Questions for God
And the Lord looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might . . . . Surely I will be with thee . . . (Judges 6:14,16)
What would you do if the Lord showed up in the middle of your workday with a message? This happened to Gideon, one of the ancient Israelites. “And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour. And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt? but now the Lord hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites” (Judg. 6:12–13). Gideon wanted to know why it seemed as if God had abandoned His people.
God didn’t answer that question. After Gideon had endured seven years of enemy attacks, starvation, and hiding in caves, God didn’t explain why He never intervened. God could have revealed Israel’s past sin as the reason, but instead He gave Gideon hope for the future. God said, “And the Lord looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might . . . . Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man” (vv.14, 16).
Do you ever wonder why God has allowed suffering in your life? Instead of answering that specific question, God may satisfy you with His nearness today and remind you that you can rely on His strength when you feel weak. When Gideon finally believed that God was with him and would help him, he built an altar and called it “Jehovahshalom (The Lord Is Peace)” (v. 24).
There is peace in knowing that whatever we do and wherever we go, we go with God who promised never to leave or forsake His followers. Amen.
What could be better than getting answers to our why questions? Trusting a good and powerful God.
When I read this I knew without a doubt it needed to be shared. What profound truth, we are so quick to focus on the why when all we need to do it trust God, He is good, He is powerful.
Have a wonderful day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Judges 6:11-16,24
Consumer or Producer?
For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. (James 2:26)
The other night I was doing my Bible study and started looking at the maps in the back of the Bible. Kind of strange, I don’t think I have studied the maps since childhood Sunday School class. Something jumped off the map page which I believe you will find interesting.
There are two seas in Israel. Both are fed by the same source of life, the Jordan River. The Sea of Galilee is full of life. The area around the Galilee supports an abundance of wildlife. I am told by friends that it is absolutely a beautiful area. In contrast, the Dead Sea is lifeless. Nothing lives in the sea and few living organisms are found around the Dead Sea.
So, what is the difference? Why is one full of life and the other dead? If you look at the map, the answer is quite obvious. One sea gives; the other only consumes. The Sea of Galilee takes what it needs from the Jordan River, multiplies the gifts and then passes the water on downstream. The Dead Sea takes water and hoards the water, never passing any water on. The Dead Sea only consumes. The water in the Dead Sea evaporates, leaving behind salt, thus making the Sea lifeless.
How about you? Our source of life is Jesus Christ. His love flows in us and replenishes us. He restores us. He redeems us. He is our Savior. He is our everything. Are you hoarding His love or passing that love on because of your gratitude to Christ? Are you replenishing others around you or just draining them? How about in church? Are you sitting on the same pew weekend in and weekend out just being a consumer? Is it time to start producing more for the Cause of Christ instead of only consuming?
Make no mistake about what I am saying. We are saved by the grace of God and the faith alone in Jesus Christ. Our works should be a natural outpouring of our gratitude for what Jesus Christ did for us nearly 2000 years ago on that old rugged cross. For us to think we can add to what Christ did is nothing short of blasphemy. Christ did it all for us (John 19:30).
Is your Christian walk one of consuming or producing?
What a thought! This blessed me when I read it and I wanted to share it with you in hopes that it would challenge you to begin this week by asking yourself this very question, then taking action each day to improve the answer.
Have a wonderful day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is James 2:26 & John 19:30
The Price of Admission
Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:24)
Every year some two million people from all over the world visit St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. It is well worth the admission fee to experience the magnificent structure designed and built by Sir Christopher Wren during the late 17th century. But tourism is secondary at this place of Christian worship. A primary mission of the cathedral is “to enable people in all their diversity to encounter the transforming presence of God in Jesus Christ.” If you want to tour the building and admire the architecture, you must pay an admission fee. But there is no charge to enter and attend any of the daily worship services at St. Paul’s.
How much does it cost to enter the kingdom of God? Entry is free because Jesus Christ paid the price for us by His death. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” (Rom. 3:23–24). When we acknowledge our spiritual need and accept by faith God’s forgiveness for our sins, we have a new and everlasting life in Him.
