Thought for Thursday, January 3rd

January 3, 2013

Audacious Faith

Are you willing to go beyond the norm to accomplish great things for God?

         

  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Hebrews 11:6

“Our sinful behaviors won’t be reined in by mere rules and regulations.  Rules without revelation result in rebellion.  Audacious faith demands more than self-control.”

-       Steven Furtick

To accomplish God’s will and to reach towards our maximum potential in His Spirit requires more than self-control and more than moderation and a degree of commitment: it requires absolute abandonment, total surrender and a willingness to go past the parameters of the accepted into the realm of the supernatural, believing without doubt or wavering that God is in control, because we have chosen to give Him every thing that we are.  We must trust blindly, release all restrictions and restraints and be willing to dance like David danced: serve like Paul and sacrifice like Jesus: if we truly want to please our Heavenly Father.

To be the most successful we can be for God we must have more than a run of the mill, average faith; we must take it a step further and give it all we’ve got by having a lifestyle regulated by audacious faith, radical service and unlimited surrender.

Are you ready to take the challenge and walk by audacious faith?

Today’s Prayer

Father, no matter where; no matter what; no matter how; if you call on me; may I always be ready, willing and by audacious faith able to do what ever you ask me to.

Thought for Wednesday, January 2nd

January 2, 2013

God Is

Who is God to you?

         

  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

John 1:1-4

“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us… Were we able to extract from any man a complete answer to the question, ‘What comes to your mind when you think about God?’ we might predict with certainty the spiritual future of that man.”

-       A. W. Tozer

Scripture instructs as that we are to each work out our own salvation before God with a sense of reverence, awe, awareness and yes even fear and trembling.  And part of that process requires us to define who we believe God is and what we believe He is capable of doing.  But that, in and of itself is not enough: we may say God is awesome, amazing and great and we may declare there is nothing He cannot do: but the real litmus test of our resolve with regards to who God is to us: is what are we willing to allow Him to do in us and through us. 

There is nothing, He is not capable of doing: but is there anything we are not willing to let Him do?

Today’s Prayer

Father, you are all and everything and there is nothing that is not doable: may I find myself always yielded, never withholding and ever willing and submissive to everything and anything you wish to do in me, or through me for others.

Thought for Tuesday, January 1st

January 1, 2013

Let’s Begin Again

What do you want more than anything for the year that is ahead?

         One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.

Psalms 27:4

“I despaired at the thought that my life might slip by without seeing God show himself mightily on our behalf.”

-       Jim Cymbala

Though it may seem trite or redundant on this the first day of the new year to say; ‘today is the first day of the rest of your life:’ it is still an axiom that is true and appropriate.

Today is the first day of the beginning of what will be more than just a new year but also an opportunity for each of us to resolve to be more committed, more devoted and more dedicated to seeking and serving God in ways we had never imagined in the days ahead.

And it is also an opportunity for us to open our hearts and our spirits to the greater vastness of just who God is and what He is capable of doing in and through us.

Are you willing?  Is this something you desire for the year ahead?

I pray that it is.

Today’s Prayer

Father, you are great and you are good: may both your greatness and your goodness be more real in me and through my life as you use me to minister to others in the year that is ahead.

Thought for Monday, December 31st

December 31, 2012

Is It Resolution Time

“He who breaks a resolution is a weakling’

He who makes one is a fool.”

-       F. M. Knowles

         Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.  But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

Matthew 5:33-37

Be it resolved: that I am resolved to make no resolves other than to love God and strive to live for Him daily; with His help; to the best of my ability.

So many times we make a rash of commitments at the end of each year that we are resolved to keep and usually before January has faded into history: we find ourselves loosing resolve if not abandoning our commitments all together.

God doesn’t want us to worry as much about tomorrow as He wants us to live for Him in the current day.

Resolutions aren’t all bad, but maybe the most significant resolution we can make is to resolve to live each day as it comes doing our best to do our most for Him.

Today’s Prayer

Father, may each day of 2013 be a day I rejoice in and seek to serve you because it will be a day that you have given and for that I should give praise.

Thought for Saturday, December 29th

December 29, 2012

Pass It On

“Have you had a kindness shown?

Pass it on;

‘Twas not given for thee alone,

Pass it on;

Let it travel down the years,

Let it wipe another’s tears,

Til in Heaven the deed appears –

Pass it on.”

-       Henry Burton

       I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

Acts 20:35

The year is coming to a close and each of us, if we were to take an inventory of the blessings we have received, would probably not be able to count, if we even remembered, the multitude we have received.

Yet how many of these blessings have we shared and passed on to others?

There is an old camp song that goes something like this:  “It only takes a spark to get a fire going.  Then soon all those around, can warm up to its glowing.”  - Kurt Kaiser (lyrics from ‘Pass It On’)

This is how it is with the blessings we receive: if we would pass them on: ‘pay it forward’, so to speak; it would be amazing to see how fast God’s mercy, love and grace could infiltrate and change the lives of those around us.

