CRYING OUT

Today's reading: Proverbs 2-3

"Cry out for insight and understanding." Proverbs 2:3 NLT

Insight and understanding are important aspects of gaining wisdom from the Lord.

Insight refers to having a deep understanding of a situation, often coming from sudden realization or intuition.

Understanding, however, involves a more thorough grasp of a concept or idea through analysis, study or personal experience.

Insight is an 'off-the-cuff' understanding, but true understanding requires a level of investment--through time, effort and dedication to finding out.

Both are important in our walks with the Lord.

Both are gifts from God.

These gifts will help us walk through life holding tightly to the Lord's hand.

But these gifts are ones we must 'cry out' for. Ask for. Seek out. Request of the Lord.

In moments of immediate need and in the quiet times with our Bibles opened on our laps.

Cry out for insight and understanding, it will make you wise. 

FULFILLING MY VOWS

Today's reading: Psalm 66-68

"Now I come to your Temple with burnt offerings to fulfill the vows I made to you--yes, the sacred vows you heard me make when I was in deep trouble." Psalm 66:13-14 NLT

The Lord's Day has rolled around again.

I'll not moan and groan about how the week has flown by, or about all the things I'd hoped to do remaining undone.

I'll just say it's Sunday again--and I'm glad!

You see, with all the Lord has helped me do this week...

All the times He has answered the cries of my heart...

All the ways He has shown Himself faithful and true...

Giving Him my Sunday is the least I can do!

I'll go to the house of the Lord...

I'll serve in whatever capacity He leads...

I'll worship with my brothers and sisters in Christ...

All because He deserves it. And much more, but He deserves my attention on a day He has set aside for rest and worship.

I won't have burnt offerings in my hands, but I'll have a candle that's seemingly burning at both ends, and I know He will see my effort and hear my praise!

THE EYES AND EARS OF GOD

Today's reading: 1 Kings 5-9

"May your eyes be open to my requests and to the requests of your people Israel. Hear and answer them whenever they cry out to you." 1 Kings 8:52 NLT

Solomon, at the dedication of the Temple, asked that God's eyes and ears be upon him and the people.

What more beautiful prayer is there than that?

That God see all we need, and answer accordingly and that God hear all our prayers, our praises and our desperate pleas for His help.

Knowing He hears and sees all, we should rest assured that nothing, NOTHING, happens to us outside of His knowledge.

THE BRONZE WASHBASIN

Today's reading: Exodus 37-40

"The bronze washbasin and its bronze pedestal were cast from bronze mirrors donated by the women who served at the entrance of the Tabernacle." Exodus 38:8 NLT 

How big was this 'sink' and how many mirrors did it take to build it, I'm asking myself this morning.

How, after traveling 40 years through the wilderness, did these mirrors survive unbroken, I question.

And, why mirrors?

In doing a little research about this washbasin, I've found this paragraph that gives me some depth to the mystery...

'The Basin served as a constant reminder of the holiness required of those who minister before the LORD. It underscored the necessity of purity and the separation from sin, which is a recurring theme throughout the Scriptures.'

Nothing reminds you of who you are more quickly than a mirror.

Whether it's that first glimpse of the morning, intensive cosmetic updating or heading out the door for work, we check our mirrors.

We want to know what we look like. How good we look. What needs touching-up. Whether or not we are presentable.

But what if we turned our mirrors over to God for His use?

What if the mirrors we had weren't about how we looked, but how clean we are before the Lord or how we can serve Him?

What if our mirrors caused us to pause and look soul-deep instead of a passing skin-deep glance?

Maybe, just maybe, that's why mirrors were used to build this receptacle for the Lord--a place to stop and clean off the world as one prepared to step into God's presence with a servant's heart.

LOSING INTEREST

Today's reading: Galatians 4-6

"As for me, God forbid that I should boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world died long ago, and the world's interest in me is long dead." Galatians 6:14 NLT

There is no multiple choice quiz, or true/false examination, in regards to how deep your faith goes.

