Above All Else

Today’s blog posting is contributed by David Trotta:

When I walked down the aisle over 30 years ago, I pledged my heart to my wife.  Till death do us part, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer…..you know the drill.

To this day, my wife still requires and expects that same commitment.  She will not settle for anything less than ALL my husbandly attention and affections and she deserves nothing less. Can you imagine if I looked my wife in the eyes and said “honey, I love you and Mary, and Jill, and Suzie?” 

The aftermath would not be pretty.

In the same way (and even more so), when we said yes to Jesus, we pledged our hearts to Him and He will not settle for anything less.  God repeatedly challenges us in scripture to love him with ALL our heart (Luke 10:27, Deuteronomy 10:12, and Matthew 22:37 to name a few).

Yet our actions and affections often say “God, I love you and [insert here anything that we spend more time thinking about than God].”

How serious is God about not playing second fiddle to anything or anyone?  Listen to what He says in 1 John 2:15-17 – “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”

Or again in Matthew 10:37 “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”

Pretty strong words, but yet so necessary for us to hear.  Our creator and Lord deserves nothing less than our all.

God’s love is freely given in abundant measure. It is never based on anything we do or don’t do.  However, to glorify His name on the earth and experience all He has for us, He must have preeminence in our life.

Will you respond to His call today to love Him above all else?  Will you shed lesser things and pursue Him will all your heart? It’s a moment by moment journey, but one so fitting for the King of Kings.

A Part Time God?

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness,

and all these things will be given to you as well.”

Matthew 6:33

Certainly, the verse today from the Gospel of Matthew is familiar to most.

We recognize them as the words of Jesus from the Sermon on the Mount.

But when we consider them, are they applied to our lives in a general or in a specific way?

What do I mean?

Do we generally apply and agree that God must be first and then simply go on living our lives as we please.

Or

Do we specifically seek God as it relates to our work, our relationships, our calling, our...you name it!

Is every part of our lives surrendered to the command?

God loves you dearly and He wants what is best for you in each and every corner of your life.

The corners of your life going smoothly as well as the ones that have hit a bumpy patch of late.

We are the ones who compartmentalize God and relegate Him to a few hours once a week.

But He is a 24/7/365 God and that is why Jesus tells us to seek Him first for every aspect of our lives.

Don’t make God a part time God in your life.

Kidnapped!

“For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.”

I John 2:2

Have you ever had to pay a ransom?

I hope not!

We most often associate a ransom with someone having been kidnapped.

Not a very pleasant thing to have happen to someone we love, is it?

But that is exactly what Jesus did for us when he suffered and died on the cross for you and me.

No, He didn’t say – You pay the price for you own freedom.

As a matter of fact scripture declares clearly to us that while we were still sinners Christ died for us and gave His life as a ransom for many.

How many?

Whosoever will, that’s how many.

Whoever will accept Him and His sacrifice.

The truth is you cannot pay your own ransom.

You were born in sin and the ransom required a sinless sacrifice.

That is what Jesus did for you!

In the words of the old hymn –

“Halleluiah, What a Savior!”

Will the Whole World Be Saved?

“He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins,

and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.”

I John 2:2

Some have read the verse above and incorrectly taught that the whole world has been saved through the atoning work of Jesus on the cross.

His work is certainly available to the whole world but many will not appropriate it.

You see, He has completed the work for ‘whosoever will’.

That means anyone who avails, by faith, the work that was accomplished can be saved.

But it is an act of faith on our part that recognizes we are sinners and that each of us in need of salvation.

Many cannot get past that ‘sin’ point.

After all, they conclude, I am better than so-and-so.

Maybe so, but that’s because you are measuring your life against so-and-so and not against the sinless Lamb of God.

He is a holy God and He is also a loving God.

Gods’ love made the way for us to be brought back into fellowship with our Father.

There was, and is, only one sinless person to have ever walked the earth and He died for you and me and so-and-so.

If you haven’t accepted His sacrifice made for you it is not too late.

