Listen As He Calls

Posted on March 1, 2010 by day1of1

Show us your unfailing love, O LORD, and grant us your salvation. I will listen to what God the LORD will say; he promises peace to his people, his saints – Psalm 85:7-8

 
In the quiet of the morning He speaks to us.  He’s found in the sudden thought that strikes us as we’re driving.  In those moments when His plan for our life becomes clear, we find Him there – arms extended, sharing His love and compassion for us.  The word of the Lord brings strength, is filled with truth, and provides us with everything that we need to live our lives in fullness and abundance.
 

God has spoken to you many times in your life.  Whether it has been a direct and clear message or a certainty over a decision you’ve needed to make, you know the sound of His voice when He is calling out to you.  God is in control of your life, and because you have been diligent in your obedience, you are being rewarded with the fullest measure of the inheritance God has set aside for you.  And this is not because of your work.   It is because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit in your life that you stand today in a place where nothing can come between you and the great love that the Father has for you. 
You have been anointed, called to do great things in the kingdom of the Lord.  Your life, your future, and your destiny is secure because of one great and simple truth – the Lord of all Creation loves you and desires to bless now and forever.

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Always

Posted on February 23, 2010 by day1of1

Always: At all times, invariably, uninterruptedly, without exception, forever.  What else could one give?  What more could one ask for?  It is a gift that is not given lightly, and one whose impact far exceeds most others.  Its power is rooted in two basic notions – it is unchanging and it is unending.

In those terms, it is easy to see that this, like every good thing in our world, is a gift to us from God.  To be eternal is part of His nature, as shown in Genesis 1 and Matthew 28:20.  He is unwavering in His commitment to us.  The promise God makes to Solomon in 1 Kings 9:3 applies to us today.  God promises Solomon, “I have heard the prayer and plea you have made before me; I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting my Name there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.”  As His living temple, we too bear His name upon our hearts, where He will dwell forever.  Because of His continual presence in our lives, we can confidently know that He is at work in our lives, bringing us blessings and direction.  Isaiah speaks of this when he says, “The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame.  You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.” 

How fortunate we are to have a God whose love for us goes so deep!  How fortunate we are to have such an inspiring model as this to help us in our own relationships.  1 Corinthians 13 is famous for its insights into love.  Verse seven specifies four key elements of love in terms of always. “It [love] always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”  Again, this is merely following God’s lead, doing what He has instructed us to do.  But as I consider those four elements, I am convinced that God is telling us that we must always do these four things in order to share a maximized lifetime of love with the person God brought into our lives.  We must always work to protect them, to trust and to be trustworthy for them, to have hope in God’s promises for our lives, and to persevere through any challenge or difficulty we may face.

On our own, this task would prove difficult, if not impossible.  But once again, we are reminded of God’s promise to always be there with us and for us in every situation.  We can also take comfort knowing that in whomever we love, God has provided us a most worthy partner with whom these promises can be shared, grown, and harvested.  By His strength, we can surrender our lives to Him and His will. 
 
Our enduring prayer must be that He will continue to mold us not only into the man or woman He created us to be, but also into the person He has created for your beloved as well.  To that end and by the power of His word in our lives, may we spend every day of our lives actively fostering a love that always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres.

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Nothing to Fear

Posted on February 13, 2010 by day1of1

The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. Fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing. – Psalm 34:7-9

God is good.  He delivers us from our fears and brings us to that place where our needs are met, our questions answered and our lives made complete in Him.  We have been created in His image to serve Him in fulfilling His purposes here on earth.  As we align our lives with His will, as we move forward down the path of our lives, we see more clearly the unmatched joy and goodness that comes from the throne of our Heavenly King.

