Galatians 6:9-10 – “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.”  NKJV

We have known people who seem always to be doing good things for others.  It was or is their heart; no matter the recognition or reward, they did it.  We also know those who do good things if the recognition or reward is there.  They continue their efforts and actions as long as the accolades roll in.  I have known parents, spouses, and even workers and bosses express their weariness at doing good things for others only to have it go unappreciated. Frequently I have seen them cease their actions, and some even fall into bitterness over it.

If what you are doing is based on the immediate gratification of recognition, then you are doing it for the wrong reason.  If you do what you do “in the name of the Lord” and “for the Lord,” then your reward is beyond this life as well as in this life.

Paul encourages us not to give up and grow weary in our efforts to do good things.  He assures us what we should all have settled deep in our hearts – GOD SEES ALL!  Just like farming, there is a time of preparing the soil, a time of planting the seed, a time of germination of the seed, a time of growing, and then finally, a time of harvest.  We reap What we sow, we reap Later than we sow, and we reap More than we sow. 

When we are doing good things for anyone, God sees it!  According to Paul, this is especially noted when we are doing good things for those of the household of faith. 

Let me give you a Roy reason for this: “Those of the household of faith are already in the fight and are either sowers of the Gospel or potential sowers of the Gospel.  They are laborers in God’s harvest, and when we do good things for them and help them continue their efforts, we are furthering the cause of the Kingdom in a very tangible way.“

No matter if anyone recognizes your efforts or even expresses appreciation for what you do – Do Not Lose Heart!  God will never forget what you do or have done, and even if it is in Heaven, He will honor your labors, especially if they are labors of love out of a pure heart for the right reasons.

As you go through this day and this year, look for opportunities to bless others, especially those of the Household of Faith!  

May God be with you, guide you, guard you, protect you, and richly bless you in all things and at all times!

John 4:23-24 – “But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.  24 “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”  NASB

I love reading about Jesus’s encounters with people, especially those with a stereotypical attitude about Him or anything.  He had a way of cutting through the layers of man-made limitations, getting to the heart of the matter, and bringing light and life to the situation.

Here He encountered a woman from Samaria who had a skewed view of the Jews.  Jesus went outside the norm in speaking to her.  In doing so, He completely dismantled all her preconceptions and brought her face-to-face with the Light of Life in the Son of God. 

He addressed “false worship,” which is still prevalent today in many people and many religious circles.  He tore down the man-made rules and regulations and ideas of what “worship is” and “how it is performed.”  He came to the ultimate truth we need: True Worship is “In Spirit and Truth.”  

It is not in some religious catechism, methodology, or list.  It allows the heart to fully and completely respond to God.  The only possible way to worship God, who is a Spirit, is by the Spirit!  It is a heart function!

When the heart connects with God, there is transformation.  We may connect with just the mind and have a different attitude.  However, our hearts may not be changed, and there may be no transformation in our inner beings, nature, or character. 

However, when the heart connects, we become New Creations and are translated from Darkness into His Marvelous Light and Love.  We become New People because there is a change in us from the innermost part of our being to the outworking of our daily lives.  The change does not come in actions first but the heart.  Out of the heart flows life and changes in actions and attitude.

If you are struggling to be at peace with God and live the Christian life, stop trying to “turn over a new leaf” or “transform yourself” Instead, allow your heart to reach out to His love, and the change will be done IN You, not By You!

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

John 6:33-35 – “For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world.”  34 Then they said to Him, “Lord, always give us this bread.”

35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.” NASB

Jesus addressed the crowd and informed them that he was fully aware that they were following Him based on the Miracle of the Loaves and Fish.  He used that moment as a classic teaching opportunity to bring them to the ultimate spiritual truth regarding who He was.  He went back in their history to the “manna” from heaven in the wilderness and the miracle He performed in their midst and advised them that the bread from heaven did not come from Moses or any man but from The Father.

