.....slow

We live in an instant society. Internet speed is no longer in seconds, but in nanoseconds.  It is a day of fast food, speedy connections, super-fast computers, higher speed limits, and faster travel. We get frustrated, even angry, at having to wait in line, or slow service, or traffic, and things that take too much time. We have a limited view of time and this view greatly impacts out understanding of how God works.

The people were becoming tired and frustrated. Persecution of Christians was now rampant. They had held on to the hope that Jesus would soon return and put an end to it all. He promised that He would return, but where was He? Why was He being so slow in keeping His promise?  Frustration was setting in and discouragement was just around the corner.

 Peter was concerned for the early Church, afraid that they would abandon the faith and give up. So he wrote them a letter of encouragement in which he notes a very important fact: "The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9

The early disciples struggled just as we do with issue of time. The delayed return of Christ led them to doubt that He would return at all, thus they were becoming discouraged. Though this verse speaks specifically to Christ's return, it rises out of the overarching faithfulness of God. He is true to His Word and when it seems He is slipping in keeping His Word, He is not. We look at and understand time in nanoseconds, seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, etc. But God works within the framework of "kairos," which is time understood broadly, such as a period of time. 

That is why Peter uses the illustration, "with the Lord a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years is like a day." 2 Peter 3:8 This is not to be understood as some sort of mathematical way to discover God's timetable. Rather it is an illustration that although God's timing is different from ours, it is nonetheless perfect.

God is not slow in keeping any of His promises and though it is not always fast enough for our liking or understanding, He does His work in perfect timing. What seems like slowness to us is actually patience. God is being patient with us for He does not "want anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." 

His patience has to do with our salvation: "Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation." God doesn't want anyone to perish, but all to have their life transformed and turned around, grounded in Him. This is not only true with regard to our Lord's return, but with all of God's work in us. We can be confident that God is faithfully accomplishing His plan and purposes in perfect timing. He is not slow in keeping His promises!

Beloved, let us relax and rest in our God's faithfulness. He is patiently, persistently and passionately fulfilling His promises in and through us.  Let us take heart in the assurance that He will accomplish His promises in "just the right time!"

- pr gerry whetstone

.....unconditional

When we become God's children, through faith in Jesus, He loves us in spite of our failures - in spite of the way we stumble and sometimes fall. The prophet Habakkuk ministered during the same general time as Jeremiah, Daniel, and Ezekiel. This was a time when the southern kingdom of Judah was being invaded by Babylon and eventually taken into captivity. There was great wickedness, sorrow, and fear in the land. Habakkuk asked God many of the same questions we might ask today: "How long, O Lord, must I call for help, but You do not listen? Or cry out to you, 'Violence!' but You do not save?" Habakkuk 1:2.

Habakkuk was frustrated that God appeared slow in answering his prayers and was allowing so much evil to go unpunished. Yet through these many trials, Habakkuk developed a deep and unwavering love.

"Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior." Habakkuk 3:17-18

Habakkuk presented his heart-felt and anguished concerns; but regardless of the outcome, his love for God would remain unchanged. Even if every one of his prayers seemed to go unanswered, he was determined to love God with all his heart. This same love was expressed by Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego before they were thrown into the furnace. They knew God could save them, but their love did not depend on being rescued: "But even if He does not {save us}, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up" Daniel 3:18. They loved God simply because He was God!

We know there will be times when the world around us seems to fall apart - times when our life begins to crumble and the heat of the furnace seems very real. There will also be many times when we just don't understand God's plan or timing. Our path may seem unclear and His timing painfully slow. When this occurs, we must strive for a love that doesn't fade or waver; a love which isn't weakened by heat or torn by the force of the wind; a love which is pure and not conditioned by external circumstances.

Our Heavenly Father is our only true source of comfort and strength; "He alone is my rock and my salvation: He is my fortress, I will never be shaken" Psalm 62:2. He has given His very best, and we ought to return our very best with a life of unbroken worship. Let's truly rejoice that He is God and faithfully give Him our unconditional love.

- adapted from steve troxel

.....humbly

Seven hundred years before Jesus walked the earth, the prophet Micah wrote words given to him by God, words that tell what God expects from His Children.

