Always and Forever

How often have you wished you had someone to help you? How often have you wished you had someone you could rely on to be your advocate when you are in trouble? Do you know you have someone who is your advocate and who will help you?

Having an advocate when you are in trouble can be the difference between a good or bad outcome. Having an advocate can bring peace of mind and calm your nerves. The better or more well-known the advocate, the better we feel about it.

We have an advocate who stands with us and presents us as a child of God. We have an advocate who helps us through trials and tribulations. We have one person of the Trinity of God living in us. Jesus promised the advocate and has sent the Holy Spirit to be with us through thick and thin. He will be with us forever.

Have you thought about that? The Holy Spirit will be with us forever. Not for a moment. Not for a few hours. Not for a year or two. Forever! That means he is with us when we rejoice as a new parent, when we yell at the driver who cut us off, when we speak nicely to the store clerk, and when we get angry with a family member. Not only that, but he will be with us for eternity.

I pray we all know the Holy Spirit is with us. I pray we know we have an advocate that presents us as a child of God. I pray each one of us know the Holy Spirit will be with us forever. Know that you have an advocate. Know that you have a helper. Know the Holy Spirit will always be with you.

John 14:15-17 “If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.”

God Provides

Have you ever gone hungry? Have you not had clothes to wear? Have you lived on the streets, not having a home? Have you had to sleep on the floor due to not having a bed? If so, was it after you had committed your life to Jesus? Did you ask God to provide your necessities?

We see homeless people in our cities. We see children who may receive their best, or only, meal at school. We hear of children who have no bed, sleeping on the floor in drafty houses. We know there are children who would not have a winter coat if it were not donated to them.

There is a plethora of stories of people who lack basic necessities. There are many organizations who collect and distribute donations for those in need. Yet, we hear of more people who need. It seems to be a never-ending story. There is no magic wand that can be waved that will whip up the needed items for them. But there is one thing we can do for them that will last a lifetime—tell them about Jesus.

There is something different about a person who is committed to Jesus. If a homeless person committed their lives to Jesus, will they immediately be granted a home and all their necessities? No. But what will happen over time is the person will be changed. As they are changed, they will acquire the necessities. Jesus is about changing lives for the better—for the best. But the best is His definition, not ours.

Jesus sent the apostles out without money, without a suitcase full of possessions, and without designated places to stay. Yet, they never lacked. They relied on God to guide them and provide for them. They trusted Jesus would not send them out without providing for them. We can learn from them. We can learn to trust God to provide in all situations.

I pray we all learn to trust God in all situations. I pray we spend time in prayer getting to know God. I pray each one of us will see how Jesus provided for His apostles and trust Him to provide for us. Put your trust in God. Know that he will provide. Spend time in prayer. Get to know God. Trust God to provide. Trust Jesus. Know that God will never leave you.

Luke 22:35 Then Jesus asked them, “When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?” 

“Nothing,” they answered.

Needs Provided For

Have you ever felt as though something was missing? Have you felt like you were lacking something, something important? Have you persevered through the trial to gain what you were lacking? Did you ask God to provide what you were lacking?

We may feel as though we are lacking. But many times, that feeling is more about things we want rather than what we need. Our desire for more seems to be insatiable. Yet do we ever lack what we really need? Yes! Many people in this world lack a true relationship with God.

When we commit to Jesus, accepting Him as Lord and Savior, we do not lack what we need. We gain strength, courage, love, joy, hope, and an eternal life spent with Him. Of course, that doesn’t mean we won’t experience trying times in this life. But we will be given the strength we need to persevere. We will receive the courage we need to continue. We will experience the joy of Christ being with us. We will have a hope that cannot be taken from us.

James tells us to persevere so that we do not lack anything. He goes on to say we are to ask for wisdom, if we lack it, and God will give it to us. This does not just apply to wisdom. If we lack anything we need, God will provide it. He may not provide it in the way we expect it. He may not provide it within the timeframe we desire. But God will provide.

