God’s Call

“Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by a man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—.”

Galatians 1:1

At the outset of the Epistle to the Galatians Paul identifies himself as an Apostle.

The word ‘apostle’ in its’ simplest interpretation means ‘one sent’.

Paul clearly points out that he was sent by Jesus Christ and God the Father.

In so doing, he leaves no question about where his authority comes from.

It was not given to him by man but by God Himself.

This was the ‘backing’ or the ‘sponsorship’, if you will, from the one who sent him.

The confidence you have in your call should come based upon who called you.

Paul spoke with confidence and authority because he knew he was called and he knew who called him!

Are you confident in your calling?

We are a called out people.

We are called to be light.

We are called to be salt.

We are called to a ministry of reconciliation.

We are called by the one same God and Lord who called Paul.

And we are filled with His Spirit so that we might walk with that same confidence and authority.

Walk confidently in that calling knowing who has called you!

God’s Yoke

“For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Matthew 11:30

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.

Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves

be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”

Galatians 5:1

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,

for I am gentle and humble in heart,

and you will find rest for your souls.”

Matthew 11:29

Take some time to think on these verses.

Gods’ yoke is easy and His burden is light.

Are you struggling under a heavy burden of oppression?

Perhaps you have yoked yourself to religion or some man made philosophy. Let God remove that burden and be yoked to Him.

Again, it is worth repeating – His yoke is easy and His burden is light!

God’s Children

“Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you!

As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”

John 20:21

 

Do you carry the peace of God with you?

We are to do just that you know.

We need to be saturated and overflowing with the peace of God in our lives.

When we walk into a room where there is discord, we bring peace.

Too often though we carry things we should not.

Instead of His peace we carry fear, anxiety, anger or a host of other things.

Looking at the verse above it is clear that it was never Gods’ intent we be sent with any of those things.

Don’t be that kind of believer who is contentious, and quarrelsome, prepared to pick a fight at the tiniest of perceived slights.  

Rather be the one of whom Jesus spoke when He said:

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”

Matthew 5:9

Always Before Me – Part II

Today's blog post is contributed by David Trotta:

Yesterday we looked how important it is to always have a keen awareness of our sin (Psalm 51:3) so we can understand and appreciate the incredible cost God paid to redeem us.

Today we ae going to look at what needs to be set before us to remain strong and have victory over sin.

Psalm 16:8 says “I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.”

In the above verse the word “set” implies an action. When something is set before you, it’s directly in your view.  Where ever you look, there it is.

  The psalmist has chosen to set His spiritual eyes and the affections of His heart always on the Lord.  The Lord was preeminent in His thoughts.

I know for me personally, the Lord is not always front and center in my view.  Often times it’s the cares of this world that are the largest objects in my vision.

But I’ve learned there’s only so many things that can be crowded into our view, and to keep the Lord at the forefront, some other things have to be removed.

When our spiritual eyes are fixed firmly on the Lord sin will lose its power and allure and we can boldly say with confidence “I shall not be shaken” no matter what crisis or challenges come our way.

When God’s face is set before us, He becomes magnified and we desire to please Him through our thoughts, words, and actions.

Where is the Lord in your view today?  Is He in your front view or rear view?  Is He far off in the distance or is He close?

Choose today to set the Lord always before you.  When you do, you will not be shaken when the storms and temptations of life come.

Always Before Me

Today’s blog post is contributed by David Trotta:

For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. (Psalm 51:3)

I’m sure you’ve heard it said many times….the first step in overcoming an area of sin in your life is knowing you have a problem.  Unless we come face to face with our sin, we won’t run to God for forgiveness and restoration.

The above verse tell us King David was always keenly aware of the sin in his life.  Not for the purpose of glorifying or magnifying his sin, but to restore broken fellowship with the Lord, which can be the result of sin that is not dealt with in our lives.

Without first acknowledging his sin, David would not have been able to cry out “create in me a clean heart, O God!” (v10)

King David was broken over His sin and that positioned him to receive a restorative work from God.

God doesn’t want us to focus on our sin, but a healthy understanding of our weaknesses and failures allows us to better appreciate His forgiveness and understand the depth of His love for us.  That understanding in turn causes us to love Him.  I John 4:19 says “We love because he first loved us.”

In Luke 7:47, Jesus said there’s a correlation between how much we are forgiven and how much we love – “Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.”

May we always have a keen awareness that our sin compelled a loving God to leave heaven, come to earth and willingly lay down His life so that we could be forgiven and our fellowship with Him restored.

I got it!

Today's blog post is contributed by Denise Friedman:

Have you ever desired something, yet it always seemed just out of reach? Maybe the timing wasn’t quite right.  Maybe you were not in the correct position to receive it.  Maybe you tried to stifle the hope deep within you. 