How evident these truths are in your life!  Every day is a new beginning as you are renewed in His love.  Sins are forgiven, mistakes are forgotten, and peace is attained through the perfect love of God in your life.  What obstacle can hinder you?  What issue can hold you back, preventing you from achieving the fullness of what God has created you for?  Nothing in the natural could ever separate you from the awesome power and amazing blessings that God has chosen to wrap around you.  Your life has been transformed.  Your direction has been established, the path marked out and made ready for travel.  Your guide is the Holy Spirit.  Strong and certain; He will never leave your side and will see you through the rough places – keeping your feet steady and your pace true.  Your total trust in Him will be rewarded in your life, as well as in the lives of those like me who are fortunate enough to know you and see how your obedience has brought innumerable blessings into your life.

I pray you never forget all that God has done for you.  May His love always hold a prominent place in your life, giving you peace, confidence, and the certainty that you are dearly loved.

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In Him

Posted on February 1, 2010 by day1of1

There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need. – Acts 4:34-35
Good morning.  The lesson learned in this section of Scripture remains true, even though the lifestyle by which we live is drastically different.  People today don’t sell all of their possessions and live in communes where all of their physical needs are met.  However, step back and look at the story from a bigger picture perspective and you easily see the lesson to be learned.
Read the story and put God in the position of the church.  As His people, we return the fullness of our lives to Him, giving back everything we have.  Now this doesn’t require an auction, a foreclosure, and a rummage sale.  Instead, it requires a commitment – an aligning of our lives so that everything we have (which is merely on loan to us because God gave it to us in the first place) is given back to Him.  Nothing is ours to hoard and treasure, allowing no earthly thing to take on too important a role in our lives or to be set in a position where it might stand between us and our Lord.

You live your life by this correct perspective.  Everything you have is His and you not only return what is asked, but you have given everything to Him; every item, every possession, but also every action, every word, every thought.  You live your life each day in the truth that Christ lives in you, and so consequently you live for Christ.  And as the passage says, you receive the amazing gift of knowing that every need you have will be met.  There is nothing you lack – no want to which God does not tend.  This knowledge provides you with the opportunity to live with greater boldness and faith in Him – and you do.
May this boldness fill you today as you carry out the work that God has set before you to complete.  May you find satisfaction in what you are able to accomplish and know that you serve God through every task completed.  Be blessed with knowledge, wisdom, discernment, success and contentment.  Know that in every joy and challenge you face, because of your faithful obedience God is standing alongside you, blessing every action and answering your requests so that no need you have will go unfulfilled.

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Hope

Posted on January 21, 2010 by day1of1

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.  But the greatest of these is love. – 1 Corinthians 13:13

You will be secure, because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety.  Job 11:18

Hope

As I read these passages and began to think about hope, my mind wandered in the direction of the movie The Shawshank Redemption.  And seeing how it’s been a while since I posted anything movie related, I figured why not go with it.  As with any great movie, there are many subplots that develop throughout the movie bringing depth to characters and giving the audience reason to pause and reflect.  There was a particular scene in the movie that triggered in my mind as I meditated on hope.  It’s a line from the letter that Andy Dufresne (played by Tim Robbins) wrote Red (played by Morgan Freeman).  Andy has escaped from the prison and left instructions for Red to find a particular location if he were to ever get out.  So with that line echoing in my mind, I thought I’d research it online to see what the movie tells us about hope.  What I found was that the hope subplot actually starts earlier in the movie.

Andy was put into solitary confinement  for broadcasting a song over the prison PA system.  Once out of “the hole,” he and Red talk about the power of music…

Andy Dufresne: That’s the beauty of music. They can’t get that from you… Haven’t you ever felt that way about music?
Red: I played a mean harmonica as a younger man. Lost interest in it though. Didn’t make much sense in here.
Andy Dufresne: Here’s where it makes the most sense. You need it so you don’t forget.
Red: Forget?
Andy Dufresne: Forget that… there are places in this world that aren’t made out of stone. That there’s something inside… that they can’t get to, that they can’t touch. That’s yours.
Red: What’re you talking about?
Andy Dufresne: Hope.
Red: Let me tell you something my friend. Hope is a dangerous thing. Hope can drive a man insane.

