Morning Prayer

Psalm 5:3In the morning, O LORD, You will hear my voice; in the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch.

There is something wonderful that occurs to a person and to their day when they start it out with the Lord. When the first thought and desire is to pray. When the heart seeks God to praise Him, glorify Him, and to lift the needs of others to him. From this seems to come moment by moment awareness, an abiding joy, a lasting peace. It’s like feeding the body with food when once awakened, it awakens, nourishes, and brings a calming and peace to the body and mind…

Praying to the Lord brings peace, brings awareness of others and to their needs. Praying to the Lord is calming and nourishing to the mind, the soul, the body…

Father, thank you for the opportunity that you’ve blessed us with to start our day in pray and thanksgiving to you. Our relationship with you is our everything, our only hope, and our greatest treasure. We are at peace and contentment when our hearts our found in prayer.

Comfort and Encouragement

“And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel." (Exodus 19:6) & “And put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth” (Ephesians 4:24).

We are called unto righteousness and holiness in Christ Jesus. We are not our own, we were “bought with a price” (1 Corinthians 6:20), that price being the sacrifice of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 5:2). In this we are different, strange, alien to the world, not from any credence or tradition of religion that we or others have imposed but through the redeeming and purifying of our hearts by God (Titus 2:12). To demonstrate to an unbelieving world his wonderful glory (1 Chronicles 16:24, Psalm 29:2) and to bring salvation to the lost (Acts 13:47, 1 Peter 2:12). This is the Christians calling, to live righteously and to proclaim the Good News, the Gospel of Christ (Mark 16:15, Romans 1:16).

To live righteously in a perverse world (Philippians 2:15), and because we are misunderstood, because we speak the truth in love, and because we speak against evil we often suffer great hardships (2 Corinthians 1:7, Ephesians 4:15). The Christian is often alone even in the midst of friends of this world (Psalm 102:7) it is for this reason that Christians should encourage one another, look out for one another, comfort one another (Romans 12:8, 2 Corinthians 1:4). If a brother or sister in Christ is depressed or down or low don’t condemn, the world does that… but rather we should show understanding, care, mercy, and love (Ephesians 4:17, Romans 12:16). For being a Christian means to be Christ-minded (Phil. 2:5); to look out for others rather than for one’s self (Philippians 2:5).

Heavenly Father, help us to be righteous in your sight and in the eyes of an unbelieving world. This world and the things of this world will soon pass away but your Word will never pass away. Forgive me for my selfishness and my uncaring attitude towards this suffering world and towards my fellow Christians. Help me, teach me to be more like you and less like myself. Forgive me for not praying for the needs of others, for not recognizing their hurting hearts and for not taking the time to encourage, uplifting, in word and deed to their betterment, for their edification, for their comfort…

The Berean Attitude!

“Now these were more noble minded than the Thessalonians, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11).

How wonderful it would be, what a different world it would be if we all had the ‘Berean attitude’. From the beginning these good folks were described as noble. Noble is respected, unafraid, wisdom mixed with courage-and these folks were noble!

When the Word of God was presented to them they received it with “great eagerness.”
So many hear the Word but do not receive it, it’s not thought about, talked about, buried in their mind, their soul, and their heart. Yet the Berean attitude is different.

Once hearing the Word they thought about it, carried it home and talked about it, and wondered. In their eagerness they wisely employed critical thinking and refused to accept at face value the teachings presented to them.

In our day and age there are many ideals, many espousing their truths… so how does a person know what is truth and what is error. Through practicing the Berean attitude.
That is to be too noble within yourself that you are unafraid to ask a question, to respectfully question anything or anyone. That your heart is eager for the truth and longs to embrace it, to search for it, to find it and apply it to your life.

This takes work. An effort that so many by-pass only to err from the truth and believe a lie. Everyday this decision is ours, will we believe everything that we read, that we see, or that we hear? Or will we with a prayerful heart question our information-driven world not for more information but the right information? (2 Timothy 4:4).

These sobering questions pricks at our hearts and minds today yet in its midst remember that God is for you, with you, and ever ready to hear our prayers and guide our feet to His truth.

Father, you’ve so diligently presented the Good News of the gospel to us. Give us wisdom and courage to develop the Berean attitude in our studying your Word and in every aspect of our daily lives.

