Matthew 10:16, Philippians 4:8-9

“Laziness has become the chief characteristic of journalism, displacing incompetence.”

      Kingsley Amis

In one of the last scenes of the classic movie, The Wizard of Oz, the four companions stand in a dark room before the Great and All-Powerful Oz. Towering flames rose on either side of the face of Oz. The four shook in fear. Then, a small dog pulled back a curtain off to the side, revealing a man operating a control board. This meek man behind the curtain was the impostor who claimed to be the mighty Oz. Things were not as they had seemed to be. 

  If you watch, read or listen to the daily news, this world is quite depressing. The news is filled with nothing but one story after another of shootings, kidnappings and more. There is almost no good news at all. It is frustrating because I know all the news in this world is not bad. Pull back the curtain and see what God is doing in the midst of this world.  I know the bad, or more spectacular, news is what sells advertising time. It is all about the money and what sells. Reality seems to be a secondary concern. The disheartening wail of the world is in full voice. This world system will attempt to grind us all into powder and convince us that we are all too small and too insignificant to do anything about all the ills of the world. I know people who do not want to try because "it just won't help".  

Then, in contrast, I read an article by the Christian author Phillip Yancey. He wrote that he had received an anonymous email that claimed that a number of things had not changed or had gotten worse since 1980. His curiosity was piqued and he began to investigate if the claims made were true. He began to dig for the facts. To make a long story short, the claims were unfounded. So many are willing to take at face value what appears to be obviously true. I am not saying the world is perfect, or even well off. There are Christians who live in fear of their lives on a daily basis. More than 4,000 children die every day. There are people, however, who are motivated by a wide variety of reasons that are making a difference. Many of them are taking the gospel with them as they go.  Jesus instructed us to always be ready; that his return would be at a time we will not expect. The world rails against Christianity. It has always does so, and the world’s desire is to turn Christianity into a bowl of polluted views that would ultimately cause Christianity’s demise.  In that light, the world is still at war with Christ. As a counter point, while people go out and build homes for the poor, educate teens about social pitfalls, and raise the standard of living where they can, Jesus warned us that we would always have the poor. Just as that is no reason to stop trying to reach out to the world with hope and help, it also makes sense to defend our hearts and our minds against the lies and poisons of this world aimed at our very core. Be willing to doubt the doomsayers. Feed your heart and mind on good things.  All is not lost in the world.  Revival is taking place.  The church is being effective.  More than that, we know that, regardless of how the world ends up, a trumpet is going to sound and we will be caught up together in the air to be with the Lord.

“When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

  We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness--That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive to these Ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such Principles and organizing its Powers in such Form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”

      Thomas Jefferson

        Declaration of Independence of the United States of America

Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence?  Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons in the revolutionary army, and another had two sons captured. Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the revolutionary war.  They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.  What kind of men were they? Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists. Eleven were merchants; nine were farmers and large plantation owners, men of means, well educated. However, they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing that the penalty would be death if they were captured.  Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the British Navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags.  Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly. He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was his reward.  Vandals or soldiers or both, looted the properties of Ellery, Clymer, Hall, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton.  At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson Jr., noted that the British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters. The owner quietly urged General George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt.  Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months.  John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished. A few weeks later, he died from exhaustion and a broken heart. Norris and Livingston suffered similar fates.  Such were the stories and sacrifices of the American Revolution. These were not wild-eyed, rabble-rousing ruffians. They were soft-spoken men of means and education. They had security, but they valued liberty more. Standing tall, straight, and unwavering, they pledged: "For the support of this declaration, with firm reliance on the protection of the Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor." (Author Unknown)

When you read that, what emotions, as Americans, well up?  In me, I am forever grateful for those men, women and children that sacrificed so that I could have what I have today.  Still today, men, women and children sacrifice in our military forces to protect and serve our great country.  At the same time, I remember June 16^th, 1980, at Camp Galilee on Grey Cloud Island in Cottage Grove, Minnesota, when I had a personal day of Independence.  The sacrifice that was paid came in the form of a betrayal by a friend, smiting upon the cheek, plucking of the beard, lashes upon the back, a crown of thorns upon the brow, nails in the hands and feet and forgiveness for all.  Surely, whom “the Son sets free is free indeed.”

Genesis 11:1-9

“The level of our success is limited only by our imagination and no act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted.”

Aesop

Imagination. It is a powerful thing. It makes hot-wheels fly down the corridors of our homes. It makes little plastic elephants fill the largest of living rooms. When my boys were young we would spend several hours playing on the floor, and everything that we played with came to life with our imagination.  

Have you ever imagined things for God? You know, when the clouds are thick, and the tempest is strong, do you ever imagine what it would be like to have Jesus physically step into your situation? I have to believe that everyone at one time or another must have imagined accomplishing some great feat in life, whether it is a personal business or a ministry. Have you ever imagined where you and your family would be in the future? What kind of house, job or car would you own?  

