Sunday, December 31, 2017

"Because He Takes Care of Us"

"And he brought forth his people with joy, and his chosen with gladness: and gave them the lands of the heathen: and they inherited the labour of the people; that they might observe his statutes, and keep his laws. Praise ye the LORD." (Psalms 105:43-45)
Closing out another year, it is always good to mark the things that you want to bring into the new year, and to strike out those things that you don't. But whatever you do, don't let your first slipup be the excuse to slipup again! As simple as it is to understand what we must do, there is no getting around the fact that it is hard to do; we are completely and unconditionally dependent upon God to do anything that even comes close to what He wants us to do; and even then, we will still find a way to mess it up. If there was a way that we could have kept His law, then Jesus would not have had to come and pay the price for our sins. All that God does for us, He does because He loves us so much! We could never repay Him, nor does He expect us to. He does what He does to show us His great love for us, that we might at least be thankful and try and listen to what He might ask us to do. The bottom line to the choice we have before us, is what is the life we want to live out here: we can live a life filled with power and joy, that is based on the fact that we will at least make an effort to do what He says; or we can live a life of weakness and disappointment, that is the result of not even trying to listen. We observe His statutes and keep His laws because we know that He takes care of us; it's what all good children do for their parents, they obey what they say because they live under their roof, being fed and clothed and looked after; why would it be any different with how we respect God? That is pretty much the reason for the 'hallelujah' at the end of this Psalm, because He continues to do for us, more than we deserve, and more than we even ask for! And He does it all because He loves us so much, more than we could ever know or imagine. That is the real rest that God wants for us, that we might rest in His great love for us...
"But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together in Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: that in the age to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace. in his kindness toward us, through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:4-10) KJV

Saturday, December 30, 2017

"Love, That Never Quits"

"For he remembered his holy promise, and Abraham his servant." (Psalms 105:42)
Regardless of our performance and our ability to keep His commands, we have a God that loves us unconditionally and without merit; all God would have us do, is to know without a doubt that He loves us. I heard a message yesterday from Pastor Jeff, where he said something in the way of our need to ask God's forgiveness over and over for the same sin; that we really only need to ask once, and all the other times we just need to say, 'Thank You for forgiving me!' I don't know about that, but I understand the concept. It is like when you pray for a healing; do you pray just once and then believe that He will do it, or do you continue to pray until it is done? I know it is a little bit different when we are talking about sin, but the concept is still the same; once you ask God for His forgiveness, you need not ask for it again; just remember that you asked, and then walk in His forgiveness, with a thankful heart. You know what I am talking about? When we come to God and say, 'Lord forgive me, for I have sinned against you again;' and then the Lord says, 'It's all pretty much the same sin, you have already been forgiven.' On the other hand, the devil will try and use our continued failure against us, saying, 'Look at you, you are not saved; you can't be saved, if you can't stop falling in sin.' I'm sorry, but there is something we must realize about the devil: he is jealous of us with envy, because he is not offered the same forgiveness that we are. The thing we need to remember is that God's promises cannot be touched, because they are His! If God makes a promise, then there is nothing anyone can do to remove it or change it, it is holy! One of the meanings that is assigned to the word for "holy," is the word sanctuary, as in the place where we might go for having fellowship with God. It is the place where we can go, because God has made it available to us; there is no other reason or way, except that He provides the way into His presence! That is what He has done for us! Just as He did for Abraham, in that He account onto Abraham righteousness; so He has accounted righteousness onto us that are washed to the blood of His Son! Why would God do such a thing to someone as unworthy as me? Why would He not have given up on me? Wow...
"I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God's power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God's right hand in the heavenly realms. Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else -not only in this world but also in the world to come. God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself." (Ephesians 1:19-23) NLT

Friday, December 29, 2017

"Peace, That Flows Like a River"

"He opened the rock, and the waters gushed out; they ran in the dry places like a river."
(Psalms 105:41)
It is really quite simple to understand how this all works, provided you are looking at it in the light of who God is and what you must become. God never changes, He is always the same, yesterday, today, and forever. We are the ones that must change, we are the ones that must turn back to Him, always! If you are feeling resistance in your life, as if you are trying to paddle a boat upstream, then you are not going the right way and you need to turn around. It is really quite simple to understand, Jesus is not called the Prince of Peace for nothing; and it surely is not because He brought peace upon this world. This world will never truly know real peace; real peace will be felt in the new world, when God rolls this old one up like a scroll and presents His new one. The peace that Jesus brought was to those who belong to Him; those that follow Him and believe that He has the keys to eternal life. It is so easy to be taken off course in this life; whether it be for just a moment or for forty years, time is not the issue when it comes to turning a life around; what matters is the way that you are turning. Sometimes we might just turn slightly, as to get over to the shore and take a rest, thinking that we have made the right move because life just seems easier. But if we are not flowing downstream, then we are not moving, which means that our spiritual life can become stagnate. We can become hardhearted to the word of God when our lives become stagnate. We might hear the word, and we might even receive it, but if it's not put to work in our lives, it really does nothing. The river only flows one way; if you are going in the right direction, then the ride is easy! Jesus said, "For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." How is this even possible when life is so difficult? It's all about the Way! Only Jesus gives us a way that is free from the law and all the requirements that come with trying to keep it. When we are following Jesus, He is all that matters! So you messed up, turn back to Him; so you messed up again, then turn back again and again! Sometimes we simply just get off course, we get turned around, or we get stuck on the riverbank; but God is always, willing to forgive, and waiting for us to turn back to Him. The real definition of "the wicked" are those who are not willing to turn...
"This is what the LORD says -your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is good for you and leads you along the paths you should follow. Oh, that you had listened to my commands! Then you would have had peace flowing like a gentle river and righteousness rolling over you like the waves in the sea. Your descendants would have been like the sands along the seashore -too many to count! There would have been no need for your destruction, or for cutting off your family name." Yet even now, be free from your captivity! Leave Babylon and the Babylonians. Sing out this message! Shout it to the ends of the earth! The LORD has redeemed his servants, the people of Israel. They were not thirsty when he led them through the desert. He divided the rock, and water gushed out for them to drink. "But there is no peace for the wicked," says the LORD." (Isaiah 48:17-22) NLT

