The Unbreakable Contract

On March 15, 2017   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 89: 34

My covenant I will not violate, nor will I alter the utterance of My lips.

The most important message in the whole Bible is that God loves you. That is the height of God’s missive to you. Today’s message is important too though. We need to grasp that God is not a man that He can lie (Numbers 23: 19). In fact, I would say that it is one of the foundational ideas, one of the keystones for your personal theology. If you don’t understand this you will have a very difficult time understanding who you are in Christ and who God is.

You may often hear pastors talk about the letters of Paul. Well, our Father God sent us a letter too. This is true. The entire Bible is a love letter to you from God and this is an important revelation for you to integrate. You are never going to see it for its true value though if you don’t first fully embrace that God cannot lie to you. Likewise, He will not, cannot even, break His word to you. His covenant to you is every word He has ever spoken to His kids. His words are promises and they cannot be broken. I want you to really meditate on this and let it sink down into your inner person. You’ve got to understand that the Bible is not a textbook that some random author wrote with whom you have no relationship. It is more like a “How To Manual.” It is the culmination of God’s wisdom for you.

Imagine for a moment that you have the time to write down, for your children, every piece of wisdom you have ever gleaned. Take all of those life-giving messages and put them together in one place for your kids. Better still, what if you got me to write a letter for your book and some other writers as well. Maybe you heard a message preached by your pastor that has the power to alter a person’s life. Record it in the pages of your opus. Now, here is my question for you. If you were going to create a tome meant to guide your beloved children, would you lie in it? Would you take care that the messages presented were correct? If you made a promise in it, would you keep your word?

God has not changed His mind nor has He changed the utterance of His lips. He has not changed His mind about wanting you, specifically you, to be His child forever and ever. He wants you safe and whole. He longs to lead you in right and productive paths. When you can look at the Bible and mine from it God’s heart and His nurturing care for you then you will begin to build your personal understanding, your personal theology, if you will, on the cornerstone of His love. You will find encouragement and protection. You will begin to read the words of the Bible and holdfast to them as a personal promise to you. You will understand and believe down to your bones that when God said He sent His word and healed them (Psalm 107: 20) He meant exactly that and He meant you. When you read Proverb 10: 22 you will have a hallelujah breakdown because you know He sent that good word to you and that He has never changed His mind about it.

God has not changed His mind and He has no need to change the utterance of His lips. If He said it, He will do it (Numbers 23: 19). Let Him minister His truths to you today.

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In Jesus’ Shoes

On January 11, 2017   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Luke 2: 41 – 49         God’s Word translation

Every year Jesus’ parents would go to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. When he was 12 years old, they went as usual. When the festival was over, they left for home. The boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents didn’t know it. They thought that he was with the others who were traveling with them. After traveling for a day, they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. When they didn’t find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. Three days later, they found him in the temple courtyard. He was sitting among the teachers, listening to them, and asking them questions. His understanding and his answers stunned everyone who heard him. When his parents saw him, they were shocked. His mother asked him, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been worried sick looking for you!” Jesus said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you realize that I had to be in my Father’s house?”

I know this story is long but don’t you think it is great? Jesus was incredulous at his parents’ question. How did they not know where he was? The King James version says Jesus was about his Father’s business. He was right where they should have expected to find him. You’ve just got to love that.

Do you know that we are supposed to be able to do everything that Jesus did? We are supposed to walk in this world as he did. He is our model. But wait, shall we embrace the entire truth? Jesus said that not only would we do the things he did but that we would do greater works, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father” (John 14: 12). Get out! We are actually supposed to eclipse Jesus. Isn’t that what this passage says? Well that is a tall order to fill.

So here is what has been rolling around in my head this year so far. Jesus was about his Father’s business. He was almost incensed, certainly surprised that his parents didn’t know where to find him. While everyone else was eating and drinking, partying with their friends at the feast, Jesus was communing with his Father. He was hanging out in the synagogue learning and growing in wisdom. Now, I want to be like Jesus. Query: If I wish to walk in the earth as Jesus did, if I want to do the works he did, then isn’t it reasonable to speculate that I am going to have to learn and grow as he did? You see, Jesus emptied himself of his deity when he came here (Philippians 2: 7). He grew in wisdom by busying himself with his Father’s business.

I contrast my life. I am more proficient in computer games than Jesus and I watch much more television than he. If my goal is to eclipse him in computer games and TV watching, then I am on the right path. If, however, I really do wish to be like him, I think I am going to have to shift my priorities a bit. I presume Jesus had leisure time also and am not suggesting that we need to be workaholics. I am merely setting my sights for this year and attempting to determine what actions will yield the results I wish. It is pointless for me to set lofty goals if I do not proceed to break down those goals into action steps and decide if I am willing to do that which is required for the attainment of my goals. If I truly want to be like Jesus, what am I willing to do to position myself to receive the answer to this prayer? Shall I pray and ask the Holy Spirit to lead me and then turn a deaf ear when he tells me what things will help me?

What would you like God to do in your life this year? What is He speaking to you?

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Knowledge, Wisdom & Understanding

On December 21, 2016   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Proverb 1: 7, 22

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. How long, O naïve ones, will you love simplicity? And scoffers delight themselves in scoffing. And fools hate knowledge.

Proverb 9: 10 reads, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Interesting. So, knowledge and wisdom come from a relationship with the Lord. Further, knowing the “Holy One” brings understanding. We, therefore, have access to wisdom, knowledge and understanding through our relationship with the Holy Trinity. Would you think it fair to say that the closer we are in our relationship with the Father, Son and Spirit, the more easier it will be for us to tap into their knowledge and wisdom? Will it be easier for us to gain understanding? I think that is a reasonable conclusion.

