His calling has not changed…Stand Steadfast

In the Lord I take refuge. How then can you say to me: “Flee like a bird to your mountain.” Psalm 11:1

There is a time to stand steadfast and there is a time to flee. Make sure your motive for either is based on trust. Do not allow others to persuade you to run and hide when you need to stand and fight. Having faith in God may mean engaging in some uncomfortable activities. Don’t run off just because you are afraid of being roughed up. Anybody can leave, but trust in God implores you to stay. Be aggressive with your agitators. Let them know that you will not be intimidated by false promises or bad advice. Beware of people whose counsel sounds right, but is wrapped in selfish motivations. They may want you to move on so they can move in. Others vie for your power because they lust for its influence. So stand steadfast in your Savior. Trust Jesus with this temptation to flee.

One of Satan’s schemes is distrust. If he can get us to lose faith in our heavenly Father, he can influence our decision making with foolish thoughts. Satan is patient. He knows a little incremental doubt can lead to a large amount of distrust. Bad advice can be deceptive while looking good on the surface. It may even sound like your counselors have your best interest in mind. After all, with a tinge of sincerity, they communicate “worry” over your safety or your reputation. But in reality, they are really mocking you and God. Why would someone want you to run away from trusting God unless they had something in mind for themselves? This moment of decision is an opportunity for your faith to intersect with God’s faithfulness. If you run you will miss refuge in Jesus. Therefore stand steadfast.

Stability comes from standing steadfast with your Savior. Anybody can run and hide in the face of difficult people or challenging circumstances. Like the religious leaders who made fun of Jesus, some may say, “He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him…” (Matthew 27:43). Some may blame God for the undeserved outcome they are experiencing. But this unfair criticism only emboldens a strong faith that stands steadfast. Of your critics, consider the source. Do their lives reflect total trust, or is their faith one of convenience?

Use this time of turmoil to trust the Lord even more. His calling has not changed. Stand steadfast. Stand steadfast in Him and you will stand steadfast in your marriage. Stand steadfast in Him, and you will stand steadfast in your vocation. Stead steadfast in Him, and you will stand steadfast in your purity. Stand steadfast in Him, and you will stand steadfast in your friendships. Stand steadfast in Him, and you will stand steadfast in your church. It is easy to leave when everyone else is fleeing from the carnage. Nevertheless, we are convicted to stand steadfast and trust Him, even if we are the last one standing. Even those we respect may run, but we remain ever vigilant. Stand alone with the Almighty. Others will return, and you will be there to graciously greet them. People need a rock of reason. Therefore, stand on the rock of Jesus for their sake.

Taken from Reading #7 in the 90-day devotional book, “Seeking God in the Psalms”…

All I Need Is You

Hot Pursuit

“Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” 2 Timothy 2:22

The Lord pursues His own with His irresistible love and grace. He is not passive in His pursuit because He knows how aggressively evil engages individuals. Like Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden—God searches to see how His children are doing. He looks out for those He loves, longing to lead them into a growing relationship with His son Jesus. Indeed, the Lord’s pursuits are not trivial, but practical concerning love for His own.

Thus, we are motivated to pursue the One who pursues us with eternal energy. How can we ignore romancing Righteousness? How can we chase dreams that leave out the Dream-giver? Wise are we to call on Christ out of a pure heart in pursuit of what He cares about: righteousness, faith, love and peace. This foursome of wisdom plays close to Jesus’ heart. He knows the fruit of wise pursuit propels us toward understanding His will. We pursue the Lord, and in the process His Spirit transforms us into godly followers.

“The LORD detests the way of the wicked, but he loves those who pursue righteousness.” Proverbs 15:9

Moreover, we pursue righteousness because evil is hot on our heels. Better to turn our back on sin and flee toward faith in our Savior Jesus. When we look for love, we learn how to love. Indeed, we become what we focus on. A life that looks at how Jesus loves begins to love like Jesus loves. If our desire is peace, then we sit at the feet of the Prince of Peace and receive His tranquil trust. We acquire peace by being at peace with God.

Lastly, you hunt down heaven’s agenda, because you know what’s best for you and your family. Engaging the eternal is as simple as a moment of meditation on one Scripture verse, an hour of worship, Bible study at church, or a quiet weekend secluded with your Lord Jesus. Be intentional with integrity in little things and you will become a person of integrity in big things. Initiate love and you become loving. By faith integrate righteousness, love, and peace from a pure heart and enjoy Christ’s affirmation.

