The LORD Sits

For our honeymoon my wife and I were blessed with a trip to Paris. While we were there, we visited the Palace of Versailles. Once the center of political power, Versailles is now France’s foremost tourist attraction. Besides it’s sheer grandeur, one thing stuck with me about that palace: the thrones.

It is there that I learned what a throne represents. I mean, of course I knew that a throne represented power. It is obvious that to have people come to you is a demonstration of power. But, it is absolute power to have people come to you as you remain seated.

Ever thought of that before?

The Throne of God is mentioned several times throughout scripture. I won’t bombard you with all of them. Most famously it is described by Ezekiel (chapter 1). I’d like to mention also that the angel Gabriel refers to the Throne of God in Luke 1:32-33 because… he should know, he’s been there. He’s actually seen it!

God is mentioned as “sitting” multiple times as well.

• “The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD is enthroned as King forever.” – Psalms 29:10

• “He that sits in the heavens laughs” (at the futile efforts of man’s rebellion) – Psalms 2:4

• “Who is like the LORD our God, the One who sits enthroned on high?” – Psalms 113:5

Sitting on His Throne, God is The Absolute Power. He is the Power of the Power. There is none above and all below. Yet, He makes Himself low to guide and love His fragile creation.

In your quiet time with the LORD today, reflect on our God’s astounding ability to speak stars into being and also whisper encouragement to His children all in the same all-powerful breath. He does so with perfect love from His magnificent Throne.

God Bless!

Victorious Limp

Are you wrestling with God over something? Who isn't, right? Did you know that someone actually did wrestle with God? And I don't mean "wrestle" metaphorically either. I'm talking literally. God wrestled Jacob in a straight-up, hand-to-hand wrestling match. The first-ever Smack Down occurred in Genesis 32:24-32.

In fact, God wrestled Jacob all night. They wrestled until daybreak and when God saw that He had not prevailed against Jacob, He touched Jacob's thigh and dislocated it. Just a touch. That's all it took. This showed that obviously God could've won at any moment. As dawn was breaking, God said, "Let Me go." No one can see God's face and live. But Jacob replied, "No. Not until You bless me." Ha! Imagine that! The gumption of this guy! God then (I envision with a smile on His face) changes Jacob's name to "Israel" which means, "he who wrestles/strives with God."

Why did God do that? If He wanted to challenge Jacob, He could've picked any kind of contest: a race, a riddle, or tic-tac-toe. Why wrestling? Well, any of those other contests are not interactive. They keep contestants separate. Wrestling is more intimate. God picked an activity that involved actual physical contact.

I'm not sure, but I figure Jacob had that limp for the rest of his days. I also imagine that he limped proudly. It became his badge of courage, his price for a blessing, and his evidence of a God that loves him.

We all wrestle with God, maybe not physically like Jacob here, but spiritually? You bet. All the time. It's the "old man" in us rising up. It's the rebellious tickle in our ear. Envy. Pride. Gluttony. Pick one. But here's the thing, God will wrestle you right back. He will step into the ring. He wants to bless you.

Wrestling with God, however, does come with a price. You may carry a limp for the rest of your days. But you won't view that hurt as loss. You will view that hurt as victory. You will want to tell everyone about your limp and what it means to you. You will want to tell everyone how much God loves you and how much God loves them.

God bless!

This post owes a lot to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones's "Victorious Limp" via Tim Keller's "The Theology of the Cross and Walking with a Limp," I encourage everyone to check out these incredible links!

2 Minute Dynamite

Can you spare 2 minutes? Who doesn't have 2 measly minutes?

That's all it takes to read Romans 12. And let me tell you: this chapter is straight up dynamite! Every single line is perfect for meditation. Some highlights:

• Appropriately, it starts out with a fuse: Present your bodies as a living & holy sacrifice (Let that one burn. You could contemplate on that all day!)

• Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by renewing your mind!

• Don’t think too highly of yourself.
• We are parts of the same body and as such have different roles.
• Hate what is evil / Cling to what is good.
• Be devoted to each other.
• REJOICE IN HOPE!
• If someone comes after you, bless them!
• Try your best to be at peace with all men.
• Leave room for God’s wrath to clean up the trash.

