.....after

Today, you may not think it's possible, but I can predict with 100% accuracy what will happen tomorrow, ....  

1. God will still be on the throne Psalm 103:19

2. Jesus Christ will still save sinners who trust in Him for salvation John 3:16  

3. The Holy Spirit will still convict people of sin, righteousness, and judgment John 16:8

4. Believers will still have the joy of the Lord and a peace that passes all understanding Philippians 4:4, 7

5. Lost people, those without Christ, will still need to repent and believe the Gospel of Christ Luke 19:10

6. The Church will still focus on worship, fellowship, evangelism, discipleship, and ministry Matthew 28:19-20

7. Those who seek God will still find Him Jeremiah 29:13

8. Those who confess their sins to God will still receive forgiveness and cleansing 1 John 1:9

9. Jesus will still be the only way to salvation John 14:6; Acts 4:12

10. God will still inhabit the praise of His people Psalm 22:3

- david langerfeld

.....created

We spend a great deal of our time and energy attempting to create various areas of our life. We strive to create the ideal work environment in order to provide the necessary resources to create the ideal social and home life. We plan the details of our free time in hopes of creating the ideal leisure. We even go so far as working hard to create the ideal "religious" experience.

Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture Psalm 100:3

No amount of our own effort will ever create the "ideal." For if we are striving to create, we are chasing after the world's elusive, ever changing, false definition of what is really ideal and fulfilling. Our only hope at finding the true ideal is in understanding we are the created, not the Creator. The absolute best in life begins with knowing whose life we really live; "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me" Galatians 2:20. Our life belongs to Christ, and it must be left with Him to create the life He desires.

Jesus is the only One who has ever truly been in the creation business; "All things were created by Him and for Him" Colossians 1:16. We were created by Jesus for His sovereign purpose; "We are the clay, You are the potter; we are all the work of Your hand" Isaiah 64:8. Somehow, we have begun to consider ourselves as the work of our own hands. 

We try to create a life according to the world's system and fulfill "needs" and "rights" based on this false world view. Not only is this self-centered world view wrong - not only does this value system pull our heart away from God and grieve the Holy Spirit as we fail to follow His leading - but it can also send us into bondage as we chase a lie which will never satisfy.

The truth that will set us free is that our needs are extremely small, and we actually have NO rights - at least not in this world; "You are not your own; you were bought at a price" 1 Corinthians 6:19-20. We have been purchased with the blood of Jesus and given eternal life as joint heirs with Christ in God's Kingdom. We have the right, the privilege, and the great honor of praising Him for all eternity. We need and deserve nothing more.

If we truly want the ideal, we will stop trying to create our life and place every area in the Hands of a loving Creator. God defines and shapes the ideal, and His ideal is ours for the asking. The ideal job, home, marriage, ministry, fun, and friends are all ours; but only through releasing our rights, redefining our needs, and humbly understanding that we are the created.

- steve troxel 

 

.....forget

Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us Romans 5:7-8

I have read that, back in the 19th century, when many people from Ireland were seeking passage to move to the New World, a young boy who didn't have the fare secretly boarded a ship as a stowaway. At sea the ship ran into an iceberg and began to sink. When the boy realized what was happening, he came out of hiding and rushed to the deck only to see the captain taking the last seat in the last lifeboat. In the tradition of the sea the captain got out of the lifeboat and gave his seat to the boy. The last thing the captain said to him was, "Never forget what's been done for you."

In the years ahead the boy grew up to be a very successful man. When asked what was the secret of his motivation, he said, "Whenever I begin to doubt myself or let up from what I ought to be doing, I always remember a captain standing on a deck and saying, 'Never forget what's been done for you.'"

May you and I never forget what Jesus Christ has done for us in giving his life on the cross in your place and mine to pay the penalty for all our sins, to grant us a full and free pardon, and to give us the gift of eternal life. May our manner of life and how we live for God and others be evidence of our heartfelt gratitude.

Dear God, how can I ever thank you enough for giving your Son, Jesus, to give his life in my place so that I could be totally forgiven and receive your gift of eternal life in Heaven forever. Help me never to forget this in the way that I live, in what I do, and how I serve you and help others. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer

- dick innes

.....stake

Then they said, 'Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves' Genesis 11:4 

 

These were the words of men who planned to build the Tower of Babel.  There was every reason why their plans should succeed.  They had the know-how.  They were all of one mind and they had a common purpose - to accomplish something lasting in life, something that would outlive them.

