God’s Messages

Have you ever had any vivid dreams? Have any of them been other worldly? Did they feel as though they were a science fiction movie or have a divine nature to them? Do you quickly dismiss the idea of God communicating through dreams? Why or why not?

Dreams can be vivid. They can be very imaginative. We sometimes blame the wilder dreams on having eaten right before going to bed, or we state it is because of something we watched on television. Though it is true these things may affect our dreams, they are not always the cause.

Jacob had a very vivid dream. A dream of a stairway that went from earth up to heaven. On that stairway, there were angels going up and coming down. We might wonder why there would be a stairway for angels to use. The traditional view is that angels, as messengers of God, are constantly going between God and his creation to convey messages from God.

The dream Jacob had, came from God. Though it does not happen often, we, too, can be given dreams from God. It may occur only once in our lifetime, or not at all. But if we do receive a dream from God, we should definitely take it seriously. Jacob took his dream seriously. That dream reaffirmed to him who God was and spurred him to commit himself to God.

Whether in dreams or through other means, God sends us messages. He cares deeply for us and wants us to draw closer to him. His messages are meant to do just that. It is not a matter of whether God is communicating with us but whether we are seeing and listening. We must open our minds to see and hear God’s messages.

I pray we all trust that God is communicating with us. I pray we open our minds to him. I pray each one of us sees and hears God’s messages and commit ourselves to him. God communicates with us. Open your mind to God. See God’s messages. Hear God’s messages.

Genesis 28:12 And he dreamed that there was a stairway set up on the earth, the top of it reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.

Overcome Evil

Do you look down on others? Do you lie, especially when it benefits you? Do you seek revenge? Do you purposely do things you know you shouldn’t? Have you testified falsely against someone? Do you create drama within your family, pitting one person against another?

We may immediately deny all the above. Yet, when we stop to think it over, we may reflect on our past and see that we have done some or all of them. It isn’t something we are proud of. We may feel pangs of guilt when we encounter someone we have offended or connived against.

Proverbs 6:16-19 tells us God hates these things and they are an abomination to him. Not only should we feel guilty but we should repent of these things. We should come before God with a broken and contrite heart, asking him to both forgive us and help us to never do them again. In doing so, we not only admit the wrong we have done but display a spirit that is seeking to follow God’s commands and become more like his Son.

We must first realize that each of the things mentioned in Proverbs 6:16-19 are evil, meaning they come from Satan. It is a spiritual battle going on within each of us. We are not strong enough to win that battle on our own. We can only win by seeking God’s help and asking him to fight the battle for us. The good news is, God is ready and willing to take up the battle for us. The evidence of that is him sending Jesus Christ to be our Savior. Therefore, the only reason for us not to conquer the evil in our lives is that we are not asking God.

I pray we realize the evil that entangles us. I pray we repent of our wrongdoings. I pray each one of us will ask God to help us overcome the evil in our lives so that we can be more like his Son, Jesus Christ. Evil entangles us. Repent of your wrongdoings. Overcome evil with God’s help.

Proverbs 6:16: 

There are six things that the LORD hates, 

seven that are an abomination to him:

Stolen Word

How often do you hear something you don’t understand? How do you respond to not knowing? Do you simply walk away and leave it? Or do you decide to stick with it, do some research and gain understanding? What is your approach to learning God’s Word, even when you do not understand?

There are many things we do not understand. We cannot all be rocket scientists or nuclear physicists. That doesn’t mean we cannot learn the basics of them. It boils down to our desire. If we have a desire to learn, we can learn just about anything we want through study and research.

But there are forces at work that we do not always acknowledge or realize. Despite us being blind to them much of the time, there are spiritual forces at work in our world. Jesus tells us that Satan will come to steal His Word from us. It is up to us to have a desire to hold on to His Word and to learn from it. If we are nonchalant about it or do not take it seriously, it will be stolen from us.