Red’s comment about hope is true when you leave your hope in the natural.  I imagine that a man incarcerated for decades would be more comfortable abandoning his hope.  Seeing the sun shine gives us a strong desire to bask in its warmth and light.  Imagine how hard it must be to see the sun shine knowing that you can never step into it.  In time, you can come to the conclusion that it’s best to simply convince yourself that there is no sun and be content in the cold, dark places of life.  For some, this may be an effective short term coping mechanism.  For others like Red, it has become their reality.

I think that a life void of hope would be uninspiring at best.  It is a life that certainly stands in opposition to our nature.  As a creation, we strive for something more, something bigger and with higher levels of purpose because we know deep down that we were created for something greater.  The Bible clarifies this longing for us.  Because we were made in God’s image, we possess an awareness that there are greater things which await us – greater things toward which we are headed.  To deny ourselves the comfort that comes from this basic truth by removing hope from our lives will leave us unfulfilled and searching for deeper meaning in places where none exists.  This is why people turn to quick fixes, impulsive decisions and other vices as an alternative to maintaining their hope in their all-powerful God.

It’s a process, but we can change our paradigms to reacquire the desire for hope.  You know this from your own life and experiences.  At some point, you’ve known the feeling of hopelessness.  Thankfully, God never abandoned the hope He has for you.  He stood by, patiently and lovingly providing you with what you needed to return back to that place of safety and security in Him.  Andy Dufresne does something similar for Red in the letter awaiting him after his parole.

“Dear Red.  If you’re reading this, you’ve gotten out. And if you’ve come this far, maybe you’re willing to come a little further. You remember the name of the town, don’t you? I could use a good man to help me get my project on wheels. I’ll keep an eye out for you and the chessboard ready. Remember, Red. Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies. I will be hoping that this letter finds you, and finds you well. Your friend, Andy.”

Andy knew that the day might come that Red would be released, and out of love and care for his friend, he made him an offer to join him.  In part, it was to prevent Red from meeting the same demise as Brooks – another long time prisoner who committed suicide after parole because he couldn’t readjust to society.  But beyond that, it was Andy maintaining the hope he had in his friend to regain a thirst for something greater in his life.  There was no guarantee that Red would get out.  No assurance that he’d remember the location of that field where the note was left.  No reason to assume that Red would travel across a continent to join him.  But Andy not only made the invitation and provided the funding – he offered him a hope for something new, something better than he’d ever known.

What is God bringing into your life?  Things are coming into focus, aligning themselves to bring you abundance beyond your expectations.  You may or may not yet know what all of those things will look like, but we know they are coming and they will be good.

Similarly, Red left on his voyage without much knowledge of the future.  What’s more, the movie ends without us ever finding out exactly what happens.  But despite the lack of knowledge, Red’s final thoughts leave us with what we need to know…

Red: [narrating] I find I’m so excited, I can barely sit still or hold a thought in my head. I think it’s the excitement only a free man can feel, a free man at the start of a long journey whose conclusion is uncertain. I hope I can make it across the border. I hope to see my friend, and shake his hand. I hope the Pacific is as blue as it has been in my dreams. I hope.

Hope in the Lord that He will complete in you the work that He has started.  Hope that you will find answers to your questions, solutions to your problems, and delights to fill your days as a dearly loved child of God.

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Love from the Source

Posted on January 13, 2010 by day1of1

Surely it is you who love the people; all the holy ones are in your hand.  At your feet they all bow down, and from you receive instruction – Deuteronomy 33:3

 
How wonderful are the blessings that God has given us?  Can we truly understand them in their depth?  It’s a bit of a brain teaser I suppose – but there’s more to it.  Worldly knowledge is so limited in comparison to the all-knowing nature of our Heavenly Father.  So if we can accept that we have no we understanding of how God can know everything, it makes sense that we would also be limited in our knowledge of the fullness of God’s love for us.

 
How fortunate we are that God understands us and provides for us a clearer picture of all of the things we cannot comprehend.  We know Him because He has given us His word to open our eyes.  We know love because He is the source of all love and He models it in our lives every day.  From His throne, we receive grace, mercy, peace, healing, forgiveness, and joy.  There is nothing good in this world that we could ever have that does not come from the Lord.  Therefore we are all the more thankful for what He has chosen to bless us with, because in Him we are made complete.

