First and Last

     Not only is Jesus first, He is last. He was there at the beginning of time and He will finish it. The Bible reminds us that everything was known to God, the culmination of all redemption, an end to evil and a new heaven and new earth, all of it, before time began.

     When Adam and Eve disobeyed for the first time, it came as no surprise to the omniscient One. And when the perfect Son came at the perfect moment and when all things have been perfectly fulfilled, it will be done. Sin was conquered at the cross. Evil will be vanquished at the end with One Word from the victorious Christ. He is coming soon. Remind those you love and tell the world. Come Lord Jesus.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”  Revelation 1:8

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Revelation 22:13

Jesus,

All of creation is groaning for Your return. Your finishing work is close at hand. Open the eyes and hearts of many to know You. You began it all and You will be the Omega, the Last, the End. The end of evil will mark the beginning of eternity. We wait expectantly.

Amen

First Things First

     Yesterday we placed God in first place. As we seek Him first, He promises to meet all of our needs. He is sufficient to supply.

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.   Matthew 6:33

     Seek His wisdom every morning. Seek His love all day long. Seek His Word for every answer. Seek His healing when you are sick. Seek His presence when you need to say an earthly goodbye. Seek His everlasting hope when you feel hopeless and lost. He will give you all things as you seek Him first. Be mindful of His constant presence and rely on Him for His blessed assurance.

Jesus,

You promise to never leave us. Guide us to seek You in the morning, at noon, in the evening and as we rest for the night. You are there.

Amen

First Things First

     Because Christ loved us first, we love. What does God ask of us? What does He place as most vital in the lives of His disciples? We need, first of all, faith in Christ; to believe in the birth, death and resurrection of our Lord, Jesus. After that, we keep Him first in our lives. Not so easy in a busy world like ours, with details pulling us into the fray of living life.

Jesus replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it. “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:36-38

     In the spiritual realm of our God, the bottom line is love. Love God first. Place Him above all else. He loved us first and with that love we love our neighbor as ourselves. Let it be so, Lord Jesus.

Father,

The greatest commandment is to love You, Your Son and the Holy Spirit. We pray for the truiune God to be first in our lives. Please fill us with Your Holy Spirit today.

In Jesus name,

Amen

First Things First

     Where did you learn to love? So many today live in loveless homes. They live with addiction, or abuse or apathy. Our precious children live away from reality, caught looking at a screen, more than looking at creation. We all need unconditional love and a little kindness. We all need someone to listen to our lost hearts and find healing and health.

     Of course, the answer to all of this is Jesus. His love overpowers the deepest hurt. He becomes the parent to the orphan, the answer to the addiction, the healer of all wounds. For anyone to be able to really love, they first need to be loved, really loved; loved in apite of flaws, in spite of mistakes, in spite of everything the world has thrown at us. That love comes from our Creator in the form of His only Son. He loved us first.

We love because He first loved us. 1 John 4:19

Jesus,

Let Your unconditional love fall on our hurting world. Teach us how to love Your children. You do not want to lose even one.

Amen

First Things First

     Have you been struggling with the immorality, the violence and the chaos of our times? So many people do not know Jesus. The Word of God is foolishness to them.

The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.  1 Corinthians 2:14

     Preaching or pointing out sinful behavior only pushes people away. What did Jesus do when He met the woman about to be stoned for adultery? She was caught red-handed and the law permitted the stoning. Jesus looked at the crowd about to strike and asked,

“Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” John 8:7b

     He understood her. He loved her first and then He tells her to go and sin no more.  I believe we need to show the love and kindness of Christ and allow Him to change us and others. It is only by the power of the Holy Spirit that we can be led into a more holy and pure lifestyle, the life that God knows is best for us. Let the love and understanding heart of Christ dwell in you as you confront the world around you and, when given the opportunity, share the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Jesus,

We pray for opportunities to share the love you have given us. Dwell in us in a way that shows outwardly to others. Let Your grace and mercy be present in our lives, knowing that You have forgiven us for so much.

Amen

Hours, Days, Seasons

     Is today a day to be strong? Is today a day to be humble? Is today a day to speak up? Is today a day to keep quiet? Is today a day to mourn? Is today a day to dance? Is today a day to be busy? Is today a day to relax? Is today a day to make a friend? Is today a day to begin again? Is today a day to look back? Is today a day to step out in kindness? Is today a day to seek justice? Is today a day to say, “I love you?” Is today a day for a goodbye?