The lab cannot test your blood or DNA for those results.

Your pastor cannot check your 'spiritual temperature' each and every time you arrive at your house of worship.

Paul, however, gives us an indicator we can watch for...

Our interest in the world and its impact on us.

-How concerned are you with fitting in with the world?

-How important is it that you be admired, liked, honored or recognized by the world?

-How often are your actions, ideas and attitudes dictated by what will work best in the world around you?

-Are you more interested in pleasing those around you, or the Lord?

Questions like these will unearth the truths about where our allegiances lie--with a dying world, or with Jesus.

Take some time today to think about your answers to questions like these. Spend some time with the Lord asking Him to reveal your true interests--and whether they are in Him, or in the world.

 

JUST SAY THE WORD

Today's reading: Luke 7-8

"So Jesus went with them. But just before they arrived at the house, the officer sent some friends to say, Lord, don't trouble yourself by coming to my home, for I am not worthy of such an honor. I am not even worthy to come and meet you. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed." Luke 7:6-7 NLT

The Roman office who spoke these words will be highly commended by Jesus for his faith in just a few verses.

He knew Jesus's power.

He was aware of Jesus's authority.

He understood the healing Jesus held in his words, his touch and his presence.

And this man believed it to the extent that he told Jesus...

Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed.

That's faith, friends. 

I want that kind of faith.

The kind that is assured that even praying for something once, in the name of Jesus, it is done.

The type of faith that doesn't depend upon a specific test result or good reports from a doctor.

The faith that knows, without a doubt, that Jesus is on the scene, whether I see Him at work or not.

The faith that gives Him full rein, doesn't provide suggestions and leaves it all in His trustworthy hands.

The style of faith that prays as desperately for others as I do for myself.

The kind of faith that, from its roots, knows the answer Jesus provides me is unmerited, because of my unworthiness.

I want that faith.

I want faith that tells the Lord, Just do it from where You are--and I know it will be done!

OPENING UP HIS ARMORY

Today's reading: Jeremiah 47-52

"The Lord has opened his armory and brought out weapons to vent his fury against his enemies..." Jeremiah 50:25 NLT

I don't know if you are aware of this or not, but your enemy is God's enemy.

He takes, very personally, attacks against you.

He is full aware of our enemy's tactics, tricks, traps and talk.

So amidst these chapters speaking wrath against enemy nations, I find this single verse to be of huge comfort to me.

God has opened up His armory and brought out His weapons against our enemy!

Doesn't that put steel in your spine?

Doesn't that put a little grit in your will?

Doesn't that make you a little more courageous?

Our Lord has opened up His warehouse of weapons and will use them against our enemy, the Devil.

It's not up to us. Frail, weak, incapable, us.

He is the one who fights against our enemy and He will use every weapon in His arsenal to do it!

LISTENING TO HIM
Today's reading: Proverbs 1

"But all who listen to me will live in peace and safety, unafraid of harm." Proverbs 1:33 NLT

Proverbs are probabilities. Probabilities that Solomon collected from viewing life and living life.

While he had his own faults, and who among us don't have some, he knew that listening to and following the Lord was the safest, most peaceful way to live.

Does this mean that it will go well, smooth sailing, for anyone and every one who follows the Lord in all they do? No.

Does it mean that Christians will be safe from any and every disease, accident, fall or scraped knee? No.

Does it mean that in all that happens...if we have listened for His instruction and followed His way...our souls will rest safely in His capable hands and our hearts can be at peace no matter the storms of life?

YES!

Let's tune our ears into His voice today. 

WHAT JOYS AWAIT
Today's reading: Psalm 63-65

"...What joys await us inside your holy Temple." Psalm 65:4 NLT

It's Sunday morning here on the farm.

The rooster has crowed. The coffee has percolated. The Sunday best is on.