Thursday, December 28, 2017

"Good or Bad, He Still Feeds Us"

"The people asked, and he brought quails, and satisfied them with the bread of heaven."
(Psalms 105:40)
Don't think for a moment that I was suggesting that God will guide us or direct us to do wrong; I am simply saying that He will continue to guide our lives in whatever mess we make of it. A good example of that would be Peter, and his denial of Jesus. God did not guide Peter's heart into doing wrong; God knew what he would do, and He was with him through it and after it; God brought him through it, just as He said that He would! Maybe it is just my excitement with knowing how much I am loved, even though I truly don't deserve it. I tend to get a little carried away sometimes; and I will almost always try to make everything about the Gospel. This verse really kind of cracks me up; not that it is real funny or silly; it's just that God will even provide for us when our attitude stinks and when we ask for things for all the wrong reasons. It might not be exactly what we asked for or were looking for, but nonetheless, He will still provide for what we need. If you don't recall, the people were complaining about missing all the delicacies of Egypt, so God brought them quail; so much quail that they caused their stomachs burst and did eat until they were sick of eating. How many quail can you eat? I don't know, but I think that I could probably eat at least 3 or 4, without feeling too stuffed. We are talking about a lot of quail here, maybe upwards to twenty or thirty million; that's a lot of fowl. The second part of this verse is one that should really cause us to take notice, because it says that He "satisfied them the bread of heaven." Okay, if that is what you want to call it, because from what I remember, they really came short of being satisfied; in fact, they said some pretty terrible things about the manna that God provided, saying how much they were sick and tired of it. Funny thing is, God sent His Son to die for our sins without us asking for Him to do it! As a matter of fact, His people complained about that act of kindness also! But do you think that stopped Him from doing it; no way, no how! Jesus said, "I am the Bread from Heaven," and do you think that satisfied them? I think we really do not know what to ask for, but He still gives us what we need...
"But Jesus replied, "Stop complaining about what I said. For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them up. As it is written in the Scriptures, 'They will all be taught by God.' Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. (Not that anyone has ever seen the Father; only I, who was sent from God, have seen him.) "I tell you the truth, anyone who believes has eternal life. Yes, I am the bread of life! Your ancestors ate manna in the wilderness, but they all died. Anyone who eats the bread from heaven, however, will never die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh.""
(John 6:43-51) NLT

Wednesday, December 27, 2017

"Day or Night, He Guides Us"

"He spread a cloud for a covering; a fire to give light in the night." (Psalms 105:39)
Oddly enough, it is our perception, not God's! We might be able to place something in between God and ourselves, but God and His deep love for us is not affected by idols. They might wreck our lives and our relationship with God, but that is simply from our perspective, not His. It is a pretty scary thing, this salvation we have been given. Does it all depend upon what Christ did for us, or are we dependent upon our own actions? Does what we do even matter at all? I would tend to think that our actions are basically reactions to the love that He reveals in our hearts. That was my whole point about hope making us stronger. It is really nothing that we have within our selves; unlike what the world would want us to think. The Light of Jesus that shines within our hearts, that is the power that overcomes the darkness, to not only help us see the truth, but it also lights the way; the Way being the way in which we are headed. Do you not realize that God guides His people whether or not they are faithfully serving Him, or even whether they are being held captive in a foreign land? His people are always His people; just as, if you are His child, then you have always been His child, and you always will be. Pastor Jon was speaking about some pretty heavy stuff yesterday; something about space and time continuum, and how it is that when we die, we are instantly in God's presence, even though the resurrection may or may not have yet taken place. That is some pretty freaky stuff, but in God's time table, time does not exist; it might be something that has an affect upon us, in the here and now, but it has not affect on us in the here after. It just hurts my head to even think about it. I guess what it is that I am trying to say, is that we are His children no matter where we might disappear into or what we might get mixed up in; in the light or in the darkness, we might feel different about Him, but He never changes His feelings about us. And because He never does change, He continually will guide us! You think you can get yourself into something that He does not know about, think again! We might think that we can play games with God, but He holds all the cards and He makes the all the moves. He paints the masterpiece, we are simply the paint that He applies. Our red and our green make brown; the black and the white make grey; but when it is all said and done, everything will be His way...
""But our ancestors were proud and stubborn, and they paid no attention to your commands. They refused to obey and did not remember the miracles you had done for them. Instead, they became stubborn and appointed a leader to take them back to their slavery in Egypt! But you are a God of forgiveness, glorious and merciful, slow to become angry, and rich in unfailing love. You did not abandon them, even when they made an idol shaped like a calf and said, 'This is your god who brought you out of Egypt!' They committed terrible blasphemies. "But in your great mercy you did not abandon them to die in the wilderness. The pillar of cloud still led them forward by day, and the pillar of fire showed them the way through the night. You sent your good Spirit to instruct them, and you did not stop giving them manna from heaven and water for their thirst. For forty years you sustained them in the wilderness, and they lacked nothing. Their clothes did not wear out, and their feet did not swell!"" (Nehemiah 9:16-21) NLT

Tuesday, December 26, 2017

"The Choice is Ours"