He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.Micah 6:8

God loves us so much that He gave His Son so we may be restored to Him and receive the gift of eternal life John 3:16. When we begin to understand the fullness of His love and place our complete trust in Jesus for the forgiveness of sin, it's natural to ask: "What do You now require of me Lord?" But as we search the Scripture, we find no additional "requirements" for our Christian walk which are not summed up in the words of Micah.

As we live by faith, we must "act justly" by doing what is fair and right; "Anyone who does not do what is right is not a Child of God" 1 John 3:10. This means we live with integrity and "love your neighbor as yourself" Mark 12:31.

God requires that we "love mercy" by showing compassion and forgiveness for others; "judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful" James 2:13. It also means we live with a continual thankfulness for God's mercy toward us. An understanding of God's merciful forgiveness of our sins should compel us to forgive and show mercy to others. Without God's mercy, we would all be lost.

The final requirement is for us to "walk humbly" with our God. The word humble means to place a low value on "self." This is not a very popular concept in our "me-first" generation which seems to reward the individual who is prideful and confident in his own ability. We are trained to achieve, acquire, and rise higher than we believe possible; but God calls us to submit and walk with Christ continually exalted above all else in our life: "He must become greater; I must become less" John 3:30.

True humility is required for proper worship and thankfulness before God. We did NOTHING to deserve eternal life and yet we have received. We are made worthy and given value without having done anything to earn our Salvation. This heavenly gift ought to produce a never-ending stream of praise from our heart and cause us to focus less on ourselves and more on the needs of others.

All we have, and ALL we are, has been given to us by a loving God who created the Universe and accepted us into His Kingdom through faith in His Son. Let's glorify Him with every step we take; and with each step of faith, let's remember to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly.

- steve troxel

.....power

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and to the uttermost part of the earth Acts 1:8

For the carrying on of His work, Christ did not choose the learning or eloquence of the Jewish Sanhedrin or the power of Rome. Passing by the self-righteous Jewish teachers, the Master chose humble, unlearned men to proclaim the truths that were to move the world. 

These men were the ones He purposed to train and educate as the leaders of His church. They in turn were to educate others and send them out with the gospel message. In order that they might have success in their work, they would be given the power of the Holy Spirit. 

It was not by human might or human wisdom that the gospel was to be proclaimed, but by the power of God. 

- ellen g white

.....mind

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus Philippians 2:5

The 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud lady, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with her hair fashionably coifed and makeup perfectly applied, even though she is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today. Her husband of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary.

After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, she smiled sweetly when told her room was ready.  As she maneuvered her walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of her tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on her window. "I love it," she stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.

"But Mrs. Jones, you haven't seen the room...  just wait."  

"That doesn't have anything to do with it," she replied. "Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the  furniture is arranged ... it's how I arrange my mind.  I already decided to love it ... It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do. Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away ... just for this time in my life."

Remember the five simple rules to be happy:

1. Free your heart from hatred.

2. Free your mind from worries.

3. Live simply.

4. Give more.

5. Expect less.

No one can go back and make a brand new start.  But - Anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending. God didn't promise days without pain, laughter without sorrow, sun without rain, but He did promise strength for the day, comfort for the tears, and light for the way.  When you feel down because you didn't get what you want, just sit tight and be happy, because God has thought of something better to give you.

May today there be peace within you. 

May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.

- dave langerfeld

.....one

Seemingly innocent beginnings can have disastrous results when we entertain even the slightest area of temptation. This becomes even more critical in marriage when the result of temptation can cause great pain to the one who has been given to us as a gift from God.

By the middle of the sixth day, God had created the sun, moon and stars; the land, sky, and water; the fish, birds, plants and animals. And when He looked at His creation, "God saw that it was good" Genesis 1:25. But God's creation was not yet complete; "Then God said, 'let us make man in our image'" Genesis 1:26. 

Out of the dust of the ground God breathed life into man and put him in the Garden of Eden, "to work it and take care of it" Genesis 2:15

As God watched man go about his work, He saw that something was not right. Some have suggested that man looked a little sad; others have joked that man was making a big mess and kept wandering around, lost and confused. Whatever the cause, God looked at His latest creation and said:

"It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him." Genesis 2:18

Adam needed more than someone to help him with his chores; he needed someone to make him complete! So God formed woman, not from the ground but from a rib taken from Adam's side; "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh" Genesis 2:23.

If God gives us someone as a special gift, they ought to be cherished and protected for a lifetime; "For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh" (Genesis 2:24). Like pieces of a puzzle that fit neatly together, a God-ordained marriage joins and completes by making two become one.

