Matthew 5: 14-20 – “Their herdsmen ran away and reported it in the city and in the country. And the people came to see what it was that had happened. ¹⁵ They *came to Jesus and *observed the man who had been demon-possessed sitting down, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the “legion”; and they became frightened. ¹⁶ Those who had seen it described to them how it had happened to the demon-possessed man, and all about the swine. ¹⁷ And they began to implore Him to leave their region. ¹⁸ As He was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed was imploring Him that he might accompany Him. ¹⁹ And He did not let him, but He *said to him, “Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you.” ²⁰ And he went away and began to proclaim in Decapolis what great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed.”  NASB

This account is fascinating and revelatory of fearful reactions.  These people came to Jesus, observed, and heard the report, and fear gripped them.  When Jesus came to the disciples walking on the water in the storm, fear gripped their hearts.  What is the common thread in those two events?  The unexpected.  The people did not expect the demoniac to be free, and the disciples did not expect to see Jesus there or in that way.  Both were outside their mindset of possibility.

Often, people fear the unexpected, even those who know Jesus.  If it is outside our norm, the door for fear to enter opens.  Where fear is present, faith cannot live.

Jesus and His disciples went back to Gennesaret at a later time.  The people recognized Jesus, brought the sick, and bound to Him without fear.  What changed?  The seed had been sown, and the fruit was being manifested.   The demoniac had been preaching and testifying.  They saw him, heard him, and hope sprang forth.

Let me offer a Key:  The word enables the heart to banish fear.  We do not have to understand everything to see the miraculous.   We have to believe and cannot genuinely believe as long as fear is present.

Remember the Parable about the Seed and the Soil.  The good seed in good soil produced good fruit.   Fear, worry, selfish ambition, and anything foreign to complete obedience chokes the Word, and where there is no word (seed), there is no harvest.

The Key is the Word of God.   Jesus said my words are spirit and life.  Jesus is the Word.  We are to abide in Him and His Word in us.  There, fear and doubt cannot live.

I challenge you today to decide the value of God’s Word and remember – man cannot live by bread alone but by every word that God speaks. Victory is yours.  He said it.  If He said it, it will not fail.

My faith declaration is, “Today is Victory Day!”  Therefore, let us rejoice. Resist fear and receive the promises.   

May the Lord be with you as you embark on today’s journey and give you peace!

Psalm 84:10-12 – “For better is a day in Your courts than a thousand elsewhere.  I would choose to stand at the threshold of the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.  ¹¹ For Yahweh God is a sun and shield; Yahweh gives grace and glory; No good thing does He withhold from those who walk blamelessly. ¹² O Yahweh of hosts, how blessed is the man who trusts in You!”

As I prayed, read, pondered, and mused on the Word and listened to my heart, the Holy Spirit took me to familiar places to deepen my insight and challenge me.

A Glaring Truth gripped my heart.  It is God’s purpose to transform us.  The desire of God is the uniting of our hearts to His.  He desires to live “in” us and “through” us.  It is in our singleness of heart that we can do what Jesus did and the greater works.   Most people quote that with no thought, hope, or expectation.   It is theory and a place they will reach in heaven.  No, It Is Not!  It will not be needed in heaven. The works are for Earth, the present time.

Psalm 84:10-12 is incredible.   If we read it not as a concept but as an attainable reality, it stirs something in us. The indispensable value of God’s presence is revealed.  Nothing the world offers compares to God’s presence.

God is both sun and shield.  He is light or revelation (understanding) as well as protection.  Capture that thought in your mind: the Creator is protecting us.  Who would know better how to protect and what we needed protection from?

He gives grace and glory (favor).  He does not withhold any good thing from the faithful.   He is with us in all we encounter.   He takes all things to transform us.  We are blessed if we trust (demonstrated by our lives, not just our words). I encourage you to think about what being Blessed by God means and entails.

