Exodus 20:12 – “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you.” NKJV

The event that prompted this devotional article was in a store some time back. I had the misfortune of being behind a young woman, in the check-out line, that had a brat in tow.  That child was not only demonstrating incredible unruliness but disrespect to a level that caused the hair on the back of my neck to stand up, but I held my tongue.  The mother was clearly distraught and struggling with the cost of what she had in her basket.  I know that from her appearance, and what she said to the child. 

The child was demanding several items that she had not put in the basket and she calmly tried to explain that it was not something that they could afford at this time and since it was near time to have lunch he could have no candy.  He threw a fit and said, “You b**** you are just no good.”  My face turned red in indignation (righteous or not).  I had to restrain myself from speaking but I did and prayed silently for the mother and the child.  She had tears well up in her eyes but did not move with anger toward the child.  Her approach was to attempt to ignore his ranting which was becoming noticed by people in our line and several lines over and I could tell others were having the same reaction as I.

I will confess that if that had been me with one of mine when we have rushed out of the store, if we made it that far, and he would have experienced the board of correction on his backside.  Criticize me if you desire and think less of me if you will but I believe that there is a time for corporal punishment and that was one of those.  I cannot imagine saying anything like that to either of my parents.  It would not have been tolerated and I had enough respect for them to never go there.  Oh, there were times they made me angry and I totally disagreed with them but I never failed to “honor them” and “respect them” even if there were times when out of their sight I did not “obey them.”

My maternal grandfather lived to be almost 101, and one of the things he instilled in me from the earliest memories of him was, you “respected” and “honored” your parents.  My parents taught me the same thing.  I have and have had visible examples of people fulfilling this commandment and longevity.  I believe that one of the rewards to be enjoyed is a long life.  No, I am not saying that those who die early did not honor their parents but incorporated in that blessing is the hope of longevity! 

I realize that some have had parents that are completely dishonorable yet still gave them honor as the parent.  I am not suggesting that you blindly obey whatever is said by a person of that ilk, but you can give them honor without allowing them to negatively shape your life.  But to call your mother a “B****” is TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE! That mother and child both need help.  The child needs someone to get his attention and explain right and wrong and the mother needs guidance in giving “tough love” and “discipline” to that unruly child.  If she and her husband fail to do so that child is being abused in a way that is even worse than some physical abuse and I do not condone or tolerate that.

Children – Honor your father and mother.  Parents –Teach your children discipline.  Family –help the younger parents be able to provide consistent, godly, discipline and in so doing you are LOVING THE CHILD more than you will possibly ever know.

May God be with you as you go through your day!

1 Corinthians 3:1-4 – “And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; 3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? 4 For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?” NKJV

I do not desire to offend, but many if not most of us have known, been a part of, or encountered Christian groups who truly believe they are the “Select of the Elect”. If you do not align your beliefs with theirs they deem you either not saved or 2nd class citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven.  Too often, groups will put particular identifiers in their declaration of who they are.  We call ourselves “full gospel” as though we had a corner on the gospel and as mere mortals could somehow capture the fullness of the gospel.  We call ourselves “holiness” and if I am not mistaken, the Bible calls for everyone to “Be Holy for He is Holy”.  We call ourselves “Missionary, Primitive, Southern, Reformed, etc.” or some other descriptor in our name as a badge of honor.  We call ourselves “The Church of…” whatever as though we are the ONLY ones who are.  I realize that I’m treading on thin ice now but consider what Paul said to the Church at Corinth on this matter.

Paul told the listeners that he could not come to them with a spiritual diet because of their carnality. He went on to inform them that their carnality was directly connected to sectarianism.  Our divisions, fighting over petty doctrines of men causes more harm than good in the Kingdom.  The Kingdom of God is not meat or drink and God shows no partiality nor does He have favorites.  The strife and divisions where one says, “I’m Baptist, Methodist, Episcopal, Charismatic, Holiness, Pentecostal, etc.” usually provide more basis for division than unity in the Lord Jesus Christ. 

I fully believe that on matters essential to salvation and the reality of God the Bible is clear.  On many of the dividing matters, we tend to fight over and divide over are significantly unimportant to the overall objective of the Kingdom of God.  I am sure some will disagree.  For the most part, the identifiers in our names are to attract those who agree with us more than they are designed to advance the Kingdom of God and reach the world.

We are to be the Body of Christ not isolated unrelated parts.  Can you imagine a human body trying to function where the feet said to the hands, “If you want that glass of water, then you find a way to the table…”  Imagine the heart saying to the lungs, “If you want blood pump it yourself…” or vice versa the lungs telling the heart, “If you want oxygen learn to breathe…”  NO!  Each member of the human body is dependent upon and works in harmony with the other members of the body.  All the members do not look the same, they do not function the same, they do not have the same individual objectives and if they could express ideology as to what is most important I am quite sure they would give us very differing opinions.