It's sad how quickly we forget these basic truths as we continue to place our individual desires ahead of the union created by God. We walk on the roof of temptation without regard to the potential devastation. The result is often a bitter war with years of spiritual bloodshed and an eventual ripping apart of what God has joined. We must stop this downward spiral before it even begins.

To those who have suffered the painful end of a marriage, I pray that you would see the love and forgiveness found in the arms of God. To the MANY singles, I pray that God would give you encouragement and strength; I pray He would be the true and faithful Helper. To those who are married or planning to marry, I pray we would now and forevermore see our spouse as a true gift from God given to make us whole. 

I pray we would forever thank Him for joining us together and commit to the protection of the union. I pray we would always remember that when God provides our most suitable helper, the two become one flesh.

- steve troxel 

.....unsearchable

As I look back through the Scriptural account of history, I can see how God sent His Son to be born in a manger, grow and live among us, and die for our sins upon a cross. I can clearly see how the sacrifice of Jesus allows us, through faith, to enter into God's presence for all eternity. I can even see the purpose of His humble birth as a permanent example of humility and service. But what I don't think I will ever fully understand is why. Sure, I know the reason is love, "For God so loved the world that He gave..." John 3:16, but I seriously doubt I will ever understand the amount of love required to sacrifice so much - the amount of love He had/has..for me!

Paul wrote his letter to the Romans with the intent of establishing foundational beliefs for the church. In this letter, Paul presented the greatest amount of teaching found anywhere in the Bible. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Paul wrote on topics ranging from sin and judgment, to faith and salvation; from the purpose of the Law and life through the Spirit, to the sovereignty of God and the future of Israel. But toward the end of the letter, Paul paused and wrote a short prayer of praise and glory.

"Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgments, and His paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor? Who has ever given to God, that God should repay Him? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen."Romans 11:33-36

We almost get the feeling that Paul had reviewed the first portion of his letter and just couldn't continue writing without praising the Lord. Paul had wrestled through many difficult issues and learned a most valuable lesson: God is God...and sometimes this simple truth defies understanding.

God has a perfect plan where every piece fits neatly together, but there are MANY connections which our finite minds fail to comprehend. I almost never see how to best trust God through my trials until long after they have passed. I get impatient and frustrated with God's timing and want to know His plan, now! And yet, I know His love for me gave everything; "He humbled Himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross!" Philippians 2:8. 

I may not fully understand this love, but the little I know is enough to create a desire to live a life of devotion and faith. One day, I will stand before His throne and all His mysteries will be perfectly revealed. Until then I will simply continue to worship and trust.

We may never fully understand, but I pray we are all drawn a little closer today. If you have never experienced His love, I pray you will release your heart into His care. If you are feeling unloved by the world, I pray you will look to Him and see a Father who gave His Son so He could hold you for all eternity. He is an unsearchable God who has poured out, for you, an unsearchable love. 

- steve troxel

.....drifter

Abram lived in the land of Canaan, while Lot lived among the cities of the plain and pitched his tents near Sodom Genesis 13:12

Perhaps you have heard this old saying: There are three kinds of people in life.... 

   those who make things happen, 

   those who watch things happen, and 

   those who say, "What happened?"

Lot seems to have been a member of the third category.  As you read about him in Scripture, you get the impression of a guy who just floated through life, taking the path of least resistance. 

He never seemed to wrestle with difficult questions such as "What are the long-term consequences of this choice? or I wonder what God wants me to do?"  Instead, he lived for the moment.  He never anchored himself to the truth of God and so was swept along by a corrupt culture to places he probably never wanted to go.  Lot and his family suffered death, incest, and disgrace because he allowed the world to shape his life and determine his direction.

Are you drifting? Do you have firm convictions about how God expects you to live?  Have you anchored yourself to the truth of God?  Do you have some definite goals in view?  If you don't take specific steps to place yourself under God's direction, you will turn out like Lot, one of those poor souls who gets into one mess after another. Your life will be a tragic example of what might have been.

People who drift without God's direction usually end up where they don't want to be.

What will it profit when life is over,

Though far away places I may see,

If, by going my own way and doing my own will,

I miss out on what God has planned for me?

Don't become a drifter.  

