Forgetting Those Things That Are Behind

Phil. 3:13-14

13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have [a]apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

We have made it to the last day of the year. God has truly blessed, protected, and covered us. I woke up yesterday with a song, You Covered Me, by Donald Lawrence, featuring Hezekiah Walker. It talks about how we could have lost our minds or wanted to give up. But by the grace of God, He covered us. God covered us through trials, tribulations, and attacks on our bodies, minds, ministries, and families. God brought us through it all. Millions didn't make it to this day, but God's grace has brought us to this point.

In Phil. 3, Paul is warning the people of Judaizers - Jewish Christians that believed that the Gentiles had to follow the old Jewish laws of the Old Testament to be saved, especially circumcision. Paul states that conversion was not based on all that he had accomplished or his credentials. It was because of the coming of a Savior, Jesus Christ, his crucifixion, and resurrection. It wasn't because of who he was or what he had done.

All that Paul gained, he counted it as loss for Christ Jesus. He didn't boast in his righteousness but the righteousness of Christ which is from God by faith. It was nothing to be compared to the greatness of knowing Christ. He wanted to forget the past things - his persecuting the church and look ahead to what was before him.

We all have things that we need to forget or put behind us. The year of 2022 was filled wth good and things that we may want to just put behind us. They are all working for our good but we do not need to get stuck in the past. Yes, we may not have gotten all things accomplished that we set out to do and we may have gotten off track, but God is able to use all the setbacks as set ups for what is ahead of us.

Let us not dwell on the past but grow in the knowledge of Christ Jesus and walk closer to Him. We are getting ready to step into a new beginning, a new year. We are "pressing toward the goal of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." We are looking forward to a "fuller and more meaningful life because of our hope in Christ". (Life Application Bible)

Be blessed.

 For Unto Us a Child Is Born

Isaiah 9:6-7

6) "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 

7) Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end.  He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.  The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this."

It is Christmas time again and we often hear this scripture repeated.  Jesus is the child that was to be born, the Son of God.  He was born of a virgin, Mary, in a manager.  Quite different than what the Jews expected from the coming King.  Nevertheless, He was born meek and lowly in a manger.  Yet, He was the Lord of Glory, God in the flesh.  

It was foretold in Isaiah that He would be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  He is the one with all wisdom, able to give you wise counsel and steer you in the right direction.  He is Almighty!! He is the Everlasting Father, there is no end to His reign and He is indeed a loving Father.  He has no beginning or ending, He is God.  

He is God and the God of Peace.  Heb. 13:20 states "20 Now may the God of peace—who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, and ratified an eternal covenant with his blood— 21 may he equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him.  All glory to him forever and ever! Amen.  He is peace and can give you the peace that passes all understanding. You will not be able to understand why you have peace in the midst of your situation or circumstance.  He will equip you with all that you need to do His will.

He is the King of the Kingdom of God (Heaven) and we are His subjects.  Of His rule and government will be no end, it is eternal.  He was born in the lineage of David and will reign on the throne forever.  He is God and yet came through the line of David to fulfill this prophecy.  

It is only the Lord Almighty that will be able to accomplish this.  He has come and will come again.  The government of God is on His shoulders, He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.  We must be ready to meet Him and be caught with Him in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord.  

May God bless you this Christmas season.  Remember that Christmas is about Christ, the child that was born to bring forgiveness and salvation to all mankind.  He is all that you need.  

Merry Christmas. 

 God Is My Salvation

It is December and we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world.  Webster defines salvation as preservation or deliverance from harm, ruin, or loss.  In the Old Testament the word used often for salvation was a Hebrew word,"yasa [[;v"y] (to save, help in distress, rescue, deliver, set free)" (https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/salvation/) It was used to signify material deliverance, whereas salvation in the New Testament was more spiritual.   

Isaiah 12, is called a Hymn of Praise. It follows Isaiah 11 which talks of the reign of Jesse's offspring, the Messiah.  Jesus would be the fulfillment of God's promise, a descendant of David.  He would be the Righteous Judge and the faithful one. Judah was surrounded by hostile foreign powers and they needed righteousness, justice, and faithfulness.  The Messiah would rule one day and this time of peace when even hostile animals could live together in peace would come. 