Yet that dream would not vanish.  It would continually resurface.  So you kept dreaming, hoping, desiring because you knew this dream was something God had given to you. 

You might have had seasons where you became discouraged and all you could pray is “Thy will be done.”

Then, suddenly, God fulfilled this desire, and you felt so alive!  His word tells us:

Hope deferred makes the heart sick; but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.

Proverbs 13:12

Today, if you are hoping for something, please be encouraged to continue pressing in.  God has placed that desire within your heart.  Don’t give up now; you might be near the finish line!

Maybe you have recently had a desired filled which seemed out of reach.  Share what God has done in your life.  Encourage others to keep pressing in and not surrendering to discouragement.  Share fruit from the tree of life you have been given.

Thy Will Be Done

Today's blog post is contributed by Denise Friedman:

Living in the Northeastern New York, we are privileged experience four seasons every year.  Each season has its beauty and its hardships.  We always look forward to the next season for the beauty of that season. 

We also move through seasons in our walk with Jesus.  Some seasons are full of joy and beauty.  Other seasons seem to last forever, full of hardships.  Perhaps you are in a difficult season right now.  Perhaps you are questioning where is God during this time, surely this can’t be part of His plan?

Scripture reminds us:

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

– Jeremiah 29:11

Please be encouraged by this promise from the Lord.

Even if the season you are in is difficult, know with confidence: He has plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.  Know God’s will is what will prevail in your life.

Please take a moment to listen to this song by Hillary Scott:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAmh3yvmzXs

Power-washed

Today's blog post is contributed by Denise Friedman:

Recently I have been working on staining my deck.  The first part of this process involved power washing to remove all the dirt, mold, and previous stain.  This is a tedious process.  As I was using the power washer, I felt God say to me, “This power washer removes everything out of the wood, which is what happens when people give their lives to me.  Their sins are all removed, never to be seen in my eyes, just as if it never happened.”

No matter how deep, how large, or how long that stain was in the wood, the power washer is able to take it out, just as Jesus’ blood washes away all our sins.  All our sins.  Not just the ones that happened recently.  Not just the “minor” sins.  All our sins.  There is no sin which is “set” and cannot be removed by the blood of Jesus.

Maybe you have been waiting to try to get that stain of your past cleaned.  Today is a great day to do some Power Washing!

And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Hebrews 10:10

How desperate are you?

Today’s blog post is contributed by David Trotta:

They couldn't bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. (Mark 2:4)

Back a number of months ago a story was in the news about a failed robbery attempt where some thieves cut a hole in the roof of a coin shop with the hopes of lowering themselves inside and making off with all the loot.

The only problem…they misjudged the location of the coin shop and instead cut through the roof of the restaurant next door.

The thieves were obviously pretty desperate to get their hands on all that gold and silver.  If only they had altered their plans a little to the left.

As we talked about last week, the friends of the paraplegic in the above verse were pretty desperate to get their friend in front of Jesus.  So desperate that they too climbed onto the roof and dug a hole to get inside, only not for gold and silver, but to steal some time with Jesus.

Desperate times call for desperate measures.  The paraplegic and his friends knew that all too well.  They may not have another opportunity.

How desperate are you to get in front of Jesus?  Is there something standing between you and Him that needs to be removed?  Does the roof of your religious house need to be ripped off?

And if you feel like you don’t have the strength, enlist the help of a couple friends who are Christ followers to help you remove those barriers standing between you and Jesus.

We need to get our hearts squarely in front of Jesus with nothing in between.  What measures are you willing to go through to position ourselves to receive that breakthrough from Jesus?

Are you willing to drop something from your busy schedule?  Are you willing to turn off the TV?

Whatever it may be, don’t put it off any longer.  Get up on the roof and start ripping.

Who Are You in Lock Step With?

“Blessed is the one

    who does not walk in step with the wicked

or stand in the way that sinners take

    or sit in the company of mockers,

but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,

    and who meditates on his law day and night.”

Psalm 1:1-2

Jesus was accused of “associating with sinners.”

In doing so, was He being disobedient to the commands of Psalm 1:1-2?

Certainly not!

We are told to be in the world – as salt and light – and not of the world.

We are to be the influencers, changing the people and the culture around us.

We are to walk among them but, as verse one points out, not to walk in step with them.

There is a huge difference.

I believe it is also why fellowship is so very important to each and every one of us.

It is a sort of ‘recalibration’ to the Kingdom of God if you will.

We remind one another of what is most important and gives us opportunity to encourage one another in our walk – to walk in step with the Kingdom and not with the world.