God’s supply is never in danger of depletion, nor is there ever a need for Him to ration His love, blessings and mercy: so then why can’t we pass on what we receive, knowing the more we give the more from Him we will receive?

Today’s Prayer

Father, help me to pass it on.

Thought for Friday, December 28th

December 28, 2012

Is There Any Room

“Each of us is an Innkeeper, who decides if there is any room for Jesus.”

-       Neal Blackwell

       Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

Revelation 3:20

So many times I have heard the illustration used that depicts God standing at the hearts door of Christians waiting to be allowed entrance – yet I contend that the very presence and power of God is already there, if you are a Christian then the knocking is from within and He is wanting to be invited to come out, so to speak, and join in with the activities and engagements of your day.  Not to oversimplify it, but in the spirit of childlikeness, with which we need to embrace the kingdom of God: He wants to come out and play by being a part of the things we do and participate in.

Sadly, to many times the things we do tend to crowd Him out. We only want His participation in our lives for an hour or two on Sunday and maybe if we aren’t to busy we can let Him participate with us for an hour or so on Wednesday.  Of course when a catastrophe or calamity comes about; we are usually ready to invite Him to come and fix it: but then we want Him to go back to a quiet corner where His presence doesn’t infringe on our activities and the choices we make.

He wants to be a part of every aspect of our lives; but are we willing to let Him?

I guess there is more truth in the quote above than we might like to admit sometimes; truly it is up to us to determine how much room in our life are we willing to make for His presence, His input and His participation?

How much room is there ‘inn’ your life for Him today?

Today’s Prayer

Father, may I always answer your knock immediately and may I never find there  is not room for you in my daily activities.

Thought for Thursday, December 27th

December 27, 2012

The Gift that Keeps on Giving

“Your life is a wonderful gift from God, what you choose to do with your life is your gift to God.”

-       Mark Brown

      Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.

3 John 1:11

The presents from under the tree are all unwrapped and some of them (especially those belonging to the younger family members); may have already suffered from the effects of wear and tear.   Some gifts were consumable, and if not already, they will soon be gone. While there are other gifts that will be held onto and cherished with fond memories attached for many years to come.

Yet, there is another gift that has existed from before eternity began and it will extend beyond (if that were possible) the eternity that is yet to come: and that gift is God’s love.

It wasn’t actually the baby that was the gift that first Christmas; it was the love that caused that baby to be born in the first place: and that gift was given before Bethlehem and the manger ever occurred.

Yet, we too have a gift to give: ours is not as lengthy in terms of the span of time, as God’s gift: but it is to Him equally valuable and important.  This gift is our life, comprised of our heart, our love and our will.   This is a gift that we can give to Him from the time we grasp and embrace His gift to us until we see Him face to face and then most likely even beyond.

His gift, unlike ours, is not subject to whims or moods or other events or occurrences: it is perpetual: shouldn’t ours be the same?

The real gift giving season isn’t over – it just goes on and on. 

So what kind of gift are you giving God today?

Today’s Prayer

Father, you give the gift of loving and forgiving every day: may I be as diligent to give the gift of loving and living for you every day that you give me to live.

Thought for Wednesday, December 26th

December 26, 2012

Forever Young

“Youth is not a time of life – it is a state of mind….  Youth means temperamental predominance of courage over timidity, of the appetite for adventure over a life of ease.”

-       Samuel Ullman

     Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.

Psalms 103:1-5

The road that leads to the end of 2012 has but a few more miles (figuratively speaking) left before it merges onto the highway of 2013 and all the new and exciting adventures, experiences and challenges that it will bring with it.

As this years Christmas holiday fades into memory and with it that youthful feeling that so much more is possible fades away: as Christians, we need to put this process on pause and reassess what should be going on.

While it is true each year finds us another year older, chronologically speaking: we need to remember to be youth like in our faith, in our commitment and in our ambitions as we seek to serve the Lord.

Too many people, both naturally and spiritually seem to grow old before their time and they loose that zeal and zest that youthfulness can bring to ones life.

Remember age is a state of mind.  Your body must move ahead in chronology but your attitude, spirit and state of mind do not have to age proportionately.

I may not be a Toys R Us Kid but I want to remain youthful, vibrant, eager and enthusiastic about God, His Kingdom and His work until I see Him face to face: what about you?

Today’s Prayer

Father, though my body may age gradually as the years pass by: and though I hope to mature in wisdom and understanding, may my heart attitude and spirit remain forever young when it comes to seeking and serving you.

Thought for Tuesday, December 25th

December 25, 2012

Merry Christmas

“He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist.”