 
Words cannot adequately explain the blessings that God has given us in our lives.  We can only offer Him our thanks and praise through the praise and worship we raise to Him and through the love that we share as we follow the destiny paths given to us by our Creator.  May your life be filled with all the joy and love that God can provide so that you may fill your life while using His gifts to bless others as well.

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Valued

Posted on January 4, 2010 by day1of1

In church this past Sunday, Bishop Ben Gibert of Detroit World Outreach made a statement that has really struck a chord with me regarding the value we place upon Biblical knowledge.  He compared the way people approach learning in an academic setting with learning in a Christian setting.  Being a Christian educator, you can see why this topic immediately piqued my interest.  His statement was this:  People are willing to spend hundreds of dollars on classes at a community center, a college, or a university because they feel that they will gain a tangible benefit from doing so.  Even if the class were only to develop a skill or hobby like photography or ballroom dancing, people will pay for the opportunity to “better themselves.”  Now compare that mindset with the one that comes from Biblical knowledge or Christian education.  Could you imagine the response that most people would give to a church that offered a class and charged $50, $100 or more to attend?  I’ve seen people complain loudly over Bible classes that have been offered where the attendees were asked to pay for a $10 book that they could keep. 

 
The simple truth of it all is this – people simply don’t want to pay for something that they don’t value.  If you truly value something, money is not object.  How many stories have been told about parents who will stop at nothing, who will spare no expense to save the lives of their children?  They do so because they value them.  Students pursuing a career will pay for the bachelors, masters, or even the doctoral degree without flinching at the cost.  Why?  Because it is what they need in order to pursue a dream and they value it.  Even Christ touched upon this concept in the Parable of the Hidden Treasure in Matthew 13:44. “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.”

 
Harsh as it may sound, most people simply undervalue what is offered to them in the Bible.  There are two reasons why this is true.  First, many people feel that they give enough, because they view stewardship in the same way they view paying bills.  Ever round up your payment on the water bill or send the IRS a tip?  Me either – I pay for the water I use and Uncle Sam gets what I legally owe him.  But my relationship with God is different.  I’m not paying Him for services rendered because frankly, there isn’t enough money in existence to cover even a portion of it.  Secondly, as Bishop shared, we under value Biblical knowledge because Satan has done all he can to cheapen it in our eyes so that He might destroy us and our relationship with God.  And so our view of religious training and the value that it holds is diminished.  We wouldn’t dare miss a masters’ class that we’re paying $400 a credit hour for, but skipping Sunday’s Bible class or missing our morning quiet time is much more easily done because we’ve been convinced that doing so won’t cost us anything.

 
What is the value of Biblical knowledge?  It is in Scripture that we come to learn who God is and all that He has done for us.  The Bible gives us the law and God’s principles for living a full and purposeful life – a life that meets our needs and allows us to serve God in pursuit of our ultimate destiny in Him.  The Bible brings the Gospel of Jesus Christ into our lives, and through Him, we are given the opportunity to receive forgiveness of our sins, restore our relationship with the Father, and receive eternal life in Heaven. 

 
Peace for today, hope for tomorrow, abundance for generations, and life eternally: how could you possible put a price tag on that?

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Overcoming

Posted on January 1, 2010 by day1of1

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33

 
We know that the world is going to bring difficulties our way.  They come in various forms, in differing sizes, and with levels of intensity that can range from mild irritation to curl up under the covers and hide from the world.  No matter what we face, the consistency of the strength of God in our lives sees us through – enabling us to rely upon something far greater than any trouble we face.

 
As I look over the status of my life today, I see the troubles that exist in various forms.  No doubt you could also see issues and challenges that Satan throws out in an attempt to knock you off your destiny course.  But as God has called us to do –we keep our eyes fixed upon the promises that He has made to us, knowing that His plan is perfect and our obedience will produce deliverance and blessings in abundance.

