Timely Thinking.. In His Word 1-29-18

Timely Thinking- In His Word 1-29-18

Esther 4:14 “… If you keep quiet at a time like this deliverance and relieve for the Jews will arise from some other place but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?”

Has a nation been born in a single day? Has a country ever come forth in a mere moment? But by the time Jerusalem’s birth pains begin her children will be born

Isaiah 66:8

Some days I feel like Moses, other days I feel like Esther; whoever I am reading about and identify with I am the person that God created me to be. We often sit and wonder what our purpose is in life, wondering why God created us if we keep failing at doing things. Then we come across a bit of scripture that says the whole thing we have been thinking.

Whatever it is that you are going through the Word of God will have some sort of encouragement,

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me for He has anointed me to speak, “He has shown you, O’man what is good and what does the Lord require of you… Micah 6:8

Micah 2-4^th chapters have shown me so much lately. I do not plan to go there but I end up there from either turning pages or cross references; what I glean from these few verses is amazing! How does God do that?

 “I will surely assemble all of you, O Jacob,
I will surely gather the remnant of Israel;
I will put them together like sheep of the fold,^[d]
Like a flock in the midst of their pasture;
They shall make a loud noise because of so many people.
The one who breaks open will come up before them;
They will break out,
Pass through the gate,
And go out by it;
Their king will pass before them,
With the Lord at their head. Micah 2:12

There are words there that will cause me to break into song!

“Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
To the house of the God of Jacob;
He will teach us His ways,

And we shall walk in His paths.” 4:2

The first time I read through it all I saw was the part about judgment coming on Israel . Telling us we need to get right with God, or rather Israel had to, I thought “Okay God, I get that.”  Then I read through to the promises that land would come back to them and how horrible they were as people and all that, then I read where the prophet said the Holy Spirit is within him. Then if I continue on to ‘Come and let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord up to the house of our God, He will teach us of His way an we will walk in His path’… and on to how it talks of all the goodness to come. It can be so encouraging!  Peace, prosperity and enjoyment of grapevines and fig trees. It is great! No fear! It tells us about the exile to come for them at that time; we know they went through it and are returning to their home land now but these verse go through so many timely things that the people of Israel went through. I look at the things the Lord puts before me, and you; do we do them in a timely fashion? Do we rush in before its time?  Or do we wait upon the Lord where His presence will bring us fullness of joy?

Trust in the Lord, and do good;
Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
⁴ Delight yourself also in the Lord,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

⁵ Commit your way to the Lord,
Trust also in Him,
And He shall bring it to pass.

Psalm 37 :3-5

If we really read our Bibles we can find nuggets like this;

When we focus our lives on His Word and His direction He will bring things to pass that will amaze us! We may not think we can do what He gives us but just like with Moses; God will get it done!

He will gather together the people He needs to be there, He will gather together the things needed to get the job done! He brought back Israel, many times; He has brought us back to His presence many times. We are human and though we don’t like to admit it sometimes we allow the cares of this world to get in the way of God’s plan for us. Still if we keep our eyes on Him trust Him with our future we can live in the ‘Such a time as this’ mentality and He will use us.

It is kind of a neat feeling to know that you have been used in a time of need, just in the nick of time!  It is also amazing to have a desire to do something and not finding anyone who has the same desire walking the path, and then finally you find some person who has the same idea! 

God brings people into our lives to glean from one another so that when we walk His path we can gather together and seek Him for the same end.

God is so good. He knows when to introduce a need, and desire and a hopeful outcome.

If you build it, they will come. The Field of Dreams tells us; but God’s Word shows us,

If He plans it, then it will come to pass!

Dear Heavenly Father, help us to be open to Your timing, not just ours. Help us to see your will in all that we do, and lead us through the caves of darkness to find the light on the other end. Help us to share your Light’s direction with others, In Jesus name, amen.

Suggested reading: Micah 4:11-13, 5:1-13 and 6:1-8, and Psalm 37:1-40

What are your plans? In His Word 1-2-18

What are your plans? - In His Word 1-22-18

Moving forward in the year, in life, in His Word; we have to begin in the same place in order to ‘get it done’! We need to be prepared in our hearts via His Word and prayer.

