I Want It Now!

16. and [see to it] that no one is immoral or godless like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal.  (Amplified) Hebrews 12:16 16. Watch out for the Esau syndrome: trading away God’s lifelong gift in order to satisfy a short-term appetite. (Message)Hebrews 12:16

Esau was the first born of the twins of Isaac and Rebecca and thus had the right to become the leader of his family when his father died. He also received a double portion of the family inheritance.  This was a treasured position in Israelite families. One day Jacob, the second born, who had food in his bag came upon Esau in the field. Esau had been working hard and was famished. When he saw Jacob, he was desperate for food and offered his birthright (the honor of becoming head of the family) to his brother, Jacob, if he shared his food. Of course, Jacob gladly made the trade.

I love the way The Message puts it, “trading away God’s lifelong gift in order to satisfy a short-term appetite”. Who in their right mind would do that? I would never do that! You would never do that, right? Is that like wanting something so badly that you take matters into your own hands to make it happen?  Is it like saying if you give me this today, I’ll serve you tomorrow?  Is it like knowing a financial decision is wrong, but you can’t wait for Him to provide for you? Is it like telling God you can’t trust Him to take care of your needs and you want the issue addressed now!  Is it like saying after I get what I think I can’t live without, I’ll trust and serve You?

Thankfully, we do not live under Old Testament rule, but under New Testament love and grace. We can repent of our self-centeredness, but we lose what could have been ours if we had trusted from start to finish. We’ll never know the blessings we missed by choosing our wants over His Will. Thankfully we can determine to never miss another blessing due to our unruly appetites as we surrender those appetites to Him!

Lord Jesus, forgive us if and when we have allowed our immediate desires to overrule our commitment and faith in You. When we surrender our appetites, wants and desires to You, they will be met at the right time, in the right way, and bring glory to Your Name instead of shame for our lack of trust in You!  You, who created us, know just how to fix us, and give us what we need, to experience lasting satisfaction.  Thank You for loving us and extending grace, mercy, and strength to wait patiently on You!  Your grace is sufficient to supply all our needs! Thank You, Father.

Forget the Checklist

This new plan I’m making with Israel isn’t going to be written on paper,
isn’t going to be chiseled in stone. This time I’m writing out the plan in them,
carving it on the lining of their hearts. I’ll be their God, they’ll be my people. Hebrews 8:9-10

The law given to Moses on stone did not work. The people did not obey or follow the law; thus, God punished them and created a new law. This law would be written on the hearts of His followers, not on paper, stone or clay tablets. This time God would stamp it on their hearts, where it would always be with them and in them.

How often have I read this scripture in my seventy-nine years, and today it is more powerful than ever before.  I understand about the law being on the outside. The Israelites heard it over and over and maybe even read it a time or two from the tablets or parchments that were constantly being revised to add more laws. But it was not a matter of the will and mind which can be very weak, but of the heart. God’s new plan was to be written on our hearts by the Holy Spirit! Our obedience was to come from the inside with an inner knowledge of forgiveness and a clean heart before God. These inner laws were to be founded on the love of God and sacrifice of Jesus. They were lived out before us by the Messiah and regulated by God, not man!  God would look at the heart and not the list of more than 630 rules and regulations, which no one could ever expect to remember or obey. According to His new law, sins did not have to be forgiven over and over with animal sacrifices. They were forgiven once for all, never to be remembered again. This new forgiveness was not just for outward sins, but the sins of the heart where sin originates. What an awesome new plan! Forget the lengthy checklist and listen to the Holy Spirit and obey. Keep those first two commandments and all else will come from a heart of love for God and others.

Thank You, Father for plan B, which is really plan A that was thwarted in the Garden of Eden. Thank You that we will one day experience the fullness and completion of Your original plan. Although I have had Your Spirit in salvation since I was seven and experienced a deeper walk and fullness as a college freshman, there is still so much I have yet to learn and experience. Help me understand more about You, and the power made available to us in Jesus’ resurrection and the giving of the Holy Spirit.

No Fasting, Only Feasting

When God wanted to guarantee his promises, he gave his word, a rock-solid guarantee—God can’t break his word. And because his word cannot change, the promise is likewise unchangeable. Hebrews 6:17-18

The writer is encouraging these Christians to continue to grow in the Lord. He talks about the danger and consequence of going back on your commitment to Christ. He then encourages them with the fact that Christ has promised rewards and blessings to those who follow Him which are all guaranteed by His Word. If he said it, we can count on it!

