Walk Before the Lord

What would you do for a million dollars? What if the amount of money was so large you could not count it? Would you do anything, even if it was offensive to you? Is there anything you would not do? How do you respond to God’s promises when he just wants you to obey?

Playing the hypothetical game with money can be fun. Many of us have planned how we would spend the money if we won the lottery. It’s a nice little imagination game than can capture our attention for a while. Then we realize it will never happen, especially if we don’t play the lottery.

But God’s promises are a horse of a different color. They stand out. We know he keep his promises. Yet, we often don’t take him up on them. Why? We don’t want to wait. We want it all immediately, which is funny when we think about it, because we must wait for lots of things. We wait nine months for a child to be born. We wait for school to be out for the summer. We wait in long check out lines when Christmas shopping.

When we realize it is our impatience and lack of faith in God’s promises that stops us from taking him up on his promises, is the time we start the process of taking hold of his promises. It is no different than being an addict. Only when we realize and admit our problem can we take steps to be better. So, we must come to grips with our impatience and lack of faith to start the process of building our faith and taking God up on his promises.

Just as God promised Abraham that his offspring would be as numerous as the stars and made it so, God’s promises are valid for us today. Just Abraham walked before the Lord, we must walk before him as well. Just as Abraham continued to believe in God, we must continue to believe in him. It is our acceptance of God’s promises and our faith in him to fulfill them that allows us to see his promises come true in our lives.

I pray we all believe God’s promises. I pray we walk before him in faith. I pray each one of us will build our faith and take God up on his promises, trusting him to fulfill them. Walk before God. Build your faith. Trust in God’s promises. Trust God to fulfill his promises. Live the abundant life.

Genesis 17:1-2 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless. And I will make my covenant between me and you, and will make you exceedingly numerous.”

The Time is Fulfilled

How do you know it is the right time? Is there simply a feeling about it? Is it the right time because your planning has worked out? Do you know because someone told you? Or did you recognize it yourself? Have you paid attention to God’s timing?

Determining the right time can be a challenge. There are seasons in our lives in which timing can be critical. There are others when timing doesn’t seem to play much of a role. Yet, we can all relate to having the right timing for some things.

Timing may be key when proposing marriage. We hear of “perfect timing” in a variety of sports situations. Even passing another vehicle on the highway requires timing. We may say that being in the right place at the right time makes all the difference. We often don’t think about it, but timing plays a key role in our lives.

Jesus said the time is fulfilled when He starts His ministry. He said the kingdom of God had come near. What does that mean? First, it means that God stepped into the world he created. Second, as we find out a little later in Jesus’ ministry, God has provided a way for our reconciliation with him.

Jesus goes on to say that we are to repent and believe in the good news. He is giving us the instructions we need to come into a right relationship with God. Repenting and believing in Jesus is how we are forgiven and brought into good standing before God.

I pray we all seek a right relationship with God. I pray we accept reconciliation with God. I pray each one of us knows God’s timing is perfect, we repent, and we believe in Jesus Christ. Seek a right relationship with God. Be reconciled. Recognize God’s timing. Hear the good news. Repent and believe.

Mark 1:14-15 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”

Heaven Rejoices

Many of us have been baptized, but how many of us remember our baptism? Depending on your religious background, we may have been baptized as infants, young children, young adults, or even as an older adult. So, remembering it may be near impossible.

For those who were baptized as infants, they may have gone through confirmation classes and been confirmed in a church in their early teens. If so, they may remember those classes and the experience of being confirmed. If you went through that, how was that experience?

I grew up in a tradition in which a person was not baptized until they were old enough to make the decision on their own. We moved between my eighth grade and freshman year in school, and we fell away from the church. Finally, I returned to the church with my own family and was baptized at thirty-seven years old. I can say that I felt refreshed and lighter after being baptized, but there was no visible tearing of the heavens.

