Needing Rescue

Are you looking to be rescued? Are you looking for a superhero to come in and save the day? Do you feel like a damsel in distress? Do you feel like you have been abandoned behind enemy lines? Do you know there is a Savior waiting for you to ask for His help?

We all have down days. We all experience times of feeling abandoned. Some of those times are worse than others. Some are minor and others cause us to weep crocodile tears for hours or days. We look for someone, anyone to reach out a helping hand.

It can be completely debilitating when we have those especially bad times. We become motionless. We are drained of energy. We curl up in the fetal position in bed and have no desire to move. Or we wonder aimlessly, not seeing anything around us.

It is in times like these we need to remember we do have a Savior. He has never and will never leave us. I know, it’s not like He is there with us physically, like a real person. Or, is He? Have you ever thought that He just might be right there in front of you?

We see in Hebrews 13:2 that some have entertained angels without knowing it. We know that God works through people. So, how do we know Jesus doesn’t show up for us physically? Perhaps He is not in the form that we expect, but He may very well be there in the person who is offering a helping hand at the very time you need it. He may be the stranger who offers you an encouraging message. He may be the person with the bright eyes that passes you in the store.

As we look toward a Christmas like no other in our past, we all feel a darkness about us. We feel as though something is missing. We long for times past when things felt normal, unchanged, and traditions were kept. Yet, we know this Christmas is not the same.

The Jews felt much the same way as they were held captive in both Egypt and Babylon. They cried out to God to send a Savior. God promised to send His Messiah, but it wouldn’t happen in their lifetime. Perhaps this year we can identify with the Jews in captivity in the Old Testament more than we ever have before.

I pray we all hold on to the promises of God. I pray we continue to cry out to God for deliverance. I pray each one of us will remember that Jesus has said He will never leave us, and He will return. Hold on to God’s promises. Ask God to deliver you. Trust Jesus is always with you.

Isaiah 19:19-20 In that day there will be an altar to the Lord in the heart of Egypt, and a monument to the Lordat its border. It will be a sign and witness to the Lord Almighty in the land of Egypt. When they cry out to theLord because of their oppressors, he will send them a savior and defender, and he will rescue them.

From Darkness To Light

Do you feel as though you are in the dark? Do you feel as though you are being overrun? Does it seem as though everything is going wrong all at the same time? Do you know that you have been saved from the darkness and no longer need to live in it?

We all face times when we feel the entire world is against us. There are times when we feel as though we are being overwhelmed by our situation. It feels as though the light we seek it so far out of our reach we can’t see it. Or we feel as though the light at the end of the tunnel is a train headed our way.

Unfortunately, there are some of us who allow the darkness to consume us. Once we start the downward spiral, we give in. This leads us into a deep depression. Once in that deep depression, it becomes very difficult to get out. Often, we need professional help.

Yet, there is an answer to the darkness we face. An answer that will keep us from the deep depression. Our task is to recognize when we start down that path early and reverse course quickly. How do we reverse course?

The first thing we need to do is remember we have a Savior. He is a Savior who has already rescued us from the darkness. He is a Savior who will continue to rescue us from it. We are to turn to Him in prayer, asking once again to be rescued.

As we put our trust and faith in Him, He continues to pull us from the darkness into the light. He raises us from the depths to new heights. Our Savior is not merely a human, but He is the Creator of all things. Isn’t it comforting to know the Creator is on our side?

Jesus has redeemed us from every mistake we have ever made and will ever make. He has redeemed from our disobedience. He has pulled us out of Satan’s hands. Did you notice all of those sentences use a past tense? In our present situation we are redeemed.

God, through Jesus, has guaranteed us an eternal inheritance of spending forever with Him. Our inheritance is beyond our wildest imagination. Our inheritance eliminates all darkness, living forever in the light of God.

I pray we all decide to ask God to rescue us from the darkness we face. I pray we decide to live in the light of God. I pray each one of us will ask God to rescue us each time we start to feel ourselves going down the dark path. Recognize the darkness. Ask God to pull you out of it. Live in God’s light. Remember God has guaranteed your inheritance. Trust your Savior.

