Devotionals
by getpat@ · 51 things on NewTwos
- "Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6.
The Lord is our rock and redeemer. He promises to never leave us nor forsake us. Through every trial and storm we encounter in life, we can be confident the Lord will be by our side. Furthermore, when we abide in the true vine, we can be confident that our faith will grow to full maturity. “I am the true Vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that continues to bear fruit, He [repeatedly] prunes, so that it will bear more fruit [even richer and finer fruit].” John 15:1-2. AMP As long as we continue to place our confidence in Christ, and as long as we keep growing in our faith, we will continue to bear fruit. My friends, no matter the circumstances, when we abide in Him, we can be confident that our Father will continue to watch over us and care for us. He will continue His work in us unto eternity—until the day of redemption. The Word tells us this clearly in Romans 8:39: “Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Confidence is important in our faith journey. Without confidence, we will be unsure whether to trust in God’s promises. Look at it this way—confidence equals strong faith. Isn’t that what we all desire—strong faith? When we have confidence that God will be with us no matter what, our faith will continually grow. In today’s Word we are given this assurance. Our confidence emanates from our relationship with our Heavenly Father. This is because He is the One Who begins the good work. He is the One Who promises to complete it. As mere mortals, we fail. Even if we outperform others, there is still a limit to what we can do. Our confidence can’t be perfect in ourselves; for we are not perfect. However, this is not true with God. Our confidence is perfect in God, because He is perfect. Our confidence is strong in God, because He is strong. Our confidence in God is unfailing, because our God is unfailing. This is the truth we believe about our faith. If you are down and weary, pray for God to give you strength. If you are a doubting Thomas, open up God’s Word and meditate on His promises. If you are lacking in confidence, talk with a brother or sister in Christ. Share your struggles. Be authentic and genuine. When you do so, your confidence in the Lord will grow. We don’t need a ten step guide to do this. The only manual we need is contained in The Bible—God’s Word. The more we inhale God’s Word the greater our confidence in Christ will be. May the Lord be with you. Let’s pray! Father God, thank You for Your Word. Thank You for the promises You give to those of us who have repented of our sin and placed our faith in Jesus alone for our salvation. May You give us the confidence, strength, and resilience to overcome every sin and trial in our lives. Help us to believe that You will never leave us nor forsake us. You are a good King. You are a good God. May you be glorified in our lives. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- “What is the benefit, my fellow believers, if someone claims to have faith but has no [good] works [as evidence]? Can that [kind of] faith save him? [No, a mere claim of faith is not sufficient—genuine faith produces good works.]” James 2:14. AMP
Today’s Word can cause confusion, if we don’t appreciate each word’s significance. We must understand, all of God’s Words have import, purpose, are profitable for teaching, and training in righteousness. Therefore, we must reconcile His Word and His teachings—ALL of them—as a whole. James asks, “Can that [kind of] faith save him?” And his answer is, “no”. But, when put in full context, today’s Word clarifies the truth and says, “genuine faith produces good works.” Later in verse 17, James says, “So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.” In verse 24, he adds, “So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone.” Faith in God must show its validity, not only by what we profess, but also by the expression of the life of Christ lived in us and through us. It is not an addition to salvation—”faith plus works”—but the inevitable expression of it. Jesus clearly stated it, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 7:21. Faith is more than just believing. Having a belief is an an intellectual exercise, which is a necessary part of the process in order to exercise faith. But faith by definition is experiential. To illustrate, we can believe a plane is going to fly us from Atlanta to Los Angeles, but unless we board the flight, we will not experience it. The evidence of our belief is more than our intellectual thought, it is that we in fact do something—we board the plane. And so, what Jesus is trying to teach us is: “that we must have faith, but we must also express our faith by doing ‘the will of [His] Father.’” Likewise, James is telling us that we cannot provide evidence of our faith in God apart from our resulting action, derived from our dependency on Him. The problem is not with our faith, but it is in the exercise of our faith, thus enabling Christ to express Himself in our lives. Yes my friends, there is the possibility of believing the Gospel is true, but with no reflection of it to show our faith. James says even the demons believe in God, and they shudder at the thought, because their belief is very real. “You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror.” James 2:19. Yes, we can have belief without deeds, but we can’t have “genuine faith” without deeds when our faith is in Christ Jesus, because, in truth, the evidence of our faith in Him is in doing what He does—“the will of [His] Father who is in heaven.” As we become united with Him for His purpose our good works will be the natural outflow of the life of Him in us. Lord Jesus, we are so grateful for Your life within us. We pray that our faith in You will be continuously expressed in good works that lead others to You. May our lives bring You glory. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- “For you have need of patient endurance [to bear up under difficult circumstances without compromising], so that when you have carried out the will of God, you may receive and enjoy to the full what is promised.” Hebrews 10:46. AMP
My friends, persevere and honor God through hardship—our reward is on the other side. When difficult times come into your life, what is your first response? It may seem tempting, and usually is, to look for the quickest way out of the discomfort, but that is not the attitude God desires from us. He wants us—His children—to press on and trust Him, even though that may not end the affliction. Paul gave us a good word of encouragement in his letter to the the church in Philippi: “I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” Philippians 3:14. Many of us still find hardships difficult and disturbing, but they do come. It is a
misconception to expect an easy life simply because we trust God’s Son as our Lord and Savior. In fact, Jesus Himself said that the world would give us trouble. “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:33. In his letter to the church in Rome, Paul encourages us further, “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” Romans 5:3-4.
James, the brother of Jesus, instructs us to consider our struggles to be “nothing but joy”. “Consider it nothing but joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you fall into various trials. Be assured that the testing of your faith [through experience] produces endurance [leading to spiritual maturity, and inner peace].” James 1:2-3. AMP This all makes sense only when we see our difficulties through God’s eyes, as opportunities for us to grow in our faith. When we face trials with wisdom and endure them with godly perseverance, we may find blessings we never thought possible.
At the end of the struggle, we will see God and receive our reward: the “crown of life”. “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”James 1:12. And this glorious end result is so much more than a mere object; it is eternal, perfect, and imperishable. Do you want the Lord’s recognition of your spiritual victory? Then press on through the hardship and discover what lies just beyond the trial. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- “You will keep in perfect and constant peace the one whose mind is steadfast [that is, committed and focused on You—in both inclination and character], Because he trusts and takes refuge in You [with hope and confident expectation].” Isaiah 26:3. AMP
My friends, it is inevitable, storms of life are bound to come our way. Jesus warned us, and at the same time He comforted us with His declaration: “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33.
Throughout our lifetime, great storms of adversity abruptly appear when we least expect them. Unfortunately, we do not have a “storms of life” forecaster predicting when they are on the radar. We don’t get warnings on when to take shelter. But fear not; for our God is with us. “If you say, ‘The Lord is my refuge,’ and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” Psalm 91:9-12. My friends, storms will come. Unfortunately, we often attempt to calm these storms under and through our own ability. However, if we ask and let Jesus Christ arise in our hearts and take control, He can and He will change them into a great calm. “And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.” Mark 4:39. The miraculous power of Christ within our hearts and lives has the power to calm our spirits during the greatest of adversities that these storms bring our way. The Lord will speak His peace into our hearts rebuking the fears, the doubts, and the anxieties that occur outwardly in the midst of these storms. “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7. The serenity that Jesus breathes into our souls is above, beyond, and superior to any outward turmoil we could ever face. As a general statement, we have no control over the storms that bring chaos into our lives, but the peace and calm that our Lord speaks into our hearts can rebuke all our inward tossing that so easily disrupts our hearts and minds. The calm, as a result of the Lord’s command of peace, will keep us from falling into the panic and disruption caused by the trials and tribulations that come into our lives. His peace protects our spirits from being overtaken by these adversities. Jesus Christ is Lord of all and in control of our inner most being that is our spirit. Praise be to God; for “… in the city of David a Savior [was] born to you. He is Christ the Lord!” Luke 2:11. And, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests!" Luke 2:14. Only by calling on the Name of Jesus Christ can we be assured that we will experience a calming and a stillness in the midst of our storms. My friends, give Him praise, call on Him, shout His Name, and experience His peace. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- “Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!” Psalm 27:14.
My friends, the only thing harder than waiting on God, may be wishing that we had! Sometimes when we're waiting for God to speak, He's waiting for us to listen. Be mindful, waiting on the Lord in a season of darkness should not be a time of inactivity. We should and we must do what we can to live in service to our Lord, lighten our burdens, and rest in Him. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30. Exhaustion is a by-product of our overcommitted schedules and endless responsibilities. That is not what our Father wants for us. He offers a radically different mode of living and gives us—His followers—renewed strength. We, who wait on the Lord, are promised His strength and supernatural energy. In fact, the Word says it will surpass the natural strength and endurance, even of the young, who grow weary. “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:29-30. Contrary to what we might think, access to this power is achieved not by moving faster but by going slower—taking the time to focus on God, seeking His direction, and asking for His strength to accomplish what He is calling us to do. There is no earthly explanation for what God is willing and able to achieve in and through a yielded heart. His Spirit is like a powerful and refreshing gust of wind that enables us to soar like eagles. “He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!” Psalm 103:5. The next time we are at the point of exhaustion, take some time to focus on the Lord. Are we in step with Him, or have we gone ahead on our own? We should align our pace with His, taking the time to rest when He wants us to, and receive the energy He freely offers to those who walk obediently in His will. Shout out praises to King Jesus. Wait on Him and stay calm. He is forever faithful. Hallelujah. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- “Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.” Psalm 25:4-5.