One of the main reasons to study and deepen our understanding of God is to know what to expect as we walk in His truth. He tells us what is expected of those who follow His Word and what we can expect in return. The more we study the principals and character of God through Jesus and the Holy Spirit the plainer the future becomes, and the more joy we can have as our faith and commitment to Him grows. As doubts arise and fears dismay, His Word brings hope and keeps us grounded in our faith and trust in Him. The Holy Spirit uses the Word to speak truth to our hearts and keep us focused on Christ! 

I love it when scripture confirms itself and strengthens our faith in the Word! Oh, how much we miss when we relegate Your Word to the coffee table or a shelf in our bookcase to be pulled out for Sunday church. How sad when we miss the daily feast prepared for us. I know fasting is good, Father, but not when it is from food for our souls. We need and must eat a steady diet of Your Word to grow and mature.

Help us Jesus, to feed on Your Word and build strong spiritual muscles. Help us to stand firm on Your promises, knowing they will all come true in this life and the next.  You have given us much to feast on here, but nothing like the feast we will have with You in heaven!

Desperate Love

During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. 8 Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered Hebrews 5:7-8

When Jesus was on earth, he prayed earnestly and fervently to His Father who was the only one who could save Him from death. He didn’t just go to the Father casually and ask Him to have the angels take care of thing, while He sat back and observed human life from the bleachers. No, He was on the field the entire game, tackling, blocking and pushing his team toward the goal line for the final touchdown.

Let’s remember how much Jesus gave up and yielded to His human form to be on that field with us. As God, He didn’t need to learn anything. He was there at creation. As God, he didn’t need to suffer; He could have spoken salvation into being. As God, He didn’t have to give obedience a second thought as it was inherent in His nature. As God, He knew He was the highest of the high priest. But, as man… He gave up total superiority so He could sympathize with us. He was humble, not expecting to be treated like royalty here on earth!  He chose to be confined to one location at a time. He chose to experience physical and emotional pain. He chose to die!  None of those choices were forced on Him. He chose so we can choose! It’s beyond human comprehension. “Such love, such wondrous love!!!”

NO words, Jesus, no words! Nothing we say can describe such desperate love and commitment to ones such as we are.!  Thank You seems so trite. We must not say “Thank You” with our words only but with our daily lives. Help us, Holy Spirit, to do just that. As we are required to make sacrifices for You, may we never forget what You gave up for us.

To Be Understood

14. Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven,[f] Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews4:14-16

The author speaks a language these early believers understood when he talks about a high priest. They knew well the job of the high priest was to present the people and their sins to God, offer a sacrifice and beg for mercy. They ruled from earth, sometimes with very little sympathy for the people. Often, they required more of the people than was possible in obeying all their 600+ rules But, the Great High Priest, Jesus, rules from heaven, after having lived among us and experiencing every problem we face, even the ultimate sacrifice, death for our sins!! Thus, He is the only High Priest who truly understands us. We can freely, with great confidence, bring our needs to Him because He knows exactly how we feel and how to help us!

We are often told how our trials and temptations can become a source of encouragement to others facing similar issues. We can accept that our struggles and victories will encourage others, and yet often overlook the fact that Jesus struggled in His human form just as we do and His victory over death is the ultimate encouragement and example to follow. We forget the huge price He paid, not only in death, but in life on earth!  He wasn’t born mature. He climbed trees, scraped His knees and caused problems for His parents. He knew hunger, rejection, had to escape for His life and knew great disappointment. He understood sorrow at the death of a beloved friend, and great joy at the wedding of another. He was tested and tempted and had to depend on his Father for strength. He knew the struggle we sometimes face in surrendering to the Father’s will. All this to become our “wonderful, merciful Savior, and perfect High Priest who understands and sympathizes with our humanity. He is the only one who can meet all our needs according to His riches in glory.

Jesus, thank You for the price You paid that we might know the Father and be able to spend eternity in heaven! Thank You for your great mercy and grace extended to us when we are confused, rebellious, stubborn, or lacking in spiritual graces. We know You are not there to condemn us, but to call us to faith and victory over our struggles. Your grace is sufficient to meet all our needs. Your mercy is everlasting, and Your forgiveness is ever present when we need it. You are an awesome and perfect High Priest who loves and understands us completely! Hallelujah!