There was a strange old man named Noah.  He built an enormous ark while people laughed at him for years.  But he didn't care.  He was working under orders - and he was not concerned that he might have looked ridiculous. 

The Tower of Babel was a failure. 

The Ark became an instrument of success.

Perhaps the difference in accomplishment stemmed from the difference in incentive - 

"Whose name was at stake?"

"Kings and Kingdoms will all pass away, but there's something about that name"

- david langerfeld

.....prayer

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God Romans 8:26-27

Has it happened to you that when you decide to dedicate more time to prayer, you kneel, prepare to talk to the Lord and go blank? Sure, you can mention a few words about what you need Him to do for you and your family, but you should pray for more than that, right?

Yes, you should! The needs of the believer are in fact the Father's concern, nothing escapes him. However, he tells his children to "not only look out for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too." Philippians 2:4

Selfless prayer may not come naturally to us, but thank God He has provided us with a Helper, the Holy Spirit, who is willing and able to pray effectively, interceding for us Romans 8:26

How should we cooperate with the Holy Spirit? 

• We must recognize God's authority, holiness, and glory. 
• We need to submit to His direction. 
• We must entrust our future to Him, believing that He will turn both negative and positive events in our lives into great good.

In submission to the Holy Spirit, we will discover peace and joy. And as we present petitions inspired by the Holy Spirit, we will also find new words to pray to the Father.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You left us the Helper, Your Holy Spirit. Thank You, Lord, that when I don't know what to say in prayer, Your Spirit intercedes for me. Lord, I acknowledge Your authority, Your holiness, and Your glory. Help me to submit daily to Your Spirit, and to be aware of Your presence in me 

- david langerfeld

.....another

Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works… encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. Hebrews 10:24-25

Recently, my family went on a camping trip with my sister and her family before the kids went back to school. We went on beautiful hikes and enjoyed the quiet time of being in God's wonderful creation.

One of these hikes, however, turned out to be a real challenge, especially with our small children in tow! It was about a 4-mile hike, with varying elevations, and uneven ground. It was hot and humid that day, so it made breathing a little more difficult. 

Although the description of this hike said it was "family friendly", the person describing it must have not been thinking about a parent carrying a 13Kg toddler in a hiking backpack and the other parent carrying 13Kg worth of snacks and water! Needless to say, the hike felt a lot longer than 4 miles. At one point I leaned over to my sister and said, "Now I know why the Israelites complained so much!" 

 

However, there was one thing we had that perhaps the Israelites didn't. As we were walking towards our destination, there were people coming back. They had seen what lied ahead and gave us words of encouragement such as, "You're almost there!" "Just a little longer!" "It is beautiful up there!" Every time these words were spoken to us, it gave us the strength and motivation to keep going. 

And sure enough, it really was a beautiful place once we arrived. There were several cascades, and the view of the lake was breathtaking! The kids played in the water, we all rested, and replenished our energy supply before heading back. On the way back, we made sure to offer words of encouragement to the folks we passed along the way because we knew the difference that had made for us.

Life is very similar to a hike. There are ups and downs, and several rough patches along the way. However, the life experiences God allows us to face can be used to provide encouragement to others who encounter those same difficulties. 

Take full advantage of every opportunity that God gives you to be a motivation to others to keep going, especially when it comes to doing God's work here on earth. Disappointment will sneak in but let us use that to be more aware and intentional on how we can support others. 

Dear Lord, use me to be an encouragement to others with my words and actions. And may I receive the same encouragement when needed as well. Thank you for the community of faith you have placed me in to work together in spreading Your Good News to others. 

- crystal  

.....little

In 1858, a Sunday School teacher named Mr. Kimball led a Boston shoe clerk to give his life to Jesus Christ. The clerk, Dwight L. Moody, became an evangelist. In England in 1879, he awakened evangelistic zeal in the heart of Frederick B. Meyer, the pastor of a small church. 

