Father Revealed

On March 24, 2021   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

John 1: 18                NIV

No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

Why did Jesus come to earth? There are a number of reasons, one of which was to reveal the Father. No one knew the Father but the Son. Jesus came to reveal God in all His glory but also to reveal Him as the Father of all.

This becomes clear as a point of contention between Jesus and the Jewish ruling class. They were Israel’s leaders, but they didn’t’ know God. Jesus tried to show them the person of the Father. The Jewish leaders were insulted because they were supposed to be the spiritual leaders of the nation. Jesus spoke to them as though they didn’t know the Father, and truly, they did not.

What does any of this mean to us? We see the tension amongst the Jewish leaders as we read the New Testament, but things are different now. Or are they? It is easy for us as Christians to focus so much of our attention on our beloved and revered savior that we forget that he came to point us to the Father. Jesus said, “I am the way.” The way to what? To whom? Jesus always points to God. Though we honor and love Jesus, we are not supposed to stop there.

I came to a place in my life where I was having an increasingly good relationship with Jesus only to find I had almost none with the Father. It took me some time to come into the same kind of close and meaningful relationship with the Father.

Check yourself? Are you as close to the Father as you would like to be? Do you talk with Jesus often but only sporadically with our Father? Do you take Dad fishing and hiking with you? Or is it only Jesus who accompanies you when you leave Church? As we turn our faces towards Easter, make it your mission to draw closer to the Father. Know Him as Father. He is the one who loves you most.

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Choosing the Twelve

On March 23, 2021   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Luke 6:12

It was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God.

Would you consider this a verse on seeking God? You won’t be surprised that this verse is about Jesus. Since he is our model, we can learn what our lives might be by studying his life and practices.

The back story here is that Jesus needed to choose his executive council, we know them as the twelve apostles. He had a big decision to make so he went off to the mountain to be alone with his Father and pray. He spent the whole night talking to Father.

Sometimes when I really need to hear from Father, I pack my tent and go camping. During the days I might hike and chat or ride my bike and talk with Father. In the evenings I would sit by a fire and contemplate. Like many of you whom I have spoken with, I find it easier to hear God when I am surrounded by the beauty of nature. It seems that sitting by a bubbling brook is just right for conversing with Him. Others of you have your special ways of slowing down the world for a bit and whatever your retreat, it is perfect if it helps you to connect with the Father. You don’t have to spend all night at the top of a mountain.

This verse is in the Bible to show us how we might approach big decisions. You might need to go sit on a beach, but one thing seems certain, there is a time element involved here. Jesus spent all night praying. One would think he could make a quick inquiry, get his answer and move on. What do you think he said throughout an entire night of prayer? This is an epiphany for me because I know if Jesus spent all night praying, I am going to need a weekend or more. The truth is, it sometimes takes me a day to slow myself down from the hustle and bustle of everyday life so that I can hear.

The reason I chose this verse is because it astounds me that Jesus continually went to the mountain to pray for long periods. It suggests to me that we might need times, extended times, of dedicated prayer. Perhaps there is something to locking away the world and its demands for a day and letting God fill the environment. I wonder, too, if it isn’t a healing therapy. Perhaps Jesus, like the rest of us, needed time in the presence of God, to keep his emotional and spiritual health at 100%. In any event, ponder this verse and idea and see if there is enlightenment in it for you.

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Mouth Guard

On March 22, 2021   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 141: 3

Set a guard, Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips.

We all have our weaknesses, and this is mine. There are other good verses in this psalm, but I have to preach to myself this morning. When I am stressed, tired, frustrated or haven’t spent enough time with our Father, it shows in my language. When my threshold for dealing with pent up frustration or stress is breached, the pressure relief valve is my mouth. And believe me, I need the power of God to curtail my speech.

I imagine a cave entrance with a large angel standing watch over it. He checks everything going in or out of that portal. He is a strong angel and the more I picture him at his station the more entrenched he becomes. I do need to feed him, though, and it seems that he gains his strength through the time I spend with my Father and time spent with God’s Word. I guess I am really nourishing myself and my angel is fortified through me. When I am weak, his strength may fail because he gets his strength through my well-nourished spirit. I don’t have to bolster the angel; he knows how to do his job. In other words, I don’t have to do help him stand guard. I don’t have to help him at all. I just need to do my “one thing” and he will do his singular task. In fact, I do not even need to think about the angel and his mission if I am fulfilling my own. So many things simply fall into place when I seek the Lord and ponder His Word.

Pray, asking the Lord to set a guard. He will then guard your lips for you. It is one less thing you will have to wrestle with. Do your part to keep him healthy and strong, though. Make sure you are nourishing your spirit because that is the well of living water, the source of life and light. Life and death are in the mouth (Proverbs 18: 21) so we are well advised to set a guard over it for from it spring the issues of life.

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Work or Work of God

On March 19, 2021   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Luke 10: 38 – 42

Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. And she had a sister called Mary, who was also seated at the Lord’s feet, and was listening to His word. But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do the serving by myself? Then tell her to help me.” But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; but only one thing is necessary; for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

Yesterday I mentioned the “one thing” which is most important. The idea of the “one thing” came from Jesus. He said that only one thing is necessary, inferring that Mary had chosen and was partaking of the “one thing.” What was that one thing which Jesus thinks is most important and, truly, the only necessary thing?

Mary was sitting at Jesus’ feet listening to his teaching. It seems like the one thing, then, had to either be sitting at Jesus’ feet or listening to his word. One would presume it was the latter. Jesus said in John 6: 29, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.” Rephrased, if you want to do the work of God, then the work is to believe in Jesus. Presumptively, that was what Mary was doing. Martha was working, but Mary was doing the work of God. How is that for perspective? It appeared that Mary was goofing off, but Jesus said she was doing the real work, the only important work in fact. Or ask this, which one was really serving Christ?

