Blessed Refuge

On October 10, 2018   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 5: 11 – 12

Let all who take refuge in you rejoice. Let them sing with joy forever. Protect them, and let those who love your name triumph in you. You bless righteous people, O Lord. Like a large shield, you surround them with your favor.

I hope you are enjoying this sojourn through the psalms. David reminds us, today, that there is blessing, success, victory, protection, joy and favor for those who take refuge in the Lord.

David found his respite in the Lord.  He had a way of intertwining his existence with that of God and that was an uncommon space for the Old Testament believer. I love reading David for this reason. He had an enviable relationship with the Lord. We get to peer into this relationship through the songs written by David. Can’t you almost hear his heart soar as he sings, “Let them sing with joy forever.” As he wrote these words, I believe he was basking in the presence of the Lord. You can hear the praise and reverence in David’s lyrics but you also sense the deep intimacy he had with Yahweh.

As you read this psalm, you hear about the favor of God surrounding you. You may even rejoice at the simple acceptance that God blesses us, His righteousness. Most of all, though, today I hope that you will not only hear the substance of David’s song but even more so the tone of his conversation with the Lord. I hope that through these words, you will glimpse the heart and passion of David seeing the inspiration of his affection for the Lord. I think if we will take our time with these words, we will find our own hearts stirred. Maybe we will raise our voices or pen a beautiful lyric of our own. Maybe you can write a love song to the Lord. If you do, I hope you will share it with the rest of us.

Have a blessed day in the Lord. Rejoice in Him.

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All the Time

On July 16, 2018   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

2 Chronicles 26: 5

And as long as he sought the Lord, God prospered Him.

God is just waiting for you to seek His guidance so that He can lead you into His blessings. He wants to help you with all life’s questions and choices. He can give you His Godly wisdom rather than you having to search for answers. He can tell you in a minute what might take you years to research and learn. All He is waiting for is for you to seek Him in all of those things. You have to open the door to Him. You are going to prosper and succeed in all you do when you have the wisdom and guidance of the Lord. His all knowing can be your benefit.

We all need to learn to pray constantly. We need to be in prayer about every little thing. We’ve got to stop making prayer into some ritualistic event so that we can, with ease, enter into God’s presence at any moment. I am not saying that you shouldn’t have quiet prayer time with God in your private space. I am saying you cannot wait until you have that perfect circumstance in order to talk with the Lord. Why do you think He is omnipresent? It is so He can be with you every minute of every day. Sometimes I talk with Him while I am pumping gas or walking through the grocery store. We need to invite Him into all of those moments as well as our spiritual time. He wants to be our everyday Lord not just our Sunday Holy God.

We prosper and succeed when we seek Him and we need His help all of the time. Therefore, let us learn to seek Him often so that we can walk in His grace and in His wisdom.

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Armored Fruit

On January 31, 2018   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Proverb 3: 3

Do not let kindness and truth leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.

Within this short, little passage we have the makings of greatness. First of all, there is the command quality of the statement. It is a declarative sentence. It makes a statement, not a suggestion. Here wisdom is speaking; a wise father telling His kids what to do so that they will experience success. There is also a promise attached which is in the next verse. It promises favor and a good reputation in the sight of God and man if you will keep truth and kindness as your trademarks.

The command alone should be enough to compel us but if the command does not, the promise certainly should. Yet there is more. In this little verse we also see the application of the fruit of the Spirit and the armor of God. You see, kindness is one of the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5: 22). Truth is part of the armor of God (Ephesians 6: 14). Here God has combined his armor with the fruit of the Spirit. Your protection and success are here. God is leading us into success in all areas of our lives by teaching us to walk according to the Spirit instead of walking according to the flesh. If you walk by the Spirit, you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. The fruit will protect you from the lusts of the flesh. You have to decide to live by the Spirit though.

Secondly, God wants to protect you with His armor. Again, though, it is your decision to walk by truth instead of deceit. You have to choose to put on His armor. Then His protection surrounds you and you can call on all of His angels to reinforce you. Kindness and Truth will go before you like a guard. When you out of an act of your will, choose to operate in Kindness and in Truth, then you are marshaling the forces of God into your ranks as your soldiers. If you lie and deceive or behave unkindly, you are using the weapons of the enemy and you will defeat yourself.

God would have you wear kindness and truth close to you, even inscribe them on your heart. He wants you to do this so that He can cover you with His favor and bring all His blessings to your house. Don’t let the devil deceive you into lying and or being unkind. Don’t let him steal your blessings from you.

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Let’s Live

On July 13, 2017   /   Word of the Day   /   2 Comments

Isaiah 49: 28

All flesh will know that I, the Lord, am your Savior, and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.

This verse, more than any other, defines the ambition of my ministry. I strongly desire the church of the Lord Jesus to be so strong and successful, living in the miracles and victory of our blessed Lord that all nations, all people will look upon us and know that we are the children of the Mighty One.  Everywhere we go, our lives, words and countenance should reflect the glory that is our Lord.

