O Come Let Us Adore Him

Adore - "to worship," comes a root word that mean "to open the mouth!" Those who know me well, hear me speak often (perhaps too often?) of my family. My wife and adult children are a central part of my life; one of the primary ways that I define who I am in this world. Because of my deep affection, I cannot help but take interest in what they do. I tell Bev that I love her everyday- because I do! I don't have to leave a note to myself - "Be sure to adore your wife!" My words flow out of my heart- easily, often, and sincerely. Does my love for her need to be protected and nurtured? Absolutely! Life distractions, other temptations, and Satanic deceptions have destroyed many good marriages. Knowing that, it is the prayer of my heart and intent of my thoughts to keep our love fresh and strong. Some say that a life-long monogamous relationship is not possible. They are wrong! Love changes over time, but as it matures it can and will grow stronger.

I adore Jesus, too. In many ways, my love for the Lord is similar to familial love - strong, enduring, life-defining, and in need of daily nurture! I speak often of Him. I worship Him with words and actions, and I feel the pressure of temptation that, given opportunity, would dilute my passion for God! I pray that adoration for Him will only deepen with time.Can we honestly profess to adore Christ Jesus IF we never speak ofHim or seldom speak to Him? I think not. We may be fond of Jesus without speaking of Him. We may trust Him as Savior without speaking of Him, but we cannot claim to adore Him and remain silent about Him. IF we adore Him, we will speak of Him. "Your love, God, is my song, and I'll sing it! I'm forever telling everyone how faithful you are. I'll never quit telling the story of your love-how you built the cosmos and guaranteed everything in it. Your love has always been our lives' foundation, your fidelity has been the roof over our world." -- Psalm 89 The Message

Some who once loved Him have allowed other loves to crowd in. They now love their reputation, or their job, or their money, or their house, or... yes, there are many temptations that would take us from our love for Him. In the book of the Revelation, Jesus laments the state of the church in Ephesus. They broke His heart by allowing their fervent passion to cool. They were dutifully religious, but without adoration! He says to them, "You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first." (Revelation 2:3-5, NIV)

This Advent Season when you hear that carol, "O Come, All Ye Faithful," played, I hope it will stir you to a renewed adoration! Open your mouth and give Him praise. Sing and speak of His goodness. A word of caution is in order here. IF you don't adore Him, then don't try to convince yourself or someone else that you do with empty words or borrowed words! Your insincerity will quickly become apparent to others, if not to yourself! YOU can adore Him. If your love of Christ has gone cold, there is but one reason: increase of sin and disobedience.

Of this I am completely convinced: Love is first and foremost a choice; secondarily an emotion. Jesus warned that "Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold." (Matthew 24:12) If that's describing you, turn back to God. Find a place alone with Him and tell Him you've fallen for another lover, then renew your commitment to Him. Go to those you've wronged and ask them for forgiveness. Then, accept the wonderful love of the Savior whose "unfailing love never ends! By his mercies we have beenkept from complete destruction. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each day." (Lamentations3:22-23)
_________________

O come all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem.
Come and behold Him, born the King of angels.

O come let us adore Him,O come let us adore Him,
O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.

Sing choirs of angels, Sing in exultation,
O sing all ye bright hosts of heav'n above.
Glory to God,All glory in the highest.

O come let us adore Him,O come let us adore Him,
O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.

Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning;
Jesus to Thee be all glory giv'n.
Word of the Father now in flesh appearing.

O come let us adore Him,O come let us adore Him,
O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!

John Wade © Public Domain

On the Sargasso Sea?

In the mid-Atlantic, there is an area of becalmed waters about 700 miles across and 2000 miles long! It is called the Sargasso Sea. The area is bounded by strong currents and much of it is covered with seaweed. More recently, various bits of plastic garbage collects there in tangles, too. Even the salinity of the water is higher than the ocean that surrounds it. In the Doldrums, sailing vessels often sat at the edge of the Sargasso Sea for days making little or no progress. What a metaphor for a life becalmed! Not a life of calm, nor one of peace, but one where our ship is stalled without wind her sails.

Do you ever feel stuck in life, like the wind of the Spirit has stopped blowing; in a place surrounded by the flotsam of life? Alan Jamieson wrote that in such times, "the old ways of prayer, worship, Bible reading become dry and stale. The church worship and preaching that used to encourage us, teach us, and inspire us becomes barren ground. God seems to extinguish one means of feeding our faith in order to make us hungry, even starving, for new ways. ... Now that the way is void and empty, God comes to us in new ways, if only we can perceive them. When we are becalmed, we learn to wait." -Perfect Storm, Abingdon, 2008

I believe I can truthfully say that I would rather be in a storm, than sitting with no Wind in the sails: waiting, wondering, watching! To be there is to be in a kind of Sargasso Sea, spiritually speaking. Strong currents of the Spirit may be flowing, letting us know He's still at work in the world. But, we wonder when our ship will catch that Wind and resume forward progress, don't we? In those times, I am tempted to try to stir up something of God myself! To do so is a dangerous thing, for that driving force which does not come from the Spirit is either demonic or, more probably, of Self - borne of human emotions and/or desires. Neither produces the fruit of the Spirit, nor can they accomplish the purposes of God. Better to wait patiently on the Lord.

The Psalmist's prayer is one for those who are becalmed. "I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning. O Israel (people of God), put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is unfailing love and with him is full redemption." (Psalm 130:5-7, NIV)

We should take a cue from Jesus' words to the disciples at the birth of the Church.
"Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about." (Acts 1:4, NIV) Wait; don't fret, fuss, or fume! And wait they did; prayerfully, expectantly, patiently. In God's time, the Spirit moved on them. "Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting." (Acts 2:2, NIV) "All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them." (Acts 2:4, NIV) Those men and women set sail to change the world!
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There's a wind that blows full of life and pow'r,
As in all creation's most solemn hour,
When God gently breathed on a form of sod;
And the first man lived by the breath of God.

Let it breathe on me, Let it breathe on me,
Let this breath of God now breathe on me.

Sweet the sound from heav'n, as with tongues of fire,
Suddenly the wind filled the room entire;
As of old, again send Thy Spirit, Lord!
Let it breathe on us while of one accord.

Blessed Breath of Life, no one sees or knows
From whence this wind comes, neither where it goes,
But the broken heart, the surrendered will,
And the hungry soul it will surely fill.

Let it breathe on me, Let it breathe on me,
Let this breath of God now breathe on me.

The Breath of God © 1925, Renewed 1949 Wm. E. Booth-Clibborn (Admin. by Whetzel, F. Randall)CCLI License No. 810055

Faith, not Fate

Many years ago, I just 'knew' that I was called to a church in a far away city. An opportunity existed there that was 'just exactly what I need,' or so I thought. Everything about it made sense to me! So, I made plans, gathered resources, and took a long trip to visit that church I was so sure was my new calling. Blinded my own desires I was about to walk into a deteriorating situation where I would have been hurt, caught up in circumstances beyond my control. Thankfully, during my visit the Holy Spirit made it plain to me that I was walking against the purposes of God. Nobody told me of problems, but I could not find any rest in my soul. I even started to be physically sick! After a couple of days in that city, I finally gave up my plans and accepted His. In the moment of surrender, peace settled over me and I returned home to settle down and serve! Months later, when I learned of difficult circumstances that had come to that church, I was so thankful that the Lord had spared me a terrible experience and I learned to trust Him even when obedience meant giving up a dream.