Seek first His kingdom and righteousness

“Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you”
(Matthew 6:33) The words of Jesus Christ…

What do you seek today? Is it to rush through the morning to get to work? If so, then what will you seek at work? To get your work done? Then what will you seek when your day of work is done? A meal and some television? Some rest, some comfort so that you can work again the next day? Will work fill that empty longing in your heart?

Or is it a boat that you seek, or a new car, or a new home? Once obtained what then will your heart seek after next? If you take a moment to reflect on your life you might realize that all your life you’ve sought after something… (Psa. 14:2)

But what of God? Who seeks Him? Who longs to be in His presence? Who desires His Word more than food, more than sleep?

I know that in my life when I’ve sought after God, when my true desire was to seek His righteousness in my life that during those times I was content, my heart was at peace (1 Tim. 6:8). I went to work like everyone else but it seemed that I accomplished more because I was not distracted by worry, by fear, or by blind ambition. During lunch breaks I did not need a soda but only a few Words from my Heavenly Father. After work my heart turned to the needs of others, to my family. Once met my heart glowed before His Word and in longing prayer. At night my rest was peaceful, my heart filled with joy and gratitude for a merciful and loving God who blessed me so (Psa. 4:8)

Today, what will you seek? I pray the Father’s Kingdom and righteousness is foremost on all of our thoughts and heart on this blessed day.

Father, thank you for your Word, for your Spirit that fills our hearts and for your peace that passes all understanding! (Phil. 4:7)

Who Will We Serve?

Joshua 24:15And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

Each and every day we have a decision to make. The question to this utmost decision is who will we serve? For while in this body we can very easily serve ourselves. We are wrapped in flesh that craves, urges, and longs to willfully sin. Yet, love conquers sin; love conquers our natural inclinations to sin.

This love is Jesus Christ. This Christ who was born in flesh and yet being God he willingly suffered the humiliation and agony of scourging--iron nails, and blood-bleached wood. To this Christ suffered and died all to carry the sins of the world to the grave. Yet the grave could not hold righteousness and love conquered death in Christ's resurrection (Romans 5:8But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us).

The death and resurrection of Christ and faith in Him delivers us from serving sin, from serving ourselves. For though sin is ever with us our faith in Christ as Savior is considered by him righteous. We are therefore without sin in the sight of Christ, in the sight of God (Romans 4:7" BLESSED ARE THOSE WHOSE LAWLESS DEEDS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN,AND WHOSE SINS HAVE BEEN COVERED).

Who will we serve? For in ourselves, through ourselves we can only serve ourselves. But through Christ all things are possible even our righteousness and salvation (Romans 6:18and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness).

Living Water

It’s interesting that the Samaritan woman, whom Jesus meet at the well (John 4), that she forgot and left her water jar, at the well, with Jesus. You could say that she simply forgot it but then why did the Spirit trigger John to write it down? I guess you could have a thousand different interpretations… so I’ll add what I get from this…

I think she left it because she did not need it. She came to the well for well-water and left the well with ‘living water’, with the belief that she had just meet the Christ, and that meeting changed her heart. She went out and told other men about her meeting and they went to see Christ together. She came to the well an adulteress… but returned an evangelist!

So it is in our lives, with every meeting, we are changed…

Come to the well of living-water…
And drink to your hearts content…
Your heart will never be the same…
Your vessel full and content…

We Should Possess The Land

Numbers 13:30 "Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, "We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it."

Of all the spies sent out only two, Caleb and Joshua brought back an encouraging word. The other spies believed that they could not take the land which the Lord had promised, they did not believe in the promises of the Lord. Caleb and Joshua believed that with God on their side that anything was possible.

Things really haven't changed all that much over time. There are still people who believe that there are too many giants in the land, that the problems of their lives are too large, too big, and they are afraid. Their faith in God to walk with them, to dwell with them, to guide and show them the way is shallow...

There are people who see the problems, the sin in the land, within their hearts and they believe in the promises of God. They remember all of the little things that God's accomplished in their lives. They learned during the wilderness, during the hard times in their lives that regardless God is faithful and that He is good. The circumstances may be bad but that does not mean that God is. They fell in love with God and not the pleasures of good times or blessings. Knowing God and being found acceptable in His sight is far more important than their happiness, their faith is founded and grounded in God.

In this life we all go through difficult times. We all face days in which we would have rather stayed in bed. Yet through it all, through good times, through rough times, we are assured that we can take the land because God is with us, for us, and His love will not let us down!