We must stand against the wiles of the devil. The enemy who desires to divide us and thereby conquer us or hinder our progress.  If we do great exploits as isolated individual groups consider how much more could we do if we lost the sectarianism. How much more impactful would we be if we labored in the Harvest as a unit with a common objective of Proclaiming the Good News to the Entire World!   Of course, the various groups have a benefit.  They provide a means of fellowshipping with people who think alike and have the same primary objectives religiously or spiritually.  That is not all bad but when we allow it to divide and cause division, strife, envy, and bickering it is.   All I am saying is rather than view ourselves as THE let’s consider ourselves as A.  We are not THE CHURCH we are part of THE CHURCH!  The Church belongs to Him and we are living stones within that building He is assembling.

God bless you as you go through this day!

1 John 2:1-2 – “My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.”  NKJV

I have a preacher friend who adds, “If we sin?  No, when we sin…”  He then usually says, “Some hold varying doctrinal views regarding grace, salvation, eternal security, etc.  We believe in backsliding as evidenced by how frequently we practice it.”  He was serious yet attempting to add some levity and call attention to the humanness of mankind.  I would tend to agree it is more likely, “When” rather than “If” for most of us of today.

The truth presented by John was not focused on “if” or “when” but the Hope of an Advocate.  We have the one who paid the price for our sin standing before Heaven’s Throne having poured out His sacrificial blood interceding for us.  If you can have a lawyer you want one that has influence, authority, and knowledge.  You want an advocate who has standing with the court and in this case, the legitimate right to plea for leniency and mercy.  He died to obtain it and “if” or “when” we miss the mark and fall short He is there to plead our case for us.  Not to justify our sin but to identify our repentance and therefore extend the olive branch of mercy offering His blood to cover our failure.

I believe it is biblical to strive for a sinless life.  I also understand that we are flawed vessels and although we should be and are maturing in grace, we still have the potential of missing the mark.  I had someone tell me once, “If you sin after you claimed to be saved it is evidence you were never truly saved.”  They believe that once you have accepted Christ as your Savior there is no longer the possibility of sinning in your nature for you have been transformed and as a transformed being, you are now incapable of sin.  If that were the case this passage would not exist. 

I long to be righteous at all times and in all things. Yet we can take heart the words of the apostle Paul in his address to the Philippian church in 3:12-14 where he informed them of his humanity.  He revealed that he recognized he had not reached a state of perfection but had turned his back on the past and continually reaching for the Hope in Christ.  He was pressing toward the mark or goal, the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.  Although he missed the mark, at times, his ambition was spiritual perfection, and when he failed, he did not justify it but pressed toward that which was afforded by the Cross.

I am not perfect.  I’m sure that is no shock to anyone and while I refuse to justify my imperfections spiritually with, “I’m only human” I also recognize that “if” or “when” I fail it is not final for I have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous.  In Him, I live and move and have my being.  I am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed to Him against that day.  I am incredibly comforted with the knowledge that I have an Advocate with the Father.

God bless you and make this day productive!

Proverbs 3:5-8 – “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil.  8 It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.”  NKJV

When we know the Will of God for our lives and are convinced of that will we, can give thanks in all things!  That is a powerful place spiritually and affords us such peace that people will often wonder about us and possibly seek to know our secret.

In Colossians 1:12-13, the apostle Paul speaks of “giving thanks unto the Father who has… made us FIT [capable] to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light; Who has delivered us from the power of darkness, and has translated us into the Kingdom of His dear Son.”  Paul is not saying maybe, he is saying God has already made us capable or fit, in Jesus, to be partakers of our inheritance. 

That is not a promise to be realized after we die and go to heaven It Is NOW!  In Colossians 4:12, Paul instructed, “Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ salutes you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand PERFECT and COMPLETE in ALL the Will of God.”  [Emphasis mine].  Paul’s prayer was for them and us to KNOW and DO the Will of God for our lives.  Clearly, it is possible to Know the Will of God else why pray such a prayer?

In Romans 12:1-2, an often-quoted passage, we read, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”   Transformed by the renewing of our minds is a powerful image and is the same word used to describe what happened to Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration.  God remolds our minds from within.

When God transforms us in our minds, we think differently than we have ever thought.  I heard an illustration that fits in illustrating this truth and reality.  Imagine a little boy looking through a knothole in a fence at a parade going by on the street. He can see only a small portion of the parade at any given time.  If he sees a clown, he is full of laughter and joy but if he sees a lion he is filled with trepidation and fear.  If there is a space between the band and the acrobats, he may think the parade is over.  It would or could be a very frustrating experience attempting to evaluate a parade only based on what he can or cannot see at any given moment. 