That bread brings life, not just momentary sustenance and satisfaction.  It gives Eternal Life, and the crowd was so moved that they cried out for Him to give them that bread, and Jesus stepped forward saying: “I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE.”  He brought them to a moment when they had to decide who He was and what He had to offer.  It was like when He asked the disciples, “Who do you say that I am?”  Peter’s immortal response is the only acceptable: “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”

We live in challenging times materially, socially, emotionally, politically, and even spiritually, but our concerns and even fears about what we will eat, wear, drive, or where we will live pale in comparison to the ultimate question(s):

• What Will You Do with Jesus? 
• Will you receive Him as the Lord and Savior of your life, or will you list Him in the category of a prophet, a good man, or some figure from history? 
• It is an old cliché but true – – Jesus is either Lord of all or He is not Lord at all! 

TodayI encourage you to come to Him and receive the Bread of Life, never hunger spiritually, believe in Him, and never thirst.  You will find complete and total satisfaction in your heart of hearts when you receive Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior.  Make that day of acceptance today!

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

Matthew 24:35 –“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.”  NKJV

There is not much certainty in this world in which we live.  We do not know what a day holds or what the morrow will bring.  We have only the ability to look through a glass darkly and can only see the beginning from the end.  We know in hindsight but do not have the absolute foresight to know the certainties of the future or even the uncertainties.  We are limited creatures living in a temporal world that is passing away. 

From the moment we are born, we begin the process of dying.  Everything between the cradle and the grave is a veiled mystery for the most part.  People change, circumstances change, conditions change, and we are left wondering what happened as often as we walk in the certainty of how something will turn out.

Yet amid all the uncertainty, we have a statement from our Lord here in Matthew 24: Rock Solid and Absolute!  Jesus declared that the one absolute certainty is that His Words Will Never Fail!  If He has declared it, you can take it to the bank, set your watch by it, and stake your life on it – – It is Absolute!  I know that some would argue against that but argue as you may, I believe it to be the Absolute Truth! 

I have in my heart promises that I know God has made to me in times of prayer and meditation upon Him and His Word and I know that He will move Heaven and Earth if necessary to bring them about. 

• He gave me some promises when my children were born that looked for the longest as though they would not be realities but today, they are. 
• When I was diagnosed with parathyroid cancer, the Holy Spirit whispered to my inner man that God was not through with me yet and that I would recover fully and completely, and I have. 
• The medical doctor who did the surgery acknowledged that what took place was not his doing but came from a source higher than he.  His words were, “God did this.”

I do not know what is going to happen to this nation.  I do not know what is going to happen the rest of today or the rest of my life.  I do not know what is going to take place in the next ten minutes, but I know that God is still on the throne and still in control, and will Whatever He Declares and Has Declared is Absolute!   I trust His Word wholly and implicitly.

Therefore, as you face life’s uncertainties, face them with the certainty that God’s Word is Absolutely Dependable! 

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

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 – “But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. 

15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.” NKJV

It is likely that each of us has lost a loved one and has known the unpleasantness of grief!   I have seen people I cared for pass on to the other side and was uncertain about the condition of their souls.  Some that I had talked to about the Lord assured me that Jesus was their Lord, but their lives seemed to contradict that assertion.  I make no attempt to judge them, for that is God’s business, and I will continue to hope that they were sheltered beneath His wings as they departed this life and entered that eternal state. 

I know the emptiness of having a loved one or a family member depart this life.  I know the pain that comes with the realization that I will never, in this life, hear them speak or tell them the things that are in my heart concerning them again.  I know the pain of loneliness and, at the same time, the joy of knowing that they passed from a troubled world into one that knows no trouble.  They passed from a world filled with sorrow to one that knows no sorrow.  I know they are in a far better world than those of us left behind, but missing them and grieving that loss is still natural and even healthy when done biblically.

I have been in memorial services where there was such a spirit or morbidity that one could hardly stand, and in others, there was such a spirit of peace and joy that one could scarcely keep from leaping to one’s feet and shouting “Hallelujah.”  In one case, there was Hope, and in the other only Grief.