Psalm 86:11-12 – “Teach me Your way (singular).”   The Psalmist says the result of that revelation will be that I Will Walk in Your Truth.   Truth is in God’s way.

A word that arrested my heart was “Unite.”   The prayer was to unite my heart to fear (reverence) Your Name.  The word unite is (Yachad) = make one.  Make singular.  Remember that thought in the New Testament?  Double mindedness!  The divided heart does not have God’s presence, walk in His power, or enjoy the promises in their fullness.

The Key:  A united heart values the presence of God and knows that transformation takes place in that presence.  The transformed will see the harvest, bind the strong man, and enforce the victory of Calvary. We must stop being theoretical and abstract in our faith.   We must realize, value, and pursue His presence.  

I pray this prayer for each of us today: “Lord, open our eyes to see, our ears to hear, and our minds to comprehend.  Transform us and give us a Yachad (united, singular) heart.   Help us to no longer straddle the fence, doubt, and live theoretically.  From this day forward, help us to live Your reality as enforcers of victory.   Help us to speak and walk with authority.  Make us victorious!  Amen!”

Another vital thing to see is that no ability is developed without training, practice, and application.   Step out and do not fear failure.   Your struggles are God’s fertilizer to make the fruit of your life grow.  Become what you are!  It is your time!

Make it your determination to become all that God says you are!  May today bring you His presence powerfully, His peace encompasingly, and His presence experientially.  Be Blessed!

Matthew 4 & Psalm 23

This is a new day, and God loves you!   Your destiny is greatness!  But what is greatness?   To the world, it is position, power, and purse.   To the believer, it is, at times, how we compare ourselves to others.  It is how we compare ourselves to God.  It is having a pure heart, walking in obedience, and fulfilling our assignment in life. 

You are destined for God’s greatness, and as you embrace His purposes and view, inside you prosper, and out of that inner prosperity comes outward manifestation.   That is why John could pray they would prosper and be healthy even as their soul prospered.  True health and prosperity begin on the inside and work their way to the outside.  That is prosperity that prospers the soul and contains no sorrow.

Matthew 4 tells us that after 40 days of fasting, Jesus became hungry.  In the moment of need, then the tempter came.  He did not come when there was no place to tempt. Jesus had been fasting, so He had a physical need – the temptation to make stones bread and use the gift and power of God for personal benefit.

Jesus had been considering His eternal destiny and purpose.  Thus, the place for temptation was to call attention to Himself misusing the power and gifts of God.  He knew He was to rule the nations as the Son of God. Therefore, the temptation to make it happen the easy way.  The devil had legal authority over the earthly kingdoms, but Jesus would strip him of that at the Cross.

The Key: Temptation comes in a time of need or a time when we have the opportunity to take a shortcut or the easy way.

Psalm 23 – Because of who He is and what He has done, we live with no sense of lack.  No reason to take a shortcut. In Him, we are restored, refreshed, and renewed Daily.  He is our guide and defense.  He is our provider; no matter what we face, He is There!

If we, as Jesus, cling to the Word and Purpose of God and walk in total obedience, we Will receive His provision and reach the desired destination.   Do not seek shortcuts; seek Him!  It may not be easy, but it will be victorious!  Never Give Up, and Never Give In, He Will Not Fail!

Have a fantastic day and walk in the fullness of Whom God has called you to be!

Psalms 1 & 11

As I prayed, pondered, meditated, read, and contemplated, Psalms 1 and 11 captured my attention. The opening of Psalm 2 is essential.

Psalm 11:3 – “If the foundations are destroyed, What can the righteous do?”

Psalm 2:1 – “Why do the nations rage, and the peoples meditate on a vain thing.”

What foundations? There are multiple dimensions: the foundations of moral righteousness, the foundations of human government, the foundations of the family, and the foundations of the church.

