41

 41

In the Bible, it rained for 40 days and 40 nights. Day 41 came and the rain stopped.

Moses committed murder & hid in the desert for 40 years. Year 41 came, and God called him to help rescue Israel.

Moses went up on the mountain for 40 days. On day 41, he received the Ten Commandments.

The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. Year 41, they walked into the Promised Land.

Goliath taunted Israel for 40 days. Day 41 came, and David slew him.

Jonah preached a message of repentance to Nineveh for 40 days.  On day 41, God stopped His plan to destroy them.

Jesus fasted and was tempted for 40 days. Day 41, and the devil fled.

After His resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples for 40 days. On day 41, He ascended into Heaven.

All this to say...don't quit. The rain will stop, the giant will fall, and you will enter your "promised land." Don't give up at 40.

41 is coming.

Abiding

 Abiding 

So last week we talked about abiding in Christ. Well I dug deeper this week and learned believing is a receiving of Christ into the soul, welcoming him, trusting him, as it were, drinking and eating and savoring him. This is what he says in 

John 6:35: “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”

It is trusting in Jesus, remaining in fellowship with Jesus, connecting to Jesus so that all that God is for us in Him is flowing like a life-giving sap into our lives. 

That’s number one: abiding is believing, trusting, savoring, resting, receiving. (Being)

Then secondly we are to do produce fruit. Go out and do. (Doing)

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” ‭‭Romans ‭12‬:‭1‬ ‭

Paul is telling us that because of the information that has been presented up to this point, that it is reasonable that one would be completely sold out to God as a sacrifice to be used in whatever manner God chooses. It is natural to want to thank God for your salvation by turning your life over to Him.

Abiding in Christ is not optional but essential for spiritual life. It fosters growth, fruitfulness, and maturity in faith. Outside of this union, attempts at righteous living fall short. As John 15:5 affirms, “I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.”

Over time, abiding transforms believers into Christ’s likeness, deepening love, humility, and holiness. This ongoing connection nourishes the believer’s soul, shaping thoughts, desires, and actions in alignment with God’s will.

“Father, help me to remain in You and bear fruit through Your love, as I trust in Your guidance and grace."

Abide

 Abide

“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” John 15:7 

The dictionary definition of abide has five uses of the verb: “to remain; continue; stay”, “to have one's abode; dwell; reside”, “to put up with; tolerate”, “to endure, sustain, or withstand without yielding or submitting”, and “to wait for; await”. 

In the Bible, the word takes on a greater intimacy, and is often used to show the need to rely on the Lord in every aspect of one’s life. 

Christians who abide in Christ march to the beat of God’s Spirit. We follow His lead. The Holy Spirit serves as our spiritual compass, guiding each of us to complete our individual pilgrimages. As we remain in Him, the Holy Spirit empowers us to overcome any challenge we encounter along our journey.

Lord, I know that I am commanded to abide in You and I desire to live my life day by day, simply resting and abiding in You. Teach me Lord how to abide in You, so that all that is of myself will melt away as the Spirit of Christ pulses through my being.

Give me the strength to be a fruitful branch, for You alone are my sufficiency. Enable me to abide in Your love so that I may produce much fruit, out of the abundance of Your grace. Amen

New beginnings

 New beginnings  

Praying for each of you this day hoping that you feel that the presence of God  is with you. 

I know some of us are still fighting aches and pains, some of us are grieving over the loss of loved ones, some of us are away from the church and some of us are just struggling with everyday life. Just know that each and every day we are loved by God and His faithfulness to us never goes away. 

Lamentations 3:22-23 Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Father, I praise and thank You that You are a faithful God. What a comfort to me that Your love and mercy, grace and compassion, strength and peace, are new every morning. Keep me, I pray, from the sin of unbelief, and help me to trust in your unfailing promises. In Jesus' name I pray, AMEN.

Grief

 Grief

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

I personally like listening to an assortment of music. Within the last year I have found a new to me artist that sings “country” music. I say “country” because it’s really a mixture of a few genres. 

Anyway, I digress. One of his songs really hit me the other day. Grief is Only Love and the line that hit me was: 

Yeah, grief is only love that's got no place to go

Grief is only love that’s got no place, but as Christians that know the Lord, we know that God is not distant in our times of sorrow. He is intimately present and attentive to our pain, offering comfort and healing. I take comfort in knowing that. 

LORD, we pour out our hearts before you, consumed by grief. We lift to you all the pain and sorrow we have. Comfort us, O Lord, in the depths of our grief. Hold us close and wipe away our tears. Grant us the space to mourn and process our emotions.Help us find solace in Your presence and bring healing to the deep wounds of our heart.

Seasons of life

 Seasons of life

"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.”

‭‭Ecclesiastes ‭3‬:‭1‬-‭8‬ ‭ESV‬‬

The scene described in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 is a powerful and poetic reflection on the cyclical nature of life and the various seasons we all experience.