There is something unique in the passage of Genesis that gives you the secret to have your imagination come to life. Notice that God had to step on the scene because the people could do whatever they imagined to do. What is it that gave them the power to accomplish a task that was actually contrary to the things of God? They wanted to make a name for themselves, and they wanted to do it on their own. God saw that they would accomplish the task without any aid from Him, and so, He confounded the tongue and the people failed to finish because of the confusion of the tongues. It is interesting to note in this passage that it is because they all spoke the same language, desired the same thing, or in our modern day vernacular, they were all on the same page. 

  Is that where your family is? How about your church? Are you adding to the unity of your surroundings or are you just on a different page? Everything is available to you and your family as long as you dwell in unity. Unity is so powerful that even if it is used for evil, God cannot stop it. He must step in and cause confusion if it is evil. I wonder what would happen if we united together for good - what would God do then!!

  So, let me ask you, “Have you played with any elephants lately?”

Genesis 3:1-6

“Decide not rashly. The decision made

  Can never be recalled. The gods implore not,

    Plead not, solicit not; they only offer

      Choice and occasion, which once being passed

        Return no more. Dost thou accept the gift?”

       Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

“Forgive me friend, for the decision I made that fateful day. I was not thinking of you—my thoughts were only of myself.  I am Eve, mother of all the living. If I close my eyes, I can still remember the sweetness of walking with God in the cool of the day.  That was before my heart flirted with temptation; before I made my fatal error.  Adam and I knew that the serpent was crafty. I underestimated, however, the seductive power of his voice. I thought I could handle a conversation with him. How wrong I was. Conversations require cooperation. To cooperate you must grant authority to influence.  The serpent’s influence was deadly. The more I spoke with him, the more reasonable his words became. Then I started to doubt what I formerly knew as true. I began to wonder if God’s ways were in my best interest. I questioned if God really meant what He said about the tree. Suddenly the serpent’s words became an option: perhaps I could eat and not die.  I imagined how good the fruit would taste—though the garden was filled with delicacies. I considered how pretty the fruit was—though the garden was flooded with beauty. I thought of how wise I could become—though I walked with the Author of all wisdom.  Yes, the serpent was deceptive but I held the power of choice. I chose to hold a conversation with him. I chose to make his words an option. I chose to elevate my desires above God’s will. Ultimately, my choice altered human history.  All choices do.”  It is with this thought that we must be careful, not only to what we say, but also, to what we hear.  Everyone has probably been in a situation where it would have been more prudent to walk away than to stick around.  This is dangerous because it offers an opportunity for negative, draining and oftentimes, sinful thinking to enter your mind.  It is the reason that Paul admonished us in Romans 12:1-2 that our minds should be transformed.  He understood that the conversations that cause decisions not only affect the people within the conversation, but it affects anyone that comes in contact with the people within the conversation.  Where do you want your family to be 5 years from today?  Could it be that the conversations and decisions that are made this week will affect the destination?  Take some time today, and pray that God will give you the wisdom to walk away from conversations and decisions that could prove fatal.

Isaiah 64:6

“The purpose of art is to lay bare the questions which have been hidden by the answers.”

      James Baldwin

An artist went searching the streets of New York City for a model to pose for a portrait he wanted to call “The Prodigal”. One day as he was passing Central Park, he saw an impoverished beggar lying on a bench and thought: "He’s perfect! That man would represent the prodigal son beautifully in my painting." He asked the beggar if he would be willing to sit for his painting and he would gladly pay him for his time. Naturally, the beggar agreed.  On the day and time appointed, a man knocked on the door of the artist’s small Brooklyn studio. Excitedly, he answered his door only to find a clean-shaven young man dressed in a suit and tie standing before him. Disappointed, he said, “You must have the wrong door sir, the law office is down the hall”. “But you made an appointment with me,” the man replied, “No,” said the artist, “I don’t believe I’ve ever seen you before. I made an appointment to meet with a beggar here at this hour.” “Well,” said the man, “I am the beggar.” “You?” said the artist, “You’re the beggar?” “Yes,” he replied. “After you left me last week, I found some money and thought I would get a new suit of clothes before you painted me.” “Oh,” replied the artist, “Well, you’re just not right for the job.”  The beggar wanted to show himself a masterpiece before the artist -- but the artist was not looking for that. He wanted to create the masterpiece himself!  God is not looking for people that have already been cleaned up and dressed up in the garments of their own choosing.  God sees beyond the outside and sees a beggar that He can mold and form into what He desires each to be.  When we come to God, we must not come with our own ideas of what we think God wants. We must come before him transparent, with no inhibitions, or worries, or pride. God has already seen our weaknesses and faults. We are not hiding anything from Him anyway.  God is looking for someone that is willing to be molded and shaped with the tools of the Master’s hand.  He is looking for someone that does not “have it all together” because those types of people are usually unwilling to be clay in the Potter’s hand.  The Master Artist has an appointment with us today. Lay aside the mask and the façade that we try do dwelling and just come before Him as you are right now.  Become the paint that sits on the Painters platte so He can take each aspect of our lives and begin to paint a masterpiece that all of heaven will admire.