"Egypt was glad when they departed: for fear of them fell upon them." (Psalms 105:38)
Another thing that we need to know about that word "feeble," is the why, as in why "there was not one feeble person among their tribes": it was because God said everyone shall go, so He had given them the strength for the journey. I really don't know what I would do without the Lord in my life; there are just too many reasons in this life to want to quit, to just throw in the towel and go crawl under a rock. But that's the real mystery of what our hope in Jesus is all about, He is our Rock! It is perfectly fine for me to go and crawl under Him! It is the Lord that continually gives me the strength for the journey; without Him in my life, I really don't know what I would do. Here is the contrast between those that know the Lord and those that don't: those that know Jesus continually have hope, those that don't, don't. Does that mean that believers never loose hope? I wish it were true, but sadly, even the strongest of God's saints can loose hope, some time or another. Hope is not a destination that we arrive to, so we can't just go there to find it; hope is where our faith is placed, so it is our faith that gives us hope, not the other way around. If you truly believe, then your faith will continually carry you through; through is the place where hope always is, and is always waiting. As for those that do not put their faith in Jesus, that does not mean that they do not have faith; everyone believes in something, it is just that the wrong something is not going to provide the right kind of hope. The verse above is a really good example of what that might look like. Egypt could have been convinced that the LORD was the One True God, and they could have been over their worship of the creation instead of the Creator; but their faith was so fixed upon the wrong something, that all they could see was their something being destroyed. It is easy to see why they were glad to see Israel leave their land, because they were convinced that Israel was a curse, and did not notice how that God blessed Israel and the land that they dwelt in. Do you see what I am trying to say? It is all about a matter of perspective. Any given time, our hearts can believe on the wrong something; whether it be our jobs or our family or our bank accounts; there are so many things that can distract us from where our faith must be placed. And in case you were unaware, hope is what gives us strength. That is how it is that believers loose hope; something has come between us and Jesus...
"If you think you are standing, be careful not to fall. The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. So, my dear friends, flee from the worship of idols. You are reasonable people. Decide for yourselves if what I am saying is true." (1 Corinthians 10:12-15) NLT

Monday, December 25, 2017

"All To Him I Owe!"

"He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among their tribes." (Psalms 105:37)
I don't know what this Christmas might mean for you, but for me, this year it is all about giving back and feeling the joy about all that I have been given. It is really not about families, although we get to share time with each other and try to make merry; we could do that any day of the year, and most of us do. It is about celebrating the gift of a Savior, the one who came to live among us, experience our way of living this life, and then give Himself for a sacrifice for all the ways we mess things up. He not only died for our sins, but He brought our dead lives to life; giving us treasures that are beyond anyone's ability to even imagine, treasure that is not even attainable in this life here on earth. As I spent a little while yesterday at the site where my son's body is placed, I couldn't help but take a little walk around and look at some of the graves that have been freshly filled. It was a little odd feeling, to say the least; but it reminded me that everyone has someone they miss this time of year. There is an empty chair at the table, or a particular ornament out of place; maybe even a special food that was made especially for that someone. At one freshly filled grave, like last month fresh, all that there was placed next to the grave was an empty coffee cup. Not quite sure what that meant, except maybe the person loved coffee. I left a miniature live Christmas Tree at my son's grave site; a live tree to celebrate the fact that he is alive! That word "feeble," which is easily confused with lame or sick, is actually a word that means to stumble or totter. It also means to decay or fail; something that we might think about when we are thinking of our dead who have been buried in the ground. Well, don't! The body that is there was only a shell or a tent; it was only a brief vessel that housed an eternal soul, a soul that is now alive, and more alive than ever before. This is what Christmas means to me this year, that God has given me life, eternal life that cannot be measured or exchanged or taken away or messed with; it is secure in Christ Jesus and He is not here anymore, so guess what: I can't even take it back from Him! Even if I wanted to, I don't think that He would let me! That word "feeble" also means "to cause to fail," which I am pretty sure guarantees that I will get there...
"Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us unto his family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. That is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding." (Ephesians 1:4-8) NLT

Sunday, December 24, 2017

"On Sinking Sand"

"He smote also all the firstborn in their land, the chief of all their people." (Psalms 105:37)
If you connect the dots, you might just find that His people are those that believe in Him. Not only are they called and drawn to Him, but once they find Him, they will find it hard to let go. If you recall this portion of Scripture in the Bible, it was not just a time of grief for the Egyptians, but it was also a time of testing for God's people. The test was really quite simple and easy to follow; they simply had to mark the door post with blood, and then stay inside their houses. Not a whole lot of thought needed to be put into that; but there was more to it than just that. If you paid attention to the instruction, God mentioned something else that they needed to do; they needed to have their shoes on and have their staff in their hands. In others words, they needed to be ready to travel! I remember seeing this in the movie, The Ten Commandments, as it showed the family standing around a table, and the man had his staff in hand, as if he was prepared to take his family somewhere. I heard a message regarding this, I think I shared on it before; but all of their doors were shut, so how were they judged on their obedience to following the full instruction? The blood was on the door posts and the door was shut, so how were they judged on their willingness to be prepared for a journey? It is a little like the part in the movie, God's Not Dead, the part where they finally were going to start the car, and the visiting pastor says, "Wait, you need to put our bags in the car first." You either believe that He is going to do it, or you don't; if you believe that God is going to do something, then you prepare yourself for it to happen. I know this is Christmas time and all, but Christmas is about the birth of Jesus, a time when God speaks after 400 years of silence. For over 400 years, God did not say a single word, but on this night, God spoke to His people through the voice of a Baby. Oddly enough, the children of Israel were held captive in Egypt for over 400 years also; this night would mark the end of that captivity. Amazing to see the connection, because we are very much like those children of Israel, right now. The door posts are marked, we are safely behind the door, and we are prepared to end our captivity. Anywhere else, is to be standing on sinking sand...
""Not everyone who calls out to me, 'Lord! Lord' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, 'Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.' But I will reply, 'I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God's law.' "Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won't collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn't obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash."" (Matthew 7:21-27) NLT