Lord Jesus, there are many problems and sinful ways in our lives. These are enemies of our souls that you've directed us to be rid of, to possess the land through your power. So often though Lord we feel powerless and so very weak. During those times help us to remember your promises and to trust and obey you. Through you we can do anything... for in you all possibilities exist. What a life you've given us, what a challenge, what an adventure! Bless your Holy name, Bless your Holy, Holy, name!

Dependency

Psalm 146:5Blessed are those who depend on the God of Jacob for help. Blessed are those who put their hope in the Lord their God.

Now there's a word that proud American's hate--dependency. It's a word that many believe denotes a sense of weakness and fraility... a sense of helplessness. This is the world's view of dependency and the world's view is quite different from God's view. Did you know that God wants us to be dependent... not on government, nor on ourselves, and not on our families... but on him.

Think about it... if you are a parent don't you love it when your children run to you for help? When your children ask your advice? When they seemingly hang on your every word in a time of their crisis?

God is our Heavenly Father and as a Father he also so desires for us to come to him with our needs, with our wants, with our everything... nothing is too small for God.

Consider that our act of prayer is a demonstration of our dependency on God. When we pray we are telling God, 'hey Father-I've got this problem and I need your help'... or 'Father, I really made a mess of that situation, please forgive me' or Father, you are the best... you wow me each and everyday and I'm so grateful and so honored to be your child, thank you, thank you!

For when we do not pray. When we do not partake of His Word. When we do not follow his guidance. Then on whom are we depending on, it's not Him...

Dependency comes down to a matter of trust... who will you trust with your future and your life to? To God or yourself? We can't serve them both...

Father, you've so honored me in calling me your child. Lord, I often forget you and I lean on my own understanding. I forget your Word and so my day is filled with emptiness... my own. For Father, I need you every moment of my life. I need to hear you as I read your Word, I need to know you in my prayers. Father, I'm needful - help my many needs. Lord, I praise you, glorify you, and give you the honor for all that you've accomplished in my life. Blessed be and praise to your Holy name!

"Doing the right thing" cliche'?

From time to time, although more seldom in these days, I will over hear the phrase, "do the right thing." You know at first hearing of this I kind-of took this phrase as my own moto. For several years this became almost a matra to me. Yet the more that I deeply reflected on this I found it lacking...

Why, you ask? Well, the Bible is the reason - for the more that I read God's Word the more that I learned how much I didn't know of what the right thing is. And also my own inability to do the right thing continued to bother me. For you see I'm a sinner. As a sinner God's Word teaches me that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23). And also, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" You see I have no righteousness, Rom. 3:10), none...zip!

Yet, I do have Christ's righteousness working in and through me. It seems that even though I'm a sinner - I just cannot stop speaking of the love, the grace, the faithfulness, the glory and wonder of my Savior, Jesus Christ! The more that I look to him in faith the more that my heart's desire is to love him. So, yes I still think of of the phrase "doing the right thing" but I look into the perfect law of liberty (James 1:25) and through faith seek righteousness instead of through my own strength.

Father, thank you for your righteousness! Thank you for saving sinners such as I and through your Word daily teach our hearts to trust and obey. May this little devotional encourage another heart to live Godly and righteously!

Humility & Security

{Reference: The Book of Ecclesiastes}

It is better to walk in humility than to walk in greatness, for in humility no one exalts you – and you see yourself clearly for who you are. The falseness is stripped away revealing the sinner and the saint. No one makes themselves humble, it is the gift of God, the grace of God. It is the goodness of God to remove our pride if only for a moment or for a season, as he wishes, as he deems best. It is better to view your weakness than to view yourself with pride, it is better to weep than to laugh.

God is in control. All power belongs to him. Nothing can transpire except by his permission. Because of God we are safe, we are secure. Even when our circumstances are unsecure, even in the greatest of insecurities God is in control. It is not our senses or our logic that determines God’s control, it is built into his nature, it is what he is.

We enjoy safety, we crave it. Without security there is fear and our puny faith is revealed for what it is. We will not trust without God’s help. We have no faith except it come from God. We are not Holy, righteous, good, kind, just, or in anyway worthy… these belong only to the Lamb of God. Security comes through the cross of Christ.