I'm thinking over the things I need to do before leaving for church while juggling in my mind things I need to take care of once I get to church. The chairs I need to set up, the folks I need to search out, the last minute look over the Sunday School lesson.

With all that swirling through my mind, God speaks this part of Psalm 65:4 to my heart...

'What joys away us inside your holy Temple.'

In the getting ready for worship, in the preparing for worship, in the getting to worship, in the schematics of worship--I tend to forget all the joys awaiting me in worship.

The joy of gathering with believers.

The joy of praising His name in one voice.

The joy of hearing His Word spoken over us.

The joy of an open altar of prayer.

The joy of having burdens lifted and getting to help others carry theirs to the foot of the Cross.

There is joy awaiting me at God's house this morning--am I excitedly looking forward to it and will I pause to receive it?

EXCEPT

Today's reading: 1 Kings 1-4

"Solomon loved the Lord and followed all the instructions of his father, David, except..." 1 Kings 3:1 NLT

One cannot help but pause on this particular verse.

We know about Solomon...

His wealth. His wisdom. His grand building projects. His accumulated treasures. His wives and concubines.

But this single verse, one out of all the words written about Solomon, are possibly the saddest penned by God's hand.

And the verse that makes us more in common with this historical king than anything in his biography.

We all have that 'except' in our hearts and lives.

Something that keeps us from being wholeheartedly, sold out to the Lord.

That one thing that we just can't/won't/haven't/don't want to turn over to Him for safe keeping.

I'm presenting my 'except' to the Lord, asking Him to take it, have it, hold it. Maybe, just maybe, you have one, too.

THE -ITES

Today's reading: Exodus 33-36

"The Lord said to Moses, Now that you have brought these people out of Egypt, lead them to the land I solemnly promised Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I told them long ago that I would give this land to their descendants. And I will send an angel before you to drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittities, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites." Exodus 33:1-2 NLT

As obedient followers of the One True God and people to whom God had promised a land of their own, Moses could confidently lead the people into what appeared to be enemy territory--knowing God went ahead of them.

Sure, the '-ites' were there, big, brutish, skilled in warfare, having the home court advantage, but God told them He would take care of that problem by sending an angel.

The same is true for us today as His followers!

We have no clue how many times God sends His angel ahead of us to prepare the way, to set things right, to open doors ahead of us.

Here are some of the '-ites' I deal with on a daily basis...see if any of mine might correlate to your own list...

Appetites. Personal desires that would override all God's work in my heart, mind and body if left unattended.

Hypocrites. Those for whom I must work extra hard at being Christlike, to undo what they do to the name of Jesus and Christians.

Opposites. Paul talked about these in Romans--the things I knew I ought not do, but did--and and things I needed to do, but didn't. The how I feel versus what I should do kinds of things.

Rewrites. The times my plans, even those written in ink, were rewritten by God. Good plans. Well thought out plans. Plans that paled in comparison to God's plans.

Parasites. The things in this world that suck the very life out of me. Joy stealers. Doubt placers.

Websites. The places on the world wide web that lead me away from what is godly, best or needful. Time wasters. Comparison planters.

I know on numerous occasions God has gone ahead of me and defeated some '-ites' and rerouted me around some '-ites' and prepared me for battles with some of my '-ites'.

And I know He will do it again today!

BECAUSE OF ME
Today's reading: Galatians 1-3

"And they gave glory to God because of me." Galatians 1:24 NLT

I'm wanting to bank this verse in my memory.

Not just to quote in an effort to impress...

Not just to have another on the stockpile of great quotes...

Not just in order that I hide the Word in my heart...

I want this verse in my heart and mind because I'm determined to live it out!

I want any and all applause I might garner to be forwarded to God.

I want any good seen in me, and some days it takes a magnifying glass to see it, to be credited to the Lord.

I want God to be glorified through everything I do.

Pats on the back...

Standing ovations...

Compliments given...

