprouted trees and flowers in your backyard or along the roadways and hillsides, consider how the lilies of the field grow…yet not even King Solomon in all of his glory had ever been clothed so well as these.

We serve an awesome God!

The heavens declare the glory of God and the sky above proclaims his handiwork ~ Psalm 19:1

Apr

17

A time for everything…

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The wise words of Solomon in the third chapter of the book of Ecclesiastes are:

To everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under the heaven… A time to be born and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to uproot; a time to kill and a time to heal; a time to tear down and a time to build; a time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance; a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them…

Through God’s grace, we are given time on this earth. Rather than cutting off life at the first sin of Adam and Eve, he graciously extended his hand to take care of them even outside the Garden where they’d been banished. Despite their rejecting God’s simple command to not eat of the fruit, God continued his care for the two sinners and allowed them time to live.

Generations later, God is still on the throne. For those who’ve come to know him personally—the days, weeks, months, and years he’s allotted—we now understand are given to us to do his will. Our time is lent to prioritize and utilize constructively, remembering always the days are fleeting, and what’s not done to glorify him is time wasted.

While we know our days are numbered here on earth, in the time given to each of us, may we always say as with the Psalmist, “This is the day that the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it” ~ Psalm118:24.

Apr

11

He has risen! Yes, indeed!

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What Jesus endured while on the earth is incredibly stirring because what he suffered on that cruel Roman cross should have been the fate of every one of us. Pierced, bruised, and crushed—an innocent lamb led to slaughter.

The compassion of God is truly greater than anything we’ll ever know. The more we dwell upon the flogging…the stripes upon his back…the nails in his hands…and the crown of thorns on his head, along with all of the mental grief and anguish of being briefly separated from his Father, the more we can appreciate the magnitude of what Jesus endured. Within the selfless act of dying for all of mankind, he also said, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do” ~ Luke 23:34.

It’s a case for us as human beings to sometimes neglect to forgive someone over an infraction we may have endured—a cross word or a misunderstanding. Maybe we bury the pain and ignore the situation, or perhaps forgive only when it suits us. But Jesus looked beyond the scope of what suited him and fulfilled his Father’s command to die, insufferably. All for you and me.

The greater meaning of it all, we’ll understand in heaven, but for now, we can rest in the truth of God’s word that these things were designed from the beginning for good. The prophet Isaiah tells us:  By His stripes we are healed.

We take medicine for our physical ailments, but the only medicine to cure our sinful souls is the blood of the perfect lamb.

Apr

02

His triumphal entry

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On his way down from the Mount of Olives into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, Jesus rode on the back of a donkey. He chose this docile creature rather than a gallant horse because his purpose was not one of a warrior’s grand entrance into battle. No, our humble Lord strode on the back of a gentle beast of burden so as to come in humbly. No pomp and circumstance. No, this was not the time for his coronation—not yet, anyway. Some wondered just who he was among those who waved their palms in the hopes of being liberated that day. But Jesus had other plans—for now.

At seeing the people, Jesus was disheartened to the point of tears because he knew their fate…the imminent suffering that would soon befall the city at the hands of the Romans. While some were excited and shouted, “Hosanna to God in the highest, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord”; others were not so pleased…namely, the chief priests and Pharisees.

This day was among the last before his crucifixion. Sadly, even the apostles didn’t quite understand the prophecies that were being fulfilled and that this was not an earthy victory march but a heavenly one. Most everyone there did not understand that Jesus was preparing to die for them.

The Lord’s victory march is still to come. Then all will see that he is, indeed, victorious. This will come later when he comes back to earth to receive his own and dwell with us throughout eternity. What an exciting day that will be! Maranatha, Lord.

 

Mar

26

His perfect peace

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Are we consumed by personal struggles and troubles of the day when we try to sleep at night? Or do we let them fester so to rob ourselves of much needed rest? Do we search for peace and comfort in substances, food, or drink to assuage the unrest within? Or do we feast on his word?

The world’s offerings of relief from the cares and burdens are available to us, but they are only a temporary crutch. They don’t solve the problems. There is a better way. For the children of God, the ones Christ calls his brethren, our Lord supplies us with real peace—not as the world gives—and it totally surpasses our understanding of how it works, but it does!

The world is a battlefield for control of our minds. The combat skirmishes will always be there until we’re promoted to heaven, but there is assurance that in Him, our battles are already won. Our deliverance is met in Jesus.