God established order, but man, influenced by the devil, has been shredding them.  This is not a political or social creation.   Those are byproducts of the root cause – Sin!   Modern philosophy and ancient philosophy are at war with God, morality, truth, and biblical principles & precepts.   Our world (people) is in a state of decay, declension, and depravity that is destroying everything.

Foundations are being destroyed so much that many are losing faith.   They see the decline but not the hand of God.  They see the church living like and with the same fear as the world.   They trust the arm of flesh because they have lost hope in the arm of God.  Is there an answer?  YES!

PSALM 1.

Consider the first three verses and apply the reality of the opposite.

Verse 1 – Do not walk in the counsel (faux wisdom) of the ungodly.   The contrast is to walk in the counsel of God.  It is not enough to not do evil.  We must do good.

• Do not stand in the way of the sinner.  (Do not live as they live).  The way they live is contrasted with the way a believer lives. One follows the precepts & principles of God’s Word.

• Do not sit in the seat of scoffers.  This is not simply the doubters and mockers, but all doubt toward God).  That is contrasted to the walk of the believer in total confidence and trust.

Verse 2 –Meditate on God, His Word, His Person, Promises, and Power.   As we do this, we find we have a firm foundation and will be like the firmly planted tree by the living waters.   We will be productive and live in God’s power and authority.  We will be fruitful, and rather than growing useless with age, we will stay flourishing, vibrant, and alive.  We will prosper in All Things.

The Key:  We must believe God intends it for us. We must see it with the eyes of the Spirit.  Until we see it, we will not pursue it and live with the expectancy. Therefore, it is Walk – Sit – Stand – Meditate (study, read, and apply)

I want to challenge you with this thought:  This is what God says we are.  But what do we say?  I urge you to agree with God and become!   Agree with the devil or a negative view and decline.  It is a choice!

You are Victorious, so set your heart, mind, soul, and strength to receive.   Sow the seeds to receive the harvest.

May this day bring you into a deeper relationship with Jesus and the Power of the Holy Spirit.   Have a Great Day!

Lamentations 3:22-24- “The lovingkindnesses of Yahweh indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. ²³ They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.  ²⁴ “Yahweh is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I wait for Him.”

Good morning!   I pray for guidance, productivity, peace, and power to be yours today. These are victories you did not anticipate and answers that you have desired.

In Lamentations 3:22- 24, there are words that make my heart leap for joy. We are reminded that God’s love and mercy never end!  

• The compassion of God is without measure. 
• His love, mercy, and compassion are new every morning because He is faithful, and He is our portion. 

We can see the prophet’s broken heart in Lamentations 3:49: “My eyes pour down unceasingly without stopping.”  Then he set a time on it: “Until Yahweh looks down from heaven and sees.”  The idea was that if God sees, He will.

1 Corinthians 3:21-23 contains an indispensable catalyst to right thinking, which produces right living.

“…For ALL THINGS belong to you” (v.21). He repeated it at the end of v.22. In v.23, he says, “And you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.”

We worry and fret over stuff.  We see our troubles, needs, lacks, powerlessness, and inadequacy, but here we read Everything Belongs to Us!

The problem is that we do not always believe it.  We believe it theoretically, but it is not who we are.   It is true that we profess because it is in the Bible, but we do not see it as ours experientially.  We do not see ourselves as worthy or spiritual enough.  Satan steals our hope and faith, and we relegate that truth to the super saints or to be enjoyed in eternity rather than now.

If it is true that All Things belong to us because we belong to Christ and He belongs to God – Why Do We Struggle with The Promise?

Keys:  We Must have our minds reprogrammed.  The only way to do that is to guard our lips. Protect our eyes and ears (what we watch & listen to).  Be careful how and what you allow to come into your consciousness.

We have to change how we talk. Say what God says, not what you see or hear from the devil, others, or circumstances. Agree with God. Whatever we agree with, we give power to.

Abraham believed in hope!  Not that he believed in the activity of hope, but that he believed with hope!  He hoped in what he believed.  It was hopeless & and impossible, But God Said, and he chose to agree with God.

