.....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"! 

.....entrusted

We have been given an incredible gift. Jesus Christ came into this world two thousand years ago to be the perfect sacrifice for our sin, and to bring us back into a relationship with our Heavenly Father. Jesus knew God's plan of grace before the world was ever created; "This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus" 2 Timothy 1:9-10.

We are a blessed people living in a uniquely blessed time; "He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake" 1 Peter 1:20. Through faith in Jesus for the forgiveness of our sin, we can now "approach the throne of grace with confidence" Hebrew 4:16, knowing we have been made clean and our relationship with God has been restored.

"So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful."1 Corinthians 4:1-2

I'll say it again...we are a very fortunate people. Through no effort of our own, we have been born in a time where the "secret things of God" have been revealed. We have been given the opportunity to hear the full gospel message and believe. Thank You Lord!

But God has done more than just give us this opportunity to hear and believe, He has "entrusted" us with His message of Salvation. To prove faithful to His trust, we must live in a manner which holds up the gospel message for all to see. We are saved by a grace which cost God the death of His one and only Son. This grace must be cherished and honored with a life void of all compromise and hypocrisy. An understanding of His great love ought to cause us to surrender ALL and live each day to bring Him glory and honor.

Proving faithful to His trust also means we must confidently and accurately share His message of hope with all who cross our path. We must diligently study His Word and be prepared to share His grace through our words as well as our actions.

No matter how hard life may sometimes appear, we are truly blessed. We have been given a gift which can sustain us through our most difficult circumstances, and provide an eternal home filled with praise and worship. When the world beats us down, we can be encouraged that the Creator of the Universe believes in us. He has revealed His Son and made us stewards of His message of grace. Let's live lives worthy of the trust we have been given. 

Let's prove faithful to the great honor of being entrusted with His secret.

- adapted from steve troxel

.....calling

"A voice of one calling: 'in the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.'” Isaiah 40:3-5

As you invite God's transformative grace to work within you, may the rough patches of disobedience and unforgiveness be smoothed by His hands, creating a straight and level path for the arrival of Jesus into every part of your life. May the valleys of doubt and weariness that have taken root be lifted by His tender mercies, filling you with renewed hope and confidence in His unfailing love. May every mountain of pride, self-sufficiency, and fear that stands in the way of your surrender to Him be brought low, making way for humility that opens doors to divine grace. 

Be blessed to make ample room in your heart for the King of Glory, setting aside the distractions and anxieties of this world to fully embrace His presence. May the glory of the Lord be revealed in your life in a fresh, undeniable, and powerful way. May His presence be so evident that all who see it will marvel at the wonders God is working in and through you. May you walk in the brilliant light of Christ, reflecting His grace, truth, and compassion to everyone you meet. 

May His love overflow in your conversations, your actions, and your thoughts, touching the hearts of those who cross your path always. May you be a beacon of His hope, a vessel of His grace, and a testament to His unchanging faithfulness.

In the name of Jesus, the One who was, who is, and who is to come—the Alpha and Omega, the Prince of Peace, and the Light of the World—may you be richly blessed. May His blessings be abundant, His peace be profound, and His love be your guiding star, now and forevermore.

- adapted from sylvia gunter 

.....desires

We often talk about the gift of Salvation as a transformation of the heart. Jesus came to give us eternal life through faith in Him and His sacrifice on the cross. His death established a new covenant for all who would come to Him in faith; "This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sin" Matthew 26:28.

When we enter into this covenant we are transformed; "I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh" Ezekiel 36:26. This is the same transformation referred to by Paul: "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Corinthians 5:17. It is also referred to as the "circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit" Romans 2:29.

As we continue our walk with God - as we continue our journey with a new and transformed heart - we begin a process of being "conformed to the likeness of His Son" Romans 8:29. This transformation, which begins in our heart, continues for all the rest of our days. We may call this process growth or maturity, but the result is a heart which is becoming more and more like Jesus.

"Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart."Psalm 37:4

This verse is sometimes misinterpreted to say that God has promised to fulfill all our current desires. There are people all over the world thinking that if they "pursue" God, they will receive an increase in their financial status - a better job, a nicer car, or a bigger home. This is a sad misapplication of scripture! When we are far from God, our heart is full of worldly desires. Apart from God, we will spend a lifetime trying to fulfill these desires only to find we are never satisfied or content.

