Draw Near

What are you attracted to? Are you attracted to certain types of people? Do they need to have a specific personality? Are you attracted to certain types of houses, vehicles, and jobs? Are you attracted to them because someone told you about them? Are you drawn toward God?

Every one of us is attracted to a variety of things and people. There is something about them that we like. Often, we cannot pinpoint what it is, but we know we like them. For that reason, there are a wide variety of products sold in stores and a variety of houses built.

We may be attracted to how well something functions. If it is of good quality and does exactly what we desire, we may not care much for form. However, we may be more attracted to the form than the function. It may be something beautiful that is questionable when it comes to function. Yet, because it is so beautiful, we are drawn to it anyway.

We may be attracted to something or someone because a family member or friend has told us about them. Being drawn to God may occur in this manner. After all, if we know nothing about God, how can we be drawn to him short of a miraculous act on his part? One reason we need to tell others about him.

Joshua tells the Israelites to draw near to him and hear the words God has passed on to him. He has specific instructions regarding their crossing of the Jordan river into the promised land. Joshua was continuing to tell the Israelites about God, just like Moses had done. He received messages and passed them on.

We can pass along God’s Word to others as well. We have it written down and can read it. We have books written by scholars, theologians, and historians that can provide us with a greater understanding of the Bible and the context in which the various books were written. We can know God better so we can better pass to others who he is.

I pray we all seek to draw near to God. I pray we seek to know more about him. I pray each one of us will use our knowledge to tell others about God so they will decide to draw near to God. Draw near to God. Seek to know him better. Tell others about God. Encourage them to draw near.

Joshua 3:9 Joshua then said to the Israelites, “Draw near and hear the words of the Lord your God.

Face-to-Face

Have you given much thought as to who Jesus is? Or have you simply listened to what preachers and teachers have told you? Is He a personal friend, brother, and Savior to you? How would you answer if He asked you who you thought He is?

There are people in this world who say they know who Jesus is. Yet, when pushed to tell who He is, they are hard pressed to give an answer. They stumble and fumble over words. Unfortunately, some of them claim to be His followers.

If we spend time reading the gospels and learning what they say about Jesus, we should be able to use several words to tell who He is. We should be able to quickly say, “Son of Man, Son of God, Messiah, Christ, Savior of the world, my Savior, my Friend, my Brother, King of kings, Lord or lords,” and more.

But what we say cannot be mere head knowledge. The truest answer comes from our heart. It is deep in our hearts that we believe in Him and know who He is. It is by the guidance of the Holy Spirit that we learn in the depths of our heart who He is to us and who we are to Him.

When Jesus asked some of the leaders what they thought of Him, they gave the book answer. But Jesus isn’t looking for a book answer. He is looking for a heart answer. We should be prepared to say who He is to us.

I pray we all know who Jesus is in our heart. I pray we are prepared to give an answer of who He is. I pray each one of us will take time to read about Him and get to know Him more. Be prepared to answer. Know who Jesus is. Make it heart knowledge. 

Matthew 22:41-42 Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them this question: “What do you think of the Messiah? Whose son is he?” They said to him, “The son of David.”

Keep It Simple

Are you concerned with following the rules? Do you make a concerted effort to follow the law? Would you like it to be easier to keep the rules and obey the law? What if there were principles to help you with that? Would you abide by those principles?

We follow more rules than we can count. There are rules for our schools, workplaces, sports, and even in our families. If we were to attempt to write them all down, it would take far more time than we want to spend on it. Yet, we unconsciously follow them.

In addition to rules, there are laws we follow. There are city, county, state, and federal laws. We, again, unconsciously follow them. Why? We have learned laws over the course of our lifetime, just as we have learned the rules we abide by. Once we have learned them, they are filed away in our brains, and we no longer need to consciously think about them.

God has given laws and rules to follow. Sometimes we think there are too many to remember, and they are too hard to follow. But we have a simple way to go about following all of them. There are only two commandments or principles we need to follow, and by following them we follow the full set. We often boil them down to a simple saying, love God and love neighbor.

If we filter every action, word we speak, and viewpoint through them, we will inherently follow the law. We simply need to make these two principles be our guiding mantra for everything we say, do, and think. It is not easy. It takes work on our part. At first, we must consciously think about them. The more we think about them, the more they become ingrained in us. Once they are fully ingrained, we will no longer need to think of them, we will unconsciously obey them, just as we do with other rules and laws.

I pray we all consciously think about the two commandments Jesus gave us. I pray we filter everything we do through them. I pray each one of us will eventually come to the point of unconsciously following them. Follow Jesus’ commands. Focus on the principles. Make your life simpler.

Matthew 22:37-40 He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

Gospel Truth

Are there people in your life who you care deeply about? Do you care enough to tell them the truth even if you know it will be tough? Do you care enough to tell them the truth with love? Is the truth you tell them the truth of the gospel?

We all have people in our life whom we care about deeply. It may only be one or two. For those who are very blessed, they may have several they love with a deep, genuine love. When we love someone deeply, we often are willing to tell them the truth they need to here.