I do not believe in fate, but I am assured that if we faithfully keep step with the Spirit, that God always leads and guides us. The Word tells us that "If the LORD delights in a man’s way, he makes his steps firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand." (Psalm 37:23-24, NIV) We need to be cautious about trusting our own instincts, even our own wisdom. Peter loved Jesus and when he heard Him talking about going to the Cross, Mark says he "took him aside and began to rebuke him." (Mark 8:32, NIV) That Jesus would die the death of a common criminal, on a Roman cross, suffering such agony, and be in the will of God at the same time was incomprehensible to Peter! What purpose could such a thing serve? But the Cross was the plan of God! Peter's good intentions, but ignorance of the will of the Father, earned him a strong correction. "Turning and seeing his disciples wavering, wondering what to believe, Jesus confronted Peter. "Peter, get out of my way! Satan, get lost! You have no idea how God works." (Mark 8:33, The Message)

It is important to guard against willfulness in our daily decisions by learning to have a heart that obeys without argument. We don't have to be paralyzed by a fear of walking out of the will of God! He's a big God. However, a stubborn heart or a failure to listen carefully will likely cause us to wander from the path He has planned.

I love the advice that is found in the 37th Psalm.
"Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.
Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.
Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes." (Psalm 37:1-7, NIV)
________________

Father, I thank you for the promise that You will always guide us.
I am often tempted to live by my own wits and wisdom!
Keep me near to Your heart and give me the grace to reject the sins that dulls my hearing and clouds my vision.
My greatest joy is to do what You want me to do, to be where You desire me to be.
Make the way plain, Lord, and gently, yet firmly, keep me in the center of Your plan where there is great joy, wonderful peace, and blessings for this life and eternity.
In Jesus' Name, I ask this today. Amen.

Fear or Hope? You choose!

Are the headlines ever good? Imagine the Daily News plastering the front page with bold type - Majority of Americans report safety and good health. It wouldn't sell many copies. Instead, the news reports the unusual, the disturbing. Blood and destruction attracts our attention. One auto accident out of million commuter miles and we see it as the lead story.

So, is our world doing better or worse? Your answer, in part, will be shaped by your age! Leonard Sweet writes, "It's an old man's hobby to think the world is getting worse- all is in decline and decay. It's a young man's hobby to think that the world is better than it has ever been." How true. As we age, we prefer the tried and true more and more. Change no longer excites us, threatening instead our sense of stability. In an ever-changing world, the older we are, the less secure we feel. Sweet goes on to observe, "The truth is, young and old, the world is getting better, but the dangers the better brings are getting worse." (The Perfect Storm, Abingdon Press, 2008) In simple terms, we live longer and, on the whole, better lives as a result of invention and science, but those gifts have also brought us weapons of mass destruction, major environmental impacts, and handed one man living a cave in Pakistan the opportunity to effect millions of lives on the other side of the world!

Disciple, in this 'improving' and changing world, I choose hope over fear. I choose to face the future's uncertainty with faith. Paul wrote to Timothy about the choice he had in dealing with the reality of the time. His words need to infuse us with new courage.
"I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you. This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don’t be ashamed of me, either, even though I’m in prison for him. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News." (2 Timothy 1:5-8, NLT) Timothy had heard that Paul was in prison, that the Christian message was meeting resistance and that disciples were being persecuted. Was it time to go underground, to disengage and wait for the Second Coming to rescue the little band of Believers from the big, bad, ugly Roman Empire? Not at all! Paul told Tim, "Strengthen your foundation of faith. Take the gifts of God that enable you to live with power, love, and self-discipline. Get ready to endure the tough times that may come!"

Looking into 2009, there are real issues that will likely bring difficult challenges into our lives. This is not a good time to be a Bible-believing disciple of Christ. America is becoming less hospitable to Biblical Christianity with each passing year. In many places, apathy towards Christians is turning into real hostility. Many Americans now see Christianity as a force for evil, preferring a bland spirituality or no spirituality at all! This is, therefore, a time of great opportunities for those who are people of the Spirit. The merely religious will fold their hands and bow their heads in despair. Those alive in Christ will stand taller, praying for transforming grace that allows the beauty of Jesus to shine through them into the dark places where atheism attempts to spread its terrible slavery to self.

Here's a word from the Word. Let it encourage you today.

"If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed,
for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.
If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler.
However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.
For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?" (1 Peter 4:14-17, NIV)
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Father of creation, unfold Your sov'reign plan.
Raise up a chosen generation that will march through the land.
All of creation is longing for Your unveiling of pow'r.
Would You release Your anointing? Oh God, let this be the hour.

Let Your glory fall in this room.
Let it go forth from here to the nations.
Let Your fragrance rest in this place,
As we gather to seek Your face.

Ruler of the nations, the world has yet to see
The full release of Your promise, the church in victory.
Turn to us, Lord, and touch us; make us strong in Your might.
Overcome our weakness, that we could stand up and fight.

Let Your kingdom come,
Let Your will be done.
Let us see on earth,
the glory of Your Son.

Let Your Glory Fall
David Ruis © 1993 Mercy / Vineyard Publishing (Admin. by Music Services)
CCLI License No. 810055

Thanksgiving includes you!

The story is short but the lesson gets delivered. Here it is.
"As Jesus continued on toward Jerusalem, he reached the border between Galilee and Samaria. As he entered a village there, ten lepers stood at a distance, crying out,
"Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!"
He looked at them and said, "Go show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy.
One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, "Praise God!"
He fell to the ground at Jesus’ feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaritan.
Jesus asked, "Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the other nine?" (Luke 17:11-17, NLT)

Assumed gratitude is no thanks!
"But she ought to know how much I appreciate what she does." Really? How, exactly, by reading your mind?
"He needs me to tell him that I appreciate his efforts? Why? Is he insecure or something?" No, he's just a normal person in need of affirmation from time to time.

God desires our praise, our gratitude, too. He doesn't need it, nor do we add anything to the One who is sufficient in Himself, but He desires it. Praise, a form of thankfulness, is the way we are told to enter into His Presence. If your having difficulties entering into worship individually or when you're in church, start to thank God. Make a list of things for which you are grateful. Murmur your praise for what He's done, Who He is, or the things He has promised to do!

On Thanksgiving Day, make sure to be thankful. Many will fail on this key point. It's not that they will complain, they will just assume that God and everybody else knows that they are grateful. Enjoy your feast! Watch some football! And, make sure to take some time to give thanks - liberally and sincerely. Don't cause the Lord to say of you, "Didn't I... where is his thanks?" If you're a little short on gratitude or unsure of what to say, then read this Psalm aloud. And, I assure you, He will be blessed by your praise!

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. (Psalm 100, NIV)
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Thanks to God for my Redeemer,
Thanks for all Thou dost provide!
Thanks for times now but a memory,
Thanks for Jesus by my side!

Thanks for pleasant, balmy springtime,
Thanks for dark and dreary fall!
Thanks for tears by now forgotten,
Thanks for peace within my soul!

Thanks for prayers that Thou hast answered,
Thanks for what Thou dost deny!
Thanks for storms that I have weathered,
Thanks for all Thou dost supply!