We must remember that Jesus is sowing His Word in the hearts of everyone. It is not that people have not heard of Him. It is not that they have no knowledge of God. It is that they have no desire to know more and Satan steals the Word from them. That does not mean we should not continue to plant. As followers of Jesus, our mission is to continue to plant and water the seeds sown. We never know when the person will finally decide to take it seriously and seek to understand more about God.

I pray we all take seriously learning and understanding God’s Word. I pray we continue to plant and water Jesus’ seeds. I pray each one of us know that we can learn anything we desire. Take learning seriously. Seek to understand God’s Word. Continue to plant. Continue to water. Know that you can learn.

Matthew 13:19 “When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path.”

Produce Fruit for God

What do you think of yourself? Are you a person who willingly listens, a person seeking to understand? While someone is speaking, are you thinking about how you will answer or provide a counterpoint? Do you believe you are smarter than everyone else you encounter?

There are typically two types of people—those who think they are better than others and those who think everyone is better than they are. Rare is the person who can stand in the middle and provide an objective assessment of themselves and others. Jesus speaks of three types as well.

In His parable of the sower, Jesus speaks first of seed falling onto the path. This does not represent any type of person. The first type of person He speaks of is compared to rocky ground. They may believe what they heard immediately, but it doesn’t stick. Because it doesn’t take root, it quickly dries up, meaning the person has discarded it out of hand.

The second type of person is a person of thorns. They are worried about everything and are continually being led astray by the current fad, the latest worry, or simply what restaurant they will eat dinner at. The third type of person is good soil. They are the person who ingests what is being sown and pondering it. They seek to understand. They ultimately produce fruit from their understanding.

We are not all the same. Yet, we have some measure of control over what type of person we are. We can discard everything we hear, or everything we don’t want to hear, and remain the selfish person we are. We can worry far too much and never allow ourselves to simply believe and put it all in God’s hands. Or, we can choose to believe in God’s promises, trust he will deliver on them, and release our worries to him so we can produce the fruit he wants us to.

I pray we all know we can decide to be a person who seeks. I pray we choose to seek to understand God and his Word. I pray each one of us will produce the fruit God desires from us. Decide what type of person you will be. Choose to seek after God. Produce fruit for God.

Matthew 13:8 Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

Righteous Life

Are you seeking to live life to the fullest? Do you feel like something is missing from your life? Do you desire to be rejuvenated? Are you feeling blah, depressed, or even dead in some ways? Do you feel like you are failing? Do you want confirmation your sins are forgiven?

Life can be dull at times. We can be down in the doldrums. We can be stuck in a rut and desire some excitement or be reenergized. That rut may include committing sin again and again, and needing, not only to be forgiven, but a spiritual renewal that gives us reassurance.

When we are stuck in the doldrums and are depressed, it can be a challenge to see beyond the fog. We must remind ourselves that we are dead to sin and alive in the spirit. For it is the Holy Spirit, who lives within us, who guides us in righteousness. We have the same Spirit living within us who raised Jesus from the dead, and he will raise us, too.

It is the Holy Spirit who gives us life. He is the power of God who is with us every moment of every day. He will transform us as we listen to him and follow his guidance. The Holy Spirit does not merely give physical life but renews our hearts and minds. He removes the fog, showing us the brightness of the Son. It is the Holy Spirt who reminds us of the promises of God.

The power of God is with us. It is our choice to accept it. Though we cannot control God’s power, we can feel it and live within it each day. For the Holy Spirit gives us life and provides us with all we need to live the righteous life we are created to live. Therefore, be confident in your life because the Holy Spirit is with you.

I pray we all know we can escape the doldrums. I pray we seek to feel the power of the Holy Spirit. I pray each one of us knows we are forgiven and live the life of righteousness in the power of God. Escape the doldrums. Feel the power of the Holy Spirit. Live the righteous life.

Romans 8:10-11 But if Christ is in you, then the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you.

