Praise God for Every Thing, Large and Small

September 30, 2020 - LISTEN HERE

Psalms 147:11 

But the LORD is pleased with those who fear him, with those who hope in His gracious love.

This entire psalm is one of praise for the Lord and all that He magnifies in our lives. From comforting the broken-hearted to healing the sick, to providing food for animals to changing the weather, and more. For every thing, He is to be praised.  

To fear the Lord means to “worship Him with awe-inspired reference and obedience” (Amplified). He is also pleased with those who hope – those who have confidence in and feel secure because they know they are surrounded by His love. 

Let's read this verse, replacing the words fear, hope and those with something different: 

But the LORD is pleased with [your name] who worships Him with awe-inspired reference and obedience and with [your name] who in expectation and anticipation, has confidence and security in His gracious love. 

Wow! Look how PERSONAL that makes the passage; it makes the Bible come alive and feel relevant to today's circumstances. 

For all the things He does for every creature on the planet, He is worthy of our praise.

Today’s Prayer
Dear Lord, sometimes Your word is so clear and direct, there is little more to say about a specific passage except thank you. Thank You for who You are. We are grateful for your delight and it makes our hearts sing, knowing that some small act of kindness we have done to others is pleasing to You. Lord, we pray for our country, our constitution, our future. Into Your hands we deliver our hearts, our minds, and our very lives. Thy will be done for us, Lord, that we may follow the purpose You have laid out for us, even before we were born. We love you. We wait expectantly for you. In Jesus Name, Amen.  

Photo 190113298 © Jon Anders Wiken | Dreamstime.com

 

Set Your Hope On Christ

September 29, 2020 - LISTEN HERE - with special Guest David Block

1 Peter 1:13 

Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep a sober spirit, and fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at His coming.

The Bible records two letters written by Peter to encourage the early Christians who were scattered across what is now mostly modern-day Turkey. They were discouraged and they were being persecuted for their faith (v6). He wrote to remind them how God had blessed them through the gift of his Son and the Word of the Lord, which endures forever.

Recall the word hope, when used in the Bible, means to have confidence, to have security, to expect, and to anticipate.

The word grace, mentioned more than 150 times in the Bible, means the unmerited, unearned love and favor of God.

Let’s read that verse again:

Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep a sober spirit and fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed.

.....And then, let’s read it with the definitions:

Therefore, with your minds readied for action, be serious, and set your confidence and security on the unearned love and favor of God, which was brought to you with great anticipation.

How powerfully encouraging is that!  

Today’s Prayer:
Dear Lord, our confidence and trust is in You. We learn more about the magnificent gift of Your son and our Salvation each time we dig deeply into Your Word. We marvel at the stories and lessons that were given to Your early church – 2000 years ago – that are as relevant today as they were every day over the last 730,000 days. Help us to fix our gaze on Christ Jesus, no matter what worries or circumstances we have that are trying to distract us. Let us be confident that His ways will fulfill the purpose He has for us in our life. Thy will be done. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Photo Credit: patrick-fore-b_SHPU5M3nk-unsplash

The Real Meaning of Hope

September 28, 2020 - LISTEN HERE

Psalms 39:7
Now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You.

In the English language, the word ‘hope’ has an element of doubt. For instance, “I hope it won't rain tomorrow” or “I hope I win the lottery.” 

However, that is not the meaning of hope from the Bible.

• In the Old Testament, hope comes from the Hebrew word batah which means confidence and security. 
• In the New Testament, hope is usually translated from the Greek words, elipis or elipizo, which originate from the world elpomai, which means to expect or to anticipate. 

How different is the meaning of HOPE when we know it means confidence, security, expectation, and anticipation!

When we say, “My hope is in the Lord” – it’s not a sense of desperation or the feeling of “crossed fingers.” We stand on a sure foundation with joyful confidence and solid anticipation.

As we explore various passages of the Bible about hope, keep these definitions in mind. I think you will be reading these verses with a whole new sense of interpretation!

