Seek and Go Find

On January 18, 2022   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

1 Chronicles 28: 9

If you seek Him, He will let you find Him.

We have a lot of different ways we worship God. There are many different religions and even in Christianity there are many different beliefs and denominations. Be that what it may, the real crux of the whole thing is embraced in today’s passage. Whether you are Jewish, Baptist, Pentecostal or any of a myriad of belief systems, it all comes down to this quite simple principle. It is all about you finding Him. That is what it has always been about to God. All He has ever wanted is to be our God and for us to be His people. He has chased us from one end of this globe to the other seeking to have a personal relationship with each and every one of us. It really doesn’t matter what faith, religion or belief system you claim. What matters is that you seek God with your whole heart and with honesty. If you do, you will find Him.

Don’t go around looking for a church that believes like you do, or friends that will agree with you. It is not about the church. It is about God. Seek Him, not religion. It really doesn’t matter if you are Methodist or Lutheran to God. That is all stuff and non-sense to Him. These churches are for our comfort zones, not God’s. And guess what! There will only be one church in Heaven so you might as well get used to the idea now.

So many people have failed because they look from church to church and religion to religion seeking satisfaction and comfort. You were never supposed to do that. You were supposed to seek God and then He will lead you to a worship center that is right for you. Right for you, by the way, does not always mean the one that is most comfortable for you. He didn’t want you sitting on your laurels in the first place. He wants to feed and nurture you. He will, therefore, lead you to a place that will do just that, if you will listen.

And even if you believe you have found the right type of worship for yourself let me tell you that it is subject to change as you grow. But it was never about the kind of church you go to. It was always about your heart seeking God with all your might. That is what matters. If you have a good church home, congratulations. But don’t stop in your seeking. Don’t get so comfortable that you stop reaching out to God. Stir up that passion that you had when you were first saved and go after God with all your strength. He has already promised to let you find Him.

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Public Defenders

On January 17, 2022   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Proverb 31: 8 – 9

Open your mouth for the people who cannot speak, for the rights of all the unfortunate. Open your mouth, judge righteously, and defend the rights of the poor and needy.

Well, this is the last of the proverbs; just enough for one every day of the month. So, this will end Proverb Monday. I have enjoyed it and hope you have too.

This proverb was written by King Lemuel and is the advice he received from his mother. Among other things, she told him that as a leader, his job was to look out for the needs and rights of the less fortunate, the poor and the needy. In other words, he, and we, are the voice of those whose voice may be hard to hear, or muted.

That is a sobering thought. I suppose most of us think the job of looking out for the needy, for speaking up for them, is really the job of the government. Those of us, though, who are in favor of small government must accept that the responsibility then falls upon us. We are obligated to make sure that everyone in our society is cared for. As countries grow and populations become more diverse, that becomes harder and harder.

The church had the responsibility for caring for the widows, orphans and aliens. Perhaps the job became too big for the church, or maybe the church became too small for the job. Only 3 – 5% of Christians tithe and the number of church goers has diminished. So, the church is not as able to meet community needs as well as it once was.

We find ourselves in a difficult situation. We have the same responsibility to speak for and defend the needy and the poor. We can do that through town and city councils and with our votes. There are no easy answers when it comes to the poor, the needy and the homeless but when we sensitize ourselves to the need, perhaps it helps us perceive opportunities and maybe even some solutions.

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Morning Devotion

On January 14, 2022   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 63: 1         KJV

O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee.

To rise early in the morning,
While all is quiet and still,
Gives me time to mediate;
Time to seek His will,
Time to read the Bible,
Time to plan my day,
Time to let God cleanse my heart,
And throw the trash away.
Time for asking blessings,
Time to offer praise,
Time to ask forgiveness
For other wasted days.
The yoke is then much lighter;
I’m more refreshed and strong,
Ready to do the task at hand –
Knowing I’m not alone.

Jeanne Duren

In our putting away and cleaning up from Christmas, my roommate found this little poem that her grandmother cut out of the newspaper and saved. What a blessing. Her grandmother passed away in 2000 and yet she is still contributing to, not only our lives, but hopefully yours as well. Enjoy your morning devotional, courtesy of Mildred Perry.

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This Love

On January 13, 2022   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Proverb 6: 16

There are six things that the Lord hates, even seven that are disgusting to him.

Hate is not something Christians talk about or dwell in. However, even God hates a few things and I fear I have experienced a similar emotion.