Too often the lives of Christians demonstrate lack and defeat.  I remember when I was young, believing in Jesus and his resurrection, but wanting little to do with most Christians I met. Then I moved to San Diego and there I met people who loved the Lord with all their heart but who did not seem to be dragged down by a ministry of poverty. They were happy, successful and as they talked about the Lord, their zeal could not be contained.  It blessed me right down to my socks and I went on a hunt for what they knew that I did not.  I challenged their premises and they showed me Jesus.  I became a student of the Bible because I wanted what they had.  I have never looked back and I am grateful, to this day, for the men and women who had the courage to live their convictions.  I saw miracles happen.  I even saw miracles occur when I prayed.  I want that back.

I don’t know what has happened but I see less of the miracle working power in my life and in my associations these days.  So, this I resolve. I will be the instigator.  I will shake up my own life and challenge myself to live what I believe.  I will challenge God, if I must, to show me how to part seas or walk on them.  Every miracle that has ever happened is as viable today as ever because God has not, and will not, change. He is just looking for someone who will believe Him.  Moses believed Him and led an entire nation into liberty.  What can we do if we will band together in radical belief and radical trust?

Will you reach out to me and let me know that mine is not a solitary voice in the wilderness? It is as simple as replying to this email or posting to the site. Are you, likewise, sick and tired of being sick and tired? Do you believe that your Lord means better for you than what you are currently living? Does He want to touch your body and instill health? Strength?  What can the Lord do in our lives if we will, with humble and honest hearts, lay aside all that has kept us bound and throw ourselves fully into His arms?

We have a right and, dare I say, even a duty to live up to the victorious, overcoming, overflowing life which Jesus poured out for us.  The world is lost.  People are dying without ever meeting the beautiful Jesus. With all that is within me I implore you to reach beyond where you are and grasp all that Jesus offers.  We can all live higher in the light of his glory. It’s not all just about us, though. It is about the witness each of us will be in the earth. The world will look at Christians and say, as I did all those years ago, “I want what they have.”  We can absolutely demonstrate to the whole world that our God, our Father, is great, mighty and a lover of all people. Let this be our rallying point!  Let’s live; let’s live as Jesus meant us to.  In his blessed name, Amen.

 

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No Solo Success

On May 24, 2017   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Proverb 11: 14

Where there is no guidance the people fall, but in abundance of counselors there is victory.

There is no such thing as a self-made man, only one who’s ego is out of control because there is no success without guidance. Victory is in the abundance of counselors.

Recently I rode, what was for me, a big bike ride. It was only 32.5 miles but it went uphill 3000 feet. That was the most climbing I have ever done. The Shenandoah Park service closed a section of Skyline Drive for one day to all motorized traffic. It was a great opportunity to get out on that scenic road and experience the beauty and grandeur of the mountains. I was so happy to have accomplished that ride but in the sober moments of life and indeed even out on the road, I was equally thankful for all the people who helped me.

You know, cycling can be a lonely adventure and I was all alone on the mountain that day. No one could help push the pedals around but I was never really alone. First, my Father was with me and I was grateful for His presence. In truth, though, there were a lot of people pushing me up that hill. Many people gave me encouragement in the days and weeks leading up to the ride and that really did help me. There were times when I was concerned about the ride but there was always someone there telling me that I could do it.

That isn’t all though. Riding in Georgia a couple of weeks before I met a woman named Varina who shared her knowledge of nutritional gels with me and gave me lots of good advice. Then there was Dr. Goldberg who coached me on nutrition and hydration. Mike, the owner of the local bike shop, spent a lot of time with me, encouraging and teaching me. Then, where would I have been without Diane who drove me to the beginning of the ride and picked me up on the other end, having to go around, of course, because the road we were all riding on was closed to cars. And then there were my prayer partners, who prayed for me and for my ride. I honestly wonder if I could have succeeded in that ride without even one of these blessed people. While it may have appeared I was on my bike alone, isolated on that mountain, the truth is that there was a team of people who helped me up that hill.

Wouldn’t it be something if I arrived at the top to declare what a great solo success I achieved? It just is not true. Additionally, all of the people who prayed, taught and encouraged learned from others. We are all standing upon the shoulders of those who have gone before. Even the technology of nutritional products these days is well advanced of what was available only a few short years ago.

That is how it is with life. We can go further faster today because of those who have gone before and because of all of our teachers, parents, coaches, encouragers and prayer warriors. I thank my God for each of you. Every encouragement you give keeps casting additional seed through the people you have blessed. I am thankful for all of the experiences my friends have learned from and for the time they have spent becoming educated. Truly no one of us is an island and even in the isolating alone times, it is good to remember all of the people who have contributed to the successes of your life.

You are never alone because your Father is with you but you also carry with you the prayers and encouragement of many people. In abundant counselors you find the victory because success is a team sport.

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God Success

On May 19, 2017   /   Word of the Day   /   2 Comments

Proverb 10: 22

It is the blessing of the Lord that makes rich, and He adds no sorrow to it.