Saturday, December 23, 2017

"Swift and Thorough"

"He spake, and the locust came, and caterpillars, and that without number, and did eat up all the herbs in their land, and devoured the fruit of their ground." (Psalms 105:34-35)
Just in case you haven't noticed, the topic of all of this argument and discussion is that "God Takes Care of His People." It is not anything that we can achieve on our own; we can not just all of the sudden wake up and say, 'I choose today to be a person of God,' it is God that chooses us; He calls us out of the darkness and He gives us the ability to answer the call. Prayer is so important when it comes to wanting to see God save one of your loved ones, especially when they are stuck in a life that is contrary to the life that they should be living. Not only do they need to receive the call, but they need to be given the heart to respond; they need to see their need to be saved. As I was laying there in bed thinking about this portion of Scripture, I could not help but think of Malachi 3:11, and how God will protect our livelihood and our resources, if we are faithful to give Him our tithes. I am pretty sure that it's not about the money; at least not in the sense of amount or ability. It is about us knowing and respecting the power of God in and over our lives, even that of our finances and our ability to care for our loved ones. It is not even really about it being a two way street, as some may look at it; where you give to God, and then He returns your giving tenfold. It's not about giving to receive, it's about giving because of what God has already given to you, more than you could ever afford to repay, not in a thousand lifetimes. So ten percent seems amazingly fair, don't you think? Looking at this portion of Scripture, it is very easy to see that God has the power to bless and the power to take away; and there is absolutely nothing anyone can do to stop the devourer from taking away; once it is started, there is only One that can rebuke it, and that is God. I think it is pretty amazing how that works, because it works for all sorts of people, the very poor, as well as the very rich. Who does it affect the most? Some might think it would be the very poor, because if they have very little, there is not much that can be taken before they have nothing. Yes, that part is basically true; but it does not take very much to replace what was taken; and anything is better than nothing. The very rich, they are actually worse off; they have grown accustom to a certain way of living; a way of life that takes a lot of money to afford. You know that old adage, "The bigger they are, the harder they fall;" well, that is the way it is when the very rich have their resources devoured. We need to remember what it was that bought all of this into existence; it was the dream that Pharaoh had, the one about the seven healthy and fat things being devoured by the seven sickly and lean things. We cannot ever loose sight of God's care for us, every single part of our existence...
"Don't be afraid, my people. Be glad now and rejoice, for the LORD has done great things. Don't be afraid, you animals of the field, for the wilderness pastures will soon be green. The trees will again be filled with fruit; fig trees and grapevines will be loaded down once more. Rejoice, you people of Jerusalem! Rejoice in the LORD your God! For the rain he sends demonstrates his faithfulness. Once more the autumn rains will come, as well as the rains of spring. The threshing floor will again be piled high with grain, and the presses will overflow with new wine and olive oil. The LORD says, "I will give you back what you lost to the swarming locusts, the hopping locusts, the stripping locusts, and the cutting locusts. It was I who sent this great destroying army against you. Once again you will have all the food you want, and you will praise the LORD your God, who does these miracles for you. Never again will my people be disgraced. Then you will know that I am among my people Israel, that I am the LORD your God, and there is no other. Never again will my people be disgraced."" (Joel 2:21-27) NLT

Friday, December 22, 2017

"Smite with Might"

"He gave them hail for rain, and flaming fire in their land. He smote their vines also and their fig trees; and brake the trees of their coasts." (Psalms 105:32-33)
There is nothing I like better than a really good teaching from God's word. If it brings forth new and fresh teaching, it can really stimulate the mind. That said, there is some caution that must be used when we hear new doctrine or teaching; God will never contradict something He has said before, or say anything that does not line up with who He is. Yesterday I heard a little different spin on a lesson God tested Moses with; it was about the time Moses was up on the mountain for 40 days, and when the children of Israel were down in the valley being sinful, worshipping a golden calf. If you don't recall it, it is found in Exodus 32:9-14, and it was when God told Moses that He would smite all the children of Israel and would make a new nation of him. This is God's way of making a servant-leader and causing Moses to fall in love with God's people. In the teaching, the pastor spoke about how Moses declined the promotion for the sake of the people. That might not seem like such a big deal, but it was to God; and Moses passed the test by pleading with God to spare the children of Israel and to remember His promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Israel. In case you might have missed it, the test was more about the reaction of Moses to God's statement, but it was also to test Moses on what God has originally said, that He never goes back on His word! In verse 14, it says, "And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people;" that word "repented," is the same word from that controversial verse in Genesis 6:6, "And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart." You know, it took a lot of grief for the Father to see His Son crucified on that cross; I am sure that He repented of the experience also. But the word used for this expression or feeling is a little more complex than just being sorry over something you have done, or thought to do; it speaks of being moved with pity, and having compassion; it speaks of comforting oneself, and to ease oneself. There was another person tested after 40 days, Jesus, who was tempted by the devil after 40 days of fasting. The devil tried to tempt Him by using God's word to make it seem logical; but when the word of God is contradicted by a statement, it needs to be corrected. Fortunately for all of us, Jesus passed the test! There is more power in the word of God than we sometimes realize; many people take it for granted and use it half-heartedly. But God, in His ultimate wisdom and love, has given us His written word, that we might not only grow by it, but that we might use it to smite evil, and to also comfort one another. In a strange and unique way, the word for "repented" is a word that also represents the Word of God, the Love of God, and God's great plan of redemption. So, you are probably wondering how this all ties into the two verses above; I was just beginning to do the same...
"Honor the LORD, you heavenly beings; honor the LORD for his glory and strength. Honor the LORD for the glory of his name. Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness. The voice of the LORD echoes above the sea. The God of glory thunders. The LORD thunders over the mighty sea. The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is majestic. The voice of the LORD splits the mighty cedars; the LORD shatters the cedars of Lebanon. He makes Lebanon's mountains skip like a calf; he makes Mount Hermon leap like a young ox. The voice of the LORD strikes with bolts of lightning. The voice of the LORD makes the barren wilderness quake; the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh. The voice of the LORD twists mighty oaks and strips the forests bare. In his Temple everyone shouts, "Glory!" The LORD rules over the floodwaters. The LORD reigns as king forever. The LORD gives his people strength. The LORD blesses them with peace."
(Psalms 29) NLT