Determine right now to stay close to God and make a definite commitment to follow Christ each and every day with all your heart and stay close to Him.  When you do, He will direct every step you take - and you won't "drift". Proverbs 3:5-6

- dave langerfeld

.....roof

King David gave in to temptation with Bathsheba and then tried to cover up his sin with lies and murder. How could someone described by God as, "A man after My own heart" Acts 13:22, make such a bad error in judgment? 

Sin is rarely the result of a single poor choice. Most often, the actual sin is caused by a long drift away from the presence of God and several specific decisions made outside His will.

"In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king's men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem."2 Samuel 11:1

David had become complacent about his duties as King. When the rest of his men were off at war, David stayed home with not much to do. He could have spent time drawing closer to God with prayer and study of the Word, but apparently David allowed himself to become quite restless.

"One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful."2 Samuel 11:2

David walked on the roof and he saw a naked woman in a washing! Remember that David built this palace - he knew every detail of the architecture. "But each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin" James 1:14-15.

David's sin began long before he climbed into bed with Bathsheba. It began with letting down his guard of self-discipline and wandering from God; it then continued by entering an area of compromise - an area where he was enticed.

We must all recognize our "roof" where we become susceptible to temptation: "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it" 1 Corinthians 10:13. Many times, our way out of temptation is simply to not visit the place where we know temptation resides - to not allow temptation to even germinate in our heart.

Is there a restlessness which is causing us to drift from God? 

Are we spending time and energy on activities, in places or conversations (physical or virtual), which we know are not honoring to God? Let's remain in His presences and ask God to open our eyes to the vulnerable areas of our life; let's commit to walk the path of purity and stay off the roof!

- adapted from steve troxel

.....trading

When Isaac was sixty years old, his wife Rebecca gave birth to twin sons. Esau was born first, followed immediately by Jacob; "with his hand grasping Esau's heal" Genesis 25:26. Esau grew to be a skillful hunter while Jacob stayed more around the tents with his mother.

In the days of Esau and Jacob, the firstborn son was given a special honor called the birthright. The child having the birthright received a double portion of the family inheritance as well as the eventual privilege of family leadership. The birthright could be traded, but all future birthright blessings were then lost.

"Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished. He said to Jacob, 'Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I'm famished!' Jacob replied, 'First sell me your birthright.' 'Look, I am about to die,' Esau said. 'What good is the birthright to me?'" Genesis 25:29-32

Esau was a young man who lived "in the moment" and traded his birthright for a bowl of stew. He placed much greater value on immediate gratification than on future blessings, and he exaggerated his immediate need in order to justify the future loss. The mighty hunter may have been hungry - maybe even VERY hungry - but he certainly was not about to die.

Esau's decision to let go of his birthright was based on the temporary needs he could see and feel. His focus on the immediate caused him to lose the blessings which were greater and long lasting, but unseen. Jacob would later steal Esau's final blessing from their father, but Esau freely gave away his birthright blessing because he never understood its true value.

Similar trades are being made today. We just don't understand (or believe) the value of blessings. When a child leaves home in rebellion, they trade the blessing of an honoring relationship with their parents for perceived pleasures of immediate freedom. When a spouse pursues a relationship outside of marriage, they trade the blessing of a God-honoring union for perceived pleasures of the flesh. 

And when we fail to "wait upon the Lord" with decisions, we have allowed our impatience to trade away the blessing of walking in God's perfect will. We may spend a lifetime understanding the value of this blessing!

So what bowl of stew are we trading for today? God has promised a blessing for those who believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior, for those who trust in Him for the forgiveness of sin and walk daily in His light. He has promised to set us free to live a life of true peace, purpose, and contentment, and an eternal glory in His presence when we die. 

ALL worldly pleasures will one day fade away; "For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal" 2 Corinthians 4:18. Let's devote our lives to worship and obediently follow wherever He leads. Let's keep our eyes on the eternal and NEVER trade the blessing.

- steve troxel

.....direction

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him James 1:5 You do not have because you do not ask God. You don't have what you want because you don't ask God for it. James 4:2

With us, it is "pink-blue". When my husband wants to go shopping, oh wait, he never "wants" to go shopping. But when he does go shopping, he knows what he wants before he leaves the house. He goes to the store, "shoots it", "bags it", and brings it home. End of trip, mission accomplished.