So, do your soul a favor and take 2 tiny minutes to dive into this explosive chapter! I hope that you do. Here, I'll even make it easy for you: biblegateway.com

Arm yourselves with the God's Word. This TNT could be your weapon in the spiritual war raging all around you today!

God bless!
#christian #livingsacrifice #Jesus

Continuing Debt To Love

Love is a debt. Wait, I owe you love?!

Paul tells us in Romans 13:8 that we have an outstanding “debt” to love one another. I’m not indebted to love you, am I? One loves because one loves, right?

Is Paul being unreasonable?

Like everything else in scripture, look to Christ. Whenever in doubt, the answer is Jesus. Always.

Our Savior lavished us with such a gushing, pouring, drenching, and FLOODING love that it could never possibly be duplicated. It could never possibly be repaid. In fact, the only way to even scratch the surface of His tremendous love is to look out for one another. That’s it.

We are not instructed to do some incredible feat. We are just asked to show simple kindness to people who are in the same boat as ourselves. We are commanded to show our fellow man just an inkling of the likeness of Jesus. Our job as Christians is to point people to Christ. Then the Holy Spirit steps in. That's it.

If Jesus felt it important enough to give his life for others, the least we can do is honor that great sacrifice by showing others that we care for them.

In this, we remind people. We remind them that Jesus lives, that He loves them, and that He loves us. How could He not? After all, He is love.

Thank you, Jesus for showing us what love is and how to love!

So, yes - I owe you love. You owe me love. We owe love to each other. It's a debt neither one of us can repay. We are always in hock.

I love you. Put it on my tab.

God bless!

#Love #LoveOneAnother #DebtToLove

The LORD Will Fight

I get tired.

Far too often the struggle gets the best of me.

I'm so human and humans are weak and flawed. However, there is someone we can turn to who is not weak and who is not flawed. Exodus 14:14 tells us that the "LORD" will fight for us. When you see the Lord written in all caps like that, it means YHWH; the one true Creator God. It's refering to the God through which all things are. (Thanks to Rev. Dr. David Cyphers for that explanation.)

If the Author of the Universe will fight for us, let's let him. God has never, nor never will fail and He won't fail you.

God Bless!

#YHWH #AuthorofSalvation #GodMyRock #GodMyStrength #GodMyShield

Just Add Water

You can live without food for 3 weeks, but take away your water and you can last only 3 days. 65% of our body is made of water. Try growing something without water and see how that goes for you!

It's easy to see that water is essential for anything to survive. Our spiritual well-being is no different

John 7:38 tells us that rivers of living water will flow from the heart of whoever believes in Jesus. Rivers! How refreshing does that sound?

If you are thirsty, all you have to do is drink.

God Bless!

#livingwater 

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!

Stand Firm On God's Word

While running the other day, I got an image stuck in my head. It was of myself trying to balance on a big heap of flimsy mishapen boxes. The heap was teetering this way and that. Inevitably, it toppled and I fell.

2 Thes. 2:15 tells us to “stand firm” on God’s word.

I can stack all my achievements and knowledge as high as it will go, but it will never hold me. Jesus is the only foundation I can trust. He is unmoving, solid and forever sure.

Why stand on anything less?

God bless!

#standingonthepromises #foundation #run #runningchristian

Read Something Else

By the time you’re done reading this sentence, you may feel convicted. Leave this page and go to the real page. Read something worth reading today.

All the rest of this stuff is just filler.

Get into The Word today!

You can read 1 John in three minutes. I’ll time you. Go!

God Bless!

How to not be disappointed

How to not be disappointed:

In Romans 9:33, Paul says there will be a rock that will trip some people. However, people who believe in that same rock will not be disappointed. The rock here is obviously Jesus.

I found it strange to think of Jesus as something negative: a stumbling block? Offensive? I don’t think so! Jesus is my Cornerstone! He is my Foundation! He helps me stand up! He does not cause me to fall down. However, it is all contigent on my hope in Him, on my belief in Him, and my love of Him.

