Simple Thoughts

Just pray. It’s not the only thing you can do. It’s not just a saying or rote memorization. It is the MOST, the BEST you can do. Be an intercessor. Intercede on behalf of those in pain, in need of direction, in need of a Savior. You try to speak into a world that has closed its ears to God’s word, God’s way. Seeking self, seeking truth apart from God. How many of us have heard, “That’s nice you believe that but I don’t.” It hurts your heart. But don’t give up. Go to God in prayer. Be an intercessor. Intercede like Abraham did for Sodom and Gomorrah. (Genesis 18:23-33) Abraham was interceding for a city but also on behalf of his nephew, Lot, that he might be delivered from the judgment that was coming.

Let us be Christians who use the word of God in prayer. We pray for the saved as well as the lost. We know nothing is impossible with God. No friend, acquaintance, leader, family member is too far from the saving hands of Jesus. Be intentional. Be resolute. Be a believing, trusting, obedient prayer warrior.

1 Timothy 2:1 “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people”

Empower: give (someone) authority or power to do something (dictionary.cambridge.org)

In a devotion I was reading, I came across a quote by Dr. Henry M. Morris about why Christ died for us.. As a Christian, trying daily to live in humble, obedient submission to God and His word, I found this quote to be encouraging. “Christ did not merely die to save our souls but to empower us to live in a way that would glorify God right here on earth.”
I recently had a friend flying home. As she was walking through the airport to her connecting flight, she had an anxiety attack. Out of the blue. Heart pounding, hands shaking anxiety. She was not sure she had the strength to move towards the gate so what did she do? She called upon God to empower her. She prayed and recited bible verses to bring her comfort and strength to make it to her gate. As a new believer who has been regularly attending church, Sunday school and a bible study class, she said,”I don’t have many verses memorized yet but the two I had, I just kept repeating.”

As we move through our day, let us greet our responsibilities as God given opportunities to “empower us to live in a way that would glorify God…”

Being an identical twin, my sister and I got used to the stares. Over the years, it doesn’t phase us much. We’ve gotten used to it.

As we go through our days, are we mindful of what we are looking at? Perhaps you are blessed with gazing on a newborn baby. The soft touch, the sweet smell, the miracle of birth. Or maybe you have a mountain view. The majestic mountains, the bright blue sky, the cool, swift stream. Or are you in the confines of your home? The four sturdy walls, the roof that provides shelter from the storms, a view through a window.

As we look out, let us pray and give thanks for today’s view. God is with you wherever you are. I pray you allow Him to be with you as your eyes view the world through His lens.

Job 12:10-13 ” For the life of every living thing is in his hand, and the breath of every human being. The ear tests the words it hears  just as the mouth distinguishes between foods.
 Wisdom belongs to the aged, and understanding to the old. But true wisdom and power are found in God;  counsel and understanding are his.”

The word “steadfast” has come up multiple times lately. First, in a sermon from my pastor. Then, in a morning devotion I am reading. Wanting to know more of its meaning, I decided to do a word study. Dictionary.com defines “steadfast” as this: to be fixed or firm in a direction or purpose.

Thinking practically, I see this trait in people close to me. My sister and husband remain steadfast on the hiking trail, to accomplish a goal. My son’s girlfriend is steadfast as she pursues her dream of becoming a veterinarian. If we look deeper, though, we see the Hebrew word for steadfast is chesed (kheh’-sed). It refers to God’s devout loving-kindness, mercy and faithfulness at the very core of His character. (LaurenIbach.com)

He loves us with a steadfast love. He shows mercy through His steadfast kindness. He is with us in our trials, our loneliness, our wandering through His steadfast presence. Being steadfast is part of who God is, part of His character. As Christians, we too, are called to be steadfast. 1 Corinthians 15:58 says, “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” In our humanness, we tire, get discouraged, lose hope. But praise God! Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, being steadfast in the Lord’s work is what we are called to do. So let us be fixed in our purpose, steadfast in our faith, keeping our eyes on Jesus, “the author and finisher of our faith,” (Hebrews 12:2)

You’ve heard the expressions, “It’s a two way street.” Marriage, friendship, respect to name a few. There is a give and take on both sides. If it is all one sided, the relationship will usually fail.

As I am studying God’s word about a “Friend of God,” John MacArthur says as a Christian, my relationship with God is a two way street. We did nothing to initiate or accomplish our salvation. That is all God. His plan, His Son, His drawing. When we say yes though, He wants to know us intimately, to enjoy fellowship with Him. We come to Him in worship, to intercede in prayer for others, to confess our sins to Him, to study His word to learn more of Him. (John MacArthur: Genesis 12-33 Bible Commentary)

Do we find ourselves in our relationship with God as the taker: take, take, take? I need. I want. Please give. How many of us know people who call themselves Christians but there is no evidence that they have a relationship with God? When you say yes in faith, you are not done. Your relationship with Jesus has just begun. Turning away from this world and pursuing your relationship with God is not a one time event. You can’t just be a taker. You need to be a giver, as well. Giving God your time, your gifts, your talents. Expressing love, joy, thankfulness for what you have so graciously received. Let us examine our own hearts to see if our relationship with God truly is a two way street.