F. B. Meyer, preaching to an American college campus, brought to Christ a student named J. Wilbur Chapman. Chapman, who worked with the YMCA, employed a former baseball player named Billy Sunday, to do evangelistic work. 

Billy Sunday held a revival in Charlotte, NC. A group of local men were so enthusiastic about the revival that, afterward, they planned another evangelistic campaign and brought in a preacher named Mordecai Hamm. During Hamm's revival, a young man named Billy Graham heard the gospel and yielded his life to Christ. 

Only eternity will reveal the tremendous impact of that one Sunday School teacher, Mr. Kimball, who invested his life in the lives of others. 

When you feel as though you are only one person and wondering what only one person can do, or you feel worthless and unimportant - STOP!!!  One person, doing what God has called them to do, can make a huge difference!  You may the first person in a chain of God-given events that produces the next Billy Graham. 

No one is unimportant to God.  The person who led Billy Graham to Jesus Christ is just as important in God's kingdom as Billy Graham himself. 

 

God loves you and has a special plan for your life.  Starting today, ask God to use you for His Glory and to do His will.  He will amaze you with what He will do in your life!  But more importantly, He will amaze you with what He can do to change the whole world through just one person who is fully committed to Him.

- david langerfeld

.....much

Gideon lived during a time when Israel was ruled by judges. This was the period after the death of Joshua and before Saul was anointed king - a period lasting approximately 325 years. During this time, the people continually wandered away from God and were oppressed by various groups. But God always rose up a judge who would deliver the people and lead them back to Himself...at least for a short while.

The oppression by the Midianites was so severe that many Israelites lived in caves and harvested their crops in secret. When the people cried to God for help, He chose to use Gideon; "'But Lord,' Gideon asked, 'how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family'" Judges 6:15. God wanted His Children to know that true deliverance is only through His strength and by His grace. By using Gideon to save the people, God taught a valuable lesson of trust.

Gideon gathered an army of 32,000.

"The Lord said to Gideon, 'You have too many men for Me to deliver Midian into their hands. In order that Israel may not boast against Me that her own strength has saved her, announce now to the people, "Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead."' So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained." Judges 7:2-3

God's message of grace and power would not be obvious if the army had any hope of victory by their own strength: "But the Lord said to Gideon, 'There are still too many men'" Judges 7:4. Gideon's army started with 32,000 but he was not sent into battle until the army was reduced to only three hundred. These were impossible odds! But God always reigns supreme in the impossible: the battle was completely victorious!!

God is never interested in the "wonderful" things we can do for Him. He is pleased only by our obedience and our trust. In fact, God allows many of our great endeavors to fail simply because they are being pursued without giving Him absolute control. 

We are never to rest in our own strength and ability; rather, we are to continually walk by faith. Several hundred years after Gideon, the prophet Isaiah gave this same message: "Woe to those who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel" Isaiah 31:1.

God will lead us into victory, but we must give Him our total trust. When we walk in His victory, we will have the joy of witnessing His mighty hand and find true fulfillment in bringing Him glory and honor. His victory is never by our strength, savvy, cunning, or intelligence. It is only as we trust Him to work in and through the empty vessel of our life. True victory will only be won as we go into battle with ALL of Him and without too much of us.

- steve troxel

 

.....unfinished

I have not had the opportunity to travel much, but several years ago my dad won a trip to Italy through his business and he asked me to go along. A highlight of the trip was visiting Florence, the great city of the Renaissance. 

One afternoon out of curiosity I went to a museum where the some works of Michelangelo were displayed. As we viewed the half-finished sculpture of St. Matthew the tour guide explained that this unfinished work was a prime example of Michelangelo’s philosophy of art. He believed that in a stone there was a figure or statue waiting to be released. 

The work of the artist was to free the statue from the stone. The statute was so lifelike that I thought any minute St. Matthew might just step out of that huge stone. As I looked at the half-finished statute, I could see that the artist had begun to free the statue but had not been able to complete it. The tour guide went on to explain that Michelangelo had numerous works he never finished.

As I thought about God’s work in us, I realized that God has begun a work in us to conform us to the image of Christ. However, unlike Michelangelo, God does not stop working in our lives until he finishes what he intends to accomplish. According to Philippians 1:6, God will finish what He has started.  Ultimately, God has no unfinished works of grace. 