Heavenly Father, thank you for blessing all of us with times of humility. Times that are tough when our hearts look heaven-ward in trust and dependence on you. In this life we so often get knocked around by the world, by our own sinful desires, and at the urging of the evil one. Lord forget us not but remember us in our times of afflication and hear our prayers. We've learned to be thankful for you've taught us and will teach in us humility, mercy, and faith towards you and love for others. Blessed be your Holy name today and forevermore!

Who Will Serve

(In honor of those who have and do serve)

On A Cloudy Day… I looked through the windows of my soul and saw the rain…
I asked the question… was it worth it…?
Was it worth all the over-time? All the stress? All the sacrifice? All the pain? All the accolades of praise…?
Was the service to my country worth the ever lost time spent away from my wife my daughter… my son?…
How many of their parties I missed…? Those joyful celebrations of their lives… Of their triumphs I missed… I never saw…
Now…they are forever claimed by the archives of… too many… unknown memories…
I ask…who then will serve?
Who will seek to protect the wondrous privilege of freedom? Who else will bare the pain, endure the shame, play the games… To keep freedom’s flag waving in the sun… honored in the rain… Draped proudly over coffin or beating heart?
I looked from my soul and deep within my heart and saw the immense consequence of it all…
That our service is worth protecting freedom’s hope from the tyranny’s of hate and fear… that will ever drive this world
from peace into war…

Who then will serve…?
God help me…
God help my family…
I will…
I must…
serve…

Magnify the Lord

“Magnify the Lord with me” Psa. 34:3
Sing praise in your heart continually Judg. 5:3
For great is the Lord for his mighty acts Psa. 106:2
For from Egypt he redeemed us Ex. 6:6
From this world he saved us Luke 1:71
By his mercy and grace Psa. 84:11
We are no longer bound, but free Rom. 8:2
By his power he’s lead us Luke 11:4
Though the wilderness of despair Isa. 63:13
By the light of his righteousness Micah 7:9
And the cloud of his witnesses Heb. 12:1
He’s ever faithful Lam. 3:23
Ever our Father Isa. 9:6
For in our need, in our fear Psa. 34:4
He showed us understanding Psa. 147:5
He gave us comfort Psa. 71:21
He loved us Rom 8:37
He lead us through the Red Sea Heb. 11:29
Away from bondage Rom. 8:15
And baptized us all 1 Cor. 12:13
Into his nation, into his people Psa. 29:11
Into a covenant of love Heb. 13:20
And made us kings and priests Rev. 1:6
An everlasting kingdom 2Pet. 1:11
Lead by Christ our redeemer Titus 2:14
Praise the Lord for his great salvation Rom. 8:15
Praise the Lord for his goodness and mercy Rom. 9:16
Praise the Lord for this great salvation Heb. 2:3
Praise the Lord all Heaven and earth Psa. 107

When Plans Go South

Isaiah 55:9"For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your waysAnd My thoughts than your thoughts.

There are times when even the best intention does not go well. Times when the best laid plans go foul, your good favour or good fortunes take a drive south and your left there standing in the middle of the road, scratching your head and asking, “what just happened?” Life happened. Uncertainty kidnapped your plans, crossed the Dixie line and is heading for the Mexican border. No need to go chasing because those plans are long gone, kiss em’ good-bye… so, now what to do?

You could complain, it won’t help the situation, it might make you feel better though… for a little while… but then, no one will want to be around you… complainers are often likened to crooked car salesmen, you try to stay away from both… you could immediately make other plans, but then that’s acting hastily and that’s not wise… why bite-off some other new adventure when you just got your teeth kicked in? So what to do?

How about doing nothing? Let it all ride, let the disappointment sink in, fully embrace a little discouragement, learn to accept the uncomfort of failure. Go through the fire and let God burn-off some dross… Believe you me, this is a ‘road less traveled’ but it is best. It’s best to wait on the Lord, just wait… take a breather from your life and invest in someone else’s, they probably need the help and you probably need to serve.

And those plans? Those dreams? They will be just fine for God’s got them. They are quite different from your plans, they are bigger, better, sweeter, more extravagant, more daring than you or I could ever conjure up. For our plans and our dreams are gifts from the Lord… they never truly belonged to us in the first place…

Father, thank you for disappointment. Thank you for the times when I fail. Thank you for the plans that go south and for disruption that it causes my life. Father, you know best, my trust is fully in you. When pain tears at my heart I will praise you, I will believe in you and in your Word or you are faithful and good. My plans are often not so good, my intentions not always the best and I make mistakes. Yet, your plans, your ways are righteous and good-in this I praise your wonderful name!

