We Make It Harder Than It Has To Be (Part 2)

Jesus said that it is harder for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven than it is for a camel to walk through the eye of a needle! (Matthew 19:24) Wow! Jesus was pretty clear on this concept. This tells me that the love of money and things and power will keep you from truly experiencing the fullness and wholeness of the love of God that he freely gives!

Why allow yourself to love money and things more than truly experiencing love from a Living God who actively pursues us with His grace and mercy? David says that no matter where you go in life, God is there and if He is not, He can see you and know your heart. (Psalm 139).

It is not hard to become a Christian, but if your heart is not willing to accept Him, you will suffer the trials of this dark world in the worst way, without His help and guidance. You cannot have both this dark world and the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy… (Romans 14:17).

And once you have Jesus, He has promised to send you the Comforter, that is the Spirit of God to guide you. As Christians we are in the world, but not apart of it. But you have to accept Jesus into your heart

Jesus said that in this world you will have trouble. (John 16:33) He goes on to say that He has overcome the world. Why not put your trust in the One who has already overcome this troubled world?

Thought
What must I do to be saved?
Ask God to reveal Himself to you in a real way. Pray this prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I am a sinner. Please forgive me of my sins and be Lord of my life. Show me the way, the truth, and the life. Help me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Prayer
Dear God, Put a sense of urgency in the hearts of all who read this blog and are not already saved that they might come to understand how important it is to call upon your name, Lord Jesus, and be saved.

Read
St. John, Acts 2:21, Romans 10:9-13, Ephesians 2:1-10

Song in my Head
‘Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness. And all these things shall be added unto you. Allelu, Alleluia!’

It’s Not That Difficult!

Some people have the idea that becoming a Christian is difficult.

What does it mean to be a Christian?

It means following Jesus Christ the Son of the Living God. It means that you have made a decision to live your life with God’s will in mind. You accept in your heart that Jesus died a terrible death for you out of love. And that He arose from death after three days as a conqueror over our sins, and over all evil! To be a Christian, you must confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord of your life and accept His love for you and His path for your life.

It is a life changing experience! All of the worldy things that weigh you down, addictions, hatred, bitterness, etc. Such sins that are heartbreaking to the heart of God are washed away. With Jesus, all things are become new. You will be a new creation in God’s kingdom!

Jesus said it: to enter into the kingdom of heaven you must have faith like a little child. Trust only Him. (Matthew 18).

The apostle Paul wrote that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and declare that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved, (Romans 10:9).

Why Jesus? Most everyone on the earth can see that we live in a broken world. God was moved with compassion and sent His only Son Jesus, the ultimate sacrifice to pay the cost for our sins.

Jesus‘ time spent here on earth, being fully human and fully Divine, was a historical and ground breaking event. The world has not been the same since! He not only died a terrible death: the worst form of capitol punishment ever inflicted on an innocent person. He regained territory in Hell by taking back the keys to death, Hell and the grave away from Satan. And on the third day, after His seeming defeat He arose from the grave victorious so that he might sit at the right hand of God the Father.

Now we may boldly approach the Throne of God the Father with Jesus as our mediator! Such grace and mercy poured out onto a broken world!

Over 500 people witnessed Jesus walking about the earth after he was supposed to be dead! It is written down in history. No one can say that Jesus never existed!

He is historical, He is a prophet, He is a teacher, He is mission-minded, He inspired the writer’s of the four gospels (Matthew, Mark Luke and John), He fulfilled prophecy (Isaiah 53), He is the Messiah! But most importantly He is the Son of the Living God and He did it all in love for you, for me, for all of us.

It’s not all that difficult to understand that a God who loves so deeply the people that He has created wants so terribly to have a relationship even to the extreme of sacrificing His only Son, Jesus.

The problem with the world today is that people do not understand such pure unconditional love from a living God through His only Son. Most feel inadequate for receiving such love. The love and forgiveness of Jesus is free. In child-like faith will you accept the love of Jesus today?

Thought
Accepting Jesus is only difficult if you have already chosen to reject Him.

Prayer
Dear Lord, Jesus I declare you as Lord of my life! Please forgive me of all my sins today. I believe that you are the Son of God and that He raised you from the dead. Thank you for saving me, please make me whole in you and show me the way of truth, life, righteousness, peace and joy! In Jesus’ name, Amen!

Read
The Gospel of St. John

Song in my Head
‘Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. And all these things shall be added unto you, Allelu-Alleluia!’ -children’s Bible song

Lord, I Want to Say "Thank You!"

In Pixar’s hit movie The Incredible’s there is a scene with Elastigirl jumping from a plane with two of her children. They had been under attack from the enemy and had no choice but to jump. Elastigirl's first instinct is to protect her children. She has a gift for being extremely flexible so she spreads herself like a sheet and becomes a human parachute. She and her children safely land in the water below and swim to shore.

This is an odd movie scene to remember, but it speaks volumes about a Mother’s love and instincts. How much more does God love us and instictively know how to protect us? He is all-knowing, all-powerful! Think about it. How many quick prayers do you breathe every day? Imagine all the prayers going up to God right now:

Lord, please help me to get to work on time… Dear God, please don’t let there be traffic today. Please let me get an “A” on my test… Oh my God! Help me through this meeting! Dear God, please let my daughter be standing in front of the school when I pick her up today… God? I know I don’t talk to you much, but could you please let the team win tonight? …And God if you’re not too busy, let us win that trophy? Please let it be sunny today, God! Dear God please let it be windy enough today so that I can go out in my boat…. Dear God, I hate the heat! Please let it be cold tomorrow! Dear God, we come before you today asking that you would bless the food that we are about to partake…. God please let me have green lights all the way home! Please let there be hot water for me to wash with… Please take care of my dog while I am gone today… Dear Lord Jesus, please help me when I speak at the convention tonight. Give me the words to say… God please help the gas in my car to last longer this time! …Oh God, help me to find my keys!…Please let me be the first in line for the movie tonight, God...Please let there be money in my account today...

It may seem that many of these are silly prayers. However, God cares enough to answer them all. He is very interested and attentive to us. (Matthew 6).How many prayers have you whispered to God today? The Bible tells us to pray without ceasing. (I Thessalonians 5).

But when He answers, do you remember to go back and say “thank you for answering my prayers, Lord!”? We’ve all done it. I sure have forgotten to go back and say thank you, but then I get my feathers all in a bunch when someone doesn’t thank me! LOL! Like when you’re driving and you give someone a break in traffic and they just take it without giving you the thank you wave or mouthing the words “thanks!”

How much more important is it for us to remember to go back and thank God for saving us, protecting us, healing us, watching over us as we sleep, waking us up in good health, and so much more? How you pray reflects how much you know about God. But one cannot know God without spending time and praying to Him and worshiping Him!

Questions
When was the last time you took time to just thank and praise God for all that He has done and is doing in your life? Are you grateful to Him?


Prayer
Dear God, help us to be more aware of all the things that you are doing for us and through us in our lives! But most of all help us to never take You for granted. Thank you so much, Lord God for Your love and for lavishing love on us when we least deserve it! In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Read
Psalm 9:1-2, Psalm 51:15, Psalm 103:1-2, Ephesians 5:19, Colossians 3:16, I Thessalonians 5

Song in my Head
‘Thank you for the cross, Lord! Thank you for the price you paid! Bearing all my sin and shame in love you came and gave amazing grace! Thank you for this life, Lord, that you for the nail pierced hands! Wash me in your cleansing flow. Now, all I know is your forgiveness and embrace! Worthy is the Lamb seated on the throne!’ -Darlene Zschech

Are You Getting Ready?

Have you ever tried to do something important that took time to achieve? It is human nature to desire success. For example, if you are a student in school you know how hard it is to get the “A+” in every class. It takes hard work, preparation, time in the library, time in study groups, money, prioritizing your time, buying books, reading the books, taking notes, going to class, going to class on time, and a ton of effort.

Not sure if this blog will make sense to anyone, but it’s on my heart: Time to get ready for work in God's kingdom. Think of all the people in the Bible who had to get ready: Moses (Exodus 2-40), Elisha (1 Kings 19-2 Kings 13), Joseph (Genesis 37-45), just to name a few who had to wait a long time in preparation for their callings.

Getting ready takes time. Sometimes you have to go back and fix something so that the big picture can function as a unified whole. Sometimes you have to be tested and tried for endurance before the race. If you are ill prepared, it may not show right now, but it sure will come out later. for example, you might be able to slide by in school by “bluffing” or “cheating”, but the truth is that one day it will matter. It matters to God. What will you say to God about the "A+" you received because you cheated?

I often think about Joseph in the Bible and how he was in prison for a long time for something he did not do. But it was during that time that God blessed him. He became a man of God while down in that prison. However, Joseph remained faithful to God. He probably had a lot of time to fast and pray which made him ready mentally and spiritually for the next level in his walk with God. Is it possible that Joseph would have made a good advisor to the Pharaoh if he had not first gone through all those struggles in Prison and the many setbacks that life threw at him? I doubt it. God rewarded Joseph for his faithfulness and steadfast devotion to the one true and Living God.