My friends, “Never stop praying.” 1 Thessalonians 5:17. God has given us the privilege of calling on Him for all we need—what’s more, He has promised to respond. “I am praying to you because I know you will answer, O God. Bend down and listen as I pray.” Psalm 17:6. Let us, “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” Romans 12:22. For we can be sure, “… that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6. He also encourages us to petition Him on behalf of others. His Word tells us that the prayers of a righteous person can accomplish much. So my friends, “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” James 5:16. And, we must pray powerfully. To pray powerfully, however, we must have accepted God’s offer of salvation. Before redemption, we were unrighteous people under His judgment. But through faith in Jesus, we are made new and declared holy. “Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.” Ephesians 2:18. Second, we must align our prayers with His will; for the purpose of prayer is not getting our will in Heaven. Rather, it’s getting God’s will on earth. Jesus said, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” John 15:7. Let’s look at Elijah. The Lord sent him to defeat and humiliate the prophets of Baal. This was a spiritual conflict to prove who was the real God—Baal or the Lord of Israel. Elijah’s weapons were his knowledge of the Father’s plan and the authority he had in prayer as a prophet of God. His request that Jehovah would make Himself known—before his opponents—matched the Lord’s will. “Answer me, LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, LORD, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.” 1 Kings 18:37. And when God responded to Elijah’s prayer, the people declared, “… ‘The LORD—he is God! The LORD—he is God!’” 1 Kings 18:39. Are we children of God? Yes we are! So, we can pray with spiritual might by making sure our requests are in agreement with His will. God always listens to His children and responds—with power and wisdom. So, never underestimate the power of one small prayer. God hears the heart, not the words. Most importantly, never underestimate God. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- “Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.” James 5:7-8.
My friends, it is easy to be patient when everyone does everything according to our plans. The true test that God has given us is to be patient with those whom we find challenging. On any given day, we may encounter frustrating people and situations. We might feel like lashing out, but God wants us to stay calm and be patient with everyone. “Brothers and sisters, we urge you to … . Be patient with everyone.” 1 Thessalonians 5:14. God’s Word has a number of things to say about how we develop this important attribute—patience. First, it is our calling. God urges us to be tolerant, kind, and bear each other’s burdens. “As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” Ephesians 4:1-3. Second, the Lord has set an example for us: He demonstrated patience toward Peter’s actions, the crowd’s demands, and the leaders’ false accusations. “But when the leading priests and the elders made their accusations against him, Jesus remained silent.” Matthew 27:12. We should aspire to such composure.
And third, we should recognize how damaging impatience is. It can hurt others and close off all dialogue. But, responding calmly gives people room to confess wrongdoing, explain their attitude, and make changes. “A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.” Proverbs 15:1. Patience is part of our spiritual fruit. It will increasingly develop as we are conformed to our Lord. “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” Galatians 5:22-23. When we rely on the Holy Spirit, He empowers us to walk with wisdom through moments of waiting and provocation—without becoming agitated. A sweet and calm demeanor in times of delay or adversity can be a great witness to the transforming work of God. Yes, acting patiently can be a struggle to do in our own power, but thanks be to God our Father that it is a fruit that occurs naturally when we rely on the Holy Spirit. Hallelujah. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.” Romans 5:1-2.
God’s Word, at times, paints a grim picture of mankind apart from the Lord: dead in our sins, under His wrath, and subject to separation from Him. “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.” Ephesians 2:1-3. Thankfully, through the cross, we are given a second chance to be in a relationship with the Lord. When we trust in Christ, He pours out His unconditional love—and grace—upon us. Because of grace, we have been justified by faith. Justification is a declaration by God that we are not guilty in His sight. At salvation, Jesus died on the cross and rescued us from the penalty for our transgressions. All our disobedience—past, present, and future—is forgiven. We receive this remarkable pardon through genuine faith in Jesus Christ—in other words, by acknowledging God’s judgment that we are sinners who need a Savior because we’re unable to save ourselves. True faith rests on the belief that Jesus’s death atoned for our sins, God accepted His Son’s sacrifice on our behalf, and we are fully forgiven. Grace gives us peace with God. Because we trust in Christ, we have been adopted into our Heavenly Father’s family and have His favor forever. “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” John 1:12-13.
Through grace, we have been offered a fresh start. May we make full use of this opportunity by passionately pursuing God with all our heart, trusting Jesus, and following the guidance of the Holy Spirit. They all love us and want us to love them, trust them, and to get to know them better and better each and every day.
The Word says: “So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:17-19. And remember, “… God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” Romans 5:5. My friends, begin loving and growing in your relationship with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit today, and continue unto eternity. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- “My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the rock and strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalm 73:26. AMP
Our lives have been a testament to this Truth—God’s Word. Praise God. Our Heavenly Father’s strength has covered, and will continue to cover our weaknesses. “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ … .” 2 Corinthians 12:9. Our Heavenly Father takes our problems, our fears, our doubts, and our weaknesses and uses them as opportunities to demonstrate the supernatural power of His love. He takes us where we are and uses us to accomplish His will.
“Now may the God of peace, … , equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” Hebrews 13:20-21. Our God knows us—He created us. He knows that our bodies have come from dust and will one day return to their original form. He knows that without His help we accomplish nothing. But Paul’s declaration in Philippians 4:13 is our saving grace. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” We can and we will do all things through the anointing power of our Heavenly Father through Christ. We can tackle any obstacle that stands in our way because our God is perfectly strong in our weakness. My friends, where do you need the great strength of God today? Where do you feel weak, weary, and/or powerless? God’s plan for us is not to go through life living solely by your own power. We’ve been given a new identity as a son or daughter of the Most High God who desperately wants to clothe us with strength and teach us how to use the authority given to us by our Lord. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17. In God we can and will defeat the powers of darkness that have held us back. In God we can and will accomplish the tasks set before us with joy, energy, and strength. And in God we can love and be loved to such a capacity that our very attitude, outlook, and emotions transform into reflections of our Heavenly Father’s character. My friends, spend time in prayer receiving the strength that comes from God alone. Allow Him to fill you with fresh vision and align your perspective with His. May we all meditate on and embrace God’s promise and His desire to fill us with His strength. “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), to be with you forever—“ John 14:16. AMP
Yes it is a reality of life, loneliness will creep into most of our lives at some point in time. However, as children of the Most High God, we are never truly alone, because God has given us an unfailing companion—the Holy Spirit.
“And you also became God's people when you heard the true message, the Good News that brought you salvation. You believed in Christ, and God put his stamp of ownership on you by giving you the Holy Spirit he had promised.” Ephesians 1:13. None of us can truthfully promise always to be available for others; the realities of time, distance, and even death can separate people. Thankfully, by sending the Holy Spirit to live inside of us, Jesus keeps His promise to never leave or forsake us. “… For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’” Hebrews 13:5.
We were never meant to live alone. God designed us to be complete only when we are indwelt by His Spirit, which occurs upon our salvation. Yes, we can, and some do, however, choose to ignore the Holy Spirit. For example, some people stubbornly attempt to live the Christian life in their own strength or skip reading the Word when they find meditating on the Word inconvenient. That kind of life is marked by discontent: Peace will be fleeting, and loneliness will feel like the heart’s permanent resident.
The Holy Spirit is our comforter, counselor, and our companion, Who walks with us from the inside. If we hold Him at arm’s length, we distance ourselves from the Father as well. But if we ask the Spirit to guide our steps and open our mind to God’s plans, He will support us. John 16:13-15 states "But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you”. As we pray to the Holy Spirit we can ask for wisdom and for Him to lead us away from things that will harm us and, instead lead us toward God's will for our lives. “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4. There is no reason to fear; we are not alone. God has been there for every tear and every sorrow. “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.” Psalm 56:8. He will strengthen our hearts and help us back to your feet, no matter where He finds us. God’s promise is faithful: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” Isaiah 43:2. Let us pray to the Holy Spirit both indiviually and together—asking Him for help, guidance, wisdom, and the filling of His fruit and gifts. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- “For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.” Romans 8:29-30.
It’s tempting for some of us to think we don’t need much improvement. While many people concede they could probably use a little bit of “maintenance” in some areas, they will usually add, “But I’m a good person.” However, the truth is that the Father refuses to settle for our opinion of ourselves or our opinion of “a good person” generally. He wants something so much better for us. He
sees each of His children as the person he or she will be when fully yielded to Christ. He then sets about achieving that complete renovation by transforming the present self into the image of His Son. “And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.” 1 Corinthians 15:49. An essential step in God’s restoration, justification, and sanctification work involves removing whatever is ungodly in our lives. This process can often be uncomfortable, but it’s worth it! God will target our character, our habits, our attitudes, and our relationships that do not give Him honor. He applies pressure to direct our attention to those places so we will surrender them to Him.
“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” 1 John 2:15-17. Conforming our will to God’s changes who we are. Yes, in the midst of our transformation, the pain from His tools may temporarily obscure the beauty of His design. But nothing is more splendid to the Lord than one who is committed and obedient to Him no matter what the circumstances. I pray my friends, that we will all submit to Him so that He can remake us into the son or the daughter He had, and still has, in mind. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’ Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence.” Psalm 91:1-3.
When our lives get out of balance and we lose the ability to control things our emotions can make us feel hopeless. We can become lost in our own circumstances. During these times anxiety, fear, worry, doubt, and even depression can set in—we may see no way out. But that is not what God sees or wants for us. “The LORD gives his people strength. The LORD blesses them with peace.” Psalm 29:11. My friends, as Jesus told His disciples, we too must surrender to Him. “Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.’” Matthew 16:24. We must embrace God’s Word. You see, the problem is that in the world the word “surrender” is associated with being weak and vulnerable—not so with God. Surrendering to God, on the other hand, is not an act of weakness, rather it is an act that demonstrates our faith in Him. It is an act of courage—an exchange—our weakness for His strength. It is saying to Him, that we lay all our resources, visions, plans—everything we are and everything we have in our hands—at the cross. We surrender to Him, and let Him lead the way and guide our paths in this life. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6. The words written by Paul should be engrained in us, and we should pause to meditate on them and pray these words in those moments of hopelessness. “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20. The Joy in the surrendered life is the peace that enters our hearts to know without a shadow of a doubt that God is Lord over all. This peace will calm the storms of fear and it will gives us hope that, “all is well with our souls”. A life surrendered to God is a life that submits to God and yields to all that God has destined and purposed for us. It is a life that is grafted in the true vine, and all that the true vine has it offers to us as we surrender to it—the vine—our Lord. “I am the true vine, … .” John 15:1. A life surrendered to God is a life that obeys His Word and His will without reservation. A life that no longer lives for self but lives for Christ, in Christ, and with Christ. It is a life that trusts in the One Who died for us—Who is more than able to help us through anything that we will encounter; for it is written: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Ephesians 4:13. My friends, entrust God with all that is going on in your life. Surrender to God and allow Jesus Christ to be Lord over your life. This will lift all the negative burdens and replace them with righteousness, peace, joy, and love in your heart, mind, and soul. It is my prayer that the Holy Spirit will help us to always surrender our lives unto God to give us peace and joy to live for Him. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- “The LORD is good to all, And His tender mercies are over all His works.” Psalm 145:9.
