Strength and Salvation

Are you tired? Are you weary from listening to the blame game? Is it sapping your energy, causing you to feel as though you are carrying a hundred-pound pack on your back? Where do you turn to be renewed? Are you looking forward to a better future?

Responsibility can feel like a heavy load to carry. Yet, if we all were to take responsibility for our actions and behavior, thinking before we act or speak, we would lighten everyone’s load. Unfortunately, many have either never been taught or have chosen not to take responsibility.

Where can we turn? We can lean on God to strengthen us. When we feel as though we cannot go on, God will grant us the strength to continue. When we feel overwhelmed in a situation, God will be with us and make a way for us through it. We may hear these statements made and yet have not experienced it. We may wonder if we ever will. We will when we spend time with God, pouring our heart out and turning it over to him. It is easier to do this when we have built a good relationship with God before we experience a tough situation.

We not only can count on God to be with us, but he has already granted us salvation. That sounds churchy or religious, and it doesn’t bring everyone the comfort it should. Again, it means a lot more to us when we have a good relationship with God. We can look forward to his promise of eternity spent with him. Though that may seem like a very long time in the future, our perspective changes the closer our relationship with God is.

We all experience times when we feel like we are at the end of our rope. We feel like we are hanging on by a thread. I’ve been there myself. And just like I cried out to God in that moment, you can, too. Here’s the wonderful thing about those times—God answers and provides us the strength we need. Not only does he provide a way through it, but he reminds us he has promised us something far better.

I pray we all grow closer to God. I pray we turn to him for strength in difficult situations. I pray each one of us trust in God’s promises to never leave us and an eternity spent with him. Seek to be closer to God. Lean on God for the strength you need. Trust God’s promises. Know he will never leave you.

Isaiah 12:2

Surely God is my salvation; 

I will trust and will not be afraid, 

for the Lord is my strength and my might; 

he has become my salvation.

God’s Eternal Plan

What will eternity look like? When will it come to pass? How long have people been looking forward to it? Those are all good questions. Yet, the first question can only be answered in part. The second cannot be answered at all. For the third, we can provide a better answer.

Through Isaiah the prophet, God tells the Israelites he is creating new heavens and a new earth. The people look forward to this new creation of God, which will be an eternal home. Isaiah prophesied between 700 – 740 BCE, or before Jesus was born to Mary.

This means people have been looking forward to eternity for more than 2,700 years. Is this important? If so, why? In my humble opinion, it is important. It helps give us perspective. God has his plan, which has been in place for thousands of years. He is executing his plan in his time. We cannot rush it, nor can we know the timeline of it. We can put it in perspective as we look at God’s prophecy and his work throughout history.

Once we grasp the fact that God has had his plan in place for thousands of years and he is following his plan, we can stop worrying about when Jesus will return. Instead, we can live each day for God’s glory, following his guidance, and be confident his plan will come to fruition. In effect, it helps us do as Jesus told us, “do not worry about tomorrow” (Matthew 6:34). By putting our confidence in God and his plan, our mental, physical, and spiritual lives become healthier.

I pray we all trust in God’s plan. I pray we trust that God is executing his plan in his time. I pray each one of us live each day to glorify God, follow his guidance, and be confident in God’s plan. Trust God’s plan. God is executing his plan. Live to glorify God. Follow God’s guidance.

Isaiah 65:17-18

For I am about to create new heavens 

and a new earth; 

the former things shall not be remembered 

or come to mind. 

But be glad and rejoice forever 

in what I am creating, 

for I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy 

and its people as a delight.

Follow God’s Command to Go

Do you like to be told what to do? Do you obey commands from others? Are you willing to follow a good leader? If you are unwilling to follow human leaders and their commands, how can you follow God and his commands?

Following is not always easy. It is harder today than it has ever been. The average person is more educated than at any time in history. There is skepticism of many leaders due to the evidence accumulated on previous leaders of leading people astray.