I like how Paul concluded his statement concerning this eventuality and the reality of death.  In verse 18, he said, “Therefore comfort one another with these words.”  What words? 

• Comforted so that we do not sorrow like those without hope.
• Comforted that our loved ones who have died in the Lord are with the Lord.
• Comforted that those of us who remain will be with the Lord one day.
• Comforted that Jesus is coming back for us all.
• Comforted that we will one day leave this world behind, giving it a permanent wave and entering into the eternal presence of the Lord.

Those words!  Losing a loved one when there is Hope is a Grieving that can be endured and even be a source of rejoicing as well as giving us a purpose and determination to live in such a way as to see them again.

May God be with you as you go through this day!  May He turn your mourning into dancing and your sorrow into joy in all things and at all times!  I pray God’s Abundant Blessings Upon You!

Mark 8:34-38 – “When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.  35 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.  36 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?  37 Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?  38 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” NKJV

I find the words of our Lord so absolutely penetrating and thought-provoking.  Jesus has the ability to speak a few words that would require volumes to dissect and digest fully and yet are so clearly understood and simple.  Here is one of those passages that contains so much that one could spend a lengthy amount of time meditating upon each line and sentence and yet not exhaust what is said.

We spend much of our lives trying to “get ahead” and “carve out a niche” for ourselves, and yet Jesus said that if we are to follow Him, we have to “deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him.”  Our ambitions must become secondary to His desires, goals, and plans for our lives.  We spend a significant amount of our time trying to “preserve life” or give ourselves a platform, condition, and cushion upon which to live the “good life.” 

Yet, the Master said that if we “seek to save our life, we will lose it.”  If our singular drive is “storing up for ourselves,” we will find that we are putting money in bags with holes, and in the end, our lives will come to naught.  Most people want to reach the place where they “have arrived,” their “ship has come in,” or some other description of success materially and monetarily, but Jesus said, “So what if you manage to gain all the wealth of the world and its power and prestige but lose your soul what have you accomplished?”   What will a man give in exchange for his soul?

He makes it clear that it is possible to have Everything in this life and yet have Nothing of eternal value.  I am not suggesting that having money, possessions, or even position is in itself a bad or evil thing I am suggesting that if that comes between you and God, it is.  The Scripture makes it clear that we are to “seek first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness,” in so doing, He will provide whatever we need when we need it and in the amount and timing that we need it.

I do not know about you, but I desire Eternal Worth, not Earthly Wealth.  If I can have both and use that wealth for the cause of the Kingdom, I will rejoice, but if I have to choose one or the other, I will choose GOD!  I rather have Jesus than wealth or fame.  I would rather have Jesus than be the king of a vast domain.  I rather have Jesus than anything that this world can offer, and in having Him, I have everything that this world can afford.

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

Psalm 11:3 – “When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?”

Recently as I read and considered what I was reading, my prayers, pondering, and musing caused me to contemplate what Psalm 11 speaks of – “Destroyed Foundations.”

In that time of meditation and praying, I asked the Lord, “What Foundations?” The response in my mind was that many need to be guarded and restored. Some foundations are moral sanctity, the home and family, the foundation of wisdom, human government, and justice and righteousness.

The foundations are many, but if the foundation of our relationship and trusting God is weakened or destroyed, we are being hurled headlong into the abyss of destruction. That is true in all the foundations.

My mind turned to Psalm 2 and the nations and heathen raging.   The Psalmist’s question was – “Why?”  Why are they doing that?  Why do they hate God, the things of God, God’s people, and God’s Word?  Why do they hate moral sanctity and seek to evict God from everything?  “Why” – They are deceived and driven by Sin! Yes, I said Sin!

Immediately Psalm 1 exploded in my consciousness, and I rejoiced as I considered the contrast in the directive not to do various things.  The contrast is that if I do not do those things, I should be doing the opposite. The person living in the Blessings of God is the one who Does Not follow the world’s pathway and the prevalent declension and depravity. Instead, they are seeking God!