-       Francis P. Church

  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.  And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Luke 2:11-14

With joyous hearts and grateful souls may we each declare as the angels did that wondrous day so many years ago, “Glory to God in the Highest!”

May the Christ of Christmas and the love that brought Him from Heaven to earth: to be born of a virgin and placed in a manger: touch your heart, your home and your family in deeper and more meaningful ways than it has ever done before.

And may today not be the culmination of our celebration; but rather, may it be just the beginning.

Today’s Prayer

Father, thank you for making Christmas what it is: and for allowing your love and your gift to change my life for ever: may I perpetually celebrate all that you are and all that you have done for me.

Thought for Monday, December 24 2012

December 24, 2012

What’s It Al About

“To perceive Christmas through its wrapping becomes more difficult with every year.”

-       E. B. White

  And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.  And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

Luke 2:8-10

It has been said, ‘that the more things seem to change – the more they stay the same:’ yet I wonder if this is true when it comes to our celebrations of the Christmas season.  Over two thousand years have passed, since the very essence of God become flesh and arrived in this world: and yet at times He seems almost forgotten in many of today’s celebrations.

Christmas was birthed when Jesus arrived; and at that time there was no sparklingly decorated trees aglow with lights or candles: there was no jolly man in a red suit declaring hearty Ho, Ho, Ho’s: there were no piles of presents under the tree waiting to be unwrapped: there was simply love from God; as God, alive and present to forever change the world by bringing hope and salvation for all of humanity.

As we celebrate this season: may those old things become like new in our heart and in our spirit and may the truth of such a great love and the presence of such a great power be more real and more alive for us than it has ever been before.

May the entanglements and entrapments of Christmas in our time diminish in our eyes as the true light and life of Christmas desires to reveal Himself anew to each and every one of us.

Celebrating life, love and hope in God: isn’t that really what Christmas is all about?

Today’s Prayer

Father, may my focus stay steadfast on the real reason for the season.

Thought for Saturday, December 22nd

December 22, 2012

Are You Stirring

“Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring – not even a mouse.”

-       Clement C. Moore

  And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

Mark 16:15

The children’s story of ‘The Night Before Christmas’ quoted above; bespeaks of a household which is to be visited by a jolly giver of gifts and all that transpires as this event unfolds.  They are seemingly unaware of what is about to transpire since nothing or no one is stirring and all are at rest.

How opposite is this to what we as Christians should be doing in our homes and communities.  We need to be stirring about: shouting from the mountaintops, over the rivers and through the woods: telling the world about God’s visit to the earth when He came wrapped in the package of a baby boy: who came to bring life by sacrificing His own on a cross only thirty-three short years after He made His arrival.

Many of us will declare greetings of Happy Holidays, or even a heart felt Merry Christmas: but will we go further and tell the world that Jesus is more than just the reason for this season: He is the transformer of lives and the giver of hope. 
Will we tell them that Jesus came to die for their sins and if they do not know Him they are lost and headed for hell?

One might think this is a bit brash and bold for a season such as this which should be full of jolly and good cheer: but isn’t this the truth?

Maybe this Christmas Christians need to get stirred up and get moving about:  maybe it is time to stop being quiet as a mouse.

So Merry Christmas: Jesus loves you and so does God: that is why He sent Jesus as His gift to the world so that you could be forgiven and have life eternal with Him in Heaven.  I hope you know Him and have accepted His gift: because it truly is the greatest gift of all.

Today’s Prayer

Father, may I be always bold, courageous and stirred up and never quite when it comes to sharing your love and your message of salvation with the world.

Thought for Friday, December 21st

December 21, 2012

The Christmas Baby

“Little children are still the symbol of the eternal marriage between love and duty.”

-       George Eliot

   Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.

Psalms 8:2

The most significant symbol of the Christmas season is not the tree, the star, the ornaments, or even the candy cane: rather the true nature and purpose of Christmas is wrapped up in the baby in the manger.

Babies embody such innocence and purity while providing the promise for such potential and possibility.

Baby Jesus was no different.  He was the very perfect, pure and personified presence of God: and He brought with His birth the promise and possibility for the supreme sacrifice for sin and the ultimate undoing and defeat of death, hell and the devil.

Jesus was not born to live: though He did live a perfectly sinless life: He was rather born to die: the cross being the ultimate final earthly destination for the culmination of His life’s purpose.  He after death visited ever so briefly a borrowed tomb; but even that could not hold Him back from being and becoming all that He was about and that is life: as He rose from the dead, confirming, sealing and attesting to the eternal victory for all souls who would believe and receive Him.

With God nothing is impossible and Jesus could have just appeared as a teen a man or at any stage of life God might have chosen: yet He came as a baby to remind us of everything He was, stood for and would be.

Have you embraced the baby of Christmas:  for all that He represents and wants to be in your life?

