Magnetism

On May 13, 2020   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

John 12:32              KJV

And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

Jesus was talking about his death and resurrection. His being lifted up on the cross like the serpent being put on the pole in the desert is a sign of salvation. Jesus was also talking about his resurrection and ascension. He was making the point that those acts would be the message that called people to him. That’s not all though, to this day, he is still actively calling all people unto him and that is good news.

There is also an evangelical message in here for us. When we lift Jesus up with our words and actions, we demonstrate his attractive properties. People are drawn to the story of Jesus and how he gave himself to save all people. And, there is no one who is not being drawn toward Jesus. That is good news to us. That family member who seems like they are not leaning towards Jesus, are in fact, being drawn to him. They may resist, true, but Jesus is calling to them and drawing them to himself. He is too attractive a figure to say, “No,” to forever. People are moving towards the kingdom because he is drawing them.

We cannot always see the work that is going on in the kingdom, but we have it on the very best authority that we should not worry. Despite how circumstances look, be encouraged. Jesus is not asleep; he is not lying down on the job. He is drawing you to himself too. Even though you are already his, he is drawing you closer and deeper. Look at the verse again. It does say “all” and you are part of all. Isn’t that a lovely insight today? Jesus is pulling you closer to himself every day. With that in mind, how can you not have a great day today? Happy Wednesday!

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Tried and Tested

On May 12, 2020   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Romans 12: 10           NKJV

Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another.

I used this quote once before in the last 40 days of this covid conundrum. It is from Thomas Paine who, in another very trying time in American history, penned these words, “These are the times that try men’s souls.” This quote is from December 23, 1776. No doubt the souls of people were sorely tried and some, no doubt, found wanting. Allow me to share more of the quote. He went on to write, “The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.” Beautiful and riveting!

Does that quote stir your patriotic verve? Do you feel the resolution to serve one another even in the face of overwhelming circumstances? I do. I feel his resolve like an iron rod, and it moves me. And I thank my God that it moves me for what kind of person, or Christian, would I be if I do not feel the angst of my fellow Americans and the fight that we are in. Paine was speaking to a divided group, wasn’t he? He saw people tried and tested. He saw the immense pressure his peers were under. He also saw that some stood up to the pressure while others crumbled. Remember that some were pledging their lives and their fortunes for the greater purpose. They were putting their hard-earned wealth and liberties on the line to fight for a greater liberty. And freedom means that we must sacrifice it in order to preserve it. The very nature of liberty is that it has a cost and often the cost is liberty itself. Its great value is in choice. We choose to give up our lives, our fortunes and our self-interest in order to fight for the greater good. That is why the cost of liberty is liberty. It only works when it is freely given. We have preserved that choice in this country. You have the right to choose to be selfless which is what Paine was trying to encourage along with fealty and esprit de corps. Those words sound archaic. Have we forgotten what they mean? Or instead, do they still quicken the heart rate of Americans to this day? I pray it is the latter.

I am reminded also of this great quote, “Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.” Do you remember that one, and who said it and the circumstances of the time? It was another time the nation was in great distress. We are living in a historical moment too. What will be the refrain which comes of it? What will we say of ourselves when we look back at this time of crisis?

The dialogue in America has changed over the last many weeks. We’ve been fighting a foe that we cannot see and whose invasion is subtle and imperceptible. We cannot get the bite of our swords into our adversary, so we have turned on one another. We’ve changed from “We are all in this together” to a discourse of we versus them. Our jobs as Christians is to take our eyes off ourselves and ask what we can do for others. We began this way. What happened to us?

Look at today’s verse from the New Living Translation, “Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.” Let’s pick up this banner again and wave it proudly across our nation. Let’s again ask ourselves what we can do for others. What can you do that is purely selfless that helps someone else? What can you say that brings encouragement? It’s only been one week since “Giving Tuesday” and less than that from the National Day of Prayer. Perhaps those two memorials can inspire us again this week. Can you give something? God knows we need the prayer.

