Driving on Empty

On March 6, 2015   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Ephesians 3: 8            God’s Word Translation

I am the least of all God’s people. Yet, God showed me his kindness by allowing me to spread the Good News of the immeasurable wealth of Christ to people who are not Jewish.

I have now taken this title from Paul, being the least of God’s people. Yet it is to your advantage that I am so flawed because in my weakness, God shows His strength and He then passes on the lesson through my experience so that you won’t make all of the mistakes that I do and have.

Recently you were with me as I learned to allow God to be the master of my calendar, schedule and appointments rather than allowing my schedule and obligations to rule me. He taught me to begin my day turning my face to Him and connecting with Him in my heart the very first thing. So I began giving my day and my schedule to the Lord before I even picked up my devotionals. Wow! What freedom that granted me and I found that I was getting everything done when I began it in this grace that He has given.

However, before many weeks passed I found myself in a new struggle of my creation. I am trying to lose weight, improve my diet and my health for the long haul. I have a coach who is helping me and together she and I set some objectives. Everything clicked along fine for about 4 weeks. It wasn’t perfect, of course, but there were changes taking place, improvements made and that was the main thing. Then all of a sudden I hit a wall and while I mean that metaphorically I will also say that I felt this wall. All of a sudden I was completely run down and spent. Monday’s exercise that week was challenging though I had done tougher workouts in previous weeks. My eating habits began to deteriorate and my body began to hurt. Every old sports injury reared its ugly head to torment me. It was a bad week. I just couldn’t seem to do anything right and I did not have the strength inside me to fight back. I was bankrupt physically, mental and emotionally.

It took me a couple of days to sort out what had gone so wrong but finally the light bulb came on. Although I had prayed about this project, I was really proceeding through it in my own strength. Well, my strength gave out. Thank God for weakness because that is when He came in. Finally I was in a place to hear Him. Once my tank was empty I listened to Him and He gave me plenty of guidance. Immediately things began to improve and I really do mean immediately. The old injuries began to recede back into the past where they belong. My eating habits improved without any real effort on my part and my exercise changed abruptly. I had more strength in my body and just “knew” the right things to do. 

If we would begin every project by giving it over to God and letting Him be the project manager then we would find life so much easier. One of the interesting lessons in here is that simply praying about a matter is so not the same as giving Him control. I don’t just want to ask for His help. I want to do it with Him, through Him. Philippians 4: 13 says, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” Interestingly enough it does NOT read, “I can do all things once I have prayed about them.” We need to learn to yield the whole project to His guidance and strength. Then we shall have good success.

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Powered by Quiet

On February 26, 2015   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Isaiah 30: 15

In quietness and trust is your strength.

How is that for a counter-cultural statement? I don’t think many of us associate strength with quiet? I think we connect strength with activity and energy. Walking with God requires us to learn an entirely new model. In the quiet, contemplative moments is where we actually find our strength. It is there that we forge the bond of trust.

Probably most of learned that when a problem presented itself it demands that we “do” something. And for many of us I don’t think that meant to go to a quiet place and meditate. No, we are doers. We apply action to problems. I cannot even count the number of times I have inquired of God, “What do you want me to do?” “Nothing,” He says to me. Are you kidding? Do nothing? That is not the way we are programmed but I am learning that God knows what He is talking about. I am most effective when I slow down and pray. I want to do something active to confront an issue but God is teaching me that the power is in the stillness. He has legions of angels poised to handle problems and frankly, they are much more capable than I. What I have, though, the thing which distinguishes me, is prayer. If I can be disciplined enough to quiet my heart and calm my mind then Father God will show me the way. In that stillness are answers. Not only that, but there is also encouragement and strengthening through the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

If we will retreat into our prayer closet when confronted by a problem then our dear Father will meet us there and will subsequently meet our need. When we open our heart and our ears He is faithful to pour Himself into us. And when you have been touched and filled by the Father don’t you think you will have the courage to trust and find great strength? If you need strength it is found in the quiet attentiveness given to the Holy Spirit. Settle yourself and seek God’s face. Look to Him with your inner being in the calm assurance of His love. Love never fails but it can be difficult to touch when you are in an energetic rampage. Calm down, settle yourself. In the quiet of your heart your strength will be renewed.

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Age Old Wisdom

On September 2, 2014   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Job 12: 12

Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding?

Have you ever felt or thought that the United States, as a country, is getting dumb? It certainly seems that way at times and now I know why. We have abandoned our aged. We treat them all as if they are all senile, call them “old man” and “old woman” expressing great disrespect. Not only that but they are beginning to believe the propaganda too.