When Jesus was baptized, there was a tearing of the heavens. That is hard for us to imagine. Our minds may think of a science fiction scene that shows the sky being torn. Though it is recorded the Spirit descended like a dove, it does not mean it was in the form of a dove. A dove descends softly, with its wings outspread, and lands softly on the branch. In this case, I imagine the Spirit becoming one with Jesus, perhaps dissolving into Him. The Father speaks. I imagine a commanding, booming voice that declares who Jesus is.

Our baptism may not be as dramatic nor rending the heavens in the same way Jesus’ baptism was. Yet, our baptism does create joy in heaven. We are told the angels in heave rejoice when one lost soul repents and comes to be a follower of Christ (Luke 15:10). Therefore, even if we do not see or hear it, the heavenly host rejoices over us.

I pray we all decide to be followers of Jesus. I pray we know heaven rejoices over us. I pray each one of us who have not been baptized will decide to be baptized to show our commitment to Jesus. Know you are loved by God. Know that heaven rejoices for you. Become a follower of Jesus. God will be well pleased with you.

Mark 1:9-11 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”

Once For All

How good are you at forgiving? Do you forgive others when they do something that offends you? Do you forgive yourself when you do something you know is wrong? Will you accept forgiveness from others? Do you know that Christ died to cover all sins for all time?

Forgiving others can be difficult. If someone slanders us, we may be able to prove them wrong and move on. If they physically injure us, we may heal and put the injury behind us. But forgiving the person for doing these things to us may take a long time to do.

Forgiving ourselves can be even more difficult. There are sins we live with that only we know about. We remember things we did wrong years ago, perhaps as children, and may continue to beat ourselves up about them. We can be held prisoner by these memories, continually trying to make for them. We may even impose the punishment of ourselves on others unknowingly.

I have recently participated in an exercise to demonstrate how our sins are forgiven. It is a simple exercise. You write a sin on a small piece of flash paper. You have a lit candle available. You light the flash paper with the candle and quickly toss it into the air. The flash paper burns very quickly, leaving no smoke and no ash. It simply disappears without a trace.

Jesus died a horrible death on the cross to do the same for our sins. We confess them, ask for forgiveness, and His suffering eliminates them. His righteousness covers our unrighteousness. His perfection covers our imperfection. His suffering was endured so that we could go to God without fear, without reservation, and without hesitation. Jesus gave Himself up so that we can be reconciled with God.

I pray we all know that Jesus died for our sins. I pray we accept forgiveness from Jesus. I pray each one of us will forgive ourselves, knowing that God forgives us when we confess our sins and ask for forgiveness. Christ died for you. He died so your sins would be forgiven. Learn to forgive others. Learn to forgive yourself. Ask God to help you forgive.

1 Peter 3:18a For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God.

Live Your Best Life

Where are you at in life? Are you looking for something but do not know what it is? Do you feel as though you are drifting along without direction? Do you desire to know the path you should travel? Are longing to know you are loved? Are you willing to humble yourself before God?

Many people do not know their place in this world. They continue to wonder from place to place, job to job, and relationship to relationship trying to discover where they belong. They are seeking something they cannot find. Too often, they are looking in the wrong places.

If we truly want direction in our life, we need to turn to God. When we humble ourselves before him, he instructs us along our way. God provides the guidance we need by granting us peace with one choice above others. When we seek him through prayer regularly, we become attuned to his guidance. Our spirit becomes in sync with his Holy Spirit.

God is ready to instruct us. He is ready to guide us to the path that will be best for us. Why? God loves us with a love far more powerful than anyone else can. He is faithful to us when we are unfaithful to him. He continues to care for us regardless of what we do. But it is only when we obey him and submit to him that we will live our best life.

I pray we all turn to God for guidance. I pray we listen for and follow God’s instruction. I pray each one of us will humble ourselves before God, honoring his covenant and obeying his commands. Humble yourself before God. Obey his commands. Know that God loves you. Know that God is always faithful. Live your best life.

Psalm 25:8-10

Good and upright is the Lord; 

therefore he instructs sinners in the way. 

