1 Peter 4:17 – “For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?”

As I read, prayed, and pondered the Word of God today, something was stirring in my heart that made me weep.  What was that?

Attitudes!  None of us can truly see inside another’s heart and know it.  We can see actions, hear words, and note their attitudes.  We can make a determination about the condition of their heart by the fruit. However, if we evaluate the fruit based on our opinion, doctrine, and preference, we may wrongly evaluate its condition and intention.

What if they are deceived, misinformed, misguided, or operating out of hurt? They may still believe in God and want to serve Jesus, but have stumbled. Even if they have, out of anger, hurt, or surrender to the flesh, erred, is it God’s heart to kill them?

1 Peter 4:17 is an important guide.  Today, there are ministers (big names and no names) falling into sin. That is tragic! That makes me weep!  The question is, what is our response and attitude toward them?   Matthew 18 gives us a pattern. Galatians 6:1 reveals God’s heart.

Do we sever them from the body with railing words?  I hear some lash out with sneers and almost glee that these are being exposed in known sin. Is that the heart of God?    I preach hell with a broken heart!  We do need to sound the alarm when danger is present. We do need to teach truth, which exposes the false.

Love covers a multitude of sins.  Covers (not hides) but covers as in shielding to give space to be healed and restored. What is our motive in our judgment and proclaiming their fall?  Is there something inside us that smirks and has a feeling of gladness that they are being taken down?

We are the Body of Christ.  We are to seek restoration.  If I rip someone to shreds, how can I be a vehicle of restoration?  I don’t need to shred personalities to speak against evil, sin, or error.   Is my heart the heart of Jesus?  Is my heart breaking over every person who goes astray? Is the longing of my heart to restore?  Am I looking for ways to reach and restore them?

Lord, help me to be humble and repentant like the publican in Jesus’ parable, not proud and judgmental like the Pharisee.   Lord, help me to weep over sin, that in others and in me.  Help me to pray for and strive for restoration, and never have even a smidgen of gladness that someone is exposed.

Lord, help us to love as You love!  Help us to view others, considering ourselves, knowing we too could be in that condition.  Help us to not to have a false sense of spirituality, thinking that could never be me!  Help us to remember we are flesh and only by Your Grace can we stand.  Help us to stand in the gap for others!

May today be a day of restoration and rejoicing!

Psalm 27:11 – “Teach me Your way, O LORD, and lead me in a level path because of my foes.”

As I read, prayed, and mused on the Word of God, the Psalms moved me.   I began with Psalm 23 and saw the LORD in His true nature.   To grasp His character, we have to study the Middle Eastern shepherd.

The overwhelming desire of God to provide is unfathomable to the minds of humans.  We say it.  We testify of it, but our thoughts, words, and deeds reveal our lack of reception.

In Him, there is no lack.  Not because we get everything we want, but because if He is our shepherd, we have perfect peace and trusting contentment.  If we live life through the lens of the flesh, pride, greed, and ego will consume us.  Our focus will be on our wants or perceived needs, not on His supply.  Peace will evaporate, and we will struggle to reconcile what we know with what we have.

The school of life has rough spots. Our prayers (not founded on His purposes but are out of our desires and perceived needs) go unanswered.  The answer came, but our focus on us blinded us from the better answer.  The promise is that even in the deepest struggles and challenges of life, God is our shepherd. He is there, and where He is, there is peace.  The table in the presence of enemies is not a heavenly reward; it is a life reward. It is empowering to overcome.

Then, Psalm 24:1 reminds us that everything, including us, our lives, and our plans, belongs to God!  Psalm 27:11 is a prayer and a revelation. The Psalmist asked to be taught God’s ways and… And?  To be lead in a level path.   

Why a level path?  Was it for ease?  No!  It was so that he could focus on God, on dealing with the conflict, rather than having to divide his focus to include the uneven struggles of the mountains, hills, and rocks.  With a level path where there was surefootedness, he could focus on the fight, not the path.

God never fails the faithful. He answers our prayers. Remember Paul’s dilemma in 2 Corinthians 12?   The messenger of Satan, the thorn in his flesh?  He prayed 3 times for God to remove it.  He was asking for victory over the problem.  God answered his prayer, just not the way he desired or thought was needed. “My grace is sufficient, and My strength is perfected…” It is when we know that we can’t that we trust Him and learn the inexhaustibility of His provision.

Your prayers are being answered, look at how and rejoice!  You can see IF He truly becomes your shepherd.

LORD, make our paths level so we can focus on You!

2 Corinthians 6:1-2 –  “And working together with Him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain— ² for He says, “At the acceptable time I listened to you, And on the day of salvation I helped you.”  Behold, now is “the acceptable time,” behold, now is “the day of salvation.”

Today, as I read, prayed, and pondered the Word of God, I heard a word that I heard days ago as I sought A Word From God!  I heard one word was “NOW!”   It was emphatic but with no explanation.  It had a sense of urgency but no details.  It had a feeling of life or death but no clarity.  What am I to think when God says in response to my prayer for A Word from Him, “Now!”