Those who do not believe in Jesus will trip over him. Then it is negative. They will be offended by him.

Have you ever been in a conversation that was going just fine and then you mention Jesus, or God,… or heaven forbid: the Holy Spirit? That will put the brakes on any conversation quick and in a hurry. Suddenly it becomes awkward. The air is let out and people get claustrophobic. People get uncomfortable. Why is that? We can talk about everything under the sun, except The Son. Non-Christians don’t mind talking to Christians about non-Christians things. So why do Christians tiptoe around non-Christians?

Anyone who puts their faith in the Rock of Zion will “not be disappointed.” They will not be let down, wahsed out or discouraged. Instead, they will be vindicated. They will be comforted, blessed, and delighted. Paul was quoting Isaiah. Now there’s a man who knew a thing or two about society’s trepidation regarding Jesus! I’m sure he had numerous conversations that went sour. I’m sure he was on the business end of many eye rolls and people nervously staring at their sandals.

I’m also 100% sure that he was not in the least bit disappointed about any of it.

God bless.
#stumblingblock #believe #therock #Jesus #firmfoundation

Gehazi

One of my favorite accounts in the Old Testament pertains to Gehazi. Who in the world is Gehazi?!

Let me set the scene: 2 Kings 6, The Syrians had put a hit out on Elisha. Their army ambushed him and his servant, Gehazi. Understandably Gehazi was freaking out. Elisha prayed for Gehazi’s eyes to be opened. He immediately saw the mountain full of angels on fiery chariots ready to do battle on Elisha’s behalf.

I truly believe that is how it is today. We feel we are alone in a battle against a whole army. When in actuality, we have a heavenly host at our ready. Make no mistake, there is a spiritual battle constantly raging all around us. The only question is: Do you have the spirit of Gehazi or Elisha?

I pray that your eyes are open today!

God bless!
#openyoureyes #angelarmies

Fill Your Ears

What are you listening to? Is it Country? Rap? Zydeco? Well, whichever genre it is, (I believe you said Zydeco), ask yourself this: what are they singing about?

I would say that 80% of all songs are about love. That's understandable. It'srelatable. People are always going to be falling in and out of love. As Neil says, "Love on the rocks, ain't no big surprise."

5% is about stuff; cars, money, and bling. We love our stuff and even write songs about how much of it we have collected. "It's all about the Benjamins" Right?

5% is about self; Look how cool I am! Those of the dreaded "I'm Too Sexy" variety.

That leaves 5% to sing about... who knows what?! I have no idea what these songs are even about. Dire Straits won a Grammy in '85 for "Money for Nothing," and I'm telling you its about someone who works at MTV, installs things, and has conversations with no one in particular. Sounds like real life, but sing a song about it? "I love that song!" "Me too, but what do any of those lyrics actually mean?" "Beats me. But I like it!"

Granted, I have no references for those numbers. Its just my personal opinion from a lifetime of being (what I would call) "more than a casual listener."

We listen to music because it makes us feel something. We like the beat. It gets our blood flowing. We connect with the songwriting. Man, some songs even get stuck in our heads!

So, if we are constantly filling our ears with something, shouldn't that something be about how much we love God? Shouldn't it be about how thankful we are that He sent His only Son? Shouldn't it be Praise?!

If you are a serious Christ Follower and you are not listening to Christian music, then you are really missing out. It's like adding a whole new dimension to your worship! Want to Practice the Presence of God? Listen to Christian music. It will help you stay focused throughout the day.

If you are listening to music that isn't about Praising God, then you are wasting your time. It might be fun. It might be catchy. But ultimately it does nothing. Our main purpose on this planet is to Praise God. Why would you fill your ears with anything but Praise music?

God Bless!
#PraiseMusic #ChristianMusic

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

Compromise

Compromise is a good thing, right? Compromise solves problems. Compromise allows both sides to have a little victory. In marriage, compromise is must. Brittany and I have learned how to resolve many issues using compromise. In politics, compromise is a vital tool to obtain diplomacy.

This may seem like common sense but, when it comes to our faith, compromise is not an option. The Bible is the authority, not my thoughts on it or your thoughts on it or anybody's thoughts on it for that matter.