Thursday, December 21, 2017

"Cause and Effect"

"He turned their waters into blood, and slew their fish. There land brought forth frogs in abundance, in the chambers of their kings. He spake, and there came divers sorts of flies, and lice in all their coasts." (Psalms 105:29-31)
You know how that one thing might cause others, in a chain reaction of events; well this is a really good example of that chain reaction. It all started with the water being turned into blood; the fish had no choice, they were killed in great abundance, washing up on the shores and floating on the top of the river. The frogs however, they had a choice, they could leave the blood infested waters; and leave they did, by the millions. And what do you think was needed to clean up the mess, but flies, flies, and more flies! I remember watching this in the 50 year old movie, The Ten Commandments, the one with Charlton Heston. One thing would come upon the Egyptians, they would ask Moses to make it go away, and another thing would come to replace it, and they would ask Moses to make it go away, and another thing would come to replace it; each time, the replacement became more unbearable than the first; until they finally just said, "Enough!" Does it sound a little familiar? I remember when my wife and I were married; when we first met with the Pastors for our pre-marriage counseling, I had asked Pastor Jeff and Pastor Jack if we could have an alter call at the wedding. Both of them seemed a little apprehensive, but all of the sudden Pastor Mike and Pastor Dan were passing by the office and Jeff called for Mike to come in, saying to me, "Tell Pastor Mike what you just told us." So I did, and Pastor Mike was thrilled by the thought of doing an alter call at a wedding. So, Pastor Jeff said to my wife and I, "Here is the Pastor to marry you both." And Mike accepted; and Pastor Dan Marks, who was listening outside the door, agreed to perform the music at the wedding. He even said that he wrote a song, "He She Comes," for our particular wedding. Dan's wife choreographed the wedding for us, and helped to make it a very special event. So, July 31st, 1982, at Calvary Chapel of Downey, my wife and I were married; and Pastor Mike performed the ceremony by including an alter call, which was absolutely amazing. I had no idea how many people raised their hands, as during that part of the service my wife and I were knelt down praying with our backs to the crowd. We were taking communion, and it was at the part where we were getting ready to drink the wine. Pastor Mike gave a wonderful message about how Jesus changed the water to wine, and how it was His very first miracle; relating that very first miracle, to how He changes us, and how He had changed my wife and I, and how anyone there could be changed also. When he asked for the show of hands, I could hear him acknowledge them go up, but I could not see who they were; all that I could do, was to rejoice that there hands lifted. What I had even brought this up for, I really can't remember; except it had something to do with putting new wine into old wineskins; or something like that...
"Then Jesus gave them this illustration: "No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and uses it to patch an old garment. For then the new garment would be ruined, and the new patch wouldn't even match the old garment. "And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the new wine would burst the wineskins, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. New wine must be stored in new wineskins. But no one who drinks the old wine seems to want the new wine. 'The old is just fine,' they say.""
(Luke 5:36-39) NLT

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

"Razzle-Dazzle"

"They showed his signs among them, and wonders in the land of Ham. He sent darkness and made it dark; and they rebelled not against his word." (Psalms 105:27-28)
I know what you might be wondering, but I have a plan; besides, these two verses are suited together quite nicely. I was thinking about something that speaks very much into the signs and wonders movements going on in our larger churches today, and the second verse goes very much in line with the word being taught in those types of churches. People love to be shown things that stimulate their hunger for entertainment, but they hate to be made to feel uncomfortable or to be taken out of their comfort zone. I pray that our church never becomes one that is all about entertainment, but remains a church focused upon teaching God's word. It is when God's word is taught, properly, that people will become uncomfortable and feel the need to be changed. If God's word is not taught properly, then they will feel like they are okay, and for the most part, they will remain in their sins, and they will feel comfortable being there. That is why I love Calvary Chapel churches; they pretty much try to stick to making the teaching of God's word the primary focus of their ministry. That was what Jesus spoke into Peter's life, when He said three times, "Feed my sheep." We need to be feed the Word of God, and the Word needs to change us! Signs and wonders will come and go, but the Word of God, when administered correctly into our lives, will make us whole. In the first part of this second verse, it says, "He sent darkness and made it dark," which is really not something that will draw people out of the darkness, but will only make them feel more comfortable in their sin. Is it any wonder, "they rebelled not against his word," because His word did not threaten their comfort zone. If you only tell people what they want to hear, then they will not rebel against anything that you tell them. Throw a little razzle-dazzle into the mix, and you have the makings of a place where people are comfortable and entertained. Besides, Ham pretty much means black and hot; two things which need to be shared and spoken about a little more often...
"But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them. In this way, they will bring sudden destruction on themselves. Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of these teachers, the way of truth will be slandered. In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction will not be delayed. For God did not spare even the angels who sinned. He threw them into hell, in gloomy pits of darkness, where they are being held until the day of judgment."
(2 Peter 2:1-4) NLT

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

"Drawn by Light"