Today, in 2 Corinthians 6:2, I read these words: “At the acceptable time, I listened to you, and on the Day of Salvation, I helped you,” BEHOLD, “Now” is “The Acceptable Time,” BEHOLD, “Now” is “The Day of Salvation.”   

Today, I heard “No More Delay!”  We are in the Last of the Last Days! It doesn’t matter if we believe it or not, It Is!   Plans and preparation are good, but there comes a time to step out in faith and dare to do what God said to do.  Does it seem impossible, daunting, beyond our capability, and outside the scope of our wherewithal? Good!  That’s exactly what God planned.

If we can, in our ability, then we will not learn to pray and trust as is needed. When it is Impossible, in order to continue, we must learn to depend on God.  What is our ultimate objective in life?  I can’t give you the answer; that’s yours.   If Anything hinders total surrender, it needs to be sacrificed on the altar to God.

If the Day of Salvation is NOW, and the transition from the temporal to the eternal could begin NOW for people, what is to be our focus? 

In every detail of our lives, we are His witnesses, good or bad.  What I am sensing is NOW, no delay! What is in your heart? Who is on your heart? What is the cry of your soul?  NOW – No Delay!  Whatever you are waiting for before you step into His call is a hindrance and needs to be repented of and sacrificed on the altar to God.   We need Nothing outside of God.  He will provide Everything! He is our source!

LORD, help us be ready for action NOW!

Psalm 3:3 – “But You, O Lord, are a shield about me, My glory, and the One who lifts my head.”

As I read, prayed, and mused on the Word of God, something from Psalm 3 exploded in my spirit: God’s Covering.  In verse 3, we read that God is our shield. What does a shield do? It protects!   We also discover that God lifts our heads.  That suggests that He provides for and promotes us to the place He desires for the purpose He desires.

Then, He answers our prayers positively and gives us peace.  We go through life confident that we are kept, sustained, and provided for!   Fear is banished because of all that. How can we be afraid of anything when we know we are protected and provided for?

Paul, in 1 Corinthians 15, gives us the foundation for that revelation and provides the key to life.  First things first, begin at the beginning.  Jesus died for our sins, rose from the dead to complete the sacrifice of purchase.

Because He arose from the dead, we have access to the provisions of Psalm 3 and every other promise made to us.  Psalm 1 becomes our guarantee: Psalm 91, our hope; Psalm 23, our provision, and Isaiah 61, our goal.

We have the confidence, courage, and conviction that because He did what He did to redeem us, we are redeemed, transformed, empowered, and equipped to overcome.  His covenant with us joins us to all He is and has! We lack nothing, and our only hindrance is limited thinking.

So, rise up and receive what He has promised and provided. You are, so be!

Cover us, O Lord, and keep us safe!

Job 32:10, 17 – “So I say, ‘Listen to me, I too will tell what I think.’ ¹⁷ “I too will answer my share, I also will tell my opinion.”

 Life can be confusing, difficult, and mysterious, filled with uncertainties and questions.  However, there are some constants!  God is love!  God loves us!   As I read, prayed, and meditated on the Word of God, my heart was stirred. Reading in Job 32, we encounter the fourth of Job’s comforters.  A man God did not even reference at the end.  The chief characteristics of this comforter or confronter were arrogance and self-righteousness.  He was a Pharisee before there were Pharisees.

He began by doing what most have done.  He got angry over views inconsistent with a theology he did not ascribe to.   He said in verse 10, “Listen to me, I too will tell you what I THINK.”   He reaffirmed that in verse 17, “I also will tell my OPINION.”

Just because we think something does not mean it is 100% correct to the exclusion of all other views.  That’s our world today, and it is just as prevalent in the church as in the world.  In verse 20, his true focus is revealed: “Let me speak that I may get relief…” That’s the true objective – HIMSELF!

The apostle Paul addressed that in 1 Corinthians 8:1 – “Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies.”  In 1 Corinthians 10:12, we have a powerful revelation and truth. “Therefore, let him who THINKS he stands take heed lest he fall.”   If we forget by whom we stand, we become self-righteous and doomed to failure, arrogance, and pride.

That verse is the context for verse 13, which gives us hope in trials. Then we should learn from the past that others endured, and in every case, it was not human ability, wisdom, or willpower but God’s grace that brought them through.  

Therefore, verse 13 is our iron-clad promise from God!   We can make it IF… if we depend on God and humbly surrender.   1 Corinthians 10:17 brings it all into focus – we are part of The Body of Christ.  Our stewardship is caring for each other.  Our life goal is verse 31 – Everything we do is to be for the glory of God.

We don’t know it all, and what we know must be applied through LOVE or with and in LOVE!  All of us struggle.  All of us need others.  All of us fail. ALL OF US!   Therefore, we need grace and need to know that we don’t know it all.  Your knowledge helps me grow in my knowledge and strengthens me for the journey. We are THE BODY OF CHRIST!

LORD, help us to embrace the constants of life and know that You are God and You are Love and You Love us!