2 Tim. 3:16 says All Scripture is God-breathed. God-breathed beats man-breathed. Every single time. Period. End of story. Want to argue that point? You're argument is already invalid. You want to argue the God-breathed part? Good luck, son. You on your own. Proverbs 9:10 says that the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. Second-guessing God-breathed Scripture doesn't sound like fearing the LORD to me.

Secularists want us to compromise. The world wants us to bend a little here and tweak a little there. You know, no big deal. "God didn't mean stuff literally. You know that, right? It's the 21st century, you seriously believe in Creation? The Flood? The Virgin birth?"

Yes. If it's in the Scripture, then yes. No compromise. No apologies. I am not ashamed of the gospel because it is the power of God! Romans 1:16

Compromising to the world says man has some better ideas than God. Compromising to the world says man is smarter than God on certain things. (Wow, that was actually difficult just to type).

If the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle? I Cor. 14:8. Compromising takes a certain note and tweaks it. But the truth is, now that note is a different note. Make sure you know the right note so you can be ready with when you hear it!

One last thought: "Compromise" is "promise" with the prefix "com-" (which means "with," or "together.") Therefore, compromising takes God's promise and joins it together with man's changes. Yeah, no thanks.

God Bless!

#Compromise #NotAshamed #Truth

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

Pierced

After Peter's first powerhouse of a sermon*, it says the people "were pierced to the heart." Have you ever felt like that? Have you ever been so moved it felt like someone actually stabbed you in the chest? Sometimes you read scripture or you hear a lesson and it hurts your very heart! It's as if the words cut into you and exposed you. That is the Holy Spirit at work! God sees the heart. Sometimes He has to pierce it to revive it. He pierces it to wake it up. It's like a spiritual defibrillator! CLEAR!

To build muscle, you have to break it. Only God can create a new heart. Only God can grow your heart. Your heart has to break for what breaks His and then it will grow. Pray for Him to sing a new song over your heart. Psa 28:7

They were pierced and then asked, "What shall we do?"

Peter's answer was simple: Repent and be baptized and then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is a GIFT and Peter also calls him a PROMISE. God would never offer a gift and not give it. God would never speak a promise and not fulfill it. All you have to do is ask.

If God pierces you today, please allow him full access to your heart. Repent and be baptized and receive the Holy Spirit. It's a win-win.

God Bless!

*Acts 2:14-47
#piercedtotheheart #follower

Red Herrings

You've probably heard the expression, "red herring." Fans of mystery know what I'm talking about. It's used to describe something that misleads or distracts you from the actual thing. Red herrings want to send you to the wrong conclusion.

The origin of "red herring" is debatable. People say it came from the training of hunting dogs. Once the dogs were familiar with the right scent, their trainers would drag a fish across their path. Initially, the dogs would be diverted by the new scent. They had to be trained to ignore that scent and stay focused on the original scent.

There are so many spiritual red herrings in our lives. Countless things mislead us or distract us. There are far too many things that can get us off the right scent and following the wrong trail. Next thing we know, we are lost.

Note that the dogs had to be trained. It wasn't something that came naturally. Obviously, the scent of a tasty fish would throw them off! It was enticing! Things that get us off the trail are things that are attractive. Only with training could the dogs recognize the wrong scent and ignore it. It takes discipline and instruction.

We are pursuing Jesus. Our goal is Christ. Anything that is dragged across our trail to distract us, entice us, or mislead us MUST be ignored! We must recognize or (church word alert!) discern that it is not the right scent and discard it! Only through constant prayer, study, and communion with the Holy Spirit is any of this possible. Praise God for the Holy Spirit, am I right? Without which, we would be like lost hunting dogs chasing after the wrong prey.

Good hunting and God bless!

Spoiler Alert!

We love a good twist, don't we? Don't you hate it when someone tells you the ending first? "Ahhhh! Don't tell me! I want to find out for myself!"

I'm big on keeping the lid on spoilers. So, I cannot with a clear conscience allow you to read on without the following disclaimer: The next sentences are classic twist endings... of REALLY OLD MOVIES.