“Trouble pursues the sinner, but the righteous are rewarded with good things.” Proverbs 13:21

Pay Attention

“Now then, my sons, listen to me; pay attention to what I say.” Proverbs 7:24

Pay attention. There are some people who want to help you, but some want to hurt you. Pay special attention to those who seem to say the right things, but have a hidden agenda in their heart. Not everyone can be trusted; not everyone is trustworthy. The sooner you discern a man or woman’s motive, the quicker you will know how to manage your time.

If conversation is all about them, watch out for poor behavior. Pay attention to the path people want you to take, so that you can protect your reputation. Moreover, you have limited emotional capacity and mind share, so make sure the Lord is leading you to get involved. Even good people and compelling causes can lead you astray. Pay attention, learn to say ‘no’, so you can say ‘yes’ to God’s best.

“But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.” Matthew 5:37, NKJV

I struggle with saying ‘no’ because I want to please people. However, pleasing people is not the best motivation. Faith in my Heavenly Father is a much nobler goal. Learning to say ‘no’ is how we gain peace and contentment over the long haul. When you say ‘no’ to someone or something, you can trust your Savior Jesus to take care of the need, and to take care of you. Your ‘no’ opens the door for someone else to be blessed by their ‘yes’.

In some cases saying ‘no’ requires more faith than saying ‘yes’. Therefore, pay attention and be prayerful before you commit your time and resources. Certainly, as you encounter temptation, do not entertain the slightest hint of ‘yes’. It is better to say ‘no’ to his or her advances and lose a friendship, than to say ‘yes’, losing your good name and gaining regret. Pay attention and say ‘no’ to earthly impulses, so you can say ‘yes’ to heaven’s best.

“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” Colossians 3:2

Thoroughly Prepared

“So I went to the governors of Trans-Euphrates and gave them the king’s letters. The king had also sent army officers and cavalry with me.
Nehemiah 2:9

It is very hard to over-prepare. Indeed, most people do not struggle with over-preparation. One’s temptation is to neglect the real need of being thoroughly prepared. When you rush ahead of God, you expose yourself to the nagging details you could have intentionally prayed about and thought through. Pride tends to shun preparation, as it assumes too much and prays too little. When you take the time to prod those areas you are unsure of, you discover insights that are invaluable to success. If, on the other hand, you go off half-cocked with a Pollyannaish naïveté, you are an excellent candidate for disappointment, or even worse, failure. Irresponsible assumptions are foreign to faith because faith thoroughly prepares on one hand and humbly prays on the other.

Preparation also includes the involvement of others because you will not accomplish big things for God by yourself. Jesus didn’t. He called the Twelve to join Him. He has also placed people in your life whose hearts have been inexplicable moved to join you in this God-created opportunity. Let them in and do not be intimidated because they possess skills and experiences you don’t. Instead of lamenting the different backgrounds, personalities, and skills that surround you, celebrate them. A well-rounded variety of relationships and resources bring strength to the whole. A true team is diverse, and a secure leader accepts diversity as a key ingredient in the recipe of success.

So unfetter your team from the fear of failure by giving them the freedom to try new things and to test long-held assumptions and methods. Help others prepare by removing obstacles. “‘Build up, build up, prepare the road! Remove the obstacles out of the way of my people’” (Isaiah 57:14). A team—thoroughly prepared—produces. Prayer is the most potent part of your preparation. You cannot pray too much about your methods and motives. Pray for God to be glorified and for His will to be done. Pray for His provision and resources. Pray for relationships you have yet to enter into that will become critical alliances in your God-sized project. It is through prayer that you persevere in preparation.

Change occurs primarily in the person praying. Their faith expands and so does their patience. Their love elevates, while their vision grows. In a phrase, their character receives an extreme makeover. Prayer is the crowning jewel of thorough preparation. Prayer gives you courage to speak boldly and the wisdom to know what to say and how to say it. Prayer holds you back when you need to wait in silence. Prayer is preparation, as it aligns you with the Almighty’s agenda. Thorough preparation is your friend. God does not waste preparation; He blesses it. Therefore, be thoroughly prepared following through with the plan with abandonment and gusto. Weave prayer throughout your preparation as if it were an intricately woven quilt, and then watch God work. Thorough preparation positions you to be used by God.