When I go shopping, however, I like to look at everything. I may know what I want before I leave the house, but I have to look at all the choices, all the options, to see if what I'm choosing is what I really like best, is the best bargain, the best color, etc.

When it comes to other things I like to review all the options before making a decision. Last year I had an opportunity for a choice in a career-change. I read all kinds of advice in self help books, I asked my friends, got all sorts of varied opinions. And I became confused.

I simply didn't know what to do. I was sitting on everything, with options continually flipping over and over in my mind. It was frustrating. And then a light bulb went off in my head, an "Aha!" moment.

As I was listening to audio Bible verses, my ears perked up as Psalm 25 was read: "Show me" your ways, O Lord, "teach me" your paths; give me your truth and teach me, "for you are my God" my "Savior", and my hope is in you all day long."

Revelation began to come. The muddled thinking cleared. As I moved onto a path carved out for me, I had the peace of the Holy Spirit. Honestly, I certainly knew to go to God with my situation. But in truth, I was checking out every other wisdom avenue. It was like sitting in a rocking chair, thinking I'm going somewhere, but I haven't moved at all - I am thankful for the comforting Bible verse in James 1, which says,"the Lord will give wisdom generously to us." Pretty awesome. And, it's Good News.

- sally l kennedy

.....adopted

And the child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son; and she named him Moses, for she said, "Because I drew him out of the water Exodus 2:10

I have a cousin who is adopted. While I have always regarded her in the same way I do any of my other blood relatives, she revealed to me that there was a period in her life she felt like she didn't really belong because she was not born into her family. When she would express these feelings to me, I would always remind her that her adoptive parents choosing her above all other children was proof that she was a very much wanted and loved child.

The word "adoption" is derived from its Latin meaning: option. When we have an option, we have a choice. In this case, there is the choosing of another person's child as one's own. As we can see from the above Bible verse, the concept of adoption is ancient. However, just as there is earthly adoption, so too is there a spiritual adoption.

Those of us who repent of our sins partake of God's offer of eternal life and allow ourselves to be born again by the renewing of our spirits, are now children of God.   "But to all who received Him, who believed in His Name, He gave power to become children of God" John 1:12

God is our Father, and we are His children. We have become heirs of Jesus Christ, and share the bloodline of the Most High.  "you have received the spirit of son-ship. When we cry, "Abba! Father!" it is the Spirit Himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him" Romans 8:15-17

Although I am not adopted, there was a time when I was a young adult that I too felt disunity with my natural parents. There were moments when I too felt alone, and that there was no one that I could really talk to. My comfort, however, was found in my relationship with God. Whenever I felt low, I would remind myself of who I was. When you are a son or daughter of the Most High, and whose love is so rich, and family so vast, it is impossible to feel down for long.

If you are not yet a child of God, please know that our Heavenly Father is just waiting for you to come to Him. His love for you is already there, but the choice to grab hold of His outstretched hand must be yours, for God would never force His love on an unwilling heart.

Come, and be adopted into the body of Christ!

- dave langerfeld

.....fire

 Ice will turn to water at a temperature just above zero degrees centigrade. We might consider the water to be consumed as it turns to steam at one hundred degrees centigrade. Wood must be heated to a much higher temperature before it is consumed, and metal must be heated even more. I wonder how much heat is required to finally consume the works of my flesh and burn away my selfishness and pride.

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire Hebrews 12:28-29

When we begin to understand the Kingdom we have inherited through Christ, we dare not enter His sanctuary with anything but pure praise and worship. Whatever else we attempt to bring is born in our flesh with a spirit of pride. If we say, "Look at what I've brought You, my Lord!" He will simply burn it to ash. We might protest, "But God, look at all I've done for You!" But the heat will be turned up until all we hold is consumed.

Is our greatest ambition to impact the world for Christ? Is our motivation to be significant in the eyes of God or become a major player in the advancement of His Kingdom? Beware! Though these sound good and have the appearance of being pleasing to God, they are conceived in pride and will be consumed.

We truly can bring Him NOTHING of worth except a pure heart; "All our righteous acts are like filthy rags" Isaiah 64:6. Our greatest desire (our ONLY desire) must be to praise and worship the King through all we think, say, and do. All our striving to be obedient and produce good works - all of our "Godly" motivation and ambition - must flow simply as a direct outpouring of our worship.