He leads the humble in what is right, 

and teaches the humble his way. 

All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, 

for those who keep his covenant and his decrees.

Heart and Soul

Do you like music? Do you like to sing? What is your favorite genre of music? Do you like multiple genre’s? Have you ever had a song stuck in your head that kept playing over and over all day long? Would you sing a Psalm to God all day if you knew the tune?

Music moves people. Some songs bring us to tears of sadness. Others lift our spirits with joy and celebration. Some songs tell stories, even true stories. Others are just fun bops. Many of the hymns we sing on Sunday’s are based on Scripture and we can sing those all day long.

The hymn “Unto Thee O Lord” is based on today’s passage. As originally written by Charles Monroe, it has an uplifting tune and written with a two-part harmony. Though we may not be able to sing the two-part harmony on our own, we can hear it in our minds. Singing this Psalm will not only lift our spirits, but it is also pleasing to God.

The Israelites and the early church sang the Psalms as worship music. We have largely lost that tradition. Even if we prefer the “old hymns,” which were also new and contemporary when initially written, we are not singing the oldest of hymns. There is a plethora of contemporary Christian music today. Some of us like it and some do not. But what really matters? We are singing praises to God. It is a matter of the heart and soul.

I pray we all sing from the heart to God. I pray we sing Psalms that can lift our spirits. I pray each one of us allow the music to touch our soul while also giving thanks to God for his rich blessings. Sing the Psalms. Lift up your spirit. Give God praise. Thank God for his blessings. Be moved by music.

Psalm 25:1-2

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. 

O my God, in you I trust; 

do not let me be put to shame; 

do not let my enemies exult over me.

Keep Your Word

Have you signed a contract? Was it a contract to borrow money to purchase a car? Was it a contract to purchase a house? Was it a contract you signed as you were hired into a new job? Did you read the contract carefully? Or did you glance over it and sign it?

Contracts today contain a lot of legalese. Lawyers have attempted to draft them to cover every possible scenario. They have attempted to close all loopholes. In all their attempts to cover every base and close all loopholes, they have often included other loopholes unintentionally.

God does not go to such an extent. He makes a covenant with us and keeps it simple. His covenant to never flood the entire earth again was simple. The rainbow is the sign of it. For those who are of a scientific mindset, they will say this is ridiculous. The fine water droplets in the air reflect the sun and make the rainbow. So, why believe God did this?

The first thing we must do to answer this question is go back and read what happened leading up to the flood. From the beginning of creation until the flood, there had never been rain. There was a dew that watered the earth. We still have the dew, but not to the extent it occurred prior to the flood. God sent the rain to cause the flood, which was the first time any human had seen it rain.

God’s covenants are simple with no loopholes. They are based on God and us keeping our word. In the case of the first covenant God made with people, it is solely God who makes the promise. Nothing is required of us. We should adopt keeping our word in the same way God keeps his.

I pray we all know God’s covenants with us. I pray we take him at his word. I pray each one of us will follow God’s example, keeping our word and honoring the covenants we make. Know God’s covenants. Trust him to keep his word. Follow God’s example. Keep your word.

Genesis 9:17 God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.”

Promises Kept

Do you long for promises to be made and fulfilled? Are you longing for someone who will keep their word? Have you had someone break a big promise? Have you been part of a group who had a promise made to them? Do you know God makes and keeps his promises?

Broken promises can tear us apart. Especially if those promises are made to us as children. Any promise that is not kept creates distrust. We start being skeptical about the things a person says, if they have broken a promise. We may even have our hearts broken by a broken promise.

Because broken promises can be devastating, parents must be careful about making promises. They must ensure they can keep the promise they make. Stating we will do something cannot easily be cast aside. For by stating we will, we are making a promise. If we do not treat it as a promise, we do not put much stock in our own word.

Yet, God makes promises and keeps them. We see a promise God made in today’s Scripture, one that he has continued to keep throughout history. One that he will continue to keep until the end of time. We can count on it. After all, he has kept that promise for thousands of years.