When I was young I remember hearing that older people were the source of wisdom for us. Young people have energy and enthusiasm and older folks have wisdom and experience. When we combine them we have a very good mix. But something untoward has happened in our society. A lie has been allowed to establish itself in our culture and the effects are, frankly, devastating. Rather than older people being honored and celebrated, they have become the targets of derision. This dynamic hurts both the young people and the older people. Worst of all, it has severely damaged our society. Young people think they know everything but I look back at what a bonehead I was and am clear that the wisdom of young people is suspect if not completely absent.

Now this is not an attack on youth. Nor should I be read to say that I believe young people are without intelligence. It is just that we have cut off one of our hands by the way we neglect and denigrate the older segment of our population. This maltreatment of the senior members of our society and our negative thoughts and expectations about their capacity is crippling our society. Its damage can be seen in the family, in our churches and certainly in the main stream culture.

Today’s scripture leads one to conclude that youth is not the repository of wisdom. There is an adage that wisdom comes from experience. That’s true but the real wisdom, that which is infallible, comes from experience with the Father. The longer we walk with God, the wiser we become. So, those who have walked with God for a long time are a tremendous source of wisdom and guidance. And we must learn to take advantage of it which begins with honoring those who are our seniors. Part of honoring them is showing them respect.

Consider, please, a new trend in our society. Once a person reaches 50 or 60 years of age they and others begin to expect their minds to deteriorate. This is even true of Christians. Have we never read 1 Corinthians 2: 16? “We have the mind of Christ.” And I will promise you that Jesus is not senile and he isn’t losing his mind.

This is my entreaty. I would that we would have a renovation of our thinking. It begins with how we think about and act towards our more senior citizens. Secondly, I pray that we would begin to think differently about ourselves. If we expect our minds to begin slipping as we age then guess what, they will begin to slip. If, however, we expect to be strong of mind and body until the day we step into heaven then we will be strong. Remember, Moses didn’t even begin his ministry until he was 80 years old. If you are not yet 80 then you have time yet to prepare for when life begins. You are still in training. Get wisdom. It comes with walking with God. Then you will be prepared for the work that God wants to do with you.

But mostly, stop thinking negative thoughts. Stop expecting yourself and others to develop memory problems. Cease the negative confessions of your mouth. If you don’t desire to be senile then get senility out of your mouth. And for all of our sakes, do not put that curse on everyone around you by spewing that negativity out on them. It is a really, really rude thing to do. If you love your friends and family, speak life to them, speak wholeness. Shalom.

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The Fountain of Life

On August 20, 2014   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 36: 9

For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light.

I cannot help but think of Indiana Jones when I read this scripture and every other treasure hunting story and movie. I have an image running through my mind of people searching the world over for the secret fountain. Can’t you see them competing with one another and trying to beat their rivals to the prize?  If only they knew.

Jesus said that he came to give us abundant life (John 10: 10). From today’s passage we learn that in God, the Father is a fountain flowing with life. When we take these two verses together we begin to understand that the life that Jesus came to give us is in the Father. Jesus came to reconcile us to the Father so that we can draw upon His life giving force. As you partake of Jesus you partake of the Father because Jesus is in the Father and the Father is in Jesus. They are inseparable. In them are life and strength and the more of them you partake of the stronger and more full of life you become. 

Now we also understand how our strength can be renewed (Isaiah 40: 31). Our strength really is in the Lord and if you want to run hard you need to fill up. Believe me, I can tell, and unfortunately it is also evident to others, when I have not spent sufficient time in the Word or with my Father. It shows. I have never found the point, however, where I would say, “I have spent too much time with God.” Feeding on the Word and spending time in the presence of Father, Son and Holy Spirit are the source of strength. Our endurance is in Him. You really can run and not get weary if you feed daily. There are so many demands on people’s time these days and I hear constantly how people are tired. With all those demands and corollary time limits it can be very difficult to get in quality time with the Lord. The truth is, though, if we will spend our time with God then he will give us the strength to do all that we must and we will do it in less time. I know this all sounds counter-intuitive but I have seen it work time and again.

There is a fountain of life and if we will drink from it we will glow with supernatural life. There is a remedy for every malady in that cool, clear water and strength for our tired bones. So, let Indiana Jones run around the world unearthing every clue while we steer straight to the fountain unhindered and drink our fill of life. Drink your fill, it’s already been paid for.

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Made Strong

On August 19, 2014   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 105: 37

Then He brought them out with silver and gold; and among His tribes there was not one who stumbled.