Please, take this time to assess where we are right now. Not politically, not the rhetoric but where we stand as Americans and Christians. To what are we giving our passion? Are we given to rants or prayer? This is the time when it gets hard. And this is exactly what Paine witnessed. What began well, wanes as people tire. Everyone is supportive and gung-ho in the beginning but as a situation wears on it takes real fortitude to continue to stand in the fight. But this is my question, if not us, then whom? To whom do we delegate prayer, love and compassion?

My beloved, I come to you today asking for your heart. I know you too are tired. There have been many pressures and inconveniences, but your country needs you. No, not the other guy, you. You are the most dedicated people on earth. And I have seen you demonstrate unparalleled kindness and compassion. So, I am asking you to reach deep down today for the very heart of God which resides within you. Christians, unite, in the mighty name of our Lord and pray from a heart of love and compassion. Do not allow anything to divide us. Let us not fail in our mission to love one another and to serve one another with compassion. Protect and guard your heart.

And I pray for each of you. I know you are tired and weary. I know you are suffering. I hold you up in the name of Jesus and ask for his soothing touch to comfort you. I pray all your needs met in the name of Jesus. Thank you.

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Shout Happily

On May 11, 2020   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 100      GW

Shout happily to the Lord, all the earth.

Serve the Lord cheerfully.
Come into his presence with a joyful song.

Realize that the Lord alone is God.
He made us, and we are his.
We are his people and the sheep in his care.

Enter his gates with a song of thanksgiving.
Come into his courtyards with a song of praise.
Give thanks to him; praise his name.

The Lord is good.
His mercy endures forever.
His faithfulness endures throughout every generation.

Here is an admonition to praise God, sing to Him, serve Him, and thank Him. My question is, “Why?”  Why does this author exhort us to enter into the gates with thanksgiving and the courtyards with a song of praise?

This song is an expression of His joy and thanksgiving for who God is. He had a revelation in his spirit or an experience which caused his heart to move to praise. Finally, at the end of the song he resorts to reasoning. God is worthy of praise because He is good, merciful and faithful to every generation.

Sometimes we need to convince our minds that God is worthy of praise, but I like the notion that we do not need to be persuaded to praise the Lord. We might praise Him just because He is. It sounds like that is the psalmist’s sentiment. Praise the Lord because He is God. He is the Lord and He alone is the great shepherd and our maker. Praise the Lord and glory in that praise. Enter into His presence with joy which erupts in gratitude and praise. Praise the Lord with a happy shout!

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Contemporary Historical View

On May 8, 2020   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Deuteronomy 5:33

You shall walk in all the way which the LORD your God has commanded you, that you may live and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you will possess.

Let’s go back and reread this verse. It is potent. Here is my takeaway, God’s commandments are meant to prolong our days and bless our way.

I was thinking about a different verse which says, He will lead us in the way we should go (Isaiah 48:17) when I had a nudge to go look through a document I have and Eureka! here was this verse. It was meant for us and is better than the one I was thinking of because it is more complex.

I’ve been thinking a lot about what we will say about ourselves during this coronavirus lockdown when we look back on it. What will be our historical view of now? Will we remember how stressed we were and maybe how negative our language became? Will the time be characterized by a shrinking of life or an expansion? I have talked and corresponded with quite a few people who have found ways to grow their lives during this time and that is the very soul of God who has promised that in all things, He will cause us to prosper. He said He would make all things, even bad things, work for our good because we love Him and are called to Him (Romans 8: 28).

Today’s verse is important, so important! It tells us that God’s will is that we may live and that it may be well with us. Isn’t that key language for our current situation? God doesn’t just mean that we shall survive, though. He means that we might have an abundant life and life in abundance (John 10: 10).

So, what is happening in your world right now? Are you expanding? Is your life expanding? Are you setting and accomplishing new goals? Are you finding blessing amidst this challenged time? God is speaking to you. What He tells you will lead you to possessing the land of promise. This is a great time in history to expand your outreach to God and to other people. Life has slowed down for many of us so that we have more time to spend with God and that is some great news because He has a word for you, a word that will lead you into greater life.

Right now, Yahweh God is speaking and showing all of us the way. If we walk in the way our Lord is commanding us, even in these stressful times we will find the fruit of life. This is exciting news. In the midst of battle, God is showing us a way to fullness of life.