When struggles and trials seem bound to grab our soul and squeeze out our peace, rejoice in the Lord and count it all joy as the book of James states. Why? Because the Lord has overcome the world, and as a believer, you have the spirit of the Lord! Your trials and temptations are the chisel that conforms you to be more like Jesus. Let him do a good work in you by faithfully keeping your focus on him.

Mar

20

The gift of time

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 The Lord lends to all of us a measure of time while on the earth. It’s a precious gift. As stewards of our time, it’s our choice in how we use it. With our gift of a pre-determined number of days, what are we to do with them?

With the 86,400 seconds in each day, the way we prioritize those moments is important to getting the best out of life. We can be distracted with the unimportant, or we can live each day as though it were our last.

“Teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom” ~ Psalm 90:12

Our time is a God-given gift, and with it we can choose to honor him through what we spend our time on or dishonor him. It’s our choice. For the saved, we’ve come to know that seeking his face in all we do is better than doing things on our own. Let it be our resolution to seek His kingdom rather than possessions and Godliness rather than selfishness. We may aim for the highest; but it’s so easy to fall short.

Some would define God as a great clockmaker, who set the world up and then walked away to let the clock run on its own time. But God is anything but negligent of His creation. No, he’s playing an active role in the world even though he lives outside of time.

Always remember, our days are numbered by God for a purpose. Today could be our last. Make the best use of what he has given, and keep in mind that all of his gifts to us, including our time, are through his grace alone.

Mar

14

He’s our shield and deliverer

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With the forces of good and evil always at play in the battlefield of life, it’s comforting to know we have an advocate on our side. It’s no ordinary comrade or friend who may have our back. It’s the Alpha and the Omega, the Rock of Ages, the Name Above All Names. God is our fortress and our strength and a very present help in times of trouble.

The roads we travel aren’t always smooth, and the rough spots can lead us astray as we navigate our way around life. But God’s word tells us that for those who love him and who are called according to his purpose, everything  will work together for good. He has a plan and purpose for everything. Not everything is good, but…

“All things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose” ~ Romans 8:28.

The Almighty God and Creator of the universe wants to have a personal one-on-one with each of us. He wants to be our shield and deliverer. What better way to go than to yield our lives to Him—our creator—to find the ultimate direction. Like a father, he will withhold no good thing from his children. Even above and beyond the most sophisticated GPS system, God knows the better route to go.

Though we may encounter tribulation and trials, one after the other, the wise man sees beyond the storms of life, knowing God is in the midst of every suffering and is not immune to the cares and worries of those who belong to him. His strength will shield and sustain us—always. We serve an awesome God.

Mar

05

The omnipotence of God

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Where can I go from your Spirit?  Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. ~ Psalm 139:7-10

 God is everywhere. To view creation and say that a higher being didn’t have a hand in it is like saying a book wrote itself using an alphabet as its guide. God determines the position of the moon and stars…our hearts beat at his command… he knows the number of hairs on our heads…he’s in our every breath.

Some deny the existence of God because of pain and suffering. They may attribute their struggles to a lack of godly concern or may feel abandoned by God and so now deny that he is even there. After all, how could a just God allow such travesty? But did God create the travesty? Is he to blame?

The unbelieving may not be aware that God has already touched their lives—every day. In countless ways, he’s healed, protected, and preserved them. Please, Lord, allow our unsaved friends and family to have clear eyesight to see your hand upon their lives and to see their cups as half full rather than half empty.

We understand this world will never completely satisfy. We know there can be no complete fulfillment here, but Christ did not come to do away with suffering; he came to touch our lives with his presence…to bind our wounds and make us completely whole—in him. Thank you, Jesus, for coming to earth to redeem man from sin and to lead the way to our true home forever in heaven.

How beautiful to be touched by the saving grace of Jesus.

 

Feb

27

How great is our God!

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Who can measure the greatness of God? Is there a yardstick big enough?

When Jesus came to earth the first time, he came as a peaceful. loving servant. He healed the sick and caused the blind to see. The miracles he performed drew many, but the essence of who he was became an offense to some, and so he was hung to die. Yet the greatness of Christ did not let death claim him. He had the victory because he was God!

When the actual greatness of God becomes manifest, it’s jaw dropping to fathom just how great he is…even above our imagination. That we could be so loved by him is more than great. There are no words that can truly describe our Savior.

Right now, we see merely a glimpse of his true glory. When we see him face-to-face, his greatness will be like nothing we’ve every known or could ever fathom while here on earth. Maranatha, Jesus!

Great is the Lord and abundant in power; His understanding is above measure ~ Psalm 147:5