Are you getting ready for something that God has for you to do in His kingdom? And when the time comes for you to run that race, or take that test. You will be able to say that you did everything possible to be prepared.

As a young musician, I took private music lessons. A very wise music teacher once told me: “Don’t just practice the first bassoon part! Practice the second bassoon part and the third bassoon part and the contrabassoon part! Be ready!” You never know how being over-prepared can lead to promotion. And how being underprepared can lead to shame, even demotion.

The Bible says in 2 Timothy 2:15:
‘Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth.’ (AMP)

Being ready means that you can be used by God in any capacity whenever and however He so chooses. Are you ready to get ready? God is always ready for you.

Questions
What are you needing to get ready for today? Are you getting impatient?

Prayer
Dear Lord, help us to be ready to do your will at any time whenever and however You might need us. Let us prepare ourselves in patience and grace before You for work in Your kingdom. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Read about Joseph in Genesis Chapters 37-45 (NIV)
Also check out 2 Timothy 4:1-2, Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (NIV)

Song in my Head
Open the eyes of my heart, Lord. I want to see You. To see You high and lifted up shining in the light of Your glory! Pour out You power and love…’ -M.W. Smith

Wait On the Lord

I’ve been thinking about this particular blog idea for several weeks. The idea of waiting for something can be overwhelming for a lot of people. It’s like when you’re at the DMV waiting, and waiting, and waiting playing that weird Bingo game wishing your number was up. Do you pack a lunch and take a book with you to the DMV? I certainly do, LOL! Or when you go to the doctor and the whole office is behind schedule because one person was late and now everyone in the waiting room has to wait. But this is how life is sometimes. You grow up, you learn to wait. And if you never learn how to wait, you end up looking childish over and over again.

Gotta pass this test otherwise, I’ll have to take it again. Gotta learn how to wait on the Lord.

I saw a t-shirt advertising the movie Forrest Gump one time and it said: “Gump happens.” Sometimes, life happens, but it is in these moments of waiting that our character is truly seen. Like gold in the fire, once purified, it stops jumping and popping and all of the impurities are burned away.

The thing about being a child of God’s kingdom is that you must learn certain things in order to grow. One of those difficult lessons is learning how to wait properly on the Lord.

Wait quietly, seek God’s face, study His Word, memorize His Word, sing worship songs to encourage yourself, encourage others to wait for the things of God right alongside you. Talk to people who’ve waited on the Lord and have seen His promises fulfilled in their lives. But most of all, while you wait put your hands to good use in the Lord’s work.

Learn to wait well and the Lord will honor your waiting. Wait, wait well, warrior!

Questions For Reflection
How well do you wait? Are you waiting on the fulfillment of God’s promise today?

Prayer
Dear Lord, Help us to wait on You and to be strengthened as we wait. Make us ready so that when the time is right for the fulfillment of Your promises in Your Holy Word, we will be fully immersed in Your will. Let us not look to the right or to the left, but always to You, Lord. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Read
Some of God’s promises to those who wait: Isaiah 40: 28-31, Psalm 37:9, Psalm 27:14

Song in My Head
‘Wait, wait, wait on the Lord and you’ll see that He will always keep His Word! You must just trust in Him don’t be dismayed…’ D. McClurkin and Karen Clark Sheard

Where's Jesus?

Objects in mirror are closer than they appear. Remember that one? LOL, an odd warning written on the side mirrors of every car. An odd warning to reflect upon.

Did you know that Jesus is closer than He sometimes appears?

The colorful children’s books entitled “Where’s Waldo?” by Martin Hanford, are always fun to read. Finding the elusive Waldo in a sea of people and distractions for some reason was so rewarding. I felt as if I had accomplished something. But it was followed by a sense of awe because Waldo was right there the whole time wearing a bright red and white stripped shirt a funny hat and blue jeans! Right there in the most obvious place!

I am using Waldo as a simple illustration to help my point here. Sometimes, it may seem this way when we look for Jesus in all the wrong places. The difference between Jesus and Waldo are obvious. It is ridiculous to compare Jesus the Son of the Living God with little Waldo, but let's get down to the basics anyway:

1. Jesus will not wait for you to find Him. If you take one step towards finding Jesus, Jesus will take two steps, three steps, or even five steps towards you for your every one step of faith towards Him!

2. Once You find Jesus you will need to continue to follow Him. Those who follow Jesus and declare Him Lord of their life will be saved. If you look for Jesus the way you might look for Waldo, the reward is far greater with Jesus!

3. Jesus is the Son of God fully human and fully Divine. Waldo’s…well, totally none of that just a character in a children‘s book!
But once we find Jesus, and read His words in the Bible, we can thank Him for a greater vision of hope and faith and of a life filled with purpose.

Don’t be fooled by imposters! There is only one Jesus! There is only one way to heaven and that is through Jesus Christ the Son of the Living God!

Can’t find Him yet? Pray a simple prayer to Him and ask Him to help you to at least see His footsteps. If you go where Jesus has gone you will find Jesus. Start with His Words in the Gospel of St. John chapter 1, find a place of worship/a church to visit, seek out some of His followers who will pray with you and encourage you.

Questions for Reflection
Are you asking “where’s Jesus” in the middle of a cruel world? Are you looking for Jesus with all of your heart? Do you really want to find Him?

Prayer of Faith
Dear Lord, thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I acknowledge that I am a sinner and that I need your forgiveness. I want to declare You as Lord of my life today! Please, help me to follow in your footsteps from now on and to be all that You are calling me to be! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Read
John 1:1-50, John 3:16-17 NIV

Song in my Head
‘Jesus we enthrone You. We proclaim You our King. Standing here in the midst of us, we raise You up with our praise. And as we worship, build a throne. Come Lord Jesus and take Your place!’ -Don Moen

Love From A Living God

Have you ever considered how much God loves you? Do you live like God loves you? Have you studied God’s Word and realized how much God loves and cares for you? How do I know that God loves you? Because he sent His Son Jesus to die a painful and undeserving death on the cross for us. His blood was shed to cover all of our sins. And Jesus, after He died, arose from the dead in victory over the enemy, satan. Now, because of Jesus we can boldly approach the throne of grace and make our petitions known before God. God’s love is so deep and never ending!

I have had the best summer ever in terms of realizing how much God really loves me! Amazing. It is absolutely amazing that after more than 30 years, I still had little if any fathomable idea! In fact, I’m just learning. I hope this blog inspires you to live more like God loves you too!

The truth is, life happens. Yes, bad things happen to good people, but bad things happen to bad people too. If you really understand the love of God, all those things you are going through become possible through the Christ of Calvary who strengthens me/us. (Philippians 4:13). In the end, God will have the final say. Those who live by His Word, love Him and do His will, will be rewarded. And those who choose to live their lives for personal gain will not go unnoticed in God’s eyes.

If you really believe that God loves you, wouldn’t you want to experience God’s love to the fullest? And wouldn’t you want to share it with someone else? Wouldn’t you smile more? Laugh more? Perhaps even you wouldn’t take yourself so seriously all the time? If you had even the smallest idea of how much God loves you, you would live a life of faith and child-like trust in the Living God.

Knowing that God loves you does not mean that you test God’s favor upon your life. Respect the power of the Lord. Living like God loves you means that you live with a purpose in God’s kingdom! Don’t know your purpose yet? Ask God to show you beyond any and all shadow of doubt what His purpose for your life is in His kingdom. Live responsibly, pay your bills, be at work on time, do your work well, be nice to people even when it hurts, pay your tithes, take care of your health, spend lots of quality time with your family. Go to church, invite someone to church with you, laugh often, make someone laugh on purpose, live a godly life of praise and worship, learn to forgive and let go. Help the poor and needy. Do some random act of kindness for someone, and when it comes back to you, pay it forward, as they say.

Psalm 37:4 says that for those who take delight in the Lord, He will give them the desires of their hearts. Jesus said to love the Lord your God with all of your heart. (Matthew 22:37).

I am not going to pretend that I know it all, but this much I have learned in over 30 years. Now, if I may borrow a tag line...as Dr. Laura might say, (whom I’ve already forgiven, btw):
“Now, go do the right thing!"

But most of all, accept God's love for you and live a life of victory!

Questions
When was the last time you really felt or believed that God loved you? How do you perceive God’s love for you?

Personal Prayer
Dear God, help me to realize how much you love us and care for me. To know in faith that your love for me is so grat that it cannot be measured! Teach me to trust in You with child-like faith, and please help my unbelief. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

Read
Psalm 37, Matthew 22

Song in My Head
‘Who is this King of Glory? That pursues me with His love?…My conscience are reminded of forgiveness given me…Who is this King of angels? O, blessed Prince of Peace!’- Third Day

A Real Simple Prayer

'Real simple prayer: all I need is a touch from You. No one else Lord, can do the things You do. Take the wrong in my life and make it right...' -Brian Courtney Wilson

"Lord, teach me how to pray." This is a real simple prayer that everyone should desire to pray. I pray this prayer often. I am not claiming to be an expert on prayer, but I have learned the hard way that in every situation it is so very important to seek God’s will. It is absolutely amazing at how much God cares for each of us. I am always intrigued by how much God wants to be involved in my life, how much interest He has in every little detail!