But God says we need not spend our life chasing these unfulfilling desires. As we are diligent to draw close to God, learn of His ways, and become obedient to His commands, He gives us new desires. As we love the Lord with all our heart, our current desires are replaced with something infinitely better, the desires of Christ. The single desire of Jesus was to glorify His Father by completing the work He was given to do John 17:4. Jesus was content beyond our comprehension because He was truly one with His Heavenly Father!

The wonderful blessing from God is that as we delight in Him, He transforms our desires and also gives us the ability to fulfill these desires. This is the only way we will ever find true contentment and peace. Let's learn to live each moment delighting in our Lord. Let's allow Him to continue the transformation by giving us, and then teaching us how to satisfy, the desires of our heart.

- steve troxel

.....happiness

Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33

In his book "Living Life on Purpose", Greg Anderson shares the story of one man's journey to joy: … his wife had left him, and he was completely depressed. He had lost faith in himself, in other people, in God.  He found no joy in living.

One rainy morning this man went to a small neighborhood restaurant for breakfast. Although several people were at the diner, no one was speaking to anyone else. Our miserable friend hunched over the counter, stirring his coffee with a spoon. In one of the small booths along the window was a young mother with a little girl. They had just been served their food when the little girl broke the sad silence by almost shouting, "Momma, why don't we say our prayers here?" The waitress who had just served their breakfast turned around and said, "Sure, honey, we pray here. Will you say the prayer for us?" 

And she turned and looked at the rest of the people in the restaurant and said, "Bow your heads."

Surprisingly, one by one, the heads went down. The little girl then bowed her head, folded her hands, and said, "God is great, God is good, and we thank him for our food. Amen." 

That prayer changed the entire atmosphere. People began to talk with one another. The waitress said, "We should do that every morning." "All of a sudden," said our friend, "my whole frame of mind started to improve. From that little girl's example, I started to thank God for all that I DID have and stop majoring in all that I DIDN'T have. I started to choose happiness."

I have personally experienced the difference it makes when you start your day off with Christ. Spending even 10 minutes reading a verse and in prayer can change your mood and set the tone for your day. And when the day starts getting stressful, which can sometimes happen with our busy schedules, I listen to worship music and sing along!

When we put God first in our lives, we are acknowledging that he is greater than any problem, any worry, any stressor, any decision, and any life event. By putting Him first, we are also accepting the fact that we are not in control - HE IS! God will provide all of our needs when we seek Him first and live righteously. Let us stop excessively thinking of our "to-do list", spend some time with our Father, and experience true happiness which only he can give. 

Dear God, it is easy to prioritize our days based on our schedules. Help me realize that it is not about me, but all about you! I choose to put you first, trusting that you go before me, and you are in control. I choose to experience true happiness by counting my blessings and abiding in You. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. In Jesus' name, Amen.

- david langerfeld

.....me

Not too long ago, I knelt beside my son’s bed to pray with him. He seemed unusually pensive, especially for a Little League baseball player and an active young athlete. When I finished our prayer, he began to weep softly. He turned his head toward the wall. As most parents know, when you ask, “What’s wrong?” you often get an answer that sounds like a muffled, “Nothing.”

I probed a little deeper, and finally he said, “Well, Dad, do you remember a few weeks ago when those boys got in trouble at the church for marking all over the walls in the Royal Ambassador room?”

“Yes,” I said.

“Well, Dad, it wasn’t just them,” he sobbed. “It was me, too!”

Suddenly, I felt as if I were experiencing a holy moment. My mind swirled with thoughts of all the times I, too, had come face to face with my own wrong. As an earthly father, I had an opportunity to take my son in my arms and say: “You are forgiven. I forgive you, and I love you.”

And with tears coursing down my own cheeks, I lifted my head to my Heavenly Father and said: “Father, do you know all those things that get others in trouble? Well, it’s not just them, Lord. It’s me, too. Forgive me, Father.”

- dean register

.....teach

When Jesus was asked to name the greatest commandment, He said; "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind" Matthew 22:37. Jesus clearly said the most important thing we can do in this life is to love God with absolutely every part of our being. But Jesus immediately added, "the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself" Matthew 22:39.

After our love for God, we are called to love others with a love which flows from the love of Christ. At the end of His ministry, on the night before He was crucified, Jesus set a new standard for our love.

