Waiting, Waiting, Waiting

 

Those who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength.

They will mount up with wings like eagles.

They will run and not grow tired.

They will walk and not become weary.

Isaiah 40:31

Unfortunately, in our society time has overtaken everything else. We are so busy running that we can’t wait five minutes without complaining. We never want to wait: not in the checkout line, not for the car at the garage, not at the drive up window, not for the kids, or the wife or the husband. We are so busy running that we don’t have time to do anything else.

That is not the way it is with God. God is patient and long suffering. God does not lead us astray, He welcomes us. He wants us to soar like eagles.

We need not rush headlong through life, we need to heed the words of God, and wait upon the Lord.

Whoever Believes

For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.”

For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Romans 10:11-13

The Bible is clear on this point: Jesus came for everyone. God does not refuse anyone who comes to Him.

Ask Jesus to come into your life today. He is waiting for you.

Read God's Book

 

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.

Hebrews 4:12

Get to know God, read His book. It is a bestseller. It has drama, passion, instructions, and all God’s promises for us.

Hold Fast

 

But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end….

Hebrews 3:13-14

The deceitfulness of sin comes all dressed up in a suit and tie with big rallies and cheering by people who do not recognize that they are being hoodwinked.  Other times it is sneaky, poking about in our lives.

We are called to weigh our actions against what the Bible says, and to act in accordance with the Bible's teachings.  

Therefore, when we see evil, we need to speak up and out against it and hold fast to our assurance that God loves all of us. 

   

More Than Giving Money

 

Now this I say; he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

2 Corinthians 9:6-7

We hear this scripture attached to the idea of financially supporting a church, but that is not all that it implies. Even if we do not offer much in the way of financial support for the Kingdom of God, we can cheerfully work for God by ministering to those who are hurting.

We are called be a cheerful giver, and that implies more than giving money. It involves opening up our hearts.

Catch The Vision

The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the soul of the diligent is made fat.

Proverbs 13:4

We all get in a rut sometimes.  We chug along only doing what needs to be done right now, with no vision of bigger projects that could pay long term dividends.   

When this happens, we need revival.  

For you and for me I pray we catch the vision of what God has for us to do and pursue it.

 

God's Ways

 

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,

Nor are your ways My ways,” declares 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.

Isaiah 55:8-9

It is good to know that God does not see things as we see them. We are sometimes gloom and doom people. But God may have an entirely different plan for what is happening and in the long run things may turn out far better than we could have ever anticipated.

Have faith. Trust God. He’s got it covered.

Swim Against The Tide

 

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our afflictions so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4

There is a notion floating around that people who have difficult lives are entirely responsible for their situations and they should pull themselves up by their boot straps and clean up the mess themselves.

That is not what the Bible says. The Bible states that Jesus comforts us in all our afflictions so that WE are able to comfort others who are afflicted. It does not say we are to judge whose fault it is that people are suffering.

We cannot solve everyone’s problems, but we can offer a kind word of encouragement to those who are suffering.

Be bold. Swim against the tide. Give comfort and encouragement to those who are having a rough time in life.

Consider The Source

 

See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.

For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority….”

Colossians 2:8-10

Sometimes I meet someone who is a little too friendly too quickly. They might be described as charming by some or slick by others. I lean toward the latter.

I think this is what Paul was talking about with regard to empty deception. We like to be open and friendly but there are those who will perceive this as naivety and try to swallow us up in a web of ideas that do not line up with what Jesus taught.

If the words we hear and the behavior we see from someone do not ring true according to what we know from the Bible, then we need to run away fast so we are not bullied into supporting and participating in anything which is contrary to the truth of the Gospel.

We have one God and it is through His Son, Jesus, that we are made complete and by no other.

Some Times We Need To Take A Break

Then he came there to a cave and lodged there; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

He said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they seek my life to take it away.”

1 Kings 19:9-10

I heard a pastor say that if Elijah had someone ministering with him to encourage him, he would not have been in the cave but would have kept going and doing what God called him to do.