Taken from May 20th reading in the 365-day devotional book, “Seeking Daily the Heart of God”… http://bit.ly/bQHNIE

Center Of Attention

“I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” Psalm 16:8

Jesus deserves my undivided attention, yet I struggle with distractions. My mind is drawn to musing over pressing issues at work that never seem to go away. My heart engages in emotional cares for others in crisis that I am unable to control. My eyes look ahead in worry or behind in regret. It is at these pivotal points that I desire my eyes to stay fixed on Jesus in prayer and not on others or myself. Faith makes Christ the center of attention.

The eyes of our souls can be blind to belief or they can open wide in anticipation of the Almighty’s faithfulness. If we close our spiritual eyes we extinguish hope and miss our Master’s comfort and instruction. It is when we gaze into the eyes of Jesus that He sees right through us to the heart of the matter. What matters to the Lord, becomes what matters to us. Like reading glasses, the Bible brings into focus the character of Christ.

“Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Matthew 14:29-30

You will sink into the waters of doubt if you stare at the winds of worry. Walk on the water of God’s will when you look unto the face of Jesus. Your faith in Christ replaces fear with the fortitude to follow in His footsteps. It is much better for you to be in a raging storm walking toward the Lord, than to be on the dry shore absent His presence. Make God the center of your attention and you will persevere through pain.

Perhaps you give work less attention, giving more attention to understanding the needs of your family. Maybe you spend less time and money on hobbies and more on serving the poor. Furthermore, your resolve to lean into the Lord means you will not be shaken by circumstances or conflict. He is your rock of refuge and your strength to endure. Keep Christ the center of your attention and receive His loving attention.

“And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” Hebrews 12:1b

 

Your Love is Extravagant

Our Presence Gratifies God

Generous Toward God

“You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water. I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.” Psalm 63:1-3

The God of the universe looks for those who would be with Him. The Lord longs for His children to take time to experience His tender loving presence. Almighty God is not needy, but wants His creation to come before Him in humble dependence. He knows prayer is what’s best for those He bought with His son’s blood. Generosity toward God in daily doses of solitude and communion are the wisest gift. Our presence gratifies God.

Like an earthly father revels in the joy of being close to his precious child, so our heavenly Father smiles to see us—His children—sit next to Him. The grace of God is not garnered with a drive-by life. Rather, when we park our lives in His presence and turn off the engine of our activity, we activate His perspective in our heart and mind. We invest in intimacy with our heavenly Father in order to fulfill His agenda in our daily calendar.

“For day after day they seek me out; they seem eager to know my ways, as if they were a nation that does what is right and has not forsaken the commands of its God. They ask me for just decisions and seem eager for God to come near them.” Isaiah 58:2

Furthermore, be careful not to slip into a routine of perfunctory prayers that miss the heart of your Master. Your generosity toward Jesus with your time, doesn’t buy you time to do your own thing. Rather, you engage with Christ, so that He can love you to better understand His heart, and embrace His better way. By exposing your life to the Lord, He bathes your behavior with a body wash of grace and holiness.

Your generosity toward God in your time with Him can take on a variety of applications. Maybe you commune with Christ as you walk alone in a stoic cathedral, or perhaps you celebrate Jesus in raucous worship with other Christ followers at Sunday church services. You may engage Him as you stroll in your neighborhood, sit by a quiet fire, rest by a bubbling creek, or as you watch His heavenly handiwork in a brilliant sunrise or sunset. Above all else, be still, know He is God, be loved by Him, and then love on His behalf!

“He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10

Long to give Him your time, to be loved by Him and to love.

God Is Your Agent Of Change

Pure Joy

 
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” James 1:2-3

Pure joy is the position and privilege of the person who follows Jesus Christ. Ironically, Jesus-generated joy is discovered and developed in the face of trials. Trials are designed to bring out God’s best and, consequently, your best as well. You’re going through your current trial by fire so that your faith can become more sincere and real during adversity’s affliction. This is your time to experience God’s faithfulness, for His joy and contentment are calming. The presence of Christ gives you reassurance and peace. He is the joy-giver, while Satan is the joy-killer.

Therefore, you can smile, because your smile, while enduring a trial, is the result of pure joy. It’s pure joy because God can be trusted. It’s pure joy because your faith is real and robust and Christ is faithful. It’s pure joy because you will persevere by faith. Indeed, untested faith is a naïve faith. Until your faith has been refined through various trials, it will remain immature and judgmental. You can understand others’ perspectives and respect them more when you have been broken over your own inadequacies and sins. Trials slow you down enough to allow you to look into the mirror and ask what needs to change. How can you lead and serve your family and friends during this time of unprecedented turmoil and tentativeness? Pure joy comes as a result of your faith changing and growing.

