HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY

Happy Mother’s Day?

What is it that makes a Mother’s Day Happy?

The flowers we shower

The gifts we give

The cards to be opened

The moments relived

The tiny hands and shoes

That bounce all around

While adults try to talk

And squealing voices abound

The meals prepared

The well wishes spoken

The things left unsaid

While hearts remain broken

The warmth of embrace

The too soon so long

The quiet house that stays

When they have all gone

Happy they say

For some it will be

Contentment is granted

By the one who makes us free

The heart that surrenders

His will be done

This time is fleeting

Our life but one

Mom, today like all others

Has happy within

When we change our joy source

And find it truly in Him

So be happy today

And tomorrow the same

For this kind is one

That doesn’t quickly change.

BY THEIR FRUITS

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits.” Matthew 7:15-16a.

Have you ever had bad fruit? Our family was recently recalling an event we attended where bad fruit made many people very sick. There was no way anyone could have known what they were ingesting was harmful, but what an awful time that ended up being. If people knew the fruit was bad they certainly wouldn’t have eaten it.

When it comes to people and teachers, there is a way to know if what they offer is good or not. Jesus is teaching that just as a healthy tree bears healthy fruit, the teaching of a person or the person themselves can be known by the fruit of their lives. The fruit of the Spirit; love, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, comes to mind naturally when considering good fruit. There are some other things to consider in the context of this passage; namely motives of the heart that glorify God in place of self.

Bad fruit leaves you sick. We must take great care with what we allow to influence our lives through teaching. One of the less obvious “ravenous wolves“ may be someone who does a lot of righteous deeds, but for his own glory. Good fruit is always found on a tree rooted in Jesus and points to Him for the credit.

Thank you, Lord, for showing us how to discern what is good and what is not. Help us Lord to be wise and watchful.

REPLACE YOUR WORRIES WITH FAITH

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?“ Matthew 6:25

“What’s for dinner?“ If we’ve heard it once we’ve heard it a million times. Although this question can be met with frustration to the unprepared cook, we know the inquisition comes with the understanding that dinner will indeed be supplied. Seldom in our culture would there be a child who genuinely worried about whether or not their basic needs would be met.

In the sermon on the mount, Jesus teaches against being anxious about our basic needs. Our heavenly Father knows our need, and He values us well beyond the birds of the air and the lilies of the field that He richly supplies for. Instead, He encourages His followers to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Do we?

How much time have we spent this week worrying over earthly needs as opposed to doing kingdom work? To live this out it takes one thing… faith. Replace your worries of today with faith, knowing the God who sees already knows your need and has ample supply to meet it. He also delights in you and your well-being as a good Father always does. He is so provisional that His attitude seems to say that as a dear child of His, it simply should not be of concern to us. We are completely free to be about kingdom work and His righteousness.

Dear one, enjoy your freedom to live for God as you let Him concern himself about any and all of your needs today. He is your provision.

THE NARROW GATE

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow, and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”Matthew 7:13-14.

Everyday tasks for living can be approached with a variety of different methods. Some may be a bit more efficient than others, but differing ways are capable of leading to the same end product.

This is not so when it comes to finding life in God. As recorded in the sermon on the mount, there are many ways that lead to destruction and many people find it easily. Many are deceived by their own path, follow false teaching, or even claim to do their good works in Jesus’ name. Harder to find, however, is the way that leads to life. The implication here is that there is only one way, and that way is Jesus. The narrow gate is Jesus himself (John 10).

In our tolerant culture, this is a narrow-minded idea. When I came to know God through salvation in Christ, I thought of it more as simple. After all, the self-destructive path I was taking was proving to be rather complicated. The process by which sins are forgiven, and man is set free from the wages of his sin, is only found in confessing to and forgiveness from the one true God. Praise God for providing the way, narrow and simple.

Thank you, Lord, for making those who believe forever free. Help us follow the one true way to life, that is Jesus.

LIGHT OF THE WORLD

"You are the light of the world."