When you look back at this time, what will be your judgment? Did your prayer life expand? Did you start an exercise routine? Maybe you read a lot, started a Bible study group or just cleaned your house and yard. As we begin to relax our stay at home restrictions, think about what you have gained that you don’t want to lose. Think about what you want your new normal to look like. I hope you have gained a new measure of life with God that you will guard jealously. It is also not too late to stake out some new ground for yourself. Make this a time you can remember with some good memories too.

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National Day of Prayer

On May 7, 2020   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Exodus 33: 18

“I pray You, show me Your glory!”

This is my prayer today. The theme for the National Day of Prayer is “Pray God’s glory across the earth.” Whomever chose the theme for this year must have had divine inspiration because it is the perfect prayer. It is curious that the National theme has a world-wide scope. This isn’t just about praying for our national leaders. It is about praying for God to show up across the whole world.

So, what is the glory of the Lord? You may have seen the term “Shekinah Glory” before. The Shekinah glory is the radiant presence of God. We have never needed His light and His presence more than today. His presence is His goodness. When Moses asked God to reveal His glory, God responded, “I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the LORD before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion.” God’s goodness and compassion are always in His presence and His presence is His glory. Isaiah wrote, “They will see the glory of the Lord, The majesty of our God.” In other words, the glory of the Lord reveals His majesty. One cannot be in the presence of the Lord, witness His glory and not be awed by His majesty.

God’s glory called to Moses from a burning bush which was not consumed by fire. His glory led the Israelites on their great exodus in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night (Exodus 13:21). Ezekiel wrote, “The temple was filled with the cloud and the court was filled with the brightness of the glory of the Lord,” (Ezekiel 10: 4). On the Mount of Transfiguration, the radiance of God’s glory was described as splendor (Luke 9: 29 – 35). On the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2: 2 – 3) God’s glory appeared as tongues of fire. More recently, in 1906 at a little church on Azusa Street in Los Angeles, the building appeared to be on fire, but it turned out to be God’s glory. People actually called the fire department but one cannot quench this fire.

The idea I want to sow into you today is that God’s glory has dwelt on earth. People have, on many occasions, seen the Glory of God. In modern times, we may have lost touch with the exact nature of God’s glory, but it is nothing less than God’s manifesting presence in the earth. We need God, we need to see God. When Moses asked to see Yahweh’s glory, God answered, “Yes!” Never in our lifetimes have we needed God’s radiant presence more than we do today.

In my studies, I have discovered that God’s presence hearkens to a praying people. Do you want God to show up on planet earth? Prayer and praise are the forerunners of God. My heart cries out, “Father, I need you. Father! I need more of you.” Our world needs hungry hearts who will cry out to the Father with passion and determination, people who will meet at the foot of the cross and call upon the blood of Christ to redeem and rescue us. We need pray-ers desperately! We need leaders to turn their faces to God and ask for God’s wisdom even as each and every one of us does the same. We need a nation of people who will make prayer a priority. I pray, and I know that you do too, but this is a time for us all to increase. We need increase in our compassion, conviction and maybe the third word should be contrition. We need more than our morning prayers before we rush out the door or to our “work at home” computers. We need time of praying from the depth or our hearts and listening to the voice of the Lord. What is He saying to us? How is He leading us?

I hope that today you will put aside some of what you have planned and will make quiet time to call out to the Lord. Put your heart on your sleeve and let the Lord lead you by the heart. Let us all be united today and “Let us Pray.”

I have included links to all the scriptures I quoted today so that you can easily go and see them for yourself. Just click on the scripture cite and you will be teleported to that glory filled moment in time. Enjoy.

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God Forsaken

On May 6, 2020   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Deuteronomy 31:8

The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.

Right now, many places in the world appear God forsaken. How do you feel about that statement? What do you think non-believers are thinking now? Do they, or we, see God’s hand? Is He asleep? How do we answer anyone’s doubts, even our own?