Many mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, and friends have had difficult conversations with someone they love. They can be full of tears. The other person may get extremely upset and angry. There may be yelling involved. But there will also be hugs that accompany those tears. When the other person finally realizes the truth has been spoken and they needed to hear it, they will have a deep appreciation for the someone who cared enough to tell them.

The gospel is a truth we all need to hear. We all fall short of the glory of God. We need a Savior. We need to know Jesus lived, died, and rose again for each one of us. We need to know we are loved by God, and we are precious to him. We also need to care enough for others to share the gospel with them. We need to convince them to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

I pray we all have people we care deeply for. I pray we care enough to share the truth with them. I pray each one of us will share the truth of the gospel in love with those we care about. Care deeply for others. Share the truth. Share the gospel. Be truthful in love.

1 Thessalonians 2:8 So deeply do we care for you that we are determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you have become very dear to us.

Speak Truth with Love

Why do you speak? What are your motives? Do you speak with honest intentions? Do you speak with a pure heart? Or do you speak with deceitful intentions. Do you speak to lead people to your preferences? Is your message from God?

We talk a lot throughout the day. Whether we realize it or not, much of our talking is meant to cause others to think highly of us or to coax them into agreeing with us. We desire to be heard and sometimes simply speak what we think others want to hear.

Do not misunderstand, it is not wrong to talk about the weather or which dress to wear or what we want for dinner. There is nothing wrong with agreeing to eat something for dinner even if it is not what you prefer. But it is wrong to hold back the truth when we know the other person needs to hear it. We do not need to be completely tactless, but we should not encourage a false narrative.

If we are followers of Christ, we have been entrusted with the message of the gospel, just as the Apostle Paul was. We have been sent in mission, just as the early disciples, to tell others about Jesus. We are to stand on the truth of the gospel and proclaim it. But we are to proclaim it truthfully, without malice, with pure motives, and a desire to bring that person to Christ.

Our mission is not to please others, but we are not to present the message in an offensive manner either. We are to speak the truth in love. We are to speak the truth because we care for others. The message of Jesus, when spoken with love, will change lives forever.

I pray we all speak the truth of the gospel. I pray we speak with pure motives. I pray each one of us will tell others about Jesus with love and a desire to bring them into the kingdom of God. Speak truth. Speak with love. Carry the gospel to others. Encourage them to join the kingdom.

1 Thessalonians 2:3-4 For our appeal does not spring from deceit or impure motives or trickery, but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the message of the gospel, even so we speak, not to please mortals, but to please God who tests our hearts.

Morning Start

How do you wake up in the morning? Are you a bit of a grouch? Does it take a cup or two of coffee to get you moving and your brain functioning? Are you a morning person? Are you full of energy and ready to get your day going? Do you start your day by speaking with God?

Some of us are morning people. When we wake up, we are off and running as soon as our feet hit the floor. Others of us are not morning people. We need time to get a cup of coffee and slowly get ourselves moving. Some of it is due to our mindset and our habits.

I am a morning person. I’m sure some of it has to do with having been in the Marine Corps for twenty years. Having to be up by 5:00am every morning and often out doing physical training by 6:00am for that many years will train your body to get moving right away. When you include the days and nights of guard duty of four hours on and four hours off, you learn to be fully awake and alert as soon as you wake up.

There is nothing inherently wrong with being a morning person or not being a morning person. Regardless of which type of person we are, we can start our day the right way by reaching out to God. Spending a few minutes with God before we do much of anything else can change our mindset for the day.

Starting our day by reading Scripture, praying, meditation, or reading a devotional can change our lives for the better. Asking God to bless us each day, putting our concerns into his hands, and leaning on his strength relieves us of stress, anxiety, and fear. Building a habit of spending time with God to start our day is the best habit we can have.

I pray we all decide to build a habit of starting our day with God. I pray we spend time with God in prayer. I pray each one of us take time to read God’s Word and lean on him each morning. Start your morning well. Build the habit of spending time with God. Read Scripture. Pray each morning. Ask God to bless you each day.

Psalm 90:14

Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, 

so that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

Solace and Comfort

Where is your dwelling? Is it a place of solace? Is it a place of safety? Is it always there for you? Have you spent time thinking about where you can go to be comforted and be assured that everything will be alright? Is God the one you know you can always turn to?

We all live somewhere. We may live in an apartment or a single-family home. We may live in a city or a small town or no town at all. We may have family or friends we can turn to when things go south. We may be a comfort to others when trouble finds them.

Having a place and someone we can turn to during difficult times is a blessing. Our place may be our childhood home and the person may be a parent. However, as we continue to grow older, those will no longer be available. A childhood home may eventually crumble, and our parents will eventually pass from this world. But there is always one person we can take shelter in—God.

God has been a shelter for the people who come to him since the beginning of time. He has been there in the past and will be there in the future. We may look for something or someone tangible. When we go to God, he will provide the tangible. We will provide us with a person who can be the one who comforts us when needed. He will provide us a safe place to be.