The preparations of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes; but the Lord weights the spirits. Commit your works to the Lord and your thoughts will be established. Proverbs 16:1-3

 

Sometimes we think we know what is best, we set things in  motion on our own and we step out into the water only to sink because we do not really believe God is with is in a thing. This thing can be a ministry, a new car, or a new life path; whatever it is we can plan all we want but it is God who will bring it together.

When we hear God’s voice call to us to do a thing; through our Bible, or prayer, or through a preacher or teacher speaking to our heart from His; we must respond to the call of God. It is not something we can really ignore, and usually we know it when He is the one encouraging us to do, or write a certain thing. It is the kind of idea that comes to you and creates such an excitement, yet almost a fearful feeling at the same time as you see the specific plan unfold before you.  

Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send and Who will go for us? The I said, “Here I am! Send me.” Isaiah 6:8

Often we think as Moses and ask Him; “Who am I that I should…” be called to this task, but God knows who we are, He knows our heart, and mind. He knows why He chose us to do a thing.  

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31 

We need to remember that.

Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God. Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything. Dear friends, if we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence. 1 John 3:19-21

There are times when we feel as Moses did, that we are not enough, not good enough, not wise enough not cool enough, or not spiritual enough. But God knows us! He knows our hearts, our minds, our lives. He loves us just as we are and can use us just as we are.

In whatever state we are in when He calls to us to do whatever it is that He has given us to do He will equip us to do it!

 

But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. 1Timothy 2:14-17

This is the purpose for In His Word each week; to be an inspiration to be used by God to encourage others to read the Bible and hear God’s voice speaking to their hearts and minds and helps them to find the way God has put before them. Whatever the plan is that God has put before you or I we must walk in it because He has put it there. Writing all these years has been in the plan that God has for me. Perhaps He has planted a seed to write in you? Or maybe it was to speak or to preach to the lost? Maybe you are an exhorter, or a nurturer of injured souls? Whatever it is ‘tier of shoe laces’ even has a specific purpose in God’s plan for you and I! 

So let it be done as He said!

God said that we should walk in faith, trusting Him and obeying His commands. He said that we should love Him and others through the Holy Spirit in our lives. In each day that He has given us, we have been given a plan. Even if you do not see it yet! He has a plan for this day, for this week for this year! For your life; God has a plan.

This week, take the time to think, pray and read the Bible. Find a notebook or some space in the back of your Bible and just write out the thoughts that you have about what you think He has planned for you. Then leave it at God’s feet for a few weeks and go back to it. If it still feels like ‘fire in your heart’ then put it into action. If not, then leave it on the shelf until He is ready to have you see what it was meant to be.

Dear Heavenly Father, open our ears to hear and our eyes to see what Your spirit is saying to us today. Help us to hear what Your plan is for us today. And help us to listen and follow through, in Jesus name, name.

Suggested reading Romans 8:1-39,  1Timothy 3:1-17, Ephesians 4:1-32 and Proverbs 16:1-33

Despise not the days of Small Beginnings - In His Word 1-15-18

Despise not the days of small beginnings - In His Word 1-15-18

It has been 20 years since this blog/article was started!  We have never charged for it; it is offered up free! 

 What began as a favor for a dear friend's home schooling group grew to become what it is today; in His Word. 

I am amazed at the fact that in all those years God has continued to give me something to write about! He is amazing, why am I amazed? I should expect it but then maybe not? I could have not listened to what He gave me to write and gone off on a tangent. Or I could have just decided to blab on about things that I found fun to talk about. The fact is I can find a lot of topics or ideas to share about; I love talking. After all, it is a part of who I am. I am delighted that God gives me a platform in which to share the delights He has give me each week! I have decided over the years to write intentionally; to write when God gives me the words and when He gives me the purpose to write.
When we read the Word of God, the writers of each book of the Bible wrote with intention. They were gathered together and put in this wonderful life living book by the collaborators but the words were written with the intention to bring us to the saving knowledge of God Himself. They wrote to guide us in our walk; to give us hope when we find life dragging us down… they were inspired by His greatness to share His love, hope, wisdom, strength, and direction.