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." John 13:34 Love for others had always been important, but Jesus called the command "new" and changed the standard from the way we love ourselves to the way He loved us. Why is this significant?

Jesus came into the world with the single purpose of dying for the forgiveness of our sin so we could be restored to a right relationship with God - this is true love; "God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son..." John 3:16. We didn't do ANYTHING to deserve this love. While we were completely lost in a world of sin, God looked down on us, and loved: "God demonstrated His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" Romans 5:8.

This degree of love, poured out for those who are utterly undeserving, is the definition of God's grace. Peter said we are saved by this undeserved love; "it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved" Acts 15:11. Paul said the same in many different ways: "{We} are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus" Romans 3:24, and, "it is by grace you have been saved, through faith" Ephesians 2:8. God's love is demonstrated through grace!

The concept of grace is essential in beginning our relationship with God as well as continuing with every step of our journey along His path. But try as we might, we can never adequately convey the meaning of God's grace with words. We must continue to proclaim His truth through spoken and written words, but in this important area of God's grace, we are given a "new command" to teach through our actions - to teach through our love.

We have been given an incredible gift! We are given a gift we can never repay, but it's a gift we must share. The world is in great need! It is lost and desperate to know the grace of our Lord and Savior. Let's pour out love to those around us in the same manner it was poured out on us - undeserved and without restraint! Let's live out Jesus' new command and, through love, teach the world His grace.

- steve troxel

.....sparks

Every year, sparks from hot campfires or careless matches start fires which consume millions of trees in beautiful forests. Once begun, these fires move unrelentingly through hills and valleys - nothing is safe from the fury of the flames.

Every year, sparks from hot tempers or careless words start fires which consume millions of lives in beautiful relationships. Once begun, these fires move unrelentingly through self-esteem and trust - nothing is safe from the fury of the tongue.

Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body James 3:5-6

Our tongue has incredible power to build up and encourage, as well as tear down and destroy. And though our sins are eternally forgiven when we place our trust in Jesus, the day will come when our careless words are revealed and we see the full extent of the damage we have done; "men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken" Matthew 12:36.

I confess I often dread the day when I must account for every careless word; there are indeed many. Perhaps the purpose of that day is to permanently etch in our soul a full appreciation for God's love. Even with all my careless words, He loves me and wants to spend eternity with me in fellowship. Amazing! But how I long for better control.

David prayed that God would "set a guard over my mouth and keep watch over the door of my lips" Psalms 141:3. While this is a wise prayer, our lips must be seen as an absolute last line of defense - once our words escape, they can almost never be fully recovered. We must strive to control the sparks at the true source; "out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks" Matthew 12:34.

If our heart is filled with the ways of the world, our mouth will naturally speak the world's wisdom which is "foolishness in God's sight" 1 Corinthians 3:19. Rather, we must fill our heart with the ways of God and allow our mouth to overflow with His love; "I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You" Psalms 119:11.

Have we been the cause of some raging fires or smoldering embers? If so, we must pray for healing and believe that "with God all things are possible" Matthew 19:26. We must fill our heart with the power of His Word and "not let any unwholesome talk come out of our mouths" Ephesians 4:29. Let's stop the destructive fires. Let's begin today to fill our heart with His Word and prevent the sparks.

.....always

I called on the Lord in distress; the Lord answered me Psalm 118:5

The young mother called out to the missionary, "Come quick! My baby is going to die." Gale Fields was in Irian Jaya helping her husband Phil translate the Bible into Orya, a tribal language. But they also provided medical help whenever possible. Gale looked at the malaria-stricken child and realized that she didn't have the right medicine to help the infant.

"I'm sorry," she told the mother, "I don't have any medicine for babies this small." Gale paused, then said, "I could pray for her though."

"Yes, anything to help my baby," answered the mother. Gale prayed for the baby and then went home feeling helpless. After a little while, she again heard the mother cry out, "Gale, come quick and see my baby." Expecting the worst, Gale went to the baby's side. This time, though, she noticed improvement. The dangerous fever was gone. Later, Gale would say, "No wonder the Orya Christians learned to pray. They know God answers." 

The early Christians prayed for Peter to be released from prison and then were "astonished" when God answered them Acts 12:16. We respond that way too - but we shouldn't!  We shouldn't be surprised when God answers our prayers. Remember, His power is great and His resources are endless. 