I cannot walk in step with others if I walk alone.

Take these words to heart:

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

Hebrews 10:24-25

God is Not a Man that He Should Lie

“Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends,

let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.”

II Corinthians 7:1

“...we have these promises...”

Have you ever taken the time to consider the promises of God.

No, not the promises of man, not the promises of a politician, rather the promises of the One whose spoken words created the earth and all that is in it!

His Words and His promises are weighty.

They can be trusted.

They can be relied on!

Gods’ Words are sure and they will keep you from falling.

Hold fast to His promises.

Commit them to memory.

Tell your children of His promises.

Make them an anchor for your life in times of distress.

There is no better foundation you can build in your life than the one built on the promises of God.

The promises of man come and go.

They are a slippery slope if ever there was one but the promises of God are bedrock steady and unchangeable like God Himself.

So what are you waiting for?

Stand firm on them today.

Do you hold His promises in your heart?

Go Ahead, I Dare You...

“Live in harmony with one another.

Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.

Do not be conceited.”

Romans 12:16

“Live in harmony with one another.”

These are wise words to remember as each of us walks through life.

But they are not always easy words to obey.

Our pride, our social status, and our smug attitudes are addressed by the Apostle Paul essentially because these are huge stumbling blocks to living in harmony with one another.

I cannot serve Christ to the fullest and live aloof from those who are different from me.

Different by their skin color, education, social status or a host of other things we use to measure one another by.

There is a lot of finger pointing going on in our culture today.

This group or that, or so we claim, are responsible for our problems.

But what if, instead of finding fault (yes, it’s there in each of us) what if instead you asked God to show you some way to encourage and bless someone you have previously looked down on?

That’s a radical thought.

Go ahead, I dare you...

Eyes Wide Open

“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”

Revelation 3:14, 20

“Could somebody answer the door, please?”

Have you ever asked that question at your house?

Imagine opening the door and finding Jesus there!

Revelation comes to the one who opens the door.

The invitation has been given.

It is a clear and simple invitation that Jesus offers.

Open the door to Him and He not only comes in – He breaks bread with you!

Remember the two disciples on the road to Emmaus?

The moment of revelation took place when?

“When he was at the table with them, he took bread,

gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them.

Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him,”

Luke 24:30

The two disciples had invited Jesus into eat.

They went beyond the casual acquaintance of a stranger they met along the road.

Their journey included inviting Jesus in to eat with them.

They spent time with the Lord.

Have you gone beyond the walk along the road with Jesus?

Have you invited Him to dinner?

Have you committed to spending time with Him?

If you do, you just might have your eyes opened!

Dying to Get In

Today’s blog post is contributed by David Trotta:

And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. (Mark 2:4)

I’m sure you’ve heard about the stories during black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving.  People waiting in line for hours to be the first one in the store to scoop up those bargain deals.  The scene has even turned violent at times with people pushing and shoving to get in the door.

Now I’m not advocating violence, but wouldn’t it be nice if our churches had that problem?  Wouldn’t it be nice if wherever a group of Christ followers met, crowds would quickly gather eager to get glimpse of what God was doing in their midst because of the stories they’ve heard?

Could you envision that happening?  Why not?  It’s happened before.  When Jesus walked the earth, large crowds followed him wherever He went.  They pressed in to get close to him, even touch him.  They even ripped roofs off house and dropped through the ceiling for a chance to stand in front of Him.

Why?  Because Jesus not only taught about God, but He also demonstrated the power of God.

What if the church (you and me) today routinely experienced that same power?  What if healings occurred?  What if the power of addictions were broken? What if hearts were transformed because of an encounter with the love of God?

Unfortunately, many times when Christians meet, the presence of God is the last thing people see.  Instead, they just see a form of religion that is void of biblical love and power.

God reacts to the hunger of His people.  May we be single minded in our desire for God to rend the heavens and come down so that people will get a real taste of the Kingdom of Heaven here on earth.  When they do, they won’t be able to stay away. They will be drawn to what we have.  They will push and shove to get in.

So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick. (Matthew 4:24)

Let’s make Jesus famous on the earth again.

You Can’t Blame the Teacher

“Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

Psalm 37:4

 

“Holy Spirit teach me” you’ve prayed.

You have been sincere in your prayer.

But the cares and concerns of life have crowded out the very revelations God would bring you about those care and concerns.

In our frustration we want to blame God.

The desire of the student will determine what is accomplished and not the teacher.

You see, it takes more than just expressing a desire.

That desire is to be followed up with concrete steps.

If I desire a new job I must take steps toward seeing that desire fulfilled.

