Have you noticed how discouraging the news headlines are lately? If you’ve stopped reading and listening to the news because of all the fake news, then maybe you’ve run into friends and acquaintances who are just plain tired of the constant hustle of daily living. They are tired of all of life’s stressors, financial issues, relationship issues, family dysfunctions and on and on. Some appear to have hit a brick wall, and nothing excites them anymore. Perhaps you yourself have run into that brick wall. It appears a dark volcano has erupted …
Blessed Are You!
Of all the roles a woman might have on this earth, there is no greater role than that of a mother. Elizabeth recognized this when she gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!” Indeed, Mary was not just any ordinary mother, she was the mother of the Savior of the world. That is the highest role any mother could ever have….
Perfect Refuge-Perfect Peace
Recently, I was jolted awake by a horrible nightmare, I couldn’t breathe. I sat straight up in my bed, heart pounding, face clammy and the hint of an awful smoky smell. Petrified, I ran downstairs to check my oven. It was off and definitely not the source of the smell, and then I turned to see a frightening sight, dark smoke wafting in from my garage into the main house. Just then, a kind passerby began desperately pounding at my front door, …
Here He Is!
As a little child, I loved to play hide and seek. My friends and I would spend hours counting, hiding (sometimes in plain sight) and seeking; and whenever any of us was found, we would squeal with great delight. I cannot remember which side would scream the loudest; the ones hiding or the one seeking, but I can remember as clearly as if it were yesterday, the electric feeling that would course through my veins whenever I was found.
Do Not Be Deceived
I was listening to the radio this morning when one of the stories captured my attention. A prominent preacher was being interviewed, and in the conversation, he was explaining why he was now offering his congregation (whatever was left of it) an alternative gospel. After years of preaching a widely accepted understanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ; (a gospel which millions receive through faith in Jesus Christ); he was now preaching a gospel based on human logic, emotion and reasoning.
God Sees You
It seems so obvious that God sees everyone, doesn’t it? After all, he is El Roi, the one who sees. It is easy to bear assent to this truth with one’s mind, but when life gets tough many of us feel abandoned by God. When the bottom drops out of our best laid plans and confusion sets in, we often wonder, “Where is God in all this?” This is probably how Hagar felt when she fled from her mistress, Sarai. For one brief moment, Hagar’s status as a servant changed …
Grateful
The Stone's Been Rolled Away
As the women came up the hill to the tomb, they pondered over the obstacle that awaited them at the mouth of the tomb. They asked each other, "Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?" But the Bible records, that when they looked up, they saw the stone which was very large, had been rolled away from the tomb. While they were still on their way, God had already taken care of the problem. He had paved their way; …
The Lord Needs You
Have you noticed how the level of noise on the airwaves is increasing at a deafening pace? Have you observed how public personalities hog the TV screens and dominate the radio stations every day? Have you seen how lying and misinformation no longer leave us appalled or broken? Instead, in many cases such conduct only elicits knowing chuckles, eye winks and Saturday Night Live skits. We laugh, as though the joke is on them, when in reality, the joke is on us. …
What Do You Believe?
In Matthew 9:28, Jesus had already gone indoors, he was done for the day, but Matthew says, “the blind men….” The men were blind. They had a need; a situation that only God could fix. They acknowledged their condition, and that acknowledgement caused them to “come to Jesus and ask for help.” Never mind the fact that Jesus had already gone indoors, there was an urgency to their situation and they were determined to reach him….
Look Up and Live!
12 years ago, I flew to Kenya to help care for my mother who was dying from breast cancer. One night, after my sister and I changed shifts, I made my way to my bedroom, yawning with fatigue and ready to snatch a few hours of rest, before getting back to caring for mom again the next morning. I opened the door sleepily, too tired to turn on the lights, and began to walk across the floor to my bed, suddenly I felt an unexplainable chill run down my spine. …
The Vantage Point
It is common to hear people say, “The squeaky wheel gets the grease.” Those who believe this proverb promote the idea that to get noticed, one must be loud or pushy. While this may certainly be true in the natural world, the Bible offers a different paradigm on more than one occasion, and Esther’s story provides such a paradigm….
When God Seems Silent
There are times in our lives when God is active and present and we enjoy telling friends and family of the many wonderful things he has done for us. However, there are also those times, when God seems silent; those times when our world caves in and we feel abandoned. In the silence, it is easy to be afraid; to feel threatened and to feel abandoned. Yet none of these things are true of the God we serve. …
Patience in the Dungeon
Waiting is not easy. For little children waiting is excruciating. For teenagers, waiting is a minor annoyance and inconvenience. For many adults, waiting produces impatience and anxiety. We all want what we want as soon as possible. Some of us want it immediately! For the believer, waiting produces discipline and character, but no one likes to wait, and no one wants to wait in the dungeon. The dungeon is damp and dark; it reeks of hopelessness and despair. …
What is That in Your Hand?