If we are still trying to conquer something for Christ, we have not yet fully submitted to His leading nor found complete rest in His strength. Jesus came with all knowledge and power, and yet He walked with absolute surrender and submission; "the world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what My Father has commanded Me" John 14:31.

This is a daily challenge, one of the more subtle battles between the Spirit and the flesh. While we must strive, we must also remember that God does not need anything we produce. True fruit which pleases our Heavenly Father comes only as we "remain in the vine" John 15:4, and love Him with all our heart.

The same fire that will one day burn all our righteous acts can be used today to cleanse our heart until only the One remains. Let's come into His presence and worship with pure reverence and awe. 

Let's allow every selfish desire and every fiber of pride to be burned away in His consuming fire.

- steve troxel

.....questions

I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace John 16:33

If I live to be a hundred there are some things I will never understand. Why do some people live, and some die? Why do some people have debilitating diseases and others, perfect health? Why do some have loads of money and others struggle to survive? Why do some get caught and others go free? Why do some people recover and get well, others don’t?

Don’t we all wonder about these questions? I do, from time to time, and my answer is always the same, “I don’t know.” I don’t know much, and even less the older I get. My list of questions I want to ask when I get to heaven is pretty long.

In this life, there are a lot of mysteries. We will not humanly understand many things. Yet underlying all the unknowns is the one great thing we do know: God is still on his throne. He is still sovereign, still in charge. He knows what is going on. He doesn’t just wake up one morning, look down, and say, “Oh my! Look at that!!”

We may not be able to trust in the system, in people, in circumstances or luck. But we can trust in the Lord God. And the promise is that one day, every tear shall be wiped away. Every sickness, every injustice, every heartache.

Jesus said we will surely have troubles here on earth, but to be undaunted and confident because He has overcome the world’s power to harm us permanently.

Bottom-line, the answer to all these questions really is - hang onto the promise, and hold onto the the Lord.

- sally i. kennedy

.....living

We are encouraged to build our lives upon the absolute and unwavering standard of God's Word. His Word is truth and holds the answer to every problem we will ever confront. If we search for answers and prayerfully reflect on the truth of God's Word - if we indeed consider His Word as absolute and unchanging, and apply it directly into our life - we will find the solutions have been available long before we were born.

"For the Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account." Hebrews 4:12-13

Without changing in content or meaning, the Word of God adapts to every situation. If we maintain the habit of reading and reflective study, we will find new insights in what appear to be the peeling back of multiple layers of understanding. But it is actually us who are being peeled back and laid bare by the ever present truths of His Word.

The passage, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding" Proverbs 3:5, will have a much different meaning after we have obediently followed God for several years. Each time adversity strikes and doubts arise, we will find an ever deeper calling in the phrase "with ALL your heart." And though we walk with Him for all the rest of our days, we may never fully appreciate the words; "God demonstrated His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" Romans 5:8. How our lives would change if we could ever fully understand His love!

We do not truly "dig deeper" into the Word; rather, the Word digs deeper into us! Scriptural truths are not revealed until our hunger is so great that we are willing to place our life on the table and allow the sword of truth to cut deep inside. Do we really desire to know God, His Word, and His Spirit? Do we really want to understand the depth of God's love and the implications of His justice? 

Then be advised: even necessary and beneficial surgery can be painful. When our chest is opened, the condition of our heart is revealed; and that which is dark and displeasing must be cut away and burned.

But fear not! Our Heavenly Father is a skilled surgeon who can make our heart new and prepared to yield to His Spirit. The solution to our most complex problems is always found in His presence, and He has given His Word to show us how to draw near. Our lives are in need of some divine surgery today! 

Let's allow our heart to be cut by the truth, to be exposed and purified by the Living Word.

- stefano troxel

.....blister

For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them. Matthew 13:15

When the heat of summer faded into the cool fall, it was time for me to begin my walking program. I was so enthusiastic as I laced my shoes and took off in the delightful early morning air. Trees were vibrant colors, some flowers were still blooming and all was well with the world! 

That was, unfortunately, until I began to experience some discomfort on one toe. Well, no matter, I pressed onward with my walk, enjoying the beauty of the day. Before long, it really hurt and I was very aware that something was wrong. Each step became painful and I started to hobble as I made the last turn for home. It seems the new walking shoes held my foot in a slightly different alignment, and the skin on my toe was being rubbed raw. 