"The most powerful position on earth is kneeling before the Lord of the universe."

.....unsearchable

As we 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. We can even see the purpose of His humble birth as an example of humility and service. 

Paul wrote to the Romans with the intent of setting 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 get the feeling that Paul reviewed the first portion of his letter and just couldn't continue without praising the Lord. Paul had wrestled through many difficult issues and learned a 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 my finite mind fails to comprehend. I can't always see the purpose of my trials or the lessons I need to learn, and I get frustrated with His timing (I want to know His plan, now!). But I know His love 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, 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're 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 is glorified by pouring out, for you, an unsearchable love.

- adapted from steve troxel

.....ask

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking James 1:5

Generous God, I do need wisdom, so I’m asking. 

Please give me the wisdom to know what to say to the daughter who knows her mother has only a few hours left to live. 

Please give me the wisdom to remain silent when I don’t have helpful, meaningful, or encouraging words.

Please give me the wisdom to know how to walk with the person going through what feels like never-ending grief. 

Please give me the wisdom to know what to say to the young couple struggling to hold their marriage together. 

Please give me the wisdom to encourage the gentleman who has lived a long, meaningful life but no longer feels he has a purpose. 

Please give me the wisdom to offer advice only when asked.

Please give me wisdom when I enter the election booth. 

Please give me the wisdom to change what I can and accept what I cannot. 

Please give me the wisdom and the wisdom to use the wisdom You give me. 

- tom norvell 

.....writes

Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character 1 Corinthians 15:33

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits Proverbs 18:21

My wife and I were on the subway in New York when I noticed a young man wearing a cast on his arm. Written on his cast were the names of people and statements they wanted to make.  Looking at the cast reminds the young man of who was around him and a possible statement they made.  It is my assumption that only those whom he has befriended were allowed to write on his cast, because he wouldn’t want to walk around with negative statements or the names of negative people attached to him 24 hours a day. He was especially careful of who was allowed to write on his cast.

The people we surround ourselves with play an important role in our lives.  People can play a positive or negative role in our lives.  Statements they make can speak life or death into our lives.  More often than not, we can choose who is allowed into our inner circle.  Our inner circle should include those who will speak life, who will pray for us, who will believe with us, who will encourage us, and play other positive roles in our lives.  These are the people we want to sign their names on the cast of our lives.

  

Unfortunately for many, the wrong people have signed their names and made negative statements that continue to be lived out in our lives.  Be encouraged that God has great things in store for His children and we cannot allow negative people the opportunity to speak bad over our lives. Therefore, it is up to us to be careful of whom we allow to write on us. 

- timothy jackson

.....refiner

For he will be like a refiner's fire or a launderer's soap Malachi 3:2

The Lord has a specific manner of preparing His people for useful service. God desires to turn His children from rough, hard-edged stones into gems of gold and silver. "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; He will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord, as in days gone by, as in former years" Malachi 3:3-4.

The refiner's fire can only accomplish its purposes when the heat is turned up to extraordinary temperatures. It breaks down the metal in order for it to become moldable and shapeable. Only when the temperatures reach this level can the work be fully accomplished. So it is in our lives. 

Until the Lord completes His refining process, the offerings we make are not made in righteousness and cannot be acceptable. Thank God that Jesus is our righteousness and that there is no righteousness apart from Him. Still, the Lord continues to purge all that is not of His righteousness out of our lives. This comes through trials that bring each of us to the end of ourselves in order that He may only reflect that which is Himself.

When God takes you through the refiner's fire, be encouraged because it is His overriding commitment to turn you from a rough, hard-edged stone to a precious metal. He will do this through certain events in your workplace, your relationships, and other circumstances in your life. Our job is to avoid trying to blow out the fire. 

- david jeremiah 

.....anxiety

Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved Psalm 55:22

According to a Wall Street Journal report, anxiety has overtaken depression as the leading mental health problem in the United States. Anxiety-fighting drugs are now the top-selling pharmaceutical products. 

Even with a booming economy and a healthy stock market, worry and apprehension remain part of our human condition - one that can never be adequately relieved by a pill.

When David composed Psalm 55, his mind was agitated by the same types of situations we struggle with today: 

   He recoiled in horror from the violence, anger, and abuse that stalked the city streets v. 9-11. 