However, not all of us can be a leader. We are not all called to be leaders. In fact, when there are multiple people vying to be leaders, the organization is divided or fractured. We must all be willing to follow our appointed leader, though not blinded, but with an attitude of submission and a desire to assist.

Saul is humbled by Jesus in his blindness. He had been unwilling to see God at work and follow Jesus. Ananias is hesitant to follow God’s command. He has heard of the terror Saul has reigned down on Jesus’s followers. However, God insists that Ananias go to Saul and be part of God’s healing of Saul’s blindness.

We, too, can be used by God in amazing ways. We must follow God’s call, even when it means getting outside our comfort zones. Remember, God will provide and protect so long as we are obedient.

I pray we all choose to follow God’s command. I pray we open our ears and hearts to hear God calling us. I pray each one of us will be an instrument of God’s work in this world, fulfilling his plan. Follow God’s command. Open your ears. Open your hearts. Be available to God. Be his instrument of work.

Acts 9:11a, 15 The Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul.”… But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen to bring my name before gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel;”

Peek Into Eternity

Do you look forward to forever? What do you think forever will be? Do you think of it as floating on clouds? Do you envision streets of gold? Do you view yourself living in a crystal palace? Do you think you will be playing a harp and singing for eternity?

There are many assumptions of what eternity will be like. All of those listed above have been purported at one time or another. Yet, none of us know for sure what that eternal life will be like. All we know is that God has said there will be a new earth, new heaven, and new Jerusalem.

Jesus gives us another clue to ponder. He states that, though we marry now, we will not marry in eternity. He continues by saying that we will not die because we will be like angels. He calls us children of God and children of the resurrection. Once we are resurrected, we will never die again. That may sound ominous to us, but it is not. If we will never die, we evidently will not age.

But what is our opinion on never marrying again? We might think we will be lonely. We might think we will get bored. I suspect that God has a plan that does not include being lonely nor boredom. It will be perfect. It will be wonderful. It will be beyond our imagination. Though we do not know everything that eternity holds for us, we know that God has something so amazing instore for us, we will be overjoyed.

I pray we all know our expectations for eternity will be exceeded. I pray we look forward to spending eternity with God. I pray each one of us realize we will be amazed in a perfect eternal life. Trust God’s plan for eternity. Look forward to eternity. Know eternity will be beyond belief.

Luke 20:34-36 Jesus said to them, “Those who belong to this age marry and are given in marriage, but those who are considered worthy of a place in that age and in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. Indeed, they cannot die anymore, because they are like angels and are children of God, being children of the resurrection.”

Encourage and Bless

How do you encourage others? Do you praise them for their accomplishments? Do you tell them they can do whatever it is they are attempting? Do you encourage people in general ways? Do you encourage them by your presence? Do you encourage them through God?

Encouragement is needed by everyone. It is the encouragement of others that helps us accomplish the things we set out to do. It builds up our confidence. It lifts our spirits. We feel empowered with the encouragement of others and their belief in us.

In today’s passage, the Apostle Paul did not offer just encouragement but a blessing from God. He first recognizes the love God has for us, followed by his grace being shown to us. He gives credit to God, lifting him up and reminding the people of Thessalonica that God loves them and has shed his grace upon them.

He then describes the grace they have received, which is eternal comfort and good hope. The word interpreted as comfort can also be interpreted as encourage. The meaning of the word eternal does not mean the encouraging does not occur until eternity but that it is continual, continuing into eternity.

Paul continues by blessing them by asking God to comfort/encourage and strengthen them in the good works they will do and the words they speak to one another. Blessing someone by asking God to encourage them and strengthen them can significantly boost their confidence, providing them the encouragement they need to carry the work God has set before them.

I pray we all encourage one another. I pray we bless one another by asking God to encourage us. I pray each one of us will accept the encouragement and blessing to accomplish the good works God has set before us. Encourage one another. Bless one another. Accept encouragement. Feel the blessing.

2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, comfort your hearts and strengthen them in every good work and word.