As I was reading today I came across the words ‘be brave’ in 1 Corinthians 16:13-14. This was a big enough talk to the people reading Paul’s letter. He as speaking to the hearts of people who were waiting for him to come to them, giving them guidance in preparing for his arrival and instructions on how to attend to his needs as he entered a dangerous zone for Christians of the early years. He spoke the words below.

 Now about our brother Apollos—I urged him to visit you with the other believers, but he was not willing to go right now. He will see you later when he has the opportunity. Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love. According to the New Living Translation and in KJV it is written as follows;

Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.  Let all your things be done with charity. 1 Corinthians 16:13-14

When we read this it says to be courageous and strong but a little more study gave me the translation of “play the man” or “be the man”; in modern terms we would say “man up!”

So as not to offend, I would say we could translate that further to woman up as well, in other words don’t be afraid to do the work of the Lord. He is the one guiding you in the thing, right?  When we are heading into the territory of sharing God’s Word with someone, whether by verbal or written word, we need to be sure that we are speaking and writing in the Spirit. If we are writing or speaking of the flesh we can do more harm than good, God is with us in all that we do but realizing this as we share His story is essential to hitting the hearts where the arrows are meant to go! So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power^[a] of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins.  He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit. Romans 8: 1-4

If we follow God via the Holy Spirit we cannot go wrong, even if we think we have messed it up or spoke too much, God will reach the hearts and minds through His Holy Spirit. Our part is to walk in the Spirit, and walk in love.

But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.) And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life^[d] because you have been made right with God.  The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you. Romans 8:9-11

When we choose to walk in the walk that Christ encourages us to follow then we need to trust God to bring us to the place He has planned for us. This is not always easy; many have tried and failed for lack of guidance and direction via the Holy Spirit. There are many so called Preachers out there in T.V. land that have attempted to go beyond their calling when the lure of fame and fortune came to them. We people have a history full of putting people on a pedestal. Peter and Paul and their buddies all had to deal with either being put up as ‘gods’ or stoned and left for dead not to mention being locked up in prisons.

Still His Word got out and reached the people, the jailors, the peasants, the kings and queens that God wanted. It’s all over in the Word of God!

We need to remember that without God nothing will prosper. Even when it seems the wicked are prospering we can trust that God has a plan in it. That may sound odd but it is true. God can take the money that an unrighteous man has and use it for His own benefit. In the same way we can use what God means for good and misuse it for our own glory. The thing we need to remember is that when we do that any reward we get on earth that is our reward.

 “Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get.  But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Matthew 6:1-3

I would rather get the reward in heaven! The mere joy that I receive when people share the Words God has inspired in this blog gives me such reason to rejoice! It is not about me, but about the Words in which He has given to write. I thank God daily for giving me fingers to write, and hands to move them for He is the author of all things.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for the past 20 years! Lord I pray that each week you continue to use me to send out the Word even to the uttermost regions of the earth. Open our ears to hear and our eyes to see what Your Word has for us this week, this day, this moment in time, in Jesus name, Amen.

Suggested Reading; Psalm 37:1-37. Mathew 6: 1-34. Romans 8:1-36 and 1 Corinthians 16:1-24.

Begin Again..Seek God in His Word 1-8-18

What are you planning to do with your year? Seek the Lord while He may be found. Many people start the year fasting or working out, we eek God for wisdom in His Word.  

Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him"— these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 1 Corinthians 2:6-10

The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. "For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ. 1 Corinthians 2:14-16

But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human? 1 Corinthians 3:1-4

A wise old man once called himself an infant, to me he was old, I was only in my early twenties!  Take into account that this man was 70 some-odd years old. He had been an evangelist who traveled around on the mission field, speaking the wisdom of God for many years. He was in church almost from birth. This man came from a family in which most of the men and women went into some sort of ministry. Yet, he called himself an infant in the Lord. I really did not get it, at first. 

The man went on to explain that even as we grow in Jesus and think we have gained so much knowledge; we really know nothing. You know, it's kind of like the old saying, “the more you know the more you know that you do not know much.”