I doctored my toe and the next morning I tried to protect it with a fat padding of cotton and a Band-Aid. I thought that would be plenty of protection and went on my way. This added protection did help numb the pain - I couldn't feel it quite as much, and there was no bleeding.  Day after day went by like this, and then one day I looked at that toe. The spot had become hard and callused where the blister had been, and I realized I hadn't felt anything for quite some time.

Have you ever done something wrong, and had a terrible guilty conscious about it? Something which really hurts you in your heart, and you feel awful about it? Perhaps telling a small lie - so as not to hurt a friend - or cheating on a test, or one of a hundred different things we can do which are not in God's will. Each time we do the same act over again, it becomes less painful, just as my blister had. 

As we repeat the wrong thought or action, we may look for secular or even peer support to protect us against the hurt in our heart which is saying, "this is WRONG". That may buffer our conscious, and lead us to totally callousness. When we feel nothing, and can repeatedly do wrong in God's eye, we have given ourselves what God calls a hardened heart. It is just like that callous on my toe - eventually you feel no regret or no sense of evil as you continue down you path of wrongdoing. 

It is a terrible thing when the heart becomes hardened, because then love can not penetrate it. We must all be on guard to listen to that little voice within us that tells us when we do something wrong. That voice is called The Holy Spirit, and He will help us stay out of the terrible rut of hard heartedness.

- marion smith 

.....line

Amos was a shepherd when God called him to preach to the northern kingdom of Israel. For more than one hundred and fifty years, the northern kingdom had worshipped by their own set of rules and even began to worship other gods. Amos was sent to reveal their sin and call the people to repentance. He warned they must return to God with all their heart or face certain judgment.

"This is what He showed me: The Lord was standing by a wall that had been built true to plumb, with a plumb line in His hand. Then the Lord said, 'Look, I am setting a plumb line among my people Israel; I will spare them no longer.'"Amos 7:7-8

Building a wall seems relatively easy: stack one brick on top of another until the proper height and width is achieved. But without a reference line, it's nearly impossible to determine when the wall is straight. Without a true standard as a guide, our well-intended efforts produce a jagged mess which will soon crumble and fall. 

Plumb lines have been used in the building process for thousands of years as a stable reference, a true standard. A plumb line is simply a string with a weight on one end which will hang straight because of the unchanging pull of gravity.

God used a plumb line to show that the people of Israel had once been true, but now they were building their lives without a reference. God had established clear guidelines and preserved them within His Word. He was now bringing judgments according to His unchanging standard; "I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line" Isaiah 28:17

The people did not listen to Amos' plea. They continued to live outside God's will and were guided by their own evil desires. God's judgment came thirty years after the end of Amos' ministry as He allowed the Assyrian army to march through the northern kingdom and bring complete destruction in 722 BC.

God is making the same call to us today. We cannot continue to build using the world's system of values as our reference. The world's system is a standard in constant change, sinking deeper and deeper into the slimy pit. We may try to justify our actions by remaining slightly "above" the standard of the world, but as this standard continues to sink, we will continue to follow it down. This should NOT be our chosen path!!

Our lives need an unchanging reference to call us back when we stray. This reference must be the Word of God which calls us to a life of absolute pure devotion. When we build on the foundation of Christ and determine to love Him with ALL our heart, His Word ensures we will rise tall and not be found leaning to the left or right. 

Let's build a life which is true and does not waver.

 Let's live by His Word and build according to God's plumb line.

- steve troxel

.....sent

We are encouraged to share the message of truth with whoever God places in our path. We saw the need to reach people where they are, "to the weak I became weak" 1 Corinthians 9:22, and the need to share without self-righteous condemnation. We see the need to share His truth without compromise as we lift up the name of Jesus Christ.

The Word of God teaches there is only one way to Heaven: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" John 14:6. Salvation is a gift of grace given to those who place their faith in the sacrifice of Jesus for the forgiveness of sin - there is no other way! And although relatively few will actually travel the narrow road that leads to life, the road is available to ALL who will come; "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved" Romans 10:13.

It's God's desire for everyone to call on His name; "not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" 2 Peter 3:9...but not everyone will. Some have hardened their heart through continued rejection and willful disobedience and now refuse to repent and receive the truth. Others simply never hear the Good News.