You can enter a new life today because, by His death on the cross and His resurrection from the dead, Jesus has paid the price of admission!
You can invite Jesus into your life by praying something like this: Dear Jesus, I believe that You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I want to accept You as my Savior and follow You. Please forgive my sins and help me, from this moment on, to live a life that is pleasing to You. Amen.
There is such an urgency for this message to be spread far and wide for all to read and to then choose to invite Jesus, The One who paid the ultimate price for you and I so if we choose we can enter God’s kingdom where we were truly meant to spend eternity. Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth (Luke 15:10). You are not guaranteed tomorrow, nor are you guaranteed your next breath, make the choice NOW, don’t live in someday, choose Jesus NOW!
Have a wonderful day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Romans 3:21-26
When Morning Comes
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)
It was very late when we stopped for the night at a country inn outside of Munich. We were delighted to see that our cozy room had a balcony, although an oppressive fog made it impossible to see into the darkness. But when the sun rose a few hours later, the haze began to fade. Then we could see what had been grimly shrouded the night before—a completely idyllic scene—peaceful and lush green meadow, sheep grazing with tiny tinkling bells about their necks, and big white clouds in the sky that looked exactly like more sheep—huge, fluffy sheep!
Sometimes life can get clouded over by a heavy fog of despair. Our situation may look so dark that we begin to lose hope. But just as the sun burns away a fog, our faith in God can burn away the haze of doubt. Hebrews 11 defines faith as “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (v. 1). The passage goes on to remind us of the faith of Noah, who was “warned about things not seen as yet,” yet obeyed God (v. 7). And Abraham who went where God directed—even though he didn’t know where that would be (v. 8).
Though we have not seen Him and cannot always feel His presence, God is always present and will help us through our darkest nights.
Father, thank You for Your promise to walk with us through all of life. In moments of doubt, help us to have the confidence You are in control and we can trust You. Amen.
When I read this three words came to mind, He is faithful! Yesterday may have been filled with disappointment, sadness and or frustration but Praise God today’s a new day, another day we have been granted to express our love and trust in The One who created us to soar above our darkest nights, we are never alone, God is always present. Trust Him!
Have a wonderful day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Hebrews 11:1-8
Free From Falsehood
He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him. (John 7:18)
Every day we hear and we speak many words. We hear words from our families, our coworkers, television, movies and the radio. And as Proverbs rightly explains, “In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise” (Proverbs 10:19). So our day, while full of words, is more than likely also full of transgression! We are no strangers to lies and it would seem “falsehood” is as inevitable as the sunrise.
As Christians we should learn from Jesus’ words, realizing that we can avoid falsehood by seeking the Father’s glory rather than our own. When we seek our own glory, we succumb to the trap of lying to cover our wrong deeds or mistakes to save ourselves from humiliation and shame. But when we seek his glory it doesn’t matter what people think of us, only what people know of him.
Just like the one who composes the message is worthy of greater praise than the messenger, so is our God infinitely more worthy of praise than we. If we are abiding in Jesus then, we ought to walk as he walked (1 John 2:5-6). If we are indeed of the truth we are to seek the Father’s glory by always honoring him by walking in truth rather than falsehood.
Walk in truth with your words instead of falsehood by seeking the glory of the Father instead of your own glory. Amen!
After reading this I instantly said to myself, let me not walk in my own glory. My prayer today is that this challenges someone somewhere to reflect on there walk with God and how they reflect the Father’s glory, do others see a self centered, lying individual or do they see someone walking in truth seeking His glory? This may seem like a harsh question but it’s truth, we are living in the last days, He will return and when He does will you be found ready? Be honest with yourself, eternity is forever and He wants you to spend eternity with Him.
Have a wonderful day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is 1 John 2:5-6
When You Are Discouraged
The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all. (Psalms 34:17-19)
Ever get discouraged?
