October 23, 2014 Trusting and Hoping

Scripture
Job 13:15 Though He slay me, yet I will trust in Him. Nevertheless I will argue my ways before Him.  

Observation
What is my response and posture before God when trials and adversity hit my life, my home?  Do I trust and hope in God like Job?  Only God has been able to give me the strength and grace to put my trust in Him in the most difficult of times.  Job lost everything . . . and was able to say . . . yet I will trust, I will hope in Him.  
When our 17 year old son died in our arms on Father's Day morning 1990, this verse in Job came to my mind.  
God is Sovereign; He loves me even when darkness overtakes me.   He is with me in the darkness.  He weeps with me, and comforts me when I grieve.  I can go to God and make my defense, argue, and bring my complaint to Him.  Whatever I need to say, face to face with my Savior, I know I can trust Him and He will hear my cry.  In the end, I hope, I trust and I say, 'not my will Lord, but Your will be done.  Blessed be the Lord who gives life, and blessed be the Lord who takes life away.  Blessed be the Lord.'  

Application
Trust and hope in God in all things.  Not death, nor life, nor anything else in all creation will ever be able to separate me from His love.  (Romans 8:38-39)

Prayer 
Father, I can still say these words after these many years of walking with You, 'though You slay me, I will hope and trust in You.'  You are faithful O God.  May my life glorifyYou and no matter what I face in the day to day, may You find me trusting and hoping in You.  In Jesus Name, I give You thanks with a grateful heart.  A-men.

LISTEN and OBEY

Scripture
Zechariah 7:11-13
But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears from hearing. They made their hearts like flint, so they could not hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts had sent by His Spirit...and just as He called and they would NOT listen, so they called and I would not listen says the Lord of hosts.

Observation
If we refuse to listen and hear the words from the Lord, so then He will not listen when we call to Him.  The condition of our heart is at stake when we turn away from hearing God.  It turns like flint, hard, cold, and unwilling to receive anything from God.

Application
Guard your heart!  Do not set yourself in childish posture and have an attitude when God is speaking.  Receive His blessing and favor but also receive instruction and correction.  Obey His words.  When God speaks, don't cup your hands over your ears and sing 'la la la la la la la' and turn your back on Him.  LISTEN and follow through by obeying.

Prayer
What are You saying Lord?  Help me to hear.  Deal with any attitudes that keep me from hearing Your call.  I turn my ear to You and ask that You help me to hear.  Listen.  Obey.  May my ear be tuned to You Lord and let me not me a forgetful unwilling hearer of Your Word.  Help me be one who is a 'do'-er of Your word with a softened heart ready to do Your will.

September 15, 2014 Come to Life - 'La Chaim'

Scripture
Psalm 145:18-20
The Lord is near to all who call on Him. To all who call Him in truth .  He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him.  He hears their cry and saves them.  The Lord watches over all who love Him.  but all the wicked will He destroy.

Observation  
The Word says that the Lord is near; with me, present, at hand.  He is ready to hear me and answer me right when I call.  Those who love and reverence the Lord He will give the desires of their heart.  God will take care of the wicked of this world; they will be destroyed.

Application
Draw near to God.  Come near to Him.  Honor Him. I can trust Him.

Prayer
Father, God Most High, I trust in You.  I trust in Your Word.  I draw near to You and say I love You.  Thank You for turning Your ear to me when I cry out to You.   I prophesy over these dry bones and say to them, "O dry bones!  Behold the Lord God Almighty will cause breath to enter me and I will come to life by the power of Your Holy Spirit.  You will put Your Spirit in me and I will begin to rise up!"  A-men.

September 2, 2014 The Source

Scripture  
Revelation 7:17
For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd.  He will lead them to springs of living water.  And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.

Observation
Jesus is the Lamb!  He is the Good Shepherd. He leads us to springs of living water.  He comforts us in trials of life.  He is the source of living water!  He wipes the tears that we cry.

Application
Come and drink.  Come to Jesus and believe, and drink of the living water.  Receive His love and grace and be filled.  Trust Him, obey Him, walk with Him and my thirst for God will be quenched.  He meets all my needs and He leads me in the way I should go.  He cares for me, and comforts me even to the point of wiping away my tears.

Prayer
God of Glory I give You thanks for leading me to the springs of living water; to Jesus Christ.  In my search for You, I have been so dry and thirsty and found that You alone are the Source.  The God of my Salvation, the Good Shepherd, the Living Water has brought me life in abundance.  Overflow me with Your love.   As I dig into Your word, may I uncover pools of refreshing and cleansing.  May I commit to the long process of discovery of Your treasures found in Your Word.  Help me to learn to dig deeper and reach a depth I could never imagine in my limited thinking.  I want to know You more.  In Jesus Name, A-men.

Gone Fishing

Sripture  John 21:3-6
Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will also come with you.” They went out and got into the boat; and that night they caught nothing.  But when the day was now breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.  So Jesus said to them, “Children, you do not have any fish, do you?” They answered Him, “No.”  And He said to them, “ Cast the net on the right- hand side of the boat and you will find a catch.” So they cast, and then they were not able to haul it in because of the great number of fish.