One of the first Truths we learn about God is that He is good. The simplicity of these three words—God is good—masks the depth of His remarkable character; for He is good beyond words. “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.” 1 Chronicles 16:34. He is perfect and holy, which means that He alone is the standard of all righteousness. And since the expression of the Father’s goodness is revealed in His actions, all that He does is good and right. After all, He cannot violate His own nature.
God does not change. “‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, who is and was and is to come—the Almighty.” Revelation 1:8. His character, not our behavior, will determine how He deals with us. Yes, as a loving Heavenly Father, He sometimes responds to disobedience with discipline; “For the LORD disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.” Hebrews 12:6. This is part of His plan and design to restore our broken relationship. The Lord’s goodness is expressed in a multitude of ways. He is our Creator. Our every breath is given to us by God. So, “Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD!” Psalm 150:6. As our loving Shepherd, He watches over and provides for us. “The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need.” Psalm 23:1. But the greatest expression of His goodness is the cross, where He lovingly bore our sin so we could have a relationship with Him. “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” 1 Peter 2:24-25. Out of God’s goodness our Lord shed His blood so we could be saved. Believing in God’s goodness is essential for our faith. This Truth fills us with joy in happy times and grounds us with confidence during hard seasons. When we don’t understand what the Lord is doing, we can trust His heart and know that He is good. Praise Him for His unfailing goodness. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- “[I]n every situation [no matter what the circumstances] be thankful and continually give thanks to God; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18. AMP
Thankfulness and gratitude are transformative attitudes. They help us to shift from looking at what we don’t have to seeing the abundance of blessings around us. In our state of thankfulness we can and we should choose to recognize and appreciate the goodness and faithfulness of God in every aspect of our lives. And gratitude opens our eyes to the wonders of creation, the kindness of others, and the countless gifts bestowed on us by our Heavenly Father. Thankfulness and gratitude are not, however, limited to just those favorable circumstances; they prompt us to give thanks in all our circumstances. "And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful." Colossians 3:15. Even in the midst of trials and challenges, we can find reasons to be thankful. We can express gratitude for God’s presence, for his comfort, and for lessons learned through difficult experiences. Our gratitude flows from realizing we are saved from sin and death through the loving sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We are recipients of unmerited grace, forgiveness, and the promise of eternal life. Today, let us all cultivate a heart of thankfulness and gratitude.
“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!” 1 Chronicles 16:34. May we pause to count our many blessings, expressing thankfulness and gratitude to God and to the people around us. In every season let us remember that thankfulness and gratitude are not just a momentary feeling but a way of life. As we live with hearts full of thankfulness and gratitude we will experience joy, contentment, and a deep relationship with our loving Father. So, “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.” Psalm 100:4.
Dear Lord, we thank You for all of our countless daily blessings. Help us to see Your goodness in all aspects of our lives and to give thanks in all circumstances. May our lives overflow with gratitude toward You, and may we give thanks for Who You are. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- “He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases.” Psalm 103:3.
He is Jehovah Rapha, the God who heals. He heals broken bodies, broken minds, broken hearts, broken lives, and broken relationships. His mere presence has immense healing powers. We cannot live close to Him without experiencing some degree of healing. “Everyone tried to touch him, because healing power went out from him, and he healed everyone.” Luke 6:19. However, it is also true that we have not experienced all His healing powers, because we ask not. We receive the healing that flows naturally from His presence whether we seek it or not. But there is more—much more—available to us if we seek Him and ask. “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7. The benefits of this practice are too numerous to list. As we grow more and more intimate with our Lord, He will reveal His will to us more directly. When the time is right, He will prompt us to ask for healing of some kind in us or in another person. The healing may be instantaneous, or it may be a process. That is up to Him. Our part is to trust Him fully and to thank Him for the restoration that has begun. He knows us better than we know ourselves. Nothing is hidden from Him. “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God.” Hebrews 4:13. He views us through eyes of grace, so we should not be afraid of being intimate with Him. Allow the light of His healing presence to shine into the deepest recesses of our very being—cleansing, healing, refreshing, and renewing us. Trust our Lord enough to accept the full forgiveness that He offers. This great gift, which cost Him His life, is ours for all eternity. We just need to accept Him as our Lord and Savior. He will never let us down. “It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” Deuteronomy 31:8. Rejoice in the One Who understands us completely and loves us perfectly. As He fills us with His love and grace we will be saved and healed. “Heal me, LORD, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.” Jeremiah 17:14. Give Him thanks and praise; for He is worthy. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!” Philippians 2:5-8.
So the question for each of us is, can others see evidence of Jesus in us? The answer to the question is foundational to our walk with Christ. “Those who are [spiritually] wise will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead many to righteousness, [will shine] like the stars forever and ever.” Daniel 12:3. AMP How people view God and His Word will have an affect on how we conduct our lives. The way we live for Christ must permeate all areas of of our lives—not just in church or when other followers of Christ are with us. My friends, “Make sure that the light you think you have is not actually darkness.” Luke 11:35. Our behavior reflects our faith. So if we claim to be followers of Christ, then we must walk and talk in a posture of light. “Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’” John 8:12. Do those with whom we interact see the light of Jesus? Let’s look at how the Word instructs us. For one thing, as today’s Word says, we should view ourselves as servants and put others’ needs before our own. Next, we must realize our true King is King Jesus—Christ our Lord. Therefore, we must walk and talk with integrity and goodness, knowing that our reward is from Him. “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.” Colossians 3:23. Then, since all authority on earth is God-given—“I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.” 1 Timothy 2:1-2. Pray this way and obey those in authority—unless, of course, those in earthly authority tell us to do something that goes against God’s Word. And finally, we are to be respectful of all those with whom we interact for all have worth in the Creator’s eyes and should be treated with respect. “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” 1 John 4:7-8. Even when the path in front of us is difficult, we are to work as if Jesus is our leader—and His is. Paul said, “And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.” 1 Corinthians 11:1. Jesus is our guide and our ultimate leader. That means doing tasks with joy, a servant’s attitude, respect for others, and diligence. Imagine what life could be if all people approached life this way.
Jesus was and is not a typical leader. He didn’t come to earth the first time to rule in might and power, although He could have. No, He first came as a servant, willing to do the Father’s work, live a perfect life, and die on a cross to take the punishment He didn’t deserve. He was humble, obedient, loving, selfless, and sacrificial. This is not the way the world describes a leader, but doesn’t it describe the kind of person we would want to be and would want to follow? Of course it does! So, why not start today. My friends, let the light of Jesus emanate from you in all you do and say. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16.
Jesus commands us: “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” John 15:12. He has commanded us to love everyone! When we disagree with someone’s view, however, our nature is to show animosity toward them. When we get hurt by someone, our human nature wants to hurt them. When someone doesn’t like us, our tendency is to not like them. But Jesus says otherwise in the Word: “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” Matthew 5:44-45. This can be a hard lesson, but yes, that means we must be kind, forgive, show love, be patient, be generous, and reflect Jesus in all that we do. I pray we will go further—we must be the light to everyone, and that is especially true to those who are strangers that we don’t even know. People are watching and we must show them the love of Jesus!
In a world where there is so much hate, God is calling us to be the light that shows love to all. Love can change hearts, change lives, and bring hope. Knowing that God loves us far beyond all limits should compel us to love others in the same way and be the light in a dark world. It should compel us to share the light of Christ to everyone we meet, and in every word we speak. Remember, the world is watching how we act and how we speak. Will they see Jesus through us? Loving others is a trademark of being a child of God and shows Christ living in us. Love is not optional if we call ourselves children of God. When we love others as Jesus loved others we are also showing love to Him. My friends, embrace God’s Word: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.” John 1:5. Father God, the world today is being overcome in darkness. Lord, go before us today, guide us and help us to be the light in the darkness so that Your hope can shine in the darkness and those around us will be drawn to You. I pray that You will extend Your grace to us so that we would be kind, patient, forgiving, and loving toward others. Use us as vessels of Your glory so that every person we come in contact with can see Your light living in us and that they may find their way to You through us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.” Ephesians 1:13-14.