Today’s Prayer:
Dear Lord, our hope – our confidence and security - is in You and Your unlimited power, knowledge, and dominion. We have confidence that all things will come to pass that are aligned with Your purpose for our life. Make Your plan, Your will for our lives clear, Dear Lord, so our hope in the future becomes clear. We know that no matter what, we have hope in You. We live in expectation of Your blessings for our life, for our country, for our world. Your purpose will not be defeated. May Your plan fulfilled in a timely manner, according to Earth time. May Thy will be done in our lives according to Your riches in glory. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

For God So Loved the World...

September 25, 2020 - LISTEN HERE

John 3:16

For God so loved the world, that He gave His Only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

No discussion about love would be complete without including what is arguably the most well-known verse in the Bible. John 3:16 describes the essence of our relationship with Jesus. This is the foundation of Christianity and what we refer to as The Gospel.

Emphasizing how important it was for humanity to live in love, Jesus summarized His entire message in just two commands: Love God with all your heart, soul, and mind; and love your neighbor as yourself.  

Which brings us back to God is Love – a noun and a verb. Remember that divine love is agape love, the highest form of love that is everlasting and given freely, without judgment. There’s nothing we can do to deserve it or earn it.  

Jesus freed humanity as he was mocked, spat upon and beaten. God donated his son to be the ultimate sacrifice...to atone for our sins and bring us back to Him.

Today’s Prayer
Dear Lord, through Your Grace and Mercy, we are part of the Kingdom of Heaven through Your great love for us. The promise is not going to be delivered when we die, but by Your love and through the Holy Spirt, we are part of the Kingdom of Heaven right now. Dear God, You are the same yesterday, today, tomorrow, and forever. You may not approve of the sinful behavior, but no matter what, once we have accepted Jesus into our heart, Your love for us is without fail. You have promised to never abandon us. We are grateful for Your sacrifice, Your grace, and most importantly for a glimpse into what it means to feel Agape Love. We worship You and we thank You for all You do for our lives. In Jesus’s name, Amen.

 Photo 41999233 © Alan Crosthwaite | Dreamstime.com
 

 

 

 

 

We love Him, because He first loved us

September 24, 2020 - LISTEN HERE

1 John 4:10-11,19

This is Love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, if this is the way God loved us, we must also love one another...We love Him, because He first loved us.

Of all the world’s languages, English may be the most lacking when it comes to the word, love. Sanskrit has 96 words for love; ancient Persian has 80, There are 11 words for ‘love’ in Arabic, with each conveying a different stage in a relationship or the falling in love process. The Greek language has three words for love. English has only one.

We say, “I love you” the same way and with the same word as saying, “I love pizza” or “I love my dog” or “I love to travel.”

Researchers have found the word ‘love’ is mentioned hundreds of times in the Bible, but the exact number of times varies by version. For example, the King James Version has “love” mentioned 310 ties but the new International Version, love is mentioned 551 times.

I suspect that is because there are four different types of love discussed in the Bible and only one word for the English translation:

·      Storge – the feeling of familiarity and love towards family

·      Philia – the love felt in the bonds between friends

·      Eros – the strong romantic feeling for your spouse.

·      Agape – the unconditional devotion for one supreme power, God.

The Agape love from God is His greatest comes from the heart of God. God’s love isn’t sentimental; it’s part of His character; it is the outpouring of who He is. 

Today’s Prayer:
Dear Lord, we can only imagine with the smallest part of our being the magnitude of the Love You have for us. We compare Your love, to Eros love for our spouse and our kids; it doesn’t have a speck of comparison. We are so blessed to be Your chosen ones, called by Your name. Help us to feel Your divine love, if only a glimpse of it. We love You, Lord in the only ways that we know how.... accept our words, our prayers, and our gratitude. May Thy Will be done in our lives. In Jesus’s precious name. Amen.

