Help and Hope

On November 2, 2020   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 124: 8

Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

One would almost think I chose this psalm today, but you know we have been going through them, sequentially, every Monday. One must admit, it is a psalm for our times.

I am reminded, today, that psalms are actually songs. As we think about this as music, there is a tendency, perhaps, to try to categorize the psalms generally but also this one specifically. One wouldn’t likely call it a ditty, maybe a lament instead. Would you expect this to set to a blues rhythm? Maybe you would set it to a tune like an old hymn. However you feel about this verse in your heart, you are right. Because we read them rather than hear them set to music, we can set them however seems right to the mood within us. What’s more, you can listen to the tune inside you and simply begin to sing these words. Music is a stimulating medium. It can be soothing or invigorating. These words may make you pensive, meditative. Whatever form they take within you, is just the right medicine.

I cannot imagine that anyone will look back on the year 2020 and say it was an easy year. Everything has seemed to work against us. I feel compassion for those who do not know the Lord because they do not know where their hope lies. Thus, they have little to know hope. We know where help resides. It is in our Lord and He is at your side at this very moment. You are not forgotten nor has your Father abandoned you. He has His eye upon you, and He is the answer we need in this time. No matter how things look or feel right now, He is with you and is your help and hope.

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Abundant Thanks Lord

On October 30, 2020   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 109: 30 – 31

With my mouth I will give thanks abundantly to the Lord; And in the midst of many I will praise Him. For He stands at the right hand of the needy, to save him from those who judge his soul.

This verse is for me today. I would like to be this person. Of all the things I think I could change about me, this is one I would like to succeed at. I doubt I am the only person who feels they do not praise the Lord enough or give Him enough thanks. But then, how could we ever give Him enough thanks. We set aside a day a year but how much do we even thank Him on Thanksgiving Day?

I have known people who praise God in the midst of others. They lived in an attitude of praise. I want to be like that.

God stands at the right hand of the needy. Who is that? I figure that is each one of us. He stands ready to save us from those who judge us and from every situation which plagues us.

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Show Me

On October 29, 2020   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

John 5: 20

For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does.

Most of the verses I send are one’s which I believe to bring good news to you. This one has that component too because the Father loves you too so He will also show you what He is doing. So, there is a personal take away.

What struck me about this verse, though, is not the benefit to us as much as the relationship the Father and Son enjoy. This is the dynamic  the Apostle John intended to convey in his gospel. Ultimately, this is good news for us too because John is showing us the operation of the New Covenant. Jesus didn’t do anything on his own. He constantly leaned on the Father’s wisdom and did what he saw the Father do. It reminds me of little kids and how they emulate their parents. That’s Jesus in love with his Father and that is us in our new skin. As we grown in our relationship with the Father, we can walk hand in hand, step by step with the Father the way Jesus did. There is not one moment’s separation between Jesus and the Father and that can be our walk too. And it all begins with the Father’s love.

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Help! I’m Dying

On October 28, 2020   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Romans 12: 2

Be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

What is a Christian? At one level it is a very easy question to answer. At another level, we believe there is more to being a Christian than merely our beliefs and our confession. I have heard more than one person say of another Christian, “He/she isn’t much of a Christian.” I think what people mean by this is that there are behavioral aspects that we expect of Christians and, unfortunately, sometimes we don’t measure up. Face it, we don’t even measure up to our own expectations. Changing our behaviors is difficult, but I have good news today. We have failed in changing ourselves because we have gone about it the wrong way, but we can alter our course and our method today.

Most of us first attempt to change through the force of our will. Willpower, though, can only get us so far. No, the way to go isn’t actually through changing our habits and behaviors at all. The successful path is through Romans 12: 2. It is not a matter of will but of transformation. It turns out that what makes a Christian is the surrender to transformation. It is humility. As we humble ourselves to the Lord Jesus, he is able to cause the caterpillar we are to transform into the butterfly we were created to be.

This level of humility, however, is not for cowards. It turns out that submitting our will to Jesus is one of the hardest things we will ever do. We don’t want to die to self. Our natural inclination is to elevate and promote self. When people talk of dying to self, if they have gone through the process themselves, they know that the word “die” is appropriate. It is a death and therefore not easy. This level of humility is not easy either. However, this is what it means to be a Christian. This is the crux of the Christian walk. It is when we set aside what we want for ourselves and our lives in favor of what Jesus commands.

How willing are you to be commanded by anyone? How easy, or difficult, is it for you to take orders or even direction? If we truly believe Jesus is Lord, then we are to obey him. That can be a tough pill to swallow. This is true Christianity. It is the death of me as an individual even as, in Jesus, I am resurrected in grace.