I sure do. In fact I woke up this morning feeling discouraged. It feels like the world is against me, and I’m overcome with feelings of “nobody really likes me.” Sometimes I get discouraged because of my past regrets, and sometimes I get discouraged because God so clearly has not answered my prayers and cries for help, when and the way I want Him to. I get discouraged when I put too much trust in people and expect them to do or say something that I’ve been longing to hear.
Discouragement is a real feeling, and it’s a real tool of the enemy to come against the child of God. If you let it sink in, discouragement will press you down, and it can hinder you from doing what the Lord has called you to do.
What do you do?
Here’s what I do: Find scripture that encourages you in the Lord. Find out what God says about any given situation and then trust His Word. It has power to give life if you let it penetrate your heart. “The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.” Psalms 34:17-19
I pray today that if you are discouraged that Jesus will lift your spirit and whisper truth in your ear. He knows your pains; He cares and he will answer! Amen!
After reading this just this morning I felt I could completely relate to what the writer was saying, who couldn’t. Discouragement is something that unfortunately impacts everyone at some point in there lives but I couldn’t imagine going through this life without The Lord by my side, without The Word to lead and guide me back into His presence when my mind and emotions drift into discouragement. Today, let’s choose to take back what the enemy has tried to steal from you, joy, laughter, love, a genuine smile. Pack up the tools of the enemy and give them back to him, you were never meant to carry the tools of the enemy, he is a liar and the father of all lies, you are loved, you are kind and you are beautiful inside and out. Do not buy what the enemy is trying to sell you. Allow The Lord to deliver you. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. I don’t know what tomorrow holds, but I know Who holds tomorrow.
Have a wonderfully blessed day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Psalms 34:17-19
Humbled
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith 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)
God is big; we are small. God is perfect; we are not. God is all-powerful; we are weak. God is never ending; we have but a few years on the earth he created.
God is beyond us, like the end of the universe is beyond the earth. Trillions of lightyears separate the boundary of limitless space and bright burning stars, yet it all falls under God’s hand. We should be careful to remember this when we speak of Him.
When we talk of God, we should make certain we understand that we can never fully understand Him. Yes, He has revealed Himself to us, but only in part.
When we think of God, we should remember that His “thoughts are not [our] thoughts”, and “neither are [our] ways [His] ways.” There should be a humility in us when we think or speak of God, a deep reverence that knows He is beyond us in every way. This respect, if held rightly, won’t lead us further from God, but closer. It will do so because we will ask with the Psalmist, “What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?” (Psalm 8:4) There is nothing God gets from us that He can’t get better from Himself, yet, He still loves and pursues us. God is definitely love, and this makes us want to know and be amazed by Him.
Be humbled by the grandeur and selfless love of our God who is beyond our full comprehension. Amen!
When I read this today I felt it needed to be shared. What truth! I am so grateful He is beyond me in every way. There is nothing God gets from me that He can’t get better from Himself, yet, He still loves and pursues me. I am indeed humbled. What a mighty God we serve!! He loves me, He loves you!!
Have a wonderful day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Isaiah 55:8-9
A Sports-Card Relationship with God?
And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. (John 17:3)
When I was a kid I loved collecting sports cards. I had binders full and remember looking up how much money they were worth and then trading them with friends. My favorite thing about the cards was that they had every player’s stats on the back. So I had most of their numbers memorized. However, even though I knew a bunch of stuff about them, did that mean that I actually knew them as people?
Obviously, the answer is no! It would’ve been a total lie if I claimed to know these players on a personal level just because I had a bunch of their stats memorized. However, I think a similar tendency is alive and well in the Church.
So many of us in the Church know a lot of information about God. We know stats. We have verses memorized. We read books. And the list goes on. But how many of us know God beyond knowledge about Him? I love Scripture and wholeheartedly believe it’s critical for Christians to have an intimate understanding of it. However, knowing about God is no substitute for actually knowing Him on a personal level.
In today’s verse, Jesus was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, saying: “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” You see, eternal life isn’t simply going to a place called heaven when we die—it’s knowing the Father and Jesus Himself.