   He suffered the anguish of being betrayed by a close friend v. 1,2-1,4. 

   He longed to leave and escape to a place of peace v. 4-8.

Because David's anxious pain mirrors our own, his prescription for relief can be ours as well. He wrote, "I will call upon God, andthe Lord shall save me. . . Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you" v. 16,22.  

Anxiety is a burden we are not called to bear. Instead, we are to lay our concerns on Christ because He cares for us 1 Peter 5:7 and Philippians 4:6-7. If your heart is weighed down today, the Lord is ready to bear every burden you give Him. God invites us to burden Him with what burdens us.

- david langerfeld

 

.....presence

The seemingly complex and confusing portions of our life are most often made clear as we open the door of our heart and enter His sanctuary. His ways are much higher than ours, "as the heavens are higher than the earth" Isaiah 55:9, and His true purpose cannot be understood without a heart dedicated to glorifying Him in worship.

We are called to a life of worship; and though we use the phrase "enter His sanctuary," I pray it comes as no surprise that the presence of God is not confined within the walls of our church buildings. We do not call Him "down" to join us as we sing our songs, and He is not any closer because of the outward expression of our worship.

"And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."Matthew 28:20

One of the last promises Jesus made was, though He was returning to the Father, He would always remain with us...to the very end! The presence of God is with us right now! He is as near in our most decorated centers of worship as He is when we are on the bus or alone in our car; "never will I leave you" Hebrews 13:5.

One of the great blessings most believers miss today is that our Heavenly Father is much closer than we realize: "If I go up to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in the depths, 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" Psalm 139:8-10. He is VERY near, and His great desire is that we join Him in an intimate and worshipful fellowship in whatever circumstances our day may bring.

We fellowship with our Creator by continually communing with Him throughout the day, whether in deep prayer or simple conversation. We must present EVERY thought, word, and deed at His feet as our absolute best offering of love. When impure thoughts or our deceitful tongue pulls us away, we should immediately turn, ask His forgiveness, and return to His presence. As impossible as this may seem, this is the worship God desires - and the worship He deserves. We ought to adopt this as our lifestyle today and continue until He takes us home.

His presence is available to every believer! Some jobs or home environments may pose a challenge, but He has promised to be with those who desire to walk with Him, regardless of the circumstances. Let's be determined to bring Him glory and honor, and love Him through ALL we do, say, and think. Let's be determined that for all our remaining days we will worship and live in His presence. 

- adapted from steve troxel

.....enter

The author of Psalm 73 wrote with words of frustration about the things he saw in the world. He could not understand how the wicked could be so carefree and yet so successful; "For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked" Psalm 73:3. He felt he may have even wasted his time in maintaining Godly values; "Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in innocence" Psalm 73:13. He kept searching for answers but found none until he returned to worship in the presence of God.

"When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me - till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood." Psalm 73:16-17

Many issues in our life simply cannot be resolved through our human understanding and reasoning. We often try to make sense of events in the world, or in our particular situation, only to discover there are no easy answers or solutions. But no matter how confusing our life may become, we must always remember we are a child of God - a child of the Creator of the Universe! "By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of His mouth" Psalm 36:6.

Our Heavenly Father does not function according to a set of human rules. He is not confined by our understanding of time or space, and He is certainly not guided by our set of values; "as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways" Isaiah 55:9. We must give God all of our mind as we seek to understand Him through His Word and study how He has moved throughout history; but we must also give Him all of our heart as we worship Him despite what we see, think, or feel. Only in the sanctuary of worship will we begin to truly understand.

We must come to our Heavenly Father with a heart-felt belief that being in His presence is more important than anything else in the world; "Whom have I in Heaven but You? And earth has nothing I desire besides You" Psalm 73:25. This type of passion allows us to draw near and begin to see the disconnected pieces of our life fit neatly into God's perfect plan.

Let's return to the place where He is everything we desire and all we really need. Let's worship Him with all our heart and begin to understand His wonderful plan for our life. Let's once and for all open the door and enter His sanctuary! 

- adapted from steve troxel

.....measure

God promises are to be found by those who will seek Him. But the qualifier is that He will be found by those who seek Him with ALL their heart; "you will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart" Jeremiah 29:13.