Humility is not a popular concept these days.  Nonetheless, let this be a call to radical humility in Christ Jesus who is Lord. Assist us Lord as we cry, “Help me Lord, I’m dying.” Show us your power in grace and mercy as we humble ourselves to your transformative process in our souls. Lead us in your way and show us your glory as we humbly submit to your divine makeover. Let your blanket of calming anointing settle on us as you bless us with your presence. Amen.

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Steadfast

On October 27, 2020   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

1 Samuel 15: 29                     NLT

And he who is the Glory of Israel will not lie, nor will he change his mind, for he is not human that he should change his mind!

This verse is an important verse for each of us to know and understand. Without it, much of the Bible loses its efficacy. However, with it, the Old Testament is as vibrant and life giving as the New Testament.

This verse tells that God does not lie. Truth be told, He cannot lie because whatever He says simply becomes. Whatever He speaks comes into being. Besides that, there is nothing which intimidates Him into lying. Why should He lie? He is God after all. This means that we can hold Him to whatever He says. Moreover, since He does not change His mind, whatever He has ever said is as viable as the moment it was spoken.

There is great power in this verse because it means you have an entire book of promises that are available to you. You may enter His throne room and put in your request according to the promise already given.

One other little thought – I think it interesting to see the Father called the Glory of Israel. I would argue that we are a part of the new Israel according to the redemption we received in Christ. So, He is our glory and that is a wonderful name and idea to wrap your head around.

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Mercy & Favor

On October 26, 2020   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 123: 3 & 4        (TLV)

Show us favor, Adonai, show us favor! For we have endured much contempt. Our soul has had enough of the scorn of those at ease, the contempt of the proud.

What a sad truth this is; we bear the scorn and contempt of a world which has lost faith in the one true God. We are belittled because we believe in and serve a God they cannot see. When truth wins out, though, they will realize how many times He stepped in and saved their lives, or the catastrophes averted because His love entered in. They will be humbled when they come to see that the success they earned was, in fact, a gift of His grace.

Our beloved Father is touching lives all over the planet even at this very moment. We serve and honor Him for who He is but also because He is love and compassion even to those who hate Him and who hate us. He loves them, let us not forget, and gave His son that they may live and not die.

Though they mock us, God has our back. We will pray for them. We lift them up to the most holy God. Father more important than our vindication is their salvation. Let all people see your glory. Cause your grace to touch and bless all so that rather than the contempt of the proud, we shall see the gratitude of the humble. Show us your favor as you show the proud your mercy.

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Force vs. Force

On October 23, 2020   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Matthew 26: 51 – 52

And behold, one of those who were with Jesus reached and drew out his sword, and struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his ear. Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword.”

I want to tell you a little story today. It seems these days, some of my best moments come when I am riding my bike. Recently, on the night before a scheduled bike ride, I invited God to go on the ride with me the following day. On the day of the ride, I was riding along not thinking about anything. It was a beautiful day and if I was thinking of anything it was just about my legs going around. All of a sudden, I heard this thought go through my mind, “Counter force with reason, not force.” What? I knew it was Father, but I wasn’t thinking about anything this related to. I got the sense, though, that this was meant for a Word of the Day even if I wasn’t sure why. So, I said to the Father, “Well, if the Word of the Day is your intention, I will need a scripture.” Immediately, the event from today’s passage came to mind.

The soldiers went to arrest Jesus. Peter instantly countered force with force, but Jesus directed him to put away his sword. Then Jesus gave an interesting piece of wisdom. If you live by the sword, you die by the sword. This is applicable to more than wartime. This is a way of thinking. Ancient wisdom suggested a different, less forceful response. Father was saying to me, counter force with reason, not more force. I had about 20 miles to ponder this thought.

In the United States, we tend to apply force as a means to resolve a problem. I remember growing up hearing people say, “If it doesn’t fit, get a bigger hammer.” In other words, apply more force. This was my philosophy as well because that is how we are trained in this culture. It was all fine until I started trying to do yoga. When I was challenged with a pose, I would use more muscle, more strength to try to make the pose work. If you do yoga, you are probably laughing at me right now. It doesn’t work, does it? Eventually I learned to breathe and relax. Who knew? Oh yeah, God did. His attempt to lead us by the quiet waters is throughout the Bible but I am also reminded of the verse which led me into relaxation with Him, Psalm 46: 10, “Cease striving and know that I am God.” For God to show up on the scene we have to back down our amperage and allow Him to be God.

Civilization requires the application of reason. The solution isn’t always a bigger hammer or a bigger gun. Sometimes we can be smarter than the challenge, we can think and discuss and find solutions to life’s problems. I hope you will ponder this today and that it will help you.

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