True life is found in a personal relationship with the true God. So, are you in a sports-card relationship with God? Do you know about Him? Or do you know Him personally?
If not, pray this prayer with me: God, I know things about you, but I don’t feel like I truly know You. And that’s what I want. I want to know You like Moses did and like the disciples knew Jesus. Holy Spirit, please introduce Yourself to my heart, soul, and mind in a way I’ve never experienced before, so I can lead others into an authentic, intimate relationship with You as well. Amen.
When I read this it challenged me to take time and evaluate my “relationship” with God. How well do I know Him personally, I’ve served Him since I was ten years old and I couldn’t imagine a single day without Him in my life but do I truly serve Him by taking time each and every day to get to know Him or do I rush through my day, check Facebook countless times, maybe even post a comment or pic in hopes that others will get to know me better, hoping they will see my better side while neglecting to take that time to get to know Him better, say a quick prayer and call it good? I’m not picking on Facebook, I’m mentioning just one of many things that tend to have a strong hold on people, you fill in the blank, what consumes so much of your time that it keeps you from an intimate relationship with God? What in your life could you take and replace with getting to know Him better? In the moment when your about to reach for that thing, I challenge you today to stop, take out your bible, pray and talk to Him, get to know Him better than you ever have before. He loves us so much He sent His son to die for you and I. Have you made it a priority to have an intimate relationship with God? Ask yourself that question today and be truly honest. He already knows, it’s up to you and I to choose to change the answer.
Have a wonderful day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading John 17:3, 2 Peter 3:9
The Anchor of Hope
We might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast . . . (Hebrews 6:18-19)
The writer of Hebrews uses the image of an anchor to describe the confident hope we can have in God. When a boat is in open water, away from a dock, nothing can keep it in place but an anchor. The anchor keeps the boat from drifting off in any direction. No wonder Hebrews calls hope “an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast.” That is what an anchor is for a boat, and that is what hope is for our souls.
Hebrews 6 tells us about two people who assure us that hope in God is an anchor for the soul. The first is Abraham. God promised Abraham land and descendants. Even though those promises were threatened many times during Abraham’s life, Abraham hoped in the anchor of God’s promises, and those promises eventually were fulfilled. The second person is Jesus, “our forerunner.” Jesus ran ahead of us. He ran the race of human life. He ran through death, and he returned victorious to life, rising from the dead. Following in his footsteps gives us an anchor for our souls. Because he lived, died, and rose, we have hope that God will also give us new life after death.
When the waters of life get rough, or when we can’t see the shore, let our hope in Jesus be the anchor for our souls.
Faithful God, we often feel like a boat that is far from shore. At those times, and at every time, give us the sure anchor of hope in you. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
When I read this it uplifted and encouraged me so much. There have been times when I have felt like a boat that is alone and far from shore but what a reminder that Jesus is my anchor and my hope, sure and stedfast. I am blessed and never alone. He is my anchor of hope.
Have a wonderful day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Hebrews 6:13-20
Take Him Seriously
As He consistently did throughout His teachings, Jesus reminds us of His power, He reminds us that we have divine purpose, and He reminds us that we are loved and cared for. He reiterates what He has been saying to His disciples for 3 years, and also a few centuries too. When the Defeater of death tells you He’s powerful, that you have a purpose and work and that He is with you always, you should take Him seriously. If Jesus has all authority in heaven and earth, should how you worship Him and speak to Him change? If you’re meant to be making disciples and teaching them everything Jesus has commanded, does your day-to-day life need to change? What about your weekend plans? And if Jesus Christ is with you always, how does that affect your spirit? Your joy? Your courage? Your peace? Jesus defeated death for you and for me. Let’s live like it.
When I recently read this I couldn’t deny such truth, to some it may step all over your toes but my prayer is that it challenges you to be real with yourself and answer the questions honestly. Jesus defeated death for you and for me. Let’s live like it. Amen!
Have a wonderful day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Matthew 28:17-20