Call out to Him today.

With great love, He is waiting to receive you back.

Don’t Go Dumpster Diving

“So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.

You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God,

you will receive what he has promised.”

Hebrews 10:35-36

We throw away things we no longer value or items that have reached the end of their usefulness.

Have you ever lost something you did not mean to lose only to find yourself dumpster diving or digging through your garbage at home hoping against hope you could find it?

How long would you search for it?

Would you continue to look long after others told you to ‘throw in the towel’ and admit it was gone forever?

Imagine throwing away something as priceless as our confidence!

The writer of Hebrews encourages us to never do such a thing.

You see, when we marry our confidence together with perseverance there is a reward worth waiting for.

The fulfilled promises of God in our life our not to be discarded.

They are not to be cast aside when in a moment of weariness.

Hang in there despite the circumstances.

Hold fast to your confidence and do not let it slip from your grasp to the trash heap of regrets.

You will be richly rewarded if you do.

Not my words, they are a promise from God!

Our Alabaster Jar

Today’s blog post is contributed by David Trotta:

While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. (Mark 14:3)

In the above verse, the alabaster jar had to be broken for the perfume’s fragrance to be released.

In much of the culture in the church today, brokenness or being broken is not a popular or often preached topic.

Yet, in order to release the fragrance (presence) of God in our lives, we need to be broken.

Broken from what you ask?  Broken from the self’s – self-will, self-gratification, self-centeredness.

With “self” dominating our lives, the fragrance of God cannot be released in its fullness.

If you sense God challenging you to rearrange some priorities in our life, or you sense Him tugging you in a different direction than the one you are currently headed in, don’t resist.  Surrender your will to Him.  There is not a gentler master.

Brokenness is often the pathway to a greater level of intimacy with our heavenly Father.

The very costly presence of God resides in every believer, but our alabaster jar must be broken for the fragrance of God to be released. 

But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. (2 Corinthians 2:14)

What Does the Lord Require of You?

“He has shown you, O man, what is good.

    And what does the Lord require of you?

To act justly and to love mercy

    and to walk humbly with your God.”

Micah 6:8

“I am, and there is none besides me.”

Who would you guess spoke these words?

I can guess who you’d be thinking.

But you would be wrong.

It was not God who said it!

At least not in the case of Isaiah 47 verses 8 and 10.

It was the Nation of Babylon.

In their pride they declare what you would expect God to declare.

They were boasting based on their history of conquests.

But an eternal history is left to God alone.

He is the Great I Am.

He alone can truthfully declare:

I AM and there is none besides me.

We may hear others speak these words or similar ones that challenge who God is and boast of who they are.

Every generation has them and ours is no exception.

But that kind of pride resists God and invites a downfall.

Just ask the Babylonians.

Wait a minute, you can’t!

Speak Up and Speak Out

“The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom,

    and their tongues speak what is just.”

Psalm 37:30

As I consider today’s posting I asked myself what could we speak over our cities, towns and villages.

There were two declarations that immediately came to mind.

To cities like Baltimore, St. Louis and Chicago which have seen riots and on-going violence we can speak the words of Jesus – “Peace, Be still!”.

We can declare peace where there has been anything but the peace of God and we can speak to the contrary voices and those who would declare violence, rage and anger to be still!

To cities seeking answers to difficult situations, whether financial, administrative or even concerning future planning we can speak and pray according to James 1:5

 “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”

We can be a people who stand in the gap for a village, a town, a city, a region and a nation.

Begin to pray and speak over that place the good things of God.

Let your voice rise above those who speak destruction and despair.

Let our voices collectively as the church be voice of the hop offered through Jesus Christ.

Speak Up and Speak Out!

From the Ghetto to the Garden

“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the herald,

who proclaims peace,

who brings news of good things,

who proclaims salvation,

who says to Zion,

"Your God reigns!"”

Isaiah 52:7

We all know the power of words in our own lives and in the lives of others.