My Way or the Highway

Even though they watched me at work for forty years,
your ancestors refused to let me do it my way; over and over they tried my patience. Hebrews 3:8 The Message

The author is reminding these Christians of their Jewish history and how faithful Moses was, but the people wouldn’t listen to God’s voice through him. He reiterates that Jesus is superior to Moses and that they need to listen and look at all He’s done and be obedient, not like their forefathers in their unbelief.

This passage reminds me of the lyrics from the old Frank Sinatra song, “I did it my way.” And I know we’ve all heard someone say, “it’s my way or the highway.” Or perhaps, “I know what’s best for me and my family,” or “God just doesn’t understand my situation.” Oh, how we must try God’s patience!

When I look at all God has done not just for me, but for my family, friends, the church, and the world in my lifetime, I am compelled to listen to His promptings, teachings, and call in my life. I have chosen to trust and believe that He can and will do what He says He will do! I never want to challenge Him with unbelief or self-centered thinking or actions. My way leads me to wander through a wilderness, while His way leads straight to the Promised Land!! How I want to reach that Promised Land and enjoy Father, Son, and Holy Spirit forever!!

Holy Spirit, help us to obey the truth. Help us to trust You to lead in the path of righteousness and reveal any unbelief we might have. Help us to see Your hand and recognize Your handiwork in our lives and give You the glory and praise Your Name!!  May we stand firm knowing You are in control and can part the seas of confusion, discouragement, disillusionment or unbelief. Keep us focused on YOU! May Your strength infuse us, and Your power overwhelm our weakness. Thank You, Father, for creation! Thank You, Jesus, for Salvation! Thank You, Holy Spirit, for resurrection power that indwells us to keep us focused on the prize – eternal life with You.

Is It Really Evil ?

But deliver us from evil (the evil one). Matthew 6:13b

Are the devil, Satan, and demons real? Is there a real war going on in the heavenlies over our faith? I think all of us would answer a resounding, “Yes!” You can’t turn on the news or read or watch any media source without seeing the effects of evil on our culture. Visit a prison, an orphanage, a home for unwed mothers, an abortion clinic, the streets of the homeless and you will often find the results of demonic forces and evil.

C.S.Lewis said, “There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils, one is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight.’

Jesus said we must ask God to protect us from the evil.one. Satan tries to attack us on all levels. What we see. What we hear. What we do or don’t do. He loves to attack us physically and through pain, our fears and anxieties. Thankfully Jesus not only asked us to pray for protection and deliverance from evil, but He shows us how to defeat and be victorious over evil.

Ephesians 6:11 tells us to -put on the whole armor of God, that we may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. We must be aware of his schemes in order to stand against them. Test your thoughts and actions against the character and actions of Jesus. What would Jesus do, say, or believe.

1 Peter 5:8 says we should be sober-minded; and watchful for our adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. I don’t know about you but just the thought of facing a lion, roaring or not, has me running to Jesus for protection and deliverance.

And finally in James 4:7 , James gives us the way to victory over the devil when he says, submit, (surrender in faith), yourselves  to God. Then, resist, fight back, stand firm, against the devil, and he will flee from you. Fight back with scripture as Jesus did. Speak the name of Jesus over your temptation or fear. Burst out in a song of praise to,  the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Whatever it takes, resist, dress yourself in God’s armor daily and be alert to the enemy’s tactics! Most importantly keep your focus on Jesus who has already defeated Satan on the cross and will enable you to be victorious.

I remember the quip from my youth, “If in doubt, leave it out.”  I believe we need to Stop, Drop to our  knees, and Check it out! There is always a reason something doesn’t feel right. Are you hearing lies, feeling false guilt, doubting the power of God? PRAY, RESIST, STAND FIRM ON THE WORD!

For Yours, GOD, is the kingdom, power and glory forever. Amen!

Why Me?

And do not lead us into hard testing. Matthew 6:13a (Jewish Bible)

In Matthew 4 Jesus was tempted by Satan who offered Him everything God had promised him without the suffering of the cross. If you don’t believe Jesus was really tempted but just going through the motions for our sakes, them I weep for you. What hope does that bring us? Jesus came to understand temptation firsthand and show us how to defeat the enemy.

In Luke 17:1 Jesus tells us there will always be temptations to sin. Makes sense since we live in a sinful world where the enemy is seeking to trap us, promise us success the easy way, and misinterpret God’s Word. 1 Corinthians 10:13 tells us that God in His faithfulness will show us a way out of the testing and help us to grow our faith as we endure.