God, Who not only loves us, but is love, desires to be as close to us as He can. So He sent His Son Jesus to live with us, to die for us, and to give us eternal life. “In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” 1 John 4:10. He then sent His Holy Spirit to be our advocate, guide, comforter, and so much more. “But the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will help you remember everything that I have told you.” John 14:26. AMP Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would take His place on the earth. My friends, the Holy Spirit is our Father’s personal representative, Who is present and living in our lives, making it possible to walk the disciple’s path as God intended for us to do. When God gives us His Spirit— Holy Spirit, He gives us nothing less than Himself. The Holy Spirit is far more than the symbols mentioned in the Word, such as fire, wind, water, or breath. The Holy Spirit is a person—Someone—we can cry out to, asking God to come and give us help in our time of need. David knew this: “In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears.” Psalm 18:6. My friends, the difference between being a nominal Christian and a passionate follower of Jesus is how close we live in God’s presence. Living in God’s presence is exactly what holy living is all about. Nothing can take the place of His presence—His Holy Spirit living in us. “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20. It is important to realize that He is within us to guide us, and He is accessible and available as we carry out God’s work in our lives. The Holy Spirit works through us—His people—to build God’s Kingdom and glorify God. “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” John 16:13. It is by the power of the Holy Spirit that we can live holy and clean lives, different from the lifestyles of the world, emboldening us to speak truth and make a difference in the lives of others. The Holy Spirit makes us alive to the awesomeness of just being in God’s presence. We get to the place where God’s presence becomes the most important priority in our lives. Give Him the praise of His glory. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- “I am convinced and confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will [continue to] perfect and complete it until the day of Christ Jesus [the time of His return].” Philippians 1:6. AMP
Negativity affects us in both spiritual and physical ways. Even simply spending time with a pessimistic individual can take a toll. Negativity doesn’t fit who we are as God's children—we should have positivity, especially confidence in our almighty Lord. This confidence enables us to live as our Heavenly Father desires. It empowers us to serve Him and His will. “So we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?’” Hebrews 13:6.
As God’s children, we have every reason to live with assurance. His very presence is permanently within us, and He has granted us His peace, which surpasses all understanding. “Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7. In addition, He promises to provide for our needs and empower us to obey and serve Him. “And we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose.” Romans 8:28. AMP Sometimes, however, we have trouble accepting and living in our spiritual confidence and blessing. When that is the case, we should purposefully take time out and renew our relationship with our Lord, and take steps to develop confidence in our all-powerful God. This begins with meditating on His Word and drawing near to Him in prayer. “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. … .” James 4:8. As we grow in our understanding of the Lord and confidence in His promises, our faith is strengthened, which will in turn build up our confidence. The world is full of distrust, fear, and uncertainty. We can’t allow ourselves to be led astray by the world nor influenced by negative messages that take our eyes off Christ. We must focus on the Truth of the Word and put our confidence in almighty God. Facing each day with His strength will drive away doubt and anxiety. My friends declare: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- “For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.” Colossians 3:3.
What a beautiful and wonderful Truth—our lives are hidden “with Christ in God”. What a perfect place for us to shelter from the storms of this world. What a precious gift and privilege we have, to repose in this glorious place of habitation. What an exciting and safe dwelling place it is, to be enfolded with Christ—in God. “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’” John 14:6. What could be a more secure situation, a location of greater safety, a place of more perfect peace, and a position of greater protection, than being positioned in Him? This is our dwelling place now and the promised place for our eternal future. I pray we all have an understanding of and embrace this Truth. “For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” 2 Corinthians 5:1. This Truth is everlasting. Some, however, have not come to a full understanding of our position in Him. My friends, receive and embrace Paul’s words: “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.” 2 Thessalonians 3:16. This positional Truth allows us to live in peace with Christ. This is a thrilling assurance—we are delivered from the fear of the future—because our “lives are hidden with Christ in God”. My friends, “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.” 1 Corinthians 16:13; for our God loves us—He will never abandon us. “No one shall stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so will I be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Joshua 1:5. God’s Truths—His promises—are profoundly simple and yet simply profound. They are simple Truths that are life changing and life transforming. These are real life Truths that we need to affirm and believe as God’s steadfast oath to us.
God has blessed us with all spiritual blessings. He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world. “Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.” Ephesians 1:4. My brothers and sisters, do not just read and admire these positional Truths revealed by God in His Word. Stand on His mighty Truths in faith, and make the Word of God an integral part of your life; for His Truths are open to all of us—His children. Sadly, however, not all appropriate them. My friends, don’t procrastinate—seek the Lord—open your eyes to God’s Word. Seek Him with all your heart so that you may secure His Truths into the depths of your very being. “Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence.” Ephesians 3:12. Hallelujah! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- “My heart is confident in you, O God; no wonder I can sing your praises with all my heart! Wake up, lyre and harp! I will wake the dawn with my song. I will thank you, Lord, among all the people. I will sing your praises among the nations. For your unfailing love is higher than the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens. May your glory shine over all the earth." Psalm 108:1-5.
In this song of David’s his confidence in God's power and faithfulness is evident. Despite the challenges and uncertainties he faced, his heart remained steadfast. This psalm is a reminder to us that our confidence should not be in ourselves nor in our circumstances, but in the God Who strengthens us and the One Who holds all circumstances in His hands. David declares his unwavering confidence in God., and so should we. Like David our confidence should fuel our praise for our God’s unfailing love in the morning and His eternal faithfulness in the evening. “It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to the Most High. It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning, your faithfulness in the evening.” Psalm 92:1-2. Today, let us find inspiration from David’s song. Our praises to the “Most High”—our God—should not be found only in our moments of ease and comfort but should arise even in the midst of our trials. When we wake each day, let our first thoughts be of God's goodness and our first actions be of worship to Him. In his song David includes a proclamation of our God's unfailing love. This attribute of God is not just a comforting thought but a powerful Truth we can rely on. “And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.” Ephesians 3:18. When we grasp the depth of God’s love, our perspective shifts. We begin to see our trials in light of His greatness. His love is higher than the heavens and eternal. Finally, David's desire was, and ours’ should be, for God's glory to shine over all the earth. As we navigate our daily lives, our ultimate purpose is to glorify God. When we trust Him, praise Him, and proclaim His goodness, we participate in making His glory known. “For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” 1 Corinthians 6:20. Today my friends, make purposeful time to sing praises to our God, declare His love, and trust in His faithfulness. As we do, may His glory shine through us, bringing hope and light to the world around us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5.
As we trust in the Lord know, without a shadow of a doubt, that as surely as He bore our sins, He also bore our sicknesses. “Christ himself carried our sins in his body to the cross, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness. It is by his wounds that you have been healed.” 1 Peter 2:24. God loves us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to give us wholeness in our body, mind, and spirit. It is His will that we should prosper in all things and be in good health. “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” 3 John 1:2. Jesus, God’s perfect will in action, healed all, as He traveled from village to village. “Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness.” Matthew 9:35. And He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is still willing and able to restore wholeness to our bodies today. The Lord does not, and will never, withhold healing from us.
The Lord is not just willing for us to be healed and delivered from afflictions, He is the One, “Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases,” Psalm 103:3. And He has, through His sacrifice at Calvary, paid the full price for our healing. At the cross, He bore not just our iniquities, but also all our infirmities. As today’s Word reminds us, He was bruised, crushed, and scourged, so that by His stripes, we are healed. And my friends, in exchange, we receive His abundant, resurrection life, and the blessings of Abraham when we put our faith in Him. So, regardless of our symptoms, we can come boldly to the throne of grace and claim our healing from all affliction. Even if the healing breakthrough we desire does not manifest immediately, rest secure in the perfection of Jesus’ finished work and confidently expect to see breakthrough come to pass. He is, today and always, “… the LORD, who heals you.” Exodus 15:26. As we wait upon the Lord, I encourage all of us to focus and meditate on Jesus' love for us and His finished work! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- “Let the peace of Christ [the inner calm of one who walks daily with Him] be the controlling factor in your hearts [deciding and settling questions that arise]. To this peace indeed you were called as members in one body [of believers]. And be thankful [to God always].” Colossians 3:15. AMP
The Apostle Paul wrote his epistle to the Philippians from a prison cell. Though his situation was dire, true inner tranquility was his experience, in spite of his circumstances. Paul knew that giving his concerns over to God would result in the peace of God. “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7. From a worldly and human perspective, having a quiet spirit in the midst of trouble doesn’t make much sense. We usually become anxious—it’s only natural. But our God is supernatural, and He is living inside us—the Holy Spirit, so we can remain peaceful. “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? … .” 1 Corinthians 6:19. No matter what trying circumstances may be challenging our faith, peace grounded in Jesus Christ cannot be broken. With the Father’s omnipotent hand protecting and providing for us, what reason do we have to be afraid or fretful? “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” Philippians 4:6. We must keep our eyes and our faith focused upon the Lord. As Isaiah writes, “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” Isaiah 26:3. We live in a broken world—a world of discourse and conflict. And often this brokenness causes us to suffer heartaches. It’s easy for us to become fixated on a situation and how it has disrupted our lives. But peace comes from choosing to trust that God will bring about a resolution in His time and in His way. “Therefore let us [with privilege] approach the throne of grace [that is, the throne of God’s gracious favor] with confidence and without fear, so that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find [His amazing] grace to help in time of need [an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment].” Hebrews 4:16. AMP My friends, when you are feeling anxious, share your concerns with God to receive His peace in your mind and heart. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation, he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13.
Temptation—we wish it wasn’t a part of our lives, but it is! In fact, it is so important to be aware of it and guard against it, that we ask God to “lead us not into temptation” whenever we say the Lord’s Prayer. Living in this fallen world can challenge our faith in God’s goodness, and temptation is one of those challenges. When Eve was tempted and listened to the serpent’s lies in the garden of Eden, she began to doubt God. Why would He deprive her of wisdom and the enjoyment of food that looked so desirable? Our own thoughts can be similar to Eve’s when we don’t agree with what our Father says is best for us. From a human perspective, “good” refers to what is enjoyable and comfortable. But the Lord has a much higher standard and is always working to achieve His purpose—to develop Christlike character in us—His children. He knows ahead of time the consequences of sin and wants to protect us from them. Adam and Eve learned through disobedience that God knows what’s best. We have the opportunity each day to discover His goodness by listening to His voice, obeying His commands, and trusting His wisdom. Whatever may come our way, we can know He is working for both our present and our eternal good. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”Romans 8:28. When we are faced with a temptation, remember that sin leads to suffering but trusting God leads to blessing. We know that Jesus was tempted as we are. “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.”Hebrews 4:15, and that He suffered when tempted. “Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” Hebrews 2:18. Praise God! We also know from the Word that Jesus was made perfect—complete—through suffering. “God, for whom and through whom everything was made, chose to bring many children into glory. And it was only right that he should make Jesus, through his suffering, a perfect leader, fit to bring them into their salvation.” Hebrews 2:10. Going through His suffering, including the suffering of temptation, was necessary to bring Jesus to the place where He could fulfill His ultimate trial and testing on our behalf. Praise God! If He needed this, how much more do we? We need our testing, trials and temptations in order to become true sons and daughters of the living God—that is what we all live for—to be sons and daughters of our living God. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you." Isaiah 26:3.