Challenge For Today: Decide that no more negative or defeatist words or thoughts will be in you.  Determine that if God said it, no matter what you see, you will agree with God even to death.  Nothing will shake you from your confidence in Him.

This is a new day of victory; rejoice!   May the rich and bountiful blessings of the Lord be yours today and every day!

Genesis 24:10-14 – “Then the servant took ten camels from the camels of his master, and he went with all kinds of good things of his master’s in his hand. So he arose and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor. ¹¹ And he made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at evening time, the time when the women go out to draw water. ¹² And he said, “O Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, please cause this to happen before me today, and show lovingkindness to my master Abraham. ¹³ Behold, I am standing by the spring of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water; ¹⁴ now may it be that the young woman to whom I say, ‘Please let down your jar so that I may drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and I will give water to your camels to drink also’—may she be the one whom You have decided for Your servant Isaac; and by this I will know that You have shown lovingkindness to my master.”

My heart overflows with Thanksgiving, which is an appropriate response!  This is the day the Lord has made, and it is filled with God, and God is good, so it must be good!  Therefore, my anticipation soars and there is a tingle of excitement in my heart and mind!  Let the day begin!  Victory is ours!

CONSIDER ANSWERED PRAYER: 

Most of the time, we think of answered prayer by focusing on the result.  However, if we think about all the elements that have to work together at the right time and in the right way for many answers, we see God’s incredibleness!

In this account, Abraham’s servant prayed a prayer that involved other people.  He had come to Nahor to find a wife for Abraham’s son.  He prayed a specific prayer laced with details.  Everything that he prayed for came to pass. 

The Key:  God did not hear the prayer and say, “Hurry, get Rebekah to the well!”  No, before the prayer was prayed, she was already on her way to the well.  God was working to put all the elements in place Before the prayer was even prayed.  He knows what we need and will ask even before we ask, and He is always at work to bring the answer to us.

In virtually every prayer we pray, countless elements are at work, even before we ask.  God is putting things together to ensure that the answer comes in positive.  We only see the end and sometimes fail to be thankful for the work He did throughout the process and the obedience of others, too. 

God will move the universe to answer our prayers if we abide in Jesus and His words abide in us.  If we believe He is and is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.  If we walk in obedience to His Word.  The Father desires to give us the kingdom!

That reality is an expression of love that blows my mind!  God is constantly working to bring people, things, and events together just at the exact moment to answer our prayers!  That is incredible love!  God loves you and me so much. He would move the world to bring us the desires of our hearts when those desires mesh with His heart!  

God loves us with everlasting love!  The Cross is evidence of that love.  Why, then, do we doubt Him?  Why, then, do we fail to trust Him?  Why do we relegate His miraculous to the past or eternal future?  Why Not Now?  If Jesus is the same, past, present, and future, Then What God was, He is, What He did, He does, and what He will be, He is!   Why not begin acting like and living like God is telling the truth?  HE IS!

I pray that your day will be filled with answered prayers and with the overflowing joy of the Lord!

Job 33:14-16 – “Indeed God speaks once, or twice, yet no one perceives it. ¹⁵ In a dream, a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on men, while they slumber in their beds, ¹⁶ Then He opens the ears of men, And seals in their discipline.”

Good morning!  I pray that your day will be filled with God’s discernable fullness. Something interesting unfolded in my spirit as I prayed, read, pondered, meditated, and mused on what I read this morning.

There are some interesting revelations in the encounter between Job and his comforters.  Elihu, the 4th man who had come to Job, was chastising Job.  In his critique of Job in 33:14-16, something interesting leaped off the page and captured my thoughts.

He spoke of a way God communicates with people.  God communicates in a dream and a night vision.  (Not the same). While we sleep, God speaks to our unencumbered spirits where there are no distractions.   There, in sleep, God opens our ears AND seals our discipline.  