Romans 14:17

“Great joy, especially after a sudden change of circumstances, is apt to be silent, and dwells rather in the heart than on the tongue.”

      Henry Fielding

I remember an old chorus from when I was a child.  It went something like this:  “The joy of the Lord is my strength” (repeated 4 times).  This simple children’s chorus explodes in the spirit of man when he truly understands that joy is available to all.  Joy is not something conjured up through our emotions, but joy is a by-product of the kingdom of heaven.  Joy is a fruit, not a feeling.  Its roots are in choice, not emotion.  Emotions come and go, but the principle of joy lasts forever.  If you only had joy when your emotions were high, and if joy is the source of your strength, your emotions would dictate how much strength that you possess.  Joy is a fruit, not a decoration.  It is to be shared, not observed.  Joy is meaningless if all you do is hold it inside of yourself.  In fact, joy will disappear from your soul if you try to horde it and not share it.  God designed joy to spread by person-to-person contact.  It is the reason that He told the disciples to go into the entire world preaching the gospel.  The kingdom of heaven (the fulfillment of the gospel) is righteousness, joy and peace in the Holy Ghost.  Joy is a fruit, not a fancy.  It endures, and is not fleeting.  In the midst of the storm, while life’s boat is rocking in the swells of life’s ocean, joy can give you calm.  While soaring on the clouds of life’s highest dreams, joy is the wing that allows you to defy gravity.  Joy is a fruit; it is not a gift.  The price for joy is demanding; it is not free.  The cost was the sacrifice of a sinless man upon a tree that He created.  The cost was thorns, nails, scourging; but most of all, love.  For you and I today, it cost us everything.  The laying aside of all our dreams, goals and aspirations will usher in His dreams, goals and aspirations.  I ask you, “Which dreams would you rather possess?”  You see, joy is a fruit; it is the work of God’s Spirit.  It is not something that you can manufacture, but it is something that dwells in you by the infilling of the Holy Ghost.  True joy is a sweetener for our souls and a celebration of God in our lives.  How strong are you today?

 I Samuel 1:1-28

 I remember how we felt. The excitement and the anxiety were intense. The questions and the supposed answers just seemed to line up after years of emptiness. My wife and I wanted to have children desperately, but because of medical reasons were unable to do so. The phone rang one day, and an opportunity to adopt seemed very real. We bought baby boy items such as clothes and toys, all the things that expectant parents do when a new baby is on the way. We had been married for eight years and really wanted to have a child. Then the other call came. Instant devastation. Heart breaking, red-hot tears. Not understanding why God had allowed the boy we were to adopt to be still-born. There is something special about mothers. It does not matter what kind of mother she is; moms are just special people. So here is my tribute to mothers.

     For those we call moms: biological, adoptive, foster, and spiritual mothers, whether mothers by birth, by marriage or by choice, I say, “Thank you for making sacrifices that were never seen; for taking risks that were never recorded, for loving more than we deserved.” It is because of you we are here today, and I honor you.

     For those who long to be mothers: the path of obedience thus far has not led you into marriage or motherhood. For those who ache each Mother’s Day, taking a handkerchief to the cheek as you listen to the steady rhythm of a biological clock rounding past midnight again as you continue to believe that God is indeed good. I offer my honor to you.

     For those who risk hope month after month waiting for God to give you a child, riding the roller coaster of hope and disappointment, excitement and despair, faith and fact, I pour out my heart to you.

     For those who have held a child in your womb, or in your arms and later committed them to God’s eternal embrace, or for those who have walked through the valley of the shadow of death with our heavenly Father who also knows what it is like to bury a son, I give honor to your strength.

     For those who were faithful to nurture a child in your womb and then in love placed your baby in the arms of another, on behalf of all adoptive mothers and adopted children everywhere, thank you for your courage and thank you for your sacrifice.

     My story did not end in the pain of that loss. We received news about a year later that my wife was indeed pregnant, and five years later another boy!. Now, my sons and I, along with millions of other husbands and children, say thank you to the mothers that have changed our lives. Make sure that “Mom” knows you are thankful for her today.

     It was Washington Irving that said, “A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials, heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine, desert us when troubles thicken around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.”

DANIEL 1:1-17

“What man in his right mind would conspire his own hurt? Men are beside themselves when they transgress against their convictions.”