Colossians 1:13-14 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Rejoice, Pray, Give Thanks

How well do you rejoice? Are you praying regularly, even at all times? Are you thankful for everything, even those times when it’s a bit rough? Do you look at the situation as one in which God will use to your betterment?

Our normal human behavior is to be happy when something good happens for us. We are also thankful when something good happens for us. We may think about praying from time-to-time, but far too often we don’t pray on a daily basis.

Rejoicing isn’t always easy. We hit rough patches in the road. A job is lost. A relationship ends. We lose a loved one. Our vehicle breaks down. Even if we don’t experience all of them, we see them happen to our family and friends. We wonder why things just can’t go well.

When we see all these speed bumps of life, we forget to be thankful. Instead, we get depressed. We become anxious. Our minds turn to trying to make sense of what just happened, then we start trying to figure out how to make it better.

There is nothing wrong with our reaction. Yet, we are not to stay there for long. We are instructed to be thankful. Why? When we are thankful, we are not depressed nor anxious. Those feelings leave us, and we begin to rejoice in our blessings from God.

The best way to show God our thanks is to spend time in prayer. God loves for us to spend time with Him. He loves it even more than our Grandparents do. The good news is, when we spend more time with God, we become even more thankful and rejoice more often.

Spending time in prayer builds our relationship with God. It strengthens us and brings about understanding. Prayer, thankful prayer, also reduces our stress, anxiousness, and depression, bringing about a peace and calm we all desire.

Prayer is also a time to make our requests known to God. Yet, we must remember that God is not a genie who will grant our every wish. We are to pray in accordance with His will. In order to know His will, we must spend time with Him. After all, isn’t that how we learned what our parents expected from us?

I pray we all become more thankful. I pray we rejoice at all times, knowing God is in control. I pray each one of us learn to pray continually, keeping God at the forefront of our minds. Rejoice always. Pray continually. Give thanks at all times. Spend time with God in prayer. Grow your relationship with God. Trust God is in control.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Being Thankful

Are you a thankful person? Do you give thanks to those who do something nice for you? Have you been thankful to the point of being sacrificial? Do you show your thankfulness by telling others why you are thankful? Are you thankful for all that God has done for you?

I venture to say that most of us were taught to say “thank you” when someone does something for us or to help us out. It is good that we say it, but how thankful are we in our heart? Are we thankful enough to do something in return for the other person? Sometimes we are.

There are many reasons to be thankful today. We have a place to live, clothing, food, water, and transportation. Most of us have jobs, even if only part time. My guess is no one reading this is wondering where their next meal will come from. We may wonder what the meal will be, but not whether there will be one or not.

Have you thanked God recently for His blessings? God has provided all that we have. Sometimes we like to think we have earned it. Yet, we have merely done what God has assigned us to do. God has blessed us with the job that pays for what we have. God blessed us with the skill to perform the job we have. God provided the education we received and continue to receive.

As we go into this time of thanksgiving, perhaps we should thank God first. I suggest we all take a few minutes to make a list of everything we can thank God for. No, don’t list every item of clothing, simply list clothing. Here is a short list for you to consider as a starting point:

A place to live, clothes, food, water, family, friends, a job, school, education, ability to reason, transportation, beauty of God’s creation, God’s written word, music, and you continue with your list.

The most valuable thing to be thankful for is Jesus Christ. He sacrificed Himself so that we may spend eternity with God. He provides the means by which we can talk with God. Jesus is the reason for our hope, joy, and peace. Let’s all give thanks to Him and through Him to God the Father.

While we are being thankful, let’s also show our thankfulness by doing good for someone else. Do good for your family and friends. Do good for a stranger. Do good for those less fortunate. Share the goodness in which God blessed you with others. In doing so, you will show your thankfulness to God.