But what is the impact of our words concerning a village, town or even a nation?

It does make a difference!

Just as righteousness exalts a nation, righteous words can build up and not tear down.

Are your words for your community disparaging?

Try asking God to give you a word from His Word to begin to speak over your neighborhood, your town or your city.

Believe God for the change you are declaring to come to fruition.

It is not time to give up, give in or get out!

It is time to see the Kingdom of God advance around the corner and around the world.

It is time to see the ghetto transformed by Gods’ power to a garden!

Even in Jesus’ day, certain places were held in low regard.

Remember these words from Nathanael to Phillip?

“Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?”

Well, yes as a matter of fact the Messiah of the World grew up in a town some looked down upon.

Maybe, it’s time to rethink what God can do with your town and to begin declaring good things for it!

Pay it forward!

Today’s blog post is contributed by David Trotta:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

Have you ever been comforted by the Lord?

The comfort you received wasn’t just for your benefit. God comforts us with a twofold purpose – to bring comfort to us in our time of need, and through us, bring comfort to others in their time of need.

  In the above verse, God comforts us with the expectation that we pay it forward.

God is all about multiplication.  He gives to us so that His blessing can be multiplied by us giving to others.

There’s a lot of talks these days about “paying it forward.”  It’s a popular principle, but that principle has been around a long time.  God is the originator of it.

In another example of paying it forward, the king in the parable in Matthew 18:23-33 forgave his servant’s debt with the expectation that if faced with a similar situation, his servant would do likewise to others - to show mercy as he was shown mercy.

You know the story.  The servant did not pay it forward and the king was beside himself when he found out (the king in that parable represents our heavenly Father).

In yet another example, Jesus made disciples and then instructed His disciples to make more disciples (Matthew 28:19)

What has God done for you?  Think about how He has met your needs and then pay it forward.

Has God comforted you? Comfort others.  Has God bandaged a wound in your heart?  Bandage the wounds in others.  Has God blessed you financially?  Bless others.  Has God forgiven you?  Forgive others.

God is always moving in our life, so we should always be moving in the lives of others.

Pay it forward!

Listen to me...

“Listen to me, you descendants of Jacob,

    all the remnant of the people of Israel,

you whom I have upheld since you were concieved,

    and have carried since you were born.”

Isaiah 46:3

In this verse we see God acknowledging that He has upheld Jacob (or Israel) since their conception.

As a matter of fact, He draws a distinction between conception and birth knowing full well the argument forwarded by “pro-choice” people countless generations later that life begins and not at conception –

but the Creator declares otherwise!

If these were the only words in scripture making that point they would still be enough because they are the infallible words of an almighty and all-knowing God.

But truth be told, so many others also attest to Gods’ purposes and plans for our lives long before we were born or conceived!

None of us were (or are!) a mistake or a happenstance is His eyes.

Yet God...

“And Isaiah boldly says,

“I was found by those who did not seek me;

    I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me.”

Romans 10:20

In Romans 10:20 Paul quotes Isaiah 65:1 as noted above.

In context, He was speaking of how God would save and use Gentiles, in part, to provoke Israel to jealousy.

This dovetails with a recent bog posting where God, in Isaiah 45 speaks of using the Gentile leader Cyrus to deliver and bless His people.

So we find, in both the Old and the New Covenants that God will choose and use those we might overlook or flat out rule out for His purposes.

He delights in showing Himself strong through those who are

‘despised and rejected’ by men.

Is there someone who, perhaps even only in your thought life, you have said “God will never use them!”

Let these passages and many others in scripture be a lesson to us.

God will use whom He will use.

Perhaps others have thought the very same thing of you and me.

Yet, God...

Let God Be God!

“For the sake of Jacob my servant,

    of Israel my chosen,

I summon you by name

    and bestow on you a title of honor,

    though you do not acknowledge me.

I am the Lord, and there is no other;

    apart from me there is no God.