Job 34:3-4 – “For the ear tests words as the palate tastes food.  Let us choose for ourselves what is just; Let us know among ourselves what is good.”

That demands that we ask, “What words do we test?”   We consciously test people’s words but also God’s.  How do we know what is just and good?  By God’s Words!  Tragically, we sometimes fail to hear God’s words in dreams and night visions because we lack understanding and expectation.

Often, people think it is unusual to have dreams and visions, so they do not expect them.   However, since God always speaks, what better time to communicate than when our minds and spirits are not distracted?

If we go to bed expecting God to communicate, He will.  It may take time for us to begin recognizing and responding.  Sometimes, we are unaware He has communicated, but the answer or wisdom comes forth as we encounter various situations.  Where did it come from?  God.  God communicated to our sleeping minds. 

I suggest that we commit our hearts and minds each night to hearing and perceiving what God is communicating.   I know from experience that it can change your life.  It is vital that we hear God clearly and regularly.   This is yours from Him. Receive it. Expect it.  Utilize it.

The Bible informs us that wisdom is available for everything.  (James 1:5).  So, why not ask for it?   

Have a fantastic day. Expect to hear God’s voice today in some fashion and allow it to transform your life.  Be blessed richly!

Mark 4:21-25 – “And He was saying to them, ” A lamp is not brought to be put under a basket, is it, or under a bed? Is it not brought to be put on the lampstand?  22 ” For nothing is hidden, except to be revealed; nor has anything been secret, but that it would come to light.  23 ” If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”  24 And He was saying to them, “Take care what you listen to. By your standard of measure it will be measured to you; and more will be given you besides.  25 ” For whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.”  NASB

We have all heard the saying: “You are what you eat.  You are what you think.  You are what you watch.  You are what you listen to.”  Well, if you have not, you have now.  I have used this last warning to young people regarding the music they listen to almost incessantly. 

Music is an incredibly powerful tool or weapon and has the power to shape moods and lives more than almost anything else we encounter in this life.  It is reported that the average American listens to music for more than five hours each day.  I am an exception to that rule because I do not. 

It is not that I do not like music, and unlike some who need music playing to do virtually anything, I perform better in peace and quiet.  Sometimes, like the prophets of old, I want music to help shape and set my mood.  I like the worship and praise music in Church because it provides a powerful springboard into the presence of God.  However, I do not want mindless repetition; I want substance.  (That is my preference, so do not assume that I am blasting praise and worship in many churches today; I am not.) 

Researchers discovered the “Big Five” set of musical preferences among adults.  They grouped them into the following classifications:

• Sophisticated (classical).  These sounds tend to be instrumental, complex, inspiring, intelligent, or basically classical music.
• Unpretentious.  They listed these as nice, simple bluegrass and country.  According to those polled, these tended to be relaxing, romantic, and even sad.
• Intense (shredded vocal cords and violent guitar). It is identified as the distorted, electric, fast, loud, aggressive sounds of rock music.
• Mellow (slow jazz).  It has very relaxing and romantic sounds, sometimes sad but characterized as R&B, Soul, and Soft Rock.  Some even said elevator music.
• Contemporary.  These included electric sounds that dominate a wide variety of genres, from rap to electronica.

Do you see what is missing from that survey?  It is Christian or Gospel Music and its various genres.  How about Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual songs, singing and making melodies in our hearts?  How about simply opening your mouth and allowing the Holy Spirit to sing through you?  That was missing because the survey was done by those involved in Psychiatry and Psychology, which deals with human behavior.  

Have you ever stopped to realize that we often get very strong impressions of people when we ask them what music they like?  We may be wrong, but we make judgments or determinations based on music preferences.

What I want to address is the fact that the secular and the religious both acknowledge that “What You Listen to Shapes Who You Are.”  If you listen to the Negative all the time, your attitude tends to become negative, and you find depression creeping in. You become dissatisfied and disillusioned.  You may even find that you become somewhat hostile, quick-tempered, and even excessively judgmental. 