The word “immersed” seems to be the word of the season for me right now. To be immersed in the power of God. To be immersed in the Spirit of God. To be immersed in His perfect and holy will and way. To be immersed in His thoughts and the things on His heart. To be immersed in His Word.

If you would not ask the Lord God for His will concerning a penny, then chances are you might not seek His will concerning a thousand dollars. How often do you pray? What do you pray about? Do you think of God as a magical genie who will pop out upon your every command mysteriously granting your every wish, perhaps even up to three a day? Does God seem too complicated for meager humankind? Is He to you a God who is no longer interested in His creations? Or maybe you see God as this big guy with a long gray beard who is too grumpy to care about you. Are you dodging lighting bolts? Running from dark clouds overhead? Do you pray out of superstition? Do you feel too sinful to pray?

Prayer is designed to keep us connected with our maker and Creator: God the Father. Prayer enables us to have a relationship with Him. Of course, God knows what we need before we ask. God longs for a relationship with each of us, one on one. Jesus said that we should ask/pray anyway. (Matthew 7:7) The worst you can do is not pray since, Jesus has already paid the price making it easier for us to approach God’s throne. And believe me, His throne is filled with grace and mercy!

A great prayer to pray and the best model for learning how to pray is the Lord’s Prayer. The disciples asked Jesus: Lord, teach us how to pray. Jesus gave them the Lord’s prayer: (Matthew 6, NLT)

“Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.
May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.”

King David in the Bible, was not only a king over all of Israel, but he was known for being a man after God’s own heart. He was quite the prayer warrior! Many of his prayers can be found in the book of Psalms. David prayed all the time, he even fasted and prayed throughout his reign over Israel. When he became aware of his sins, he repented from his heart and worked hard to live a life pleasing in God‘s eyes. Some of my favorite prayers by King David are found in Psalms 8, 27, 37, 51, 136 and 139. Some of my favorite prayers found in the book of Psalms that are not written by King David include: Psalm 42, 46, 73, 77, 90 and 91.

Some people may think it unnecessary to pray since God already knows everything about us. The truth is that prayer brings us closer to God, gives us nourishment for our souls and strengthens us for the day. Sometimes, it is the praying that increases our faith not the type of prayer. A real simple prayer can oftentimes be the best prayer you will ever pray.

Questions
Are you struggling with what to say to God? Does the thought of praying overwhelm you?

A Real Simple Prayer
Lord, as we learn to pray, teach us to pray with all of our hearts. Give us your heart, your vision, your wisdom in all things. In Jesus’s name, amen.

Read
Matthew 6, Psalm 51

Song in my Head
‘what if His people prayed? And those who bear his name would humbly seek His face and turn from their own ways?’ -casting crowns

The Living God

This devoblog may come across as a big joke to some. For others it may seem harsh. After being convicted for not posting this when I should have, this word I have found to be for myself as well. As you read, pray about it. It could be for you or maybe it‘s for the sleepy insomniac stranger who reads blogs late at night in search of something that will fill the emptiness and silence.

there's a voice that cries out in the silence!

It’s time to grow up. Children eat food that is prepared, mashed and spoon-fed. Now it’s time for you to eat meat and bread. Even learn how to cook. Get up now! Stop sitting in your seat and complaining about the ways of the world and how bad things are. Get up! Get up! Get up and do something about it yourself. Stop saying: “Why won’t God send someone to do it? Why won’t God take care of it? Doesn’t God care?”

Perhaps, God gave the burden to you along time ago and He has been waiting on you for years to take a stand. Why are you collecting dust in your easy chair? As old as you are eating baby food? The time is now or never.

How long will you test the favor of the Lord? How long do you think that the Lord’s hand will be upon you? Even now, He hesitates to remove it from your head. This is grace and mercy at your door. Get up! Kneel down! It’s your last chance. Respect the power of the Lord.

bow down, let go of your idols. He wants it all today, He wants it all today

You who are older sit and complain about things that are not done properly. When the Lord sends someone to do it you complain about who is doing it especially if it happens to be a young person. And you wonder why, why, why the young people have no desire to come to church? Why are they leaving you say? They have no words for you because you will not listen. You have been a stiff-necked people. Have you not read in the book of Joel?

The prophet Joel said in Joel 2:28-29
‘…I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.’

there's a GOD that walks over the earth

This anointing has fallen. Young people around the world have risen up as a great army quietly preparing for battle in the Lord. The anointing could be upon you too if only you would stop and take a look at your own self. Go to your knees before the Lord and do a re-assessment, humble yourself in the sight of the Lord. Stop your loud prayings and public displays of vain words that fall harshly on the Lord’s ears. Get alone with God. Lay your life back on the altar. This time, don’t crawl off. Be a living sacrifice unto the Living God.

more of you, more of you He wants it all today!

To you who are younger: to young men all I can say is pull up your pants, tuck in your shirts, get a belt, get a job, save your money. Learn how to love in the Lord read and study I Corinthians 13 until you understand it. To young women, I say only this: read Proverbs 31:10-31. Study it, learn it, understand it and live it.

there's a voice that cries out in the silence!

Jesus quoted Isaiah saying: “’The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.’" Luke 4:18-19 This is for us too, he says in Mark 16:14-20 that we are to proclaim the gospel to all people.

serve me, serve me with your life now! He wants it all today!

Now, in the Spirit of the one and true Living God, go do the right thing!

Questions
Is God asking you to do something outside of your comfort zone? What is holding you back?

Prayer
Lord, help us to grow up! Even if we are afraid of change, help us to make the necessary changes. Help our faith to grow and our vision to increase! In Jesus’s Name, Amen

Read
Proverbs 31:10-31, 2 Timothy 2:15, I Corinthians 13, Mark 16, Luke 4:18-19, Joel 2:28-29

Song in my head:
'There's a voice that cries out in the silence. Searching for a heart that is desperate. Longing for a child who will give Him their all. Give your all, He wants it all. There's a God who walks over the earth longing for a child, a heart that is desperate.. He said love me, love me with you whole heart.' -Forever Jones

Respect the Power of the Lord

I found a really bad movie about a man of God who made a deal with the devil over money. Occasionally, I watch movies online via netflix. I say this was a bad movie because it was poorly done and the picture was bad, LOL. However, the message of the movie still resonates with me.

At a crucial moment in the movie, the man of God was visited by an old friend who reminded him that he need to “respect the power of the Lord.” These words landed in my heart and have stayed. You should never test the Lord’s favor on your life.

“Respect the power of the Lord.”

There is no movie out there that can portray or out-do the power of God! If you think for one second that God is too busy for you, not strong enough to help you fight your battles, or uninterested, you are wrong. God is very interested in you, your life, and He wants to bless you. Sometimes He needs to heal you before He can bless you. Sometimes he needs to teach you some things about his word and from his word before he can bless you.

“Respect the power of the Lord.”

If only we all could see exactly how God takes good care of us! Every hair on our heads, every step we take does not go without God’s notice. Even when we are not in his will or way, He is taking care of us. God’s favor is on you today. How will you show respect for the power of the Lord? Will you avoid God at all costs and test his favor on your life? Will you take time to get to know him and see what his will is for your life? Maybe this is a step of faith for you, or maybe you need to stand still and listen for his voice.

“Respect the power of the Lord.”

Have you seen those super cool moves like The Matrix, or in any action film featuring super heroes? God is far better than that! He is far more powerful and is far greater and has been since forever! His weapons against the enemy, satan are better. It is a blessed adventure following the Lord! Be ready, be prayed up, stay in the Word of God, be in the Spirit. Allow God to use you, and always remember to respect the power of the Lord. Experience his grace and mercy!

Questions
Do you have doubts about God’s power? Is your faith in God weak today?

Prayer
Lord, increase my faith in you! Help my unbelief!