We really do know nothing in comparison with the Holy Spirit in us. If it were not for God imparting this gift of a comforter to us we would not gain the understanding needed to progress truths in our Christian walk. We sure can't trust all of the teachers in the world today to tell us the truth. We have to be able to pick up our Bibles and read for ourselves.

There are many good teachers out there, but there are also many teachings that are off base. Though we are mostly trying to achieve the same thing, life in Christ and eternity with Him eventually.

Aren’t we all just looking for God in all the odd places? Or are we? Some teachers out there today are looking to make a living at preaching. Others are living to preach. Some Christians are living to serve Christ, and others are serving to live in Christ.

Am I confusing you? Think for a moment  and ask yourself; are you living to learn more each day and share the Gospel, or are you living to get rich? Are you serving God because He will make you get ahead in life; or are you ahead in life because you serve a living God?

It is all a matter of perspective.

As we begin this new year we can have a new perspective on our lives. We can start out new with plans for healthy habits, saving money, cleaner houses and better lifestyles; but what about God? What is His place in all of this?

As a home schooling teacher I was usually  looking ahead to the next 6 months of school and recalculating what work there was to do. I was checking where we were ahead and were we were behind. Then I set up my plan for the rest of the school year.

As a Christian I am to look ahead to see if I can see what God may plan to do with me. Or more correctly, what I can do for Him in this new year, new month, new day. It is not a matter of the number 2018, it is a matter of perspective.

What am I to do with what the Lord has put before me? What shall I do with what He has given me?

If you are a planner or a goal setter, instead of making a resolution this year why not try to ask God what to do with the year He has given you. You can plan to read your Bible in a year with the Pastors and other leaders at your church, but what will you do with what you have read? Will you keep it inside? Or do you even pay attention to what you are reading?

I have to admit there have been days when I read through my Daily Bible and did not actually soak in the words I was reading. My mind was elsewhere. We can read through the whole Bible in a weekend if we try. One of our pastors has done this. But do we really grasp what we are reading in that fast read? Sure, you might get something if there are no distractions. But how much focus on His Word can you actually have if you are rushing through to get on to the next thing? 

This year let’s start out by praying that God will keep the distractions away from our Bible time. Then let’s add some salt and light to that. Let’s ask Him to bring the Word to life in our hearts and minds. Ask that we will see the characters in our mind's eye and hear what they are saying, so we can understand what it is that God wants to tell us.

Then let's take it up a notch. Let's ask him to give us meat! No longer milk but good, thick, chewy meat of the Word. We need the kind of stuff that takes a while to chew, and then a while to digest. We need to take a while to think on these things. When we drink the milk of the word, it is good, smooth and cool going down, but it's gone in an instant. Meat takes time. Selah! 

We have been given a gift, the mind of Christ, that we may grow into a deeper relationship with our God and Father. We should not have to wonder if we should follow this man or that woman, we should know His word for ourselves. We should follow after God’s plan for us, not follow what a man tells us we should follow. Don’t get me wrong, we need to listen to the pastors and leaders the Lord has put before us. But we also need to take the Word and read it for ourselves. Let’s not get lazy because we have overhead Bibles on a screen at church. Take the time to decipher the Word each day. Take time on your own to read the scriptures the Pastor gives in church. Check it out and see what God has for you to learn. Sometimes two people can sit beside one another and get a totally different sermon. What does God have for you today? Read the paper Word! 

If you choose one thing to do this year that you did not do last year, I would ask that you choose to get a deeper relationship with God the Father. Get the deeper relationship that Christ came to give you. Know the heart of God through Him, growing closer as you dig deeper. Dig deeper in the Word and really read. Pay attention to what you read then swallow it to digest it. Digesting is thinking on it for a while.

The Word of God tells as about getting the meat of the Word for a reason. He wants us to think about it for a while - a long while. Meat is there to give us strength, to fill our needs, to help us grow. I am speaking of the spiritual food now; go take a big bite and chew on it for a while! Get ready for the year ahead and if you fast, be sure not to fast from the Word of God. Fill the gap you have with the meat of the Word, you will find health for your spirit and your bones!