I pray we all tell God just how thankful we are for His blessings. I pray we show our thankfulness by sharing with others. I pray each one of us will make a list of what we are thankful for, thereby increasing our thankfulness. Be thankful. Show thankfulness. Tell God you are thankful.

Hebrews 13:15-16 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

Bearing Unfairness

Do you feel as though you are being unjustly punished at times? Do you get frustrated at the unfairness of life? Are you tired of people telling you that life isn’t fair? Are you willing to step in to protect others who are being treated more unfairly than yourself?

We can all relate to being treated unfairly at some point in our life. We have been mistakenly accused of doing something wrong. We may have had someone see only our reaction rather than what caused the reaction. They don’t know the reason for what we did and may not care what the reason is.

We may be tired of hearing life isn’t fair, but it is true. Typically, by the time we get into our middle years, we’ve heard it so often it has become cliché. Perhaps we no longer pay any attention to it. Perhaps it governs our life. No matter how we view it, we cannot get away from the truth of it, which brings us to this question, “Are we willing to bear the unfairness for someone else?”

Many of us are not willing to bear the unfairness for someone else. We see enough unfairness in our own lives without taking on someone else’s. Sure, we may point out how the other person is being treated unfairly, but it won’t cause us to act on their behalf. We won’t stand up for them out of fear. Perhaps we are afraid of losing our job, being belittled, or insulted by others for doing so.

However, there are a few who will stand up for those being treated unfairly. We see it when a teacher stops kids from making fun of someone who doesn’t fit in. Occasionally, we see it in the workplace when someone who knows more about the situation tells the boss they wrongly accused a co-worker. We might even see it in our society, on those rare occasions, when someone steps in to help another person who is being made fun of in a store by rude hooligans.

As we see in today’s passage, Jesus has stepped in for us. He has taken on the insults that are hurled at us. These are not the typical insults we think of when someone is calling us names. He has taken on the accusations and insults that Satan is hurling at us each and every day. Jesus is our shield that protects us from them. If not for Him, none of us would have an opportunity to spend eternity with God.

I pray we all realize that Jesus is protecting us each day from Satan’s insults. I pray we give Him thanks for doing so. I pray we emulate Jesus and stand against unfairness in our world. Be like Jesus. Stand for what is right. Stand against unfairness. Live without fear. Build each other up.

We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up. For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.”

Seeking Treasure

Have you ever found something you would give anything to get? Are you working and saving for that wonderful possession? Do you look for opportunities to obtain something of great worth? Do you know there is something worth more than this world freely available to you?

As we go through life, we all have yearnings for something. There is at least one expensive object we work and save for. For some of us, there are multiple objects of our desire. Unfortunately, we often spend all our time seeking them and miss the real treasure.

For most of us, the expensive objects we chase after are houses and cars. For some, it’s clothes and jewelry. For others, it may be furniture, musical instruments, campers, big vacations, and you fill in the blank. Each of us know what our material desire is.

We have an opportunity to gain a treasure beyond our comprehension, both in this life and in eternity. Many of us will think about an eternal life without thinking of having a reward in this life. Yet, we can have a wonderful life in the here and now.

We must first recognize the opportunity. We must understand the offer that has been made to us. God, in the gift of His Holy Spirit, has offered us a treasure in this life. He has provided us with a personal guide that will guide us through the tough times, grant us wisdom, and fill us with peace and calm. Doesn’t that sound like those would enrich our lives in the here and now?

We see in today’s passage that Jesus says the man is willing to sell all he owns for the treasure offered by God. What does that tell us about the treasure? It tells us the treasure is far better than we can imagine. We wouldn’t sell all we own for just anything. Can you imagine selling everything you own? I can’t. Yet, the treasure God provides is so profound and wonderful, the man is willing to sell everything.

Yet, here is the best news. The only cost to this treasure is to willingly accept the Holy Spirit into your life and allow Him to change you from the inside out. It can be scary giving up your old self. It is the fear of being rejected by our friends or family, rather than the joy of finding a wonderful treasure. We prefer to live with the less that we know, rather than taking a chance on something better that is unknown.