As we see God has kept this promise, we can count on him to keep all his promises. As we look through Scripture, we see many promises God has made and kept. God continues to make promises to us today. He wants us to take him up on his promises, trusting him, and living in those promises.

I pray we all read God’s promises. I pray we trust his promises. I pray each one of us will take God up on his promises and live in them by trusting God in all we do. Read God’s promises. Trust in God’s promises. Take God up on his promises. Living in God’s promises.Genesis

9:8-11 Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, “As for me, I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you, and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the domestic animals, and every animal of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark. I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.”

Taken By a Whirlwind

How do you envision going to heaven? Do you dismiss the mystery of God? Do you prefer to have everything explained by science?  Do you want hard evidence rather than believing in the awesome power of God? What if you were taken without dying?

We like for things to be explained. Sometimes that is easy to do. Other times, we rely on complicated science experiments and theories. Still other times we rely on the evidence collected by archeologists or investigators. And sometimes we use our own logic.

But God works in mysterious ways and does things we cannot quickly explain. That can put a seed of doubt into our minds. Or it can increase our awe and wonder of the awesome wonder of God’s power. It can be a reason for us to drop to our knees and worship him. Ultimately, the choice is ours. We can be skeptics or faithful.

Elisha saw something that appears to come out of a fantasy book. He was walking along with Elijah, having a conversation, when suddenly a chariot of fire came barreling down between the two of them, then Elijah went to heaven in a whirlwind. We can’t think up anything more amazing!

So, do we believe that is what happened or are we skeptical? If we believe, we should be in awe of how God has worked and continues to work in this world. Our response should be one of praise and worship. God does things we can only imagine, but never achieve. His power is beyond our understanding. We should not easily dismiss the mystery of God.

I pray we all believe in God’s awesome power. I pray we are in awe of what he has done and continues to do. I pray each one of us will bow down to worship and praise God as the Almighty. Accept the mystery of God. Recognize his awesome power. Sing praises to God. Worship him. Give him thanks for all your blessings.

2 Kings 2:11 As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them, and Elijah ascended in a whirlwind into heaven.

Faithful Follower

Has there been someone you looked up, perhaps idolized, who you would follow to the ends of the earth? Was it a mentor who took the time to both teach and correct you as you were growing up? Is it a parent who you continue to respect and follow their advice?

Having someone we respect and honor can be very good for us. As they mentor us, we grow and mature into the person we desire to be. The right mentor will recognize our potential and provide the best guidance for achieving our potential. They can have a profound impact on our lives.

When we have such a mentor, we often never want to leave their side. We continually desire their wise advice. Yet, at some point, we must become our own person and move forward without them. Perhaps that occurs earlier in our lives. But even if it does not occur until that person’s death, we will have to live without them.

Elisha was dedicated to Elijah. He had learned quite a lot from Elijah regarding how to live out his life to God. Elisha respected Elijah, holding him in high regard. He knew that Elijah was blessed by God with prophecy and insight into God’s will. Elisha desired be like Elijah. Perhaps he thought that he could learn enough to be blessed by God in the same way.

Elisha promised to never leave Elijah’s side. We would be with him until the end of his days. Even as Elisha knew Elijah’s days were about to come to an end, he refused to leave him. His dedication to Elijah would ultimately payoff.

We, too, may be dedicated to a mentor of ours. Perhaps even to the level of Elisha. But we may also mature to the point we no longer need to be with the mentor. We may have learned all we can learn from them. Yet, there is one mentor we can never outgrow, that is God. God should continue to be our chosen mentor throughout our entire lives.

I pray we all have a mentor who provides wise advice. I pray we recognize when we have learned all we can from them. I pray each one of us continue to look to God to be our lifelong mentor. Seek a mentor you can learn from. Follow their wise advice. Continue to seek God’s advice. Trust him always.

2 Kings 2:2 Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.