Matthew 5:14

"Look! I have something to show you! Come, see the light!" Precious words of excitement exclaimed by our four year old granddaughter when she discovered our Christmas candlelight flickering in the window long after season's end. She was amazed at the special luminary and could not contain her excitement as she pulled in a crowd of family to marvel along with her. Now, we had all seen the light before, but her childlike fascination was contagious.

I think part of shining our light before men is found in remembering the excitement of it's first reveal in our own lives. Our lives were in complete darkness prior to that hope of salvation bursting forth. Our lives became new, and a passion for sharing it could not be hidden.

How do we maintain that passion as the years of this world wear on us? One way is by maintaining a heart that remembers from whence it came with gratitude over new life in Christ, long after it's beginning. Such gratitude reignites passion and makes you a light in the darkness.

Let your gratitude over your salvation cause you to say, "Look! I have something to show you! Come, see the light!"

Dear one, you are the light of the world!

OUR WAY-MAKING GOD

"The LORD said to Moses, why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward."

Exodus 14:15

I wonder how often we are needlessly stuck in life. The way for moving forward has been provided, but we still need to travel it confidently with the One who designed it.

The Israelites were magnifying the comforts of their past and minimizing the great trials thereof earlier in this Exodus account as they complained to Moses. Moses has now just finished giving them the pep talk of a lifetime in verses 13 through 14 where he told them, "Fear not, stand, firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will work for you today. For the Egyptians, whom you see today, you shall never see again. The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent."

When circumstances bear serious weight, (you don't get any weightier than the pangs of enemy pursuit and a water engulfed pathway) it can be hard to move forward. We tend to cling to magnified versions of comforts we once knew when traversing into the unknown.

The people of God had plenty of reasons to be afraid and many times, so do we. But we have one good reason to move forward and not give way to those fears -God makes a way.

Dear one, can you perceive how God may be making a way to go forward as you trust Him with all that surrounds you?

A SEASON FOR EVERYTHING

Ecclesiastes 3:1

"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:"

It is always amazing to watch the anticipation of the change of seasons. Most noteworthy may be the longing for the end of the dead of winter and to feel the fresh new life of spring. There is an ordained order to the details surrounding the change, some seen and some invisible to the untrained eye. The passing of the events must take place to maintain the ushering in of what is to come.

Just as timing is important in the environmental changes, seasons in our lives bear the weight of detailed events passing as well. It is natural to long for a difficult season to pass quickly, one filled with heartache, loss, and disappointment. There may, however, be significant reason for the lingering of such a season. The time it takes to move through a season is purposeful as Solomon indicates here in Ecclesiastes.

We need not rush from one thing to the next. God has something for you in each time and place He has you. Seek His guidance as you long for one season to end and another to begin. Ask God to open your eyes to details you may miss without such pointed effort.

Lord, we don't want to miss what you intend for us in our current season. Even though it may feel like the dead of winter, help us receive what you have in this time. We want to be ready for the spring of our lives!

“BUT I SAY TO YOU…”

"You have heard that it was said...But I say to you..." Matthew 5:21-22

In our information rich culture, we hear a lot of things said about the practice of following God with our lives. Some teachers point straight to the heart of Jesus and do it very well.

In the sermon on the mount, Jesus brings several statements with the words "You have heard that was said." Those words are quickly followed by "But I say to you..." anytime Jesus speaks we should sit up and take a note, especially here when he is about to speak as our authoritative teacher, and completer of the law. These statements point to the original intention behind the laws given, the very heart of Jesus.

The Pharisees got caught in the weeds in their efforts to adhere to the law. Their motives became about keeping up an outward appearance, and they completely missed the washing of their own inward attitudes of self-righteousness. As we follow Jesus in practice, let's make sure we are following his intent behind what he has said. If we don't apply his intentions to our hearts, we risk missing him and the whole point altogether. Weigh what you hear and what you do against what Jesus actually said.

Is there anything you practice that isn't really what Jesus has actually said? Is there some way in which you have missed the heart of Jesus in the way you follow him?