Pete Seeger wrote a song in late fifties and released it under the title "Turn! Turn! Turn! The Byrds' version was an international hit in 1965. The lyrics are based on the book of Ecclesiastes in the King James Version (1611) of the Bible.

We are reminded of the ever-changing nature of life. The verses speak to the appointed times and seasons that each of us will go through in our journey on Earth. There is a time for everything – a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to weep and a time to laugh. These words offer us comfort in knowing that the highs and lows we experience are part of a greater plan. They remind us that the challenges we face will pass, and joy will come after sorrow. 

Reflect on these verses and consider the seasons of your own life. Have you experienced times of joy and times of sorrow? How have these moments shaped you into the person you are today? Your circumstances will change just as the seasons change. Embrace each season with grace and trust in the timing of God’s plan for your life. Let these verses guide you in finding peace and purpose in the midst of life’s ups and downs.

Thank You, Father, that You know the end from the beginning and that everything under heaven is within Your authority. Thank You, that You are in control of all that is happening in my own individual life and the wider world in general. May I trust You through all the circumstances of life and as I seek Your face in prayer and praise, may I learn more and more to pray, "Thy will be done in my life and throughout the world." In Jesus' name I pray, AMEN.

The heart of the matter

Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:8 ESV  

Jesus’ primary mission was all summed up in that scripture. That was Jesus’ assignment, and it is our assignment as well. 

If we are to be followers of Jesus who want to get the message of Jesus out there, it will take more than just good theology, it will require more than just well-learned skills and it will involve more than just a deep passion to share Jesus with the world! It will take a heart of integrity! 

It was said of David, that: With upright heart he shepherded them and guided them with his skillful hand. Psalm 78:72 (ESV) The heart of the matter is a matter of the heart!

Now before we get too far along with this line of thinking let me explain the heart in this manner. The “heart” commonly refers to the mind as the center of thinking and reason, but also includes the emotions, the will, and thus, the whole inner being. The heart is the depository of all wisdom and the source of whatever affects speech, sight, and conduct.

We have another word for that: Integrity – meaning, the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness.

There is a word for wisdom in the Old Testament which is hakmah. It was a common word used to describe great skill. A skilled craftsman – hakmah! A skilled musician – hakmah! The writer of Proverbs captures this idea and applies it to godly living – he calls us to be skilled in godly living – to live hakmah lives! We need men and women who are filled with Jesus and living godly lives.

Solomon exhorts us in Proverbs 4:23 (ESV) Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.

The heart must be guarded because it is the wellspring (source of direction) of life! It sets the stage for our choices, attitudes and behaviors of life! ABOVE ALL ELSE!

A HEART OF INTEGRITY IS A SURRENDERED HEART

Romans 12:1-2 (ESV) says, I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

A surrendered heart to God means a yielding, a giving up possession of our lives and recognizing we never truly had control in the first place. It's a personal decision. We choose to relinquish control and submit to the authority and power of God. A heart of integrity is a heart radically surrendered to God!

A HEART OF INTEGRITY IS A SENSITIVE HEART

What is a heart that is sensitive to God?

A heart that's sensitive to God is a heart that's tuned into what God thinks, feels, and desires. This is the opposite of how most people live. Most people are primarily concerned about themselves; what they think, what they feel and what they want.

For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. Galatians 5:25 (ESV) Keep your heart soft and responsive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

A HEART OF INTEGRITY IS A COURAGEOUS HEART

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. Acts 4:13 (ESV)

A courageous heart means letting one believe God's promises. Courage is always fueled by faith. Good courage is fueled by faith in the ultimate good of the real God and all he promises to be for us in Jesus.

You are more dangerous than you think you are! Jesus did not die to keep us safe…he died to make us courageous! BOLDNESS is a by-product of knowing our identity in Christ – it is about intimacy with Jesus.

In Acts 4:29 the believers prayed for Boldness: And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness

God knows who you are, the Devil knows who you are, but do you know who you are! That same power that raised Jesus from the dead is in you! If we only believed what God believes about us, it would revolutionize our lives!

In Him, you have been blessed with every spiritual blessing. In Him, you were chosen before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In Him, you have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. In Him, you have been sealed with the Holy Spirit. Right now, all authorities, power, and dominions are under our feet!

A HEART OF INTEGRITY IS A SPIRIT-FILLED HEART

The key to a heart of integrity is a spirit-filled heart! 

On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” John 7:37-38 (ESV)

We know the downward pull of the law of sin and death but in Christ there is a new law at work within us – the law of the Spirit. The same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead is at work in us to bring us to wholeness, dynamic spiritual health and kingdom advancing victory!

A heart of integrity is not found in trying harder but in trusting more! “Above all else, guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life.” HAKMAH!