I am not so sure about that. Elijah called the fired down from heaven just prior to this and then he shook off Jezebel’s threat to kill him. Elijah might be viewed as chicken for not facing up to Jezebel but I think he saw the threat as having no teeth because he had just called the fire of God down from heaven and nobody in their right mind would mess with him after that.

That brings me to why Elijah was in the cave. Elijah needed to rest. Calling the fire down from heaven took a lot out of him. He was physically and spiritually drained. God knew this and that is why he did not say, “Get back to work.” but asked, “What are you doing here?” God knew what Elijah was doing and He wanted Elijah to say why he was there. God let him rest a bit and then when Elijah was revived He sent him to crown a king.

The point is that when we are tired, worn and irritable, we need to take a rest. We are no good to God or anyone else if we are exhausted.

So, go to the beach or for ice cream or for a walk or take a nap and be revived.

 

Forgiven And Forgotten

I even, I am the one who wipes out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.

Isaiah 43:25

When we ask Jesus into our hearts, He wipes the slate of our sins clean. In God’s eyes our sins are not only forgiven, they are forgotten. We need to apply this same standard to ourselves once we are Christians; we need to forget our past sins and not continue to beat ourselves up over our past mistakes.

We cannot move forward as Christians if we weight ourselves down with the past. Rejoice that you are forgiven and live for Christ.

 

Revive Me

 

Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes,

And I shall observe it to the end.

Give understanding, that I may observe Your law

And keep it with all my heart.

Make me walk in the path of Your commandments,

For I delight in it.

Incline my heart to Your testimonies

And not to dishonest gain.

Turn away my eyes from looking at vanity,

And revive me in Your ways.

Psalm 119:33-37

Sometimes we need to be revived.  Life can wear us out.  We need to reset ourselves so that we can be better servants of God.  

Taking time to pray and recommit ourselves to being more like Jesus is a good start.  This puts us in a frame of mind where we take time to consider the consequences of our actions and try to do better in caring for others.  The result is that we feel more at peace with our life and revived.

Let your revival begin.   

God Is Working On Us

 

So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and work for His good pleasure.

Philippians 2:13

Did you ever wonder why we struggle? We struggle with a bad patch in our marriage, or a bad boss, or health problems, or financial problems, or any number of annoying faith testing issues, none of which make sense to us.

I do not always handle trials well. I have questioned God, “Hey, God I’m a good person. I belong to You. I have given my heart and life to You, and this is what I get?”

This attitude shows up when I lose sight of the big picture, that being that it is not about me being comfortable, it is about God working in me.

When God works in us, we are better off when He is finished.

Self-Improvement

 

Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Peter 1:5-8

We can spend lots of time on self-improvement.  We exercise and watch our diets to improve our physical health.  We read books to help us better understand other people and to improve our own attitudes.  We do volunteer work to improve our image.  We vacuum the sanctuary after church.  All this being said, we may not become who God has designed us to be.  

Yet, here Peter sets out what our true goal should be - to be useful to our Lord.  This is a self-improvement program worthy of our efforts.  Give it a try.

Angels Working For You

 

For He will give His angels charge concerning you,

To guard you in all your ways.

They will bear you up in their hands,

That you do not strike your foot against a stone.

Psalm 91:11-12

In 2009, there was a shootout involving five gun men in a crowded bar, the Route 66 Kitchen, in Toledo, Ohio.  No one was injured.

How could that be?  The answer is, that God sent his angels who protected everyone.  

Everyday in a hundred ways, God's angels are watching over us and protecting us.  Most of the time they are stealth so we don't even know they are working. But, sometimes, like at the Route 66 Kitchen, their handiwork is seen.  

Have faith, angels are watching over you. 

God Chooses Who He Chooses

 

John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sin.

And all the country of Judea was going out to him, and all the people of Jerusalem: and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.

John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist, and his diet was locusts and wild honey.