"Being confident of this very thing, that he who has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ" Philippians 1:6

- ron meeks 

.....sow

A farmer prepares the soil, plants the seed, and waits several days for the first signs of life. Many weeks pass before a few inches of growth occur and several months go by before it's time to harvest. Much hard work and patience go into reaping a bountiful crop.

The soil of our spiritual field is rich, full of nutrients and moisture; and whether we realize it or not, we are working hard and planting in our field every single day. Every day as we go out into the world we are planting into our spiritual field. Anything we plant is going to grow and produce a harvest according to what we have planted.

A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up Galatians 6:7-9

Every day we are given the opportunity to go into the field and plant new seed; "His compassions never fail; they are new every morning" Lamentations 3:22-23. We are also given the choice of which seed to plant. Seeds of faith and forgiveness are essential for our eternal survival. Seeds of hope and trust are necessary for a life of peace and contentment. And seeds of love, purity, worship, and praise are the seeds which will make our fields beautiful - a fragrant offering to the Lord.

But there are other types of seed - the seeds of lies and deception, of worldly passions and self-exaltation, once these seeds are planted, they can grow faster and stronger than all competing plants. If allowed to grow, these sinful seeds will rise up to dominate the field and choke everything which draws us closer to God; "The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature" Luke 8:14.

Today is a new day with a new opportunity to plant. We must not grow weary of planting that which draws us closer to God; "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think of such things" Philippians 4:8. Today, we WILL plant - so let's plant wisely!

Let's sow seed which glorifies our Heavenly Father and honors Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, and let's nurture our field with an unending love. Let's sow the seeds of a bountiful harvest which is free of weeds as we daily abandon the sinful nature and sow to please the Spirit by God's grace.

 

.....evidence

There are many people who remain just outside the gate of eternal life. They have heard the gospel message but are still not convinced of its absolute truth. They may concede that religion is "good," but they need much more evidence before being willing or able to commit their life.

Many of us in the church can relate to those standing outside the gate, refusing to commit. We are inside, but most are not following Christ as we should. We say that if God would give us signs like He gave Abraham and Moses, then all doubt would be removed and we would follow in true obedience. But I'm not sure we would! Jesus said we must obediently follow before we will truly know; "If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether My teaching comes from God or whether I speak on My own" John 7:17. God has revealed Himself. He has called us to follow - to step out in faith - and to THEN receive a wonderful confirmation of His truth.

I have never seen the Red Sea part nor audibly heard God's voice in a burning bush. I have never seen water changed to wine, a blind man made able to see, or a lame man made able to walk. But when I look back at the "mud and mire" Psalm 40:2 from which I have been saved, I see an absolutely clear miracle. And as I continue to try and walk with Jesus day in and day out, I have come to the place where I KNOW!

Indeed, following leads to confirmation. Paul reminds us that all the wonders of creation are a sign of God's Hand.

For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - His eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse Romans 1:20

There are signs of God all around. Yet sadly, our senses are too often closed. We cry out for evidence, yet we see, hear, smell, touch, and taste evidence every day; He is with us, all around us, in infinite detail.

Let's begin to worship Him every moment of every day as we see His glory in the flowers, trees, and stars; as we hear His beauty in the songs of a bird and the cry of a baby. Let's step through the gate with full commitment and continue our walk in humble submission. Let's live to glorify His name and open our senses to the true evidence of God. 

- adapted from steve troxel

.....joy

When Jesus came to earth, He took on human form and accepted many human limitations. He knew His purpose long before He was crucified: "He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that He must be killed and after three days rise again" Mark 8:31. But He also knew the pain He must endure...and the pain would be very real!

In the hours before His death, Jesus was beaten, whipped, spit on, laughed at, yelled at, and made to wear a crown of thorns. The Creator of the Universe was required to lay bloodied and disfigured as nails were hammered through His hands and feet. His chosen people had turned against Him and demanded His death, and those He loved the most had deserted Him.