Thanks for pain and thanks for pleasure,
Thanks for comfort in despair!
Thanks for grace that none can measure,
Thanks for love beyond compare!

Thanks for roses by the wayside.
Thanks for thorns their stems contain!
Thanks for home and thanks for fireside,
Thanks for hope, that sweet refrain!

Thanks for joy and thanks for sorrow,
Thanks for heavenly peace with Thee!
Thanks for hope in the tomorrow,
Thanks through all eternity! Amen.

Thanks To God For My Redeemer
Storm, August Ludvig / Hultman, John A.
© Public Domain

Thank you for reading along! It is my privilege to share my devotional journal with you each day. TFTD is sent with a prayer that God will use these words to encourage you to serve Him with gladness.See you on Monday, Lord-willing.

Happy Thanksgiving!

An American Heresy

I do not expect to get any "amen" emails in response to this TFTD!
What I am about to write will be thought to be almost 'un-American.'

Here goes: We all should re-think how we celebrate Christmas this year! Why this note now? Because the orgy of consumer spending is set to kick off in just four days on the infamous 'Black Friday' that follows Thanksgiving.

There is a big LIE that we learn as toddlers which continues to deceive many people to the grave; I am what I own. A variant is; I will be happy when I own ______ . I am not exempt, either. I want a 42" LCD HD 1080i TV, even though the TV I have works perfectly well. I just want it. My last two forays to stores have included at least 15 minutes of gazing on large screen TV's with deep longing and the urge to buy one screaming in my mind. Is there anything wrong with a bigger TV? No, of course not. What I must deal with is the deception: 'Jerry, you will be happy and more cool if you buy it!' If I buy a new TV the decision should be about the functional place it has in my life. If the purchase is made in an attempt to soothe my soul or to try prove my worth as a person to myself, I only make the big lie stronger in my life! I am wise enough to know that even if I buy one, in a couple of months my 'want-er' will be demanding something else telling me that it will make me happy.

We manage to conveniently ignore much of what the New Testament says about materialism and/or greed. One does not need to understand Koine Greek (the original language of the NT) or have a Master's degree in Biblical studies to grasp the truth. Here are a couple of those passages.

• "For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that." (1 Timothy 6:7-8, NIV)
  
• "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5, NIV)
  
• "I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little." (Philippians 4:10-12, NLT)
  

Here's the keystone truth, from the Lord Jesus Christ Himself:
"Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." (Luke 12:15, NIV) In other words, 'we are not defined by what we own!'

Before you jump into the typical spending spree that has come to define an American Christmas, prayerfully meditate on those passages. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you to enter joyfully into the discipline of 'fasting' - yes, that ancient choice to say no to desires of the body that refocuses our love towards God, the Spirit. Perhaps the best fast this month would be the 'mall fast!' One of my 'fasts' this month will be not reading all of those advertising inserts that offer 40% off retail, that seduce me with not so subtle messages that 'the good life' can be purchased!

The gifts that I do buy this year I want to be thoughtful, chosen as an expression of love, not given to satisfy a sense of obligation. No, I am not Scrooge. This has nothing to do with wanting to hang onto my money. I pray these choices will be part of learning to give and receive the best gifts, those that will not lose their luster a few days after the wrapping paper is torn off.

Let this great promise wrap you in peace today and then go love others extravagantly.

"My dear friends, don’t believe everything you hear. Carefully weigh and examine what people tell you.... My dear children, you come from God and belong to God. You have already won a big victory over those false teachers, for the Spirit in you is far stronger than anything in the world. ...
My beloved friends, let us continue to love each other since love comes from God. Everyone who loves is born of God and experiences a relationship with God. ...
This is the kind of love we are talking about—not that we once upon a time loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they’ve done to our relationship with God. My dear, dear friends, if God loved us like this, we certainly ought to love each other." - 1 John 4: 1,4, 7, 10-11, The Message

Stupid Words?

The talking heads on television are amazing in that they just keep talking, and talking, and talking. Panels of 'wise men' inform us of the right course of action for our nation's ills, each convinced of his superior insights. Have Bill Bennett, James Carville, or Ann Coulter ever taken a moment to reflect on their bombast? I love to watch football, but when John Madden is calling the game, I turn off the sound from time to time, just to avoid his endless blather. Instead of helping me enjoy the game, the words that spill out of him just get in the way.

Wasted words, if piled up, would make the world's largest garbage dump. We humans have a love of talk which quickly gets us into trouble. When we think we just have to say something if we want to appear informed, clever, or included; we quickly wander into the realm of toxic speech. "Me, too," is a quick way to dig ourselves a hole from which is it tough to escape. Conversation is a great gift and those who know how to share their knowledge and/or life with others over a cup of coffee enjoy a real advantage in the world. But, gossiping about others, which is what happens too frequently, has no good end. Boasting about our achievements quickly leads us to lying. Trying to address issues of which we have no real knowledge will soon bring folly to light.

Paul wrote a couple of letters to a young preacher he loved like his own son. His counsel to Timothy is now part of the inspired Word, wisdom for all ages. In his second letter to Timothy, he says, "Remind everyone about these things, and command them in God’s presence to stop fighting over words. Such arguments are useless, and they can ruin those who hear them. ... Avoid worthless, foolish talk that only leads to more godless behavior. ... Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights." (2 Timothy 2:23, NLT) What wisdom!

James is equally direct. He says, "If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. " (James 1:26, NLT) In Proverbs, that book packed with pithy wisdom, we are advised that "Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut." (Proverbs 10:19, NLT) Consider this: "Fools are undone by their big mouths; their souls are crushed by their words." (Proverbs 18:7, The Message)

Yes, words can bless, heal, and encourage. "A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver." (Proverbs 25:11, NIV)

Think of those conversations that have left you with a joyful heart, or with insight that was critically important. Don't you want your words to have that kind of impact on others? I sure do!

So, let us pray this today: "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer." (Psalm 19:14, NIV)
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The Swindler

A swindler is a person who cheats another out of money or property with fraudulent claims. Just about everyday, someone attempts to swindle me. Email arrives from a grieving widow whose late husband accumulated $millions which she now wants to give to the Lord's work. All I have to do is send her my bank account information and she will deposit the funds in my account immediately, before she dies of her own grave illness. Right, and the moon is made of green cheese, too! Can you believe that people fall for those emails? I cannot, but the fact is that there are $millions lost to these swindles every year in America and here's why: greed! The 'promise' of a windfall sounds so good to somebody desperate to make a change in life that they set aside caution and ignore conventional wisdom.

There is another swindle that starts in the Garden of Eden and continues to this day. Paul writes about it in his letter to the Romans.
"The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. . . . .
For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. . . .
They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen." (Romans 1:18-25, NIV)

Are you in danger of a swindle, friend?
Are you ready to trade away a rich relationship with the eternal God for a god like status, happiness, or pleasure?
Are you feeling so desperate that you are considering giving up your pursuit of the Holy One for the love of something or someone else? Don't say it cannot happen to you! If we linger long enough near temptation, gazing at the trinkets offered by the Swindler, they start to look like things of great value which we crave to own. Cheap pornography takes the place of real relationship. Pleasure from a glass of wine or a pill replaces genuine joy. The security of knowing God and being known by Him is set aside for the 'security' of wealth, which is no security at all.