God's Faithfulness

Psalm 36:5Your lovingkindness, O LORD, extends to the heavens,Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

God is faithful, so very faithful! He makes each day new and awakens us to its freshness and gives us rest to work on this new day. His mercy is endless, not carried over from the day before when we call on him and confess our unrighteousness. The character of God leads him to be faithful; to hear our prayers, to deliver us from trouble, or to lead us down broken path-ways that often break our hearts yet God is faithful to bring comfort, to bring peace, to declare his everlasting love to us--even in the darkest of our times.

God will not leave you. His love for you will not cast you from his presence. But everyday his eyes search everyday for those who hunger, those who love the truth, those with a broken heart. God is faithful, even when we are not, even when we turn from him and sin. God will lovingly prompt our hearts to turn-turn back to him.

As God is faithful so we need to be. Our hearts should cry out to be about his business and not our own. To seek his word and not those of others, to pray for others instead of worrying about ourselves. God will take care of our problems; has he not shown himself faithful in your life? Remember when he delivered you, when he performed a miracle in your life and opened a way that seemed impassable, remember the desert that he lead you through and yet he faithfully feed you, provided for you, and showed you such great care and great concern. God is faithful, this is his character, may our character change to become ever more faithful to him with each passing day.

Father, thank you for your mercy, your faithfulness, your goodness to us. Lord, its not in our nature to be faithful to you, too often we thoughtlessly run to do our own thing, live our own lives-all with little thought of your desire or will for our lives. Teach us and help us to be more like you, to be faithful!

Heavenly Body

2 Corinthians 5:1 For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

Just think of that. Everyday, while this natural body of ours is consumed by wear and tear and disease--that our God has something better in the heavens. God has a 'body better than Jake' or for any commercial for God has a heavenly one for us! There won't be any stair-masters, cross-trainers, or ellipitical machine in heaven because we won't need them. Our Father has something so much better, so much more perfect for us in mind.

So if on a cold and wintery morning your joints ache or your body is tired after a long days work--something in the future this will not be the case.

God's given us such great and wonderful promises!

Thank you Father for this wonderful promise. That when this body goes away that you have something wonderful in store for us. You've prepared an eternal abode for us and we are grateful! Lord, we thank you that you are so thoughtful and caring towards us!

Peaceful Sleep

Psalm 4:8“I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.”

The world that we live in is a dangerous place. Criminals, it seems are reproducing faster that law-abiding folks. Yet, even in the midst of such a 'crooked generation’ we can have peace of mind. For we know that when we dwell in Christ that we are safe, for the situation is in his hands, he’s in control.

We can turn over our finances, our futures, our hopes, and dreams over to him because we know that he will handle everything. God’s in control.

Our concern must be the dwelling with Christ; our everyday walk with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We are to seek him first. The Bible says to – “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33). It’s not God’s fault if we choose to live a life without peace—it is ours. It’s our wrong choice if we decide to do our own thing instead of following God’s ways. For this reason many people are anxious. They are sweating over the near-future—over a promotion, over a lie that they told, over what somebody said to them, over the unknown…

Yet, there is a place in Christ were we can dwell in peace. There is a life that we can live whereby we know peace even in stressful situations. There is a peace of mind because the Word of God is there and it is directing, coaxing, and sharpening our words, our thoughts, and our actions. And at the end of the day, when the teeth are brushed and prayers are made sleep, peaceful sleep will keep us until tomorrow or until we see Christ, face to face.

Give Unto The Lord

Luke 6:38"Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure--pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return."

I think that most of us have heard this passage before and if you are like me you often think of it in a monetary way. Yet, I feel there is so much more than our money that we give to the Lord.

Some people seem to have more time than others… do they give that time to the Lord or to themselves? I’m ever learning that doing things for myself comes so natural-so easy because it does not require much thought. But spending my time for the Lord and for his glory is something altogether different. It takes a constant awareness of God’s presence; a prayerful attitude, a sharpening of the senses that can only come from God. For with myself I naturally avoid God when there’s any hint of sin in my life. You know, that something that the Spirit wanted you to obey—to take a right when you took a left. And at first it may have bothered you a little but then you do it again or make a mistake in another area of your life and all this sin stuff in your heart just seems to build up. After a while, if you are like me, you just feel so weighed down… and so empty. You know, it’s really easy to remove that load-just repent and go right next time…

Heavenly Father, you’ve been so good, so kind, so merciful to my heart and life today. Help me, teach me to give my time, my resources to you-for it really all does belong to you anyway… and forgive me for the many times when I take part of my life back or when I waste time foolishly. Teach me to give just as you’ve given and will give forever without end. Glory and Praise to your name!

