Signposts Up Ahead?

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

Romans 8:28

You know those yellow and black road signs that show the curve of the road?

Some display simple left or right curves ahead and some are squiggly lines indicating a road ahead with lots of twists and turns.

They are meant as a caution for you so that you know what lies ahead and can adjust your speed accordingly.

Wouldn’t it be nice if life came with those kinds of indicators?

Here a couple of examples:

 “Trial Just Ahead”

“Next Exit – Tests and Difficulties”

But I have yet to encounter any of those ‘signs’.

Even for believers; we find God often becomes silent just as we enter the wilderness.

He knows there is a “Promised Land” for us on the other side but we must cross the desert to get there.

The ‘early warning’ we are looking for often only serves to bolster a

self-reliance instead of a God reliance He desires each of us to grow into.

Are you ready for the next test?

It may be just around the next corner...

...but God is already there waiting for you!

Let this Mandisa song minister to you - 

https://youtu.be/b8VoUYtx0kw

Acceptance

“Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.”

Romans 15:7

Accepting someone does not mean we agree with everything they say and do.

We are often reluctant to accept those whose view and opinions don’t match ours precisely.

But what of Christ’s acceptance of you and me?

Stop and think honestly about that for a moment.

Certainly we did not find ourselves in 100% perfect union with the Spirit of God before we were accepted and adopted into the family of God.

And yet that is precisely what He did!

When you fail to accept the weaker brother who believes differently than you, what are you doing?

You are both judging him and rejecting him.

That kind of divisiveness is not pleasing to the Lord.

When we accept one another, Paul says, we bring praise to God.

Don’t miss that opportunity.

Let God work in those you might disagree with just as He is working in you.

If you or I kept the company of only those we completely agreed with concerning the faith then we would be very lonely indeed!

It’s like Christmas 365 days a year

Today’s blog post is contributed by David Trotta:

What is one constant thing that happens every morning?  The sun rises.  No matter what happened the day before, one thing you can bet the farm on – the sun will rise in the morning.  And with it will come a brand new day with hopes, dreams, challenges, and opportunities.

Do you know what else happens every morning?  It’s just as sure to happen as the sun rising.  Can you guess?

The answer is in Lamentations 3:22-23 where God says “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

Do you see it?  Every morning, we receive a new supply of God’s mercy, regardless of how much of God’s mercy we used up the previous day.

I love Webster’s definition of mercy.  It reads – “Compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm.”

Every morning, you and I get a fresh supply of God’s compassion and forgiveness no matter how badly we messed up the day before.  God wipes the slate clean – every morning.

It’s like Christmas 365 days a year. God’s mercy is a gift we get to unwrap every morning.

Mediate on this truth the next time you roll out of bed in the morning.  It will cause your heart to well up with love and gratitude towards your heavenly Father and motivate you to live a life pleasing to Him.

All For Us

“ He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

Isaiah 53:3-6

The entire chapter of Isaiah Chapter 53 is familiar to many.

It speaks about Jesus hundreds of years before He comes to earth.

Yet a few verses stood out to me recently as I read them.

Verse 36 says the Messiah is “...a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.”

So often we picture the suffering of Jesus beginning in the Garden of Gethsemane when He prayed.

Yet this verse tells us He was a man of sorrows (plural) and that He was familiar with suffering.

To be sure, no man endured what Jesus did on His way to the cross but suffering was not introduced to Him that day.

Certainly it was more intense but He was familiar with suffering and sorrow throughout His ministry.

He had come from heaven; He saw the effects of the fall of man.

No doubt the unbelief of others – even of the 12 He had chosen – weighed on Him.

Perhaps the rejection of His own people caused great sorrow to Him.

One thing is clear form this verse though, much in His life and ministry prepared Him (as much as one could be prepared for the horror He endured) for the sorrow and suffering of Calvary.

But it was not a fruitless suffering because three days later He rose.

What He endured along with the victory of the resurrection was done for you and for me.

Praise God for His willing obedience!

Honor and Respect

“Give to everyone what you owe them:

If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue;

if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.”

Romans 13:7

I want to add to what was posted here previously concerning the verse above.

Am I holding back what I owe someone?

The verse expressly tells me to give everyone what is owed them.

Paul specifically mentions taxes and revenue but then he goes on and nails every one of us by mentioning two other things we often withhold – respect and honor.

He had just been speaking of those in authority so in context how about a little respect and honor for those who lead our nation, state, city or town?

How about a little respect for our boss, our teacher or the police officer?

Nowhere in this verse does Paul declare we only need to respect those that we agree with.

He doesn’t even say respect and honor only those you like!

Respect and honor are due then because of the position of authority they hold understanding that they hold that position with the authority and permission of God.

Soooo...when we disrespect and dishonor those to whom respect and honor are due...who is it really that you are disrespecting and dishonoring?

Food for thought.

I Owe, I Owe...

“ Give to everyone what you owe them:

If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue;

if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.”

Romans 13:7

I owe, I owe so off to prayer I go!

Huh?

Isn’t that little ditty supposed to be:

I owe, I owe so off to work I go? Nope, at least not in my version.

You see what I take away from the verse above is not to owe any many anything and that includes gratitude.

Do you owe someone a word of thanks for a blessing you received, large or small?

Don’t hold back what you owe.

I know what you’re’ thinking –

“Why this message today – shouldn’t this post be for the third Thursday in November?”

I hope not! Gratitude must not be expressed one day out of the year only, nor should it be persuaded out of us because it is what ‘everyone does on this day’!

Yes, I know Paul was speaking about respect and honor but how better to respect and honor someone than to express your gratitude to them.

It may be just the encouragement they need to hear.

Maybe they were ready to throw in the towel but your words motivate them to persevere.

What an honor to have a part in someone continuing in the work they have been called to.

Soooo...as you go to prayer ask the Holy Spirit to show you if you owe an expression of gratitude or thanks to someone and then follow-up by obeying.

You just may reap what you sow!

One Day at a Time?

“We did not give in to them for a moment,

so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.”

Galatians 2:5

One day at a time?

How about one moment at a time?

With all due respect to the song writer who penned these words –

“One day at a time, sweet Jesus, that’s all I’m asking from you.”

I have to sing a different tune.

“...moment-by-moment new mercies I see.”

A 24 hour block of temptation is just too much for me.

I can get into trouble way faster than that!

I don’t know about you but I need a moment-by-moment walk with the Lord.

Think about it this way – twenty-four hours equals one thousand four hundred and forty  minutes which equals eighty-six thousand four hundred seconds.

Eighty six thousand and four hundred seconds!

That’s a lot of opportunities to lose my focus and turn my attention away.

Nope, it’s got to be one moment at a time for me.

When we learn to live in the moment with our walk with the Lord instead of one day at a time we are given the chance to stop and linger in His presence.

We need not wait until the end of the day or the start of a new one to ask for His mercy and receive the grace we need to make it through the moment we are facing.

Call me weak if you want but I choose the moment over the day.

Moment-by-moment!