Then suppose his big brother invites him to the top of the fence where he can see the entire parade, not just small segments, his view would be completely different.  Sadly, too often we are viewing life through a knothole and our elder brother Jesus is inviting us to rise to the top of the fence and see what He sees.  Ephesians 2:6, “And (He) has raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” 

Someone said to me, “Keep looking up!”  I said, “No, I need to keep looking down because I am sitting with Jesus in heavenly places and am not under the circumstances but looking down on them from God’s perspective.”   Isaiah 55:8-9, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the Lord.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Sometimes people see a promise in Scripture and claim it only to find that those they love, and respect do not respond positively.  Then, over time, they lose heart and begin to complain, “Ever since I began to claim God’s Promise, things have gotten worse.”  Well, Praise the Lord!  I had a preacher tell me once, “The man who is angry is nearer to God than the man who is indifferent.”  Romans 12:2 gives a practical outline for mind renewal.  Do not let the world squeeze you into its mold and embrace the changing of your mind by the Spirit of God.  Romans 12:1, tells us exactly how to do that.  We do so by deliberately giving our bodies as a living sacrifice to God, we open the door for God’s transformation to sweep through our entire beings.

We can fear the Will of God or embrace it and in embracing it we will find that it requires a Complete Overhaul or Transformation of us from the inside out. 

God bless you as you embark on the rest of your life’s journey beginning with this beautiful day in Jesus!

Proverbs 3:5-8 – “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil.  8 It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.”  NKJV

Let me make a bold statement and hopefully not lose anyone at the outset. Most Christians major in minors.  We pray: “Lord, help me make this payment, find a new job, get a new car, etc.”  Those should be minor concerns but often are at the top of our lists.  Before you reject my statement and challenge me.  I suggest we consider how the apostle Paul viewed and approached daily life.  I find this revealed in a powerful way in his prayer for the new church at Colossae in Colossians 1:9, “…we…don’t cease to pray for you, and to desire that you might be filled with the knowledge of His Will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.”  [Emphasis mine].

I believe that the basic underlying premise for all Divine Guidance is that it is possible to know the will of God.  If it is possible to know God’s will then that knowing should be at the top of our prayer list.  Remember the prayer when Jesus responded to the disciple’s request, “Lord teach us to pray.”  Do the words, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done” resonate in your spirit.  THY WILL BE DONE!  We are not likely to do the will of God unless we know the will of God, therefore the pursuit of knowing should be a top priority.

Man was created to have communion and fellowship with God.  God created man with the ability to know God and in knowing God, man would also know the Will of GOD.  Rebellion disrupted the channels of communication in the Garden. But through the Last Adam, Jesus, those lines have been restored affording us the intimacy of fellowship with God.  If we are to know the Will of God, we must learn to walk in intimate fellowship with Him.  Matthew 6:33, “Seek first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.”  First is God, His kingdom, and righteousness in which we find the will of God, and then those things we put at the top of our prayer lists become secondary items because they fall within the “AND SHALL BE ADDED TO YOU.”

The apostle Paul understood what transpired in a person’s life when that individual came to Know the Will of God.  In Colossians 1:10-12, he lists seven (7) expected results and I will highlight them in the passage for your consideration.

Colossians 1:10-12 – “That you might WALK WORTHY of the Lord UNTO ALL PLEASING, being FRUITFUL in every good work, and INCREASING IN THE KNOWLEDGE of God; STRENGTHENED with all might, according to His glorious power, unto all PATIENCE and LONGSUFFERING with JOYFULNESS; giving thanks unto the Father, who has made us FIT TO BE PARTAKERS of the inheritance of the saints in light…”  [Emphasis mine].

If we are to Walk Worthy of the Lord, we must know what He wants from us, right?  Jesus walked unto All Pleasing.  He was a Father Pleaser!  That should be our daily prayer, “Father, I want to be a son/daughter who pleases you.”  However, many people are self-pleasers, others are man-pleasers but until we mature and come to the place that the overwhelming drive and desire of our heart are to be GOD-Pleaser we will never fully understand the will of God in our lives. 

Let me insert, it is only by doing the will of God that our lives truly become Fruitful.  Imagine an apple tree praying, “Lord, please bring forth apples from my life.”  NO!  An apple tree would not pray to bear apples that are what it is and does.  It has to bring forth the Life that is in it, that is what it was created for.  It does not have to strain or struggle to bear apples, fruit should come naturally as a result of the life that is in the apple tree.  The same is true of our lives!

As we know the Will of God and we increase in the knowledge of God and are strengthened with all might according to His glorious power.  That is real strength!  Too often we focus on our weaknesses rather than God’s strength.  I have had people on numerous occasions ask me to pray that they would have more strength, joy, victory, etc.  That is not necessarily bad or wrong.  I would suggest that as we seek to know the Will of God for our lives, we should remember that one of Paul’s requests was to be strengthened with all might according to God’s glorious power unto all patience and longsuffering with joy.  

What does that suggest to you?  It should convey the understanding that in the Will of God and our walk we will face times where those are needed. That means it will not always be smooth sailing and instant answers.  The biblical promise is that when we KNOW we are in the Will of God we can withstand any hardship and do so with a quiet confidence and joy!  It is when we do not know for certain that confusion comes through the front door and patience heads out the back door.  Patience (hupomone) means to remain standing when everyone else has collapsed.  It is when you know that you know that you know you can give THANKS IN ALL THINGS!

I cannot simply end here for there is another thought or two that I feel needs to be inserted so I will pause and pray that God grant you knowledge of His will in all things and at all times in your journey.  

God bless you richly is my prayer!