      William Penn

It is often said, “Actions speak louder than words.”  Every believer is responsible for exerting a godly influence. Through our example and testimony, we are to lead people to a better understanding of Jesus Christ and the way to follow Him. From what we know of the prophet Daniel’s life, he was a man who used his influence wisely. His consistent godly actions impacted his friends as well as four kings and their kingdoms.  Daniel possessed a strong conviction that every word of Scripture was true. He consequently declined to eat food from the king’s table because Exodus 34:15 forbade consuming anything offered to idols (this was a common practice in Babylon). Daniel’s commitment to God outweighed any fear of reprisal for turning down royal provisions.  The Lord honored Daniel’s conviction by ensuring that he found favor among powerful men. He also gave Daniel and his friends wisdom and knowledge that would serve them well as royal officials—positions that guaranteed godly influence would spread throughout the kingdom.  It is interesting to note that we often think that the way to gain influence or “get ahead” is to attempt what allowed someone else to gain what we are looking for.  However, it is when we gain the proper perspective on our convictions that God is able to open doors of influence that we would not normally be able to open.  We are not likely to have opportunity to influence kings, but our example can have impact in a workplace or neighborhood, or even across generations. As was true of Daniel, a godly influence is rooted in the Bible. We must believe the book is God’s inerrant Word. If our convictions are not based on scriptural principles, the pattern of our life cannot be consistent, and we will chase after preferences instead of standing upon doctrine. Therefore, a commitment to stand on the bedrock of God’s Word is not negotiable.

Luke 15:11-32

“I have always found that mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice.”

Abraham Lincoln

Jesus’ parable in Luke 15 of the prodigal son tells the story of a grace-filled father, a wayward son, and a resentful brother. Consider the elder brother’s perspective on the departure and return of his younger brother.  Little brother had taken off with his prematurely obtained portion of their father’s estate. Elder brother is angered not by little brother’s return, but by his father’s response to that return. If the father had accepted little brother back on his stated terms of “I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men," elder brother might have thought, “fair enough.” To receive him back as a son—and as a son with honors and privileges—that was too much, it was painfully unfair. The eldest son was not seeing his little brother through the eyes of grace, but through the eyes of justice.  The eldest son’s perspective is  “comparison accounting”: spiritual and moral accounting that is precise and accurate and one-dimensional. It is an accounting that does not allow for another to pay for the price of justice.  It terms for you and I to understand, this philosophy dictates that we become clean before, and without, Calvary.  Comparison accounting records actions but not attitude, deeds but not heart. Debits and credits are made and paid through works alone.  According to the eldest son’s one-dimensional accounting system, it was entirely unjust for his father to show favor to little brother before he had at least “made good” his debt through restitution. Receiving him coolly as a slave would have been just (if not totally denying him). Embracing and giving gifts and celebrating the return of someone with an impossible debt seemed shockingly unjust, weak, and inconsistent. Comparison accounting has never, and will never, make the acquaintance of grace.  God’s accounting is not limited to one dimension: He records action and attitude, deed and heart, works and motivation. In Jesus’ parable, both sons were in the red in their father’s books. The eldest son displayed right actions, but his deeds were motivated by duty not by honor and love: “Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders”. The younger son—in the midst of his wanderings—discovered the connection between rebellion and misery and stumbled upon a truth that the eldest could not comprehend: “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son”. While you and I may be able at times to judge a situation or a brother or sister from the father’s perspective, how often does your grace outweigh your justice?  God operates on a system where His grace overpowers the penalty that should rightfully be paid. To the resentful eldest the father spoke tender truth and showed concern. To the broken youngest the father opened his arms and called for celebration.  Grace rises to greet sincere and sober estimations of our sinfulness.

Matthew 7:7, Luke 11:9

“Paralyze resistance with persistence.”

      Woody Hayes

I just learned a lesson.  It is a powerful lesson and I didn’t read it out of a book, listen to it on a tape, or see it on a DVD.  I learned this lesson from my 2 ½ year old son.  Yes, this 35-year-old preacher that has been in the ministry for 17 years has been reminded of a great principle from a little boy that still has not learned to speak clear English.  It is the lesson of persistence.  He wanted me to help him find his hammer (that dreaded instrument that Papa gave him to pound on everything in the house).  Well, I, in my brilliance as a father, thought that if I distracted him with another toy I would not have remove myself from the lazy-boy to search for the hammer.  Oftentimes, that principle of distraction works, and he goes on to find another of the million or so toys he possesses to play with.  However, at this instance, he WANTS the hammer and will not leave me alone until I find it.  It seems like he can say, “Dad” a thousand times without taking a breath.  I think sometimes it is that way with my heavenly Father.  Sometimes I wonder if He is really hearing me when I pray.  I ask Him to do something or give me something, and it seems like nothing happens.  Didn’t we read in the scriptures above that if I ask, it shall be given?  Could it be that God is just trying to see how serious we really are about the request that we made?  I think sometimes He does what I did with my son (most likely for other reasons, however!!!).  He knows that if He waits for a time that we may find something else to satisfy our supposed need.  However, I believe that if He sees the persistent asking, seeking and knocking of our spirits, that He cannot help but to help us.  If we, as human fathers do for our children when they are persistent, how much does our heavenly Father do when He sees our persistence?  When was the last time you focused on something in prayer until you saw God move in that particular situation?  Maybe He’s just waiting to see how serious you are about receiving what He has for you?  Take some time right now for an inventory on things you may have forgotten you asked God for, and then begin to pursue Him persistently.  Oh, excuse me; I need to find that hammer…

Psalm 130:5

“Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under the trees on a summer's day, listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time.”