Some discover being in a church sanctuary or prayer room to be a place of solace. Some find speaking with a pastor to be a comfort. Some realize a close friend was put in their lives to be the support they need. Regardless of where and who we have in our lives, it is God who has put them there for us.

I pray we all discover a place of solace. I pray we find the person who will comfort us when needed. I pray each one of us know that God is always there and will provide what we need. Know your place of solace. Know who will comfort you. Know God provides. Be support for one another.

Psalm 90:1-2

Lord, you have been our dwelling place

in all generations. 

Before the mountains were brought forth, 

or ever you had formed the earth and the world, 

from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

Accept God’s Will

Have ever seen your goal so close that you could almost touch it, only to have it pulled away? How did that make you feel? Were you heartbroken? Were you depressed? Did you long all the more to achieve your goal? How do you think Moses felt as he looked at the promised land?

We all have goals. Sometimes those goals big goals. When we get close to them, we start getting anxious. We may strive all the harder to achieve them. We may be overcome with nervousness or anxiety and fail to reach our goal. That is when we can get depressed.

Moses was in a situation unlike any situation we will ever be in. He had been called by God to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. He led them through various trials as they wondered the desert for forty years. He was told by God he would lead the Israelites to the promised land. He led them to it. God showed him the promised land from a mountain top. But Moses was not allowed to go into the promised land.

Can you imagine having been on a mission for God for more than half your life, then being told you will not see the mission to its completion? That was Moses. God works that way at times. He provides a mission to us but does not allow us to finish. He has someone else in mind to finish what we have started. Just like Moses, we must graciously accept his will.

I pray we all accept God’s mission. I pray we accept his will for our lives. I pray each one of us will pursue God’s mission with all our heart and accept we will not finish it if it is God’s will. Know that God has a mission for you. Accept his mission. Graciously accept his will.

Deuteronomy 34:4 The Lord said to him, “This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants’; I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not cross over there.”

God’s Things

How do you distribute the things in your possession? Are you wise in how you use them? Are you wise in how you distribute them to others? Do you wisely use your talents? Are you giving to God those things that belong to him?

We often hold on tightly to things in our possession. We consider them to be ours. We don’t want to give them away. It can be especially hard for us to give away money or sentimental things. However, we must remember that all things belong to God.

It seems as though the Jewish leaders were always trying to trip Jesus up. They were hoping to catch Him telling them something that went against the Law. Yet, Jesus always knew their minds and turned their trap into a teaching moment.

We may not think of ourselves as leaders, but we often have the same mindset. We think we are in control. Or we believe we know of a better way. That may lead us to thinking we know better what we are to do than God does. Those are foolish thoughts.

In Jesus’ reply, He did not say we are to stop living in this world nor disobey the ordinances of our culture. He did say we are to give to God what belongs to him. So, what belongs to God? The simple answer is everything. That means all possessions, all talents and skills, and our thanks and praise to God for what he has done for us. God more than deserves all of it.

I pray we all give God all that we have. I pray we give God all that we are. I pray each one of us seeks to give back to God what he has entrusted us with. Use your talents for God. Use the gifts God gave you for his glory. Give back to God what he has given you. It all belongs to him.

Matthew 22:21 Then he said to them, “Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

Entrapment

Have you ever laid a trap for someone? Did you set it up so that no matter what their answer was they failed? Did you think it was funny? Did it get the other person into serious trouble? Do you sometimes do the same, or at least attempt it, with God?

Sometimes we pull practical jokes on people that have no right answer. It can be funny, so long as no one gets hurt or gets into trouble. However, there are other times when we may lay a trap for someone that will get them into serious trouble. Those are not funny.

We may even do this with God, perhaps without knowing it. For example, when a loved one dies, especially if they are young, we ask God if it was his will or if he simply couldn’t stop it. See the problem with this question? It is an either/or questions and leaves no room for God to explain what really happened. It is understandable on our part. We are hurting, grieving, and may even be experiencing physical pain. We cry out to God and imply fault upon him.

But much like the Pharisees, trying to lay a trap on God is fruitless. They thought they had the perfect trap laid for Jesus. They asked if it was lawful to pay taxes to the emperor. Jesus knew the trap they were laying. God also knows the trap we try to set for him. Attempting to trap God is a foolish endeavor. We are better off asking to understand and see how God is working in the midst of our situation than to ask why with an inference of blame.

There have been situations in my own life that didn’t make sense at the moment. Later, sometimes years later, I understand the significance of that situation and see how God was working and used it to put me where he wanted me. The same applies to every one of us. God does not cause bad things to happen, but he does use them to put us on the path he wants us to be on. We need to seek understanding rather than blame.

I pray we all seek to understand what God is doing in all situations. I pray we ask for God’s wisdom. I pray each one of us stop trying to blame God and instead thank him for always being with us. Seek understanding. See God at work. Ask how he will use a situation. Know he is always with you.

Matthew 22:15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap him in what he said.