Jesus’ brother, James wrote an encouraging passage in his letter. It reads, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (James 1: 5). James points out that God is the source of wisdom. That is not difficult to believe. He also reveals us, though, that God gives us His wisdom and that He does so freely.

Today’s verse also points out that fools hate knowledge. Well, it is no surprise that anyone who hates knowledge is deemed a fool by God but what is perplexing is why anyone would hate knowledge. Why would anyone revel in scoffing rather than gaining knowledge, wisdom and understanding? The answer seems to be in the word “scoff”. Synonyms for scoffing are: jeering, sneering, ridiculing, and deriding. It seems that some folks would rather sneer at others rather than invest the time and energy in seeking God and His wisdom. Let’s be frank. It takes time and energy to get to know God. It takes effort to open your heart and mind to His guidance. It takes faith to believe what you hear. All of this is so worth the small amount of effort but fools scoff at the idea instead of trusting that God will really meet them in the solitude of quiet time.

The really good news is that God honestly does give out knowledge. He really does dole out wisdom and He really does bestow understanding. The bad news is that these priceless gifts rarely come from the prayer, “God give me wisdom.” As soon as you pray that prayer He will try to lead you into time with Him where He can reveal His fullness to you. The reverence of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. The respect, admiration and veneration of the beloved is the beginning of wisdom. Wisdom, knowledge and understanding are the by-products of a life lived with God. As we open our hearts to Him and pour our lives into Him, we find all good things. Holding God in high esteem is the path. Time spent with Him yields all.

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Follow the Light

On September 21, 2016   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 18: 28

For Thou dost light my lamp; the Lord my God illumines my darkness.

It is nice to know that the Lord is your light in dark times. No matter how tumultuous the situation nor how bleak the horizon, God is your ever present light shedding illumination on your path. You do not have to remain in the darkness. His light will lead you out.

His light reveals the wisdom and knowledge for every circumstance. It is the key idea which launches your project or saves you valuable time. It is the beacon that attracts the right people at the right time. It is the insight to the best decision. It is even light and life to your body.

Let your Father be the lamp unto your feet. Just follow the light.

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What we Need

On August 17, 2016   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 105: 4


Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His face continually.

If you need strength today, it is in the Lord. You do not even have to seek strength just seek Him. All of the wisdom and knowledge you need are in Him also, so when you seek Him you gain all of the strength you need as well as every other thing you need. Really, all of life can begin to boil down to this concept because if we will seek Him he will give us all that we need in every arena of life. He is willing and able to assist you in every single area of your life. From locating your misplaced keys to the wisdom you need in making an important decision, He is there to assist you. Seek His face continually and He will fill your life with His very essence wherein all good things exist.

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Deep Pit

On April 29, 2016   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Proverb 8: 8

All the utterances of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing crooked or perverted in them.

King David wrote in Psalm 17: 3 that he purposed that his mouth would not transgress. That is a noble goal. Maybe setting that goal was enough for David to be able to accomplish it. For others of us, though, some tools may come in handy. Today’s verse is just such a tool and it might be a good one for one of those index cards.

The eighth proverb is a message from wisdom. She is crying out in the streets trying to get our attention, trying to help us. We are to seek wisdom, only a fool wouldn’t. Well, when we seek and find wisdom we get all that she is and she tells us that her mouth only utters righteousness. Surely that is wisdom, speaking nothing but righteousness. Now here is how you can use this verse as a tool for yourself even though it is wisdom speaking. Because you seek wisdom you can make this same declaration. If you have purposed in your heart that your mouth will not transgress then confess that all of the utterances of your mouth are righteous. After a while your brain will catch on. Then it will begin to regulate your mouth. 

Honestly, if you do not transgress with your mouth then you are a holy person indeed. Our mouths are deep pits into which we fall. Keep your mouth straight and you will find your paths straight too. Let God’s power help you to cover over that deep pit and make a straight way for you.

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Standing in a Storm

On February 24, 2016   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Matthew 7: 24 – 27

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine, and acts upon them may be compared to a wise man, who built his house upon the rock. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and burst against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded upon the rock. And everyone who hears these words of Mine, and does not act upon them, will be like a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and burst against that house; and it fell, and great was its fall.”

Jesus spoke these words. He says that anyone who hears his words and acts on them is like a wise man. The rain, floods and wind represent the storms of life. Those people who hear and act on Jesus’ words will be able to withstand the storms of life. Those who do not listen to and act on Jesus’ words get battered and destroyed by every storm that blows. Do you want to be able to stand in the roughest of times? Then you must commit yourself to the Word of God. God’s wisdom is contained in these pages and through your relationship with him, he reveals the deep truths contained therein. Is there anyone foolish enough to say that he/she does not want God’s wisdom? There probably is though it is very difficult to understand. Obviously, he is without wisdom if he would say such a foolish thing. Therefore, since most of us do want the wisdom of God, let us dedicate ourselves to reading his word. This need not be tiresome. Get a version that is more readable than the King James if it helps you. Go to any Christian store and read the same passage in several different translations. There are plenty out there these days that are not written in Elizabethan English. There is also the One Year Bible if you are ready to commit to reading the entire Bible. It also comes in a couple of translations. Do yourself a favor; start reading a little each day and let the Lord of Hosts bring life and wisdom to you.

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