If all I do is sit at home and wait for that job to fall into my lap I will be sitting a long time.  

 God will use the world as His classroom to teach you.

He will use the circumstances and affairs of life to bring revelation.

But none of it will happen when that desire in our heart is not followed up with obedience to what He shows you.

Is your instruction from God what you might call “Christianity Lite”?

Is there no real depth of understanding?

If so, it may be time to evaluate your true interest in the subject.

Ask God to give you a heart on fire for Him and then get alone with Him – not just once – make it your lifestyle.

Are You Hungry Enough?

“The hungry consume his harvest, taking it even from among thorns,

and the thirsty pant after his wealth.”

Job 5:5

We’ve all seen them.

“All you Can Eat” Buffets.

Do you pile the food high on your plate?

If you were spontaneously invited by friends you met but had just had a large meal at home my guess is your plate would not be too full.

Your hunger will determine not only how much you eat but also what you eat.

The same can be said concerning receiving revelation from God.

Are you hungry for it?

Does it hold value for you?

Then you find the time to meditate, study and listen.

If you tell me you are indeed hungry for it but never crack open His word, never spend time in His presence listening and never pursue His word beyond reading by digging in and studying it I would have to say you really are not that hungry.

Our actions can support the words we speak or they can reveal the disconnect between our speech and our behavior.

Your hunger will determine what you put on the plate of your daily life.

Is real time made for the pursuit of God or do you merely provide lip service?

That is a question only you can answer.

Are you hungry enough?

Answering the Call by Waiting

“Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.”

Isaiah 64:4

When God calls you to do something it may be quite some time before you actually walk in all that that call entails.

Often there are seasons of growth and learning, seasons of doubt and setbacks all on the journey to answer that call.

The Children of Israel were called to take the Promised Land.

You know the story.

They spent 40 years in the wilderness until the next generation was raised up to fulfill the call the first generation missed.

When they did finally enter the Promised Land it wasn’t taken overnight.

One by one they took the cities and the strategies to take each city were seldom the same.

Has God called you for a specific purpose?

Then wait on Him for the timing, the training, the strategies to accomplish what He has called you to do.

Rushing headlong into that calling is most often not the wisest course.

Joshua received instruction from the Lord specific to conquering Jericho.

The city of Ai presented setbacks that had to be dealt with before any forward progress would be made in taking the land.

The point is simply this.

When God calls, He equips.

That equipping takes place as we spend time in His presence and obediently doing and believing what He shows us.

Are Gods’ Words a Puzzle to You?

“He who has ears [to hear], let him hear and heed My words.”

Matthew 13:9 Amplified

  

You’ll never learn to drive if you don’t get behind the wheel.

If you have no desire to drive you won’t get in the drivers’ seat.

Our ‘hunger’ for truth will determine how much we receive.

Do you have ears to hear?

Or are they just appendages off your head to hang some jewelry on?

It is Gods’ desire to be in intimate relationship with us.

It is also His desire to reveal His secrets to us.

But will He speak to you of His secrets or will He only speak to you in parables?

It is really your choice.

He tells us:

“Come near to God and he will come near to you.”

James 4:8a

Are you drawing near to Him to learn of Him?

Do you honor Him with your obedience or attempt to flatter Him with your lips?

If you are like me it doesn’t take long to figure out when someone is being insincere.

How much more so then, can God, who knows our hearts also know the level of our desire for Him.

Draw near to Him today.

He will respond by drawing near to you.

A Great Spiritual Land Rush

Today’s blog post is contributed by David Trotta:

Every place on which the sole of your foot treads shall be yours; your border will be from the wilderness to Lebanon, and from the river, the river Euphrates, as far as the western sea. (Deuteronomy 11:24)

Has God called you to take some spiritual ground from the enemy?  Maybe it’s the heart of a neighbor or coworker?  Maybe it’s a new ministry God is leading you into?  Maybe it’s simply being a light in a dark place?

Whatever it may be, just like the nation of Israel, God has given you that land.  As God’s church, every place we tread the land is there for the taking.

So get your spiritual stake ready to lay claim to that land.

But before you can take the land you may have to kick off a few squatters.

A squatter is someone who settles on land without right or title.  Our spiritual advisory, the devil, likes to lay claim to hearts and minds that belong to God, but he was stripped of his authority over 2000 years ago.

Luke 10:19 says we have been given authority over the power of the enemy.  So, wherever God is leading you, go with confidence.  God has given you the spiritual deed over the land.  All squatters have to go!

That said, in order to take any land, you have to tread somewhere.  A sure fire way to not expand the kingdom of God is to stay in your comfortable life, inside your comfortable four walls.