There, I feel better. Proceed...

It's a cookbook.
Rosebud's a sled.
Ape City is actually Earth.
Bruce Willis was dead.
Verbal Kint is... ah, I can't do that one.

I'm going to go ahead and give you the SPOILER OF ALL SPOILERS. I'm going to give you The End. The for real END. The end of it all. The end of the end.

Ready? Here goes: God wins. The enemy is defeated.

There are no surprises. The devil doesn't pull a fast-one on God at the last second. Jesus reigns supreme. This old world bows and every tongue confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord. Sorry to ruin it for you, if you didn't already know. We don't know when, of course, but's that's what's ultimately going to happen.

We are so lucky. And by lucky, I mean fortunate. We are so fortunate to have, as Paul Harvey would say: "the rest of the story." When all the prophets were around, they didn't know what we know today. They'll be like: "What was it like to live knowing all the answers? You had all the mysteries right there at your fingertips? I mean, they were collected, printed neatly, and pocket-sized?! You knew the beginning, middle, and end: how cool was that? You had the Holy Spirit? Wow, man. You were so lucky!"

With this knowledge, fear should melt away. With this knowledge worry should disappear. We know the ending. There are only two sides: God's and Not God's. There can be only one winner and we know which side wins! Are you on the winning side or the losing side?

It couldn't be more simple.

God Bless!
#theendoftheend #JesusReigns

Where You Belong

When Peter announced to the first believers that they needed to fill Judas’s empty position*, he used a phrase that always glares at me. I feel it piercing my heart every time I read it. It’s almost as if those words growl and claw. He prays “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go WHERE HE BELONGS” [emp. added].

To go where he belongs. Ouch. I think we all know where that is.

“To go where he belongs” is the NIV translation. The KJ and NAS say, “to go to his own place” and the MSG says, “to go his own way.”

We all belong somewhere. There is a place where we are going to go. You and I cannot be in two places at once. It is either going to be here or it is going to be there. Only God can be in multiple places. Not even the enemy can do that.

There is no spiritual fence-riding. If you think you are straddling that fence, think again. As Peter prayed, God knows EVERYONE’S heart. He knows which side your heart is really on. We fool others and we may even fool ourselves, but there is no fooling God.

Going where you belong can be a comforting thought or a frightening one.

For a Child of the King, where you belong is in the house of your Father. Where you belong is a place you have longingly envisioned a million times and it will be a million times more magnificent that you ever could dream.

For a child of the world, where you belong is in the house of your father. Where you belong is a place you never ever thought of and it will be a million times more horrifying than you could have ever envisioned.

Where will you belong?

God bless!

*Acts 1:15-26

Be The Moon

Sometimes I think I should've become an Astronomer. I love to look at the sky. I love the clouds in the day. I love the stars at night. God's vast creation never ceases to move me.

I also love to look at the moon. Sometimes the moon can be so bright that it lights up the whole night. Especially a full moon... which (fun fact) in November is called the Beaver Moon.* You might even think, "Wow! The moon is bright tonight!"

But the moon is not creating that light by itself. It is reflecting the light of the sun. On it's own, the moon could never produce any light... ever. On it's own, the moon is just a cold rock floating aimlessly in space. In fact, the only way we can even SEE the moon is because of the sun.

In 2 Cor 3:18, Paul addresses the modern Christian. "We all who contemplate the Lord's glory are being transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory..." We are to reflect Christ "as in a mirror."

Close your eyes and think about that for a minute: We are to reflect Christ. (Seriously. Stop. Close your eyes. Think about that for a minute.)

Just as the moon reflects the sun, we are to reflect the Son! When people look at you, they are supposed to see Christ. We transform and radiant God's warmth, love and compassion. When Moses saw God, he glowed. His face shone so much that he was forced to shroud himself so he wouldn't scare people. And Moses only saw a glimpse of God's back! (Exd. 34:29-35). 

That is why it is said: Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you. (Eph. 5:14)

Not to sound too corny, but: Wake up and Shine! BE THE MOON!

God Bless!

*Farmers' Almanac