Notice that James states we must believe. We must not doubt. We must keep our faith. If we do, God provides. This is holding on to the promises of God. It is not merely believing but having faith that trusts God with everything. Our faith is strengthened every time we trust him.

I pray we all persevere through the tough times. I pray we trust God will provide for our needs. I pray each of us will ask God when we are in need and hold on to our faith in his promises. Persevere. Put your faith in God. Trust his promises. Experience joy. Be strengthened by God. Hold on to your hope.

James 1:4-7 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.

The Spirit Descending

Do you want to please God? Have you made an effort to do so? Do you feel as though you constantly fall short? Have you considered what Jesus did to please the Father? Are you willing to follow in His footsteps?

Pleasing God can seem to be elusive. We are being bombarded by Satan to believe we cannot please God. He continually tells us we are not good enough…and we listen to him. Even preachers may send the wrong message. But we can please God.

What did Jesus do to please God? He obeyed. It really is that simple. He did what the Father desired Him to do. Jesus went to John to be baptized, not because He needed to, but because He knew it was what the Father wanted Him to do.

We often fail to see the simplicity of obedience. We make it complicated. We get confused by the messages we receive from our culture as they conflict with God’s Word. We misinterpret God’s Word as we use filters we have learned from history and tradition.

God desires us to see His Word with new eyes. Let go of our preconceptions. Open our hearts, open our ears to hear what God is saying. But don’t make the mistake of hearing only what we want to hear. Obeying God, just as Jesus did, is only difficult as we allow our own desires to get in the way. Perhaps we need to become like little children just as Jesus said in Matthew 18:3.

I pray we all choose to obey God. I pray we follow Jesus’ example. I pray each one of us will choose to be like a little child following the commands of the Father. Choose to please God. Obey his commands. Do as he wants you to do. Follow Jesus’ example. 

Matthew 3:16-17 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

Know Who You Belong To

Do you know where you belong? Do you know your place in the world? Have you taken stock of who you are? Do you know your skills or talents? Have you made the effort to educate yourself? Have you accepted the invitation to be in Christ’s kingdom?

Over the years I have concluded that we do not really know our place in the world. So, so many of us want to be the royals. We want to throw big parties. We want to have all the luxuries. We want to wear only the name brands. And we will do it, even if it means mortgaging our future.

There is another lack we have. We lack knowing who we belong to. Because we don’t really know what it means to belong to God, to Christ, we are not comfortable with who we are. Oh, we may say we are, but we aren’t. It is evident by the worry, anxiety, and stress we live under. If we truly knew God and really trusted him with everything, we would not live the way we do. Oh, perhaps for a moment or two we might worry, but we would remind ourselves that we belong to God, and he will take care of it.

John knew who Jesus would be. John knew the Messiah was so far above him that he did not deserve to be in His presence. John knew his place in the world. He knew he was to prepare the way for the Messiah. He knew what his mission was. And he also knew that he belonged to God. He did not worry. He trusted God. He went about doing what he was to do.

We can learn a lesson from John. We may not have a mission like John’s, but we have a mission given to us by God. Our lives would be far better if we were to trust God and seek to do what he wants us to do. By trusting God, really trusting him, we can eliminate our worry, anxiety, and stress.

I pray we all trust God with all our heart. I pray we seek to carry out the mission God has given us. I pray each one of us finds our place in the world and know who we belong to. Rid yourself of worry. Rid yourself of anxiety. Rid yourself of stress. Trust God. Know you belong to him. Know that he is in control. Carry out the mission God has for you.

Luke 3:16 John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

Hard to Believe

Have you witnessed an amazing event? Have you seen something you could hardly believe? Would you like to see something amazing? Would you like to be part of something amazing? Can you imagine how John the Baptist felt when he witnessed what happened at Jesus’ baptism?

