You Remain The Same

Sometimes I’m irritable.
Other times I’m patient.
But I’m hardly ever consistent.

Hebrews 1:12 tells us that God “remains the same.” That could be bad if God were capricious or unreasonable. But here’s the thing – He’s not.

He’s constantly and reliably good. He is Love and love always loves. The fact that He’s “the same yesterday, today and forever” (Heb. 13:8) should give us great comfort. It means He will always hold us, catch us, save us and forgive us… even when we least deserve it.

May you experience God’s steadfastness today!

God bless!







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Exposed By The Light

Exterior Photography 101:

If the sun’s at your back, your subject will turn out dark. Flip the composition around, and the subject is exposed.

Similarly, if we keep THE SON at our backs, we will be in darkness, but put THE SON in front of you then your pathway will be illuminated.

Eph. 5:13 tells us everything exposed by the light becomes visible. Don’t you want a visible path?

May you bathe in the light of THE SON today!

God Bless!







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Our Real Boss

Work is work, right? Or they would call it play. Everyone has something they would change about their job. In Col. 3:23 Paul tells us that as Christians, we are not working for our bosses, we are working "as for the Lord."

We are to work with good cheer.

Hey, at least you have a job that you don't like. Many Americans would love to have a job... that they would not like.

Bosses, you are not off the hook either. There is plenty of scripture about treating your employees well (Eph. 6:9).

God bless!

Switched On

Following Jesus will change things. It will change everything actually. Your life will transform from night to day. Jesus will disrupt your thinking, your views and your attitude. If there is no change, if there is no illumination - you have not let Him in. You have not fully committed.

I described to Brittany how it's like a light switch being turned on that cannot be turned off again. And really, why would you want to? Why would anyone go back to the shadows? No! What you do is, you get closer to the light. You try to make the light as big as possible. You want to tell everyone about the light! You want everyone that's bumping around in the dark to flip that switch too!

I envision people with their eyes vehemently shut... almost spitefully so. There's nothing covering their eyes. They are not blind. They are not even blindfolded. They cannot see because they are purposely shutting their own eyes!

"I got it, I got it. I can see just fine like this. Leave me alone!"

"Ah! OPEN YOUR EYES, MAN! You're about to walk straight over a cliff! Let me help you!"

"Listen crazy-pants, I don't need your help! Who are YOU to help ME? There is no such thing as light! There is no such thing as cliffs either!"

By the way, I'm aware of the double meaning of "switched on" as meaning "alert" and also "in love" because both apply. Following Jesus is being alert and it is being in love.

Commit to following Jesus today. Allow him to change your life. Walk in the light, man. Darkness is for chumps.

God Bless!

#switchedon #lamptomyfeet #lightformypath #understanding

Rooted

Oswald Chambers* moved me today in my daily devotional. He was speaking to Christians about their witness.

What do I mean by "witness?" The way you present Jesus and his resurrection to others is your witness to them (Acts 1:22). But it's also the way you present yourself! You can either be a good witness for Christ and help the Holy Spirit's work in their life or you can be a bad witness for Christ and hinder the Holy Spirit's work in their life.

Saint Francis of Assisi is attributed with saying: "Preach the Gospel, and if necessary, use words." We represent Christ here on earth. We are the Lord's first line of defense and many times we fail Him. We mis-represent Him. We cause more harm than good.

For example, when missionary Stanley Jones met with Gandhi, he asked him though he quoted the words of Christ often, why he rejected becoming a follower. The Mahatma said, "Oh, I don't reject Christ. I love Christ. It's just that so many of you Christians are so unlike Christ."** The Christians Gandhi met were poor witnesses.

Oswald Chambers suggests this verse: "My speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power" - I Cor. 2:4

To help strengthen your witness you must surrender to this fact: It is the Holy Spirit that can accomplishes the miracle, not mine or your's or anyone else's words. Remove yourself from the equation and rely on the power of the Holy Spirit. "He will create His own life in people."* If anything, you and I just mess things up by getting in the way. Get out of the way and let God work! Once you are rooted in that reality, you cannot be shaken. Base your faith on that!

Emotions change. Human experiences change. God does not change. Root yourself in our unmovable God and your faith will be secure. This will help you be more like Christ. Once you are more Christ-like, the Holy Spirit can use you. Only then will your witness do any good. Only then will your witness have any power.

God Bless!

* "My Utmost For His Highest" Dec. 3rd. • www.utmost.org

** "The Christ of the Indian Road." E. Stanley Jones

A Beautiful Walk

I don't have any money. But what I do have, I'll give to you.*

Peter said this to the lame beggar at the gate of the temple called Beautiful. The man had been handicap since birth. Every morning he was carried and set down at the gate where he would beg. This was his life.

One morning, He saw Peter and John pass by and asked to recieve alms. Peter stared him down, "Look at us!" The beggar got excited. He thought he was going to get some money! "I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene - WALK!" In an instant his legs were strengthened and with a LEAP, the lame man walked. I imagine he probably did more than walk too. I don't have any scripture to back this up, but I figure he most likely moonwalked.

Sometimes we ask God for something and He gives us something else. If God gives you something else, you can bank on that something else being much much better.

Sure, some extra money would've helped this man. No doubt about it. But God, through Peter, gave the lame man something far greater than he could have ever imagined: a new life! God is in the business of making things new and better.

One last thought: Could any other name have healed that man? In the name of Moses! No. In the name of Abraham! Nothing. In the name of Caesar! Give me a break. Only the name of Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God has power. Just the name, folks! No other name EVER could done one little thing to help that man.

Be on the look out. If you ask God for something. He may surprise you with something... else. Something Beautiful.

God bless!

*Acts 3:1-10