 
I am thankful to God for the blessings and the challenges that I have been given to face.  The blessings are easy to be thankful for, the challenges are sometimes harder to appreciate, but we’ve learned that they give us the opportunity to grow and to further rely upon God for everything in our lives.  So as I mentioned earlier, my meditations on my life today have allowed me to see the good things that God has given me – success at work and in my writing, good friends, a loving family, goals for the future.  I also look at the challenges and when I put both of those concepts together I clearly see the greatness of God surrounding me, molding me into the man I am supposed to be. 

 
I speak of myself, but I know this to be true of you as well.  No matter what items you use to fill the lists of blessings and challenges, God is there – leading, protecting, encouraging, and loving you in ways that will see you through and grow you into each day, leaving you more anointed, more amazing than the one you had been before.  That is His will and my prayer for you.

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Wise Men & Godly Women

Posted on December 25, 2009 by day1of1

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.” … On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh – Matthew 2:1-2, 10-11

There are interesting ironies in the story of the wise men.  First, you see powerful men recognizing the power of someone greater, even though that person is only an infant.  They bring with them the greatest gifts they could – presenting them to a child who would prove to be the greatest gift that God could ever give us.  It shows an interesting pattern – we give our gifts, our talents, our very lives to God, and in return He provides us with gifts and blessings that extend beyond our wildest imagination. 

This God-driven act sets a standard that is found in our world in a most interesting place.  Years ago, I attended a Promise Keepers conference.  Of the many things I heard speakers say that day, one thing has stuck into my mind above the others.  The men were challenged to sow every good thing they could into a godly woman.  The reality was this: a man can do all that he can to build her up and to give her good gifts, but everything he does for her will only spur her on to give more back.  In fact, he can sow and sow and sow but he will never give her more than she will give him.  I always found this an interesting premise, and so this Christmas I share it with you, praying that the men who read this will test God in this and see if find it to be true.  If you know this to be true, I would invite you to use the comment box below to share your own experiences in this.  Let your words serve as a testimony to others who may be hesitant or may simply deny God’s role in this area of their lives.

May your Christmas be filled with peace, joy, and blessings in abundance.

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No Questions, Please

Posted on December 21, 2009 by day1of1

I am intrigued by the comments that people will make about what they plan to do when they arrive in heaven.  Many Christians have lists of questions that they want to ask and to whom they look forward to talking.  With this much interest in asking questions of Biblical personalities, I sometimes envision God setting up a scene similar to a parent/teacher conference day in a school.  Imagine having Peter, John the Baptist, Mary, Samson, Moses, Daniel, Adam, and the like sitting behind small tables in large room with people lined up, taking turns asking them their questions.  Or maybe it takes on a TV talk show format with a live audience and others phoning in their questions.  However God would handle it, I’m sure it would be impactful and interesting.  Of course, it would also be inaccurate and inconsistent with God’s plan for His creation.

 
As Christians living in the same world today, we often look up to and admire the work and actions of our Biblical forefathers.  But some people take this idea too far.  We look up to celebrities for many reasons, but primarily because they can do things that we cannot.  I can’t throw a football better than Brett Favre, act as well as Tom Hanks, play the piano better than Jim Brickman, or drive a car faster than Jimmie Johnson.  Because of my inability to achieve at that level, I marvel at those people who can, and I’m not alone.  Many people share my admiration of others who can do things I cannot.  But when it comes to living our faith, submitting our lives to God, and sharing the love of Christ with others, we are on par with every other believer – including those whose names are recorded in the Scriptures.

 
We have all been given a ministry, a specific purpose that God has given to us.  It is all part of His perfect plan for creation – His perfect plan for us.    But because we are a part of something bigger than ourselves, we also have an expectation of what we will do to make that plan happen.  We can try to opt out, but consider that Jonah tried that once and it didn’t exactly work out as he planned.  God’s will still happened in spite of Jonah’s blatant defiance of His instructions.  What’s more – because His will is perfect, we can put our full trust in where He is leading.  Our life’s plan will be made only richer through our obedient submission to His will.

 
Just remember me when you’re answering questions in Heaven – I hate waiting in line.

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