Read
Psalm 36, Isaiah 53

Song in my head
'It ain't over!' -Cece Winans

The Light of Christ

not too long ago, a milk commercial on tv just really made me laugh out loud. it’s a very ridiculous commercial that is probably more entertainment than truth. two girls sip milk from a flowing river of milk in a land called mootopia. a chorus of singers is heard overhead singing: “ahhh-ahhh.”
“Excuse me, the shine from your hair is hitting me in the eye.” says the girl with flowing blonde locks.
“the shine from your hair is hitting me in the eye!” says the brunette with equally flowing locks.
“stop it!” she says to the blonde angrily.
“You stop it!” the brunette replies.
the two continue to argue, the chorus begins singing “ahhh-ahhh” again as the voiceover explains:
“just another day in mootopiah!” LOL!

sadly, a lot of non-believers might see Christians this way. sometimes we are like a bunch of overly “enlightened” people who fight and bicker about who’s the brightest or who has the best theology. i wonder about this, because at times we may seem like children left unattended by a God who is too busy. we act less like believers and more like people lost in our own blissful world. we forget that we represent a loving and merciful and patient God. we forget that we are to allow the light of Jesus to shine through us at all times. it is true that people read us, not the Bible. people watch us more than anything. they aren’t just looking at the sky to see if Jesus is really coming back. people want evidence that Jesus really was here, that He lives, and that his work is still moving forward.

we have to be careful, because we as believers are the evidence of that risen Jesus! here’s an example of how I sometimes see believers: we are all like these beautiful marbles, but unless we let the light Jesus shine through us, we are just useless shards of glass. now, imagine all these marbles scattered all over the earth shining brightly with the light of Jesus Christ! what a witness to the faith, what proof of Jesus’ work here on earth!

how do we allow the light of Jesus shine through us?
first, you must confess with your mouth that he is Lord and that God has indeed raised Him from the dead. ask forgiveness of your sins. ask Jesus to become the Lord of your life. (romans 10:9-10).
read the Word of God begin with the book of st. john and learn about the love of God for us! most people have no idea how loving God is, how forgiving He is, but we have to make that step towards Him.

why do we refer to Jesus as light? because this is how he descried himself! (john 8:12). this world is very dark and disturbing, Jesus came to bring light and eternal life.

questions
how will you represent Jesus today? will you ask God to help you focus on things that are important to His work, and let the light of Jesus shine through you?

prayer
Lord Jesus, help me to represent You today. help me to follow you so closely that others will not see me, but You shining through me! in Your name i pray, amen.

read
the book of st. john and 1 john 1:5-10

song in my head
“come close listen to the story about a love more faithful than the morning. the Father gave His only Son just to save us…we were free and made alive the day that true love died.”
-phil wickham

Regarding the Jonah Story

Some say the book of Jonah is allegory, some say it is an actual story based on a real guy’s life. Been taking it to heart lately because there’s so much that can be learned from the book of Jonah about God and how much He loves us and will actively pursue us even when we mess up or run from Him. Regardless, Jonah's story is one that I have learned from and have come to really appreciate.I encourage you to read the book of Jonah as you read this blog.

What intrigues me the most about the prophet Jonah (from the book of Jonah, in the Bible), is this: Jonah knew God’s voice. He had a relationship with God and therefore, he knew exactly what God wanted him to do with his life. When God called Jonah to Nineveh, Jonah tried to run from God’s will and calling and ended up in some pretty life-threatening situations. Finally, Jonah did what God told him to do, but with great reluctance.

Here are some pros and cons regarding Jonah’s story *:

Cons
Jonah had a temper.
Jonah was prideful.
Jonah was disobedient.
Jonah did not have compassion for others, but was self centered.
Jonah was running but he was not in a race, he was running from God.
Jonah was in a bad place mentally and spiritually since, he thought that he could run from God by jumping on a boat with some fishermen.
Jonah was unwilling to get out of his comfort zone to serve God.
Jonah experienced spiritual growth in the wrong direction!
The story of Jonah’s spiritual journey is evident by looking at where Jonah is physically:
From his home to turbulent waters to the belly of a fish to a desert place
Jonah had some unresolved personal issues with the Ninehvites that blocked his ministry and his relationship with God.
Jonah prayed one of those selfishly motivated bargaining prayers, but not until he was desperate.
Jonah prayed the right prayer, but with the wrong attitude.
Remember how bargaining is a stage of grief? Jonah was grieving for the loss of his comfort zone.
Jonah missed an obvious opportunity to witness to some fishermen who willingly acknowledged that Jonah’s God was bigger and more powerful than their gods!
The book of Jonah ends in despair and bitterness for the prophet.
The withered vine or gourd parallels Jonah’s focus on the wrong things in life and his short-lived time in ministry.
Jonah’s vision was so narrow that he missed the huge and amazingly overwhelming miracles when he sweated the small stuff. (Miracles like that one time when he survived in the belly of a fish for a few days, or that time when he didn’t drown after being thrown off a boat in the middle of a storm, or that one final time when he preached and the whole town came to repent and know God!)
Jonah did not have or seem to want God’s vision: he focused on everybody else’s sin, but vastly overlooked his own sin.

Pros
Jonah’s story is effective or noteworthy only after he uproots himself from his home Even as he ran from God we can learn from Jonah’s mistakes.
God used nature- turbulent waters and bad weather, and a beast- the big fish/whale to get Jonah’s attention! God loved Jonah and was giving him chance after chance to make it right!
Though quite reluctant, Jonah was a very effective prophet because the people repented!
The book of Jonah ends with repentance, prayer and fasting for the Ninehvites. God’s people and God’s work goes on in spite of the reluctant prophet.
I found three big miracles in the book of Jonah 2 involving his survival against nature and beast, and one regarding the repentance of the Ninehvites.
Jonah missed the one last smaller miracle: God gave him some instant shade from the desert sun. A vine grows out of nowhere, Jonah practically cursed it.

Finally, there is an important water theme in the book of Jonah that has to do with being immersed in God’s will. Jonah was immersed into turbulent waters. A small foreshadowing, if you will, of being immersed in the fountain of God’s love when Jesus died on the cross for our sins, while yet giving us the freewill to accept or reject His love. God tested Jonah, but because of his unforgiving and unwilling spirit, Jonah emerged from the turbulent waters by way of fish vomit. This is symbolic of Jonah’s rejection to being immersed in God’s will. The fact that he survived is symbolic of God’s love and mercy, but also a lesson in tough love.

Questions
Are you able to see your ministry through God’s eyes with compassion and vision for the future? What can be learned from Jonah’s ministry?

Prayer
Lord, give me the right vision for the future and help me to do your will with the right attitude and heart

Read
Jonah Chapters 1-4 NIV

Song in my head
‘For every time that you protected me when I didn’t know your name. Lord, I say: “thank you!” how you loved on me and cared for me when I didn’t return the same. Lord, I say: “thank you!” -Lisa Page Brooks

*Please note that my devotional blogs are commentaries based on biblical truths, and that I prayerfully, intend to inspire people to thirst and seek after the one and true living God!

Getting In Step With God

chances are, if you have been reading my blog, you may remember the musings in my very first blog. i jokingly stated that i will name my first daughter "vinaigerette." well, i've come up with a couple more names for my sons: "yakult" and "cocao". LOL! hmmm, why does it seem like i'm gonna be naming all of my children after random foods?

ohh, to be young again. it's like a dream my unique and wonderfully peculiar childhood.
funny what you remember about a movie that you watched over and over as a child. from disney's snow white and the seven dwarfs, the one scene that remains so vividly in my mind is where the little dwarf dopey, is wearing oversized clothes and he is trying to catch up with the other dwarves. his shoes are too big and he's skipping trying to get in step. he runs into the wall, but he gets back on track after a few seconds. very cute scene. dopey is a character somewhere between harpo marx and a kid on his first adventure in disneyland.

this scene from snow white reminds me of what it's like to follow in Jesus's footsteps. what a worthy adventure! it seems sometimes that i am chasing after God. a good thing to do. sometimes God moves too fast for me or too slow. this is my limited perception of God sometimes. the truth is, i might miss a step here and there and have to skip to catch up. either way i'm trying to catch up with Him! God's ways are pure, holy and always on time. it's me, i need to stay prayed up so that i won't miss a step. gotta stay prayed up in the Spirit always ready.

the thing about follwoing in the footsteps of Jesus is that i cannot look anywhere but at Him and where Jesus's feet have been. i cannot move unless He moves and i must place my feet exactly where he has already placed His feet. it's easy to skip ahead, look back and only see my footprints. easy, to also run into a wall like dopey the dwarf because i'm not looking directly at Jesus.

oops, where did You go, Lord? oh man, i got ahead of You there. let me go back and catch up to where You are...

i never want to miss a step with God. forever, i will be like little dopey in oversized clothes- doing God's work in ministry- chasing after God, always wanting more of Him in my life. i know that He is my protector, my heavenly Father, my source of life. without Him life is meaningless, empty, hopeless. without God life is so sad. this is why i cannot miss a step. no matter what i've gotta keep in step with God. it takes a quiet child-like trust to go where God is going.

questions
do you feel that following in Jesus's footsteps is an overwhelming task? that his footsteps are too big to fill?

food for thought
i cannot think of anyone better than Jesus's to follow!

prayer
Lord Jesus, give me the stregnth to follow in your footsteps, and if i trip and fall, please take me by the hand and set me back on the right path. bring Your words to my remeberance that i might not sin agaist you again. in Jesus's name, amen.

read
psalm 119:1-16, 1 peter 2:21

song in my head
'...God will make a way for me!' -wow gospel 2010

the day God cried

how is it possible to make God cry? God forbid that we do. but i am so sure that each one of us has done so. this is why He sent Jesus to pay the price for our sins. God is a loving God and merciful. we must learn to follow after His heart. but to imagine God crying, sad that He has bestowed on us His grace and mercy, lavished us with His love, and we have rejected him. such compassion from the Father.

here are a few things that i think will make God cry based on reading His word:

1) tell Him how you will live your life instead of listening to His purpose and plan for your life. this is a sure way to fail. (read the entire book of jonah!)