On the other hand, if you listen to the Positive all the time, you will likely be more accepting and optimistic.  The danger is that you may become utopian and fail to face some realities in life that demand rejection of some ideas, actions, and behaviors.  There is a balance in life.

Jesus warned those listening, “Take care or be careful what you listen to.”  His following statement cannot be disassociated because it directly addresses formulating ideas, thoughts, and beliefs.  He said, “By your standard of measure, it will be measured to you, and more will be given you besides.  For whoever has, to him, more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.”   WOW! 

What I listen to provides inspiration, wisdom, and knowledge and shapes my perspective.  It propels me into action and provides a basis for evaluating everything in life.  My knowledge base increases, whether good or bad, through that which I allow to come into my ears, head, and heart. 

If I follow the directive of the apostle Paul in Philippians 4:8-9 – “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. 9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”  I grow rightly and become the person God has designed and desired me to be.

Be Careful What You Listen To; it either provides life or death.  That might mean you must develop a new set of friends or provide parameters for them in your discussions.  You do not have to be the extreme Pessimist or Optimist but seek Truth and feed your inner man with things that strengthen and build you up.  Know evil, address it, know the truth and good, and embrace them.

God bless you as you enjoy this wonderful day in Him!

2 Timothy 3:16-4:1- “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”  NASB

1 Thessalonians 2:13 – “For this reason, we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.”  NASB

1 Peter 2:2-3 – “…like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, 3 if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.”  NASB

Before accepting Christ as my Savior, I knew nothing about the Bible or what it taught.  Once I accepted Jesus as my Savior, I still knew that I knew nothing, but I had an insatiable hunger for the Word of God.  After being a Christian for a few years, I, like many, developed the idea that I had “The Truth ” and became quite a Pharisee. 

The Holy Spirit took me through a metamorphosis where I knew that I Knew Nothing or So Little that it was almost shameful and that “no man” had a corner on truth.  We should always be learning and growing in our knowledge of God and understanding Truth.  That is one of the reasons that the Church is called a “Body” because the body needs every member or part to function as a complete whole.

Each of us lives at a different level of understanding or “light” in the revelation of the things of God. If we link together, we have a powerful composite of knowledge.  Sadly, too often, we attempt to either live isolated lives or attend churches that are so sectarian and isolationistic that we do not draw from other members of the body of Christ for various doctrinal reasons. 

To me, that is a shame!  Hardly a day goes by that I do not learn something new about God or expand something I already knew to reveal that truth in full measure.  That makes living exciting and the Word of God desirable as the most delectable plate of your favorite food, pleasurable activity, or vacation spot.

The Word of God is our “final authority” on all matters, but not one portion of it is of private interpretation.  That is what Peter was addressing in 2 Peter 1:20-21- “But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, 21 for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.”

We need to remember that we are not Omniscient, Omnipresent, or Omnipotent.  We are human and “totally dependent” upon God, His Word, and the Power of the Holy Spirit to live this thing called life.  We need “each other” because we are The Body of Christ!

Therefore, I refuse to be exclusive and strive to be inclusive in my association and relationships with others who name the name of Christ.  We may not agree on all things, and that is perfectly okay. 

However, if we can agree on the fundamental foundational principles that Jesus is the virgin-born, sinless Son of God who died as a substitute for our sins and is not interceding for us before the throne of God, we can work around almost anything else. If we accept the Word of God as The Word of God, we have a basis for working through all other differences. 

I consider some things heresies, as do you, but what if I am wrong?  Should I not reach out to those who acknowledge Jesus as their personal savior, truly find out what they believe, share with them what I believe, and maybe, just maybe, together, we can develop a clearer picture of The Truth of God!

That is something to consider as you stand before the King of Kings and Lord of Lords today!   Let the peace and love of God fill your hearts today!