We may have seen something amazing in our lifetimes. We may have seen something we weren’t sure really happened. We replay them in our mind over and over and over, just to try to wrap our minds around them.

In Jeff Pearlman’s book, The Last Folk Hero, The Life and Myth of Bo Jackson, he relates a story of Bo hitting a home run during his freshman year at Auburn University. They were visiting Alabama Christian College that spring day. A relief pitcher came in to pitch in the fifth inning. Bo steps in and clobbered the third pitch. It sailed beyond the outfield wall, over the street, over the pines, and on one hop, hit against the wall of an apartment complex. It was estimated to have gone 525 feet (pg 122). Amazing!

John the Baptist witnessed something even more amazing. Upon baptizing Jesus, he saw the Spirit of God descend like a dove and rest on Jesus. He saw the promise of God to redeem the world come to him and begin His ministry. He witnessed the most promising moment in the history of the world. There was no end to the potential for what would happen. There is no end of what can still happen, until God decides the time has come to end time.

We are promised the same Spirit that came to rest on Jesus. We are promised to be guided by the Spirit if we will accept it. God desires to bless us with the gift of His Spirit. We can accept God’s gift as easily as Jesus did. We, too, can witness something amazing.

I pray we all accept the gift of God’s Spirit. I pray we choose to allow the Spirit to guide our lives. I pray each one of us will be a participant and witness of something amazing. Accept the gift. Accept the Holy Spirit. Allow the Spirit to guide you. Participate in something amazing. Witness something amazing.

John 1:32-34 And John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.”

True Life

Are you alive? Are you truly alive? Do you know what it means to be truly alive? Or are you living a lifeless life? Does living a life of purpose and true-life sound appealing to you? Do you know it is available to you if you will accept it?

Many people, far too many, live a lifeless life. I’m not referring to a boring life of drudgery. I’m referring to a life that lacks a future. Oh, they may have wonderful adventures that bring excitement for a short bit. But they don’t live a life with a guaranteed future.

Think about it for just a moment. How many “rich and famous” people have you heard of who were sad, unhappy, or broken to the point they saw no way out. They have money, lots of it, and yet are not satisfied. They have fame with lots of fans but are lonely. They appear with smiles in the public eye but live a secluded life otherwise.

The truly rewarding life, one with a reward beyond this life, is a life in Christ. This life includes the gift of the Holy Spirit living within us. It includes listening to the guidance and direction of the Spirit. It includes the knowledge and trust that God is always with us and has a plan for us. It includes understanding that this physical life will end but we will continue to live as a spirit in God’s presence until the resurrection. It includes knowing we belong to God for all eternity.

Only by living a life filled with the Holy Spirit can we truly live the life God desires for us. We are offered this life because of what Jesus has done for us. We can accept this life in the same way Jesus did. It is our choice. Continue to live a life of death or live a life filled by the Spirit.

I pray we all decide to accept God’s invitation. I pray we choose a life filled with the Spirit. I pray each one of us trust God to give us an eternal life and a true-life in these physical bodies. Accept God’s invitation. Follow in Jesus’ footsteps. Live a life filled by the Spirit. Experience true-life. Trust God.

Romans 8:9-10 But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

Unrecognized

Have you been mistaken for someone else? Have you seen someone that looks familiar, but you cannot place them? Have you been told a certain person was coming and you missed them? Have you thought about how common it is to miss someone important?

I’m sure we all have seen someone somewhere who looked familiar. We may think that we have seen them before and perhaps been introduced to them. We may have met someone, talked with them, and didn’t know who they really were or just how important they were.

Elijah was an important part of the plan for the coming Messiah. Prophecy had foretold his coming ahead of the Messiah. He was to prepare the way. His job was to begin the process of opening people’s hearts and minds, turning them back to God. Many people met him, yet they did not recognize him for who he was.

It began with his birth. He was given a priestly name, a name that was not common among the Jews. He went outside of town to commune with God, preach God’s message, and baptize people who repented for the forgiveness of their sins. Though many people saw him, heard him, and were baptized by him, they didn’t identify him as the one prophesied about.