Live in Freedom

Do you wrestle with guilt? Does your guilt weigh heavily on your heart? Do you feel overwhelmed by it? Would you like to be set free from it? Do you know you can be? Are you holding on to it because you think you should? Are you willing to let it go?

We can feel guilty about any number of things. We may hold on to guilt because we think we should. We think we need to remind ourselves of having wronged others. It isn’t that we should forget but we are not to continue to feel guilty. We are to learn from it and do better in the future.

For those of us who have accepted Christ as our Savior, our guilt has been removed, we are no longer condemned for what we have done. If we continue to struggle with guilt, we need to ask Jesus to remove it from our conscience, for He has already removed from us from God’s perspective. Our sin has been forgiven and continues to be forgiven. We are continually being washed clean by the blood He shed on the cross.

We have been given life by Jesus Christ. The death we deserve for our sin has been replaced with eternal life with Him. His promise holds true today, just as it was true when He first made it. We live in His Spirit rather than in the flesh. Sure, we have a physical life to live, but it is not the end-all be-all. Our life continues beyond this physical life in Him. There is no need for us to continue to carry the weight of guilt.

I pray we all know we are relieved of our guilt. I pray we know that we live in the Spirit of Jesus Christ. I pray each one of us knows we have been set free from our sin and live in that freedom. Your guilt is removed. You live in the Spirit. You have been set free. Live in freedom.

Romans 8:1-2 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.

Immediate Satisfaction

Have you been desperate? Have you been desperate enough to exchange your future to survive in the moment? Have you been in a panic and given more than you should for momentary satisfaction? Do you trade future well-being for immediate satisfaction on a regular basis?

It is likely we have not been so desperate as to exchange our future inheritance for momentary satisfaction. Yet, we may have paid far too much for immediate relief. Purchasing a hotdog and a drink at a sports event comes to mind. The exorbitant prices are ridiculous.

Reading the story of Jacob and Esau is an extreme case of trading the future for the present. Esau traded his birthright for a bowl of stew and couple slices of bread. This example points out Esau’s lack of planning to provide for himself and perhaps an overreaction to his current state. If he was so famished he could not fix himself a meal, how could he bargain with Jacob? Esau was due to receive a double portion inheritance as the oldest and he was willing to trade it away due to a lack of planning, perhaps laziness thrown in, and a desire for immediate satisfaction.

Again, we may go to this extreme, but we see people every day put their immediate satisfaction ahead of planning for the future. I have seen parents buy children trinkets because they were throwing a fit, rather than teaching them they cannot always get what they want. I have seen people buy something simply because they think it’s cute, rather than saving their money to pay a bill.

God has blessed us in many ways. He has blessed us with the ability to reason. We are to use that ability to think beyond the moment, to understand that we do not need most of what we have nor what is available for us to purchase. We are to use the blessings God has blessed us with wisely. Foolishly using them is a waste of God’s blessings.

I pray we all use God’s blessing of reason. I pray we choose to be wise making choices between immediate satisfaction and our future. I pray each one of us decide to make wise purchases. Use your blessing to reason. Make wise choices. Plan for the future. Make wise purchases. 

Genesis 25:31-33 Jacob said, “First sell me your birthright.” Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?” Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob.

Questioning God

Have you ever wondered if God is paying attention? Have thought, “God, what are you doing?” Have you been totally confused by what you have seen God doing in your life and wondered how it would all end? Have you looked back over time and realized why God was doing something in your life?

If we don’t ever question God, we are not paying attention and thinking for ourselves. We don’t have to doubt God to wonder what he is doing. We simply need to be thinkers, people who observe what is going on around us and wonder out is all going to work out.

Rebekah was barren. So, Isaac prayed that God would allow her to conceive. God granted Isaac’s request and Rebekah became pregnant, carrying twins. As the two were struggling within her womb, Rebekah was ready to give up. She questioned why she should live. When God answered her, he gave her an explanation of his plan for the two boys she would deliver.