Dear heavenly Father, help us to chew on your Word today. Give us the meat of the word and help us to digest it in Your time. Draw us nearer, Holy Spirit, that You may fill us with Your power, with Your peace and with Your understanding. In Jesus' name, amen.

Suggested readings: 1 Corinthians 1:18-31; 1 Corinthians 2:1-16; 1 Corinthians 3:1-23; Psalm 139:1-24; Psalm 117:1-118:29.

Beginning In His Word 1-1-18

Beginning in His Word- 1-1-18

"In the beginning was the Word..." John 1:1... Genesis 1:1 reads it as “In the beginning God created…”

From either location you read it or write it from; there was a beginning and God was there.

When your life began; God was there.

When you went to school for the first day; God was there.

When you discovered you could walk; God was there.

When you started to talk; God was there'

You get the idea. God is with us wherever we go. There is no place so far away that we can run, hide or secret ourselves away from His presence. So why do so many people try? Why do people hate? When will we have true peace on earth and goodwill toward man? 

 

Seriously the only answer to all of this is when we all, every person, acknowledges that God is real, that Jesus died for our sins and that the Holy Spirit dwells with us now.  Unfortunately, the bad news is that not all will realize that before it is too late. Our God is a just God but there are people out there that just refuse to give in to Him. They choose to carry their burdens themselves like the little two-year-old saying “Me do it!” Sometimes they do fine, other times everything falls apart; the difference between someone who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ and those who don’t is the way they handle the crazy situations that arise. 

It just takes beginning in the Word to get the right outcomes in the midst of some trial or other troubled situations.

Sometimes beginning in the Word is hard to do; we struggle with changing our pattern in life to progress forward with a God planned thing. God wants you to begin in His Word today. The first day of 2018 can be the beginning of a life of peace, joy, and hope for you!

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17

Start with this! Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved! 

And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”  Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.  Acts 16:30-32

Simple right? Well not always because some just don’t get it, some of us took more time to convince that God was who He said he was; or who He really is. God provides proof, then its up to us to decide; whether or not He knows what we will choose He allows us to make that choice.

Just as He did with Moses. God knew He had called Moses to believe, and to lead the people from bondage to promise; but Moses did not know that right away, nor did the people of Israel. He had to show Himself to Moses and give him special abilities via the Holy Spirit to get the people to trust Moses.

But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.  And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh. Jude 1:20-23

We are so fortunate to live when we do because we are among those who can believe and receive the Holy Spirit on spot! We do not have to go through hoops to reach God, we but have to trust, obey, believe and pray!

Not necessarily in that order.

You should get the idea by now that our beginning of 2018 should be with God in the first part of our mind, our day, and our plans. If not, then things will not be as acceptable to us nor will they most likely be acceptable to the Lord. We must conform to God’s standards in life as a Christlike person, we must give over to Him our weaknesses and accept His strength to keep us firm in our commitment to Him.

So lets make it a plan to begin in the Word!

Read daily, pray daily at least; think on what we read and prayed about. It is the best way to start the year!
If you do not yet have time set aside to read get a short daily read book (some suggestions to the right of this blog) and start your day in baby steps; then as you get going you will find yourself hungering for more!

There are Daily Reading Bibles that are easily purchase at ChristianBookDistributors.com,

They are not expensive either! These can help you get started with daily reading and thinking on what you read as many have a mini devotion attached.

In today’s modern society we really have no excuse for not reading at least a scripture a day; begin today!

Read chapter 1 of Genesis and or a proverb.  That may sound adventurous to you? Start with the scriptures below for this week, and follow along the path each day with one or more suggested reads a day. There is no excuse not to start today!

Go to biblegateway,com and listen while you work, or work out; just do it! Begin in His Word!

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for being an ever-present place in our lives today! Help us as we begin our new calendar to put time with you in each day’s list, In Jesus’ name, amen.

Suggested Reading: Genesis 1:1-31, Jude1-25, 3 John 3:1-14 , 2 John 1:1-13,and 1John 5:1-26.