My mind translates all of this into a mandate to seek God, Son and Spirit. The work of God is believing in the one He sent. The beginning of that is in seeking. Jesus said Mary was doing the one thing which is necessary when she sat at his feet listening to his word. She was fulfilling God’s calling. Today, we still sit at Jesus’ feet, but we listen to him speak to us through the Bible. His teachings are there. We also use meditative prayer and conversation with him to hear him speak to our lives. If we wish to do the works of God and if we want to accomplish the one important thing, I believe that means we must seek God through His Word and through time spent with Him.

Consider today, if you will, what the “one thing” means to you. What did Mary do that Jesus said would not be taken away from her? She provided a model for us, so it is good for us to ponder what happened in that interchange. I hope it means prayer and meditation come before housework.

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Good Happens

On March 18, 2021   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Lamentations 3: 25

The Lord is good to those who await Him, to the person who seeks Him.

What is the motivation for seeking God? I think there are many motivators, but this verse certainly is motivational. I think some of us (me) can be a little lackadaisical about seeking God. I mean, I just don’t think I am as intent as I should be. Then I read this verse and feel like an idiot. I probably wouldn’t have to pray about many things in my life, or anything, for that matter, if I would do the one thing which is most important, seek the Lord.

Good things happen when we seek the Lord. Seeking Him draws Him deeper into our lives so that He becomes integrated in our life stream. When He is a part of the fabric of our lives, of course things go better. He is goodness so incorporating His existence into my daily existence makes goodness happen in my life. It makes sense. It is pretty simple logic, really. So, why do I not dedicate myself to seeking Him all the time? I suspect I am not alone in this either. God wants to bless us, and we want to be blessed. I am happy to let Him bless me. That blessing is in His presence so, today, I am going to seek Him and let Him bring His goodness to my day. I hope it makes His day too.

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Three for One

On March 17, 2021   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

1 Chronicles 28: 9

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

I was looking through some notes yesterday and found this note, “Seeking God builds relationship with Jesus and the Spirit.” There wasn’t much else on the page. Apparently, it was an epiphany I had one day and felt inspired to write it down.

I can testify to the veracity of today’s verse. If you seek Him, you will, without a doubt, find Him. Once upon a time, I had a decent relationship with Jesus and with the Holy Spirit. I had a block, though, when it came to the Father. When I was in High School, I believed a bunch of bunk about God growing me through pain and disappointment. Even though I came to understand, intellectually, how foolish an ideology that was, in my heart I still blamed God for the bad things that happened in those years. Knowing Jesus, though, and continually seeking Him brought me to a revelation of the lack of relationship with the Father. Ultimately, that formed the basis of reconciliation with my Father.

Seeking any one of the three persons of the Trinity brings us into greater harmony with the other two. We might rewrite this verse to, “If you seek Him, He will let you find Him, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.” That is the New Testament rendition of this verse. Each person of the Trinity longs to bring you into a deeper relationship with the other two. Each one brings specific benefits and relationship characteristics. We, therefore, need a healthy and well-developed relationship with each of them; Father, Son and Spirit. Seek Him and you will find them.

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Prayer Tree

On March 16, 2021   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment


Philippians 1: 4

[A]lways offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all.

A funny thing happened on the way to a tree. My biking partner and I have a course we ride regularly. This lovely tree is along that course. One day, during a spring ride, the idea came to me to pray every time I went under this tree. I agreed with Father and began praying as I went out and again as I returned. As summer progressed, our time over this course got faster and faster. We had a goal, though, that we had not yet reached. So, one day when my riding buddy couldn’t ride, I determined to try to best our fastest time and reach that goal.

The ride began smoothly and at a good pace. The tree is in the early part of the ride. I prayed as I went under it. All was well. It got interesting on the way back. I was chasing the time goal and working pretty hard to reach it. By the time I got to the tree I was working hard and breathing hard. I could see the tree looming in the distance ahead. To myself, rather than aloud, due entirely to a lack of breath, I said, “I’m not going to pray this time because I need my air.” Okay, no! No sooner did I complete the thought, in fact, before it was fully formed in my mind, I heard a resounding, “No.” Our father was part of the initial bargain that I would pray each time I rode my bike under that tree and He meant to speak to this latest decision. The decision, it turns out, was not mine alone to make.

There may be many messages to take from this little story. The one which immediately occurred to me was, “He is a jealous God.” I gave Him an oath. Though it was not made in any formalized or ritualized setting or fashion, it was, nonetheless, a promise, a declaration of fealty, in fact, it was an oath. It was also an offering, a prayer offering. It calls to my mind the Old Testament offerings we read about. Though it had none of the formality, it was the same to Father. Did I really want to remove my offering from the altar? Of course not and He saved me from doing just that.

I could go on about the offering and covenant but there is another, more modern expression too. This little event, which turned out to be a be not such a little thing, is reflective of the life intertwined with the Trinity that Jesus taught and is forever leading us deeper into. It is reminiscent of a partnership. Once I forged that bargain with the Father, He was an interested party with a vote, in this case, the deciding vote. We are partners and I should not make unilateral decisions. I should consult my partner, or as they would have written in the Old Testament, I should inquire of the Lord.

You may have been waiting to see what today’s verse would teach us. For myself, it was the word, “always.” The verse does not say, I will pray as I promised but only when I feel like it. It says to me, every time you ride under that tree, you shall pray. And, by the way, I did pray and I did make my speed goal. Hmm, I wonder if the two are connected.

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