This chapter was a description of the joy when Jesus comes to reign on earth.  They  would praise the Lord.  We too must praise the Lord.  The Lord is our salvation.  Jesus saves, rescues, delivers, and sets us free.  He alone perserves us.  We do not have to fear because He is indeed our strength.  We can do all things through Christ that strengthens us!!  He alone can save us.  

As we draw near to the end of another year, we should be so grateful for all that He has done for us in 2022.  He alone has kept us alive and is provided for us.  We can trust Him and He is our salvation. 

Be blessed. 

I Will Praise You Lord with All My Heart!

Ps. 9:1-2

I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart;
I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done.
2 I will be filled with joy because of you.
I will sing praises to your name, O Most High.

"Praise is expressing to God our appreciation and understanding of his worth. It is saying thank you for each aspect of His divine nature. Our inward attitude becomes outward expression. When we praise God, we help ourselves by expanding our awareness of who He is. In each psalm you read, look for an attribute or characteristic of God for which you can thank Him." (Life Application Bible, Psalm 9)

This Psalm says to the Lord, that I will praise the Lord with all of my heart. I will praise God with my all. Why? Because He first loved me. I will tell of all the marvelous things that He has done for me. Why? Because He is good and I want to tell it go give Him the glory.

God deserves the glory. He has done so many amazing things for me. I want to run and tell everyone of all the wonderful things He has done. It can be a testimony of a hard time that God brought me through or a miraculous blessing. God wants us to tell us His goodness so that others can see the wonderful works of the Lord.

Wouldn't you tell everyone you know of something good that happened to you or a great deal? The gospel is the Good News!! Having a relationship with God is the best thing that can happen to anyone. It is telling of the goodness of God. He has kept me and my family down through the years. Through good times and hard times, He has been good.

No one said that it would be easy but it is wonderful. As you accept Jesus as your Lord, you are in relationship with the Lord of Glory. He is so faithful and trustworthy.

This is the end of November, a time of thanksgiving. However, we should always be grateful. Gratefulness makes room for more blessings. If we are grateful for the things that God has already done, He will bless you with more.

Always praise the Lord and be thankful with all of your heart. Be blessed.

 Enter Into His Gates with Thanksgiving

The Lord has been giving me this Psalm quite frequently.  Not that I have been unthankful but sometimes we fail to be consistently thankful. Sometimes we look passed the things that we have looking for the next, waiting for the next. We are trying to accomplish things or we are walking through rough places and we are tempted to complain.  

I was reading an excerpt from Battlefield of the Mind Psalms and Proverbs by Joyce Meyer on this Psalm. The Keys to Victorious Living commentaries, Look for Something To Be Thankful For, stated that "Prayer often goes unanswered because of an ungrateful heart. There are people who are grumblers, murmurers, faultfinders, and complainers. We must be careful not to be like that.  We need to be the kind of people who are thankful for what God is doing.  Complaining and being ungrateful are major hindrances to answered prayers."

We have to be thankful for what we have, were we are, and what God is doing for us now.  How can we expect God to bless us with more if we are not grateful for what we have now?  I may not have the new home, but I am thankful for where I am living now.  Thankful for the things God has given me, the beautiful, healthy, and growing family.  We need to have a thankful heart every day.  We must enter into His gates with thanksgiving daily.  

Why? Because we are His people and the sheep of His pasture.  God made us, we did not make ourselves.  He is in control and He blesses us daily.  So, we should be thankful continually.  

There will be times when we are faced with situations and troubles, but we still need to be thankful.  The enemy wants you to be dissatisfied all the time. This will cause you to be disgruntle, grumble, murmur, and complain.  You will focus on the problem and not the problem solver.  God is the Great Shepherd and if you know anything about sheep (research the care required for sheep), you will know that they need a loving, protective, and wonderful Shepherd.  

Being ungrateful will keep you from receiving and enjoying the great things that God has already done for you.  You will miss the blessings of the Lord looking for the next.  You may not receive the next because you are not grateful for the present.  

We are to enter His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise. God deserves our praise.  Praise is defined as "To praise God is to call attention to his glory"   (https://www.biblestudytools.com)

God alone deserves the attention because of all of the wonderful things that He has done for us.  Even in our trials, temptations, and troubles, God has been good to us.  We have escaped many things that we were not even aware of because of the goodness of God. 

The Lord is good and His mercies are everlasting.  They will last forever.  His truth will endure to all generations.  The Word of God is still true thousands of years after it was recorded. Why? Because His truth endures to all generations.  We are recipients of the truth of God.   God is good and deserves our continual thanks.  Ps. 34:1 says, "I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth".  

This scripture is a reminder to me that I need to be thankful continually.  I am to focus on the goodness of God and be thankful.  This Thanksgiving week, I challenge you to find things to be thankful for each day and all day long.  Tell God, thank you and give Him praise.  Because He alone is worthy of all the praise. 

Be blessed and Happy Thanksgiving. 

 In Everything, Give Thanks

1 Thess. 5:16-18

"16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

November is the month of thanksgiving.  As a matter of fact, we should always be thankful for all that God has done for us.  If you are reading this blog, God has been good to you.  You are still alive and able to read.  We take so many things for granted. 

I am sure that there are some in dire situations or enduring great trials.  You may not feel as if God has been good to you.  Your problems are clouding your view of anything good that has happened in your life.  Sometimes life can be hard and you lose sight of the everyday good things that God has and is doing for you. However, God is always good and is always good to us.  

Paul was writing to the Thessalonian church to assure them of Jesus' return.  He want to strengthen their faith because they were discouraged.  They were a young church that was enduring persecution.  Christians were being killed by people (Jews, Greeks, or Romans) that hated Christ and everybody that followed Him. Paul wanted them to know that he loved them and that being a Christian was not in vain.  He wanted them to know that their faithfulness during persecution was commendable.

He also wanted to remind them how to prepare for the second coming of Jesus.  He reminded them to comfort the fainthearted, be patient and kind to everyone, to be joyful always, to pray continually, and always be thankful.  He reminded them to avoid evil as well. 

He wanted them to know that regardless of the situation or circumstance, their joy and thankfulness should not fluctuate.  I know that there are times when you don't feel like being thankful or joyous.  It goes against our natural inclination or it's just not a natural response.  We get discouraged, angry, and ready to give up. But Paul admonishes us to give thanks in everything.  Whether you can pay the bill, have what you need, are sick in your body, or lost a family member.  It is hard to be thankful.  But even in the heartbreak, we must look up and be thankful.

Someone might say, "Are you kidding? I'm supposed to be thankful in this situation?"  You don't have to be glad for the situation but you can be grateful that God is still in control and He is able to bring you through it.  He promised never to leave you and can change it SUDDENLY.  Even if He doesn't, your tribulation is working patience and "all things are working together for your good."  

I know it may not look good, feel good, sound good, or even look like it is coming to an end. But God!! God is still good and deserving of the thanks.  He is able to deliver you and He can at any moment.  Job said in Job 13:15 "15 Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him." 

God may be working something in or out of you.  He knows what you need and His plan for your life.  We need to trust His process because He does love us all.  He loves us enough to send His best - Jesus Christ to die for us.  

It is not be easy but give thanks at all times.  Even with tears, give thanks.  When you don't understand or sense His presence, give thanks.  When you can't see your way, give thanks. Better days are coming.  

Every day that you wake up, give thanks.  Just look for things to give thanks for and watch your perspective change.  We can and should always give thanks in all things.  When we are doing God's will, we find it easier to be joyful and thankful. 

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and in all things give thanks.  Why? Because this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.  Give thanks. 

Be blessed. 

Give Thanks To The Lord!

Ps. 136:1
Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever. 

Oh, give thanks unto the Lord!!  God is good, God is so good!  We have made it to the eleventh month of the year, November.  The year of 2022 is almost over.  God has been so good to us.  We have had good times, blessings, trials, troubles, persecution, and maybe some hard times.  We have been blessed through the trial and in spite of the trials.  

The book of James, Chapter 1 tells us that trials are coming and they are working patience in us.  It is the perfect work of God.  If we lack wisdom about a situation or a trial, we can ask God.  We don't have to pretend to be happy in a trial, but we can know that God is with us in our trials.  He is working all things together for our good (Romans 8:28).  

The Psalm 136 tell us of God's love and mercy towards us.  We should constantly give thanks to the Lord because He is good and His mercy endures forever.  What is mercy? Mercy is God's lovingkindness, compassion, pity, faithfulness, and sympathy for or toward mankind.  It endures (keeps going on) forever, without end.  Psalm 136 is a responsive reading with the people answering "His mercy endures forever." 

The Psalm tells the wondrous things that God has done.  The response is that His mercy - love, kindness, compassion, etc. continues toward mankind.  These are just a few of the things recorded that God has done.  He is great and deserves praise for all the things that He has done from the beginning.  And in spite of the sinfulness of mankind, He still has mercy on us.  

How many of you would continue to have such love, kindness, compassion, pity, faithfulness, and sympathy toward people that despise you, kick against your authority, disobey you, walk out on you, talk against you, and blatantly disregard your love for them?  Really?  But God has from the beginning to time shown unfathomable love for us and those that were created before us. He is love and His mercy endures forever.  

Since Adam until now, His mercy has been enduring.  Endure means to suffer (something painful or difficult) patiently; remain in existence; last.  God's love has endured the sins and disobedience of man with patience and is still existing.  He doesn't want anyone to perish but sent Jesus to die for our sins.  His love is immeasurable and unrelenting.  

As we enter the month of November, let us be thankful.  Why? Because the Great I Am, our Father, God, Protector, Creator, and Friend has been good to us!!  I challenge you to wake up each day and write at least three things that you are thankful for.  Yes, just three.  I am sure that you could write more but just start with three.  As you give thanks, watch your mood and attitude change for the better (not saying that it is bad).  God deserves all of your gratitude so let's give Him thanks.  

Be blessed. 

 Wake Up and Strengthen That Which Remains

Revelation 3:2

Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God.

This is the last blog for October. Revelation was written by John, the Apostle, to the seven churches of Asia.  He was exiled on the Isle of Patmos and was an eye witness of Jesus Christ.  He received a vision from God and was instructed to write to the churches.  He commends their strengths but warns of their weaknesses.  Even though it was addressed to a specific church in Asia, it speaks to the conditions of churches or the church today.  

Revelation 3 was written to the church in Sardis. Sardis was a wealthy city that had two locations. The older section was on a mountain.  When the population outgrew that section, they built a newer section in the valley below.  They were once in a high place and now built in a lower place.  They were called the "dead" church.  The only thing good about them was their name. They were spiritually dead, infested with sin.  Their deeds were evil and their garments were soiled.  They would be removed from the Book of Life if nothing changed.  

The Life Application Bible says that the Spirit didn't have words of commendation for this church because it looked good on the outside and was corrupt on the inside.  He did affirm that some were still faithful believers.  The Spirit admonished them to get up and to return to the foundation of the faith.  They were warned to strengthen those things that were ready to die.  They were on their way out.  Sin had so weakened their faith and light that they were dying.  They had lost their connection with God, even though they looked the part on the outside. 

That is still true today.  Churches can look good on the outside, but be filled with faithless people or those that are dying spiritually.  They hear the Word of God but don't apply the Word to their life.  The seed of the Word is snatched up before they can put it to practice.  Some come, sing, dance, and leave out with no intentions of changing or living a righteous life.  They look the part to the eye, but sin is causing them to die spiritually.  They have strayed away from the truth of God's Word.  

The church was told to wake up! Their wealth, sin, comfort, and self-satisfaction had lulled them to sleep. They wondered from the truth and had become faithless, not growing, and therefore dying.  So we must do the same today, wake up!  The wealth of this world, positions, status, and self-satisfaction have cause some to fall asleep.  We must be in the world and not of it.  We must not be so comfortable in the world that we forget that we were called to affect change, salt and light.  Isaiah 52:1,"Awake, awake, O Zion, clothe yourself with strength." People have to wake up so that their names will not be removed from the Book of Life.

Don't be lulled to sleep by the world.  Wake up and strengthen what remains, the things of God and walk in righteousness.  God sees all and knows all.  The danger of being asleep in this day and age is catastrophic.  Death is eminent.  Wake up and seek God.  He will restore you and you can be faithful again.  He loves you and is waiting for your return.  Return to God today. 

Be blessed. 

 

Awaken From Sleep

Romans 13:11

"Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed.12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh."

October is the month when fall really starts to set in and things begin to change.  The season changes from really hot weather to a cooler more comfortable temperature.  Here in the south, the climate usually begins to cool off and the nights begin to shorten.  The air is crisper and cooler.  This past week it was in the 30's, which is uncommon for this early in the season.  When you step outside, you tend to become more awake from the bitter cold or the crisp air. 

To awaken means to rouse from sleep; cause to stop sleeping.  In the last blog, we talked about being asleep both naturally and spiritually. It is the state of being physically inactive and unaware of one's surroundings.  It is a time of rest or when we are not conscious of what is happening around us.  If we are asleep spiritually, we are not aware of the condition of our soul or our spiritual walk.  We are partaking of the unfruitful works of darkness or not allowing the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us in the truth.  

To awaken also means to stop being unaware of our condition.  It means to face the truth of where we are and where we need to go.  Paul was giving instructions on being submitted to government.  We need to obey the laws of the land as long as they are not in conflict with the will of God and His commandments. God knows who is in the position of authority.  We should pray for those that are in authority so that they are just.  

Paul also tells the Romans to love one another and obey the law of love.  He also tells them to follow the command and wake up out of their unconscious state because the time for Christ return was sooner than when the first believed in Christ.  The times then were becoming more evil and people were engaging in the works of darkness - fighting, drunkenness, lust, strife, envy, jealousy, etc.  He warned them to put on Christ so that we can be clean from the inside out.  We must do the same today. 

How does one put on Christ?  First by baptism, Galatians 3:27, "for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ." This identifies us with Christ, in His death, burial, and resurrection.  We also identify with the family of God.  Second, we accept (or baptized in) His Spirit which will produces in us the fruit of the Spirit and qualities that Jesus show while He was here on earth.  We must be led by the Spirit and die to the unfruitful works of darkness.  

We must wake up from sleep and slumber and allow God to lead and guides us into all truth.  We do not want to be unaware of our spiritual condition or what is going on around us.  These are the last days that were spoken of by the prophets, apostles, and others in God's Word.  We need to cast (discard something unwanted or undesirable) off the works of darkness.  They need to become unwanted or undesirable to us.  We need to love God so much that we do not want to do anything outside of His will.  Why?  Because His will is what is best for us.  He knows His plans for us and what is best for our lives.  

The flesh will always war against the spirit but we must lay aside our desire and take on God's.  No one said that it will be easy but it is worth it.  God can and will help you become more like Him and be able to exhibit His attributes.  

So, let's wake up and ask God to show us what it is that we need to do to walk more closely to Him and farther away from the world.  We are in the world but not of the world.  Our life is hidden in Christ.  He will help you overcome all the habits and attitudes that keep you from walking close to Him.  Sleeping is good for being restore and rejuvenated, not for being unaware of what is happening to you in your spiritual walk.  So get up and seek God before the end of your time.  

Be blessed. 

Awake, You Who Sleep!

Ephesians 5:8-14

"8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. 13 But all things that are

exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. 14 Therefore He says:

“Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead,  And Christ will give you light.”"

When you think of one who is asleep, you think of sleeping - a condition of body and mind that typically recurs for several hours every night, in which the nervous system is relatively inactive, the eyes closed, the postural muscles relaxed, and consciousness practically suspended. Or simply said, a natural temporary state of rest during which an individual becomes physically inactive and unaware of the surrounding environment and many bodily functions (as breathing) slow. One is not aware of what is happening around them and they are resting, not physically active or conscious. 

We can fall asleep spiritually and not be aware of our spiritual condition from partaking in the unfruitful works of darkness.  Once we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are called to be a light to the world, children of light.  Jesus is the light of the world and we are His children.  

Paul wrote this scripture to the Ephesian church while he was in prison in Ephesus.  He wanted to  strengthen their faith by explaining the nature and purpose of the church.  It was a letter of encouragement to the believers.  Paul reminds the church that they are in constant battle with darkness and we must have the Holy Spirit to enable us to live God's way.  We must lay aside our evil desires and draw on the Holy Spirit's power to live according to God's will for our lives. 

Paul does not tell us to stay away from unbelievers but not to take part in the lifestyle of unbelievers.  We must lead others to Christ by living a lifestyle that is acceptable to God.  Paul says that it is shameful to even speak about the things that people do in the darkness.  We should be a light to those around us of who God is, how much He loves us, and how we are to live according to the leading of the Holy Spirit.  Our actions should reflect our faith and God's goodness.  

We are to expose the works of darkness lest we are in agreement.  If we are silent, if could be seen as we are in agreement.  We have fallen asleep if we continue to walk in darkness and not let God lead us into all truth.  We need to take a stand for truth and what is right. "We need to wake up and realize the dangerous condition into which some of them had been slipping." (Life Application Bible, NKJV)  Paul admonished the Ephesians church not to fall asleep and slip into a dangerous condition of going along with the unfruitful works of darkness.  The same is happening today, we must be awakened from sleeping.  

The fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth.  The unfruitful works of darkness are the opposite of the fruit of the Spirit.  We can only have the fruit of the Spirit as we allow the Spirit to lead and guide us.  When we fall asleep, we think that it is okay to do things that are in opposition to the things of God.  We can't serve two Masters and we can't walk in the light and darkness at the same time.  We are just allowing the enemy to fool us.  When we know to do right and don't, to us it is sin. James 4:17 "Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin."

We must wake up and not be tricked by the enemy.  God wants us to walk in the light and allow His light to shine on us.  We have to wake up to the truth and follow Him.  His ways will lead us to eternal life.  He loves us so much and wants to lead us to the truth.  His truth will make us free and give us life abundantly.  

So, Wake Up from sleeping!! Get up and God will shine the light of truth on you.  He is the truth and the light.  Let Him lead you. Don't be unconscious or unaware of the condition of the world or your life.  Jesus is soon to come!!

Be blessed. 

Psalms 150: 1-2, 6

Praise the Lord!  
Praise Him in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty firmament!
Praise Him for His might acts; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!
(6) Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!

I am aware that today is the first day of a new month.  We are in the 10th month of the year and the end of another year is quickly approaching.  But let me just give you one last writing on praise and adoration. 

Adoration means deep love and respect; to regard in with loving admiration and devotion; to be very fond of.  God deserves all of our adoration and praise.  He alone deserves our constant "warm approval and admiration", our expression of gratitude and and respect.  We could not have made it without God watching over us and watching out for us.  We don't have the ability to protect ourselves from the seen and the unseen.  God alone is our refuge and our protector. 

Let's not get it twisted - God has kept us to this day.  He is Sovereign and in control of all things.  He doesn't cause bad things to happen, but He allows them.  He knows the plans that He has for your life.  Trouble comes to prepare, strengthen, teach, and direct us.  God did not promise a life without problems, but He did promise not to leave us in the problems alone. Heb. 13:5-6 says, "5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we may boldly say: "The Lord is my helper, I will not fear.   He can (and will) direct us in our troubles if we lean on Him.  Prov. 3:5-6 tells us "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."  

I remember singing a song growing up, "Without God I would be nothing.  Without Him, I would fail. Without God, I would be drifting. Like a ship without a sail."  Life without God is like living without your purpose.  God created us with a purpose and living without acknowledging Him is living outside of the purpose for which you were created.  His plans are best and He is a loving father that only wants the best for us all.  He will lead and guide you as you submit to His will and His leading.  He will not force anyone to follow Him.  He will guide you to the path.  It is our disobedience or reluctance that brings suffering and consequences because we think that we know what is best for us.  We make plans and ask to bless them instead of asking for His plan and obeying it. 

May we realize that God's love is so great that if we just follow Him, our lives will be full of His presence and power.  Power to live right, fulfill His call, and to be salt and light so that others will come to know Him and love Him.  

Yes, God is deserving of our praise and our worship all the days of our life.  Let's give it to Him and Him alone.

Be blessed, October is here!

 Continual Praise

Ps. 34: 1-3, 8

I will bless the Lord at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
² My soul shall make its boast in the Lord;
The humble shall hear of it and be glad.
³ Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
And let us exalt His name together.

⁸Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good;
Blessed is the man who trusts in Him. 

David wrote this Psalm when he pretended that he was a mad man before King Achish, the King of Gath, who drove him away.  He was fleeing from Saul and went to Gath.  Gath was a Philistine city and they would have welcomed an Israelite defector who was a military leader. However, when they recognized him and declared what the people were saying about him (that he was the king of the land), he became afraid of the king and acted as if he was crazy.  He scratched on the doors of the gate and let his saliva run down his beard.  The king thought he was mad and David was able to depart. It was customary not to harm mentally unstable people.

Even in the midst of being chased by Saul, in danger of the Philistine King, David somehow managed to write this Psalm.  He realized that no matter what the situation or circumstance, he needed to bless or praise the Lord.  He was freed from both situations and he escaped to a cave in Adullam and people gathered to him there.  God heard his cry and offered him a way of escape from his trouble and help in his time of need.  Verse 19 says, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.”  God delivered him out of his troubles as he admitted his need for God. 

We often want to avoid trouble and circumstances.  We complain and want out of those things or circumstances that are not comfortable or pleasant.  We wish to escape trouble, sorrow, grief, loss, daily frustrations, and failures. We cry, complain, and sometimes try to avoid the situation or pray for God to remove it.  However, even in those times, if we admit our need for God, He is willing and able to deliver us.  God hears us and He will answer.  We may not like His answer at times.  His answer might be “Wait”, “I am working it out for you”, or even “No or Not now”.

In spite of His answer, we must bless Him and praise Him.  He is worthy of the praise and He is in control.  God loves us immensely and only has our best interest at heart.  He created us to fulfill His will, not ours.  As we understand that we are but stewards of this life and everything in it, we will surrender to His will and His ways.  God is a loving, faithful, understanding father.  And a loving, faithful, and caring father only wants the best for His children.  It is the struggle, conflict, loss, sorrow, or circumstance that He is using to make us stronger, more enduring, patient, kind, and gentle, etc.  He is working it out for us. 

We are called for His work and to His eternal will.  Surrender bring us to a new level of obedience, trust, and revelation.  He deserves our continual praise.  “Oh magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together.”

Give God the continual praise that He deserves.  In good times, praise Him.  In difficult times, praise Him.  When you feel loved, praise Him.  When you don’t feel loved, praise Him!  Knowing that He loves, sees, hears, protects, guides, and cares for you.  Continual praise even through tears moves God. So give Him all the praise, all the time.  

 

Be blessed. 

 Make a Joyful Noise Unto the Lord, All Ye Lands!

Psalms 100 

Make a joyful shout to the Lord, ^[a]all you lands!

² Serve the Lord with gladness;

Come before His presence with singing.

³ Know that the Lord, He is God;

It is He who has made us, and ^[b]not we ourselves;

We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

⁴ Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
And into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
⁵ For the Lord is good;
His mercy is everlasting,
And His truth endures to all generations.

It is finally September.  I guess you are wondering why I say, it is finally September.  September is one of my favorite times of the year because it begins to cool down and it is the fall season.  The official day for the starting of fall is September 22 this year.  It is the time of autumnal equinox, and on this day, the sun passes the equator, moving from the northern to the southern hemisphere.  What is autumnal equinox? During the autumnal equinox, the sun shines directly on the equator, and the northern and southern hemispheres get the same amount of rays. It was a time to honor the harvest and it happens instantaneously. 

This month is the month of praise and adoration. Just as the autumnal equinox happens instantaneously, so our praise and adoration to and for God should be instantaneous.  Instantaneous means occurring or done in an instant; done without any delay; immediate, direct; present, current; urgent.  Our praise and adoration for God should be without delay, immediate, present, current.  When we wake up in the morning, before we get out of our beds.  We need to praise God that we are able to see or be alive another day.  That day was not promised to you.  Tell God thank you for another day that you can participate with Him to see His Kingdom come and His will be done in the earth.  

You were created to help bring His Kingdom to earth. God wants to use you today, to bring His will into the earth.  As you in joyful obedience partner with Him, He will use you, your gifts, your talents to cause His will to be done on that day.  He doesn't need you to do it, but He wants to use you to do it.  He wants to use you to speak kindly to your neighbor, help a stranger, bring a smile to the face of a child, or bring a meal to a senior citizen.  Whatever it is that He speaks to your heart to do, do it to bring His love and will to someone's life.

The Psalms tell us that each day that we wake up, we need to make a joyful noise unto the Lord.  Not a complaining noise, but a joyful noise.  I know that sometimes I wake up with some aches and may feel inclined to complain but I thank God for another day.  He reminds me to enter into His presence with thanksgiving.  I am grateful that I get to see another day and ask Him what His plans are for the day. 

The Life Application Bible says, "David tells us to acknowledge the Lord each day with praises, appreciate His status as creator, accept His authority in every detail of life, enthusiastically agree with the guidance He gives us, and express our thanks for His unfailing love."  We must remember that God created us, we did not create ourselves.  "Many people live as though they are the creator and center of their own little world. This mind-set leads to pride, greed, idolatry, and if everything should be taken away, a loss of hope itself.  But when we realize that God created us and gives us all we have, we will want to give to others as God gave to us. (2 Cor. 9:8)  Then, even if all is lost, we still have God and all He gives us." (Life Application Bible)

We need to enter His presence singing and praising Him.  He is so worthy of praise, deep love, and respect.  I wake up almost every morning with a song on my heart. Sometimes I know the song and sometimes God will just drop a portion of the song on my heart.  I find it and sing it all day.  There are times when I find the lyrics of the song and God is sending me such a clear message.  I wake up hearing the melodies.  God will send you songs to bring peace, love, joy, and as you worship Him in song, it will change the atmosphere and the trajectory of your entire day.  

I admonish you to wake up each morning and even though you may be faced with situations, problems, or even catastrophes, just give God praise.  I have praised through tears and heartbreak.  I must admit I have sung with tears rolling down my face and a heavy heart but even in the storm, praise will break forth and your heart will be lifted.  God is good, His mercy is everlasting, and His truth indeed endures to all generations.  He is dependable, faithful, and worthy of all of our praise.

So as you get ready for another day, another week, don't forget to make a joyful (joy filled) noise unto the Lord.  Not man, but to the Lord.  Express your pleasure and happiness for all He has done, and is doing, in your life.  

Be blessed. 

The Symbol of Freedom

Isaiah 40:31

“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint”.

I have been reading this book, The Steward Leader: Transforming People, Organizations, and Communities by R. Scott Rodin, for a class I'm taking, Leadership and Ethics. It is speaking the truth of God's concern more with our inner transformation than our outward behavior changes. God is more concerned with "who" you are than what you are doing. Yes, He is concerned with what you are doing, but He is looking at the heart.

In his book, Rodin says "On the cover of this book is a picture of a soaring bald eagle. It was chosen because it is a symbol of freedom. Many times I have sat at my desk in Spokane buried with work and sensing the stress level increase, only to look out and see two bald eagles soaring high above the Little Spokane River near our home. As I watched them I envied their sense of freedom. Even though they relied daily on the provision of food from the earth, they never looked hurried. They spread their magnificent wings to catch the thermals of the warm afternoon and seemed to soar higher and higher just for the fun of doing it. They are perfectly equipped for their role in the ecosystem. To me they have both a majestic and a humble presence in the skies. As I think about the steward leader, I am led to the image of this great bird that is both free to soar and also created for a distinct purpose within God's wonderful creation. Free and purposeful. Humble and majestic. What a beautiful symbol...A combination of freedome and joyful obedience is the defining mark of the steward leader. Steward leaders are neither born nor made; they are freed for this work."

He has come to set us free to be changed from the inside out. Then we will be free to be obedient with joy. I can trust to follow the Lord because He knows His plans for me, what's best for me, and what will bring joy to my life. I can let go of the weight of trying to figure it out, work it out, or do to be accepted. Thank God for His truths will set you free. Reading this book today is reminding me of God's truth and setting me free!! We are called to be godly stewards who may be called to lead.

If we wait on the Lord, allow Him to lead and guide us, we will be strengthened. We will be able to mount above our problems, circumstances, and issues that we face. We can run and not get weary; walk and not faint. I don't know about you but there have been times in this life that I have grown weary. I have been walking through this life and wanted to faint, if not fainted. I need God, the one that has all knowledge, wisdom, and in control to help me. As I surrender to and obey His will, I am set free to serve Him with joy. "36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." (John 8:36)  What freedom!

Be blessed.