I pray we all take a chance on God. I pray we choose to leave our old life for a wonderful new one. I pray each one of us is willing to leave a life of drudgery for a life of joy. Find the treasure God is willing to give you. Rid yourself of your old ways. Allow the Holy Spirit to change you from the inside out.

Matthew 13:44-46 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.”

Looking for Help

When you look for help, where do you look? Who do you look to? Is there someone you know you can trust to provide good advice or come to your aid when needed? Do you find yourself in need and have no one to turn to? There is One who is always available.

We all need help from time-to-time. Perhaps we are in need of advice for a major or minor decision. We might need physical help with lifting, moving, or rearranging things. We could be in need of someone to vent our frustration to.

There are numerous reasons we need help. In fact, no one can survive for long in this world totally on their own. We may have seen movies of a mountain man living on his own, building a log cabin in a remote area of the mountains. That can only happen in the movies. Have you ever wondered how a person can lift those logs without help? Have you attempted to lift a log? Even the movies will eventually show some interaction with someone else.

We rely on others every day for a wide variety of reasons. If you think not, stop, think, and identify the last time you didn’t interact with someone else for an entire day. What was that day like? Were you wishing you had someone there with you? While you are thinking about that, think through a typical day and identify every time you asked a question, worked side-by-side with someone on a task, or helped someone else.

As we come to the realization that we need others in our lives, we also need to realize that we need God in our lives. We need to rely on Him to provide us the help we need. He may provide that through others or through His Spirit. How do we access God’s help?

We access His help through prayer. It’s not that God doesn’t know what we need, but He wants us to ask Him. As parent, I can understand that. You see, we sometimes do this with our kids. We know they need help. We know they can’t complete a task without help. Yet, we want to teach them to ask for it. God does the same with us. He is ready, willing, and able to provide the help we need. We simply need to ask.

I pray we all go to God for help. I pray we lean on Him each day and in all situations. I pray each one of us will spend time in conversation, in prayer with God to ask for His help. Spend time in prayer. Lean on God for help. Trust God to provide. Be in constant conversation with God.

Psalm 121:1-2

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—

where does my help come from? 

My help comes from the Lord,

the Maker of heaven and earth.

Daily Defense

How well are you protected? Are you aware of defense mechanisms available to you? Have you donned the armor provided to you? Or are you still trying to make it on your own? Do you not know that Jesus provides you with the defenses you need in this life?

All of us are put on the defensive at some point or another. For some of us, it may seem that we are always on the defensive. A good defense includes protection against the attacks we are being bombarded with. We have protection at our disposal, if we will simply use it.

Our military knows a lot about defense. They are outfitted with body armor and helmets. They put armor on vehicles. When sitting up a defensive position, they dig fighting holes, fill sandbags and stack them as barricades, they use razor wire, and they set up listening posts a few hundred yards away from the camp to keep an eye out for approaching enemy soldiers.

We, too, have defensive mechanisms to live our lives safely. God has provided them to us through the person of Jesus Christ. We are told in Hebrews 12:2 that Jesus is the author of our faith, meaning He is the One who provides us with and strengthens our faith.

We have been told more times than we can count that God is love. We have also been told that we are to love as God does. This is no googly eyed infatuation, but a love that is strong and just. It is a love that both comforts and disciplines. It is a love that stands strong in the storms of life.

Our hope is in Jesus and eternal life. We see throughout the New Testament many descriptions of hope, including it is living, it is provided by grace, it provides us endurance and encouragement, it is a firstfruit of the spirit, and we are told to hold on to our hope of an eternal inheritance.

When we put our faith into action, love like God, and continue in our hope, we have a strong defense. Our faith and love protect our hearts and motivates us to prepare ourselves and others for attacks. Our hope keeps our minds focused on the end result, knowing the war has already been won and the prize is waiting for us.

I pray we all put our faith and love into action. I pray we maintain our focus on our inheritance through hope. I pray each one of us use the defense provide to us by Jesus in our daily battles. Keep your faith. Put your faith into action. Love like God. Hold onto your hope. Keep your focus on your inheritance.