2) intentionally or subconcisously live without compassion. be heartless when you see someone suffering. (matthew 9:36, Jesus was moved by/with compassion.)

3) do not pay your tithes 10% (first fruits of money, time, work). this is connected to my point number 2 in that both are a result of selfishness. if you do not tithe, you are robbing God. of course He doesn't need the money! He is God and he is all powerful and and owns cattle on a thousand hills (psalm 50:10). in truth, the church needs it for practical reasons and so that the gospel may continue to spread around the world! (luke 20:25, Jesus said to pay your taxes, but also pay your tithes.)

4) to never tell anyone about the good news or invite them to church. it's okay for you to go to church, be filled with the Spirit, sing songs of worship, but never share the gospel message with anyone? really? this is also selfish and unwise. (proverbs 11:30, mark 16:15-20, it is wise to win souls for Jesus this is also the great commission)

5) ignore your calling. some people do this out of fear. especially fear of failure. but if you never learn about failure, you can never learn to win with dignity. it's always about growing in faith when it comes to the things that God asks us to do. if you do not know what your calling is just yet, ask God to show you and guide you. (matthew 25:14-30, Jesus gives a lesson in growing your talents.)

6) those who choose to be ignorant and not deal with their responsibilities. we gotta grow up sometime! even paul talked about this. handle your personal responsibilites and especially seek God's will in every aspect of your life. seek God's wisdom in al things. (proverbs 3:5-7, 1 Corinthians 13:1-13.)

7) being greedy. coveting is a no-no on the ten commandments! learn to be content. (exodus 20, proverbs 21:25-26, 1 Timothy 6:6.)

8) worshiping idols. with all the gagets we are accustomed to today, it is so easy to worship an idol, even a person without even knowing it. sometimes you gotta turn everything off, even the news, and listen for God's voice. such peace! (exodus 20:3)

on the day that Jesus died, i can only imagine that God cried. the sky went dark and the angels wept right along with Him. what a sacrifice for the Father to send his only son Jesus to die in our place! that is true love, my friends, Jesus dying on the cross. but what made it even better was that Jesus did not stay dead, but was resurected from death into victory. now, we too can live!

questions
have you accepted God's love into your life? do you know how much he loves you?
if not, ask Him to show you right now. the Bible says that if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and Savior of your life, and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, then you will be saved!

prayer
dear God, help us to be filled with your compassion, to follow after your heart, to die daily to our sinful nature, and to be lead by your Holy Spirit at all times. in Jesus's name, amen.

read Psalm 103:1-2 Lord help me to be a blessing to You!

song in my head 'Jesus keep me near the cross.' -F.J. Crosby

*need a Bible? check out your local dollar tree! or go to www.christianbooks.com.

Worship the Lord!

worship the Lord! make time to worship the Lord! worship as if your life depended on it. express your love and gratitude for the one who created you! today or tonight, find a quiet place to just empty yourself out before God and be filled up with His Spirit! Give Him thanks and praise!

king david had a reason to worship the Lord. he knew the importance of going back to say "thank you God" he knew the importance of worshiping the Lord when it was most necessary.

in 2 samuel 6, king david danced in worship and praise before the Lord. he did not care who saw him. he had a good reason to worship too. the ark of the covenant was coming home. the ultimate symbol of God's everlasting presence was coming back home.

king david found a quiet place to worship and he danced before the Lord until nearly all of his clothes fell off. it was his way of worshiping with all his might.

sometimes when you are in the middle of a battle against the evil one, you are being attacked on all sides. remember that your praise will confuse the enemy! stand there in the middle of battle, and as he attacks you will all of his might, you worship God with all your might. 'my praise causes things to look better,' says the song, 'it loosens and breaks every fetter.'

we are commanded to love the Lord our God with all our heart as Jesus said in Matthew 22:37. worship is symbolic of complete surrender to God's presence and will for our lives. what better way to express our love than through absolute worship of the one true creator God? worship increases faith!

question
when was the last time you worshiped the Lord?

prayer
Lord, help us to make time to worship you!

read
2 samuel 6

song in my head
'come let us worship and bow down before Him...for He is our God and we are His people! worship the Lord and give him praise!worship! worship the Lord!...worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness!'

from the anointing to the calling

when king david was anointed king over israel he was just a young boy. samuel the prophet was led of God to find the young king david and anoint him in faith. the current king saul had not been pleasing in God's sight. it was time for change. samuel arrived at jesses's house. a man with seven sons or was it eight...?

"is this it?" the prophet asked Jesse. jesse had paraded seven of his sons before the prophet, but none had that particular favor that samuel was looking for so intently.

"well, yes these are all of my fine sons...you know..."

samuel thought for a moment, but did not break eye contact with jesse. he knew that he was hiding something from him.

"are you sure?" the prophet pressed in further.

jesse sighed. he began speaking slowly: "i do have another.."

"another son?"

"well...he's my youngest, but he's a bit scraggly looking and he works in the fields for me."

"is that so?"

"you wouldn't want to meet him. he's dirty from taking care of my sheep...and he's..."

"send for him," the prophet interrrupted planting his feet firmly. "i will not leave or sit down until i meet him."

"very well, my lord." jesse said. he motioned for one of his older sons to run and get david.

david walked in looking sunburnt, dusty, his hair a mass of curls framing his young face, eyes questioning. he had spent most of his time alone in the fields with the sheep writing poetry and singing songs to the Lord. he knew that it must have been important for one of his older brothers to come and get him to meet one of his fathers visitors.

"david come here," jesse motioned with a look of frustration on his face.

david walked slowly towards his father. he had been rushed back to the house and he still held his harp in his hands. his brothers nearly threw him into the room before jesse and samuel.

"david my son, i want you to meet the prophet samuel. he works for our king saul."

david knelt before samuel without thinking.

samuel walked towards david.

"rise, and anoint him, he is the one." the Lord said to samuel.

"my Lord..." david said. the power of the Lord filled the house. everyone took a step back not knowing what would happen next. jesse leaned forward. Lord God, could it be? he thought to himself.

"stand up my son," samuel said placing his hand on david's shoulder.

david stood up. samuel pulled out a horn filled with oil. he began to sing a familiar prayer to the Lord in Hebrew: "blessed art thou Lord God King of the universe..."

he poured the oil onto david's head.

"i now anoint you king of all israel."

the oil ran don david's head and began dripping off of his soft curly hair. it ran down his face, got into his eyes, ran down his nose, and dripped onto his mouth and fell in drops onto his clothes. it began to seep through his clothes and david felt the oil run across his heart which was beating nearly out of his chest. the power of the Lord came down onto david.

samuel finished his prayer. "...amen."

jesse fell to his knees. david's bothers bowed their heads in reverence. the Lord had come to visit that day. jesse's household was blessed.

david's life quickly changed. he was soon summoned to play his harp for king saul. he became known for his gift of music and poetry that could drive away evil spirits. he became best friends with king saul's son. he soon began working his way up the ladder of command. he became great warrior. he won many battles for the Lord and for the nation of israel.

but it was quite a while before he actually became king. the inbetween time, the time between the anointing and his coronation ceremony as king of israel was a time of preparation. God made a man out of him. david learned to trust God in all things, he chased after God's heart. God expanded his talents and his territory. all the stuff he went through as a child God had redeemed as training.

david went from tending sheep to killing a giant in the philistine army, winning great battles for israel. he fully trusted in God and God honored that trust by keeping his promises to king david.

questions
are you between the anointing and the fulfilment of your calling? are you not quite sure what to do with yourself right now?


prayer
Lord, help your servants who are in the inbetween times. train them well that they may be ready for the fulfillment of your promises. in Jesus's name, amen.


read
1 samuel 16:1-13


song in my head
'we lift our hands in the sanctuary. we lift our hands to give you the glory. we lift our hands to give you the praise and we will praise you for the rest of our days.' -kurt carr singers

can no one save her?

i was reading a magazine the other day. i came across a rather long article about a young celebrity. she began her career on the disney channel, but now she's all grown up and suffering from some pretty serious issues. she has been in the news quite a bit, the butt of harsh jokes, and ridiculed for her erratic behavior. she has been fired from movie sets and we have watched her young frame age very quickly from the substance abuse. it is obvious that she is addicted to the hard drugs and alcohol. she has been in a few very public broken relationships. her parents do not seem to have very much control or influence over the situation.

i am not going to mention her name. the reason i am telling you about her is because the title of the article rather shocked me:

no one can save her! it said.

the author of the article went on to talk about the young woman's life in depth as if she was close enough to her to really know all about her.

as believers, it is our responsibility to pray for others and lift up those in need before the Lord. celebrities are people too.