Be Kind to One Another

September 23, 2020 - LISTEN HERE

Colossians 3:12-14

Therefore, as God's chosen ones, holy and loved, put on heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Be tolerant of one another and forgive each other if anyone has a complaint against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, you must also forgive. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which ties everything together in perfect unity.

I really encourage you to review the verses we’ve talked about this week on the topic of love. 

· 1 John 4:10-11– We love Him because He first loved us.

· 1 Peter 4: 7-8 – Divine love covers a multitude of sins

These verses from Colossians are a beautiful reminder of how Christians should interact - not only with each other but with every person we encounter. If we never read any other verses in the Bible, and we simply followed this “recipe”, we would change the world. 

As you give, you receive. If you are kind, others are kind to you. If you are hostile, it comes back to you like a boomerang. 

Today’s Prayer
Dear Lord, we are so grateful that Your Word gives clear instruction to us every day. The more we read, the more time we commune with You, the more we grow not only in the Spirit, but grow to be more like You. Help us to know Your love, and help us to show that we belong to You through our thoughts, our words and our deeds. We praise and worship You, Lord. In Jesus’s Name, Amen.

Illustration 151078184 © Santy Salvianti | Dreamstime.com

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Love Covers a Multitude of Sins

September 22, 2020 - LISTEN HERE - With special guest, Patrick Lathum

1 Peter 4:7-8 

Because everything will soon come to an end, be sensible and clear-headed, so you can pray. Above all, continue to love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins.

I’ve been talking for months now about the pervasive and mostly overlooked disasters of this man-made COVID19 crisis. The entire fiasco has been set in place to usher in the destruction of the human race.

• Masks are the first step. They are a visible tool used by those in control to plainly see how many are willing to be obedient and how many are willing to be compliant. The mask is an external measure of global behavior. A mask makes visible how many “bought” the fear-based story of a “deadly” virus that has been shown to have a 99.96% survival rate.
• Social distancing is social engineering. Humans are now suspicious of each other. Stay away from me! Don’t touch me! Stand far apart – I might “catch” something from you!! Humans are meant to touch, hug, and hold each other. We are being conditioned to accept being non-human.
• Mandatory vaccination is a physical assault on the body. The COVID19 vaccine is planned to be laced with a product called hydrogel that is not removable from the body. Maybe you’ll lose your phone or your vaccination record? No problem. We’ll conveniently put that chip in your hand...

Jesus said, “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its branches become tender and sprout leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you will know that He is near, right at the door.” (Matthew 24: 32-33)

Are we seeing the beginning of the end? Even if this is just a “season” we are passing through,  we are reminded to be sensible, clear-headed, and prayerful.

We see the chaos, the murders, the vandalism, the political division, the COVID19 reminders every day. Rather than fighting back, we need to remind each other to pray...and to operate from the place of divine love

Why? Because “love covers a multitude of sins.”

When we tap into God’s divine love and share that with someone, especially those we would rather NOT love! – this is an act of forgiveness. And maybe this verse is a lesson, a reminder, that some offenses are not worth confronting.

Instead of “being offended” at every personal slight, ignorant remark or comment, we can actively choose to NOT be offended...and just let it go. Remember that forgiveness, charity, and love really can “cover a multitude of sins.”

Today’s Prayer
Dear Lord, we see the times and read the signs around us as you predicted. Even if we are not correct or accurate in our human assessment about things coming to an end, but nonetheless, times are troubling, we are grateful that Your Word admonishes us to pray and to love. You say we are to pray for those who harm us and love those who hate us. Lord, give us the strength and the courage to do this more every day. In Jesus's name. Amen 

God’s Purpose for Us: Happiness, Hope and Prosperity

September 18, 2020

Jeremiah 29:11-13

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. You will call to Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.

When Americans hear the word “welfare,” they usually jump to the more modern definition of welfare: economic support given by the government to disadvantaged low-income groups.