As the apostles were questioning Jesus, He opened their eyes to who Elijah was. They had missed him as well. John the Baptist came as Elijah. He came to prepare the way for Jesus. He began to open people’s hearts and minds. Perhaps we need to open our hearts and minds to see how God is working in our world today.

I pray we all seek to see God at work today. I pray we open our hearts and minds to God’s plan. I pray each one of us will recognize God working in our lives and in the world around us. Open your heart. Open your mind. See God at work. See God using others. Be available for God to use you.

Matthew 17:11-13 Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.

John’s Mission Continues

Have you seen someone who is far greater than you? Have you worked to prepare the way for someone expected? Would you like to be sent ahead of someone who is important to prepare things ahead of them? Have you heard the story of John the Baptist?

Preparing the way for someone more important than yourself is not all it’s cracked up to be. Don’t believe me? Just ask any campaign worker. There are long hours of planning. Long hours of door knocking. Many hours of behind-the-scenes work. Often not much sleep.

Don’t know anyone working for a political campaign? Ask anyone who is trying grow your local church. Ask a pastor. Ask a dedicated committee member. It is a never-ending task of reaching out to new people. It is continually telling people about the ministries of the church, convincing people they need Jesus, and energizing the membership to get out into the community.

I imagine John the Baptist had many restless and sleepless nights. He knew his mission. He was to prepare the way for the most important person the world has ever seen. He was to prepare the way for the Messiah, the Christ. He was preaching, teaching, baptizing, and warning people of the coming of God himself into the world. Talk about a high-pressure job!

But John took it on with all the fervor he had. I’m sure he also leaned heavily on God to give him the strength, courage, and energy he needed to carry out his mission. We, too, must lean on God to guide us and provide us with the strength we need to carry out the mission he has given us, which is to continue to tell people about Jesus.

I pray we all take up the mission of telling others about Jesus. I pray we follow John’s example. I pray each one of us realize we are working for the most important person the world has ever seen—Jesus. Take on the mission. Ask God to guide you. Ask God for strength. Ask God for energy. Ask God for courage. Tell others about Jesus.

John 1:29-31 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”

Son of God

Do you sometimes question whether Jesus is really the Son of God? Are there questions that arise from time-to-time in your mind about His divinity? Do those questions come and go depending on your situation, mood, or discussions with others?

If you have questions about Jesus, God, or Christianity in general, you are not alone. It is common to wonder if we are following the right path. But those questions are less about God and more about us. After all, we often question whether we have made the right decision in many circumstances.

Questioning in an effort to understand is noteworthy. We should seek the truth, regardless of what it is we have heard. In fact, if we sought the truth more often, we would spread far fewer rumors and there would be less gossip. Seeking the truth about Jesus is worthy of our time.

The Scripture of the Jewish prophets foretold the coming of the Messiah. The gospels proclaim Jesus as the Messiah as eyewitness accounts. The Apostle Paul proclaims Him as the Messiah throughout his letters to the various churches. God, the Father, proclaimed Jesus as the Son of God and put the Spirit of God upon Him.

We have heard the story of Jesus’ conception and birth. We have heard of Jesus’ baptism by John the Baptist. In both cases, the Holy Spirit is there. God executed his plan through the Holy Spirit to send Jesus into this world. The Father confirmed the Son through prophecy, spoken word, and action by the Spirit.

I pray we all seek to know the truth about Jesus. I pray we believe He is the Son of God. I pray each one of us see God at work through history to send his Son into the world as our Savior. Seek the truth. Read the prophecies. Hear the proclamation. Understand the Spirit’s work. Accept Jesus as your Savior.

Isaiah 42:1

“Here is my servant, whom I uphold, 

my chosen one in whom I delight; 

I will put my Spirit on him, 

and he will bring justice to the nations.”