Lord knows i would be pretty nuts if the paparazzi chased me around all day! if people sifted through my trash to find a piece of gum with my dna on it. if i saw myself pumping gas on tmz or something. you never know how you might react in any stressful situation sometimes until it actually happens to you. in fact, having a lot of money all of a sudden is stressful and it adds to your problems especially if you do not know how to manage. most people do not handle fame and fortune very well.

but to read an article that declares 'no one can save her' really it me in a bad way. this is what the world wants us to believe. that when you are down you cannot get up. when you are down no one wants anything to do with you because you are used up and useless. hopeless beyond hope.

the truth is that there is no sin too deep or too bad that Jesus cannot save you from. the whole point of Jesus's death on calvary over 2000 years ago, is that he became the sacrifice for our sins.

but you have to want Jesus to save you. invite Him into your life and watch Him transform you. when it seems like no one can save you, Jesus can and He will! remember this: prayer still works.

questions
do you feel like no one can save you? have you tried reaching out to Jesus for help?

prayer
dear God, i pray for those who feel too sinful for You. touch their hearts right now and become very real to them like never before. surround them with Your love and mercy. in Jesus's name, amen.

read
john 17:20-26

s ong in my head
'take my life and let it be, wholly consecrated Lord to thee..'

The Incredible God All Hulked Out

a few summers ago, a movie came out called the incredible hulk starring edward norton and liv tyler. the movie is based on a marvel comic. i was very moved by a scene where the protagonist began testing the hulk to see exactly how strong he was. actually, he was trying to destroy the hulk. firebombs were going off all around the hulk, every weapon that could be used against him was being aimed and fired.

but the hulk was fireproof. bullets hit him and fell to the ground like paperclips. there were explosions all around the hulk. large objects were being thrown at him. but in the middle of it all he was selfless. he looked around and saw his friend standing in the path of great danger. the protagonist was evil enough to sacrifice his own daughter in his attempt to destroy the hulk.

the hulk grabs her and covers her with his entire body as fire explodes all around. the hulk is completely hulked out! it's noisy, it's bright, it's scary, it's terrible! but when the dust settles, thehulk unfolds and the girl walks away unscathed.

this is how God protects us. we may be going through the fire bombs, life is throwing things at us that we cannot understand, your health may be compromised from stress, and the enemy may be throwing those firey darts your way.

i once heard a wise person say: "one thing i know for sure about God is that he is never late, and always on time." whatever you are going through right now, remember that God is all hulked out in your situation! you have His ultimate protection from the firestorm, the enemy cannot get to your soul if you are under the precious blood of Jesus. allow God to cover you completely. trust God in all things and depend on Him for protection. God is not the causal observer in your life.

questions are you having a moment of truth that is leaving you feeling unprotected? do you feel like life is throwing it all at you right now?

read psalm 91

song in my head
'...but the impossible is God's chance to work a miracle...' -maurette brown clarke

On God's Good Side

doing the right thing is not always easy. sometimes i find myself doing the right thing only because it feels right in my gut. no other reason. we are born with it you know. that little thing in your head that says "yes" or "no" when your about to do soemthing.

but some people have become quite skilled at putting that little voice on mute. it's really the quiet wisdom of the Holy Spirit promting you to follow after God's will. The 10 commandments guide us like a beacon of light for doing it right in a world that is so dark.

Jesus added 2 more commandments to those original 10:
"love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' this is the first and greatest commandment. and the second is like it: 'love your neighbor as yourself.'

truth is, if we can get these two commandments down the rest will just flow easily through us.

there is a show on abc called what would you do? it test people in various situations to see how they would react. you'd be surprised. a pastor and his family walked past a guy stealing a bike and did nothing. this is the nature of our world today.

even if everyone around you is doing the wrong thing, you do the right thing. they might tease you, they might talk about you behind your back, they will call you names even come up with a nickname for you, they might try to tempt you into their lifestyle, they might try to trap you even hurt you...you be strong. doing the right thing gains respect. doing the right thing is never overlooked in God's eyes.

remember abraham when he and lot came to the promised land? lot took the easy way out and went towards the land where the grass was already green. but abraham took the other side that did not look very good. in the end, God blessed abraham exceedingly and abundantly above all he could ever ask. lot didn't do so very well with his choice. lot had muted that voice in his head.

this could be your big test before God gives you your big promotion. tests like this grow you. always respect the power of God. God is still alive and very much in control. do the right thing, stay on God's good side.

questions
is there something that you need to do that might be difficult? do you need the Lord's help?

read
Exodus 20: 11, Matthew 22:34-40

song in my head:
'he never said it would be easy. but you're a winner in the end. Jesus defeated all your enemies. way before the fight began.' -it ain't over sung by maurette brown clarke

Finisher

there is nothing sadder than seeing someone drop out of a race. We are competitive beings. but to start something and not finish without good reasoning is just sad. it is one of those moments where one might say: "now that i've dropped out of the race, now i'll never know if i could have won."

the thing about being in a race is that the competitor has an advantage over the casual sideline observer. while in the race, one can see the enemy face to face, smell the enemy, observe the enemy's game up close, but most of all one can see the finish line clearly.

anyone who drops out of a race knows the excitement of starting, but cannot experience the joy of conquering the finish line. be a finisher!

the writer of the book of hebrews compares our relationship with the Lord here on earth to running a race:

'therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.' hebrews 12:1.

it takes courage to run a race. sometimes one has to do practice runs, shorter races that prepare you for the bigger race. one needs to train and get in shape for the race. but everyone is required to race. are you ready to shake yourself loose of all those things that hinder you in the race? or will you let these weights hinder you from being a finisher?

sometimes it's not that you win, but that you finish and how you finish, and that is what makes all the difference.

questions
do you need courage to finish a race?

read
joshua 1:9

song in my head
'be strong and take courage. do not fear or be dismayed. for the Lord will go before you and his light will show the way...'

Active Prayer

the first thing i noticed about the western wall in jerusalem was that the people prayed with all their hearts. the men and women are separated by a fence. it was one of those moments where one would walk up to the wall in reverence for God. many foreingers place their prayer requests on scraps of paper and shove them into the cracks in the wall. above our heads birds nested in branches protruding from the western wall.

what if we prayed like this? it is a delicate dance between you and God. i watched these people, each one prayed with their whole being. moving forward, backward, sideways, and not caring about who saw them, not caring about their surroundings. no wonder God has such a special place in his heart for Israel!

what if we prayed like this? what is we prayed like it was the last thing we might ever do today? pray like your life depends on it! spend time with the Creator God of Israel. spend time listening, chatting, getting deep in the Word. dance with God, let Him lead you, let Him hold you, let Him carry you through as you pray.

when we left the western wall that day, we were told to back away. it was a sign that you were not turning yor back on God. this is how it is when you dance with God, when you pray it's always you and God face to face. don't turn your back on God since, He'd never turn His back on you. dance with God today, get into some active prayer!

questions
when was the last time you prayed freely, actively? will you dance with God today? he beckons you, let Him lead you!

read
2 Samuel 6:12-15

s ong in my head
'prayer still works! if you get up early in the mornin'! prayer will make you push through!' -wow! gospel 2010

Back In the Valley

moses had a mountaintop experience! he is one tough old man. he hikes up mount sinai to fast and pray for more than 40 days and nights. now, i'm not sure what fasting and praying meant to moses. if he fasted at all, whether he passed on the matzo bread completely, if he only drank water, or if he did what i call the ghandi fast lemon juice until the cows...well, i don't know about that one. but you get my drift...

moses went up and talked with the Lord about as face to face as any human we know of to this day. moses coould barely stand to be in the presence of God. he was overwhelmed by the glory of the Lord all around him. he had a fascinating revelation. God gave him the 10 commandments. every basic and ethical and humane law that we need to obey stems from these 10 commandments.

when moses was done fasting and hanging out with God, he was ready to go down the mountain. he had been chatting face to face with God for over a month! he was literally glowing! he was excited because he had received some very specific instructions from the Lord regarding the future of the children of Israel, God's people. but when he came down the mountain what did he encounter?

a holy mess. well, an unholy mess, really. there they were dancing around a golden idol and celebrating! they had forgotten their first love: God! moses grew angry and frustrated.

remember moses is human. he was a little hungry, tired from hiking, and writng down all of God's words to him. he probably just wanted a homecooked meal from his lovely wife, to hang out with his kids, and share with the people all the wonderful things God had told him. he came down the mountain and heard singing and he got all excited, but it wasn't what he thought. the people were dancing and celebrating around an idol with an altar next to it. the leadership had failed while he was gone.

sigh. it was several months of cleaning up from when he was on the mountaintop trying to get ahead with God. sometimes, it must have felt like one step forward, ten steps back.

it is amazing to be on the mountaintop and having that mountaintop experience. but when you come down the mountain, are you ready to rejoin society? LOL. you may have seen God, talked face to face with God, had a vast revelation of God, but what about back down in the valley? nothing has changed. maybe God took you up there because you are the change. and sometimes change must come slowly from the mountaintop to the valley. but regardless, change must come.

questions
when was the last time you spent sometime with the Lord?

read
exodus 20:1-21

song in my head
'i've been made free despite mine enemies!...God's grace and mercy were on every side!' -WOW! Gospel 2010