"How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent?"Romans 10:14-15

Only God is able to draw someone near and lead them to repentance, and only the Holy Spirit can transform someone's heart into a "new creation" 2 Corinthians 5:17. But God has chosen to give His children the responsibility of sharing His message of forgiveness and truth with the world; "As You sent Me into the world, I have sent them into the world" John 17:18.

In order for the message of Salvation to truly reach the world, we who know the truth must accept our commission to be "sent." We must be determined to share the gospel message whenever and wherever He directs; "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations" Matthew 28:19. This may mean in another country, but it may also mean in our own backyard, or in our own family as we love them and demonstrate the true peace of Jesus.

Let's faithfully pick up the torch today. We have been given everything we need (2 Peter 1:3); we do not lack any Spiritual gift 1 Corinthians 1:7, and we have been declared ambassadors for Christ 2 Corinthians 5:20. The world is waiting to hear! Let's BOLDLY go forth with His Word and with an assurance that we have been sent!

- steve troxel

.....name

We are strongly encouraged to share a message of truth which is uncompromising and aligned with the Word of God. We cannot continue to trust in the messages of the world, or in the teaching of the "religious," when their words are not supported by Biblical Truth!

Toward the end of a passage we call "The Sermon on the Mount," Jesus gave a strong warning: "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it" Matthew 7:13-14. 

Our message must always lead down the "narrow road" and toward the "narrow gate" of Salvation. If it does, it is truth and honoring to God; if it does not, it is full of deceit and grieves our Heavenly Father.

Of course, the most important aspect of a true message is the name of Jesus. If our message does not include the sacrifice of Jesus as our necessary and sufficient path to forgiveness and eternal life, then we do not carry a message of truth. Without Jesus there is no Christian faith - there is no eternal hope.

Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in Heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord Philippians 2:9-11

God exalted (lifted up) Jesus to the highest place in Heaven. Have we exalted Him to the highest place in our own life? Before we have any chance of communicating a message of truth with the world, we must have a message of truth residing in our own heart. 

Have we truly accepted His forgiveness which only comes through faith, or are we still trying to earn our way, chasing after false messengers, and traveling down the broad road of destruction? Do we love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength Mark 12:30, or are we still just getting acquainted from a distance?

What about our place of worship? God has an important role for the local church and desires each of us to be in fellowship with other believers. But if our church does not lift up the name of Jesus Christ, it becomes little more than a social club leading an entire flock of lost sheep down the broad road away from the gate. God forbid!

Let's exalt Jesus to the highest place in our life, in our home, and in our church. Let's love Him with all our heart and take active steps to draw closer to His presence. Let's show the world that eternal life is only through faith in the name which is above all other names - the name of Jesus.

- steve troxel

.....preach

We each have a message to share, a message which can encourage and be used to draw others to faith in Jesus." We were then exhorted to "begin to share this message with ALL." But as we boldly go out and begin to minister to others, we must ensure we are ministering according to truth.

Paul's second letter to Timothy was the last of his writings. Written while in prison and awaiting a certain death, Paul used this letter to give some final encouragement to a young preacher.

I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage - with great patience and careful instruction 2 Timothy 4:1-2

Paul knew his time of ministry had come to an end, and with his last words he told Timothy to carefully "Preach the Word." Timothy had been taught the true Word of God, but Paul warned that people would not accept this truth; "Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear" 2 Timothy 4:3.

There have always been those who distort the Gospel message - always those who remove the sufficiency of the Cross or the necessity of a repentant heart. The world rewards those who dilute the truth of Christ with the philosophy of man and his methods of success. Unfortunately, false teachers will continue to abound and will always have an audience.

But we must refuse to compromise! We have been given the Word of God - a message of truth which can change the world. And while this message is a wonderful blessing, it also carries an incredible responsibility. We are called to know this message and apply its principles of forgiveness, grace, and love as we live a life devoted to holiness, thanksgiving, and praise. We then must share this message of absolute truth with others at every opportunity.

Our time here is very, very short. We are "a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes" James 4:14. Some of us may vanish in a few days, others not for many years - but we will ALL vanish. What remains in the end will ONLY be that which is done according to truth and for the glory of God...so let's make the most of every moment!

Let's focus more of our time and effort on the treasures which last for eternity and demonstrate the love of Christ. Let's remain aligned to His Word and continue to apply the truth we have received, sharing with others without shame or compromise. Let's accept the charge today to stand firm and Preach the Word!

- steve troxel