Today’s Prayer

Father, thank you for your gift; your son, our hope, our life and our forgiveness.

Thought for Thursday, December 20th

December 20, 2012

Considering The Angels

“I’ve been on the verge of being an angel all my life, but it’s never happened yet.”

-       Mark Twain

   Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

Matthew 1:18-20

Many of you may have noted over this past year that I take every opportunity I can to use a quote from Mark Twain.  He is one of my favored authors from childhood and I find many of his quips to be amusing and often insightful.  Today’s quote though serves no real purpose other than to introduce the subject matter at hand.   We are none of us, angels and in fact nor will we ever be angels in the literal sense, though we can be like an angel often in the lives of others who God may place in our path.

But that is not the topic of today.  I have noticed through the years in studying the Christmas story that angels have a preponderantly significant role in the entire event.

Their participation began with an appearance to Mary informing her of her honor and blessing in that she would be the mother of the Son of God.

An angel appeared to Joseph to instruct him and calm his concerns with regards to the situation his fiancé found herself in.

Angels appeared to the shepherds to declare His birth.

Angels rejoiced when He was born.

And angels rejoice over every soul that comes to repentance and accepts God’s glorious gift of salvation.  And of course they play many other important roles in the history of the world, as the Bible tells us.

So this would make me think angels are rather significant and important in God’s economy.  Yet scripture tells us that we are a little higher than the angels.  Does that not then mean we are extremely valuable and important to God? 

The question is this: is He as valuable and important to us as we are to Him?

Today’s Prayer

Father, many believe there are angles among us: watching over us and on occasion intervening on our behalves in our lives: and for their existence and their purpose I give thanks: I thank you too that you loved us a little more in that you gave your son for our souls, to die in our place and that is a claim no angel will ever get to make.

Thought for Wednesday, December 19th

December 19, 2012

How Much Is Enough

“The manner of giving is worth more than the gift.”

-       Pierre Corneille

   Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

2 Corinthians 9:7

The giving of gifts can sometimes be tenuous and cause undo amounts of stress for the giver. 

Recently, I saw an episode of a currently popular show in which one the main characters named Sheldon was beside him self with distress when he learned that his neighbor Penny had bought him a Christmas gift.  Not knowing the value of the gift he was to receive: he was in a quandary to have a gift of equal or like value with which to reciprocate.  As it turned out the gift he was given was of such a great value to him that no gift he could give could begin to equal or match its value.

As Christians we are faced with a similar situation.  We have been given a gift, by God, of such extravagance and worth that no attempt we could ever make to reciprocate would ever match or come close to touching the value of what we have received.

So then when it comes to our giving to God; how much is enough?

We know we can never give Him what He truly deserves and we know that regardless of how much of ourselves we give it will never be equal to what He as given us: is there a limit we should set or a line we should draw; that indicates when we have given enough?

The answer to this question is obviously no: but we need to keep in mind that the attitude and heart of how we give what we give is almost equally, if not indeed more important than what we are offering as our gift.  Be it time, talent, treasure or any other thing; we need to always give out of a heart of love, willingness and a genuinely true desire to honor and please the one who has done so much for us.

Today’s Prayer

Father, I could never, ever hope to give back to you even a small portion of what you have given to me: but in all I do may it be with a right heart and attitude because I truly do want to, in every way I can, demonstrate my love to you.

Thought for Tuesday, December 18th

December 18, 2012

Does the Season for Giving Ever End

“Some folks give their mite,

Others give with their might,

And some don’t give who might.”

-       Rev. Walter B. Keffries

Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

Luke 6:38

During the Christmas season: some get into, what they like to call, the spirit of giving.  Generally this is a bug that according to those affected by it, is seasonal and usually only effective, to its greatest capacity during the month of December; towards the end of the month.

Yet, Christmas it’s self, embodies the idea of the ‘Greatest Gift Ever Given’ and this is a gift that just keeps on giving.

As Christians we have so much to give and remember scripture instructs us to present our bodies as living sacrifices.  So then, should we not make a lifestyle of giving?

And giving so far transcends the putting of an envelope in an offering plate with a check or cash in it.  In fact that is just, or should be just a miniscule aspect of our overall giving. 

True giving comes when we give our time, our talent, our energies, our hopes, our aspirations for the glory of the Lord to make possible and to facilitate the ongoing work of the ministries He has called us each too.

You can never out give God is a rather clichéd phrase at best: but be that as it may: the truth of what it states is irrefutable. 

While the season of giving gifts to one another is here it may last but for a week or two: but may the true spirit of giving and the attitude of making available all that we are for all that He desires never leave us and may it be a constant ambition of our daily lives.

Today’s Prayer

Father, I have heard some say they give or have given until it hurts: I know Jesus can surely identify with that.  Help me to give until it hurts and then still keep on giving to You; for You; so that my life will be all about You.