Do Not Be Shaken

Have you been shaken to your core? Has something unnerved you to the point of being immovable or unable to react? Does remembering it continue to cause you to shudder? What if you found out it was a hoax? What if the thing that shook you had all been a lie?

Horrific events can shake us, especially if they happen to us or we are in the vicinity of where they occur. Some of us will run into a burning building to save others. Some will be frozen by the horror. Some volunteer to help with disaster recovery while others don’t.

But what if the disaster was a hoax? What if it had been staged? If we discovered such a thing had been done, we would be outraged. The Apostle Paul warns the church in Thessalonica of just such a thing. Not about a disaster but about the coming of Jesus. He tells them, and us, not to be upset when they hear rumors. He explains that the lawless one, or the anti-Christ, must be revealed.

Throughout history, there have been many false accusations of someone being the anti-Christ, including Adolf Hitler, Saddam Hussein, and others. We must understand that the rebellion will be much larger than a single nation. It will be worldwide. There will be a power unlike we have seen before that will lead the rebellion. For it will be Satan’s right-hand demon leading it. Therefore, we are not to be alarmed by speculation and thoughtless rumors. Stand firm in your faith and wait patiently for Jesus’ return.

I pray we all understand the warning of Paul. I pray we are not quickly shaken by speculation. I pray each one of us will continue to stand firm in our faith and wait patiently for Jesus’ return. Understand the warning. Do not be quickly shaken. Wait patiently. Stand firm in your faith.

2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 As to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we beg you, brothers and sisters, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as though from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord is already here. Let no one deceive you in any way, for that day will not come unless the rebellion comes first and the lawless one is revealed, the one destined for destruction.

The Lord is Near

What is true in your heart? What is it that you desire more than anything? Perceptions are often presented as truth. Perspectives are stated as truths. Desires are often for the things of this world. Chasing the next shiny object we see is the favorite pastime of many.

The Psalmist often cuts through the fog of this world and states truths we cannot argue with. If we do argue with them, we argue foolishly. The truths of the Psalms state who God is, what our relationship with him should be, and how we all should pursue God with our entire heart.

In today’s passage, the Psalmist clearly states that God is near us when we call on him. Yet, he qualifies it by saying we must call on God in truth. In other words, we must call on him with our entire heart. We must commit to him our entire being. We must trust him with every fiber of who are. There can be no falseness within us.

He goes on to say that God fulfills our desire. Again, he qualifies it by saying those who fear God. The word fear means both fear and to be in awe of. Therefore, when we have a healthy fear of God’s limitless power and are in awe of it, God will fill our desire because our desire will match his desire. In the same way, he will save us when we cry out to him.

God is all about relationship. He wants us to give our hearts to him. He wants us to be awed by his mighty power. He wants us to desire what he wants. It is when we have this kind of relationship with God that he comes near, fulfills our desire, and saves us when we cry out.

I pray we all are in awe of God’s mighty power. I pray we cry out to him in our need. I pray each one of us will seek a closer relationship with God and trust he will come near to us. Be in awe of God. Give God your entire heart. God will draw near to you. Make God’s desire your desire. Trust God will save you.

Psalm 145:18-19

The Lord is near to all who call on him, 

to all who call on him in truth. 

He fulfills the desire of all who fear him; 

he also hears their cry and saves them.

Tell Your Children About God

Do you pass along traditions to your children and grandchildren? Do you enjoy teaching them to things you have learned? Are you teaching them life skills? Are you passing down to them the wisdom you have acquired? Are you telling about God and how he has worked in your life?

Passing down traditions is important to some people. For some, those traditions have been in the family for generations. Loving parents teach their children and grandchildren life skills. We also pass on to them the wisdom we have gained, often acquired through hard lessons.

Teaching our children and grandchildren about God is the most important things we can do for them. There is so much to teach about God that we can spend our entire lifetimes teaching. Some may think they are not teachers, yet we all are. Teaching can be done through many forms.