It easy to do.  Stepping out into new land can be uncomfortable and require sacrifice, but we have our marching orders.  Jesus said “Go into all the world.” He was telling us to take the land!

In the late 1800’s the US government held great “land rushes” in Oklahoma where tens of thousands of people lined up to lay claim to millions of acres of land.

In these end times, God is setting up a great spiritual land rush for His church.  There’s lots of land (hearts) to be taken.  Are you ready?

Sowing to Make a Difference

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked [He will not allow Himself to be ridiculed, nor treated with contempt nor allow His precepts to be scornfully set aside]; for whatever a man sows, this and this only is what he will reap.”

Galatians 6:7

How many things would you estimate you do in the course of a single day?

From the moment you open your eyes until you climb back into bed is it 500 things? 1000? 10,000?

Every day you and me act on impulses, we make choices, we do right and wrong things.

Every day we sow and every day we reap.

In other words – what you do on a daily basis matters.

It matters to you, it matters to others and it matters to the Kingdom of God.

Are your actions, those things that you sow every day, reflecting to others the value you place in the Kingdom of God?

Wait, let me answer that question.

Yes, they are.

For good or for bad your daily actions matter.

Do you ever ask yourself:

“What will this action of mine sow?”

“”What impact will this choice have for the Kingdom?”

“If I do this, what are the results?”

These are good and valid questions to consider.

Some actions have little or no consequence to the Kingdom – like what I choose to eat for breakfast – other actions – like how I respond to a mistake made by a co-worker – could impact their impression of me and in turn of Christ, greatly.

Take time to ask the question today – “What is this action sowing?”

Don’t Take That Trip

“[God] disarmed the principalities and powers that were ranged against us and made a bold display and public example of them,

in triumphing over them in Him and in it [the cross].”

Colossians 2:15

Can you re-read the verse above and notice the tense it is spoken of?

It tells us that God disarmed, not is disarming.

It tells us that powers were ranged against us, not are.

It tells us God made, not is making.

I think you get the point.

It is speaking past tense, a done deal!

The victory is won.

If that’s the case, you ask, why am I still battling the enemy?

Maybe you talk too much.

Alright, let me rephrase that...

Maybe your words agree more with the enemy of your soul than with what God says.

Ouch, that hurt!

When was the last time you looked at what God declares about His redeemed children and understood He is talking about you?

We too quickly latch on to the enemies lies and agree with his destructive and discouraging words.

The enemy is defeated and he specializes in defeat – his delight is to bring you down.

Don’t take the trip.

Let your words speak in agreement with God.

He is truth and His words are true.

They can be trusted, they can be believed, they can be spoken over your life!

Be Light

““The people who were sitting (living) in [spiritual] darkness have seen a great Light, And for those who were sitting (living) in the land and shadow of [spiritual and moral] death, Upon them a Light has dawned.”

Matthew 4:16 Amplified

Where does darkness ‘go’ when light comes?

It is overcome by the light.

Light and darkness cannot share the same space.

The Gospel of John tells us:

“In Him was life [and the power to bestow life],

and the life was the Light of men.

The Light shines on in the darkness,

and the darkness did not understand it or

overpower it or appropriate it or absorb it [and is unreceptive to it].”

John 1:4-5 Amplified

We are to be light in a dark world.

We are to shine on in that darkness.

We may be misunderstood but darkness cannot overpower the light that is in us.

That light is Jesus Christ.

Look for those opportunities to be light today.

Let your light shine in the dark places.

Mans’ Way or Gods’ Way?

“So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath,

the Jewish leaders began to persecute him.”

John 5:16

What were the ‘these things’ that Jesus was doing on the Sabbath?

It wasn’t just preaching and teaching.

Jesus was healing the sick and setting free those in bondage.

I don’t imagine those who were indeed changed by the power of God touching their lives were upset that God chose to do what He did in their lives on a Sabbath day.

But we can also be so ‘ruled’ by our traditions that we don’t easily accept when God steps in to ask us to be about His business and not so concerned about the ‘way we’ve always done things!’

Jesus was persecuted, in part, because He did not follow the traditions man had established.

...And, horror of horrors, He was changing people’s lives and they were following Him.

If that was allowed to continue then before you know it the religious leaders of the day would no longer have the perceived authority and credibility so important to them.

Through it all Jesus continued to go about doing good.

He continued to do what He saw His Father doing.

In our lives the loudest critic is often our own thoughts.

We battle in our mind about the ‘old ways’ and wonder if we are somehow betraying expectations when we fail to keep traditions.

But any tradition that keeps us from doing the will of God is not worth being kept!

Don’t let traditions lull you into a place of disobedience.

Seek Him first!