     The minutes become hours. The hours turn into days. The days transition into weeks, the weeks into months and the months into years. The years become seasons of our lives. The days blur together as the decades fall behind, yet each day continues to hold its own beauty, its own solemn moments, its own heartbreak. A life is lived. And each life is precious to our God. And with Jesus, each day holds its own purpose.

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens; a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. Eccliesiastes 1:1-8

Jesus,

Whatever this day brings, You are there. Let each season bring lessons, love and laughter. Even in our suffering You are with us, for each season, we are Yours.

Amen

Free!

     Before Jesus claims our hearts and souls, we (whether we know it or not) are slaves to darkness and sin. Believe today! You are set free from death and bondage. You will live forever in the new heaven and the new earth prepared for you. Remove the clothes of mourning. You are alive in Christ forever! The Holy Spirit can move you into more light and freedom each day.

                                                                                                     

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.  Galatians 5:1

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.  Galatians 2:4

     Take a deep breath. Relax in the joy of salvation. You are set free from sin and death forever. Lift your arms in worship and praise. Feel the lightness in your soul. Let the burdens be lifted once and for all and feel the deep peace and joy of the Lord wash over you.

Jesus,

You bring us freedom from death, freedom, from sin, freedom from everything holding us in bondage. Let it be well with our souls from this day forward, no matter what we are going through. We belong to You.

Amen

Free Indeed

     What does freedom mean to you? Are you bound up in guilt, pain or addiction? Is there a prison wall surrounding you and keeping you from experiencing life? Are the tears bottled up from pain and never released?

     Allow Christ to unlock the padlock around your heart, to free you from any bondage you have been fighting. He will open the prison cells and set you free!

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted; to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners. Isaiah 61:1

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:36

     Jesus offers spiritual freedom. That includes freedom from death. Make peace with eternity. Remove your fear of death and remain free indeed in Christ.

Thank you Jesus, for freeing us. You remove us from darkness and place us right out in the open, in the light of day. You call us children of the day. Let us live as if we are free indeed. Free to enjoy this short life of ours, knowing we will live forever. Make our lives count.

Amen

Brokenhearted

     How do we go on when we are brokenhearted? Somehow we put one foot in front of the other. Just one tiny step at a time may be the most we can take. We get through the week, the day, the hour, the next ten minutes. Life is not normal, and we wonder if there will ever be a “normal” again.

     As Christians, our eternal perspective can soften us into some form of peace and joy deep within. All can be well with our souls, even when our bodies, minds and hearts are crushed and broken. Jesus knows our hardships. He suffered more than any of us ever have or ever will. Why did He suffer? He suffered for you and for me.

“I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”  John 16:33

     I pray for each of you today, that it is well with you. Most of all, I pray that all is well with your soul.

Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. 3 John 1:2

Jesus,

The pain suffered throughout our lifetime seems insurmountable and impossible to endure. Days and nights move on in agony and loss. Bring comfort to those who mourn today. Heal their souls with Your promise of hope and life. Bring peace to their inner being. Amen

     

Brokenhearted

     I have a friend I have known and loved for 58 years. This year we turn 60. Yes, this has been a lifetime friendship. We have walked through life together; hopscotch and jacks, kickball, neighborhood plays, Beatle’s and Beach Boys, first crushes, high school hockey games, found our first jobs together, and I was there when she met her husband almost 40 years ago.

    Her husband was recently diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor and my heart is breaking. They are constantly on my mind and in my heart as I cry out to God for help. Comfort them, Lord. Strengthen them, Lord. Heal him, Lord. Help them, Lord. Their cry and mine are heard. Jesus is there with them and He is here with me.

     Are you going through a time of heartache and loss?

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18

      The Lord is close. He cares for you and He cares for my friend and her husband. We don’t understand. Jesus will see us through somehow. He will never leave you. Never.

Father,

Heal our crushed spirits and broken hearts. Sometimes it feels as though our hearts might just break in two. Comfort those in mourning and lead us into Your peace.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Renewed and Transformed

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is-His good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

     Renew your mind today with the perfect and pleasing will of God. The lusts of our flesh and the pride of our egos, the ways of the world will pass away. And God lives on forever with us, His children. Be transformed and look to the things that are praiseworthy and eternal.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things. Philippians 4:8

     Contrast what you see in the world around you today with these words: right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy. Everything falls short. Think on pleasing God. His will for your life is perfect and beautiful. Think on the things above.