      Sir John Lubbock, Lord Avebury

“…and Father please…

and remember to…

and I need…

and watch over…

and help us with…

…thank you for this quiet time, amen.”

“Child, I missed something.”

“Yes, Father, what did you miss?”

“Where was the ‘quiet’ in this ‘quiet time’?”

“Oh Father, I did it again. I forgot to pause, to rest, to wait, to listen.”

“Understandable Child, you do have a lot on your mind.”

“Father, You’re smirking!”

“Ah, but it’s a love-filled smirk! Remember to add quiet to your quiet time Child.

   Quietness creates a pause that re-aligns your values with My own.

   Quietness realigns your faith and refreshes your peace.

   Quietness frees you from the forceful currents of business and magnetizes your soul to eternity.

   But most of all, quietness gently ushers you closer to Me—which is exactly where I long for you to remain.”

It is at the very moment that I wrote this that my wife had just stated that she needed some quiet time at the end of a long day. Quiet time did not mean closing her up with our 2 and half-year-old son in a room and hoping he decided not to be active for a few minutes. Quiet time was when there were no interruptions, no loud noises and definitely no little boys running around your ankles. All too often when we enter our prayer time, we think of all kinds of things that we want to ask God, and things that demand our attention ravage our brains and we fail to stop and just let God talk. How much time have you spent listening to God? 

How about reading His Word or concentrating on his promises?  Take some time every day to see what God is trying to speak into your spirit and you will be amazed at what God has to say.

DANIEL 4:1-27

“Often the convictions of one generation are the rejects of the next. That does not deny the possibility that, as time goes on, we shall accumulate some body of valid conclusions. But it does mean that we can achieve only by accumulation; that wisdom is to be gained only as we stand upon the shoulders of those who have gone before. Just as in science, we cannot advance except as we take over what we inherit, and in statecraft no generation can safely start at scratch, so personal, basic beliefs must be slowly built from our experience, but also from a study of the experience and conclusions of others.”

      Learned Hand

The hour has come where everything that can be shaken will be shaken.  The winds of the last days are blowing strong, and the bride is about to be united with her groom, Jesus Christ.  It is in these times that the church must take a hold of the convictions that God has produced in our lives.  There are some boundaries and habits that I know the Lord gave to me.  It is those convictions that carry me when the ship of life is tossed about with every wind of the world.  There is no difficulty, no trial or tribulation that can dissuade me of my convictions.  The prophet Daniel faced some tough situations. His unflattering interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream could have cost him his life. One of the Bible’s most popular stories recounts the man’s decision to pray even though the punishment was a one-way trip to the lion’s den. Those hard circumstances arose from Daniel’s own commitment to his convictions. The king might never have known if he had received a false interpretation of his dream. Daniel could have stopped praying, or at least made his daily prayers less public. However, dishonoring God seemed far worse than death. While his convictions often put him in a vise, the kings he served also rewarded his principled life. Today, we have the same choice to live by conviction or preference. Would you be willing to spend some time in a lion’s den for your convictions?  If you lived in a place where it was illegal to worship God, would you?  Are you willing to face the angry teeth of a hungry adversary that desires your demise?  Do other people know you as principled—someone who cannot tolerate dirty jokes or gossip, who refuses to pad his time sheet, and who responds to hurts with forgiveness? This is not an example of a super-saint; this is the God-honoring role believers are called to fulfill every day: we are to know Scripture and consistently model righteousness. Some days, while trying to live out our convictions, we will feel like Daniel facing the lion’s den. Nevertheless, God provides courage. If we are willing to make right choices, our determination will intersect with His divine bravery at just the right moment. The result is a life full of godly influence that will earn these words from our King: “Well done, good and faithful servant”.

Genesis 24:1-14

You are where you are today because you have chosen to be there.”