The consistent message through all of God's Word is that He is calling us back to a restored relationship with Himself - a relationship which is only possible through faith in Jesus. We enter in by His loving grace, but His expectation for this relationship is that, through faith, we give Him ALL of our heart.

If we desire this restored relationship with God - if we desire to truly "find" Him - then our heart must be fully devoted to Him; there can be no rivals or competing affections which pull us away. When Jesus was asked to name the most important commandment, He replied, "Love the Lord your God will all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength" Mark 12:30. All means ALL - no cheating or deceiving!

Our Heavenly Father desires that we give Him our love honestly and completely; "You must have accurate and honest weights and measures. For the Lord detests anyone who deals dishonestly" Deuteronomy 25:15-16. It's foolish to think we can cheat God and withhold even a small portion of our heart, for in doing so we ultimately cheat ourselves.

"Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."Luke 6:38

God has promised to bless those who come to Him with a true and uncompromising faith in Jesus. His blessings include the right to be called children of God, as well as the inheritance of eternal life. But His blessings also extend to our days on earth as we receive the gifts of true joy, peace, and contentment.

When we understand the concept of true blessings, it should not be surprising that the measure we receive from God is directly related to the measure we use to give back to Him. Our blessings graciously flow as we give Him our worship and obedience, as we desire to walk in His presence and praise Him with every breath.

Our dealings with God become dishonest and deceitful when we expect a full measure of His blessing of peace, clear direction, or even assurance and freedom from doubt, and yet we cheat Him with every measure we return. Let's be restored and truly receive the full measure of His blessing. Let's enter into His presence and, each and every day, give Him the full measure of our heart.

- adapted from steve troxel article

.....found

The Israelites continually rebelled and failed to devote their hearts to God. They sought pleasure and security in the world and turned to worship idols and false gods. And though God sent many messengers to call His children home, they refused to change. Finally, God allowed the armies of Babylon to destroy the temple and lead the people into seventy years of captivity. But even in this most severe discipline, God demonstrated His love and true desire for His Children to return Home.

"'I will come to you and fulfill My gracious promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.'"Jeremiah 29:10-13

God's plan has always been to give us hope and a future, to prosper us and keep us from harm, but His plan can never be separated from a life devoted to Him. There is no hope - no future or security - apart from resting in His arms. And the only lasting prosperity and peace comes as we walk in step with His Spirit. Why do we not trust Him to fully guide our path? And why do we seek His plan for our life without bothering to first seek Him?!

God's plan is for us to be restored to Him and glorify His name as we love Him with all our heart. All other plans regarding the specific circumstances of our existence flow out of His plan for a loving relationship filled with worship; "seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well" Matthew 6:33. Seek Him first!

Yes, He has promised a glorious future - not necessarily a future free of trouble, but a future filled with "the peace of God which transcends all understanding" Philippians 4:7, a future where we can learn real prosperity by "being content in any and every situation" Philippians 4:12. But this future can only be had by those who seek Him with all their heart.

Let's allow God to be the all-consuming top priority of our life. Let's diligently seek Him in times of quiet as well as in the midst of the endless multitude of daily activities. And let's be filled with hope and encouraged by His promise that as we faithfully seek Him with all our heart, He will be found!

- adapted from steve troxel article

.....outage

God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind 2 Timothy 1:7

The silence awakened me at 5:30 one morning. There was no gentle whir of fan blades, no reassuring hum from the refrigerator downstairs. A glance out the window confirmed that a power outage had left everyone in our neighborhood without electricity just as they would be preparing for work.

I realized that alarm clocks would not sound, and there would be no TV news. Coffee makers, toasters, hair dryers, and many telephones would be useless. Beginning a day without power was simply an inconvenience and a disruption of routine-but it felt like a disaster.

Then I thought of how often I rush into the day without spiritual power. I spend more time reading the newspaper than the Bible. Talk radio replaces listening to the Spirit. I react to difficult people and circumstances in a spirit of fear rather than the spirit of "power and of love and of a sound mind" that God has given us 2 Timothy 1:7. I must appear as spiritually unkempt as a person who dressed and groomed in the dark.

Our power outage was short-lived, but the lesson remains of my need to begin each day by seeking the Lord. His strength is not for my success or well-being, but so that I will glorify Christ by living in His power.