So, how do we avoid the swindle? Two choices must be made daily.
First, glorify God. What does that mean? Worship Him. Acknowledge His supremacy. Make His Name great.
Second, give thanks. Thankfulness reinforces contentment. A contented person knows an inner peace that keeps the lies of the swindler from taking hold.

The Israelites were miraculously brought out of slavery in Egypt. They enjoyed the constant Presence of God in the cloud and fire and were fed by His hand each day. But, they complained against Him, fought with those God appointed to lead them, and resisted His will. And, they exchanged God's glory for a gleaming golden calf! That generation of people died in the desert blocked from the Promised Land by their faithlessness to the God who had called them. Alluding to their experience, Paul urges disciples to stay faithful.

Take this word from the Word to heart today.
"Don’t be so naive and self-confident. You’re not exempt. You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else.
Forget about self-confidence; it’s useless. Cultivate God-confidence.

No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he’ll never let you be pushed past your limit; he’ll always be there to help you come through it.

So, my very dear friends, when you see people reducing God to something they can use or control, get out of their company as fast as you can." (1 Corinthians 10:12-14, The Message)
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Be in worship on the Lord's Day!
If you unable to attend church, you're invited to join the Assembly online at http://www.washingtonag.com/sermon_audio__on_demand.htm

Wow'em II

Applause is as addictive as any drug. Ask any ageing performer or politician. Long after prudence and any semblance of pride would dictate that it was time to get off the stage, they are still appearing, in smaller and smaller venues, craving the rush that comes when the audience responds with a standing ovation. That part of human nature lurks in the shadows to twist the Believer's desire to let the beauty of Jesus shine through him into a pathetic religious performance. The goal of that performance is approval and applause. If you think I'm off base here, consider these words from Jesus Himself.

"Be especially careful when you are trying to be good so that you don’t make a performance out of it. It might be good theater, but the God who made you won’t be applauding. "When you do something for someone else, don’t call attention to yourself. You’ve seen them in action, I’m sure—‘playactors’ I call them—treating prayer meeting and street corner alike as a stage, acting compassionate as long as someone is watching, playing to the crowds. They get applause, true, but that’s all they get.

When you help someone out, don’t think about how it looks. Just do it—quietly and unobtrusively. That is the way your God, who conceived you in love, working behind the scenes, helps you out.

"And when you come before God, don’t turn that into a theatrical production either. All these people making a regular show out of their prayers, hoping for stardom! Do you think God sits in a box seat?

"Here’s what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace." (Matthew 6:1-6, The Message)

You're not exempt from pride, nor am I! I confess that more than once when at neat turn of phrase emerges in something I am writing, the thought occurs to me: "Now, that should get somebody's attention!" Isn't that ugly? I am not above the temptation to evaluate a sermon's 'success' more by the remarks of those in the congregation than its fidelity to the Word of God! Ugh! With Paul, I say, "What a wretched man I am. Who will deliver me?" When we take the stage of life as "Good Christian actors," the beauty of Jesus disappears; the blessing of the Spirit evaporates; any glory to Heaven lost.

So the Lord tells us to make certain to include large chunks of secret service, extended time of quiet seclusion, and much solitary prayer in our lives. There, in the secret place, where the only audience is the One, our true self is revealed and, praise God, the Spirit changes us - from glory to glory! Remember, who you are in secret will most surely make its way into the light, sooner or later. Jesus tells us that "out of the heart the mouth speaks." Let's use that principle for good, learning the disciplines of discipleship, cultivating a deep relationship with God where others cannot intrude, where temptation to dance for the crowd cannot reach us. Then, when we emerge to public service and ministry, we will wow'em with the beauty of the Lord, but we won't notice or care if they notice because the incredible joy of receiving His approval will eclipse any need we might feel for men's applause.

Here's a word from the Word. May the Truth inspire you today.
"Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, 'If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.'" (John 7:37-38, NIV)

Lord, flow from us. Make Your beauty known through our words and actions. May we never try to be what we are not and may we always be authentic so that - come rain, come storm - You will be seen in us. Amen.
_____________________

I'm calling out to You:
"There must something more,
Some deeper place to find,
Some secret place to hide,
Where I've not gone before.

Where my soul is satisfied
and my sin is put to death,
and I can hear Your voice
and Your purpose is my choice,
as natural as a breath.

The Love I knew before
when You first touched my life,
I need You to restore,
I want You to revive!

Could You place in my heart
a passion for Jesus;
A hunger that seizes
my passion for You?
My one desire,
my greatest possession,
My only confession,
my passion for You."

Passion For Jesus
Brian Houston
CCLI License No. 810055
________________________

Wow'em!

Beauty abounds in God's Creation. From the colors splashed on the sky, to the span of the view from a mountain peak, to the mesmerizing song of a waterfall, to the engineering of the crystals of a snowflake, to the stupendous variety in aquatic life... the list of places to be awed in Creation is long. God loves beauty; not the plastic perfection we are trained to admire, but the truly awesome of grand design. Those who love and serve His purposes in this world are commissioned 'make all things bright and beautiful!'

In the 5th chapter of Ephesians there is an extended passage that compares two ways to live- one ugly, the other, beautiful; one the result of sin, the other the work of God. The opening lines are our commission. "Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love." Imitators of God! Co-creators of beauty, beginning with our own hearts. The passage calls us to set aside immorality, impurity, and greed. "Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them." The Spirit urges us to reject the emptiness of drunkenness that deceives us to think of the coarse, the base, and the ugly as beautiful! "Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Take a look at the aim of the Lord in loving us! "Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless." (Ephesians 5, NIV)

• Are you bringing out the beauty in life by using your creative gifts, by loving deeply, by being the one-of-a-kind person God asks you to be?
  
• Are you letting the Spirit transform you from 'glory to glory?'

Let me encourage you today to let the beauty of Jesus Christ shine through. Just as a true work of art creates a 'wow' factor in those who take it in, pray that God will make your life a work of divine art. Then, others will know what an awesome Designer you serve, for the praise of His glory.

Here's a word from the Word for your meditation. "By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires." (2 Peter 1:3-4, NLT)
_______________

He gave me beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise
For the spirit of heaviness,
That we might be trees of righteousness,
The planting of the Lord,
That He might be glorified.

Beauty For Ashes
Manzano, Robert
© 1976, 1979, 1983 Maranatha! Music (Admin. by The Copyright Company)
CCLI License No. 810055

Beware of dogs!

Leonard Sweet, in his book The Gospel According to Starbucks (Waterbrook Press, 2007), asks - "Is God a reality to be experienced or a belief to be remembered?" He goes on to point out that the Bible is less a book about how people thought about God than it is a book about how people experienced God. It is not my intent to set doctrine and experience against each other as though one or the other is unimportant. However, we must not allow ourselves to fall into the error of making Christianity a creed only, just a set of rules and/or statements to be memorized. Christ Jesus is not just to be described, He is to be known- experienced as a real Person!

Paul warned that "the Letter kills, but the Spirit gives life." His reference was to the practice of those who took the First Covenant and substituted its rules for the living Experience of the Holy One made possible in Christ Jesus. The glory of Christianity is that God has given His Holy Spirit to live in us, allowing us to know Jesus Christ.
He writes, "Watch out for those dogs, those people who do evil, those mutilators who say you must be circumcised to be saved. For we who worship by the Spirit of God are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort, though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more! I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault.