Bended Knees

Psalm 95:6
Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker…

One of the most encouraging events that can occur in a believer’s life is found on bended knees. It is found when repentance comes to the heart and the acknowledgement that sin is bigger-stronger than the individual. When hope found in oneself is decimated and that only Jesus Christ can save, can heal, and can cleanse the soul stained by sin. This goes beyond a feeling and into the heart of faith. Faith that reads the Word of God and believes that Word. Faith that cries out for more of God in a person’s life regardless of the cost – regardless of self.


For that is the question… will I serve God or myself? On bended knee and with a broken and contrite heart we are encouraged to turn to God and love him and through obedience we turn from self to God. Through reading and learning and living the Word of God we go from bended knee to walking with God.

Count Your Blessings

Psalm 21:6Surely you have granted him eternal blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence.

Remember the song, "Count your blessings, name them one by one...." http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/c/o/countyou.htm, if you really read the wonderful words that Johnson Oatman, Jr., penned over 100 years ago you sense... no, you know that this man had a deep walk-a deep walk with his Lord! Today, don't you want that? Isn't there something so deep-so buried that longs and yearns for fulfillment? Don't hide from that longing-give in to it, grasp hold of it, and allow it to carry you higher and further with your Heavenly Father than you ever dreamed or hoped for. For not everything in this life is sour grapes - God's on the throne! God's got a plan for your life, and it's a good plan! God loves you, cares for you, and watches over every breath, every hope, and every heartbeat that proceeds from you. God's more interested in you than you are in yourself-God loves you more than he loves Himself. He died for you... remember? Love God today! Sing a song, this song, any song to his heart for he is worthy, he is gracious, his is wonderful, for the uncountless blessings he blesses you with daily!

Father, thank you for your blessings, for your goodness, for just being who you are! It's a wonder that we have just this inkling of knowledge about you yet with such knowledge we are overwhelmed, overjoyed, and besides our selfs at the goodness and faithfulness and love that you are and that you have. Loving you in our greatest blessing and knowing you - our greatest joy!

Crunch Time

Matthew 6:33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Have you ever noticed that when your schedule is changed that you find yourself in a major time crunch? When a change occurs in your life there are so many do's and list's to contend with that very often they can block the essentials.

What are the essentials? The essentials to a Christian's life are (1)the relationship with our Heavenly Father. What does that mean? That means on a moment by moment, day by day walk is my heart clean enough to talk with him freely. Is the ever nagging sin that seems to occur on a daily basis in my walk forgiven? Can I go to my Father in prayer or do I keep prayer in the background of my mind? Am I cool with the Father?

Another essential (2)The Word of God. Do I moment by moment long to read it, long to embrace it, and long for it to change my heart and my life? Or do I put it off until tomorrow-or when I have more time or when its more convienant? Do I fear reading it because it will expose who I really am-do I hunger for its teachings to echo across my heart - burn across my mind - and melt the sturbbornness of who I am, what I am?

(3) Prayer. Do I pray all of the time or do I put that thought out of my mind? In the checkout stand, at work, in those spare moments do I pray for the cashier, the butcher, those people who come across my pathway, my life? Or am I so self absorbed that I could care less what other people are doing, thinking, feeling-regardless of the spiritual state of their heart. God help us if we don't pray! (4) Fellowship. When I'm seperated from my brothers and sisters in Christ do I feel out of place? Do I miss their fellowship, their counsel, their rebuke? Or do I shy away from any and all Christian fellowship? Do I think evil of my brother or sister in Christ?

Heavenly Father, thank you that we have open and clear access to your throne of mercy! Thank you that with a word, a prayer, a confession that the iniquities of our hearts can be cleansed, washed away, forgotten forever! Thank you for your Word that thrills, inspires, encourages, and cuts the fleshly-carnal part of me-renewing our minds and hearts in you. And Father thank you for fellowship-for those around us who care so much, give so much, and love us so much that they put up with us, forgive us, and pray that we everyday ever become more like you.