I will strengthen you,

    though you have not acknowledged me,”    

Isaiah 45:4-5

The 45^th chapter of Isaiah speaks of how God uses and blesses a Gentile King Cyrus “...for the sake of Jacob my servant.”

God will use not only the ‘saved’ or His people Israel to lead and guide a nation.

Cyrus was neither a Jew nor a follower of the Lord, yet God used him mightily to bring deliverance, freedom and blessing to His people.

He would not be put into neat little theological boxes we often try to relegate Him too.

Part of the chapter addresses God challenging those who would question who He chooses to anoint and lead others.

God may even choose to anoint and direct some in our own nation who do not readily acknowledge Him, much the same as He used Cyrus.

We should not resist those whom God has chosen because they do not fit what we believe is the pattern for a godly leader.

If God used a donkey for His purposes, He can certainly use whomever He chooses.

We must never find ourselves resisting God by resisting His anointed.

Let God be God!

Not Quite Old and Gray?

“Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.”    

Isaiah 46:4

Today’s blog is written especially to those of you who are not yet considered to be in their ‘old age’ and who cannot yet find a single grey hair on their head.

To you is the promise of God – the same one spoken through the Prophet Isaiah so many years ago.

God is the One who sustains you,

It is not your job, your bank account or your family.

It is God.

He reminds you in your youth that He created you and will carry you.

And when you need rescue?

A thousand times ten thousand His hands are there to rescue.

But...it is also a message to those of us whose gray hair far outnumbers any other color on our head.

To those younger we can look back and say yes and amen to what God declares.

We’ve known the sustaining power of God.

We’ve been carried away from destruction a time or two and rescued even before we knew we needed to be.

Yes, we can declare the faithfulness of God and tell you that He can be trusted.

He will keep His word.

The writer of Ecclesiastes had these words to declare:

“Remember your creator in the days of your youth...”

Remember and don’t forget because the day will come when you too can speak to those younger and declare with the confidence of hindsight as well as faith –

God sustains, God carries and God rescues!

Mental Toughness

Today’s blog post is contributed by David Trotta:

The new coach of a nearby sports team keeps preaching “mental toughness” to his players.  How they need to be resilient when things get tough and they run into obstacles on and off the field.

God also asks us to be tough minded.  2 Timothy 1:7 says “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

Instead of the words “sound mind,” one translation says “sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control].”

Let me say upfront that I can be a chief offender in this area.  I can lack self-control when it comes to my personal life.  I can be easily swayed by temptation or resort to fear and discouragement when challenges come my way.

But God desires us to have self-control, which is the ability to choose God’s path even in the face of strong opposition.  The ability to control one’s self when temptations come.  To exercise Godly wisdom in the midst of chaos.  To remain calm while being battered by the storms of life.

The key to unlock this truth is an understanding that God has already given us mental toughness.  It is not something we have to manufacture.  God has already equipped us with a sound mind.

It’s not an option, nor do we have any excuses is we choose to live an undisciplined life physically, emotionally, or spiritually.

We can’t use the excuse “it’s too tough.”  God has poured into us all the toughness we will ever need.  We just need to tap into what he has already made available to us.

For Christ followers, mental toughness should be a way of life.

A Litmus Test of Our Love

“Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.”    

John 14:23

In a way you might say that Jesus is cutting to the chase with His words above.

Recognizing that we often fail to live up to our own declarations concerning Him, He clarifies that those who love Him obey Him.

Not simply in word – we’re all good at proclaiming our love – but in particular our obedience to His teaching.

That is certainly a much higher standard.

We all know the tried and true clichés about our walk versus our talk.

Jesus preempts those tendencies to take the easy way out and declares the best evidence of our love for Him is in our actions and not our words.

In the course of twenty-four hours I say a lot of things.

So do you.

But people remember far more of my actions – and yours – than they ever will remember of what you said.

Of course – God comes alongside to help us in our walk.

Ask God today to help you live a life that measures up to the declarations of our love or Him.

A Present Reality

“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”    

Matthew 28:18-20

These verses hold so much treasure for us!