Stubborn faith is one answer. We choose to believe in love regardless of the current situation. How can this viral disaster occur, and hundreds of thousands lose their lives if God is love? Are we forsaken? Has God removed His grace or His protection?  We believe we are not forsaken because we choose to believe.  But can we know beyond our stubborn belief?

It is in times like these that we need to know God in our hearts, not just in our minds. We can say, “The Bible says . . .,” but in our hearts we need to know that Yahweh loves us and cares about us. I know God is present and listening because of the nudge upon me to pray. I’ve begun to develop prayer spots on my bike riding circuit where I stop, rest and pray. It’s turning into a thing where I am looking for good places to stop and pray for a few minutes. I am very aware this is not my thought or idea but something the Father is leading me into. He wants me to pray more because He wants more intercessors on the planet. Though I have never considered myself an intercessor, it is clear that Father wants me praying more than normal. This is one of the ways I know we are not forsaken. Our God is here and speaking.  He is leading us individually and collectively.

I have also seen blessing during this time. How can that be? How can there be any blessing in the midst of a world-wide viral outbreak? There is always blessing when God is near. His nature attracts blessing; it overflows from His presence. I am sure you have seen kindnesses that would have been uncommon previously. In those things, I see the goodness of God welling up in people and know that He is near.

When you look at the bad things that are happening around the world, it is hard to see the hand of God but when you look around your world, you may see indications of God’s love and grace. I hope you do. As you activate your faith, those things become more obvious and those are the things you may want to share with others. They are also the things which grow your faith. As we believe that God is present, we not only see Him better, but it becomes easier and more imperative for us to join with Him.

Tomorrow is the National Day of Prayer. Prayer is the natural outcome of belief that our Father is on the scene and paying attention. We are not forsaken and we know it. We need not fear nor be dismayed. God is going before us as our forward guard and preparing our way. He will tell us, “This is the way walk in it,” and then our faith activates. We are all in this together, not just as human beings, but with our Father too. He will never leave nor forsake us and knowing that gives us confidence.

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Giving Tuesday

On May 5, 2020   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

2 Corinthians 9: 6 – 9             NLT

Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. As the Scriptures say, “They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever.”

Today is giving Tuesday and we can each ask what that means to us. For some of us it has no bearing at all. We are able to pass over it without it affecting our thoughts. Others of us feel pressured to give and we don’t want to. Then there are those who embrace giving.

Secondly, regardless of which group we find ourselves in, what is it that we think of giving? Most people are going to think that someone wants them to give money. Money is our medium of exchange these days and the easiest thing to give. It isn’t all we have to give though, so maybe our personal conversation needs to be about what we have to give that we want to give. Romans 12: 6 – 8 is illustrative on this point.

As the situation with covid-19 infections continues it is not surprising that people are becoming less tolerant, less patient and less circumspect. It seems there is less of a sense of camaraderie and charity. So, today is an opportunity to pause and ask ourselves where we stand. Is there room left in our hearts for charity? Or, is it time to turn our attentions to ourselves? Does giving to others have a place when so many of us are either unemployed or working at a reduced salary? If you want to make a gift of abilities or money, to what organization or group would be blessed by your outreach? Would a small gift help anyone? Is it worth your time?

These questions are best answered by you but here is what I would add. Don’t give to anyone if you don’t feel it in your heart? This should be a moment of worship between you and your Father. Do it with Him or don’t do it at all. Second, there are many opportunities to give. Just about everyone could use a hand right now and most organizations have experienced decreased revenue. Don’t forget your church and the ministries which support you. Though services are not being held, expenses continue and many churches and ministries have increased their expenditures in trying to support people during this crisis.

Don’t let fear rule you, don’t let guilt be your guide, but if you find it in your will to do something for someone else today, that would be great. Take a moment to ask your Heavenly Father to be in this with you. Whom or what organization would He like to bless? How can the two of you do something that will be meaningful to you? Though some people won’t tell you this, your giving should be a blessing to you too. It should feel good inside to reach out to others. And last, if you want to do something but are concerned about your own income, don’t feel bad about making a small gift. Give according to your faith, not someone else’s. There are also non-monetary gifts. Let the Lord lead you and have a good time with your giving.

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