We can teach in a traditional way, meaning through lessons. But the best way to teach our children and grandchildren is through normal discussions. As we are blessed, we can tell them about the blessing, attributing it to God. When they are experiencing challenges, we can pray with them and instruct them to pray on their own. We can show them nature and tell them God created it all. The younger we start with them, the more likely those lessons will stick with them throughout their life.

One of the best lessons we can teach our children and grandchildren is to continue to learn about God. Helping to understand that we can never know everything about God, but we can and should continue to learn about him. The gift of seeking out God is the greatest gift we can give them.

I pray we all teach our children and grandchildren about God. I pray we tell them about the blessings we have received. I pray each one of us will teach our children to pray to God in all situations. Teach your children and grandchildren about God. Tell about your blessings. Teach your children to pray.

Psalm 145:4-5

One generation shall extol your works to another 

and shall declare your mighty acts. 

They will recount the glorious splendor of your majesty, 

and on your wondrous works I will meditate.

God is Still with Us

Have you thought things have gotten out of hand? Have you wondered if our world is going downhill so fast it can never recover? Does it seem as though the “good times” are so far behind us you can’t remember them? Have you begun to lose heart?

There is no doubt we are living in times of struggle. Yet, as the author of Ecclesiastes says, “there is nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9). We may think our situation is unique or there has never been anything like this before. If so, we would be wrong.

It is true that we have more mechanical and technological things now than ever before. Yet, the ways of people are the same. The strong take advantage of the weak. The rich extort the poor. Those in power lord it over those who are not. It is nothing new. It has been going on for thousands of years.

Through the prophet Haggai, God asks if any of the Israelites remember his promise. He states that he is still with them. Though they may not have seen the glory of Israel under King David, God is still with them, and they are to work. He tells them they are not to fear.

We can take this same promise and admonishment. God is still with us. We are to work. What are we to work at? The things of God. We are to use the skills he has given us. We are to seek justice, love one another, show grace and mercy to others, care for the widows and orphans, and welcome those who are marginalized. These are the good works God has put before us.

I pray we all know that God is still with us. I pray we work at the good works he has set before us. I pray each one of us will seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit and trust God will provide. God is still with us. Do the good works of God. Seek God’s guidance. Trust God will provide.

Haggai 2:3-5 “Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Is it not in your sight as nothing? Yet now take courage, O Zerubbabel, says the Lord; take courage, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; take courage, all you people of the land, says the Lord; work, for I am with you, says the Lord of hosts, according to the promise that I made you when you came out of Egypt. My spirit abides among you; do not fear.”

Desire to See

Have you ever had a desire to see someone famous? Has there been a specific famous person you would do almost anything to see? What did you do? Were you able to see them? Did it make you happy? Did you feel fulfilled? Do you desire to see Jesus in the same way?

We see people who are fanatic about seeing famous people. Some are willing to pay any price to see them. Some may even use violence to see them. Perhaps some of you have paid an exorbitant price or done something foolish to see someone famous.

There was madness when the Beatles first came to the U.S. Famous soccer players must have security details in some places in the world. There have been people who have been infatuated with movie stars and done outlandish things to be near them.

Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus badly. So much so that he ran ahead to climb a sycamore tree. It was not only his curiosity but being drawn to Jesus. Jesus had an aura about Him that drew people of all types to Him—the poor, the widows, the diseased, the broken, the curious, and those who wanted to learn from Him.

We should be drawn to Jesus like Zacchaeus. But since Jesus is not physically with us, many of us are only cursorily drawn to Him. To be drawn more to Him we must learn more about Him. As we learn more and spend more time with Him, we are drawn more to Him.

I pray we all seek to know more about Jesus. I pray we spend time with Him to grow closer to Him. I pray each one of us will be drawn to Jesus like Zacchaeus was. Seek to know more about Jesus. Spend time with Jesus. Be drawn to Jesus. Desire to see Jesus.

Luke 19:2-4 A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was rich. He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way.