A couple of weeks ago I was riding a bicycle class at the gym. These classes are set to music. The last song of the ride was What’s Love Got to Do with It by Tina Turner. It is a well known song but definitely has a dark side.  Most of the song consists of this lyric:

Oh-oh, what’s love got to do, got to do with it?
What’s love but a second-hand emotion?
What’s love got to do, got to do with it?
Who needs a heart when a heart can be broken?

Now, this is not a criticism of Tina Turner or even the songwriters but what kind of society do we live in that over 30 years after its release we are still singing such a horrid lyric? The person leading the bike class said, “Oh, I love this song.” Wow, that’s kind of oxymoronic, isn’t it? How can we believe in love at any level and accept such a denunciation of it?

You can empathize with someone who has been hurt and thus can relate to the song, but hopefully that person heals and comes to understand the soullessness of the song, even to despise the lack of faith and belief in love or even the possibility of love.

The song is about having sex with another person and the imperative not to let love enter into the exchange. How many things are wrong in that? I can say, I really do hate this song. It has a good beat and lures you into singing it but that day I wanted to get off my bike and leave the room. I simply cannot stand this song any longer. What does love have to do with it? Absolutely everything and that is what I answer, aloud, when I hear the song. And I did that day as well. You don’t want to be around me because I am going to push back. I am not going to let songs and lyrics like this poison my spirit, a spirit which, by the way, is sanctioned in love. The spirit which is within me was born in love, created by love.

We all get hurt and probably more of us than would like to admit can relate to Tina Turner’s song, but I hope she has found reason to sing a new song, a better song as I know we have. Love sent Jesus to earth for us. The more you intertwine your life with Jesus, the more the world becomes a strange place to live. It becomes harder to turn a deaf ear to language and ideas that are in direct contradiction with everything our Father is.

Let me get theological for just one moment. If that song is diametrically opposed to what our God is and what our Lord teaches, what is its source? Obviously, God had nothing to do with the writing of this song. Was it just damaged people expressing worldly ideas? Or is there more to it? I don’t know the answer, but it does make one wonder because this song undermines so much of what we believe in. Generations of children have grown up with this lyric. What has it done to their impressionable spirits? It has sown seeds of promiscuity and for denying the importance and power of love.

Love is the greatest force in the universe. He, Love, created this earth and all the stars in the heavens. He sent His beloved to this broken, decaying world to save all the silly little humans who live here so that we would not spend eternity in the lake of fire. There is so much more though. He, Love, is alive and well right now here on planet earth. He is here to live with us, to heal our broken hearts and to help us live better lives. He mends our spirits and restores us simply because that is what love does. Whatsmore, love is doing just that every day of the year. He will move into any heart that will have Him and heal the broken parts. He will give us as much healing and love as we will allow.

What’s love got to do with it? Absolutely everything . . . and everything meaningful is born of love.

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Growing or Going

On January 12, 2022   /   Word of the Day   /   2 Comments

Joshua 22: 24      GW

“We were worried because of the situation we’re in. We thought sometime in the future your children might say to our children, ‘What relationship do you have with the Lord God of Israel?’”

How good a Christian are you? Many of us would answer that question with a litany of our behaviors. It is also how we determine how good others are. The reality is, it is measured in how close you are to God and Jesus rather than in your good acts.

In the old days, this was a question of importance for the tribes. It affected the nations’ security and alliances. Today, we ask the question of ourselves as individuals. This question, though, contrasted with the old times, is not an opportunity for judgment. In other words, we don’t need to judge each other’s Christianity or even our own. Instead, we gauge where we are in our relationship with God. Are we growing the way we want to? Is our relationship with the trinity growing? Are the stressors of the last two years causing us to slip away a little?

We can go to church every week and still our hearts may not be as close to God as they once were. Church behaviors don’t make us good Christians, but they put us in a place where we can interact with others who love God and that helps us draw near to Him.

We live in a time when each person can have their own relationship with the God of Israel. We both individually and collectively develop that relationship so that we come to know God and hear Him speaking with us.

How good a Christian are you? The real question is, are you where you want to be? Are you headed in the direction you desire? If not, what can you do to cause your relationship with Yahweh to grow and flourish? If we draw near to Him, He has promised to draw near to us. I pray for you all, today, that your relationship with God is growing and giving you increasing comfort and satisfaction. I also pray that your children are reaping the benefits of a closer walk with Christ and that their relationship with the God of Israel, grows stronger each day.