"He sent Moses his servant; and Aaron whom he had chosen." (Psalms 105:26)
It might not seem as though there is much to say about this introduction, but when God sends His servant to do something, it usually means that He has more than a plan; it means He is getting things done! This was not just something God had decided to do at this particular moment; God had given His promise to Abraham, and now He it was time to make it happen. We live our lives going from one day to the next, really not knowing what might come next; but God knows way in advance, every single adventure, every single trial, every single tragedy, even every single mistake we might make; He already has the solution and the plan prepared for us. Names really are given for a reason. Moses is a name that means 'drawn,' and was given to Moses because he was drawn from the water as a baby; but it is now being put to use by God, because now His children will be drawn out of Egypt by Moses. Oddly enough, Aaron is a name that means 'light bringer,' and it just so happened that Aaron was looking for Moses when God was trying to persuade Moses to deliver Israel from Egypt. We sometimes don't think about those little things, the little coincidences that happen from time to time. Moses says, "I can't speak," and it just so happens that Aaron is there climbing up the mountain, so God says, "Oh, look, here comes Aaron, your older brother, let him speak for you." Funny thing was, Moses ended up doing much of the talking! Aaron turned out to be the Light Bringer! It sure is amazing what a little Light will do to any situation. I have heard people say that Adam and Eve realized they were naked because their light had been removed by sin. Before they had sinned, they were glorious and shinning; but sin had removed the glory, and revealed their nakedness. Back to something that Jesus told to Nicodemus, something about the Light; He told him, "But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God." The word "wrought," just so happens to be a word that means to do, or to work out; to trade, or make gains by trading. Another interpretation says, "they are doing what God wants," which is what God wants us to do, to trade our sins for Light! He causes our sins to be drawn out by the Light; thus, making us glorious once again; what a coincidence...
"So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power 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) NLT

Monday, December 18, 2017

"Out of Sorts"

"He turned their heart to hate his people, to deal subtilly with his servants." (Psalms 105:25)
In case you might be wondering about this strange title, it is not based upon any condition that I might be feeling. I think it does fit the mood of Egypt's people at this time, as they were feeling a little nauseous and irritated by the children of Israel and their God. As we shall see, the people of that land had many gods that they worshiped; none of which were the Creator, all of which were created beings; some of which, if not all, were connected to spiritual darkness. You really cannot worship false gods without somehow being influenced by or connected to satanic forces. The word "subtilly" is a word that is pretty much only found in the King James Bible; if it were to have an origin, you could place it back in the Garden with the description of the serpent: "Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast." I pretty much means crafty, and the only difference between this word and the other is the origin of the deceit. The people of Egypt had no idea who they were messing with, yet their fraudulent treatment of God's children would be their own demise. But that force which was behind the treatment of Israel knew perfectly well, and had really no concern for the welfare of Egypt's people; only that he might tear down and destroy God's people. The funny thing was, the joke was on him! Based upon the beginning of verse 23, "God prevails" is the moral of this story; so it really does not matter what the devil or the people of Egypt might do, God will have the last word. If you wanted to put this into a perspective that might connect to our every day life, you could go back to the title that is shown above this Psalm in my Bible, "God Takes Care of His People." It is pretty much the bottom line to what trusting God is all about, you trust that He will always take care of you, no matter what circumstance or situation you might find yourself in. Besides, as was stated in the closing verse from yesterday, "That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God." It was the children of Israel's worship of God that irritated the people of Egypt. If the Christians in this country outnumbered the nonbelieving population, or if it were even close, then there would be a serious threat felt among those who live in spiritual darkness; but we don't, so they really do not feel any real pressure at all. When you look at this from a spiritual point of view, God turned the heart of Egypt's people by the light demonstrated in His people. I do not think God will actually make people evil, but it is the goodness of God that brings out the evil in man; but he will harden their hearts, and it is the hardness of their hearts that will bring them into destruction. Jesus explained that to Nicodemus, saying, "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." So, it really comes down to the people of Egypt being the out of sorts people, not the children of Israel. They were the ones who were in for the real deception, not God's people. God prevails, always...
"So you see, God chooses to show mercy to some, and he chooses to harden the hearts of others so they refuse to listen. Well then, you might say, "Why does God blame people for not responding? Haven't they simply done what he makes them do?" No, don't say that. Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who created it, "Why have you made me like this?" When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn't he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into? In the same way, even though God has a right to show his anger and power, he is very patient with those on whom his anger falls, who are destined for destruction. He does this to make the riches of his glory shine even brighter on those to whom he shows mercy, who were prepared in advance for glory."
(Romans 9:18-23) NLT

Sunday, December 17, 2017

"Outnumbered"

"And he increased his people greatly; and made them stronger than their enemies." (Psalms 105:24)
Without question, this verse brings the power of God into perspective; not just that He is able to bless and multiply His people, but that He is able to strengthen them by giving them a hope in Him. It is a lot like the church, when the church is pressed down by this world, that is when it flourishes and becomes stronger. We really don't know what faith we have until that faith is tested. The world would like to think that we are weak and foolish because we rely upon God for guidance and protection; but little do they know, God is not only the source of our strength, but He is also the Giver of life, even their own. When it comes to who is stronger, a nonbeliever or a believer, there is really no question; the believer will always turn out to be the strongest, even to the very death. I think of Stephen, the first follower of Christ to be killed for his faith; he was stronger than any of those who were killing him, stronger because of the faith he had in the Lord. Oh, they might have overpowered him in the physical sense; and might have even felt as though they turned out to be the greater; but in the spiritual sense, they were the weaker and least to have success. They might have thought they were stopping a movement; nothing could have been further from the truth! I cannot describe the difference I feel towards things that appear overwhelming, life issues, and such; how those issues appear to be able to crush me and overtake my hope, any time I take my eyes off the Lord. There is simply no comparison to the power and the weakness; yet, what separates those two, is simply where we have placed our faith. Do you feel overwhelmed and outnumbered? If your focus is upon your circumstance or your situation, then you probably should. But if you focus upon the Lord and His promises, then what a difference that direction will make upon your life. The cares and worries of this world will surely grow strangely dim! In more ways than one, they were already stronger than their enemies, except now, they also outnumbered them...
"Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God. It was by faith that even Sarah was able to have a child, though she was barren and was too old. She believed that God would keep his promise. And so a whole nation came from this one man who was as good as dead -a nation with so many people that, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore, there is no way to count them. All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own. If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back. But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them." (Hebrews 11:10-16) NLT