The Monday After...Peace

a week has passed. it's monday! this was probably the best monday in history ever! Jesus is alive! not only that, he is the King of all kings! he is the Man! he is the Son of God and he proved it beyond the shadow of all doubt. he's alive! yes!

now, the Bible doesn't mention it, but i imagine there may have been another impromptu parade for Jesus. he's walking down the streets of jerusalem, his old stomping grounds. the place where they hailed him as king, shouted hosannas, and the place where he was crucified in the worst way. but bazinga! after being in the grave for three days, there he was walking down the street in the flesh!

the crowds gather quickly: some screamed in disbelief, some did double-takes, others frowned and scowled at him, children ran up to him to touch his nail-pierced hands and run away laughing and cheering. his disciples held their heads up high as they walked alongside their risen King. the leader, prophet, teacher, Jesus Christ of Nazareth, who was thought to be so defeated is back like no one could ever believe or imagine!

ohhh, but the powers of darkness had been crippled! far below the nail-pierced feet of Jesus, satan sat in darkness. a look of awe is on his face. demons scurried around not knowing what to do. hell would never been the same. the Son of God came down with a shout. he burst through the gates of hell, walked up to satan and snatched a set of keys from his belt. there was a struggle...i don't have to tell you who won! but on the third day, he arose from the grave in victory with the keys of death, hell, and the grave in his right hand!

suddenly, it all made sense. the eleven disciples remebered everything he had said, everything he had taught them. it was time to grow up and become real men (and women) of God. it was the beginning of a new phase in their ministry with Jesus. what a wonderful peace, the kind that passes all understanding, that must have rested upon them.

"we must write this down," they say to each other.
"surely, this is the Son of God, and we have been in his presence!" said thomas.
"we will record everything so that we do not forget the love that he has for us," said john with tears in his eyes as they walked with Jesus on the streets of Jerusalem.

there were dried up blood stains along the via dolarosa, the path that Jesus took to calvary. a startling reminder of how traumatizing, how overwhelming, how amazing, how good last friday was. how precious is that flow of blood still! it was by his blood that we are saved, and by his resurrection from the grave that we can still celebrate and declare that he is indeed Jesus the Son of God. glory to God in the highest!

questions
does it mean something personal to you, that Jesus is alive? do you get so excited that you can feel it in your bones?

read
matthew 28, mark 16, luke 24, and john 20-21

song in my head
'He's alive! He's alive! He's alive and lives forever and so can i! He's alive!' -from the easter cantata at my church

At the Cross

today is Good Friday! yes! what a day in history! such wonderful things happened in the spirit world the very moment Jesus died on that cross! the devil himself was crippled. why? because Jesus took the keys of death, hell and the grave straight out of his grasp!
now, that means something really amazing for you and me.

by the way, death, what happened to your sting? and uh, grave? where oh, where is your victory now? Jesus, is our King and mighty conqueror!

i can now boldly approach the throne of grace. Jesus did it for me, for you, for all of us. now, i can talk directly to the Father. i'm there at the cross on the ground kneeling. my head is down and i am afraid to look up. the only words to escape my lips are:

"my Lord... and my God."

all i need is one drop and i am cleansed. the old things are gone, my sins are forgiven! grace, where would i be without your grace, Lord? i am immersed in your mercy! so amazing!

such mercy, such compassion, such love was shown on that cross. Good Friday is good because we cannot find another word to accurately describe it. but let me tell you, it was better than good.

Jesus the Lamb on the cross, the conqueror and Lion of Judah! he was like a lamb led to slaughter, a sacrifice, but also the high priest, the King who is able to go to the Father and pray on our behalf. Jesus is the conqueror like a lion, strong and bold.

as you see, i am at a loss for words regarding Good Friday. what can you say about the Son of God who came down in such love and compassion to die for our sins so that we could have life? it is simply overwhelming for me.

question
are you at the cross right now? what will you offer the King of kings today? will you give him your life?

read
john 19, matthew 27

song in my head
the only thing going through my mind is simply every song about the cross, the blood of Jesus and the price he paid for my sins.

movie suggestion
the passion of the Christ

Taking Care of Business

it is thursday. Jesus is taking care of business. tying up loose ends so to speak. he spent most of the week with his followers, healing preaching, teaching, getting intoverbal mazes with his accusers. but now it was time to spend his last passover meal with his disciples.

i do not know if i could stand to be in the presence of Jesus during this intimate time with his disciples. like peter i would feel so unworthy. Jesus washes their feet. he promises peace, most importantly, he promises the Holy Spirit.

Jesus comforts them with some of the most beautiful words i have ever read:

"do not let your hearts be troubled. trust in God; trust also in me. in my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, i would have told you. i am going there to prepare a place for you. and if i go and prepare a place for you, i will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where i am. you know the way to the place where i am going." (john 14)

Jesus prays for himself knowing what will happen in the next few hours and over the weekend. he prays for himself and for his disciples.

then the most astounding thing happens...he prays for us! this whole scene depicts his deep compassion for all of humankind. the entire reason he came to earth has amounted to thursday night.

what would you do in his place? cry? scream? curse everyone around you? throw things? yell at the sky? only Jesus could do it with such grace and dignity.

Jesus passed a cup around.

"take this and divide it among you. for i tell you i will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes."

Jesus took the unleavened bread and broke it.

"this is my body which is given for you..."

the disciples watched their leader intently. why was there a sadness surrounding him? the crowds had hailed him as king just four days earlier, why was he worried?

the meal ends with Jesus singing a hymn. then off to the kidron valley where there was an olive grove where they could pray all night. Jesus prays, but is frustrated that his disciples cannot pray all night with him. they fall asleep. fully human. but the dark forces of evil were stirring agaist all that is divine!

suddenly life as they knew it changed forever. judas appeared with a crowd. an odd kiss 'hello'...a scuffle...a man's bloody ear...Jesus healed the ear... Jesus is arrested!

the disciples scatter in fear...my Lord, what is happening to my Lord? the people hailed you as a King just days earlier!...Jesus is taken to annas a realative of caiaphas. caiaphas had decided that one man should die each year for the sake of the people...what an odd decision to make at a time like that! not even knowing that it was Jesus who made the decision to die not caiaphas...the high priest interrogates Jesus...it was a cold night...so cold....a fire was built... "hey! aren't you one of them too?" a girl asks peter... peter denied Jesus...he runs aimlessy into the night...a rooster crowed...peter wept bitterly...how could i do such a thing? he thinks to himself....don't hurt him! don't you understand he is a king? he's my king!...i'm too tired for this!...give us back our king!...already? is the day dawining?... where did everybody go?...it's friday morning.

questions
have you spent time with the King of Kings today to hear his voice and hang on to his every word? do you need to go back to the heart of worship?

read
john 12-18

song in my head
'i'm coming back to the heart of worship and it's all about you, it's all about you Jesus. i'm sorry Lord for the thing i've made it 'cause it's all about you, it's all about you Jesus.'

Unholy Drama During Holy Week

Jesus, he was amazing during holy week. he did alot during his ministry here on earth. but during the final week leading up to his death, he went through a lot of unholy drama for a very holy cause.

between monday and thursday: he was hailed as king and rode through the streets of jerusalem in style. the people shouted "hosanna!" then, it seems almost immediately he had to go all chuck norris in the temple with the money changers. then a healing service and a sermon. cursed a fig tree that did not bear fruit and it withered and died. now, let me interject my opionion here: i imagine he was frustrated with his disciples for not understanding the magnitude of the situation, for being clueless and so fully human.

then Jesus went back to the temple to preach his final sermon filled with parables. he was rudely interrupted by the high priest and elders. they questioned his authority, a personal attack on his character and spirituality. then a short riddle to end the attack, Jesus won that one, followed by more teachings. they want to arrest him, but they are scardy cats, afraid of the crowds listening to Jesus preach. chickens. they want to illiminate him because they were comfortable with their way of life and Jesus threatened that. they had pretty much elliminated God out of their rituals. they hesitated to touch Jesus for fear of riots.

Jesus spends some time teaching his disciples and then goes to Bethany to the home of simon the leper to eat and rest. a woman pours expensive perfumed oils on his head and it runs down into his beard and drips onto his robe. the disciples become angry. (remeber samuel annointing king david centuries earlier?)
"what a waste!" the disciples say.
"she should have sold that and given the money to the poor!" they murmur.
"She could have gotten a lot of money for that perfume!" grumble, grumble.
but Jesus stops them and says:
"why are you bothering this woman? she has done a beautiful thing to me. the poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. when she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. i tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her." (matthew 26)

judas can't take it anymore. money isn't flowing right for him or to him. satan creeps into the room and overtakes judas. he becomes a puppet in satan's hands. he goes to the chief priests and elders and offers to give up Jesus for a price. at the time thirty pieces of silver was a nice piece of change. i cannot imagine putting a price on a life, thirty pieces of silver seems so insignificant.

it's thursday now, and the unholy drama unravels as passover is celebrated.

questions
do you appreciate the unholy drama Jesus went through on your behalf? what will you do to show your appreciation?

read
Matthew 22-26

song in my head
'Jesus, we enthrone you. we proclaim you as King. standing here in the midst of us...'