And he was preaching and saying, “After me One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to stoop down and untie the thong of His sandals. I baptize you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.

Mark 1:4-9

God chooses who He chooses to be His messenger. We can get so wrapped up in the image we want for our church or our Christianity that we miss what God is trying to tell us.

John the Baptist was outlandish in his appearance, but the words of his message were ordained by God and brought people to Christ.

When it comes to the message of the Gospel, it is more important that it is delivered than who makes the delivery. If someone’s appearance is not to our liking, perhaps we need to close our eyes and listen to what they have to say. We might be surprised to find that the one who is not exactly who we expected has a message from God for us.

Less About Being RIght, More About Being Kind

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

Galatians 5:25

David L. Brooks wrote an article “Perceptions of religion collide with inner faith” (Toledo Blade. January 29, 2014. P. 9). Mr. Brooks said that religious people often behave in ways that contrast with the faith they profess to possess and that is why they are often considered to be “judgmental, hypocritical, old fashioned, and out of touch.” I think he is right to some extent. We may seem too holy or too busy being martyred to be taken seriously. Or, worse yet, we may take being right as being more important than being kind.

If we Christians want to shake things up regarding popular opinions of “religious people” then the way to do it is to be the best that Christianity has for us. When we reek of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, we show the world the love of God and the love of Jesus and that is something that is hard to argue with and hard to resist.

We are called to take the Gospel to the world, and a good way to do that is to serve it up with the fruit of the Spirit.

 

Behold New Things Will Come

 

For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf….

Therefore, if anyone one is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold new things have come.

2 Corinthians 5:14-15, 17

The very idea that one action can change your life for the good seems almost ridiculous.  Yet, here it is.  God's pledge to us that if we accept His Son, Jesus, as our Savior and acknowledge that He died once for all of us, that all our sins are forgiven and we are made new.  

We can start over, free of the weight of our past mistakes and bad conduct and work through Christ to live better lives.   

And, behold new things will come. 

Do Good Anyway

 

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

Ephesians 2:10

As Christians we do good works because we have this irresistible urge to make the world a better place for everyone. We may be thanked and we may not; it really doesn’t matter. We do what we do, because this is what God made us for.

Mother Teresa said, “The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow. Do good anyway.”

Avoid Trouble

 

After these things Jesus was walking in Galilee, for He was unwilling to walk in Judea because the Jews were seeking to kill Him.

John 7:1

Going out of our way to avoid trouble is the right thing to do.

The Truth Is The Truth

 

But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either my heaven or by earth or with any other oath; but your yes is to be yes, and your no, no, so that you may not fall under judgment.

James 5:12

A good reason to always speak the truth is that you never have to remember what you said. We don’t have to say any more and we don’t have to defend the truth, because it is what it is and nothing can change it.

Many Chances

 

…Do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?

Romans 2:4

God operates from love to show everyone His kindness and tolerance and patience so that we, being dense when it comes to spiritual things, will come to understand that He is working in our best interests both in terms of earthly matters and in terms of spiritual things.

We can become callous and not appreciate that people who receive second chances in realm of earthly matters by earthly judges or bosses or family members are not receiving this mercy just from humans but from God who invests Himself in changing human hearts.

God is the God of second and third and fourth chances because as long as we have breath in our bodies we have the option of turning our lives around.   

And, asking God’s Son, Jesus, to be our Lord, Master and Savior.

Don't Stand By, Do Somthing

 

Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light for everything that becomes visible is light.

Ephesians 5:11-13

The Apostle Paul pointed out that Christians have a responsibility to speak up against evil. That means, when we see something wrong, we need to report it to the police or social services or to someone who can take action. And, if the first telephone call does not get a response, then call someone else. We are not to stand by.  We are to do something.

We are called to action; do what is right.

Building Bridges

Opening his mouth Peter said, “I most certainly understand that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him.”