Saturday, December 16, 2017

"Reconnected"

"Israel also came into Egypt; and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham." (Psalms 105:23)
Of all the stories in the Old Testament, this one is one of my favorite. It was my favorite one to teach the kids in Sunday School; using the felt figures and showing how Joseph hid himself from his brothers, taking them to the edge, and then revealing himself with love and affection. I think the only story that I loved to teach with such passion, was the story and Naaman and his leprosy. I just liked the way it demonstrates the simplicity of the Gospel: just do what God says, and don't try to put too much into it! This story is very similar in nature, because it is like it was meant to be that way all along, based upon the dreams Joseph had growing up with his family. Our loving Father is a God that loves to see families reunited; He loves to see marriages reconciled, especially those who are made up of His children. If there is one thing that God hates, it is divorce; divorce is right up there with those that cause division in the church; and if that divorce involves a Christian couple, then both of the things that He hates usually happen, divorce and division. You know how I said that the things God causes to happen in an instant are things that God works though many generations? Well, here we have a really good example of what that represents. There are so many different examples here, I really don't know where to start; how about Noah? Yes, Noah and his cursed son Ham; the son that revealed his father's nakedness. I will let you dwell on the association with that and division, as we think about why Ham is relevant to Jacob. In the case of the name "Israel," used in the context of what has been said and what is about to be said, "God prevails," is the word associated with this statement. No matter what or where, if God is leading, you will come through it "Governed by God." It is a lot like when Jesus told His disciples, "Let's go to the other side," before they headed across to the other side of the lake. No matter what the circumstances were, they were going to go to the other side. That is why God hates divorce, because divorce is giving up on what God has joined together; and what God has joined to together, no one should tear it apart! The children of Israel were in for a pretty hard ride; but not matter what, God will do what He had shown Abraham He would do. This is recorded in Genesis 15:13-14; and I believe that God gave Abraham this information so that his heart would break for the offspring he had not yet had. It was God's way of getting Abraham to believe His promise and to fall in love with the children he did not yet have...
"And the descendants of Ham were Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan." (Genesis 10:6) NLT

Friday, December 15, 2017

"Redirected"

"He made him lord of his house, the ruler of all his substance: to bind his princes at his pleasure; and teach his senators wisdom." (Psalms 105:21-22)
Come on, you can't tell me this isn't fun. God truly does work in mysterious ways! I have learned over these last several months to not get so fixated on all that is going on in the world, but to just keep my eyes looking up, for the King is coming, very soon! But the one thing I see for certain that is happening, only because it is so hard to miss, is that more and more churches are moving away from teaching the Bible, and they are becoming more and more a reflection of society. This is the perfect example of the world influencing the church, instead of the church influencing the world. So, without hesitation, I say that it is time to get ready! Jesus said, "So you, too must keep watch! For you don't know the day your Lord is coming." (Matthew 24:42 NLT) Just like this instance we witness before us today, it happens in an instant; just like that, that is how the LORD works in such a mysterious way. Jacob went from prison to being ruler of all of Egypt's substance, with a stroke of a pen. Isn't that the way the Lord always works? We are not changed over long periods of time, through many different trials and blessings; we are changed in an instant, at the Lord's command. What blows my mind, is how God makes it all happen over such long periods of time and through so many people. The change takes place instantly, but all the things that led up to that change, involved countless numbers of people and generations of time. Isn't that amazing? That is why I believe God does not show us the plan He was laid out before us; if He did, we would try to alter it or make it to better fit to our own desires and expectations. If we knew what the outcome was going to be, then we would constantly worry about the direction things are currently going. But God does not work in that way; His way of doing things are for Him to receive the glory. Just when things look like they couldn't get any worse, God will redirect everything, with just a stroke of a pen; just when it looks like things are coming to an end, God will breath new life into it, and make it new again. There is nothing that He cannot overturn or redirect; there is no life that He cannot turn up-side-down...
"This is what the LORD says: "You will rule the Egyptians, the Ethiopians, and the Sabeans. They will come to you with all their merchandise, and it will be yours. They will follow you as prisoners in chains. They will fall to their knees in front of you and say, 'God is with you, and he is the only God. There is no other.'" Truly, O God of Israel, our Savior, you work in mysterious ways."
(Isaiah 45:14-15) NLT

Thursday, December 14, 2017

"Been Set Free"

"The king sent and loosed him; even the ruler of the people, and let him go free." (Psalms 105:20)
You know the story, it might be a simple illustration of Joseph being set free from prison by the highest ruler in the land; but you know me, I am always looking for something to chew on, something to make this real and meaningful to you and me. When it comes to spiritual matters of the heart, it is pretty easy to make almost any subject or character in the Bible fit into the relationship that we have with Jesus, our King and Redeemer. You know, we might be set free from sin, but we are bound in service to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It just comes down to the fact that we will always serve someone; it's just how we have been made; if we are released from bondage to one thing, then we will attached ourselves to another. That is not necessarily a bad thing, not if you are bound to Jesus! The word 'sent' used in this verse is the same as the word used in verse 17: "He sent a man before them," which we know is speaking about how Joseph was sent into Egypt by the LORD to prepare a place for the rest of his family to come into. It is the same word used by Isaiah when he said, "Here am I; send me." I am sure we want to be well equipped with any task that we might be given; who wouldn't want to have the tools to do whatever it is they are called to do, without looking like a fool doing it? In that regard, the word 'loosed' is used as the start-up to the endeavor, which simply means that it is speaking about a prompting or the initiative to get something done. This is something I am sure that we are all familiar with, especially when it comes to starting something new, something you are excited about doing. Well, the biggest tool in our tool-chest is the will to get things done; which is what the Lord does in us; He gives us the will to serve Him. All we need to do is to show up, He does the rest; we just need to make ourselves available for Him to use, and He will use us. We don't even need a plan; we don't even need to idea; after all, it is His will and purposes that we are going to be doing, not our own. And then we have, "and let him go free." This is much more than just freedom, as in to let someone be free to walk or talk; this is about causing them to walk or talk, as in, to open up their mouth and make them speak, or to break out in dancing. Joseph was not set free to go wherever he wanted to go; to leave Egypt or to do whatever he wanted; he was set free to make something good happen and to preserve the children of Israel, each and every one of them. Do you think he realized that at the time? No, he most surely did not. But isn't that how the Lord works? He does not give us the whole plan all at once; He does not show us every step of the journey. That is what it means to be set free! It is not my worry, because it's not my plan; it is God's plan, so I have no worries...
"I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me."
(Philippians 3:12) NLT 