May the rich and bountiful blessings of our LORD come to you on this beautiful day!

Psalm 13:1 “O Lord, how long will you forget me? Forever? How long will you look the other way?”

Psalm 10:1 “Lord, why do you stand so far away? Why do you hide when I need you the most?”

Psalm 22: 2 “Every day I call to you, my God but you do not answer. Every night you hear my voice, but I find no relief.”

It would be my best guess that each of us, have on occasion, entertained thoughts in our hearts that we were afraid to express to God, thinking that somehow by not saying them, He might not know what was in our hearts. 

That falls apart as the Psalmist declared in Psalms 139:2 – “You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you understand my thought from afar.” NASB Also, Jesus’ own words in Luke 8:17 – “For nothing is hidden that will not become evident, nor anything secret that will not be known and come to light.” NASB

It is my deep conviction that the only approach to our relationship with God is to Be Honest!  If we are angry with Him, we might as well express it; it is in our hearts, and He already knows.  Harboring it inside and not giving it release can lead to a “root of bitterness” springing up, and not only will you be defiled but others around you.  It is like a poison that will ultimately spread and affect your relationship with God and others. 

On the other hand, if you openly admit to God how you truly feel, He can and will address that and minister to you where you are and bring you into an abiding relationship with Him.

Sadly, for ages, too many in the Church have become experts at “wearing masks.”  We put on our Sunday faces, but the heart is still the same.  We fool many people much of the time, but we can never fool God any time.  This is borne out by the writer of Hebrews in Hebrews 4:12 – “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

So, if you are disappointed, the prayer you are praying has not been answered in the way that you desire, or tragedy has come to your dwelling, and you are less than pleased with God – Tell Him!  He already knows and can only help you when you get totally honest with him!  As long as you hide behind a pretend righteousness, you will only decline in your spiritual relationship. 

However, when we become totally honest with God, we will find that He is Immediately on the scene with His “Unconditional Love” and “Immeasurable Grace” to minister to you where you are, in the condition you are, and at the level of understanding you have. 

I have said many times regarding my earthy father.  I never questioned that he loved me, although until I was fully grown, had come back from Vietnam, and entered the ministry, did I hear him say, “Roy, I love you.”  I knew he did, and though I longed to hear it from him, it was not the way he was brought up and, for whatever reason, not the way he manifested his love. 

The first two years of my life, the doctors gave him and my mother no hope that I would live to be a teenager.  They could not find what was wrong with me, but I was sick and not getting better.  The range of possibilities of what was wrong covered a wide array of possible deadly diseases. 

Through Dad’s keen observation of events and the definite engineering of God into our lives, Dad observed that when we left the Pasadena area and went to East Texas for a couple of weeks, I got better.  He went to the doctor and asked if there was a possible connection and the doctors advised that it was possible. 

Dad sent my mother, me, and my little sister to East Texas to my grandparents for a month, and during that time, I got much better; so, with his limited education, he quit the best job would ever hold in his lifetime “Goodyear Rubber” and moved to East Texas and for the rest of his life worked in much lesser jobs, but he sacrificed his job future for my life.  I always knew in my heart that was an act of great love. 

So, sometimes, when you do not see what you think God should be doing if you will look to the Cross, you will immediately realize that God’s love is not in Question! Our understanding is but not His Love or His Motives! We need to trust that love and become Completely Honest with Him in all things. 

Honesty brings a liberty that cannot be attained any other way.  In fact, it was when we “confessed our sins with our mouths and believed in our hearts” that God brought to us the New Birth.  No pretense, no wearing a mask, just open and honest admission of our condition and our failure to measure up.  It was the throwing of ourselves on the Mercy of God that brought us freedom spiritually. 

Therefore, Be Honest with the Lord and remember He already knows, and His purpose is not to Judge and condemn you but to bring you to Redemption!

May God walk with you as you go through your day and bring you great peace!  Blessings!