      Harry Browne

Probably the most asked a question from believers in the world is, “What is God’s will?”  Have you ever been in a place where you knew you were lost, but you couldn’t find the place you were on a map?  When I was in college, several friends went to a wedding in Chicago.  I had my car filled with no one that knew where we were, except that we were in Chicago.  The two other cars whose passengers knew where they were going decided to leave us in the dust.  It wasn’t until we were well into Wisconsin that we figured out that we were lost.  It has been that way in our spiritual lives at times, as well.  We keep walking, and it just seems that everyone and everything has passed you by.  You find yourself buried in a corner giving God ultimatums for direction.  There is a way for you to find what God desires of your life.  The first principle for receiving God’s guidance is knowing God’s Word.  We must have a thorough knowledge of God’s will and purposes to help direct our actions and decisions. That knowledge of God’s will comes primarily from God’s Word. God’s Word reveals God’s plan, principles and purposes. Knowledge of these is essential to even beginning to receive God’s guidance. It is Abraham’s knowledge of God’s word that leads him to make the first step in the right direction in receiving God’s guidance.  The second principle for receiving God’s guidance is commitment to God’s will.  It is one thing to know what God’s will is through His Word and another thing completely to be committed to doing His will without compromise. One of the conditions under which Abraham received God’s providential guidance was his complete commitment to doing God’s will. This story reveals to us that God guides us when we are committed to His will and not our own, no matter how difficult it sometimes is to do God’s will. The third principle for receiving God’s guidance is trusting in God’s Ways.  Trust is absolutely essential if you are to be led by God because you will never maintain your commitment to obeying Him and waiting on Him unless you really trust in Him. You must trust that He will provide everything necessary to fulfill His will for your life in His own way. This is what Abraham did. He trusted God to providentially provide a wife for Isaac from outside of Canaan, even though that was extremely unlikely.

The fourth principle for receiving God’s guidance is to pray for God’s Wisdom.  The servant did not just assume that he would recognize whom God had provided as a wife for Isaac. He prayed for guidance and wisdom.  Do you desire God’s guidance?  It I never too late to begin to learn His Word, commit to His will, trust His ways and pray for His wisdom.  In fact, why not spend some time right now doing just that.

Exodus 30:22-30

“Present suffering is not enjoyable, but life would be worth little without it. The difference between iron and steel is fire, but steel is worth all it costs. Iron ore may think itself senselessly tortured in the furnace, but when the watch-spring looks back, it knows better. David enjoyed pain and trouble no more than we do, but the time came when he admitted that they had been good for him. Though the aspect of suffering is hard, the prospect is hopeful, and the retrospect will start a song, if we are "the called according to his purpose," in suffering.”

      Maltbie Davenport Babcock

I do not like to cook.  I am not very good at cooking (unless macaroni and cheese out of a box counts).  However, I do like to eat.  In fact, I LOVE to eat.  I eat just about any kind of food with the exception of spicy food.  I have found out in all of my years that food that is not cooked according to a certain recipe (unless it was mom’s) was not consistently good.  Certainly, if you leave out the sugar, and the right amount at that, the sugar cookie does not taste quite right.  Well, there is a recipe for an anointing, and it is found in the oil that was used to anoint the things of the tabernacle in the Old Testament.  If we are willing to “cook” our lives with this recipe we can be saturated with God’s anointing.  
The first ingredient was Liquid Myrrh.  Myrrh was used to prepare bodies for burial. In order to get its beautiful sweetness it had to be crushed.  Myrrh speaks of death. There is no anointing without death. If we want to know God’s anointing, we have to die to ourselves. Die to the old person that we once were. Die to our own agenda - our own desires and dreams, anything not born of God. If we are going to depend on God, we have to die to our own abilities and resources.  If we do not come to this place of dying to ourselves on our own, then God may have to bring "crushing" circumstances into our lives to bring us to the place where we will die.  Do not despise the crushing that God allows into your life.  
The second ingredient was Sweet Cinnamon.  Cinnamon was used for flavor, and it gave off a very pleasant smell. Its fragrance was beautiful in the Tabernacle because it counteracted the stench of the animal sacrifices.  Cinnamon speaks of sweetness. If you want God to pick you up and anoint you to use you, there has to be sweetness about your life.  
The third ingredient was Sweet-smelling Cane (or calamus).  The Calamus plant grows in miry soil. To get this plant to smell you had to beat it. The more you beat it the better the aroma.  Again, God’s anointing is able to increase in your life the more you pass through the school of hard knocks, and God is able to fashion your character.  
The fourth ingredient was Cassia.  This spice grows only at elevations above 8000 feet. You have got to get up on the mountain to get it.  If you desire God’s anointing - you have got to reach up to the heights. Get on the mountain with God. There is no shortcut to the anointing - we have got to pray, seek God, study, love and work. Jesus lived in the anointing of the Spirit - and for that He maintained a close walk with the Father in prayer at all times.  
Finally, all the ingredients were mixed with olive oil. Now look at the picture we have here. All these ingredients mingled together with a bottle of oil produced the anointing compound that was called “holy”. Watch now … the Lord will combine all the good and difficult things in your life with the oil of His Holy Spirit. A sweet anointing will form in you, and He will be able to use you in incredible ways.  Are you ready for an anointing?

Read Esther 8:15-17

“Thoughts lead on to purpose, purpose leads on to actions, actions form habits, habits decide character, and character fixes our destiny.”