I am confident that we all have slept through a storm. Jesus did. “That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, ‘Let us go over to the other side.’ … A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, ‘Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?’ He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.” Mark 4:35, 37-39. Jesus has promised to give us His peace. “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” John 14:27. This is the very same peace that enabled Him to sleep through the storm. Isn’t this the peace we all seek? Without Him and His tranquility, we can feel helpless and afraid, just like His disciples did. But with it, we can experience inner calm in the midst of the storms and hardships of life. My friends, believing in God’s sovereignty is the key to a peaceful heart. In their panic, the disciples believed that a sleeping Jesus wasn’t in control of their circumstances. But we must remember that He is always in control—even in times of difficulty. “Cast your burden on the LORD, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.” Psalm 55:22. When we rest in the knowledge that God is in charge, we can exchange anxiety for peace. Our Lord doesn’t want us to be weighed down by fear. He wants us to share in His peace. May, “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-26. May our Lord be with you, and may you experience His peace as you go through your day. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- “Rather, as it is written: ‘No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no heart has imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him.’” 1 Corinthians 2:9.
God is always good—even when life is hard. When life is pleasant, it is easy for us to praise God because His kindness is evident. But we may have difficulty recognizing pain and trouble as an expression of His loving care. In difficult times, we need to trust today’s passage, which tells us that the Lord has stored up goodness for those who love Him, even though we don’t see or hear Him. David also informs us: “How great is the goodness you have stored up for those who fear you. You lavish it on those who come to you for protection, blessing them before the watching world.” Psalm 31:19. Our reverent “fear” of our Lord is the key.
We may not always feel that God is acting favorably toward us. The difficult and painful situations in our lives can hinder our understanding of divine goodness. If we believe the Lord is good only when our lives are enjoyable, then we misunderstand God’s nature. But as we seek God and grow closer to Him; we learn His character and His ways; and, we will begin to see evidence of His love and goodness in all situations—even our trials. David reminds us, “The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth.” Psalm 145:18. And in His love and wisdom, He’ll use our trials to help shape our character. Today, when God allows something we don’t like, let us seek Him, pour out our heart to Him, and listen earnestly. In doing so, we’ll find that our gratitude and trust will grow. We will grow closer to Him. We live under the umbrella of His goodness. When circumstances and emotions tell us otherwise, rely on what we know. “O taste and see that the LORD [our God] is good; How blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the man who takes refuge in Him.” Psalm 34:8. AMP My friends, throughout the day, look for signs of His loving care in every moment, even the hard ones. Then, as our perspective changes, we will see the signs of His goodness everywhere we turn. Give Him praise. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- “If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and remain in His love.” John 15:23.
We live in a fallen, disjointed world, where things are always unraveling around us. My friends, there is hope and a promise for us. A close and vibrant relationship with Jesus can keep us from coming unraveled. He is with us and we need to strive to please Him, just as The Father was with Him and He pleased His Father. “The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him." John 8:29. Let this be our goal as we go through each day, one day at a time. “Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” 1 John 5:7. “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his lifespan?” Matthew 6:27. The mind set of casting our worries onto Him will protect us from scattering our energy into the winds. Equally important is for us to be ever mindful that the free will that was given to us comes with responsibility. Each day presents us with choices. As each day presents itself, “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” Matthew 6:33. Regrettably, we don’t always act accordingly. Sometimes we ignore decisions and they are thus made for us by default. Without a focal point to guide us, we can easily lose our way. That is why it is so important to communicate with our Lord, living each day in thankful awareness of His love and presence in our lives. “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” Colossians 3:23-24. Thank You, Lord, for never being absent, even though we sometimes try to go it alone and forget to call upon You, forgive us; for sometimes we know not what we are doing. You are our helper. You are so awesome and full of mercy, thank You. “For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon You.” Psalm 86:5. Thank You for always being willing and able to shower us with Your lovingkindness. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- “You will keep in perfect and constant peace the one whose mind is steadfast [that is, committed and focused on You—in both inclination and character], Because he trusts and takes refuge in You [with hope and confident expectation].” Isaiah 26:3. AMP
Our security is equal to the level of our “fear” of our Lord. “The fear of the LORD leads to life, And he who has it will abide in satisfaction; He will not be visited with evil.” Proverbs 19:23. We need not and should not search for our security in the world. We have a tendency, however, to make mental checklists of things we need to have or do in order to gain control of our lives. We catch ourselves in those moments when everything is, “if only this or if that”, we could be at peace. It seems the more we work toward accomplishing our goals, the more things pop up on our lists. And the harder we try the more frustrated we become. There is a better way to find security in life. “So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.” 2 Corinthians 4:18. Instead of worrying about our checklist, we should focus our attention on our Lord’s presence in our lives. This constant contact with Him will keep us in peace. “He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.” Isaiah 33:6. Furthermore, our Lord will help us discover what His perfect will is for us. “For it is [not your strength, but it is] God who is effectively at work in you, both to will and to work [that is, strengthening, energizing, and creating in you the longing and the ability to fulfill your purpose] for His good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13. AMP Lord, we are so grateful for Your presence in our lives, help us to seek You first and foremost in all we do. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- “For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10.
God had a plan for us before we were born. He sent us into this world for that purpose. Are we doing His work or something less? Simply being busy is not His goal. He wants to see us doing the work He “prepared in advance for us to do.” Just doing something and working hard, although it may be commendable, if it is not our purpose it is less than we are capable of doing. God wants us to be driven to be all He created us to be; not just driven to work hard. So: we should first ask Him to reveal His will to us; "for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose." Philippians 2:13. God will actually create desires within us that will guide us toward accomplishing His purpose. It’s not serendipity or super-spirituality, but God at the helm steering our ship. Second, we need to expect to do more than we are capable of in and of ourselves. Self-directed activity is self-limited activity. God-directed activity is unlimited activity. God never calls us to do what we can; He calls us to do what He can! “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think." Ephesians 3:20. We must pray, wait, listen, and then act on His promptings, and all things become possible for us. Third, we must never let His work through us overwhelm us. We can and must draw on His indwelling power. Paul says, “To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me." Colossians 1:29. We might sometimes find ourselves asking how much divine energy is needed for our assignment? “All His energy.” And the good news is, it is available to us everyday. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." Hebrews 12:1.
We could all benefit from a little self analysis. What’s slowing us down, or tripping us up? In life we only get to run once, so let’s run to win for the Kingdom. First, in order to avoid stumbling and losing our place in the race, we need to stop looking back. We can’t change the past, but we can learn from it, and make a difference in our future. Second, let’s not be anxious about the next mile stone, just focus on the next step. If we miss that, we may fall and not get up again. Let’s just keep going, and before we know it we'll have more miles behind us than ahead of us. “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:14. Lord, help us to resolve today to make every step count. Third, too many of us carry the weight and the worry of burdens. Fortunately, some of us have come to understand our burdens are of no real importance. We are blessed to be able to recognize that exhausting our strength extinguishing fires that, if left alone, would burn out on their own, is not God's desire for us. "Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you." 1 Peter 5:7. Time is a valuable resource. Use it wisely, for there are no "do overs." Do not waste it on things that do not matter, but instead, “making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.” Ephesians 5:16-17. And fourth, cleanse yourself of self-sabotaging habits and pointless fears. There are enough painful trials in life; why endure the ones we can get rid of. When blind Bartimaeus heard that Jesus was within reach, he threw off his coat so it wouldn’t trip him up, and ran toward Him. And his faith paid off: “'Go,' said Jesus, 'your faith has healed you.' Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road." Mark 10:52. We'll never know how successful we can be until we get rid of the things that slow us down and trip us up. Trust in our Lord! "This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, ‘It is through faith that a righteous person has life.’” Romans 1:17. Lord, help us to run the race with faith and to live righteously. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- Xmas 2024
Reflection on Christmas 2024
Incarnation: Christ becoming the God-Man
Incarnate - Latin - incarnatus - in + Caro - to be made flesh
God the Father sending God the Son into His creation to take on human flesh by the power of God the Spirit.
Christ who was eternally God becomes the God-man: perfectly God and man.
Once Christ takes on human flesh, He lived to save and died to save His people from their every sin.
He rose and ascended as the Champion.
He remains the God-man, always the perfect God and perfect man, in heaven as the Mediator between God and man.
As Mediator, He continues as our Prophet to teach, as our Priest to intercede, and as our King to rule and conquer.
While Christmas celebrates a birth, Incarnation recognizes the God-man... the miraculous and mysterious climax of all things in history…. God, who is over history, enters into history as the God-man… the God who promised to defeat satan and rescue His people back in Eden, reveals the God-man who accomplished eternal redemption.
The God-man cried on the cross in his last minutes “It is finished”.
Mary rejoices and sings to her God - who is our God - who is THE Almighty and Holy God, who shows mercy to the totally undeserving, and who saves to the uttermost.
The New Testament writer of Hebrews describes the God-man as the One who…
He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them (Hebrews 7.25)
He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption (Hebrews 9:12).
We know that God perfectly works all things for good for us; we know we are called according to his good pleasure; we know that He first loved us.
Christ the Incarnate God-man is the foundation and ultimate reality of all of this goodness to us.
As Mary sings “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior”, so we sing of this new born, Christ the Incarnate God-man.
- "Then Jesus said to his disciples, 'If ayone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.'" Matthew 16:24.