This is the last day of our sojourn through the proverbs and I can think of no better proverb to end on than this one. I have been wanting to write on this for months anyway.

Do you know that you can do a lot more good in the world with riches than without? God knows it and so He intends you to be rich? Does that bother your sensibilities? I hope not because God has a plan and that plan involves making you rich. Hey, He said it! Besides, the verse tells us that you should not feel chagrin or shame. It is the blessing of the Lord which makes us rich and God adds no sorrow, misery, worry, shame, chagrin, or regret to it.

But wait . . . there’s more, much more. My good friend, Dr. Chuck Goldberg shared the real truth of this scripture with me and it brings great joy and perhaps even a little relief. Dr. Goldberg was on the Rabbinical path until he chose the study of medicine. That is a blessing to you and I because he was able to reveal to me what the original Hebrew of this text is and it is earth shaking. The Hebraic rendition of this verse is, “The blessing of the Lord brings wealth, and your toil adds nothing to it.” Wow! When we get back to the original language the truth and revelation leap out at us. For those of you are have been learning about and leaning into the integration, the intertwining of you and Jesus, this is at the heart of that critical lesson.

Our success is not about our gifts, talents, brilliance or even hard work. Success and riches are the by-product of a life intertwined with the Lord. As you have heard me say before, He does the heavy lifting. Our job is to pray and to listen to Him. That is also why Psalm 46: 10 is so important. It reads, “Cease striving and know that I am God.” Do you see the parallel with Proverb 10: 22? Success is not in our striving but in our “knowing” and experiencing Him as God.

I have been blessed to work with a number of business people lately and I have seen time and again that God keeps imparting this message in numerous ways. I have watched as He continues to lead you into business integration with Him as a partner. I celebrate you and hope that this “Word” from the Lord encourages you. It turns out that our “workaholic” patterns and mindsets are not of the Lord. In fact, in light of these scriptures they are not only unscriptural but might you argue they are sinful? They fly full in the face of these two scriptures. He has said, “Cease striving.”

God is the author of success and riches. I do not deny that we can attain some level of riches in our own strength but I am increasingly aware of the high cost of doing it ourselves. First, we never succeed to the level we would if we let God be the author of our success. Second, the cost usually is in sorrow.

Success with God and in God brings no downside, no sorrow. Success in the world is often marred by broken health, broken relationships and devastation in many areas of life. One’s spiritual life is guaranteed to suffer. This is the sorrow and suffering that God intends us to bypass. He has only good plans for us and everything with Him is good. There is no downside. Come on! That’s exciting. Can’t someone shout?! Let’s get a full revelation of this. God wants to bless you financially and in the offing is goodness and blessing in every single area of your life. That is God success. He wants you to have enough money to meet your needs, yes, but we’ve got to get past that. He wants you supporting ministries and sending ministers into all the world. He wants your star to shine so brightly and so high in the sky that it will draw people to it and thus, to Him. And, He wants to do the hard work. He does not want you to strive to achieve any of this but rather to lean on Him. He wants you to learn how to trust Him and work with Him as you never have before.

Be still, cease striving and let Yahweh show who is God. His action will bring rest and wealth and your toil, well, it adds nothing. It is all about Him and the power of His might. Yahoo! Find your way into that deep relationship with Him which issues from within your spirit. Look into your heart and find the creator of the universe. Then wrap your tendrils around Him and succeed.

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Wisdom’s Fruit

On May 17, 2017   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Proverb 8: 32 – 36

Now therefore, O sons, listen to me, for blessed are they who keep my ways. Heed instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it. Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at my doorposts. For he who finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord, “but he who sins against me injures himself; all those who hate me love death.”

The speaker in this passage is wisdom. Wisdom was in the beginning with God and by her He founded the earth. “Long life is in her right hand; In her left hand are riches and honor” (Proverb 3: 16). In her are blessing and life, so if we want either those or riches, we should seek wisdom. She promised that those who diligently seek her will find her (Proverb 8: 17). This book of the proverbs is her book. She discloses herself here and the fruit of seeking her.

One of the first things I noticed from this excerpt from the eighth proverb is that we must heed instruction. That, I believe, creates a rather large stumbling block. To receive instruction requires humility and we are loathe to humble ourselves before anyone, even sometimes God. God gives wisdom to people on earth and they are meant to share it with others. However, one cannot share what others will not receive. However, wisdom teaches us that it is in our own self-interest to seek and receive the offerings of wisdom.

Another fruit of receiving wisdom is favor from the Lord. I like to think of God’s favor as the grease on the wheels of life. As you enjoy the Lord’s favor, life simply goes more smoothly. All sorts of things, both small and large, just seem to go your way. From getting a good parking place to securing a major contract for your business, God’s favor greases the way and we obtain that favor when we seek wisdom and heed her lessons.

Wisdom is calling out in the streets. She wants to be your ally. If you seek her, you will find her and one great way to seek her is in this book of wisdom , the Proverbs. Honor is with her; success is in her hand. She wants to bless you. Call upon her and receive, of the Lord, all His goodness.

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