- david mccasland

.....cry

In the beginning, after the creation of the heavens and the earth, "God created man in His own image" Genesis 1:27. The image of God did not refer to our physical appearance but rather the character of our spirit. The spirit of man was created in the image of God for the purpose of bringing Him glory and dwelling with Him for all eternity; "God saw all that He had made, and it was very good" Genesis 1:31.

But when man sinned, a separation immediately formed with God; "they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden" Genesis 3:8. Though man was physically banished from the garden and forbidden to experience the joy of walking side by side with his Creator, and though sin and the resulting separation was inherited by all future generations, there forever remains a damaged spirit which longs to return home.

"How lovely is Your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God."Psalm 84:1-2 This passage was written by one who knew God and the joy of His presence. But the author also knew of man's inability to be satisfied with anything less.

Before we know God, we attempt to stop the cry with all sorts of pacifiers, but nothing satisfies. We pursue pleasures of the flesh, challenges of the mind, and advancement in status, but the cry remains. Sooner or later we realize that Solomon was correct when he said; "I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind" Ecclesiastes 1:14.

Many things of this world are worthwhile as they are done for the glory of God; but in the sense that they attempt to satisfy, they are all meaningless. The ONLY answer to the unsettled and restless longing deep within our soul is to return to a restored relationship with God. When we place our life in the Father's Hands through faith in Jesus, He gives us His Spirit and says, Welcome Home! "The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children" Romans 8:16. And as we learn to walk in this restored relationship, we will finally be at peace.

There are so many things of this world which can occupy our time and consume our thoughts, but none that will truly satisfy. Our search can continue until our time on earth is gone, but the emptiness will remain. Let's return to the Father today and live the rest of our days fully devoted to loving Him. Let's put an end to the chasing and wandering, and finally allow God to satisfy the cry of our heart.

- steve troxel

.....waiting

Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him. Psalm 37:7

A Christian couple was deeply distressed because their married son and his family had quit going to church and were giving God no place in their lives. As their friend, I advised them to continue showing love, to pray, and to avoid starting arguments. But at the family's annual Christmas gathering, the father gave his son a lecture in the presence of the other siblings. The son and his family left in anger and broke off all contact with his parents.

It's hard to rely on prayer alone when you want something to happen right now. But that is what Nehemiah did. He was distraught by the news that the Israelites in Jerusalem were in grave danger Nehemiah 1:3-4. He was a man with great leadership ability and in a favorable position to receive help from the king he served, so he was eager to help his people. 

But he knew that he could be executed for coming into the presence of a Persian king without being invited. Therefore, though he had asked God to give him the opportunity immediately, he trusted God enough to wait. Four months later, the king opened the door for him to make his request Nehemiah 2:1-8.

It's not always easy to be patient, but God can be trusted. 'Wait patiently for Him!"

"Delay is not denial -  pray on!!!"

- dave langerfeld

.....motivated

God has called us to be His witnesses and "ministers of a new covenant" 2 Corinthians 3:6. Our mission field may span the globe or be focused on a few, but our ministries are all the same: we are to glorify God as we proclaim the true gospel of Christ through our words as well as the actions of our life.

If you have dedicated your life to following Jesus, you ARE in full time ministry!! Ministry work can be extremely rewarding as we share the truth and witness real change in the life of someone God places in our mission field. However, ministry work can also be very frustrating and discouraging whenever we forget the reason for our ministry and take our eyes off the One we serve.

We speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts. We were not looking for praises from men, not from you or anyone else 1 Thessalonians 2:4,6

God has entrusted us with His gospel message, and we must minister out of an obedience to this trust and a desire to glorify Him in all we do. We are setting ourselves up for failure anytime we become motivated by results or praise. God will often bless us and confirm His leading with fruit in our ministry, but our focus and motivation must always remain on loving Him through our simple obedience. He has called and we must follow for a lifetime, regardless of the result of each individual step.

We must serve and trust that God will bring the harvest in His perfect timing; "for the battle is not yours, but God's" 2 Chronicles 20:15. These are God's battles and ultimately His harvest. Our job is to simply enter the field, plow, and continue to scatter seed. The praises of men will come and go, but the joy of knowing that God is glorified by our obedience is steady and unshakable.

Our efforts may sometimes seem futile, and we may feel completely unqualified, but we must continue - we have been "approved by God!" Our love and encouragement toward others may appear to have minimal effect, but a small nudge today can cause a lifetime of change. An offer of prayer can give renewed hope, and a simple testimony of God's faithfulness in times of trial can soften a heart to the saving gospel of Jesus.