Merry Christmas to all; for “The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—[was] born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!” Luke 2:11. We are invited to, and we must follow Him. He makes the choice clear for us: deny ourselves “and take up His cross”. There are no excuses, no exceptions, modifications, nor compromises. We follow Him or we don't follow Him. For those of us who choose to follow Him, we must accept His conditions. "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself. . .," He says, we must deny ourselves! There is no appeal from His Word. As we celebrate His birth we must remember, He will use no coercion to force us to follow Him, but neither will He compromise. We cannot make the terms; we can only agree to them. What a monumental and beautiful decision we are invited to make. My friends it affects today and the forever tomorrows! There is really no choice my friends; for you see if He admits one soul into the Kingdom by compromise, then the Kingdom is no longer secure. Christ will be Lord, or He will be Judge. Every one of us must decide whether we will take Him as Lord now—deny ourselves and take up His cross—or face Him as Judge later. “And this is the message I proclaim—that the day is coming when God, through Christ Jesus, will judge everyone’s secret life.” Romans 2:16. O Lord, search our hearts and know that we want to follow You on Your terms, but we cannot always do so in our own strength. Lord, we know Your Word says, You ". . . will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6. We take great solace in this, and we know that You will never abandon us. Thank You for the joy You offer us, may we fully receive it. Thank You for being our everything. We will celebrate Your birth today; we will praise You; we will worship You; and, yes, we will deny ourselves, pick up Your cross, and follow You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” 1 Peter 2:9.
My friends, as we approach 2025, let us strive this year to come together as a “holy nation” working together in God’s “marvelous light”. No longer shall we remain in darkness, but we shall be free—free in Christ, for; “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” John 8:36. And it is written: “The people who walk in darkness will see a great light; those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them." Isaiah 9:2. Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah would bring about a powerful transition for those who walk in darkness. These were people imprisoned with darkness that gripped their minds and hearts. It cast a shadow over their lives felt through relationships, thoughts, and emotions. This darkness bound them with sin and disease, fear, and financial problems. It exposed them to demonic forces and deception and caused them to place their hope in the pleasures and rewards of this world. We strive to live in God’s light and the light shall overcome the darkness. “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.” John 1:5. Today, and especially in times such as these, millions of people still live in darkness—men and women, old and young, people in every nation and all races, singles and families, rich and poor, in farms, and in urban areas. They are so accustomed to the world and its darkness that it seems normal, the only way to live. But everything will change when they “see a great light.” Their world will suddenly become clear. They will be able to see the truth about their own lives and the world. They will ultimately realize how to be free from their burdens and have a life of joy and peace. This year, dedicate yourselves to spreading the light of the Gospel. Remember that Jesus is the “Light of the world” (John 8:12). But He also said that we became “the light of the world,” with a testimony that can impact others (Matthew 5:14).
There is no greater gift than to help others make Jesus the Lord of their lives and find the true Light. Make this your goal this year! Father, use us to spread the Light of the Gospel. Thank You for sending Jesus to be our light. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Donald H. Brockway, Jr., Esq.
Law Office
- “For day by day men kept coming to David to help him, until there was a great army, like the army of God.” 1 Chronicles 12:22. AMP
There was something about David—something so appealing that men from all walks of life and backgrounds were willing to risk everything to support his cause. What was his secret? We need to know! It was because God was with him. “... Peace and prosperity be with you, and success to all who help you, for your God is the one who helps you. ...” 1 Chronicles 12:18. Truly, everything changes when God is with us. And our light will shine so that others can witness how we have been transformed and how God has impacted our lives. “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16. Moses had this kind of transformation after spending time with God. His face radiated such a glow that he needed a veil. “And whenever the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone, then Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with Him.” Exodus 34:35.
As Peter and John stood before the Jewish leaders there was something different about them. Although they were “uneducated and untrained”, their behavior was amazing. The reason? They had “been with Jesus”. “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.” Acts 4:13. Lets not be content with just going through the motions. Lets really spend time with Jesus. Talk with Him. Listen to His voice. Fellowship with Him. Worship Him. Read His Word. Let Him transform us by His presence. Then, let’s let our light shine so others can see how He changed our lives. Lord, thank You for changing us. Fill us with Your Spirit. Use us to impact others for Your glory. In Your Name, Amen.
Donald H. Brockway, Jr., Esq.
Law Office
- “So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.” Matthew 9:38.
How does the Lord suggest we gather plenty of workers to do His work on earth? Who, in fact, are His workers? We are! He simply asks us, as His followers, to pray to Him—Lord of the harvest—to send out harvesters to share their faith in Him with people who don’t know Him personally. Prayer is the starting point. Now, some of us may be thinking, “Thank goodness! I’m off the hook! I just have to pray about it! I don’t have to get involved, serve and take part in the harvest. I’ll just pray!” Really? Does Jesus let us off so lightly? No He doesn’t. Jesus knows that when we begin to pray for harvesters, the scales will be removed from our eyes. He will begin to reveal to us the world He sees. Then we will begin to see the people around us as He sees them. The Holy Spirit helps to convict us to love them and pray for them to come to know Him. Over time God will use us to be the harvesters. So, when we begin to pray for the harvest, beware! God will open our eyes and we will be convicted of the needs of all those around us. He will transform our hearts into the heart of a harvester. “And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” Ezekiel 36:26. Lord, help us become a fruitful harvester, sowing Your seeds and bringing many people to salvation, use us, we want to advance Your Kingdom and serve You everyday. Lord, give us each day many opportunities to bring You glory. Lord, help us to do something profound for You everyday, impacting eternity and not wasting our time. Help us to recruit others, to train and equip them and send them out. Yet may we not lose anyone that You give us. Lord, use us to bring unity to Your body and healing to those You love. Please send out many workers into the harvest field—including us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Donald H. Brockway, Jr. Esq.
- “Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Romans 5:5.
We’ve all had experiences with discouragement, and we will in the future. What is important is the approach we take in dealing with our discouragement. How we approach discouragement will distinguish us from others. First, we have to believe what Peter teaches us in, 1 Peter 2:9-10. “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” Wow! That is good medicine when discouragement comes our way. We are God’s chosen people. Be thankful, hopeful, keep looking up, and stay focused on God; for He promises that His grace is all we need. “... ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.’ ... .” 2 Corinthians 12:9. Second, we need to practice prayer as the first resort, not the last. God is interested in everything that interests us. Talk to Him about your concerns. Ask Him to fill you with His Holy Spirit—the Encourager, and the Comforter. Third, we must learn to rest in Him; for He says, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28. Fatigue makes cowards of us all. When our bodies and minds are rested, we view circumstances differently. Finally, never give up—finish the race before you. “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” 2 Timothy 4:7. Keep on keeping on! Perseverance produces character, and character, hope. Hope comes in trusting God to see us through our moments of discouragement. If you are dealing with discouragement, look to God. He will give you the strength to overcome your discouragement and live in the joy of your relationship with Him.
Amen.
Donald H. Brockway, Jr., Esq.
Law Office
- “I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.”
Ephesians 3:16-18.
Our failures don’t surprise God. He expects them. He knows what we’re made of. Because, after all He created us. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10. The Word says, “For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust.” Psalm 103:14. God won’t stop loving us when we mess up. The foundation of the Word—His Truth—is this: He doesn’t love us because of who we are or what we’ve done but because of Who He is and what He has done. He made us! He loves us. That is His Truth! We can’t make God love us more, nor can we do anything to make Him love us less. He loves us just as much on our bad days as He does on our good days. His love is not based upon our performance. “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:37-39. There is a word for this—its called grace—and it’s absolutely amazing. God looks down on us, as the Apostle Paul teaches us, and says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9. His grace and love are everlasting. Even when we’re ridiculously bad, God won’t stop loving us. It truly is amazing grace. When we understand His grace, we can relax about our failures and have the confidence that we are loved. God never tires of our need for a heart felt conversation with Him. And, He is never too busy. No matter how many times we come to Him for forgiveness, He’ll be waiting with open arms. The Word says, “He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.” Colossians 2:14. Our lives are not mistake free, but they can be guilt-free. God understands our failures, and He loves us anyway. That’s amazing grace! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- “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. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.”
Philippians 3:12:14.
Our life, and especially our spiritual growth, is not a smooth, continuous progress, but a series of breakthroughs and setbacks. But, with God at the center we are on the right track and will get there in the end. So much of our daily life is about just hanging in there and pressing ahead regardless of our situation. Paul saw himself as on the way; he hadn’t arrived. This didn’t cause him to be stagnant nor to be in despair. He knew where he was going, and he was content, realizing that it would take a while to get there even with the strong help of God. The same should be true of us. We can easily get discouraged as we see plans fall apart, goals not achieved and divisive confusion all around us. Often we seem to take some steps forward only to be followed by some steps backwards. Our growth is not a smooth, exponential curve, but more like a series of jerky lines that trace progress and regress. But like Paul, we can’t let this defeat us. “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” Ephesians 6:10-18. Declare with me, “with God at my side I will keep on going. I won’t give up despite failures and setbacks. I will get there in the end. It won’t be all glamorous or dramatic, but with God at my side I am on the right track. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Donald H. Brockway, Jr., Esq.