When you are tempted/tested and feeling overwhelmed, remember Job and stand firm in your faith. Fight the enemy with scripture, seek prayer from other believers, speak words of victory into your situation. Remember it’s not how you start the battle, but how you finish, that counts.

You and I are fighting a battle Jesus has already won. We are not talking about the battle over that extra brownie, which tool to buy, or what to wear to a party. We are talking about a battle for your priorities, your time, your commitments, your thoughts, and ultimately your trust in God. The battle of the “Why me, God?” “Why my loved ones?”  “Where are You God in the silence?”

 Let this song encourage you today. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJOghIVI3Mc

I’m Sorry; Please Forgive Me.

12. And forgive us our debts,(sins) as we also have forgiven our debtors (those who sinned against us. Matthew6: 12

In the Roman world having an outstanding debt was serious business. It often became a matter of life and death. If you couldn’t pay your debt, you could be thrown in prison or even put to death. Jesus ‘disciples would have understood the seriousness and awesomeness of a forgiven debt.

Jesus told the parable of the Unforgiving Servant in Matthew 18. A servant owed the King what would amount to billions in our day. He begged for mercy and the King had compassion on him and forgave his enormous debt. That same servant left the king and found a man who owed him a few hundred dollars and grabbed the man by the throat and told him to pay up. When this man cried out for mercy, the servant had him thrown in prison.

Remember the Lord is all about relationships and family. Forgiveness draws the family closer to God. Unforgiveness separates and embitters the ones who should be the most grateful. Unforgiveness hardens the heart and, to me, seems a slap in the face of the One who died paying our debt. As God’s children we are not only forgiven, but must be forgiving.

Daniel Lancaster in his book, “Living Water,” says,” Forgiveness is more than a moral obligation; It is God’s invitation to extend grace and allow healing to take place. God envisions communities as places of restoration where forgiveness flourishes like a gentle rain washing away bitterness and breathing new life into relationships. When communities reflect God’s Kingdom, compassion and reconciliation become the norm. Forgiveness aligns us with his plan, bringing his light into our lives and the lives of those around us.”

Father, God, may be reminded of the exorbitant debt you paid for us and extend that same unbelievable mercy and kindness to others who have sinned against us.

‘

Hot from the Oven

11 Give us today our daily bread. Matthew 6:11

It has been a restless night, but you awaken to the aroma of freshly baked bread Just one slice slathered in butter and maybe some jelly, and suddenly you feel refreshed and ready to face another day. If only this could happen every day! Well, according to Jesus, it can! Jesus taught us to ask for fresh bread every day to refresh us and meet our needs. We were created as relational beings with needs – physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. We need God, Our Father, to meet those needs directly or through others on a daily basis.

When Jesus told His us to ask daily for bread, I believe He had in mind two types of bread, physical and spiritual. My mind immediately goes to the children of Israel in the dessert crying out for physical bread and He gave them manna. How often? Daily. Use it or lose it; it will rot if you try to save it for tomorrow. Today we often find ourselves eating that manna like there is no tomorrow and it rots around our waistlines. Ouch!

But what about the most necessary aspect of this prayer, the most important bread of all which takes care of all other needs, praying daily for spiritual bread.

John 6:32-35: 32 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven.33 For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”34 “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.”35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty

We need the Bread of Life daily. We cannot give God a long list of our needs on Monday and then go through our week independently as if He will remember them and take care of everything, no need for further contact. Well, He certainly does not forget anything, but WE DO!  Especially at the ripe young age of 79, I forget where I put my phone as it is ringing in my back pocket. God tells us to seek daily, pray without ceasing and come for daily renewal and commitment for His will to come to earth in our lives and our world as it is in heaven.

Are there any needs too insignificant or too impossible for Him to meet?!Praying for a handicapped parking space to open so you don’t have to walk the length of the parking lot? Praying for that the item you need to be within your budget?  Praying for your impossible neighbor to find Christ? Praying protection over your grandkids from the evils of this world Praying that the seemingly hopeless alcoholic in your family with turn to Jesus before it’s too late. Those can all be given daily to our amazingly powerful Father..

We can resolve that in 2025 we will take your thoughts captive, attend worship and tithe regularly, seek God in His Word and pray daily, but by the middle of January we find ourselves forgetting, struggling, failing. Help!! Hum? Could that be why, Jesus, knowing our human nature and limitations, reminds us to call on Him daily for forgiveness and renewal

Dear Father, give us today everything necessary to meet all our needs. Give us ears to hear, eyes to see and a heart full of love to seek, believe and obey You , we pray.