      Tryon Edwards

 This passage shares with us the joy and gladness that the Jewish nation felt because of a king’s decree. Notice, however, that this passage takes place toward the end of Esther’s book. We have to look at how the joy and gladness was produced. Once upon a time, there was a man that had nobility in his blood. The King above all other officials elevated this man. He was the King’s right hand man, and all others were inferior to him. Not only was the nobleman honored, he believed he was worthy of honor. He felt so strongly that he was above all others, that when one man refused to bow before him; the nobleman became enraged. Consumed with hatred, the nobleman devised a plan to destroy the one that refused to bow, and not only that one man, but also that man’s entire race. The scheme would have succeeded were it not for the courage of one orphan. Her parents named her after a small bush that had black berries and pink or white flowers. The delicate petals, when crushed and refined, yield a fragrant perfume. The crushing began early. Kneeling beside the silent graves of her mother and father, the orphan took the hand of her cousin who raised her as his own. Broken within but beautiful without, one day she won the favor of a King. God’s purposes, however, were greater than royalty; it was not enough for the orphan to be Queen. Position was simply the doorway to the true destiny God offered her. It is at this point in time that the lives of the nobleman and the orphan intersected to change the course of history. The nobleman described the man that would not bow a traitor and an enemy. The orphan called the unbending one, cousin and father. The nobleman craved honor for himself. The orphan laid down all she had for the love of her people. The nobleman we remember as evil Haman who was executed for his deception. The orphan we remember as Hadassah, Queen Esther, who—crushed and refined—spread the life-giving fragrance of joy to her entire nation. Such costly perfume is the product of sacrifice, not privilege; the work, not of fragile human honor but of God’s unbending favor. What has been crushed in your life recently? What unexpected promotions have fallen into your lap? Could it be that God is allowing life to crush you into a sweet aroma of joy and gladness? Could it be that there is a greater destiny that God has designed for you and your family? Do not be quick to dismiss the twist and the turns in your life because around every bend you may find the true purpose of life.

Read Psalm 16:8

“I have learned, that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.”

    Henry David Thoreau

Recently we took our son to the park to play on the swings.  He loved everything about the park.  He would climb all over the jumbo gym set with the ladders and the slides.  It seemed that he really enjoyed everything.  However, the trip would not have been complete if he had not been able to soar through the air upon the swing that Dad and Mom pushed.  Swing sets have come a long way since I was a kid.  I remember the one that we had in our backyard.  It was one of those hollow steel sets that when you got to a certain height swinging the legs would come out of the ground and you thought your life was surely coming to an end every time you experienced the thump of the legs hitting the earth once again.  Today, swing sets are riveted to the ground so that human armies are unable to move them.  The swings, for just a moment let you defy the laws of gravity, and for a brief second you are able to fly.  Dreams do much the same thing.  As we dream, we press past the confines of what is and what has been. As our minds dare to see the unseen, our imagination fuels our faith and we begin to trust God for something more.  Many people gave up dreaming years ago because the process became too dangerous.  Just when they would let themselves get a little air under them, the legs of the dream would seem to come out of the ground and strike terror into their hearts.  However, God is not like the old, hollow steel swing sets that move when you get too high.  God is immovable and if we allow ourselves to get connected to Him, we are safe to dream once again.  How long has it been since you dreamed?  When was the last time you jumped into the swing set of life and allowed the soaring Spirit of God to push beyond your wildest imaginations?

Read Philippians 3:3-8

“I have everything, yet have nothing; and although I possess nothing, still of nothing am I in want.”

Terence (185 BC - 159 BC)

The apostle Paul had more reasons than any of us today to glory in his accomplishments, and yet he made it clear that his résumé meant nothing to him. In fact, Paul counted "all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ." The truth is, Paul did not lay aside anything to follow Christ that he should not have laid aside. He had been super-religious as a Pharisee, trying to gain entrance into heaven in his own power. Today, many try to replace relationship with religion, or sacred piety.  However, when Paul had an encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus, he learned that a relationship with the living God surpassed everything he had ever done or could do on his own. His accomplishments were rubbish. Actually, at the very bottom line, he had given up nothing of value and yet gained everything. God is standing on the doorsteps of people that are afraid to give something up to follow Him.  How many of us today refuse to lay aside those things that have no value? How many of us so pursue an intimate relationship with Jesus that we count all else as loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Him, really knowing Him? Are you willing to lay aside everything that competes with your love and devotion for Christ? As you live moment-by-moment, do you make knowing Him your top priority?