Observation The disciples decide to go back to the ‘familiar’.  Peter said, “I am going fishing”; and the others follow.  What else are they going to do?  But they caught nothing.They did not recognize Jesus – the man calling from the beach, asking, “You don’t have fish, do you?”  They had no fish; it was true.Interesting, the disciples had gone back to fishing, their familiar vocation; they were after all, fishermen.  They loved to fish.  But they caught no fish.  But Jesus was there in their midst – though they did not recognize Him.  It wasn’t until they obeyed what He said, when they threw their nets to the right side of the boat and caught 153 large fish – that their eyes were opened!  It was Jesus!God’s miracle power was manifested in what they were doing in their day to day.

Application  Expect and experience God’s power and be open to the miraculous dimensions of life that God wants to demonstrate in and through me.  God is with me, though I may not recognize His Presence, He is here!

Prayer  Father, there are times it seems that I have gone back to ‘fishing” – babysitting, caring for little ones like I did for so many years.  Only now, it’s grandchildren!  There are days, it feels like I’m not very successful at accomplishing anything worthwhile.  Yet my ear is attentive to You Lord, and I’m open to Your miracle working power in whatever I am doing.  God You are able.  I am willing.In Jesus Name, be glorified in my life I pray.
A-men.  (Thank you JLL for your fine illustration of 'Gone Fishing', 1990 UCSF)

It Works!

Ezekiel 3:5-6  Take unto your heart all My words which I will speak to you and listen closely.  
Isaiah 30:8 Now go, write it on a tablets before them and inscribe it on a scroll, that it may serve in the time to come as a witness forever
Jeremiah 30:2  Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, "Write all the words which I have spoken to you in a book.  

How many of us can even remember what we had for lunch last Saturday, let alone recall something God may have spoken or revealed to us through His Word that we read 2 weeks ago?

Do you know that the most successful weight loss programs require you to keep a food & exercise diary to show you what you've eaten as well as the calories and values of each food item & the time you exercised to condition your body?  Everything is recorded!  When you keep a record of it, you become mindful of what's going into your body and the exercise you are doing - all for better results!  
It works!

What about our spiritual health and growth? If we want to take to heart the things God speaks to us in His Word, we will read it and then write down what He said to us!  Keeping a journal helps us to pay better attention to what we are reading and to listen more closely to what God may want to say.  

I, for one, want to remember the blessings as well as the life lessons I am learning.  Be proactive in the health of your body, your mind, and your spirit.   May God be glorified in all we do.  

How do I journal?  I use the S.O.A.P. method.  It's easy, to the point, and it can be short or long.  

S = Scripture
O = Observation
A = Application
P = Prayer
Journaling is good - very good.  Try it - you'll like it.  
It works!

Walk Your Talk

Scripture
Matthew 23:1-3  Then Jesus said to the crowds and to His disciples:  "The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat.  So you must be careful to do everything they tell you.  But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.

Observation
Jesus speaks to the people telling them to do everything the teachers are telling them to do, but cautions them 'don't do what they are doing'.  They are not living what they say.  Everything they do is done for the people to see, putting on a big show outwardly, but their hearts are far from God.  They are blind guides, full of dead men's bones.  No life, only the appearance of righteousness - but nothing right about it.

Application
There was a time in my early teen life that I sometimes would question something my dad would say for me not to do - then I would see him doing the very thing he told me not to do.  "How come I shouldn't do this, and you are doing it?"  His response was,  "Do as I say, not as I do."  It left me angry and confused when he would say that.
After I had given my heart to God, back in 1970 - I was about 20 years old, married, had a little boy of my own, I felt like I needed to have a conversation with my dad about some unfinished things that had left me bitter and unforgiving towards him.  
I said, "Dad, I just want you to know I love you, and I forgive you for all the hurts and confusion you caused in my life, and I hope you will forgive me for the pain and heartache I may have caused you.  I wasn't the best daughter.  I'm sorry."  
He was quiet, and then he surprised me - he cried.  He told me he was sorry he messed up being a dad.  He made mistakes, a lot of them.  I forgave him.  We hugged and cried together.  It wasn't long afterwards that my dad became a believer in Jesus Christ and found forgiveness, mercy, unconditional love and grace.  
The Pharisees' were not good examples for the people and Jesus said - obey their words, but don't act the way they do.  It's not right.  
God wants me to 'walk my talk'.  Always - to do what He says, and to do what I have seen Him do. Jesus is my example.  

Prayer
Father, thank You that I was raised in a home that though my father and mother were far from perfect and made lots of mistakes - they loved me, corrected me, and tried their best to teach me right from wrong.  Yes, they sent mixed signals, had double standards, and really were not very good role models - but You were able to use my parents in my life to help me find my way to You.  I searched for You and I found You.  And then they found You too.

My boys are men now, and pretty much I've made my own share of mistakes - they probably have already told on me to You.  But if it helps them find You, then it's a good thing I am their mom.  
It's not too late to influence my grandkids - so for that I ask for help and guidance.  If I say no to them - then it's a no for me too.  I need Your strength and Your Holy Spirit to pattern my life, values, attitudes, and behaviors in such a way that will effect the generations to come so they will turn their hearts to You.
Thank You for Your love and grace and for Your forgiveness when I've acted like a pharisee.  Guard my heart I pray.  In Jesus Name, A-men.

John 13:12 So when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.