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Meditative Journaling

On January 11, 2022   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 77:6

I will remember my song in the night; I will meditate with my heart, and my spirit ponders.

There are many good verses which encourage meditation, but this one is interesting because it combines singing and a revelation about one’s spirit pondering God’s miracles.

I wrote to you yesterday about using prayer and meditation to overcome weariness. Part of weariness is stress. I was reading a newsletter from my health care system when I ran across this advice for dealing with the anxiety and depression of the season. The author wrote, “Controlled breathing and journaling about your stressors are other good options.”

I didn’t write to you about journaling yesterday because I was saving it for today. Journaling, singing, prayer, and meditation are all methods you can use, daily, to alleviate stress so that it never collects to the level that you become weary and worn out as yesterday’s author was. Today’s verse isn’t specifically about journaling, but I chose it because it reveals a process of meditative communion that is fundamental in journaling with Jesus.

Journaling with Jesus is different than the type of journaling most of us learned initially. This type of journaling is actually a meditative process. You begin by slowing down your mind and body and then turning inward to hear the voice of God within you. As I intimated yesterday, beginning with your Bible is a fabulous way to start. As you immerse yourself in the Word, the world automatically begins to drift away. Your heart rate might even slow as you calmly breathe.

I often begin with the Bible. The next thing I know, I am speaking aloud to the Father. Soon I find myself led to another verse and before you know it, I am immersed in Bible, pens and my journal. I also make notes in my Bible. If something big went off in me, something personal for my edification, I might write the date in my Bible next to the verse.

In the 4 Keys to Hearing God’s Voice, Dr. Mark Virkler teaches two-way journaling. It is a method for helping a person to hear the voice of God. I recommend this book and the class as well.

The point is, I want you to invest time in meditating before God. This is time of communion between your spirit and His, a time to share thoughts and for Him to speak mysteries to you. The beginning is to slow yourself down and turn your attention to your own spirit and your Father. Then, perhaps, you engage with the Word. Inevitably, if you spend time in the Word you find something to talk with God about. And when you have spent time hearing God speak, then you are gonna want to write it down. Don’t forget singing, praising and prayer as ways to connect your heart to God’s.

I hope this helps you and that 2022 will be a year of greater intertwining of your heart and God’s. I pray that when you look back on 2022 you will remember it as a year when you drew closer to Yahweh. Be blessed!

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Tired and Weary

On January 10, 2022   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Proverb 30: 1 – 3

God, I’m so weary and worn out, I feel more like a beast than a man. I was made in your image, but I lack understanding. I’ve yet to learn the wisdom that comes from the full and intimate knowledge of you, the Holy One.

Some of you can relate to this passage. It reminds me of the song Peace in the Valley. Sometimes the weariness feels like it goes right down to your bones. This is a picture of someone who is over-stressed and tired. Any small thing becomes too much. What would you advise for someone in this situation?

Believe it or not, sleep may not be the answer. Yes, sometimes our bodies need rest and it is important to get that rest and allow your body to renew. What I hear in this passage, though, is emotional and mental fatigue. The author has come to the end of himself and needs more of what God offers his life. Too much sleep, in fact, could lead to depression so, in this case, the author needs proactive remedies.

The scriptures offer rejuvenation. Reading the Psalms can be particularly revitalizing and comforting. Any book or passage which stimulates your relationship with God is good though. Jesus is found in every book of the Bible which I hope I proved in my book,  Journey Through the Bible. I also recommend Isaiah when you feel worn out and beaten up.

Read slowly and absorb. Stop and consider what might have motivated the author. What was he feeling when he wrote the passage? What synonyms could you use in the passage and what do those synonyms offer? If a passage has struck you, stop and read it in several versions. Let those other versions add color and fulness. As you read and absorb it is natural to meditate on what you are reading. As you ponder the scriptures, it is also the most natural thing in the world to begin to pray.

Prayer is a remedy all to itself. We think of prayer as a request for God to do something for us and that is not wrong, but it is only one type of prayer. Prayer, at its base, is conversation with God. When you are worn out and frazzled, prayer is a soothing balm. Nothing, in fact, is more soothing that God’s reassurances and gentle touch.

Take time for restoration. It is the new year and that means that you probably need some recovery time. It is also a good time for us to adopt some healthy habits, like meditation and prayer for example. Be restored and blessed.

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