I want God to receive the glory when someone notices that I've done something honoring, glorifying and good.

And in order to live like that, I've got to get this verse memorized, applied and secured in my heart.

Maybe you want to 'get it in you', too?

 

PRESSING IN

Today's reading: Luke 5-6

"One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God." Luke 5:1 NLT

I'm imagining what my church would be like if crowds pressed in to listen to the Word of God spoken.

-Folks getting their early just to make sure they had a seat.

-Families canceling all other plans just to hear a sermon from the Bible.

-Standing room only.

-A full house.

Like the scene at a concert...or a ballpark...or a Black Friday sale.

Do we press in to hear God's Word?

-In our daily schedules, making sure we're spending time in the Bible?

-In our weekly plans, putting Him first?

-In our hearts, desiring to hear from God above all else?

 

WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT
Today's reading: Jeremiah 42-46

"Whether we like it or not, we will obey the Lord our God to whom we send you with our plea. For if we obey him, everything will turn out well for us." Jeremiah 42:6 NLT

Jeremiah had been approached by the officials of his day in order that he seek God on the nation's behalf.

They wanted to know what the Lord would have them do.

They wanted to be assured that what they were planning to do would line up with His plans.

They said, as they spoke to Jeremiah, that they would do whatever God asked of them--whether they like it or not.

Those are bold words.

Those are hard words.

Those are words that are much easier said than lived out.

The people of Jeremiah's time said them, but didn't follow through on them.

Same is true today, isn't it?

On Sunday we tell the Lord, Whatever You want for me!

By Monday, mid-day or before, we're already seeking out ways to live out our own plans for our own comfort in ways that bring about our own glory.

It's true, isn't it?

'Whether we like it or not' are a great sounding prayer, but makes for hard living if you're one prone to serving self.

I've challenged myself to attempt to live out this statement today. To seek God in each and every decision and follow through on how He leads me...

Whether I like His advice, instruction, command or request, or not!

PRAYING FOR FRIENDS

Today's reading: Job 41-42

"When Job prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes. In fact, the Lord gave him twice as much as before!" Job 42:10 NLT

Job could have, understandably, passed on praying for anyone but himself.

I mean, let's be honest, Job was in a tough spot, had endured some deep losses and was bearing his own heavy weight of sorrow.

But God asked him to pray for his friends.

And Job did.

And, according to the Scriptures, this prayer is what led to God restoring Job's blessings.

Might one consider that a lesson against the trap of self-centeredness?

Or an up close insight into the war against 'woe-is-me'?

Or even an object lesson in the truth that if we look around, there's someone in more need than ourselves?

And in the instance of Job's friends--they needed to know the God Job knew, on the level Job knew him.

Praying for others unleashes God's power in the lives of those we pray for, but also in our own lives.

Who is God asking you to pray for today?

 

CRY OUT TO YOU

Today's reading: Psalm 60-62

"From the ends of the earth, I will cry to you for help, for my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety, for you are my safe refuge, a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me." Psalm 61:2-3 NLT

Lord, You are my safe place.

My Rock of protection.

My Fortress of faithfulness.

My Refuge from all that tries to harm me.

And yet, there are days I try to handle the battles on my own.

I attempt to fight my enemy in my own strength.

I give it a go with all I've got--and it ain't much!

Oh, that my first response would always be to turn to You.

That my reaction to all that's hard, unlovely, hurtful and frightening will be to run to You.

From where ever I am, and in regards to what ever I'm facing--let me seek safety in Your arms.

Let me find comfort in Your Word.

Allow me to rest in Your presence.

-Amen 

 WHAT'S THE REASON

Today's reading: 2 Samuel 20-24

"There was a famine during David's reign that lasted for three years, so David asked the Lord about it. And the Lord said, The famine has come because Saul and his family are guilty of murdering the Gibeonites." 2 Samuel 21:1 NLT

When things weren't just right...

When nothing was going well...