Law Office
- “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
2 Chronicles 7:14.
Times such as these cry out for repentance. Today’s scripture should be shouted from the rooftops and resonating within the walls of our homes. And although this scripture reflects God’s dealing with His people Israel at a different time, it is just as applicable to the whole world today. God is right here, right now. God hears us because He is here—He is among and within us—He is ever present. “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9. True, we are not Israel, but do we think that God’s attitude toward sin and evil has changed? Of course, it hasn’t! Then why would we think that God’s attitude toward a humble and repentant people would change depending on the time, the location or what nationality they claim? If we as His people would repent, He would heal our nation too. God is the Creator and Owner of all things, and along with the good gift of life, He entrusts resources to each of us, including time, relationships, talents and abilities. With every gift of God we receive comes the responsibility to be a faithful steward of those resources. In all things, we are to be righteous, humble and purposeful in fulfilling our responsibilities for the glory of God. “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31. Yes, it is also true that, in all the areas of life where we have responsibilities, we also have personal rights and privileges—things we believe we deserve. Based on these rights, we construct expectations for ourselves and of others. But, only as we yield our rights and expectations to God are we free to focus on fulfilling our responsibilities. God is not as interested in giving us what we “deserve” as He is in our recognizing that He is the Owner of all things and that He is able to work all things together for good. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” Romans 8:28. He may choose to withhold something we expected to receive in order to help us grow in maturity or to reveal more of Himself to us. Be thankful that He does. And, by yielding our rights to God, we can respond to life with humility, wisdom, patience and teachable hearts. In II Chronicles 7, we see both freedom and safety. We also see both potential and certainty. But we have to recognize the “if-then” pattern that is present. We often see this pattern when God is talking to His people. He will often say something like “if my people will turn toward Me, I will turn toward them. If they turn away from Me, then I will chasten them.” “If” is potential; it implies freedom. “If” means that we have a choice to make. God is sovereign and in control, but we are responsible for our decisions. “Then” is the certainty; it is the safety. God is One Who is always consistent with Himself and His character. So, “if my people…shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn,” then they will hear from Me—God. The sum and substance of this is that God owns our lives. He is in control and sovereign. But we own our choices. What that means is that there is freedom, responsibility, and potential in the “if”, and there is certainty and safety in the “then”. We can know that God will consistently display His character, and will respond to a repentant, humble heart as He always has. The world needs God and it needs repentant and humble hearts. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Donald H. Brockway, Jr., Esq
Law Office
- “So Joseph found favor in his sight and became his personal servant, and he made him overseer over his house, and put him in charge of all that he owned.” Genesis 39:4.
We should ask ourselves, “are we being Godly stewards”? The life of Joseph consisted of the highest of highs and the lowest of lows—from being thrown into a pit to die one day—to being raised to second-in-command in Egypt, the mightiest nation on earth. We can identify with Joseph in many respects because we all have highs and lows. Sadly, many of us tend to neglect the Lord when things are going well, only to return to Him when we are in crisis. What a shame; for “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Hebrews 13:8. When we read the story of Joseph, after he was sold by his brothers to some traders, he ended up in the household of Potiphar, a leader in Egypt. Before long, as we see in today’s scripture. Potiphar made Joseph “overseer of all his house and put him in charge of all he had.” And when Potiphar put him in charge, Joseph began to prosper. There is no indication that Joseph took undue credit for anything, or that he used his prosperity to further himself. To the contrary, he continued to oversee and steward all that God, through Potiphar, put into his care. How are we doing with what God has put in our care? Just as Joseph was, every single one of us as followers of Jesus, is called to be faithful steward of all that God has entrusted to us. And this goes way beyond simple stewardship of our money. God has entrusted us with much more! As followers of Christ, God has given us gifts, talents, and abilities that are meant to be used to bring Him glory, make disciples, and build up His church. So, how are we doing? As children of God, He has entrusted us with others to teach the truth of God’s Word, modeling for them what it means to be a faithful disciple of Christ Jesus. So, what about where we live? Are we inviting neighbors into our lives—being hospitable, so we can share the love of our Lord with them? The building block of all of this is the fact that being a steward implies that none of what we have is ours, 1 Corinthians 4:7 says, “For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?” All the skills, talents, and abilities we use were given to us by God.
Even the very next breath we take is provided by the King of kings and the Lord of lords. So, the question remains, how are we stewarding our lives, and how will we steward them going forward? When we take those things that the world deems will give us status and prestige—money, abilities and power, and we steward them as Christ would have us steward them, it shows an unbelieving world the value of Christ—that He is our treasure; not the world! Joseph showed us how to “steward” for the glory of God. We must do the same! May we be good and faithful stewards; for none other than the glory of God? Let it be so, Lord. In Your Name we pray, Amen.
Donald H. Brockway, Jr., Esq.
Law Office
- “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8.
Life can be tough—it can seem like we are constantly fighting an uphill battle. But we are not struggling alone. We have Holy Spirit within us, and it is in His power that we will succeed! The mission Jesus gave to the disciples must have seemed impossible to them. Look at them—a small group—some of whom had been fishermen, but were now being asked to be fishers of men. Most of them did not have much, if any, education. They had no seminaries. They had no finances. They had no prestige. They had no political pull. And yet they were to go into all the world and preach the good news—the news of a Galilean peasant who died on a cross, crucified by the Roman government. This was what, to us, would have seemed like “mission impossible”. Not only did they not have credentials, but they were also up against impossible foes. But yet they were true believers—overcomers—the laborers in the field of the Church triumphant. So, what feels impossible in your life today? How does reflecting on the beginning of the early Church encourage you? I encourage you to do as the disciples did: Pray over everything, and declare, as Jesus taught us to do: He taught us Truth—“Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.” Matthew 19:26. My friends, have faith, be encouraged, and pray. Get into the Word of God. Read the Word. Let it saturate your soul with its Truth! Embrace the Word as this new year unfolds; for it is written: “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” Joshua 1:8. Wait before God until you get a promise and let that promise come out of the Word of God. We are not meant to take confidence in ourselves, but we can always take confidence in God and His promises. As we progress in this year, embracing the Word, empowered by and with the Holy Spirit, may we let our confidence rest in God and what He has promised. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- “The ark of God remained with the family of Obed-Edom in his house three months. And the Lord blessed the house of Obed-Edom and all that he had.”
1 Chronicles 13:14.
King David had gotten a scare in 1 Chronicles 13:9–12, when he tried to move the Ark of the Covenant. The ark tipped to one side and one of David’s men, named Uzza, put his hand on the ark to stabilize it. Uzza was immediately struck dead. David became frightened and decided not to bring the ark, the presence of God, into his home. Instead, he left it at the home of a humble man named Obed-Edom. Obed-Edom was not a king. He was not a mighty man. He was just somebody, not unlike you and me. He doesn’t even appear in the Bible until this occasion. But when he saw that the king did not want God’s presence in his home, Obed-Edom said, he would keep it in his home, and it was placed in his home. What is important for us is to recognize is that worship and prayer were constant in Obed-Edom’s home. Obed-Edom had eight sons, and not one of them lived in the dark, but thrived in the light. The Bible says all eight of them were mighty men of valor. After three months, David got some news that had shaken the community where Obed-Edom lived. 2 Samuel 6:12 says, “Now it was told King David, saying, ‘The LORD has blessed the house of Obed-Edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God.’ So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with gladness.” Today, God’s real presence is in us, the Person of the Holy Spirit. If the Ark in Obed-Edom’s house blessed him and his household then, should we expect anything less with the actual presence of God within us today? If we bring the presence of God into our homes, our family will be blessed in a positive way. Think about it my friends. Imagine what the atmosphere of your home would be if you invited the Lord to be present. Heavenly Father, You are welcome in our home. Just as Obed-Edom made a place for You in his home through prayer and worship, we will commit to filling our own home with praise, prayer and worship for You. Amen.
Donald H. Brockway, Jr., Esq.
Law Office
- “Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see." Hebrews 11:1.
Today’s Word is foundational for our well being. It underlays our hope and it builds our endurance to continue in God’s work. Paul wrote this message to the Thessalonians. “We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Thessalonians 1:3. Paul’s message is informative for us today. Lord, help us to maintain our confidence in what we hope for and the endurance to continue in Your work. Unfortunately, however, when we are in the middle of a crisis what often happens is we lose the fruit of self-control and then our human emotions control our words, our attitudes, and our actions. When Lazarus died his sister Martha said, “…, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.’” John 11:21, she was voicing past-tense faith ruled by her emotions at the moment. But when Jesus said, “… ‘Your brother will rise again.’” John 11:23, and Martha replied, “… , ‘I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.’” John 11:24, Jesus and Martha were voicing future-tense faith. And when she said, “… even now God will give you whatever you ask.” John 11:22, she was demonstrating “now” faith, which is present-tense—expressing faith in His power, and her trust in His will. And the Word teaches us not to look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. “So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.” 2 Corinthians 4:18. Paul says, to walk by our faith. “We walk by faith, not by sight." 2 Corinthians 5:7. Too often, however, we base our feelings on what we see, instead of on what God says in His Word. Let us not be trapped by confining our thinking that reality is only in what we can see and feel. May we not let ourselves become prisoners of our own perceptions. Let us walk in the light of our faith in our Lord, for when we walk in the Truth of His Word appearances are never the ultimate reality; for God “… works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28. He knows how the story ends, so let us fix our eyes on the unseen and not on what we see. Thank You Lord for helping us to keep our eyes on You, to trust in Your Word, and in what is not yet seen. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” John 10:10.
To know God, is to have life “more abundantly” and to have eternal life. To know God and to help others to know Him is the purpose for which we are and were created. The destruction of our God-awareness is the ultimate goal of Satan. He is the darkness that comes from our transgressions. He is the one who blinds us to the love, and keeps us from the grace, of our Father. To give God back to us was the chief work of Christ in redemption. “He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.” Titus 2:14. To impart Himself to us in personal experiences is the first and foremost purpose of God in salvation. To bring God-awareness is the best help the Spirit brings to us during the process of sanctification. All other steps in grace lead up to this. "Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit.” 1 Peter 3:18. If we were allowed just one request, we would gain all things by praying one all-encompassing prayer: Lord, give us Yourself and we shall want no more; for it is written, “‘I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end,’ says the Lord God. ‘I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One.’” Revelation 1:8. The foremost quality of eternal life is to experientially know God. We can fully know Him in Christ in whom God gives us Himself. May we strive each day to know the love of our Lord, Who is, Who was, and Who is to come. “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.” 2 Peter 3:18. May we all grow in our Lord and Savior’s grace and knowledge. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- “The eternal God is your refuge, and his everlasting arms are under you. He drives out the enemy before you; he cries out, 'Destroy them!'"
