The Excellency of Brotherly Unity

On January 25, 2021   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 133

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to live together in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down upon the beard, as on Aaron’s beard, the oil which ran down upon the edge of his robes. It is like the dew of Hermon coming down upon the mountains of Zion; for the Lord commanded the blessing there – life forever.

I took today’s title directly from the caption of today’s psalm of King David. This is the theme of our present and ordained by God to be so. How amazing is it that we should fall upon this psalm at this time? Well, if you have worked with God for a while, you know He is prone to such “coincidences” though, I have to say, it still never ceases to surprise me a bit. This one is especially loud.

With apologies to our readers from outside the United States, this message may be uniquely American. As I sit here writing this, it has only been two days since President Biden lauded this same value as the theme for our country. Of course, Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love springs to mind. Just imagine, a city named itself for the Greek word which means love between and among human beings.

God is love (1 John 4: 8) so everything which is of God begins with love. If it does not, then it is not of God. If we cannot differ in ideas but agree on ideals, we are not operating in the love of God. Regardless of what you think of our current president, without regard for whom you voted, I want to be on record saying, President Biden is in the will of God as he speaks of unity. Those are not the President’s words; they are God’s, and we should praise the God of our hearts that our president is hearing the voice of God. And we, if we have any Christian love left to us, we should pray FOR him every day. The capitalization is to remind you not to pray “about” people or pray your will but rather to pray “for” them as God would have you pray.

What I wish to create in you is a heart and spirit of celebration. We can unite, if we choose, as “One nation, under God, indivisible.” We once thought those values so essential that they form the backbone of our Pledge of Allegiance. It is time we all, again, as children, pledge our allegiance to serving as a national brotherhood, led by and dedicated to God, indivisible. That we might be that bright shining city on the hill so that all nations shall see the glory of God in this place. My heart of heart cries out that this will be the legacy we leave and the image we show to others. United under God. Shining in and by His grace. Amen.

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Provider

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

Isaiah 41: 17

The afflicted and needy are seeking water, but there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst; I, the Lord, will answer them Myself, as the God of Israel I will not forsake them.

Sometimes we forget that we have the Almighty God of heaven and earth as our provider. Regardless of our need or affliction, He is well able to provide our solution. Even when there is no resource obviously available, He will make a way for you. He can make a river in a desert if that is the need. He can provide healing in your mind, body or emotions. He can give you favor in a difficult situation where there seems no hope at all. And where there is financial lack, He will lead you to a new source or increase your current one.

Jesus talked about how precious we are to the Father in Matthew 6. God provides for the birds of the air splendidly. How much more will He provide for us. Our part is to seek Him (Matthew 6: 33) and just believe. Sure, tell the Father what it is that you think you need but then relax and let Him meet your need in what you truly need. Thank Him that He is your provider and then let Him do His job. He promised it, Jesus confirmed it. That settles it.

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Marching Orders

On January 21, 2021   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Romans 12: 9 – 13

Love must be free of hypocrisy. Detest what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor, not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.

You have been called to this day and to this moment. These are the most unprecedented times in our history. So many issues clamor for our attention. We, however, in Christ, are up to the task. I have had a saying for many years that leadership comes from below. It has to because it is only in the trenches that we really know what the situations are. So, we always need leadership at the lowest levels and need those leaders to learn and grow. You are those people. Most of you don’t hold high political positions nor church positions. None the less, you are the leaders of the world. The “leaders” take their cues from us. We tell them in our actions and with our words who we are and what we value. So, these are the marching orders God has given us to help us lead a nation, a corporation, a church and a family. These are the rules by which we are to interact within organizations.

We should cling to these leadership guidelines and share them with others. We should require our businesses and volunteer organizations to adopt this paradigm. It is rule, not by the majority, not by an elite group. It is not rule by the few or the many but rather, rule by love. Love is the ultimate leadership characteristic and it must be taught and required. We, you and I, must learn to be devoted to one another, to give preference to the other, to honor one another, be diligent, fervent, devoted servants of our Lord, to persevere, to pray continually and to be generous in all things. As we do these things, we should also teach others to do the same. We should demand this pattern of behavior out of our friends and family. We should show our political, business and church leaders what we expect of them as we set the example. Let us follow Paul’s example and teaching.

We have been silent too long. We have been apathetic, lazy and worldly too long. It is time for us to stand up and be counted, not by our words, but by our deeds. We need to become the church made of living stones which bring glory to Jesus through our loving acts of kindness. Rise up. You have your marching orders.

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Peace, Peace

On January 20, 2021   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Isaiah 32: 17

And the work of righteousness will be peace, and the service of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever.

“Peace, peace to my people, their inheritance is peace.” These are the words of the Lord I hear ringing in my ears. We are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus and in making that substitutionary sacrifice for us, Jesus bought us peace. We are to enjoy quiet peace in the confidence of his grant. He even said he was leaving his own peace here for us, a peace which defies understanding and which is far beyond what the world offers.

Our peace has been disrupted over the last year, but have it known that peace in our inheritance and our right. I know you have been stressed over the last year. Everything seems turned upside down. Today, let your heart find the peace that Jesus, and our Father, promised you.

Confidence in Jesus means that we can do all that needs doing in complete peace. We need not strain or stress because his power and victory are enough to meet every need. It is only because of a lack of faith that we labor to gain that which we desire. In our faith, we can pray and commune with the divine trinity and they will send a heavenly host to accomplish their purposes for us.