The morning after a heavy rain. The birds are out in force. Finding food plentiful. Dropped seeds and displaced worms. They are chattering, chirping, squawking, playing “King of the Trees!” Getting the best view, the choicest seeds and worms. It was a pleasure just being a casual observer to my backyard habitat.

The Bible tells us not to fret. Jesus says, in Matthew 6:26 “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” Are we running to and fro with our worries, fretting over the troubles of the day or are we resting and meditating in the truths and promises God shares with us in His word? He made us in His image so that we can worship and grow in our faith to be more Christ like. Does your walk represent and testify of your faith in the eternal, sovereign, promise keeping God or are you flying to and fro, trying to manage everything on your own and exhausting yourself in the process? I pray you would sit and fill up on God’s words for it is there you will find nourishment for your soul.

“We hope you feel better soon.” “I hope I get this job.” “I hope for big money playing the lottery.” Things people hope for. For circumstances to improve. For career changes. For health.

As a Christian, our hope comes from God. Our hope is in His word, in His promises. Our hope is a person: Jesus Christ. When our health is flakey, when our career dreams are dashed, when we don’t win the big money, we still have hope. Because our hope is not temporary or fleeting. Our hope is eternal. Our hope is secure. So even though we will suffer in this lifetime and we will go through trials, we can rest in the promises of God. The following verses are but a few from scripture that encourage me as I study “hope.” I pray you, too, will find hope in the scriptures and not in circumstances.

Psalm 43:5 “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.”

2 Thessalonians 2:16 “May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope,”

Romans 15:4 “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.”

1 Peter 3:15 “…Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. …”

John 11:25-26 “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;  and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

Romans 15:13 “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.”

1 Thessalonians 5:8 “But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. “

Romans 5:3-4 “  Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”

Psalm 146:5 “Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God.”

Titus 2:13 “while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,”

*scriptures from John MacArthur study bible on “A living hope” (1 Peter 1:3).

This is a slogan for ETSU I saw on a billboard. “From enrolled to employed.” From the periphery, it seems, they are guaranteeing you a job if you go to their school .

What if we looked at this slogan from a kingdom perspective. Your enrollment is when you are saved. Confessing of your sins and putting your faith and trust in Jesus. Once you do, you are now a kingdom citizen. You have much to learn. You will be reading, listening, worshiping, being mentored as a young Christian. And that enrollment is never ending. We continue to read, study, listen, worship til our last breath. It’s called sanctification. But even as you continue to grow in your faith, God wants you to engage others. You may not feel ready, prepared, or even worthy. Yet through the working of the Holy Spirit, you can share your testimony, spread the good news of the gospel to others. God uses the gifts He has purposed within us to further His kingdom. You are employed for God. When you say Yes! you are enrolled and employed in the kingdom of God. And this new course is transformative.

Ephesians 2:19-21 “So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family.  Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself.  We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord.”

In one day, I’ve read multiple devotions on reorienting my soul. Reorient means to change the focus. So what does that mean in my spiritual life? What do I need to change that will bring my spirit back in alignment with God’s word? As a Christian, my desire is to walk a path that pleases God but not under my own power, not according to my own desires. It means submitting to God’s authority in my life. To challenge my thoughts, words and actions before thinking them, saying them, doing them and ask “Will this honor God?” Sounds simple enough but if we are being honest, it is hard. Thoughts come into my head that are not God honoring but need to be squashed before the thoughts take hold. Words fly out of my mouth without thinking and I immediately have to apologize and reel the tongue back in. 

To reorient my soul takes prayer, takes worship, takes diving into God’s word. Allowing God to change the direction of my soul. I am not doing this in my own power. It’s not a matter of will, of pulling up self by the bootstraps. It’s a matter of the Holy Spirit working in me for my good and His glory. 

Let us regularly ask ourselves, “Do I need to reorient my soul? Have I gotten off track and am I going in the wrong direction?” Be honest and if you don’t like the direction, stop and pray, asking God to reorient your soul to Him. 

There are some themes, as a Christian, that sit well, that cause you to wonder, ponder. When I think of Jesus as the Living Water, I faithfully believe He is Life, just as water to us humans is life. I remember a time in my life where I had physical water and my thirst was quenched, especially on a hot day or after a rigorous basketball practice. But when I accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord, He became Living Water to me. He quenched the desert of my soul and filled me with the Holy Spirit. The spiritual water I now desire is pleasing, calming, life giving, life sustaining water. I give thanks for the verse in John 4:13-14, “Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again,  but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Babbling brook. Serene lake. Roaming river. Vast ocean. Many people are drawn to water. Its peaceful, calming affect. Away from busy life. I enjoy sitting beside those still waters. It frees my mind. Puts things in perspective as I look out at its vastness. But what about when life’s storms hit, the rivers rage? Are we still able to find that peace? If your faith is in the water, probably not. But if your faith is in the One who commands the water, then your faith is secure. Peace and calm in life’s storms are possible when we sit and meditate in the arms of Jesus, the One in whom even the wind and waves obey.

So, while today’s blog is about water, again, it is because when I see water, I see Jesus. I see His love in His creation. For the salvation He provided to all mankind if one would humble himself and drink of the water Jesus freely offers.