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God Hebrews 12:2

Jesus endured more humiliation, disappointment, and pain than we can imagine. But the "joy" that allowed Him to endure the cross was the very reason He came to the world. He came to bring God's children back into a relationship with their Heavenly Father. The sacrifice of His death allowed a bridge from death to life. His joy was knowing that God's children would be able to come to Him and truly know Him; that they could talk with Him and worship Him; that they could sit in His presence and be comforted in His loving arms.

We are those children. We are the joy that allowed Him to "endure the cross." How much love is wrapped up in this deep sustaining joy? Enough love to walk with us through the hottest fires, enough love to carry us when we are weak, and enough love to NEVER let us go! "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you" Hebrews 13:5.

We all face various kinds of trials, but the One who "endured" continues to walk by our side today. He has given us Himself - a true joy which allows us to endure even as He endured. He has given us the joy of an eternity to worship in His throne room, an eternity to be comforted and praise His Holy Name! He has given us the joy of a love and an unequaled strength which this world cannot begin to understand! We too can face our "cross" with great hope. We WILL endure any and all trials. We can and will endure because He is our joy 

.....step

When Moses died, God assigned Joshua to the position of leadership. The people of Israel needed to know God approved of Joshua and would continue to direct them as they entered the land of Canaan. God was aware of this need and chose to work through Joshua as the people prepared to cross the Jordan river; "Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses" Joshua 3:7.

God told Joshua to have the priests carry the ark of the covenant directly into the Jordan river, which was flowing at flood level during the harvest season. He promised that when the priests stepped into the water, He would cause the riverbed to dry and the waters to be "cut off and stand up in a heap" Joshua 3:13.

With all the Israelites waiting in great anticipation, the priests picked up the ark - their most honored possession - and took their greatest step of faith.

As soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water's edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away Joshua 3:15-16

God always teaches us about faith and trust by directing us down a path we think is too hard to travel, into circumstances we do not understand. After all, if we could clearly see and understand, there would not be a need for faith. But we often miss the opportunity to experience the true glory of God because we fail to obey and take the first step.

By working through Joshua, God gave the people confidence in their new leader. By requiring an initial action - the first step, He taught a valuable lesson of obedience and trust. The river did not gradually pull back as the priests approached. Nothing happened to the river until the priests left the safety of the shore and stepped into the water. God patiently waited for a full commitment before revealing His mighty hand.

I often hear from people who are hesitant about giving their life to God. Mostly, they are scared by what they can't see or understand, so they remain frozen where they are. They desire to have a more fulfilling life but are paralyzed by the fear of what they may lose in the process. Oh, if we could only see the life we would gain by giving Him our all!

God is waiting. He is ready to pull back the flood waters and lead us into a new land, a land filled with His peace and true contentment. But we MUST commit. Let's trust Him with every area of our life. Let's take a firm hold of His hand and boldly step off the shore.

- steve troxel

.....tested

The longer and closer we walk with God, the more we realize how He uses every opportunity to shape and mold us - to chip, file, and sand the rough edges - as we are gradually "conformed to the likeness of His Son" Romans 8:29. This is His desire for everyone who trusts in Jesus for the forgiveness of sin.

We often learn through personal experience how our trials are used to teach us valuable lessons and refine us into Children of God with the character of Christ; "the testing of your faith develops perseverance" James 1:3. Our trials teach us to persevere in the faith and to trust God with all our heart. But a more subtle refinement of our character occurs as we receive praise for who we are or for what we've accomplished.

The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but man is tested by the praise he receives Proverbs 27:21

This isn't simply referring to how we verbally respond to a compliment; rather, it is the response of our heart which reveals our true belief and submission. God is the sovereign Creator and Lord of ALL! All our abilities and gifts were given by Him. He deserves ALL the praise and maintains the right to redirect us as He chooses. Our motivation must be our love for God and our desire to serve Him through all we do - it must never be driven by the praises of man.

The praise we receive from others is not an indication of God's approval nor a valid measure of success. We take far too much ownership of accomplishments, and most often we simply forget the basic truths: "For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive?" 1 Corinthians 4:7. All we are is from God!

Every step of our journey must be established by God and accomplished in His strength. Every day there are those who refuse to turn to God because they fear the loss of status and praise; "they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved praise from men more than praise from God" John 12:42-43. And every day there are those who are diverted in their walk because of a gluttonous desire to feed their pride-filled ego. Unrestrained pride will always choke our relationship with Jesus.