BE THE TRUTH-SPEAKING FRIEND

"I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has." (Job 42:7b)

Have you ever had someone give you bad counsel in your greatest hour of need? In those times, the healing balm is what we need not salt in our wound.

Job's life reminds us of this by exhibiting his lack of a good friend. During his greatest hour of need, the ones who surrounded him all got it wrong when they tried to give insight to the reason for Job's suffering. We can be guilty of the same thing in our friends' lives if we aren't cautious. What if we don't know the reason for their circumstances? What if we are humble enough to admit that we don't know, and truthful enough to proclaim that God's still reigning? God didn't take lightly the false representation of his own character to Job by his friends, nor should we.

When it comes to earthly relationships, maybe all we really need is one good friend. A supporter who shows up and speaks the truth about God, even when his ways don't seem to make sense.

Lord, help us be the type of friend that shows up and speaks the truth about who you are. God forgive us for thinking we have to have all the answers. Thank you for always being in control over everything.

OUR WORDS TELL ON US

("They knew he was running away from the Lord, because he had already told them so." ) Jonah 1:10b

"I didn't mean what I said." Have you ever heard someone say this after uttering harsh words? The problem is that we usually say out loud what we have been holding inside for a while. When harsh words finally fly, it may not be that the speaker didn't mean them as much as they wish their own words didn't just give them away.

When Jonah ran from God, he told the sailors of the ship headed to Tarshish what he was doing. His own words revealed what was going on in his heart. His heart was not on board with God's plan for the Ninevites.

Imagine for a moment, actually saying in response when asked what you are doing, "I am running away from God." Whether we want them to or not, the words of our mouth reveal the condition of my heart. We signify that we are either following God with our life or not with the words we speak. You may not literally be saying that you are running from God, but you may be revealing ways that you are. Our utterances, indicate selfishness, materialism, idols of the heart, lusts, and the like. Our own words tell on us.

Dear one, what are your words saying today? Do your words indicate how you follow God or do they indicate needed areas of repentance? Lord, please show us the ways in which we run from you as we think about the words we are speaking.

WELCOMING GOD’S INSTRUCTION

"But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish." (Jonah 1:3)

When I dispense an instruction to one of my children, eventually, they are going to fulfill that instruction, the hard way, or the easy way as it has been said. In my heart, I ask why they even try to do anything other than comply right away. When they whine, fuss, or even try to run away from my call, they are only delaying the inevitable.

Jonah was a runner. A prophet of God had been given an instruction, and instead of obeying in holy reverence, he ran away. At some level, Jonah did not agree with God about the job that needed to be done. Bringing a message of repentance to his enemy was obviously not what he wanted to do.

Try as we might, we cannot run away from God’s call on our life, and why would I want to if I truly believe his plan is best for me. There have been times. I have not really wanted to follow a difficult call on my life. I have been left to reason that I would far rather obey and heed the voice of God than be swallowed by a great fish. God will have His way. The issue becomes how hard I make it on my self in the process.

Dear one, is there something God has been asking you to do that you have been running away from? Let's ask the Lord to help us trust His call on our lives—to welcome it and embrace it.

NO FEAR IN LOVE

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love, casts out fear because fear involves torment." 1 John 4:18.

Some personalities have a more difficult time accepting the love of God for themselves, even though they believe in Him as personal Savior. What I mean is that while one may believe God loves YOU, it is harder to rest in the truth that God really loves ME. The irony in that is this, I cannot extend to others fully what I have not received first.

The struggle to receive love, may be based on your difficult circumstances and lack of comfort and ease in this life. These are not good indicators of the depth of love God has for you, nor the lack there of which you may be tempted to deduce. He is love as this passage in 1 John teaches. His character won't suddenly veer from being who He is. Why should we sit with this thought? His love is our firm foundation for life and without it, we give way to fear.