Lord,

Renew our minds. Transform us. Teach us to begin and end each day with You. The things of this world do not match up to what You have in store for us.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Spiritual Clothes

     Our spiritual clothes grow on us from the inside out, as Jesus, though His Holy Spirit, continues His good work in us. We grow in patience and kindness and gentleness and love. God protects us with armor; salvation, righteousness, truth, peace, faith and with His glorious Word. How does God dress? Jesus came in human form, but our Father God, seated on His throne? We can only imagine.

                                                                                                 

     No one has seen the Father, other than the Son.

No one has seen the Father, except the One who is from God, only He has seen the Father, John 6:46

Who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To Him be honor and might forever. Amen 1 Timothy 6:16

     There may be a hint in the verse above. He lives in unapproachable light. I imagine He is brighter than the sun and if we, as humans, tried to gaze at Him we would die. Sit in awe of our glorious Father in heaven.

The Lord wraps Himself in light as with a garment; He stretches out the heavens like a tent.  Psalm 104:2

Father,

You dress Yourself in light, as unapproachable light. In heaven we will enter the throne room and witness Your glory. Until then, protect us with the light of Christ. He is the light of the world.

In His name we pray,

Amen

Spiritual Clothes

     In addition to clothing ourselves with the character of Christ, the Bible gives us protective spiritual gear. As you move around your world today, remove any fear and anxiety. God will take care of the enemy of our souls. We just need to trust. Put on the full armor of God!

Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place and with your feet filled with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Ephesians 6:13-18

     I want to quickly look at the armor and focus on the three I count on most every day of my life. Once we believe, the helmet of salvation will never be removed. Nothing can snatch us out of the hands of Christ. (John 10:28) We receive His righteousness, as if we have never sinned. This breastplate of righteousness protects our hearts. (Romans 10:4) We are belted with the truth of the Gospel. Jesus is the truth. (John 14:6) And it is our responsibility to bring the peace of the Gospel wherever we go. This is represented by the shoes of peace. (Matthew 28:19)

     Let’s examine the three that remain. Make sure you use them every day. The first is the shield of faith. The warriors would navigate their shields as they went into battle to fight off the arrows of the enemy. And that is exactly what our faith does for us. Do we have faith in the storm? Do we trust in our weakness? Can we give control to God even when He asks for sacrifice or change? When the enemy raises his ugly head to bring doubt and fear, move your shielf of faith into place.

And without faith it is impossible to please God. Hebrews 11:6a

     The sword of the Spirit is the only offensive weapon mentioned in all of the armor. Jesus used the Word of God when the devil tempted Him in the wilderness. It is our greatest weapon. Load Your heart and mind with Scripture. Meditate on it. Study it. Hunger and thirst for it. And use it. It is alive and it is very powerful.

For the Word of God is alive and active; sharper than any double-edged sword. It penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

     And finally, pray for all things, at all times, with thanksgiving. Put on the full armor of God, place the shield of faith in front of you as you wield the sword of the Spirit, praying in all things and praying for each other.

Jesus,

You give us exactly what we need for every occasion. Today we thank you for protecting us from head to toe, from heart and mind to soul and spirit. Thank You for Your protective spiritual armor.

Amen

Spiritual Clothes

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Colossians 3:12

     The spiritual clothing listed above is not worn naturally. How do we learn to dress with these characteristics? The answer may be easier to understand if we look at the first part of the verse above. As believers in Christ, we are God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved. Before we dress ourselves in compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience, we need to fill ourselves with the love of Christ.

     Jesus has forgiven us. He has chosen us. He humbled Himself to be a human servant to all. He loves us that much. The word “holy” means to be set apart. God has chosen you! Dress yourself with the love of Christ, and all of the various forms of that love will present themselves. The more we get to know Him, the more we can acquire patience to deal with the impossible, to humble ourselves and put others first, to be kind and gentle when we want to lash out, to feel compassion for those we don’t understand.

     The bottom line is to show others who Christ is through our actions and in the way we live our lives. Eternal destiny is at stake. Jesus does not want to lose even one soul. Clothe yourself accordingly today.

Lord,

We need Your love to be poured into us. Fill us to overflowing in order to witness to others with Your compassion, Your kindness, Your gentleness, Your humility and Your patience. None of this comes naturally, but only through Your Holy Spirit. We are your chosen ones, set apart from the world to shine with Your glory. Let it be said of us that we belong to You.

Amen

Spiritual Clothes

     Great care is taken in deciding what to wear to a special event. Each day we peek through our closet and our drawers to find an outfit, a purse, shoes. Would heels look better with this or would sandals look ok? I should look for a new pair of black shoes. Hair color changes, along with our style. And we won’t get started on the makeup. So much time and energy is spent on our outward appearance.