God is your agent of change. The work of God in and through your life produces pure joy. Change can be painful, but God administers pure joy at the point of your pain. It is the result of the Holy Spirit’s fullness: “And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 13:52). Therefore, learn how to accept the pure joy of the Lord. It is available for you to receive. Do not see your present predicament as a setback. Instead, see your current condition as an opportunity—an opportunity to engage more deeply and more fully with your heavenly Father. Sometimes, it takes trials and tests to slow you down enough to look into the joyful face of Jesus. He is the personification of pure joy.

Jesus understood pure joy because He was focused on following the will of His Father (John 17:4). His heart was full of joy because He knew He was about His Father’s business. Yes, His heart broke at times but He suffered out of joyful obedience (Hebrews 12:2). In the middle of His most adverse circumstance, Jesus still cried out to His heavenly Father. His intimacy with the Father was strengthened during difficulty. No person or circumstance, not even the devil, kept Him from pure joy.

Invite the pure joy of God to reign over your anxious heart as well. You can smile and place your refined faith in Him. He is building your faith capacity for the long run. The Bible says, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13). Pure joy does not depend on good circumstances; it thrives during trials and tribulations. Unleash the pure joy that already lives within, for He is faithful. Above all, promote pure joy and persevere in its promise.

Taken from April 20th reading in the 365-day devotional book, “Seeking Daily the Heart of God”

The OBJECT of your faith matters more..

Refuge in Him

Blessed are all who take refuge in Him. Psalm 2:12b

Outside of Christ, we are refugees in need of a refuge. Our soul seeks asylum in Almighty God. Our spirit is on a search for security and peace. It is refuge in God that we want deep down within our innermost desires. Otherwise, we wander around earth un-tethered to truth. We are induced into thinking things are OK outside of our Savior’s care. But there is something more significant that comes by slowing down and investigating our own authenticity. Refugees need a place of safety and trust. It is in refuge with Him that we can believe Him. There is an intimacy with Jesus that invites us into His refuge.

Even if your faith is as slender as a spider’s thread, you can still trust in Jesus. It is the object of your faith that matters more than the amount of your faith. His refuge is not just reserved for the robust of faith. It is especially available to those of us who are flailing away in faithless fear. We have lost our way and we need to get to a wise weigh station to evaluate our faith. It is in refuge with Him that we are blessed with clarity and conviction. God is our refuge and God is our strength. He is a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, but will believe that the very best is found by faith in Him. Hope exists.

He is our refuge when hope seems extinct. He is our refuge when financial requirements are ravishing our resources. He is our refuge when people we depend on are nowhere to be found. He is our refuge when health issues hound our heart. He is our refuge when fear knocks at the door and questions our courage. He is our refuge when our marriage hangs in the balance. He is our refuge when work pressures pulsate in our mind and awaken us at night. He is our refuge when all seems to be going wrong. He is our refuge when all seems to be going right. His refuge is required regardless of our circumstances. During the good and bad times, we need to rest and refuel under the shadow and wisdom of His almighty wings. It is in refuge and relationship with God that His blessings abound.

We are blessed when we find refuge with our Creator. The Almighty aids us with wisdom and understanding when we take the time to listen to His instruction. Our prayer over His Word provides a ton of illuminating insight. The place of refuge holds up truth and casts out lies. It is a place of clarity and conviction. This is a blessing. Stability is another blessing from resting in His refuge. Our world rocks around us. Instability is the only insulation infidels care to offer. But we have a rock in our Lord.

He is solid and dependable. There is nothing about our Savior that is shaky. He is not a suspension bridge that sways with the winds of the world’s unpredictability. He is a concrete crossover to the calm and peaceful shore. He cannot be shaken by strife or sin because He is Holy God. He is our rock when relationships are rocky. This is a blessing. We are blessed in our refuge with Him by reassurance. He whispers lovingly, “It’s OK. I am with you. I will never leave you. You are mine. I am yours. Therefore, hold me tight and we will walk together through thick and thin.” It’s in refuge with Him that we are refreshed and rejuvenated. Go there often. He bestows blessings in refuge with Him.

Taken from Reading #1 in the 90-day devotional book, “Seeking God in the Psalms”… http://bit.ly/bQHNIE