Fear gives place to all sorts of trouble, worry, anxiety, stolen time, and mind space. Fear is a tormentor. God has no desire for such in your life. He is for your good. His perfect love casts out fear. What are you afraid of? The list of possibilities is endless but so is His love. We cannot underestimate the importance of believing in God's love for us personally. It is that very thing that protects us from all sorts of harm.

Dear one, meditate on God's perfect love and personalize it today. When you focus on His love, all fear will be cast out. Fear is a tormentor, but God is love.

SALVATION IS COMPLETE

“… for no other God can save this way.” Daniel 3:29.

The power, devastation, and destruction. A raging fire holds is something that strikes a healthy respect and fear the hearts of those who encounter it. Only those highly trained and equipped, dare to try and tame the blazing flames. Even a small fire leaves damage that penetrates everything nearby with its saturating scent of smoke. Maybe you can relate to such devastation or maybe the only fire you know is that of the flickering warmth of a campfire.

When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace at king Nebuchadnezzar’s urgent command, God saved them. This is especially miraculous given that the soldiers, who took the three to their impending doom, were themselves snuffed out instantly by the flames. But for the three, God‘s saving power was seen well beyond his ability to spare life as he also rendered the three unsinged. Not even a remnant of smoke scent remained about them. This is what led to Nebuchadnezzar‘s proclamation “for no other god can save in this way.”

The same way, in which God was with His called in Babylon, He is with us. His power to save us in the trials of life are also complete. He holds the ability to protect His own. While we may face fiery trials in life, He can save every aspect along the way, because He can redeem everything. The fire that can be intended by the enemy for our destruction, can be the same one that God uses to refine our faith.

How might God be calling you to trust His ability to completely save you in your fiery trial today?

Dear one, He saves completely and is completely trustworthy.

WORSHIP AS GOD COMMANDS

“And they built the high places of Baal which are in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire to Molech, which I did not command them, nor did it come into My mind that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.” Jeremiah 32:35

Think about how you spend your time and what you tend to think about. Objects of our time and attention ultimately cost us some thing. One could argue that those things are what we worship.

When we worship the wrong thing, anything other than the one true God, sin is not far behind. We may not be building high places on which to sacrifice our children, but we do struggle with keeping God in his rightful place in our lives-the most high place. When our attention and affection shift from God toward lesser things, we deny God His value as our object of worship. This action may also lead us to make sacrifices that eventually prove to be harmful to us and to our families.

Not unlike God’s chosen people toward Molech, the things we sacrifice to in place of God are an “abomination” to the Lord, and they never even entered His mind as a possibility. He wants our heart, it’s attention and affection. What does God require of you? “But to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God” Micah 6:8.

Are there things you do in the name of pleasing God that, if you stop to consider it, He has not actually required? Is there anything you practice in the name of worship that God has not required of you?

GROWING UNDER PRESSURE

“We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing.” (2 Thessalonians 1:3)

The pressures and problems of this life can leave us in dire straits. It may seem like there is no option other than to make it through with a survival mentality. With God however, we can actually be found in a season of growth during difficulty.

In the face of persecution and trials, the Thessalonian believers were commended by Paul on two accounts. First for their growing faith, and second for their growing love towards one another.

In order for faith to grow, an eternal perspective needs to be present during hardship. A looking past the “here and now” of the situation and considering the “there and then” impact in light of eternity is required. If love towards others is to grow, a team mindset is necessary. The tendency to only be concerned for oneself is an ongoing battle of the flesh. Growth potential on both fronts is determined by the shift in focus of attention off of self and onto God and others.

Dear friend, in your current difficult situation, how can you turn your focus toward God and others? Your growth under pressure is more than possible! Make a shift in your attention and let the growing begin!

FOCUS ON THINGS ABOVE

Colossians 3:1-2

“If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.”

Keeping our heavenly focus can be challenging.

The key to an upward gaze is found in this passage in Colossians.

We have to set our minds on eternal things.

Have you ever stopped to think about what it is you spend your time thinking about?