Jesus Went All Chuck Norris At the Temple!

it's holy week and i can hardly imagine what Jesus was going through right about now, tuesday night. he was indeed fully divine, yet fully human. talk about the five stages of grief! there were so many human emotions he must have experienced in a short time! the Bible does give small clues. sunday he may have felt joy due to the triumphal entry, by monday, the Lord certainly experienced anger. anger? so soon?

well, he goes to the temple and finds people selling stuff. and he goes all chuck norris on them. seriously, you don't wanna make Jesus angry like that! but when he's angry, it for a good reason. and if the story is in the Bible, you better get a full understanding of it to see why. the hosue of God had been trashed. Jesus cleaned it up.

after he drove out the money changers and people selling stuff, he began to heal people. Jesus operated in neverending compassion. a healing service with Jesus right there in the temple! children shouted "hosanna!"

then, frustration as the chief priests and teachers of the law became indignant by all the comotion surrounding Jesus. why would they be angry at someone who was willing to come and clean things up and for free?

sigh, then Jesus leaves the temple and goes to spend the night elsewhere, at a place called Bethany outside of the city. a long, frustrating and emotional work day for the Son of God. i wonder if he stayed with mary and martha since they lived in bethany?

early the next day, probably tuesday, Jesus is up and back to ministry. was he still frustrated? he passes a fig tree and prophesies over it and it withers! grrr! bad fig tree for not bearing fruit! but Jesus had a point. what's the use of having a tree that does not bear fruit? the disciples cannot understand what's going on with Jesus. they are clueless about the meaning behind the withered fig tree.
"what's up with him?" they say to themselves.
"why did the fig tree wither so quickly?"
"that was amazing!"
Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer," (Matthew 21).

sigh, a deep sadness seems to be setting in. but the Lord continues on to teach at the temple. he undergoes a personal attack once again from the chief priests and the elders of the temple.
"by what authority do you teach?" they ask him.
"by whose authority do you do these things?" they press further.

sigh, Jesus responds with a riddle. personally, i enjoy such word games, but this is not a word game i'd want to get into. they are confused, but smart enough to leave Jesus alone.

the book of matthew goes on to tell a few of the parables Jesus used in his teachings. all in a days work. whew!

exhaustion must have been setting in by now. It seems that he spent alot of time throughout tuesday and wednesday of holy week trying to preach one last sermon. he used parables, he took time he coverd a wide variety of topics including taxes and tithing and the kingdom of heaven. but the people didn't get it. such compassion for the very people who would demand his death by friday! but it wasn't just them , it was me too and you also. we may not have been there physically, but he did it for us too.

question
regardless of criticism, are you working tirelessly for the Lord?

read
matthew 21

song in my head
'how i got over? how i got over? my soul look back and wonder how i got over!' -vickie winans

What A Difference A Week Made

there is an old song sung by dinah washington, and some of the lyrics are:

'what a difference a day made, and the difference is you.'

for the triumphal entry story i'd sing it like this:

'what a difference a week made, and the difference is...me.'

"Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the Name of the Lord! Hosanna! Son of David!" they cried out in the streets. What enthusiasm, what joy! Jesus sat on a young donkey and the people cheered and threw their coats in the road for him to ride over. Others spread palm branches for the King of Israel, Son of David, the Messiah.

clarity can come so clearly and quickly one day, and be gone in an instant when the devil takes over. this same crowd saw Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead, saw him perform miracles, and perhaps heard his teachings. those who had not yet heard of Jesus, asked about who he was and came to celebrate also. everyone in that city was excited about Jesus! but that same crowd turns on Jesus within one week. by friday he is crucified like a common thief.

john tells us that the disciples had no idea what was going on with the people. they did not understand why they were so excited about Jesus, not until after it was over.

during holy week, i will be thinking about the emotional rollercoaster Jesus must have been enduring. first he was up, then he was down, and then he was up again! after all, he was fully divine and fully human. of course, he felt every human emotion and now understands us as limited beings. sunday, the jubilant and triumphal entry, and everyone was treating him like a king ,but by friday death by crucifixion! wow! what a difference a week made! this is probably the most important week in history. no, it really is the single most important week in history.

boldly, now i may approach the throne of grace. when i get there, what will i do? what can i do but worship! Jesus made it possible for me to do this. hosanna! hosanna to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords! hosanna to the Messiah! hosanna! it's holy week, the week that really made a diffrence for me! yes!

questions
how has God blessed you? what can you shout hosanna about?

read
Matthew 21, Mark 11, John 12

song in my head:
'hosanna! hosanna! hosanna in the highest!' -hosanna by hillsong united

Jesus Said What?!

did you know that Jesus talked back to his mother? this clearly defines him as fully divine and fully...a pre-teen. i will always wonder why the Lord included this story in the Bible?

before i go on...this story in the Bible bugs me because honestly, i cannot stand when kids are rude to their mothers. you see, my mother died about 11 years ago. she was my best friend and like a sister to me and my younger sister. so, naturally, when i see a kid being rude or disrespectful to his/her mother it bugs me because they do not know what they have.

what also bugs me is when i see mothers just taking it from their kids. why moms? teach your kids life values, manners, please! eh, oh, yeah, my mom used to uh, well, let's just say she used the rod of correction on me liberally, literally, freely, regulary, and vigorously!

here's my opinion, and please do not be offended by this. i take the Bible very seriously. i am a graduate of a univeristy that was at one time a seminary. we were required to take many Biblical and theological courses before we were allowed to graduate.

Luke tells the story perhaps with a smile on his face. Jesus was a twelve year-old boy, a tween really, (between the ages of 10 and 12). He goes on a trip with mary his mother and joseph his beloved step-father. they are traveling in a large group. they go to the temple, perform a ritual according to the high holy day called passover in the jewish tradition, they seem to be exhausted from traveling. and after the feast is over, they begin the long trip home assuming that Jesus was with them.

remember this is before suv's and the super cool transportaion that we are so privileged to uitlize today. it was the middle east during the time of Jesus, they probably used camel's or donkey's or something along those lines in addition to just walking. everything slowed down a great deal when traveling long distances.

it was a whole day's journey before mary the mother of Jesus realizes that her son, the Son of God, the Messiah is missing! they have been traveling in a large group. apparently Jesus was quite social as a tween. he was already showing signs of greatness. he is doing pre-ministerial things and getting ready for the next stage of his life. fully human, yet still fully divine...and completely a tween. symbolically and literally, he was between youth and adulthood, a lamb being prepared for sacrifice.

mary and joseph re-traced their steps and found him, the Son of God, a pre-teen, a tween sitting, no standing in the temple talking with the elders and confounding wise men with his wisdom.

mary the mother of Jesus, saw him first. she, already weary from the trip, had probably lost sleep. her eyes red from crying, her feet hurting from running.

how could i lose the Son of God? she must have been thinking. she looked everywhere. joseph must have comforted her:

"mary, he is the Son of God, God will protect him. we will find him soon."

after many hours of re-tracing their steps, they are back at the temple. mary spotted him first. she begins running. she stops. women are not allowed in this part of the temple. she slowly approaches her son. the miracle that came from her womb yet twelve years earlier. she is frantic. thinking that perhaps she has disappointed God.

"Son! My Son! Where have you been? We have been loking for you for days! we were worried sick!" mary exclaims. she cannot contain herself. the wisemen in the room turn their heads and scowl at her. no one moves. no one says anything.

but Jesus. He says to his mother something unforgettable. he talks back to his mother!

"mom! why were you looking for me? didn't you know that i must be about my Father's business?" he says to her.

fist, there is silence. the room is tense. then, the wisemen in the room begin to snicker and chortle. she let's go of his arm and backs away. she wonders what he will be like when he is a teenager? then she remembers that she was nearly his age when he was born! but she has no idea what he is saying to her. she looks at her joseph. he sighs, shrugs and says:

"come now, we must be heading back." Jesus respects his step-father. in silence, they begin the long journey home. mary the mother of Jesus cannot help stealing glances at her son, the Son of God. she hides all of these things in her heart.

what happened here? if i had talked back to my mother like that...well, i'll just leave it there, lol.

it is a wonderful thing the bond between mother and child. we see Jesus nearly 21 years later hanging on the cross. and his last order of business was to ensure that his mother was cared for once he died. fully divine, now fully grown up. as a man in his mid 30's, he took care of business, but he took care of his mother even with his last dying breath!

we read in the book of john:

'now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, mary the wife of cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. when Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, woman, behold thy son!
then saith he to the disciple, behold thy mother! and from that hour that disciple [john] took her unto his own home. after this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished...gave up the ghost.' (john 19:25-30)

questions are you between a prophecy and an unfulfilled promise right now?

read Luke 2:41-52

song in my head 'worthy is the, Lamb who was slain. holy, holy is He.'-revelations song kari jobe