In the sweltering heat of the Sinai desert, Moses was anxious and troubled about his ability to lead the children of Israel out of bondage in Egypt. He kept coming up with excuse after excuse regarding his weaknesses, until God asks, “What is that in your hand?” God’s question shifts Moses’ attention away from his anxieties to what God had put right in front of him. God showed Moses, that he could use an ordinary staff to perform miracles for unbelieving people. As Moses followed God’s directive, his own trust in God increased, and so did the miracles that God was able to perform through him….
Thank you God!
When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?
Psalm 8: 3-4
Father, when I consider the vast universe you have created, the sun, the moon, the stars, the sky, the earth with its rich vegetation, the deep mysterious forests, the majestic blue ocean, the lakes and rivers teeming with sea-life, the birds of the air, and the vast array of animals of every size and color, what indeed is humanity that you care for us?
Thank you for creating us in your image (Genesis 1:27), and what a wondrous, incomparable image it is, this body, this mind and this soul uniquely constructed to glorify you. Thank you, Lord, for placing us a little lower than the angels (Hebrews 2:7), and yet denying us nothing, and instead elevating us to a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation (1 Peter 2:9), to friends (John 15:15) and to co-heirs of the Kingdom (Romans 8:17).
Thank you, Lord, for the hard times, the lean times, and the mean times because they cause us to wait on you and trust in you. We thank you for the heartaches, the tears, the persecutions, the confusion and doubt, because the testing of our faith produces perseverance, perseverance; character, and character, hope (James 1:3-5).
Thank you, Almighty God, for the good times, the joyful times, and the bounteous times because they cause us to praise you and testify to your goodness. You alone, are our sun and shield. Thank you for favor and honor, for open doors, for health, for purpose, for family, for friends and for love. No good thing will you withhold from those who walk blameless before you (Psalm 84:11).
And when we feel unworthy Father, remind us yet again, not for what we have done or not done, but only for what he has done for us. This wonderful Jesus, loving us, while we were yet sinners, freely giving up his life for us, that we might be reconciled forever to you, through the shedding of his blood, and the forgiveness of our sins.
Today, I just want to say, “Thank you!” Amen.
He Is
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
Revelation 22:13
His name is El Shaddai-The Lord God Almighty; He is Adonai-The Lord, our Master; He is Jehovah Nissi-The Lord My Banner; He is Jehovah Raah-The Lord My Shepherd; He is Jehovah Rapha-The Lord that Heals; He is Jehovah Shammah-The Lord who is There; He is Jehovah Tsidkenu-The Lord Our Righteousness; He is Jehovah Jireh-The Lord Who Provides; He is Jehovah Sabaoth-The Lord of Hosts. He is all these things and more.
Some call him, Wonderful, others Counselor, some just call him Lord and Savior. He defies description, he breaks through boundaries, he transverses cultures, he is simply, the Great “I AM.” The One who declares himself the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last. He is worthy of worship and of adoration. All praise belongs to him.
Today, bow down and worship him in the beauty of his holiness; worship him because he is glorious; worship him because he is a good, kind, generous and faithful God. Adore him, for he alone is God, he alone is worthy, he alone is majestic over all the earth.
So, call on that powerful name, YAHWEH! There’s no other name by which humanity will be saved. YAHWEH, YAHWEH, YAHWEH, let your kingdom come. Amen.
The Power of One
Moses said to God, "Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' Then what shall I tell them?"
Exodus 3:13
How often have you heard the phrase, “But I’m just one person?” Too often, Christians shy away from an important task or responsibility because we don’t see the difference one person’s effort will make in a situation, especially when it is a complex one. Sadly, many of the world’s problems are complex and overwhelming. Think about poverty, illiteracy, human trafficking, corruption and all manner of injustice. How can one person make a dent in these?
In Exodus 3, Moses was facing a complex problem. He had many years earlier killed an Egyptian soldier before he fled from Pharaoh’s court to the Midian. Now God was sending him back to Egypt to free the children of Israel from Pharaoh’s oppressive rule. Who was going to believe him? To those who had witnessed the deed, he was the individual who had committed murder and then ran away. How could anything he said make a difference? Moses needed assurance, and just like that, God gave it to him. And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.” In other words, God had chosen Moses for this task, and God was going to give him all that he needed to accomplish the task. God spoke of a future that Moses could not yet envision.
Dear friend, you may be sitting on the fence undecided about whether you should do something you feel called to do. You may be wondering whether to pursue a new calling on your life. You might be confused and afraid because the world has trained you to think one way, and God’s way appears contrary; it offers less certainty and higher risk. It’s the road less travelled. I want you to know that the same God who gave Moses the assurance he needed, is ready to give you the assurance you need. As the Psalmist confidently declares, “No one who trusts in you will ever be disgraced, but disgrace comes to those who try to deceive others (Psalm 25:3).
