It’s For You!

On June 19, 2023   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment


Psalm 27: 7 – 9

Hear me as I pray, O Lord.
Be merciful and answer me!
8 My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.”
And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.”
9 Do not turn your back on me.
Do not reject your servant in anger.
You have always been my helper.
Don’t leave me now; don’t abandon me,
O God of my salvation!

I take such comfort from David’s writings because he wrote what I feel. His experiences, though so different in many ways, caused within him the same responses, dilemmas and hopes that we have. Look within your own heart. Can you feel his cry for God to hear him as he prayed and to be responsive? As you cry for help, you want to know that God hears you, that He is sympathetic to your plight and that He will help.

Likewise, David revealed that Father is calling out to us. Is that not a comfort of its own? Think about that for a moment. The God of the universe, the Almighty, the creator of the heavens the earth and us, has nothing better to do but to call out to you inviting you to go and talk with Him. That is really amazing if you think about it. Yahweh God wants you to sit and chat with Him. David touches my heart in his response, “Lord, I am coming,” because it sounds young and eager. God called and David turned to Him. Sometimes God calls to us too, truly every day He is calling out to us, but I don’t always answer. Why not? Why don’t we run to His call? It sounds a little insane, doesn’t it? In reality, do we actually hear His call? How come David heard God invite him to conversation and we do not? Does this trouble you as it does me?

David said that God had always been his helper. Don’t you want to have the same testimony? Above all, though, I think it is the familiarity in David’s tone that ministers to me most. He entreats the Lord not to abandon him, but between the lines you understand that David is confident that the Father will, again, answer his call.

David seems to have had a personal relationship with the Lord, even a friendship. The good news is that he didn’t have anything we cannot have, especially since we are on this side of calvary. I think that is why I like reading David. He gives me hope of the kind of relationship I can have with the Lord, and don’t we all need that? Isn’t that what draws us?

I am encouraged and hope you are as well. The Father God is calling out to you right now; calling you to come and have a chat? The Almighty wants to spend His time just speaking with you and hearing what is on your mind. The Lord is calling! Answer the phone!

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Priority One

On December 12, 2022   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Acts 18: 5

But when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul began devoting himself completely to the word, solemnly testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.

Here is a clear recitation of the responsibility of the minister. This passage just says it so clearly that it is a blessing. And this is what we all want our ministers to do, dedicate themselves completely to the Word.

Before this time Paul was still plying his trade as a tent maker. He came to a point, though, where he realized it was time for him to go into full time ministry. Then he needed to dedicate his time to the Lord and the Word.

It is so very easy for ministers, and especially pastors, to involve themselves in everything that goes on in the church and the congregation. It is so very easy to encumber oneself with good works and meetings to the degree that the special time that should be devoted to the Lord and to His word begins to slip away.

If you are a pastor or minister, read this as a warning. Check yourself routinely to make absolutely certain that you are doing as Paul did, devoting yourself to the Word. If you are a lay person, you have a role in this too. Ask yourself what you and your congregation can do to afford the pastor the time to do the things she or he really need to do. How can you help your pastor? Are there some small things you can do for them like mowing their lawns? Perhaps there are responsibilities around the church that can be shared among congregation members. Ministers, rededicate yourself to your time with the Lord and his word and allow your congregation members and friends to help you in your primary mission.

Truth be told, while this is a great reminder for all of us ministers, the reality is that this is the calling of every believer to some degree.  It is a good time of year for us to step back and remind ourselves what it means to be a Christian and perhaps, carve out a few more minutes for the Christ.

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Send Me

On October 25, 2016   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Isaiah 6: 8

Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

I will be honest with you. I just returned from an exciting weekend conference in Huntsville, Alabama with the dynamic folks at Impact Ministries (www.impactministries.com). We arrived home at midnight, thrilled with all that was shared at the conference but a wee bit on the tired side. So, I pulled this Word of the Day out of the archive. I don’t think you are being cheated though. I find myself, again, really attracted to this verse and even though I was there when this was written by my own fingertips a few years ago, I find it inspiring, especially after a powerful weekend fellowshipping around God’s Word. I hope you enjoy it.

What a poignant and moving passage of scripture! It is called Isaiah’s commissioning. Perhaps it stirs your heart because there is something in you that cries out, “Send me Lord.” Maybe you feel the call of the Lord on your life when you read these words.

We all are part of the body of Christ and every part of the body is important. Maybe you have been called into “the ministry” and maybe you haven’t been called into a pulpit ministry, but everyone has their part in the ministry of Christ. You are uniquely suited to do that for which you are called and no one can do what you can do because your uniqueness makes you uniquely qualified. You are the only person like you in the world and the only one placed exactly where you are. Maybe you are the mother of someone who will never be who they should be except that you fulfill your job. Only you can be the encourager they need. Maybe you are a great influence in your job. Or maybe you finance the work of the kingdom and without you some preacher will never get sent. Your faithfulness is key in the Kingdom of God. There will never be another you and only you can do what you have been given to do. Don’t minimize who you are but rather tell our Lord, “Here am I. Send me.”

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