Perhaps today you are in need of the great confidence and assurance the words Jesus spoke at the end of these verses offer.

He, who cannot lie, has said He is “...with us always, to the very end of the age,”

He does not disappear in good times or bad.

When we are less than perfect He is with us still.

He remains closer than our breath through it all.

Some may say that these verse will not being fully appreciated until the last days.

But whether you consider these the last days or not we can still take comfort in the Lords’ words nearly two thousand years ago.

They carry the same power and comfort today as they did then.

Live today with the assurance that Jesus is with you.

Whatever you are facing, whatever storms are raging, He is with you.

That is more than a future hope it is a present reality!

Weighty Words

“What you heard from me,

keep as the pattern of sound teaching,

 with faith and love in Christ Jesus.

Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—

guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.”    

II Timothy 1:13-14

I wonder how many words we hear in the course of our day?

A thousand, ten thousand, more?

But what if each word had a weight to it based on its’ value to our life.

I wonder, then, how many ‘weighty words’ we would hear in those same number of hours.

Paul instructed Timothy to keep the pattern of sound teaching he had heard from him.

You see, Pauls’ words to Timothy had value, they had weight and impact for young Timothy as he fought the good fight of faith.

How about you?

Is someone speaking weighty and valuable words into your life?

Are you listening and keeping those words?

Let Pauls’ admonition to Timothy resound in your hearing today.

Listen to those who teach you the truth that is only found in Christ.

Let those words carry great weight in your life.

Teacher and Director

“This is what the Lord says—your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:

“I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you,

who directs you in the way you should go.”    

Isaiah 48:17

So what did the Lord just say to us in the verse above?

It’s easy to miss a couple of things that are key to our understanding.

God teaches us what is best for us.

Maybe it doesn’t always feel that way!

Sometimes we drop to the ground kicking and screaming like a toddler so that we can get what we think is best for us all the while ignoring what God is trying to teach us.

Like the stubborn child we are bound and determined to have it our own way.

Let God teach you – not what you want to learn – but what you need to learn!

Second key – God directs...

He won’t hijack your life and force you in the way you should go.

He directs you.

The choice is up to you.

You can follow His direction and fulfill your purpose in life or you can take your own way and settle for something less than His best.

Will you be a wise student who follows the Lords’ direction today?

Sacrificing the Best for the Good

Today’s blog post is contributed by David Trotta:

Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, oxen, fatlings, lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. (I Samuel 15:9)

Prior to going to battle with the Amalekites, God gave Saul clear direction not to spare anything, but after a decisive victory, Saul brought the spoils home.

What’s wrong with that you might ask?  Could taking the spoils really be a bad thing?  After all, they represented what was sure to be significant wealth for the country, not to mention warm clothing and plenty of food for the people. I’m sure the people of Israel had a lot of needs.  Couldn’t those spoils be God’s provision for His people?  Even scripture referred to the spoils as “all that was good.”

But instead, God severely chastised Saul for his decision, eventually costing him his position as king.

Why?  Because Saul chose to sacrifice the best (God’s direction and plan) for what appeared to be good.  Saul was lulled into choosing what looked good on the outside and popular to the people.

Be wary of the good things in your life if they keep you from God’s best.  Good things can come in neat little packages.  They might even appear to fill an existing need in your life at that moment.  How could that be a bad thing you ask?  After all, doesn’t God want to prosper us, both spiritually and physically? He does!  The bible declares that.

However, there are times where what appears to be good may not be God’s best.  God specifically told Saul not to keep the spoils, because it wasn’t God best for Israel at that time.

Is God calling you to give up some things in your life, even “good” things, so that He can pour out His best upon you?  Even some things that were blessing in the old season can become a hindrance if they are brought into the new season.

If God has given you clear instruction or a clear path to follow, stay the course, even if the path is littered with other “good” options along the way.  It will be tempting, but don’t stray to the right or the left.  Don’t sacrifice the best for the good.