You have every reason to be afraid. The task is too big for you, and you are incapable of putting a dent in it, in fact you are completely unqualified for it. But just as he came through for Moses, God will come through for you if you put your trust in him. For the Bible says, “When you are weak, he is strong (2 Corinthians 12:9-10); you are finite, but he is infinite (2 Chronicles 2:6); you are fickle, but he is faithful (1 Corinthians 1:9). And he is all you need for this thrilling new journey. He will supply all that you need to accomplish the calling upon your life. He will equip you for this responsibility. Moses chose to trust God and go back to Egypt despite his insecurities and we know the outcome of his choice. How about you, “What will you choose to do?” Indeed, “What do you plan to do?”
Father in heaven, l honor you today. Lead me and guide me in this decision. I will obey you and follow you, for I know that your word is true. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Peace, Be Still
He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!"
Mark 4:39
Our current world is fraught with danger; fraught with rumors; fraught with worry and all manner of ugliness and confusion. I would even dare say; a perfect storm is brewing. It is easy to get carried away by the sludge; it is easy to get immune to the wickedness. It is easy to want to withdraw from it all and pretend, “sanity” will return. It is quite easy to normalize this corrosive, oppressive, unsound and ungodly environment. But this is not our resting place.
When the disciples found themselves in a similar predicament, they woke Jesus up. When the storm threatened to overwhelm them, they knew exactly whom to run to. They did not WhatsApp their kin, they did not send a tweet to their neighbor and they did not call their friends on the phone to talk about the ridiculousness of it all. Instead, they woke Jesus up; they went directly to the solution giver, because he was the only answer to their problem.
Dear friend, do you feel like you are sinking? Does this fast-paced, name-calling, ridiculous- tweeting, 24-hour breaking news cycle world overwhelm you? Do you feel as though you are in a life-threatening storm? It’s time to run to him and wake him up! It’s time to bombard the gates of heaven, and seek his intervention.
When the disciples sought his help, Jesus spoke to the waves and calmed the storm. He commanded, “Quiet! Be still!” He can do so again. Sometimes, however, depending on his purposes, he may not calm the storm, the waves may get worse. But if you wake him up, you will feel better knowing that his alert, all-knowing and all-powerful presence is right there with you. And as the Psalmist says, “Those who trust in the LORD, are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever (Psalm 125:1).
Dear Heavenly Father, All-Mighty and Everlasting King, we need you. We need your presence; we need your word; we need your wisdom and your guidance for these unsettling times. Give us a sense of urgency, so that we will do your good works, while there is still daylight. Most of all, Loving Master, give us your peace which endures despite the storm. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
God Opened Her Eyes
Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So, she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink.
Genesis 21: 19
If you walk down the main streets of many modern cities in the world, you will notice beautiful, bold, well-designed and well-constructed buildings. You will notice the well-coiffed, collared, and well-heeled individuals who hurry about with their briefcases and important looking binders. Quite often you will also notice the panhandlers who lurk in the shadows of all this worldly success, and place themselves strategically at street corners, begging for pennies and handouts, day in and day out, stuck in the rut of poverty and squalor, going nowhere fast. Why?
Sadly, this is how many Christians live. That’s right! Many believers live like paupers in the shadows of heaven’s bounty, when they should live like kings and queens and heirs to the Kingdom of heaven. John 10:10b reminds us, “…I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” But instead of this abundant life, we settle for crumbs that fall off the world’s table; a little plaque with a title, a promotion that is here today but could be gone tomorrow, a few extra dollars that don’t quite cover the inflation rate…you get the drift. Why?
Genesis 21: 19, reveals the story of Hagar and her son. They were in the wilderness and her son was about to die of thirst. Hagar had searched everywhere but could not find water. Water was essential for keeping both mother and son alive. Amid this unfolding tragedy, something shocking happened, God opened her eyes and she saw a well. The amazing thing is that God did not create the well, it had been there all along, but Hagar did not see it, until she began to search diligently, desperate to save her life and that of her child, only then did God open her eyes, so that she saw life, in a place where only death had beckoned earlier.
Dear friend, Jeremiah 29:13 reminds us that, “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” Hebrews 11: 6 further states, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him.” Don’t settle for crumbs in the wilderness. Don’t settle for things that thieves, can steal, kill and destroy. Don’t settle for blessings that only affect you. Don’t set your bar that low. Instead, be a Hagar, get desperate! And if you must pursue anything, pursue the Water of Life, Jesus Christ Himself. Just as he responded to Hagar’s desperation, he will respond to your desperation. He will open your eyes so that you will be able to see the abundant opportunities that surround you. You will see the endless possibilities that lead to living life in the shadows of heaven’s bounty. And when you do, this is his firm promise to you, that if you “…seek first his kingdom and his righteousness,” then “all these things shall be given unto you.” When you receive these blessings, you will become a conduit of blessing to others. Hagar thrived and saved her son’s life in the process because she placed her hope in God; and you will become a source of greater blessing to others, if you do likewise. Aim higher; he is worth it!
Loving and gracious God, forgive me for settling for crumbs in this wilderness. Teach me how to aim higher. Manifest yourself in me, that I might truly understand, that godliness with contentment is great gain (1 Timothy 6:6). Stir up within my heart, a hunger and thirst for you. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.