I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead! I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me." (Philippians 3:1-12, NLT)

Paul's astonishing claim is that he was a master of doctrine. He even had applied the doctrines nearly flawlessly to his own life and yet he did not know God! Then, he met Christ, through faith, and came to experience the life offered to him by the Spirit. He was writing to the church in Philippi to warn them about certain teachers who wanted to turn the experience of knowing Christ into a set of rules for behavior, substituting puny attempts at self-righteousness with the authentic relationship with the Lord that came through Christ, by faith. With high scorn he says, "Watch out for those dogs!"

Sweet observes that "Authentic Christian experience is not playing praise music on your car radio or placing your body in a pew to listen to a sermon. Authentic Christian experience is the process... of growing into Christ. The world is not impressed that people attend church on Sunday mornings. If anything, such a habit is viewed as a quaint waste of time. But, imagine if every Christian in the world were living as a little Christ." A passionate, transforming experience of the living Christ tantalizes those who live around a living disciple, drawing them towards Christ, causing them to desire to share that experience. Who wants more rules for living? Who wants a holy nag adding to their sense of failure, heaping guilt upon guilt? Few, if any, seek more religion. But, we all crave an experience that gives Life!

Believer, do you simply know about Christ, or do you know Him?
Those who know Him, experience the renewal of the Spirit and are 'becomers' exchanging death for life, filled with the evidence of the Spirit's life. Here's a familiar passage about the fruit of the Spirit, paraphrased in The Message. As you read it, believe.

"But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.

Legalism is helpless in bringing this about; it only gets in the way. Among those who belong to Christ, everything connected with getting our own way and mindlessly responding to what everyone else calls necessities is killed off for good—crucified.

Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives." (Galatians 5:22-25, The Message)

You are a priest!

One of the privileges that a Pastor enjoys is being part of the emotional moments, the crises of life, that happen to those he shepherds. A baby is born and we celebrate. A death occurs and we comfort. Marriage gets stormy and we counsel. Disappointment comes and we console. We share life and connect those we love with the One who loves them most. That is what Jesus modeled for us in His ministry! He did not run from people's needs. He shared their lives, stepped into the fears and tears and storms and joy and pain. His Presence made a difference and it still does!
In Mark, there are two stories of His compassion that show me the depth of His care.

• In chapter 5, we meet a woman sick for years who is too fearful to face Jesus so she just tries to touch Him. When she succeeded, her faith allowed her to experience healing. Jesus sensed the touch and when she came out of the crowd trembling with fear, He gently called her "Daughter!" and then told her that her faith was rewarded.
• Wrapped around that little drama, we meet a desperate father whose daughter lay dying. Jairus pressed Jesus to come to his home, but the delay on the way brought word she died. Jesus' words are so tender and challenging - "Don't be afraid, just believe!" And he saw his daughter restored.

An important part of being a shepherd of God's people is remembering that it's not about me, but rather about becoming a priest that connects people with the grace, peace, and wisdom of God. It's all about Jesus Christ! Never forget that, disciple. Don't get in the way of what the Lord wants to do through you, by thinking it's about you. Serving Christ and becoming a minister (and every Believer is a minister!) is not about giving you or me a sense of importance; it's not about providing a way to gain affirmation; and it's not about creating a list of wins and losses. It's about letting the Presence of Jesus Christ be known as we share life with others. The Word says, "The mystery in a nutshell is just this: Christ is in you, so therefore you can look forward to sharing in God’s glory. It’s that simple. That is the substance of our Message. We preach Christ, warning people not to add to the Message. We teach in a spirit of profound common sense so that we can bring each person to maturity. To be mature is to be basic. Christ! No more, no less." (Colossians 1:27-28, The Message)

As you walk through this day, let yourself be touched! Take an active interest in the people you among whom you live and work. Connect them with Jesus and stand amazed at what He does for them.

Here's a word from the Word. I pray it challenges you to a renewed sense of ministry. ". . . for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light." (1 Peter 2:9-10, NLT)
________________________

How sweet the name of Jesus sounds,
In a believer's ear;
It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds
And drives away his fear.

It makes the wounded Spirit whole
And calms the troubled breast;
'Tis manna to the hungry soul
And to the weary, rest.

Jesus, my Shepherd, Brother, Friend,
My Prophet, Priest, and King
My Lord, my Life, my Way, my End,
Accept the praise I bring.

Till then I would Thy love proclaim
With ev'ry fleeting breath;
And may the music of Thy name
Refresh my soul in death.

How Sweet the Name
John Newton © Public Domain

Wrinkles and Wisdom

I caught a glimpse of my face in the mirror this morning and wondered who that old guy staring back at me was! Grandpa Scott- that's me! All grown-up, just starting the last quarter in this game of life. Aging is inevitable, but not maturity! Some men die of old age while still thinking and acting like a teenage boy. I don't want to be one of them.
Maturity gives a person the freedom to choose to master his impulses because he understands that he won't 'just die' if he doesn't get what he thinks he needs or wants.
Maturity clarifies the truly important from the merely urgent. Maturity refocuses the man from image-building to authenticity. It allows a person to live 'now' instead of waiting for some ideal set of circumstances to develop so that he can really live.
Maturity brings acceptance (not apathy!) of spiritual gifts, opportunities, and yes -even limitations - and in that acceptance is found the fertile soil in which real effectiveness grows a rich crop of spiritual and relational fruit. Instead of striving to become somebody's ideal, the mature man is content to be the best at who he is.

The Word urges us to grow up. "No prolonged infancies among us, please. We’ll not tolerate babes in the woods, small children who are an easy mark for impostors. God wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth and tell it in love—like Christ in everything. We take our lead from Christ, who is the source of everything we do. He keeps us in step with each other. His very breath and blood flow through us, nourishing us so that we will grow up healthy in God, robust in love. And so I insist—and God backs me up on this—that there be no going along with the crowd, the empty-headed, mindless crowd." (Ephesians 4:14-17, The Message)

For the disciple, maturity develops from two things: Commitment to the Truth and a Radical obedience to Christ.

We will not mature as long as we hide from the truth - about ourselves, about life, about what we've done or who we are. Jesus said it simply: "You will know the truth and the truth will set you free." Truth can be devastating. Admitting that we sin and fail, letting the Spirit of God and/or those He brings into our lives tell us the the truth, won't always be much fun, but if we face it, God will give us grace to deal with it as necessary.

James, that practical teacher, reminds us of the importance of acting on the truth. "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does." (James 1:22-25, NIV)

We will not mature if we let discipleship remain an idea that is separate from 'real life.' James tells us to 'do what the Word says!' By way of illustration, he goes on to say, "Anyone who sets himself up as "religious" by talking a good game is self-deceived. This kind of religion is hot air and only hot air. Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world." (James 1:26-27, The Message)

Disciple, it's time to grow on. You're going to get older and there's not a thing you can do about that. Match aging with maturity and then you will be able to enjoy the blessings of being all grown up.
____________________

I am Thine O Lord; I have heard Thy voice,
And it told Thy love to me.
But I long to rise in the arms of faith,
And be closer drawn to Thee.

Consecrate me now to Thy service Lord,
By the power of grace divine.
Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,
And my will be lost in Thine.

Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
To the cross where Thou hast died.
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord.
To Thy precious bleeding side.
I Am Thine, O Lord
Fanny Crosby © Public Domain

Who going to pay for it?

I encouraged dreaming yesterday. I hope you didn't take that as permission to get lost in silly fantasies. With a child-like faith, allow yourself to think about how God wants you to go against the flow, how He is asking you to apply yourself to make a difference for the Kingdom. Somebody asked me, "And just where do I get the resources I need to make that dream into a reality?" With confidence I can say, "If your dream is inspired by God, and if you're willing to work hard and think 'out of the box,' He will provide!" A story from Genesis makes that point.

"Dad, we have the flint and the wood for our sacrifices, but where is the sheep for the offering?" Abraham and Isaac were on their way to Moriah. Both are filled with questions. One of them is wonders where the lamb is and the other is trying to understand what God is doing and why! The account of the testing of Abraham in Genesis 22, wraps up with a Hebrew proverb.... "When you get to the mountain, God will provide." That was how Abraham responded to his son's question. "Isaac, God will see to it that there is a sheep for the offering." In other words, "we will just keep going and see how He works it out."

Is God calling you to some sacrifice, has He pointed you down a road filled with challenges that you have NO IDEA how to overcome? "When you get to the mountain, God will provide." If you're at all like me, you prefer that He show you the plan BEFORE you get to the mountain. Being the planning type, I rest better when the route is laid out, the provisions set aside, and the outcome is assured. There's nothing wrong with purpose and planning, but God reserves the right to CHANGE our plans and not to tell us what He's doing. That is why faith is a basic requirement for living out His dreams in our lives. "It is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him." (Hebrews 11:6, NLT)

When He calls us to take up His challenges, He is not cruel nor is He impulsive. He wants us to know that it is His doing, not ours. He is leading us into new revelations of Himself. Deeper vision; greater dreams!

The text of Genesis 22 gives us no insight into Abraham's emotions on that three day journey to Moriah. What is underscored is that he was obedient and trusting -- even though everything he had built his life around -- God's covenant, the life of his beloved son -- was on the line. It appeared that God had kicked the legs out from underneath him, that God was a deceiver who gave with one hand and took away with the other. But Abraham did not accuse God, rebel against God, or even resist. After receiving the Word of the LORD, the Bible says, 'early the next morning, he got up and saddled his donkey' to go and obey!

I think he must have kept repeating to himself, "God will see to it. God will provide" over and over and over. What would God do? The writer in Hebrews says that Abraham considered that God could raise his son from the dead if necessary!

You know the story. As he raised the knife to slay his son, God spoke. "Enough! I have seen the depth of your love." The Message translation concludes the story like this: "Abraham looked up. He saw a ram caught by its horns in the thicket. Abraham took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. He named that place GOD-Yireh (God-Sees-to-it!). That's where we get the saying, "On the mountain of GOD, he sees to it."

Live obediently today.
Keep moving toward the mountain trusting that when you get there, GOD-Yireh, the One who sufficient and able, will 'see to it' giving you just what you need at that time! He will because He is faithful.

Jehovah Jireh, my provider,
His grace is sufficient for me, for me, for me.
Jehovah Jireh, my provider,
His grace is sufficient for me.

My God shall supply all my needs,
According to His riches in glory.
He will give His angels charge over me.
Jehovah Jireh careth for me, for me, for me.
Jehovah Jireh careth for me.


© 1974 Sound III, Inc. (Admin. by MCA Music Publishing) / Universal -MCA Music PublishingCCLI License No. 810055.

What of those dreams?

Dreams can be so sweet, fun, even hilarious. Our dreams are woven out of the experiences, images, and ideas stored in our brain. They are, in part anyway, our hopes and fears amplified, played out on the stage of our imagination. I often dream of family gatherings, of my children and grandchildren. The fact that they all live at a distance means nothing in my dreams. My brain gathers them all 'round the table as I sleep! In my dreams, I can be a child again; or I can journey to places far away; or I can overcome limitations that life imposes on me. Sometimes dreams turn dark. I have awakened from those nightmares with my heart pounding, only to realize that the man or beast that was chasing me existed only in my brain, much to my relief! More than once, I come to consciousness much relieved that things said or done were confined to my brain, only the stuff of dreams!!

Dreams can be useful, a place to work through life's challenges. More than once, in a dream I have solved some problem, or gained some insight. How does that happen? I believe that when our minds are freed from the limits imposed by our consciousness, there is an opportunity for the creative work of the Spirit of God to be accomplished in us. The Bible speaks repeatedly of God using dreams to reveal His will or His purposes. In the book of Genesis, we are told that Joseph saw the outlines of his future in a teenage dream that stayed with him through decades of slavery and imprisonment until he came into prominence in Egypt. His brothers mocked his dreams. Later, friends forget his dreams. But, those God-given dreams made Joseph the man who saved his people. Jesus' earthly Dad, another man named Joseph, learned of God's amazing plan for Mary and himself in a dream. "After he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit." (Matthew 1:20, NIV)

We also speak of dreams in another way. We say that a future goal is our dream. Those who inspire others to reach higher are called dreamers or visionaries. These people can be hard to live with because they are possessed by a discontent with things as they are. They are compelled to stir things up, to make others uncomfortable in pursuit of that which only they can see. A person who loses the ability to dream, or whose disappointments brings about the death of his dream, becomes the captive of his circumstances, a drone who just exists, dragging himself to work, then home to watch more TV, fall asleep, and do it all again the next day. The Proverb reminds us of the power of dreams saying, "Where there is no vision, the people perish." (Proverbs 29:18, KJV) The Message gives a deeper insight into that verse: "If people can’t see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; But when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed." (Proverbs 29:18, The Message)

Let me ask you two things today:
Do you dream godly, good, and inspired dreams?
Are you submitting your dreams to the Lord, asking Him to whisper of His purposes and plans to you?

In these difficult days, when sin increases, challenges multiply, and many situations are overwhelming - a new vision is much needed. Ponder this promise of inspiration! Invite the Spirit to make these words true in you.
Here's the word from His Word.
"In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.
Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy." {my note - They will become God's spokesmen in this world!}
(Acts 2:17-18, NIV)

______________________________

Father, teach me to dream again.
Yes, I pray you will keep me from empty and escapist fantasies!
Protect my heart and mind from the sinful impulses of Self.

Holy Spirit, work deeply in me today,
giving me a vision for the way You want me to live.
Let me 'see' what You're doing,
hear what You're saying,
so that I will lead the way to the kind of world You desire.
I ask this confidently in Jesus' holy Name. Amen.

Who needs Heaven?

Heaven! That future home has been on my mind more these days.
Isaiah caught a glimpse of Heaven and it changed his life. When the Lord allowed him to see the wonders of the Throne Room of God and the angels that worship God perpetually, he was overcome by the realization of his sinfulness and cried, "I am doomed because I am a filthy man!" (Isaiah 6) And, in response to his confession, God made him clean, fit for holy service.