When times were tough...

David asks the Lord about it.

And God points out the issue needing corrected.

It's a good lesson for us all.

To survey the situation and take what's not right to Him.

Sometimes His answer will require us to make some changes.

Other times He will ask us to make amends.

Once in a while He will point out what we have done to bring about the hard times.

And sometimes, sometimes it's all a matter of living in a sin-filled, sin-sick, sin-soaked world.

But our best bet is always to ask Him about it. Like David did.

GETTING DIRTY

Today's reading: Exodus 29-32

"And place on his head the turban with the gold medallion. Then take the anointing oil and pour it over his head." Exodus 29:6-7 NLT

Skilled craftsmen and women had followed God's instructions to the T in making priestly robes and headdresses for Aaron and his sons.

A whole lot of work had gone into the intricate fabric making, the ornate stitching and the tunics, sashes and ephod.

While I might think the best use for such God-ordained vestages would be to sit in a corner and stay nice and clean, God had other plans.

He wanted anointing oil poured over them. From head to toe.

Oil.

What? Ruin these fine pieces of clothing? 

In order to dedicate these men to the Lord and to the Lord's service, instructions needed to be followed--including the dousing of Aaron and his sons, fully dressed, in anoiting oil.

My take-away?

Serving the Lord will get us dirty.

We might sweat.

We could possibly end up injured in the service.

We might even become worn out.

What we are not to be is little gods sitting on the sidelines being kept safe, sound and clean.

It might mean exchanging our Sunday best for workwear.

Our hands might get dirty.

Our hearts might be broken.

Our pocketbooks might be emptied.

Our 'fine clothes' might get wrinkled and stained.

All in service to the Lord.

 

 HIS HANDS ARE NOT TIED

Today's reading: 2 Corinthians 11-13

"...Christ is not weak in his dealings with you; he is a mighty power among you." 2 Corinthians 13:3 NLT

I don't know what you think you've messed up or what you believe our enemy is keeping God from doing in your life--God is not weak!

His ways cannot be thwarted.

His blessings cannot be withheld.

His love will not be swept under the rug.

His plans will come to fruition, with our help or without.

God is not weak!

Our enemy likes to feed us the lie that a whole heap of a lot depends upon us--and it does in regards to our submission, our obedience, our willingness. But a whole heap more depends entirely, utterly, completely and distinctly upon the mighty, mountain moving, earth shaking and life changing power of our Lord!

His power is what gets everything done. He merely allows us to come along for the ride!

PRAYING LIKE JESUS

Today's reading: Luke 3-4

"One day when the crowds were being baptized, Jesus himself was baptized. As he was praying, the heavens opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on him in the form of a dove. And a voice from heaven said, You are my beloved Son, and I am fully pleased with you." Luke 3:21-22 NLT 

I have a new 'prayer closet'.

As a matter of fact, this is my first morning spending time with the Lord, and with you, in it.

I want this new place to be a place of refreshment for me, a place of discernment for me, a place where I can put all else aside and hear from the Lord.

I want to be able to read my Bible in peace and quiet contemplation.

I hope to use my time in this space to hear God's voice and to speak to Him on behalf of others.

I want to use this special room for the kind of prayer that Jesus prayed the day He was baptized. Prayer that opens up heaven and grabs God's attention. Prayer that pleases my Father. Prayer that moves God to engage the Holy Spirit around about me in visible ways, as it did with the dove.

That kind of prayer is what I want to happen in this new room--but I also know it will require that my 'prayer time' extend to the rest of my day as well...

-in how I respond to others.

-in what I take from the Scriptures and apply to my life.

-in how I choose to take the Lord with my into my day.

-in the words I hear and in the words I speak.

-in the 'yes-es' I say to Him throughout the day.

-in the 'no-s' I tell myself.

Jesus kind of prayer extends far beyond the specified walls of a prayer closet and into the everydayness of my life.

Your life, too.