As each of us enter the mission field, God will use us to change the lives of those He places in our path. One day, when we stand in His presence, we may be allowed to see the true impact of our service. But until that time, we must simply continue to serve and be motivated by obedience.

- adapted from steve troxel

.....vision

After entering the promised land, the Israelites were ruled by a series of Judges. This time was characterized by God's discipline when the hearts of His children turned away, and deliverance when they repented and cried out for help. Unfortunately, this cycle was repeated many times! Deborah led the Israelites to forty years of peace, but then; "the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and for seven years He gave them into the hands of the Midianites" Judges 6:1.

After seven years of oppression, "Midian so impoverished the Israelites that they cried out to the Lord for help" Judges 6:6. The Israelites were living in such fear that when God answered their cry and called Gideon to be the next deliverer of Israel, he was "threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites" Judges 6:11. Gideon would eventually lead a small army to victory and rule Israel for another forty years; but when God first called, he was fearfully sifting grain for his next loaf of bread.

"The Lord turned to him and said, 'Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?' '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 6:14-15

Gideon was scared and saw himself as one with little worth, "the least in my family," 

but God saw the next brave leader of a nation. 

Gideon saw weakness, but God saw strength. 

Gideon saw his past failures, but God saw the future victories of a mighty warrior. 

Gideon's vision required him to fearfully work for his next loaf, but God's vision was calling Gideon to boldly lead many others closer to His side.

God sees each of us much differently than we see ourselves; "Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart" 1 Samuel 16:7. Not only does God see deeper, He sees with an expanded spiritual spectrum which we can scarcely imagine. Our Father is intimately aware of all our failings...and He loves us anyway! He not only sees who we are, but also who we will become as our heart is fully devoted to Him and we learn to walk in step with His Spirit. He sees every opportunity we will ever have to glorify His name.

Let's put aside the baggage of our past which clouds and distorts our view. Let's refuse to look through the filter of our present understanding and perceived limitations; "fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen" 2 Corinthians 4:18. 

God has called us into His Glorious Kingdom, uniquely equipped us for His service, and given us an assignment to share His love and truth. Our Heavenly Father sees our full potential as we walk in His strength. Let's answer the call and move forward with confidence as we trust His vision. 

- steve troxel

.....mission

The apostles were instructed by the best Teacher the world has ever known; they witnessed the miracles of Jesus' life as well as His death and resurrection. It had been forty days since Jesus walked victoriously out of the tomb, and He was now returning to the loving arms of His Father. But first, Jesus visited with His friends one last time and gave them a charge which would last the rest of their lives.

You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth Acts 1:8

Jesus' death initiated the new covenant agreement between God and man; "this cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you" Luke 22:20. And on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was given to all who believed and had entered into this new covenant. Jesus' final instruction to the apostles was for them to be witnesses of this message of hope - to take this message of the new covenant in Christ and the power of His Spirit into the mission field.

Jesus defined the mission field as "to the ends of the earth," meaning the extent of the known world, but He also said to witness "in all Judea and Samaria", and "in Jerusalem". Jesus was saying: Wherever you go - whether near or far - be My witness and boldly proclaim the good news; "He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant" 2 Corinthians 3:6.

All who truly profess Jesus as Lord and Savior have been sealed and empowered by His Spirit and are now to be witnesses of the Gospel; "We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us" 2 Corinthians 5:20. Our mission field will not necessarily be in a foreign land, or with a different language, but it WILL be filled with those who need to hear, see, taste, and feel the message of Jesus. And our life ought to be a clear demonstration of that message!

We should praise God for the missionaries in foreign lands. They are accomplishing a vital service and need our prayers and support - and perhaps some of us are being called right now to join in this vital service in a deeper way! But we should also praise God for ALL who faithfully look for the hurting and lonely, who seek out those in need of love and encouragement, who minister the love of Jesus and proclaim His message through all they do...right where they are!

"I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest" John 4:35. The field is all around us - in our church, our neighborhood, our workplace...even in our own family! Let's accept the charge today to be faithful ambassadors and proclaim the good news wherever He leads. Let's boldly step out in faith and enter the mission field!

- adapted from steve troxel