But Webster’s Dictionary has another definition for welfare: the state of doing well, especially in respect to good fortune, happiness, well-being, and/or prosperity.

God’s plan for us – His purpose for our life – is to do well, have happiness, good fortune and prosperity. Most importantly, when we stand strong in the Lord, we have hope. He promises when we call out to Him, when we humble ourselves before Him, ask for forgiven of our sins [past and present], He will come to us...and listen.

What plans could we as short-sighted humans make that would be better then embracing the plans the Lord ha for us? Every element of our life has been planned, down to the number of days we will be alive on this planet. The Free Will we have is choosing to ask, seek and find the Lord. We have the Free Will to follow His plan ... or not. 

• This week we talked about PURPOSE, God’s plan for our life.
• Monday:   Romans 8:28 - All things work together for good to them that love God
• Tuesday:  Ecclesiastes 3:1 - To every thing there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven
• Wednesday: Proverbs 16:4 - The Lord has prepared everything for His purpose
• Thursday: Job 42:2 - God’s purpose of cannot be thwarted

At the end of the week, we see that God’s purpose for us is above all things, above all else. God says to put Him FIRST in our life, not as an after-thought or an Sunday morning exercise. He hears our prayers, He knows our fears, He wants to magnify our faith.

Know in your heart that God is just waiting for you the ASK that He fulfill your purpose during this season of your life. No matter what you may be experiencing right now, He’s right there, by your side.

Today’s Prayer
Dear Lord, may Your purpose for our life be manifest so that You receive the glory. As Your children, we know to ask, but we’re not always patient in waiting to here YOUR purpose. We run ahead and make our plans because we don’t have enough faith or we don’t fully trust. 

Lord, make way our paths. Show us the magnificent plan and purpose You have in store for us. We embrace Your plan with gratitude. We look forward to feeling and experiencing more of You in every task we do, every word we speak, every interaction we have with others. We are grateful to be part of Your family, Lord. We pray for our country, our President, our future. We seek Your face Lord as we humble our hearts in prayer. Thy will be done in Jesus’s name. Amen.

 

God's Purpose Will Not Be Defeated

September 17, 2020 - LISTEN HERE

Job 42:2 

Then Job answered the Lord and said, “I know that You can do all things, And that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.”

If you put “Job” in the search of this blog, you will find quite a few posts about Job and his trust in God. The Book of Job is quite long, and Chapter 42 is nearing the time when Job testing is coming to an end. He speaks out to God and as a testament to his faith and trust in God, acknowledges that God can do all things, at all times....and His purpose will not be thwarted.

Thwart is a word not commonly used in modern language. Thwart is a verb that means: 

• To prevent the occurrence, realization, or attainment of

• To oppose and defeat the efforts, plans, or ambitions of (someone).

 
Put into modern language, this verse can read like this:

Then Job answered the Lord and said, “I know that You can do all things, And that no purpose of Yours can be opposed or defeated.”

Isn't this exactly what we need to cling to and know about in these uncertain times? God isn't a crisis manager who responds to events in a reactionary way. He isn’t surprised by our problems or the situations blaring across the media outlets. He isn’t perplexed by our blunders nor is He taken by surprise by bombs, explosions or “random acts of violence.”

The Bible tells us over and over again that God can do all things...and that we can even greater things than Jesus did when He was here: we just need to ask, trust and wait expectantly. Once God put His purpose in the center of our life, it can never be stopped.

Today’s Prayer:
Dear Lord, just like Job, we come to You in awe of God’s unlimited power, knowledge, and dominion. We ask for all things to come to pass that are in accordance with your purpose. Make Your plan for our lives clear, Dear Lord, so we know we are following Your Calling. We know that no matter what we do, You will guide the path – for our life, for our country, for our world – because Your purpose will not be defeated. May Your Plan will be fulfilled in a timely manner, according to Earth time. We ask for clarity, guidance and understanding. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Photo credit Illustration 57441504 © Yevhen Verlen | Dreamstime.com