The Directive is:

• DO NOT – – Walk in the counsel of the wicked; stand in the way (follow the path) of those outside the family of God; nor sit in the seat of the scoffer (the doubter).
• DO – Delight in God’s Word, God’s Person, God’s Power, and God’s Purpose. Meditate, Study, Examine, and become one with His Word. Make that your daily pursuit and keep it before you night and day!
• THEN – You will become like a firmly planted tree by the Streams of the Water of Life! You will be productive and fruitful. You will not succumb to the mindset of uselessness due to age but will flourish and be strong, prospering in all you do!

WHY? Because you are in Him, and He is in you! You are abiding in Him, and His Word is abiding in you. You are a new creation, born-again, filled with His Spirit and Love! You are more than a conqueror! You are victorious!

That is How God sees you, but how do you see yourself? If you follow the negative pathway described in Psalm 1, you will cease to trust God. You will become those who trust the arm of flesh rather than the arm of God because you have not been saturated in His Word and His Spirit.

It is time to refocus and seek Him!  When we do, we will see our lives take a dramatic turn, and with confidence, we will be able to possess the promises and enforce the victory of Calvary!  I urge you to consciously decide to be who God says you are, not what you see others or the devil say.  I encourage you to believe God and receive the Promises as yours today.

Today is your day to begin a new walk of victory!  It may not be easy, but it is possible!  It will not be without opposition, but He overcame the world, and He is in you; therefore, you have overcome the world, too!

I pray that God will enlighten your eyes to see, your mind to understand, and your heart to follow Him fully.  I pray for healing, deliverance, and productivity and that you will prosper and be healthy even as your soul prospers.  I pray for a day; no, I pray for a lifetime of Victory!

God bless you, and have a fantastic day and keep looking up, for our Redemption is near!

Psalm 17:3 –“You have tried my heart; You have visited me by night; You have tested me, and You find nothing; I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress.”

Sometimes, I am conscious of my night dreams, and some of them I would define as night visions where I knew God was speaking to me.   Most consider those rare and even unusual.   Some discount them altogether, believing that God no longer communicates with us, except through the Bible.  The Bible is invaluable, but God is a communicator, and He will unveil the truths of His word and life in many ways, including dreams in the night.

Think about it.  When you are sleeping, your mind and your spirit are less distracted.  What better time for the LORD to communicate His desires to us than when we are in a state of slumber and our minds are relaxed, not thinking about the ten thousand things we encounter daily?

I am convinced that we consider those times of communication from God rare because we do not expect to hear from Him in that manner.  Sometimes we do not expect to hear at all.  But, from Genesis to Revelation, we read, “God said…” He is the Speaking God and desires to communicate His wisdom, words, and will to us.

There have been times I was oblivious to the reality that God had birthed something in my heart during the night.  He had downloaded something into my spirit, and I was unaware of it.  Before you argue, how did you know it was a dream of the heart or a night vision? Let me go further. 

I would have experiences and encounters which brought to the fore, unexpectedly, the wisdom, knowledge, or ability to handle it.  I knew that knowledge and wisdom were far above my pay grade of understanding or expertise. God had somehow revealed to me what I needed, and when I needed it, it was extracted from the data files of my mind and heart and implemented. That is exciting!

In the Book of Job, Elihu, the fourth critic of Job, said something powerful in Job 33:3-4 – “For the ear tests words as the palate tastes food. 4 Let us choose for ourselves what is just; Let us know among ourselves what is good.”

We test words, but whose and what are the words we test?   We test people’s words, and consciously or unconsciously, we test the words of God too.  If we want to understand the Words of God accurately, we need to commune with Him regularly and openly.

I encourage everyone to ask the LORD each night before bed to open their hearts to receive whatever He wants to communicate.  I encourage you to invite the Holy Spirit to give you dreams and night visions so that you will know what you do not know, hear what you have never heard, and walk in His fullness like never before.

Hearing in the natural is not learned, but understanding is!   We need to learn “How to Hear.” When we open ourselves to hearing God, He takes that opportunity to communicate more fully. He will communicate to the level we open ourselves to Him. I want to hear Him so that I can walk before Him in a manner pleasing to Him, beneficial to the Kingdom, and redemptive to the world.