Read I Corinthians 2:6-14

“How do the geese know when to fly to the sun? Who tells them the seasons? How do we, humans, know when it is time to move on? As with the migrant birds, so surely with us, there is a voice within, if only we would listen to it, that tells us so certainly when to go forth into the unknown."             Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

 

The Lord still speaks today. Those who belong to Him learn to recognize His voice and listen carefully to it. God’s goals in speaking to us include that we: Comprehend the truth. God wants His perfect Word to take root in our mind and become a permanent part of our thinking. (Romans 12:2) Scripture is central to God’s plan that we understand who He is and what His purposes are. His Spirit explains everything we need to know as children in His royal family. Conform to the truth. God desires that we bear a strong resemblance to His Son, so He uses both His Spirit and the Scriptures to shape us from the inside out. His objective is that biblical truth will be reflected in our daily choices and lifestyle. Communicate the truth. God not only wants us to assimilate His Word and be transformed by it; He also desires to work through us to impact others’ lives. People will take notice when our responses show the fruit of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-23) However, unless we have submitted to the truth and been changed by it, our words will lack divine power and have little effect on the listener. If we are absorbing the Scriptures and allowing God to mold us, then His divine “fingerprints” will be visible in our plans, schedules, thoughts, and attitudes. As a result, our conversation will reflect His viewpoint and include topics important to Him. Achieving God’s goals requires a teachable heart, a cooperative spirit, and a listening ear. Do you have all three?  Our hearts lie to us and tell us that we are in control, that we know what is best for us and our family and no one can tell us any different.  Sometimes we just do not want to do what we know is right and then there are the times, like a little child, we ignore our heavenly Father.  God desires to be intimate with us: to whisper with His still small voice into our lives.  He does not want to have to yell through the whirlwind.  Are you ready to listen?

Read John 1:1-18

“Feeling is deep and still; and the word that floats on the surface

  Is as the tossing buoy, that betrays where the anchor is hidden.”

      Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Many things stir my emotions: worship, silence, a kiss from my wife, my son’s belly laugh or the voice of treasured friends from around the country. Most of the time, however, my feelings are awakened by something slightly less than a Hallmark moment: being misunderstood, driving in rush hour traffic, restless nights, and customer assistance numbers that do not let you speak to a human. Whether pleasant or painful, our emotions are in need of cautious and careful monitoring. Why? Because we live in a world that loudly proclaims, “What feels good is good. What feels bad is bad.” It is in such an environment we can easily mistake feeling for fact. Emotions are not always accurate reflections of reality or of God’s will. They are not always truth’s vocal twin. The perspective for your life based on emotions will be one of many ups and downs, twists and turns and near constant turbulence. Our safeguard in a world where culture and media seek to benefit by manipulating our emotions is God’s unchanging Word. God’s truth is subject neither to circumstance nor to news broadcasts. His Word is nonperishable, immutable, and eternally free of decay! If we live our life based upon the precepts of what God has already spoken through His Word, whether the sun shines or the clouds hang low, in good times and not so good times, we will, nevertheless, obtain a peace that passes all understanding. The main reason that we fail in our emotions is because we believe that the Bible is a good book, but we fail to realize that it is the embodiment of God Himself. John lets us in on a little secret right from the beginning of his gospel when he states that the Word became flesh. The reason why we need, and have the opportunity, to trust His Word, is that we are really trusting Him. What was your last storm that caused you to question everything about God? When did you face dire situations that caused your entire life to turn upside down? Now, how did you feel? No matter how you felt, God and His Word never changed. It is forever established in heaven.  

Read Philippians 1:1-6

“Art produces ugly things which frequently become more beautiful with time. Fashion, on the other hand, produces beautiful things which always become ugly with time.”

Jean Cocteau

Faded, broken, graceful lines are still visible upon the canvas of the painting’s original magnificence. Possibly hundreds of years earlier an artist had taken up a brush and with simple paint created this incredible scene. Now worn and weathered, the painting barely echoes its former brilliance. Through the cracks and tears, it gives silent testimony to the skill of its original artist. Wind, rain, heat, admirers—with each touch glory has departed. Centuries after its creation one cannot help but wonder about the creator, whether he was a pained soul or happy individual. One can feel a surprising connection with a painting of this magnitude. There is something familiar in comparison to anyone that dares to look closely in the mirror. The reflection too feels weathered.  Pain, conflict, disappointment, sin—with each touch, glory has departed from that individual’s life. The cracks, and chips of life with those same faded, broken lines, are only a faint reflection of what God had originally intended. Any thoughts that are present drift to the future of the painting. New artists could attempt to restore it, but its original artist could no longer take up a brush. Only one could truly return the painting to its intended magnificence. Only one saw the painting in his mind and felt the painting in his soul before others could see it with their eyes. That one master artist passed long ago. There ends the similarity between the painting and the picture in the mirror because the Original Artist of that face in the mirror—He still lives! He still remembers His master design. Our Creator is able and willing to restore the faded and broken portions of poor man’s souls. Hope exists for us--the weathered and worn--because our Original Artist lives! It is a wonderful thing to experience the molding and restoring of the Master’s hand. Can you feel those gentle hands forming you? Will you allow Him to enter your life and continue the work that He so desires to finish?