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

"Lifting Up"

"He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant: whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron: until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him."
(Psalms 105:17-19)
Here is the proof of God's wonderful protection and care being provided, in any and all situations, and in every circumstance. It just does not get any clearer than this! We know the story, we have heard the results; not only was Joseph lifted up to the second highest position in the land of Egypt, but the whole tribe of Israel was saved from famine and protected, cared for by the mighty hand of God. I think the most important part of what is being said, is the part that we must always consider for our own lives: "the word of the LORD tried him." Seriously, the thing that we might not always remember, is that it really does not matter what man might think of us, but it matters most what the LORD thinks of us. Joseph is one of the very few characters in the Bible that has no sin attached to him; yet we know by the word of God, "all have fallen short," yet God choose to leave out anything that Joseph might have done. I heard a message the other day: "If you hide your sin, then God will expose it; but if you expose your sins before God, then He will hide them." This is the thing that matters the most, who it is that tries us; who it is that we are trying to impress; are we trying to please man or God? Besides, the word "tried" is not a word that means to judge, but rather one that means to refine. It is a lot like the smelt, where the unwanted properties are brought to the surface and are scraped off, leaving only the purest gold possible. That's pretty much what we want for our own lives; we might not admit it to ourselves, but the Holy Spirit living inside wants it for us. He wants us to be as pure as gold, and the only way that is going to happen is by us being in the Refiner's Fire. Let the bad and unwanted stuff be lifted to the surface for Him to scrape off! It only matters what God thinks of us, so it matters the most what He expects of us; and His desire is to refine us into the image of His Son. One way or another, that is where we will end up; but isn't it so much more pleasant to be willing for God to do it? I mean, if we fight His will in our lives, what have we gained? That was the message in the final verse of yesterday's closing Scripture: "Indeed, the Sovereign LORD never does anything until he reveals his plans to his servants the prophets." Do you understand what that implies? Indeed, God will always foreworn us before He takes some sort of action against us! How do you want to be lifted up? willingly or scraped up off the ground? It is always best to take heed of what He says and to do our best to obey. (Lord, help me to be humble!)...
"What do you think the Scriptures mean when they say that the spirit God has placed within us is filled with envy? But he gives us even more grace to stand against such evil desires. As the Scriptures say, "God opposes the proud but favors the humble." So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor." (James 4:5-10) NLT

Tuesday, December 12, 2017

"Breaking Down"

"Moreover he called for a famine upon the land: he brake the whole staff of bread." (Psalms 105:16)
As crazy as it might sound, the famine is always a good thing, when it is called for by the LORD. If you can accept it, God's care and protection is not measured in the material or physical things of this world; it is always measured in the eternal blessings, which stretch far beyond this very short life that we have been given here in this world. If you thought that you were meant to have a life free of all the stuff the causes heartache and pain, think again, because the rain falls on everyone, and so also, the drought will effect everyone the same. But, there is a difference for those that have faith in the Lord, they always have hope; there is always something that is going to be far better than this, this life of trials and disappointment. If there is one thing that gets to me the most, it is disappointment. Not just is how events or plans might turn out, but in myself as well. The promises that I make, and then easily break; little things that all seem to add up to one big ugly mess. These are the things that we so easily take for granted, the little things; things like a promise to show up, or a promise to be good; maybe even a promise to not get angry or judgmental. It is really not like you have broken any laws, but it is more about doing those things that show you care how others feel around you. The way I see it, it is "the whole staff of bread" side of the famine that really counts; a simple famine is here and gone, but if the staff is broken, then there really is no quick fix or simple solution; and if the whole staff is broken, then it will take an act of God to restore the land. The same thing is true about the human heart; it is very similar in nature to crops being grown and harvested, to drought and famine. Over the years, we tend let things in, or fail to tend, or forget to water; all these things that we ought to do in order to have a great harvest. Over time, there are just too many things to count or keep track of, and our hearts are overwhelmed with trying to find solutions. But God, who not only makes the rain, but increases the harvest, He is able to wipe the slate clean, to refresh our hearts and make then new again. Whether you ask Him to or not, that might matter how He gets it done, but it will not matter if He does it. We are going to be cared for by God, even if we might not think that we need it, God will change our hearts, one way or another. I think it would be best to just surrender and get it over with; because if He calls for a famine, there is nothing you can do to stop it...
"Listen to this message that the LORD has spoken against you, O people of Israel and Judah -against the entire family I rescued from Egypt: "From among all the families on the earth, I have been intimate with you alone. That is why I must punish you for all your sins." Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction? Does a lion ever roar in a thicket without first finding a victim? Does a young lion growl in its den without first catching its prey? Does a bird ever get caught in a trap that has no bait? