Ready to Share

On July 16, 2019   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

1 Timothy 6: 18

Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share.

You can always recognize people who are full of the love of God. They are always generous. You have to be because God is generous. So, when you are full of Him, generosity naturally flows from you. Why then are some people, even believers, tight fisted? It is their lack of faith, lack of trust or their belief that their own hands have provided for them. Once you truly begin to trust God, you begin to understand that He will always provide for you. You are then able to release the death grip you have on money and things because you know that God is your source, not you.

As long as you see yourself as your source you will have a tendency to be stingy with your hard-earned money. Once you realize that you cannot do anything without God’s grace and that it is He who has blessed you, you will begin let God’s provision flow through you. You can let God use you as a conduit. You will stop being a dead end in God’s flow and instead be a multiplier. As you start really giving, you will see that your supply is not hindered at all and you will become an even greater giver. When we know God and trust Him, we can let go of every concern. Then we can let go of our resources. We become like God himself just looking for someone to bless. What a wonderful way to live life.

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Joyful Hearing

On July 15, 2019   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 60: 8       CJB

God in his holiness spoke, and I took joy [in his promise].

In case you want to find this verse in a different translation, it will be verse six in most other translations.

David was dismayed and crying out to the Lord. Though disgruntled and wracked with worry, he knew the Lord’s nature and that God wanted to rescue His people. In the midst of his travail the voice of God rescued him with the promise of deliverance.

One of the things which distinguishes some of us from David and the great prophets is the ability to hear God speak. Some people say that God no longer speaks as their reason for not hearing Him. Frankly, that is ludicrous. Does the Father love us any less than He has loved generations of His kids? To suggest so would be an insult to He who is love. Is His hand no longer powerful enough to save? Of course not. In His voice is the promise of rescue, the assurance of salvation in every situation.

Here is the question which may plague some of us. Were there, are there, just special people to whom God chose to speak, to bless, to deliver? Was David born special? Isaiah? What about the Apostle John who was given the most incredible revelation? This is the same John who Jesus rebuked when he and his brother wanted to rain down fire from heaven to consume a whole town. You wouldn’t think that the action of one of the divinely touched ones. Instead it seems to be evidence that John had to learn how to hear God. He had to learn how to live in the anointing. And if he could learn, then doesn’t it stand to reason that each of us has the same opportunity?

I think part of what made David special was that he took the time listen to God. Before that, though, he took the time to learn to hear God. I imagine he learned that lesson and practiced while tending those sheep for his father. What may appear to be an innate skill is, I believe, actually a learned one. That is good news for us all. We too, if we will make it a goal and take the time, can learn to hear God’s voice. I know I hear much better now than I did at one time. That is at least anecdotal evidence that hearing God’s voice is not a gift reserved for the few but rather a skill able to be developed by anyone.

When David was down and worried the voice of God lifted his despair. I am sure God speaking in our ears will do the same for us. We have only to spend time with God getting used to hearing Him.

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Haters Hate

On July 12, 2019   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

John 15: 18 – 19

If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

It can be pretty confusing and disheartening when someone dislikes you or treats you badly when you have never done anything to them. And here is the bad news. The more godly you become, the more they will hate you. But take heart. They hated Jesus first and more so. You are in very good company.

I have great compassion for you because I know how it feels but the one who is greater has even more understanding and compassion. He has been through an even worse experience, so he is completely able to comfort you. The world hates you because you love him. In fact, we might ask ourselves what is wrong if the world does not hate us.

This is very difficult to handle at first. It is not fair. But once you understand what is going on, you begin to find it more tolerable and you actually begin to have compassion for those who persecute you. You will increasingly see them through your Father’s eyes and you will see that it is just their own brokenness that is causing them to malign you. Soon, very soon even, you will find their lies and criticisms do not touch you. You know the one who is the truth and that really is enough to comfort you. Take heart my beloved. You are in the best possible company and the master is well able to take care of you.

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Peace

On July 11, 2019   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Micah 5: 2, 5

But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. And this one will be our peace.

Here is a foretelling of the coming of Jesus. He was expected and the Jews were looking for Him. It is just like Father God to use some small town, one of insignificance to bring His son into the earth. From the small and weak He is able to do great and mighty things.

When God sent Jesus into the earth, He also sent our peace. In other words, He sent peace to us and for us. Just before Jesus left the earth, he told us that he was going to leave his peace here with us (John 14: 27). The Father and Jesus are always in unity. God promised to send Jesus into the world to be our peace and Jesus promised to leave his peace with us. It is a godly anointed peace which is with you at all times. He left it here for you so that you could live free of the turmoil of the world. Though you may encounter troubles you don’t have to be tortured by them because you have the peace of God.

This peace must be very important since both the Father and the son have worked to get it to you. Treasure it and don’t let go of it lightly. And don’t let anyone steal it from you; not your brother-in-law, not that jerk at work. Preserve peace; especially your own. It is a gift from God.

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Afflicted but Accepted

On July 10, 2019   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 22: 24

For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither has He hidden His face from him; but when he cried to Him for help, He heard.

God never abandons His people but when one is going through a difficult time, it is easy to feel alone and isolated. No matter your situation right now, God is not offended by those problems that hinder you. He is offended by sin. But even if sin is the problem that afflicts you, there is none better to save you. Yahweh does not hide His face from you, but you may hide yours from Him.

Every society has groups of people who are less favored than others. God doesn’t see us that way. You don’t have to be popular to be popular with Him. You don’t have to be pretty for Him to think you dazzle. And, no matter how ugly your problems are, He sees them as the plight of humanity. He created forgiveness for every sin just as He created deliverance for every human problem.

No matter your challenges, no matter your disappointments, turn to Him today and ask for His help. He will always answer your cry for help. You are never alone. He is awaiting you so that He can be a very real and present help.

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Bad Samaritans

On July 9, 2019   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

2 Kings 17: 15           NLT

They followed the example of the nations around them, disobeying the Lord’s command not to imitate them.

Reading the history of Israel is both inspirational and tragic. This excerpt from the book of Kings brings sorrow. In the New Testament we find Samaria estranged from the rest of the Jews. Jews wouldn’t even speak to a Samaritan. It wasn’t always that way, though. Samaria was a jewel of Israel, nestled in a lush valley, the Bible says it was “glorious” in its beauty. How did glorious Samaria fall so far?

It is easy to look back into the old books of the Bible and see the errors God’s people committed. It is not nearly as easy to look at our environment and evaluate it, and us, fairly, objectively. Samaria’s problem, and indeed the greater part of Israel’s as well, was familiarity with the world. Then again, that sounds a bit like us. When Israel arrived at a new land, the Lord would give them a military victory, but Got warned them to rid themselves of the former residents and thus, expunge their pagan beliefs. Samaria was arrogant and made treaties with her enemies thinking that was the way to ensure success and security. God contrasted them with farmers. God said farmers know what to do and how to harvest each different crop because “The Lord Almighty is a wonderful teacher, and he gives the farmer great wisdom,” (Isaiah 28: 29). Tongue in cheek, He is saying we don’t listen to the Father and receive His wisdom. We have our own brilliant ideas.

I don’t know about you, but my “brilliant” ideas tend to backfire. Mostly, I start trying to help God and inevitably it messes things up. The Samaritans had some bright ideas too. They didn’t inquire of the Lord, didn’t listen to Him, and went about in their own wisdom. Their brilliance ended in slavery. Their treaties destroyed them. The old saying goes, “When you lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas.” Boy was that true in this case. They made friends with the world and it ruined them. They have never recovered.

It is best to listen to the Lord, but we get too busy to make inquiry of Him. There is so much noise and chaos surrounding our lives that hearing Him is practically impossible. Our Father is trying to lead us onto productive paths. Like He taught Farmers, He is trying to teach us. What is the Father saying to you? Where is He leading you? If you don’t know, the world may be too much with you too. Take a break from the world and have a day with Him. It is a reasonable thing to do.

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Battle Strategy

On July 8, 2019   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 59: 16 – 17

But as for me, I shall sing of Your strength; yes, I shall joyfully sing of Your lovingkindness in the morning, for You have been my stronghold and a refuge in the day of my distress. O my strength, I will sing praises to You; for God is my stronghold, the God who shows me lovingkindness.

You may need to read the beginning of this psalm to get the full thrust of these last two verses. The backstory is familiar. Saul was in relentless pursuit of David. Saul’s men surrounded, besieged and attacked David and his men. Day and night, there were spies, sneak attacks and ambushes. David tells of the trials and persecutions through the first fifteen verses. At the end he says, “but as for me . . ..” In these last two verses, David reveals his battle plan.

No matter what the enemy’s tactics were; regardless of being outnumbered, trapped or under siege, the battle plan David employed was praise and complete confidence in our Lord. David’s confidence wasn’t just something he held in his breast, though. His faith in the Father was boldly declared from his lips. That is one thing which distinguished him from every other. Perhaps other people thought God was a stronghold and deliverer, but David made a career of proclaiming it.

How about you? Are your words like David’s? Perhaps we too can turn the tide with our words. You know the end of the story. God removed Saul from the throne and installed David in his place. As I have studied David’s life, I noted his continual boasting in the Lord. I think his success was tied to his proclamation. While others count their soldiers and array their weaponry, David installed his stronghold. His plan involved the power of the Almighty, his strategy relying on the promises of his Lord.

It seems, then, that David didn’t have anything we don’t have. That is what makes his story so attractive. We can do what he did. We can love the Lord and trust in His prowess as David did and enjoy the same success. The strategy that prevailed for David will work for us too. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and soul. Lean on Him and His understanding. Make joyful praise to the Lord and let His power arise in your battles.

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