Acts 10:34-35

God is in the business of building bridges so that all men, women and children can come to know and worship Him. Jesus came for all of us, and we are all welcome to ask Him to be our Lord, Master and Savior, and to be welcomed into the family of God. 

Come and be welcomed. 

 

The Anchor Of Our Soul

 

In this same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us.

This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

Hebrews 6:17-20

Before Jesus came, only the high priest could enter into the part of the temple behind the veil where God resided.  Men could not approach God, but had to rely on the priests to act as a mediator between them and God.  People would bring their offerings to the temple to be sacrificed in order to receive forgiveness.  

Jesus changed that.  Through Jesus we have a direct audience with God.   

God fulfilled His promise to make a way for all people when He sent His Son, Jesus, to die once and for all sinful men and women. This being done, all that is left for us to do is to receive this great gift of salvation and acknowledge Jesus as our Lord, Master and Savior.

Jesus is the anchor of our souls.

One God

 

For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all….

1 Timothy 2:5-6

While some people quibble about whether or not there is a God, we stand firm; our God is the one and only God. There are no others.

One God and one Savior, hallelujah!

Take The Heat

For it is better, if God should will it so, that you should suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong.

1 Peter 3:17

It is sad to say, but there are people who will torment us for doing what is right.

I worked for a business that had no time clock and used the honor system for employee time keeping. I took heat because I was at my desk at 8:00 when the business opened. Another employee told me that “on time meant in the parking lot.” I found that amusing because every day the bosses asked me, the lowly receptionist, where their employees were at 8:00. I would smile and say, “In the parking lot.”

Sometimes expectations of honor lead to dishonor and unfortunately for my critics, I was not as confident about my importance to the company as they were, and, therefore, was on time.

There are many people who have suffered more for doing great things which were right, than I have for doing small things, and I admire them for their courage.

What is important is that no matter what happens to us personally for doing what is right, we should do what is right.

Do the right thing and take the heat.

 

Try A Little Kindness

 

Let love of the brethren continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.

Hebrews 13:1-2

Let us be kind to those who most need it: the sad, the grieving, the social outcast, the stinky kid and the grouchy neighbor. It is in showing hospitality that we show God’s love to the world.

And, perhaps entertain angels.

Once And For All

 

When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.

Colossians 2:13-14

The heart of the Gospel is that no one is too bad to be forgiven by God. Jesus died once and for all. When we come to Jesus and ask Him into our lives, He wipes clean our lives. There is no sin which remains. Jesus rescued us from our ungodly ways and restored us to our proper place as sons and daughters of God.

Jesus is our Lord, Master and Savior.

You Don't Have To Yell

 

So Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one ox for yourselves and prepare it first for you are many, and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under it.” Then they took the ox which was given them and they prepared it and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon saying, “O Baal, answer us.” But there was no voice and no one answered. And they leaped about the altar which they made.  

It came about at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, “Call out with a loud voice, for he is a god; either he is occupied or gone aside, or is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and needs to be awakened.” So they cried with a loud voice and cut themselves according to their custom with swords and lances until the blood gushed out on them. When midday was past, they raved until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice; but there was no voice, no one answered, and no one paid attention.

Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” So all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord which had been torn down.   Elijah took twelve stones according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, “Israel shall be your name.” So with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord, and he made a trench around the altar, large enough to hold two measures of seed. 

Then he arranged the wood and cut the ox in pieces and laid it on the wood.  And he said, “Fill four pitchers with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.” And he said, “Do it a second time,” and they did it a second time. And he said, “Do it a third time,” and they did it a third time.  The water flowed around the altar and he also filled the trench with water.

At the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet came near and said, “O Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, today let it be known that You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant and I have done all these things at Your word.  Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that You, O Lord, are God, and that You have turned their heart back again.”  Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.  When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, “The Lord, He is God; the Lord, He is God.”   

^{Kings 18:27-30}

^{You don't have to yell when you come to God with your requests.  He is right their listening to you.}  

^{And, like God did for Elijah, He will do for you.}

^{Have faith.}