As we are transformed, we WILL begin to accomplish His work; "we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works" Ephesians 2:10. But as praises come for the work we accomplish, we must present them to God for His approval and guidance. He may return the praise as a Heavenly blessing, but He may also dismiss it as an unnecessary distraction and ask us to walk in a new direction. Either way, we must continue to serve with an obedient and loving heart. Let's continue to be transformed in every situation. Let's be determined to never lose our focus as a result of being refined and tested by praise.

- steve troxel 

.....victory

All over the world, there are people facing situations which threaten to send everything they hold dear crashing to the ground. It may be the result of bad decisions or circumstances out of their control; but either way, they awoke in the middle of a whirlwind and cannot determine which direction to turn. There are many others who awoke tired and discouraged, and don't even know why. Today is much the same as any other, but they are questioning the usefulness of continuing.

We live in an imperfect world filled with imperfect people. The result is a bunch of imperfect circumstances! Even when we begin to walk with Jesus, we struggle with these imperfections which distract us and steal our joy.

We need to understand we are not alone. Many more people are struggling than we can possibly imagine. The need for encouragement is huge and will increase as the time of our Lord's return draws near. We also need to know how we can live a life of peace and how we can pass this peace to others.

When we place our faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, we don't receive the promise of a trouble free life; we receive the promise of life eternal in the presence of God. Many of our troubles here on earth will remain. But an understanding of our eternal promise should encourage us as we shift our focus from life in terms of days and years, to life in terms of eternity; "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all" 2 Corinthians 4:17.

Jesus saw these same struggles in His disciples. He wanted them to live a life of peace and contentment, but He also knew they would face many difficulties. After a night of teaching His disciples about their relationship with the Father through faith in His Son, Jesus gave these words of encouragement: I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world John 16:33

Jesus came to conquer sin and death through His sacrifice on the cross: the battle with the true enemy has already been won! If we have come to God in faith and received the transforming gift of His Spirit, we ought to keep this victorious truth at the front of ALL our thoughts. 

As we live day after day - even as we grow weary, lose a few targets and want to quit - let's always remember that through our risen Lord we have an eternal hope. Let's continue with the peace and assurance that in Christ we have been granted the final victory.

- adapted from steve troxel

.....eyes

Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law Psalm 119:18

There is a difference between seeing physically and seeing spiritually. Most people can see physically with their eyes, but not all can see spiritually with their heart. God pronounced the closing of Israel’s spiritual eyes due to their sin Isaiah 6:9-10, and Jesus confirmed the problem remained in His day Matthew 13:13-15. The psalmist was aware of this problem, causing him to ask God to “open [his] eyes, that [he] may see wondrous things from [God’s] law.”

Even as a Christian, we may approach God’s Word with biases, prejudices, and preconceived notions—failing to see what God needs us to see. Hebrews 4:12 explains that God’s Word is “living and powerful...and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” If we truly want God to search our heart Psalm 139:23, we should imitate the psalmist’s prayer when we read the Bible: “Open my eyes.”

We will change over time as we imitate the psalmist’s practice of meditating on God’s Word “day and night” Psalm 1:2 and take to heart what God shows us. It is the only way we can become “complete, thoroughly equipped” to please God 2 Timothy 3:17.

"It is no advantage to be near the light if the eyes are closed." (Augustine)

- david jeremiah

.....walk

God's desire is that we walk down the path He lays before us. This path begins with the gift of eternal life through faith in Jesus; "For My Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life" John 6:40. The path continues with living a life of holiness; "But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do" 1 Peter 1:15.

We walk further down His path as we learn contentment "in any and every situation" Philippians 4:12, as we are filled with joy, prayer and thanksgiving 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, and as we begin to truly rest in the peace which only He provides; "Peace I leave you; My peace I give you" John 14:27. It's important to remember that each step down God's path is for the purpose of being "conformed to the likeness of His Son, that He may be the firstborn of many brothers" Romans 8:29. Every step, no matter how difficult, brings us closer to God and shapes us to be more like Jesus.

Have we entered onto God's path through faith in Jesus Christ? Are we now continuing down the path God desires for us to walk? When confronted with choices, is it obvious which direction we should go?

"Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, 'This is the way; walk in it.'"Isaiah 30:21

When we trust in Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins, we are adopted into God's Family and begin a journey which lasts the rest of our days. At the moment of Salvation, God gives us His Spirit to guide us along His path; but many times when His Spirit calls, we're too busy to listen...or we choose not to respond.

If we have entered onto God's path and now desire to follow where He leads, we MUST make time to simply slow down and listen; "In repentance and rest is your Salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength" Isaiah 30:15. Our eternal Salvation is a transformation which occurs in an instant, but the earthly joy of our Salvation is found in our daily repentance and quiet guidance from God; His presence is our only place of true peace.

The guiding voice of His Spirit still calls every day, but the competing noise is often so great that we stray from the path and become entangled in the weeds; and there is definitely no peace or contentment in the weeds! Let's get out of the weeds and continue on His path. Let's set aside quiet time to listen for guidance - to hear which way to turn - and to simply rest in His loving arms. 

Let's be determined to boldly follow when we hear His gentle voice calling, "This is the way, walk in it!"

- adapted from steve troxel

.....knows

You have searched me, Lord, and you know me.  You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.  Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely.

Where can I go from your Spirit?  Where can I flee from your presence?  If I go up to the heavens, you are there;  if I make my bed in hell, you are there.  If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.  My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.  Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting Psalm 139:1-4, 7-10, 13-16, 23-24

Behind the scenes, before He ever flung the stars into space, God had today in mind. He had tomorrow in mind.  He had this very week in mind. In fact, He had you in mind. And He knew exactly what He was going to do. God is never at a loss to know what He’s going to do in our situations. He knows perfectly well what is best for us.

- chuck swindoll

.....encouragement

Everyone needs encouragement. 

No matter how secure and confident someone may appear, everyone needs to be reassured, built up, and comforted. And we are all called to minister to one another, every day, with encouragement; "But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today" Hebrews 3:13. Therefore, we are all called to meet one another's need for encouragement.

True encouragement requires us to be "others" oriented: "Consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others" Philippians 2:3-4. We will never effectively encourage until we begin to look outside our own needs and intentionally examine the needs of others. And our encouragement of others will always be hindered unless we are genuinely excited by the new growth and health we see in others.

For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into His Kingdom and glory 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12

I was excited when each of my children learned to roll over, and I cheered when they began to crawl. When they started to walk, I clapped my hands and beamed with pride, as if my kids were the first in the world to ever move about on two feet. Each small accomplishment was encouraged...and my manhood was never threatened by their progress. I wasn't worried about losing my position within the family, and I had no desire to be the only walker in the house. Every time my children fell, I picked them up and encouraged them with full confidence of their future success.

Our journey with the Lord actually begins long before our day of Salvation as He calls us and draws us to the cross; we would never even seek if He did not first call and soften our heart. This part of the journey (the part which leads us to His secure arms of Salvation) may last MANY years and require encouragement from many different people. But as we place our faith in Jesus for the forgiveness of sin and continue our journey (with all the many hills and valleys), our walk is definitely much easier and enjoyable if we join with others and walk together.

Let's encourage one another with each wonderful step toward Heavenly glory. Let's be proud and excited for the accomplishments of others no matter how great or small. And let's refuse to become threatened when we witness others mature and grow - we are absolutely secure in the love of God (and we really don't want to be the only walker in His Family!). Let's turn our hearts outward and begin to minister with a compassionate, loving, and secure attitude of encouragement.

- steve troxel

.....prodigal

But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him Luke 15:20

While he was still a long way off...

    the Father knew the son's heart!

He didn't say, 

    "Here comes that scoundrel. What does he expect from me? A loan? 

     Does he think he's coming back to this house after he's spent all my money?"

Perhaps, we are a long way off... 

    from being what God expects of us. 

We are so far down the road 

    that anyone else might suspect our motives for calling on The Father.

Perhaps, we've been Christian for what we can get out of it. 

    But God can see - even though the distance is great - 

        the direction of our steps and the purpose of our heart

And if that purpose...

    is a longing for a renewed relationship, 

        a closer tie,

            to be home with The Father

God's heart will go out to us...

    Even though we are "still a long way off"!