Today, I pray that the Lord will begin communicating with each of us in dreams and night visions. I pray that He will communicate with us through circumstances and His Word!   May the Holy Spirit reveal the deep things of God to our hearts and train our minds to hear and our hearts to obey. I pray that the Lord will help us to gird up the loins of our minds and be ready for action. May He open the Door of Heaven so we can see and hear what He is saying and doing! May He enable us to do the works Jesus did and move into the place of greater works for the Kingdom! Father, meet all the needs of my friends and open our minds, hearts, eyes, and ears to see and hear. We receive! Amen!

Have a fantastic day, and go forth expecting to hear God in your heart of hearts and through the ears of your spirit.

Ezekiel 14:2-3 – “Then the word of the Lord came to me: ³ “Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces. Should I let them inquire of me at all?” 

As I read and prayed on Memorial Day, the Holy Spirit directed me to this passage and spoke to my consciousness about ‘Idols of the heart.’  I mused on that, and as I reflected on the incredible sacrifices of those who gave their lives to preserve and secure freedom, I thought about the incredible sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross for our freedom. 

It would be impossible, in a devotional, to convey all that I sensed in my heart as the Word of God exploded in my spirit.  But, as I meditated and prayed, an old Gospel Song came to the forefront of my mind, and I began to sing it with joy and appreciation.  Gratitude rose in my heart, and I sensed great peace and comfort from the LORD.

I share it with you:  It was written by Charles W. Fry in 1881 and resonates in my heart today!

I’ve found a friend in Jesus; He’s everything to me,

He’s the fairest of ten thousand to my soul.

The Lily of the Valley, in Him alone, I see.

All I need to cleanse and make me fully whole.

In sorrow, He’s my comfort; in trouble, He’s my stay.

He tells me every care on Him to roll.

Refrain:

He’s the Lily of the Valley, the Bright and Morning Star,

He’s the fairest of ten thousand to my soul.

He all my grief has taken, and all my sorrows borne.

In temptation, He’s my strong and mighty tow’r.

I’ve all for Him forsaken, and all my idols torn.

From my heart, and now He keeps me by His pow’r.

Though all the world forsake me, and Satan tempt me sore,

Through Jesus, I shall safely reach the goal.

Verse two:

He’ll never, never leave me, nor yet forsake me here,

While I live by faith and do His blessed will.

A wall of fire about me, I’ve nothing now to fear,

From His manna, He, my hungry soul, shall fill.

Then sweeping up to glory to see His blessed face,

Where rivers of delight shall ever roll.

What a message of hope and inspiration!  He is our Bright and Morning Star!  He is our Hope and Inspiration!  He has taken our grief and sorrows. He has been our companion in temptation and trouble!  We need to forsake everything for Him and tear down all the idols of our hearts.  Through Jesus, we are overcomers and will attain the prize of the High Calling of God!

He will Never Ever leave or forsake us, and unless we walk away from Him, we are in His protective care and covering.  He is a Wall of Fire about us!  There is nothing that can penetrate the Blood of His Covering!  We have Nothing to Fear!  On that eventful final day, we can enter His presence and be satisfied.  Rivers of Delight flood our souls, and the overflow touches countless others. 

What a Promise!  What a Hope! 

• First, we must cast down and tear down all idols of our hearts and restore God as FIRST in our lives in Everything! 
• When we do, He does not deprive us of anything but gives us the fullness of the Kingdom. 
• We abide in Him, His Words abide in us, and we have access to the Throne Room 24/7/365. 
• He is accessible at any time and any place. 
• He is a friend that sticks closer than a brother, and He knows our names and loves us!  
• REJOICE!

He is our present help in the time of trouble!  If you do not know Him, today would be a great day to ask Jesus to come into your heart and save you!  Life on Earth is short, but Eternity is FOREVER!

God Bless you, and may your day and week be joyous!