     What does the Bible say about our spiritual clothing? Should we spend time considering our spiritual armor each day? Clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus this week. We will dig in together on how to do just that. Give your spirit top priority this week and feel the change. Changing from the inside out because of Jesus will add a new sparkle beyond what any new dress will do!

                                                                                          

Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.  Romans 13:14

Jesus,

Show us in Your Word this week the things you consider most important. Teach us to spend as much time learning from You and what You think, as we do trying to impress the world around us. Wrap Yourself around us and show us how.

Amen

Pleased to Give Us the Kingdom

     I pray the voice of God is a familiar one to you. His character is fair and just. His mercy is new every single day. His grace is sufficient for us in our every weakness. His compassion never ends and His love will follow us through the end of the age unto eternity. Our Father in heaven gave us His Son. These Words resounded from heaven as God’s voice spoke of His beloved Son.

And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased.”  Matthew 3:17

     God’s voice acknowledges His Son. And because of Him and His shed blood on the cross, because of His resurrection we have eternal life. I pray you believe this. Our salvation is a free gift from God and He was pleased to give us the kingdom through Jesus.

“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.” Luke 12:32

     How will you answer the question Jesus asks?

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die and whoever lives by believing in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”

     I pray you do.

Yes, Lord Jesus,

I believe. I pray for those who have not yet met You. I pray they will hear Your voice and open their hearts to the Words of eternal life. There is no name under heaven and earth by which man may be saved. It is Jesus.

Amen

His Voice Resounds

     God may touch our hearts with a gentle whisper. And at times His voice is strong, filled with fire, resounding as thunder and lightning, as rushing water.

Then the Lord spoke to you out of the fire. You heard the sound of words but saw no form. There was only a voice.  Deuteronomy 4:12

After that comes the sound of His roar; He thunders with His majestic voice. When His voice resounds, He holds nothing back.  Job 37:4

The voice of the Lord is over the waters, the God of glory thunders, the Lord thunders over the mighty waters.  Psalm 29:3

The voice of the Lord strikes with flashes of lightning.  Psalm 29:7

     The voice of God is stronger, more majestic, more powerful than the strongest earthquake, the mightiest storm, the fires that rage. Whatever storm you are facing, our Father is with you and will walk with you until you reach the other side.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.  Isaiah 43:2

Father,

Let Your voice resound, as thunder and lightning strike the earth. You walk with us through every storm and valley. We are just passing through. Let us be thankful we have the God of the universe with us through it all.

In Jesus name,

Amen

A Gentle Whisper

     Elijah spoke with great power and conviction for his God. He stood up to the false prophets and called down rain from the heavens. Sometimes after a time of great strength and love and recognition of God’s power, we find ourselves reeling, lost and hopeless. That is exactly where we find Elijah in 1 Kings 19. He is afraid and lonely and he actually prays to die.

“I have had enough Lord,” he said. “Take my life. I am no better than my ancestors.” 1 Kings 19:4b

     And God comes immediately to Elijah’s rescue in understanding and compassion. God provides food and says,

“Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” 1 Kings 19:7b

    Elijah’s journey continues for forty days and forty nights. Where is God? First, Elijah feels a strong wind that shattered the rocks. The Lord was not in the wind. Following the wind there is an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake there came a fire, but the Lord was not there.  Where did Elijah experience the presence of God?

     After the fire, came a gentle whisper. And Elijah beheld the presence of God.

     To hear the whisper of a loved one, we need to be very close. Move a little closer and listen for a gentle voice in your ear. It just may be our Lord, letting you know He is right beside you close enough for a gentle word.

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it.” Isaiah30:21

Lord,

We long to hear Your voice teaching and guiding us through life. Make Your presence known, as we move close enough to hear Your gentle whisper.

Amen

Listen

My sheep listen to my voice. I know them and they know me. John 10:27

     Will you take time to listen to God? Is He leading you away from a bad habit, to find a new path, to forgiveness, to be more thankful, to worship Him more, to study His Word? We long for Him to listen to us and He does! We pour out our hearts and He has compassion on us. We ask Him for help and He comes to our aid. And when we don’t hear an answer? He is with us.

     Is He waiting for you to look and listen for His voice? Is he nudging you forward to a new beginning? Search His Word and listen for His voice, in the thunder, in the whisper, in the silence.

See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. Isaiah 43:19

Jesus,

You make a way for us to get rhrough our times in the wilderness, through our wasted time and through our desert thirst. Your Word fills us up. Help us to listen for Your way today. Show us a new beginning

Amen