I recently heard Pastor Joseph Prince teaching on communion. It is a brilliant teaching. The part that made the greatest impact on me was when he spoke about the Hebrew children leaving Egypt in the great exodus. He used today’s scripture in his message. The Amplified version says that there was not one feeble among their tribes. Prince ascribed that miracle to the immediate previous actions of the Israelites. They had just partaken of Passover. The people took unblemished lambs; slew them and used the blood to mark the entrance to their homes. Then they ate the meat of the lamb. You can see there the communion message because in our communion we partake of the body of the perfect lamb as represented by the bread. Since Jesus took all disease and physical ailment in his body we are able to live free of sickness and disease. The Passover looked forward to the slaying of the perfect lamb while our communion looks back to the sacrifice of our Lord. In both instances our sickness was born in his stripes (see Isaiah 53: 4 – 5, 1 Peter 2: 24).  

Joseph Prince’s teaching taught about the power in communion when you understand it and it is not merely a ritual. If it is done apart from faith, then it is meaningless. When, however, you mix your faith with the giving and receiving of the body of Christ then the miraculous can truly happen. That is what the bread is. It represents the body of Christ Jesus which was broken for us. Referring back to the fact that no one among the Israelites was feeble, Prince said that the partaking of Jesus makes you strong. If, therefore, you need healing in your body, it can be found in the broken body of Jesus, so receive the communion bread in faith expecting the healing power of Jesus to touch your body.

As I wrote earlier, I think it is a brilliant teaching but I am really trying to arrive at a different message by using Joseph Prince’s message as the foundation. When I heard him say that partaking of Jesus makes you strong my mind left the thoughts of the body of Christ which was broken for our healing and went to inner healing and inner strength. Partaking of the body makes your body strong but also partaking of the Spirit of Jesus and the Words of Jesus makes your inner person strong. 

Most of us have scars and injuries in the inner person and those injuries make us weak. They make us dance to other people’s tunes rather than living in true freedom. They incapacitate us and they steal life from us. However, if we will fill ourselves with Jesus we will be healed in the innermost parts and we will become strong. You can have everything you want if you will receive Jesus’ healing. It takes some courage perhaps. Too many of us are afraid to feel and afraid to make ourselves vulnerable even to the Lord. If you will let him, though, Jesus will make you strong in your body, mind and emotions. Of what are you afraid? Let him touch your heart. Partake of his spirit and his word and you shall be made strong. Of you it will be said, “Not one among them was found to be feeble.”

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Security in Humility

On August 15, 2014   /   Word of the Day   /   2 Comments

Nahum 1: 7

The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and He knows those who take refuge in Him.

It is good to know that in the day of trouble we have a refuge into which we can run. Our God is a stronghold, a mighty fortress. We recognize these words like refuge and stronghold as words of strength and power. We may imagine a well-fortified castle with its reinforced walls and parapets. This image conjures up feelings of security and well-being. We know that within the walls of this fortress we are safe. God is a bastion of safe habitation but we must take up our residence within His walls. He gives us an open invitation to reside within His walls but we are the ones who must make the move to come within His protection. This is not the prayer of salvation. This is a decision that happens after we have made Jesus the Lord of our lives and it is not a once and for all decision. Every day you have the choice of whether to live within the walls of His protection or to set your abode outside His gates.

Choosing to run into the security of the Lord is a matter of humility. It is a matter of submission. You can well imagine a prideful person who in the day of trouble stands out on his little farm facing the onslaught because he is too proud to run to his Lord. He relies in his own strength, to his detriment, when he could lean on the strength of the Lord. 

God’s protection is not automatic. We have all been given a choice to accept it or reject it. When we accepted Jesus as our Lord we were given the right to take up abode in the castle whenever we want, the right to God’s strength and protection. We were not, however, rounded up and forced to take up residence within His walls. He gave an invitation which only we can accept. We must humble ourselves before the Lord, not asking if He will give us permission to enter but rather acknowledging that He, rather than we, is the source of strength and power. Only He can save us in the day of trouble. For some people this can be a difficult admission but there is freedom in yielding to truth. There is always great freedom and empowerment in submitting to the Lord. He infuses us with His strength and love when we allow Him open access to our hearts. This can only be done in a yielded attitude and that requires humility. When we finally reject ourselves as the Lord of our life then we can make room for God’s sovereignty. If we will make an honest self-assessment and humble ourselves before the Lord Almighty, then we will be able, at last, to enjoy that incomprehensible peace of Jesus.

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