Deuteronomy 33:27.
God wants us—all of us—to be all His; for that is, without a doubt, why He sacrificed His Son. Therefore, we need to wean ourselves from all other dependencies. Our security rests in Him, and Him alone. His everlasting arms are our security net. He is our refuge. He is omnipresent. “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9. We must always step forward in His light and on His path; never fearing the consequences. "Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6. Trust in His endearing love. "No power in the sky above or in the earth below--indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:39. Hallelujah. Sing His praises and give thanks. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- “He said to his disciples, 'Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?'" Mark 4:40.
Trusting God in the midst of uncertainty forces us to place our faith in what we cannot see in order to overcome what we can see. Yes, we will experience storms in life. But, when we get in over our heads and we are sinking fast, we learn things about the Lord we would never know otherwise. At first we may wonder, “How did we get into this mess?” Then we start to see His hand at work and end up saying, "… ‘Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!’” Mark 4:41. The disciples finally reached a place where they were willing to follow Jesus without question. And that is God’s plan for us. “‘So then, don’t be afraid.’ … .” Genesis 50:21. “Don’t be afraid” isn’t a call to be unaware, not responsive or, ignorant. God doesn’t expect us to be oblivious to the challenges that our lives bring us. He simply wants us to have faith, to keep our eyes on Him. Peter’s experience with walking on water is illustrative. “And Peter answered him, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’ He said, ‘Come.’ So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, ‘Lord save me.’ Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt?’” Matthew 14:28-31. As long as Peter kept his eyes on Jesus the waves couldn’t take him under. May we all remain focused on Jesus during our storms of life. My friends, look to God, stand on His Word, and recall all of His goodness. “For this reason [that is, because of God’s final revelation in His Son Jesus and because of Jesus’ superiority to the angels] we must pay much closer attention than ever to the things that we have heard, so that we do not [in any way] drift away from truth.” Hebrews 2:1. AMP Lord, please help us to do whatever it takes to keep our eyes on You; for the Word assures us, “… do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10. Shout for joy. Give God all the praise. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- “He said to his disciples, 'Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?'" Mark 4:40.
Trusting God in the midst of uncertainty forces us to place our faith in what we cannot see in order to overcome what we can see. Yes, we will experience storms in life. But, when we get in over our heads and we are sinking fast, we learn things about the Lord we would never know otherwise. At first we may wonder, “How did we get into this mess?” Then we start to see His hand at work and end up saying, "… ‘Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!’” Mark 4:41. The disciples finally reached a place where they were willing to follow Jesus without question. And that is God’s plan for us. “‘So then, don’t be afraid.’ … .” Genesis 50:21. “Don’t be afraid” isn’t a call to be unaware, not responsive or, ignorant. God doesn’t expect us to be oblivious to the challenges that our lives bring us. He simply wants us to have faith, to keep our eyes on Him. Peter’s experience with walking on water is illustrative. “And Peter answered him, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’ He said, ‘Come.’ So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, ‘Lord save me.’ Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt?’” Matthew 14:28-31. As long as Peter kept his eyes on Jesus the waves couldn’t take him under. May we all remain focused on Jesus during our storms of life. My friends, look to God, stand on His Word, and recall all of His goodness. “For this reason [that is, because of God’s final revelation in His Son Jesus and because of Jesus’ superiority to the angels] we must pay much closer attention than ever to the things that we have heard, so that we do not [in any way] drift away from truth.” Hebrews 2:1. AMP Lord, please help us to do whatever it takes to keep our eyes on You; for the Word assures us, “… do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10. Shout for joy. Give God all the praise. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- “I will cry to God Most High, Who accomplishes all things on my behalf [for He completes my purpose in His plan].” Psalm 57:2. AMP
God has a purpose and a plan for each of us. His plan has a purpose and His purpose is made complete through His plans. Embrace both and be grateful; for without Him we are aimless. If you have been praying for God to do something for you, you can be assured, whether He changes the situation or changes you, He will complete His purpose for you. God sees the big picture, and He loves us so much that He works out things to His glory. “In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.” Ephesians 1:11-12. It is hard for us to make sense of life’s challenges when we're in the middle of one. When we are tired, frustrated, and stressed our perspective is skewed. Therefore, we must accept the fact that we don’t have the strength or the vision to get through these times on our own. My friends, “Trust in and rely confidently on the LORD with all your heart And do not rely on your own insight or understanding.” Proverbs 3:5. AMP This means letting go of floundering attempts to manipulate people, circumstances, or timing, and return the reins to the One Who knows the way. Think about it; if we knew what we were doing, we probably wouldn't be in a mess in the first place, but we are! We often talk about waiting on God to fix things, but what we must understand is that He also waits on us. He waits on us until we’re ready to receive; until we can appreciate what we’re asking for; until we’ve made sufficient preparations in our heart; until we’re free from resentment and discontent; until our maturity level is appropriate; and, our knowledge of and reverence for Him as our One and only Savior is mature enough to recognize and accept His plan and His purpose. Sometimes He waits until we think He’s forgotten us, but that, my friends, is just the process He allows us to go through to test and grow our faith. With eternity as His foundational backdrop He waits for just the right moment to solve our problems. That moment is when He determines we are ready to follow Him. Isaiah says, “So the Lord must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the Lord is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for his help." Isaiah 30:18. If we are patient, and if we don't get ahead of God, we will experience His best. Wait on Him and He will complete what He has started in us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- “Now as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.
And He said to them, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. Going on from there He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and He called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.” Matthew 4:18-22.
We all should pick up our crosses and follow God’s calling on our lives. Jesus’ command to do so is clear: “… ,‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.’” Matthew 16:24. Choose what you will do. It will change you forever. “… As for me and my family, we will worship the LORD.” Joshua 25:15. My friends, we are all family—“… heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.” Romans 8:17. Yes, we can offer God plenty of reasons why He shouldn’t call on us to spread the gospel, but His call isn’t just a nice idea or a suggestion to try if we have time; He expects our obedience and we should humbly surrender. For us, the only appropriate response to God’s call is “Yes”, and be grateful for the opportunity. My friends, don’t worry about what it takes to answer the calling. It’s God’s responsibility to equip us for the work He assigns; “For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good purpose.” Philippians 2:13. The Lord has a plan for the life of each of us, and He provides us with all that we will need in the natural to fulfill all that He has in mind. Then He sees to it that we have skills that can be developed and the spiritual gifts necessary to fulfill His mission. There is nothing missing and no excuse can be given; for God determines His call with wisdom and discernment. He knows why He created each of us and He knows what we are capable of accomplishing in His strength. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10. Pick up your cross and follow Jesus.
Rejecting the invitation to serve Him is foolish. It would be tantamount to telling Almighty God that He made a mistake. Surrender, on the other hand, opens the door to a lifetime of service, blessing, and joy. Make your choice. Your service—your mission work can occur near or far. It isn’t anything more than actively serving others as we can and from where we are. You could serve right where you are, by helping someone less fortunate, by writing to prisoners, by volunteering at one of your many community programs—locally or nationally, by providing flood, fire, or storm relief, or by simply spreading God’s Word—the good news of Jesus Christ—any where in the world. In short, a calling—service—is whatever God calls us to do—large or small. My friends, just do something. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- “Now He who has made us and prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave us the [Holy] Spirit as a pledge [a guarantee, a down payment on the fulfillment of His promise].” 2 Corinthians 5:5. AMP
Thank You, Father, for the gift of the Spirit. The Spirit is our primer—our helper. As we seek You , and bring You the sacrifice of our thanksgiving, regardless of our feelings, Your Spirit is able to work more freely within us. "Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High." Psalm 50:14. My friends, when we do this it produces in us more and more thankfulness and more life, until we overflow with gratitude for our Lord. Sometimes, however, we get off course and we can't perceive what our Lord is actually doing in us. When we are stuck in doom and gloom we can't focus on our Lord as we should, and we are not in a position to receive His gifts. In Truth and in faith we should be thankful for whatever is going on around us; for our Lord is always at work in us. “And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe.” 1 Thessalonians 3:15. If we will seek His presence and build up this kind of thankfulness and faith we will be free. One of the best things about thankfulness is that the more we choose it, the easier it gets. The more we profess gratitude, the more we will notice things to be grateful for. The thankfulness muscles respond to exercise! Let’s get busy working out with Holy Spirit as our personal trainer. “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.” Romans 8:14. When the peace of Christ rules in our hearts and we are led by the Spirit thankfulness will overflow. Even in the darkest of times, we can praise God for His love, His sovereignty, and His promise to be near us when we call. “For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." 2 Corinthians 3:17. “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” Colossians 2:6-7.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- “Rather, as it is written: ‘No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no heart has imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him.’ But God has revealed it to us by the Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:9-10.
Father, we know Your Word is truth. Help us to embrace it. It tells us about heaven, so that we may be prepared to enter there. It writes the history of human disgrace that we may learn the value of divine grace. “For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people.” Titus 2:11. The Word warns in order that it may turn our feet away from the paths that go down to the path of destruction. It rebukes in order that we may see our own faults and be delivered from them. “None of us can see our own errors; deliver me, LORD, from hidden faults!” Psalm 19:12. As we expose ourselves to Your Word, it illumines the dark corners of our heart and mind. It exposes our darkest parts, but reveals the way of cleansing and forgiveness. “He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:10-12. God’s Word confronts us with eternal reality, but comforts and encourages us through the process that is the journey. May Your Word be open before us, rather than gathering dust on a distant bookshelf. May it be woven into the fabric of our being, rather than simply passing through our mind. Open our eyes, Lord, to see the light You project from Your Word. "Open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in your instructions." Psalm 119:18. May Your Word guide every step of our journey towards the goal of being glorified in Your presence. We pray Father, that it may be said of us: “I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began."
John 17:4-5. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.