Paul tells of being lifted up to Heaven, seeing visions that were too holy to describe. Those visions sustained his faith through a life of unbelievable difficulties in his ministry and near the end of his earthly journey allowed him to face his pending execution with this hope: "now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return." (2 Timothy 4:8, NLT)

John, in that book of unveiling, The Revelation, tries to describe other worldly visions with this world's language. He gives us language that shapes Heaven for most Believers, including such ideas as streets of gold, gates of pearl, and streams of pure water. Who can really fully understand all that John means with statements like these? God "took me away in the Spirit to an enormous, high mountain and showed me Holy Jerusalem descending out of Heaven from God, resplendent in the bright glory of God. The City shimmered like a precious gem, light-filled, pulsing light. ... The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate a single pearl. The main street of the City was pure gold, translucent as glass." (Revelation 21:10-11, 21 The Message)

While I anticipate the amazing beauty of the City of God, the best part of Heaven is the promise that says, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." (Revelation 21:3-4, NIV) Oh, what joy! The Lord I love now only in part, I will then love with no distance. The hand of Jesus will dry my tears and I'll never cry again, ever. No regret, no pain, no disappointment, no longing for what cannot be, no loneliness exists where God, in all His Fullness, holds us close and banishes sin. "After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: "Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God." (Revelation 19:1, NIV)

Does all this talk of Heaven strike you as irrelevant, just the musing of someone who is trying to escape the pressures of this present life? That's how I once thought, too. I had little time for Heaven for I said, "there's just too much living right here and right now to 'waste' time thinking about Eternity. I'll enjoy it when I get there!" What a foolish boy I was. Heaven is for now. A Christian who does not have Heaven in view on the horizon of life will wander, become distracted by earth's pleasures, and even lose heart when the questions outrun his answers.

A firm grasp on the promise of Heaven and the disciple's assurance of eternal life is what keeps him on track, holy and wholly committed to a godly life. The Word says, "We have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints— the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel that has come to you. All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God’s grace in all its truth." (Colossians 1:3-6, NIV) In The Message that passage reads thus: "We keep getting reports on your steady faith in Christ, our Jesus, and the love you continuously extend to all Christians. The lines of purpose in your lives never grow slack, tightly tied as they are to your future in heaven, kept taut by hope. The Message is as true among you today as when you first heard it. It doesn’t diminish or weaken over time. It’s the same all over the world. The Message bears fruit and gets larger and stronger, just as it has in you. From the very first day you heard and recognized the truth of what God is doing, you’ve been hungry for more." Isn't that rich?

Plant your heart in Heaven. Invest yourself in God's work, as Jesus said, "laying up treasure" that is beyond the reach of decay, rust, or thieves! Let the hope of your Eternal Home keep the lines of purpose taut!
____________________________
O, heaven is in my heart, O, heaven is in my heart.
The kingdom of our God is here, Heaven is in my heart.
The presence of His majesty, Heaven is in my heart.
And in His presence joy abounds, Heaven is in my heart.
The light of holiness surrounds, Heaven is in my heart.

His precious life on me He spent, Heaven is in my heart.
To give me life without an end, Heaven is in my heart.
In Christ is all my confidence, Heaven is in my heart.
The hope of my inheritance, Heaven is in my heart.

We are a temple for His throne, Heaven is in my heart.
And Christ is the foundation stone, Heaven is in my heart.
He will return to take us home, Heaven is in my heart.
The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come!" Heaven is in my heart.

Heaven is in My Heart
Graham Kendrick
© 1991 Make Way Music (Admin. by Music Services)

CCLI License No. 810055

God Bless America

President-elect Obama! A year ago, who would have thought it probable, much less possible? Our President-elect is no friend of evangelicals. Unless he governs differently than he campaigned, he is not going to be supportive of Biblical values that are so important to us. Now that the election is over, I will admit to a deep sense of concern over the direction our nation will likely take during his administration. He will be governing alongside of leaders in Congress that are equally hostile to evangelical Christian ideals, so there will be little reason to be a moderate. Most troubling for me personally is the kind of judges our new President is likely to appoint to the Federal bench.

Despite all of that, I see his election as a real opportunity for evangelicals to get back to our calling to be the Church. I hope that we will embrace God's call to pray for our leaders, to work for a just society, and to proclaim the transforming Truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Let's roll up our sleeves and get to work. We can now stop looking to the Oval Office and our legislators for initiatives to save our nation from her sins! It time to feed the hungry, to care for the dying, to visit the imprisoned, to become the defenders of the oppressed, to offer love to the outcasts and hope those who are enslaved by their sins.

These words from Romans challenge us to remember that God gives us leaders and demands that we pray for them and live as good citizens. It becomes even more compelling for us when we remember that the authorities at the time these words were written were pagans, not just apathetic toward Christianity but in many cases actively persecuting the Church.

Read these words, then take time to pray for those elected to serve us.
"Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong.
Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you. The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong.

So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience. Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do." (Romans 13:1-6, NLT) _______________________________

Father in Heaven, I thank you for Your reign!

Today, I pray for our leaders, particularly for President-elect Obama.
Protect him from those who hate him because of the color of his skin.
Grace him with virtues of Wisdom, Justice, Courage, Humility, Faith, Hope, and Love as he prepares to assume the Presidency.The challenges presented to him in our world are many.
Work deeply in his heart and mind and draw him to a new understanding of Who You are.

Spirit of God, call your Church to a renewed understanding of her place in this world, a place of service and a place of embodying the Truth of Christ.

May we interact with our government, even when those who govern are hostile to Your ways, with grace and gentleness.

Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in us.
All of this, I ask in His holy Name, Amen.
_______________________________

TFTD will not be in your email box for the next few days.
This writer needs to unstring the bow for a few days and give my heart and mind a recess.
Thanks for reading along. See you next week.

Do You Worship Worry?

A year ago, the church I serve as a Pastor was experiencing a difficult time financially. I dreaded the monthly meetings with the Leadership Team when I had to bring reports that showed we were consistently running in the red. We knew some of the reasons that our income was down. We had added an additional staff member a year prior, anticipating growth to help us meet the expense, growth that did not occur when we expected. I began to experience real worry and it increased over time. I thought about the church's finances all of the time. Every decision I made as a Pastor was colored by the financial implications involved. Every time of prayer seemed to end with worried pleas for God's provision.

Around February of this year, the Lord helped me to see that I was actually worshipping worry! If worship is defined by what we give most attention to, what we spend the greater part of our time and energy on, then worry had become my god! In His great faithfulness, He helped me to see the faithlessness of my prayers. Isn't that a contradiction- 'faithless prayers?' I was praying faithfully, but focusing on my perception of need rather than His promise of provision. Instead of deepening my assurance, which true prayer will do; my misfocused prayers were actually increasing my anxiety. The counsel of friends and the wisdom of the Word brought a corrective and I intentionally changed my focus to thankfulness. That did not mean ignoring the reality of the need. However, I began to look beyond the need to the One who promises that He will resource us to fulfill His call. Instead of worshipping worry, I offered my praise to Him - and we have seen His ongoing provision.

In the book of 2nd Chronicles, which tells us about the times of the kings of Judah, there is an account that should encourage us to pray with praise, not with worry. The chapter opens with this assessment of the real threat. "Some time later the Moabites and Ammonites, accompanied by Meunites, joined forces to make war on Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat received this intelligence report: "A huge force is on its way from beyond the Dead Sea to fight you. There’s no time to waste—they’re already at Hazazon Tamar, the oasis of En Gedi." (2 Chronicles 20:1-2, The Message) The king brought together the leaders of his kingdom for a prayer meeting, but the focus of their prayers initially was on their powerlessness! Then a prophet of the Lord redirected their prayers with this cry, "Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s." (2 Chronicles 20:15, NIV)

Jehoshaphat's response is simply astonishing. When he sent his armies off to war, look what he did. "Early the next morning the army of Judah went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. On the way Jehoshaphat stopped and said, "Listen to me, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be able to stand firm. Believe in his prophets, and you will succeed." After consulting the people, the king appointed singers to walk ahead of the army, singing to the Lord and praising him for his holy splendor. This is what they sang: "Give thanks to the Lord; his faithful love endures forever!" (2 Chronicles 20:20-21, NLT)

It's praise-time, disciple. On this pivotal day in America, don't worship worry over the future. Instead, praise the sovereign Lord who stands Eternally over the affairs of humanity. Whatever your need may be today, present it to the Lord, as you focus on His majesty, His love, His purposes. Send out the singers, in front of the army, and God will make a way for you.
_______________

The splendor of the King, clothed in majesty;
Let all the earth rejoice, let all the earth rejoice!
He wraps Himself in light and darkness tries to hide,
It trembles at His voice, it trembles at His voice.

Age to age He stands and time is in His hands,
Beginning and the End, Beginning and the End!
The Godhead, three in one, Father, Spirit, Son;
The Lion and the Lamb, the Lion and the Lamb!

How great is our God!!
Sing with me - how great is our God!!
And all will see how great,
how great is our God!!

Name above all names!!
Worthy of all praise!!
My heart will sing,
"How great is our God!!"

How Great is our God
Chris Tomlin © 2004 worshiptogether.com CCLI License No. 810055

A choice for a better life!

There is a choice you can make today that will make a real difference in life; for you, for others! It does not require much time, needs no money invested, and is not difficult. When you choose to do this thing, it infects people around you with optimism and joy. It can become a habit and when it does, it will make you much more likely to enjoy better health, a wider network of friends, a deeper relationship with the Lord. A person who does this often, sincerely, and with enthusiasm will have enjoy the blessing of God. You want to know what 'it' is?

You're going to laugh because it is so simple. You may be tempted to dismiss it thinking it cannot possibly be that easy! So, should I tell you? Here it is, the wisdom of God.

"I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.
My soul will boast in the LORD; let the afflicted hear and rejoice." (Psalm 34:1-2, NIV)

You and I cannot always choose our situations and circumstances, but we always can choose our response! A person who lives a praise-filled life, centered on God, has a stronger faith, a more joyful outlook, and invites the Lord and others to bless him!

I cannot do a thing about the American economy today, but I can choose to thank God for His promise to provide for all my needs.

I cannot do anything to change my Dad's cancer, but I can choose to love him and to thank God for every moment we get to spend together.

I cannot stop my critics from trying to make my life miserable, but I can thank God that He sees my heart and loves me, in spite of all my flaws!

"I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High." (Psalm 7:17, NIV)

"In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid." (Psalm 56:4, NIV)

"Sing a new song to the Lord! Let the whole earth sing to the Lord! Sing to the Lord; praise his name. Each day proclaim the good news that he saves. Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does." (Psalm 96:1-3, NLT)

If you think I am selling positive thinking, you're missing the point. Optimism is good, but it is not the same as praise. Thinking positively only can carry a person so far. Situations arise which simply defy all attempts we make to put a positive spin on them. But, praise never fails us because real praise is centered on the Person of our God, His promises, and His power to save us! Do not let anyone sell you the folly of praising God for bad things! It's just plain stupid to praise God for cancer, for example, but we can praise God that He can and will use even cancer to accomplish His purposes.

I challenge you, throughout this month of November, which ends with Thanksgiving, to cultivate a spirit of praise. When you're tempted to complain, shut your mouth, pray for a moment, then speak praise to God. Keep it sincere. Insincere praise is a form of profanity! Print this Psalm and read it often, perhaps at the start of everyday. Read it out loud. Praising God will change your life. He guarantees it!

"Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations." (Psalm 100, NIV)
______________________

A damning indictment!

"If you were put on trial for being a disciple of Jesus Christ, would there be enough evidence to convict you?" is a question that was asked among Christians when I was in my teens. I do not know who first asked it, but it's a worthy question, isn't it? Those who truly love Him should live a distinctly separate and different life from people who are not Believers. I love that story in Acts where Peter and John are dragged before a religious court and questioned about their work for the Lord. Those men who were hostile to their message none the less were impressed by one thing: "When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus." (Acts 4:13, NIV) Oh, that those who talk, work, and live around us today would come to the same conclusion!

A kind of sophistication has settled over many American Christians that allows them to live in two worlds at the same time. They lay claim to the grace of Christ and the hope of eternal life while holding onto their love of things, their pride of place and face, and unholy pleasures. Any call to genuine holiness, to living a separated life, is rejected as 'legalism.' So, they are capable of singing, 'take all of me, Lord,' on Sunday in worship and then choosing to be their own master on Monday. Those who live that way might think they are sophisticated, but they are actually foolish - robbing themselves of the power and joy that a wholly committed follower of Jesus knows.

In Mark's Gospel, Jesus took on some sophisticates of His day who thought they could know God and keep control of their lives at the same time. His words were a damning indictment that I would never want Him to speak of me.
"Isaiah was right about frauds like you, hit the bull’s-eye in fact: These people make a big show of saying the right thing, but their heart isn’t in it. They act like they are worshiping me, but they don’t mean it. They just use me as a cover for teaching whatever suits their fancy, Ditching God’s command and taking up the latest fads. ... You scratch out God’s Word and scrawl a whim in its place. You do a lot of things like this." (Mark 7:6-8; 12-14, The Message)
Disciple, do not let it be said of you that you are hypocrite, saying the right words but failing to live the life of a disciple. Do not slide into legalism, either. That's a dead end, too. Merely putting some external rules in place about what you eat, what you wear, how you talk, what movies you watch, and such matters is not true holiness. To be sure, when Christ is Lord of our lives, there will be an observable difference in those things, because our hearts are changed!

For example:
A man who loves Christ and is filled with the life of the Spirit will not be profane or filthy in speech because his heart is washed of anger and lust!
A woman who is truly full of the Spirit will not exploit the sensual beauty of her sexuality because she will know the true beauty that comes from a heart full of the love of Christ.

Spend time in quiet with the Lord today. There is no substitute for solitude, for prayerful meditation, for becoming truly holy. Only when we are really with Jesus will we become like Jesus! Here's a word from the Word. I pray that the challenge will one you will embrace, with God's help, today so that others will see real evidence that you are a disciple of the Lord of life.
"Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace." (Ephesians 4:1-3, NLT)
________________________


Take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord to Thee.
Take my hands and let them move, at the impulse of Thy love,
At the impulse of Thy love.

Take my feet, and let them be swift and beautiful for Thee.
Take my voice, and let me sing always, only, for my King.
Always, only, for my King.

Take my lips, and let them be filled with messages for Thee.
Take my silver and my gold; not a mite would I withhold,
Not a mite would I withhold.

Take my will and make it Thine, it shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart it is Thine own, it shall be Thy royal throne.
It shall be Thy royal throne.

Take my love, my God, I pour at Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself and I will be ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee.

Take My Life
Francis Havergal © Public Domain