Peace, my children, peace. Be calm. Enter into the Father’s rest for the scripture says that is where labor is to be spent, entering into His rest. The NIV Bible says, “Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest” (Hebrews 4:11). Therefore, be at peace and demand peace. Be the spreader of peace, not unrest. Let all those who call upon the name of Jesus as their Lord insist upon peace, tranquility, faith and confidence in our Lord. And, be blessed in the name of our Lord Jesus. May his peace be with you.

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Relief

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

Psalm 30: 11 -12

You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever.

This is a picture of a saint who was in mourning until the Lord turned his sorrow into joy. Sackcloth is a symbol of mourning like wearing black. But God removes that deep hurt from us and replaces it with joy. He takes tears and creates from them a dance. There is no hurt so deep that He cannot soothe it; no sorrow so expansive that He cannot bridge it. He is healing and comfort to all who grieve. The wails of the night He turns into the praise of the morning. He causes our hearts to sing with joy. The joy of His presence is greater than the brokenness of our experience and we find healing in Him. Our mouths will open to sing praises to Him, and thanksgiving will be our constant refrain. Great is the Lord; great to behold and worthy of thanksgiving and praise.

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Word Seek

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

Psalm 132: 7

Let’s go into His dwelling place; let’s worship at His footstool.

I told you that I have been listening to the Lord speak to me about year 2021. I do not seek the Lord each year about what He has to say about the year. However, sometimes He speaks to me specifically about the year ahead. Last January He said to devote the year to prayer and to seek out Christians who would dedicate themselves to prayer. When I reached out to you with that message, I had no idea how prophetic the message was. Now we see. I suppose, ultimately, that is a message of faith. We are to take God’s messages at face value and obey. He does not intend to begin a game of 20 questions, nor do I find He plays that game well. So, we just listen and obey. The truth will be revealed.

In November of 2020, I began hearing the Father say, “Raise an army.” My immediate thought was that it was to be an army of prayer warriors. Before I could finish the thought, though, I heard Him distinctly negate that idea. Now, truth be told, any devoted Christian is a person of prayer. What then, is the difference, Father, in this call from last year’s? I have been listening and seeing nuances but have not been able to wrap English around it. In the devotional, Science Made Faith (1/12/21), I wrote that I believe part of the call of this year is seeking the Lord in the Word. Last year was about petitioning Him, about enlisting His help in what would turn out to be a catastrophic event. This year I believe He is calling us into devoting ourselves, and our time, to our relationship with Him.

This may be a stronger call from the Lord than last year. I don’t have the fullness of His message yet, but I know He want us to go to His dwelling place and worship as devoted believers. It’s not because He is an ego maniac and needs millions of adoring vassals. It is because something is released in the Spiritual Realm when we engage in heart felt worship. We may not know the fullness of this dynamic until we get to heaven but what we do know is that obedience is sufficient for us. It is enough that God is telling us something to do. We are not His equals that we get to question Him. And, at some level, both faith and love require us to unquestioningly obey.

I know some people have trouble with the word “obey” but here is what I would say to those people. There is freedom and liberty in obeying the Lord. He only calls us to do that which is good and healthy for us. It is the other guy who tries to imprison us. Therefore, I believe obedience to our Father always serves our self-interest. Let us worship. Let us seek the Lord. In seeking, we always find. And like the Easter eggs at an Easter egg hunt, there is a prize inside.

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As Living Stones

On January 15, 2021   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

1 Peter 2: 4 – 5

And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

I was picturing a person walking along a riverbed picking up and rejecting rocks, looking for the perfect one to keep. The stone we would throw away is precious in the sight of God.

The way to think about this verse is two-fold. It speaks of Jesus, the one rejected by men but precious and choice by God. The beautiful Son of God was rejected by the establishment. The cool kids didn’t want to have anything to do with him. His own brothers made fun of him. To many, most in fact, he did not look like the pretty, collectible stone. He was the one tossed aside.

We also see ourselves in this verse. Jesus is not the only precious to God stone to be rejected. The feeling of rejection is widespread. Books and books have been written to help people overcome rejection. It is a problem, but the number one thing for each of us to understand is that despite rejection by people, each of us is a precious gem in God’s sight. I think that makes a difference. That is not to say it won’t still hurt a little when people reject us but what a refuge we have in God. We can run to Him with our hurt feelings and be welcomed and valued. It does take the sting out of the rejection by people.

Lastly, the cornerstone, Jesus, and we, the living stones, are being fitted together as a living temple, a spiritual household of faith. In other words, we are the brick and mortar of the Kingdom. We are being shaped and assembled, together, as a living edifice of glory and honor to the Father. We are not all the same and perhaps the Lord is having to round off some of our rougher edges. None the less, we are each chosen and precious. We have been selected to be a part of the monument of praise to the Lord even though we are different from one another. You are chosen because of your uniqueness, not in spite of it.

This is why unity among us is so important. Despite our differences, we must hold together. If we reject one another, we tear the building apart. So, today, though this is not where I thought this Word of the Day would go, I want to officially recognize each one of you as accepted and valued. And I pray that I can see each and every one of you with the eyes of God; that I see your glory and beauty even if you still see your blemishes. In these most troubling of times, I want you to know this ministry and myself personally and as a pastor welcomes you and gives you refuge from what may feel like a cold and angry world. As our Lord said, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11: 28).

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