1 Thessalonians 5:8-9 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Slow Down to Move Fast

Do you have more on your plate than you can get done? Is your list of concerns longer than your grocery list? Are you asking yourself what comes next? Would you like to have answers to more questions than you can remember?

It seems we all have a lot on our plates nowadays. With all the events in the news, our normal lives, and the electronic leashes we carry around with us, we tap ourselves to the hilt. There is never a spare moment to simply breathe.

I’m sure we all would like to have some down time. We want to push pause on everything going on and simply relax. Too often, we don’t allow ourselves to relax. All those things on our list are waiting and we fret over them, even when we are trying not to.

There is really only one answer for all these worries in our lives. We need to spend more time in prayer. I know. You will ask where the time for prayer will come from. What goes on the backburner so you can spend the time in prayer? I know a secret I will share with you.

When we spend time in prayer, real honest prayer, we find that God gives us peace and calm. That peace and calm actually allows us to complete tasks faster. It reminds me of a saying, “Fast is slow and slow is fast.” That may sound contradictory, but it is far too often true. You see, when we slow down just a bit and think things through, we complete tasks more easily and faster. When we are in a hurry, we often make mistakes, and we may have to do the task all over again. That reminds me of another question our team used to ask ourselves, “So, you don’t have time to do it right the first time, but you have time to do it a second time?”

Spending time in prayer regarding each task on our list is worth our time. It is a time saver. It keeps us grounded and leaning on God to lead us. Prayer is a conversation with God that helps build our relationship with Him. A relationship that we all long for, whether we acknowledge it or not.

God wants us to bring everything to Him in prayer. He wants us to lay our concerns at His feet and leave them there. To completely lean on God, we are to pray about our mundane tasks, our high priority tasks, and all those worries that continue to drain us.

I pray we all spend more time in prayer. I pray we talk with God every day. I pray each one of us will take time to seek the peace and calm we will receive from God when we talk with Him. Seek peace and calm. Spend time in prayer. Move fast by slowing down. Lay all your concerns at God’s feet. 

Ephesians 6:19 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

Choose Godliness

Have you fallen into a trap? Have you been blindsided? Are you stuck in a quagmire? Have you stopped to evaluate and take notice of your situation? Do you know how to put yourself back on the right track?

There are times when we are fooled into a situation we didn’t intend to get into. It happens one small step at a time. We made one small choice that led to another one. We didn’t see where it would all lead. We didn’t stop to evaluate the possibilities.

There are other times when we feel compelled to put ourselves in a bad situation. It may be to support a family member, a friend, or to do a task for work. We feel as though we have no choice but to support them. So, we choose to do something we don’t believe is right or the best choice.

After all, we are human. We are not perfect. Unfortunately, we often use that as an excuse to discard our bad choices like a candy wrapper. Another bad choice—not taking ownership. Yet, we can make a change going forward.

Just as Paul encouraged Timothy, he is encouraging us. No, he doesn’t say whether we are to do one thing or another in our lives today. He does provide guiding principles that will help us make the right choices, the best choices.

Just prior to today’s passage, Paul warned Timothy about chasing after worldly wealth and possessions. He didn’t say not to have them, but to not let them rule our lives. We are not to allow chasing them to cause us to be derailed from our pursuit of faith and righteousness.

Paul is reinforcing what Jesus taught in the two greatest commands—love God, love your neighbor. When we make choices using them as a filter, we continue to do what is right. So, let’s ask ourselves, “Which option shows my love for God? Which option shows my love for my neighbor?” Our choices will be made by putting our pursuit of righteousness and faith first, rather than putting worldly possessions first.

I pray we all continue to pursue the good fight of faith. I pray we filter our choices through the two greatest commands. I pray each one of us will make choices that reflect our love for God and neighbor. Pursue righteousness. Pursue godliness. Pursue faith. Make right choices. Take hold of eternal life.

1 Timothy 6:11-12 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.