Do you think about the things Christ is concerned about? Things pertaining to eternity? Are your thoughts fixed on earthly matters?

How about you conversations…do they include spiritual matters?

Here’s a question to use as a conversation starter; How’s your soul? This question points beyond surface responses from people that we regularly elicit.

Setting our minds on things above is a key determinant for where our feet will go, what our hands will do, and how our heart responds.

Dear friends, it has been said, mind your mind. Where your mind is fixed will indeed fix a lot of other things in your life.

STOP YOUR COMPLAINING

Philippians 2:14-15 “Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky.”

Did you ever dream of being a star? Your dreams can come true!

According to this passage in Philippians, stardom is not out of reach for any of us. It is however a conscious effort in our Godly living.

And just how do we bring out our brilliance? We are to do everything without grumbling or complaining.

Everything.

Everything?

Everything!

Then, we will stand out as children of God, blameless and pure in this “warped and crooked generation”.

We will shine against the backdrop of darkness. We will emit the light of God when we “do all things without grumbling or complaining.”

For some of us, our days would be radically different if we worked at this. The tone of our environments would be impacted; our workplaces, our homes, and our churches. Would you take up this challenge to live out scripture with me?

We may have to rehearse responses to fight the temptation to join a bandwagon of complaining.

We may have to bite our tongues to keep from arguing.

Think ahead and plan for times in your day when this might become difficult to live out.

Let’s be stars! Among people, let’s be the ones that shine with the light of God.

GOD’S ARMOR

“Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” Ephesians 6:11

The devil’s schemes don’t change a lot. He reaches into his old bag of tricks and trips up the believer time and time again.

If this is true, then why do we fall? If we can figure out his method, then why can’t we see it coming and preemptively cry, “Ha! Caught you!”

There are a few reasons, but let’s consider one…we’re not appropriately dressed for battle!

Can you imagine a soldier facing the enemy without a piece of his gear? Without a helmet or a weapon?

We’re in battle daily with our enemy and many are trying to fight for their life without their armor on.

Taking a stand against the devil requires that we be “fully” dressed for battle. Missing pieces only grant opportunities for the opponent to strike, and strike he will.

We need it all;

The belt of truth,

The breastplate of righteousness ,

Feet fitted with the readiness of the gospel of peace,

The shield of faith,

The helmet of salvation,

The sword of the Spirit,

and continual

Prayer and alertness.

So, Friends, are we “fully dressed” and ready for battle? Double check your list and be sure not to miss any pieces. Our victorious living depends on it!

ENCOURAGING WORDS

Ephesians 4:29

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”

No matter what area your spiritual gifting lies in, we can all be encouragers.

An encouraging word is helpful; one that builds up and benefits the hearer.

Think about how Jesus did this. He was a storehouse of information. He held all knowledge and was interacting with people on earth out of His love for them.

He could have overwhelmed them with information, but instead He communicated with them according to their need.

When we interact with others, let’s be like Jesus and think about the needs of the hearer. We may need to reconsider airing our opinion or sharing everything we know. Being helpful and meeting the true needs of others is a mark of maturity that employs self-restraint.

Friends, who has God put in your path who could use a little building up? What is the need of their heart?

Let’s impact others for the Kingdom with our words today.

HIS GREAT LOVE

Ephesians 2:4-5 “But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”

It’s all by His grace.

The way to relationship with God, and a secure hope of heaven are ours as His children through grace.

The full expression of His love for us was shown in the way of salvation, but not because we…

earned it,

deserved it,

cleaned up our act for it,

or

were ever, in any way able to pay the debt we owe to Him.

Oh, the debt of love we owe.

Motivated by love, full of mercy and grace for you and for me, He saves.

And this, while we were dead in our sin.

Praise God He doesn’t require our own work to pay the debt.

It’s been paid in full.

Because of His love.

His great love.

Christian, your good works now, they are or should be, because of Your response to His great love.

They are an offering.

The debt is already paid.

Walk with Him in love, and offer your love response with your new life.

Rest in love today friend.

His great love.