God doesn’t always give us an explanation for what he is doing. However, we can believe that God has a plan and it will all work out as he desires. Though we may question God, just as Rebekah did, he may not give us an answer, at least not immediately. Sometimes, God wants us to see how it worked out so that we build trust in him. It is as we look back to those confusing or difficult times and see how God was working that we build trust in God. So, go ahead and question God, just don’t expect him to give you an answer right away. But don’t let that cause you to trust him any less. In fact, trust him more.

I pray we all think and wonder what God is doing. I pray we question but continue to trust God. I pray each one of us will use our questioning of God to build our trust in him, especially as we look back over time. Think. Question God. Wait for his answer. Continue to trust God. Look back and see how God has worked in your life.

Genesis 25:23

And the Lord said to her, 

“Two nations are in your womb, 

and two peoples born of you shall be divided; 

the one shall be stronger than the other; 

the elder shall serve the younger.”

Commit to God

What are you committed to? Are you committed to your job? Are you committed to keeping your home in good order? Are you committed to regular maintenance of your vehicle? Who are you committed to? Are you committed to your spouse and children? Are you committed to God?

We commit to several things and several people. We commit to being a good employee, taking care of our homes and other property. We commit to our spouses and children. We commit to our friends. We also may decide to rescind our commitment, discarding it for one reason or another.

In the first few verses of Proverbs 16, we see that our plans and our view of ourselves may seem right to us but are not always in line with God. God weighs our spirit. He sees within our hearts. He knows our motives and sees the selfishness of our ways. He sees us fooling ourselves with a false sense of security in our own power. I think he often sighs and shakes his head at us.

It is when we commit all we do to God that our plans will work out. It is when we consult God before we make our plans and choose to follow his guidance that our plans are successful. That may require us waiting. It may require us to spend a lot of time in prayer. It may require us first asking God to remove our selfish attitude, open our eyes, and help us see and hear his guidance for our lives.

When we give up our desires and submit to God’s plan, we experience the success God has planned for us. God desires that we are successful. He desires that we grow a deeper relationship with him.

I pray we all choose to give up our own desires. I pray we commit our lives to God. I pray each one of us seek God’s guidance and his plan so that we may follow his plan and our plans will be successful. Give up your desires. Commit yourself to God. Seek God’s guidance. Follow God’s plan.

Proverbs 16:3: 

Commit your work to the LORD, 

and your plans will be established.

Rest in Jesus

Are you carrying a heavy burden? Do you wish there was some way to offload your burdens? Do your burdens include worry, anxiety, fear, struggle, frustration, anger, and maybe even hatred? Do you continually compare yourself to others and feel inferior?

We carry many burdens. Some are heavier than others. We may carry some for a short time while carrying others for a long time, maybe even our entire lives. Some of our burdens are learned from others while others come with our experiences or bad decisions.

Jesus states the Father has handed everything over to Him. It sounds like He is being a bit restrictive at first when He says no one knows Him but the Father and no one knows the Father but Him and the ones He chooses. But He follows that up with a wide-open invitation in the following verse. He invites everyone to come to Him and He will give them rest. The One who is in control of everything invites us to come to Him to be relieved of our burdens.

Many people will say they had tried to come to Jesus, and it didn’t work. There is a very simple reason for that. They did not truly turn it over to Jesus. How do I know? I’ve been there done that. I have experienced attempting to turn it over to Jesus again and again and again before I was finally relieved. It was not that Jesus would not take it away. It was me continuing to hold onto it even though I was trying to hand it over to Him. It is like a child who wants to share their toy truck with their little brother but continues to keep their hand on it, too. If we want Jesus to take our burden, we must be willing to let it go.

I pray we all know that Jesus has control over everything. I pray we know that He has invited us to turn our burdens over to Him. I pray each one of us is willing to let go of our burdens and accept the rest Jesus offers. Jesus is in control. Accept Jesus’ invitation. Turn your burdens over to Him. Accept Jesus’ rest.

Matthew 11:27 “All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”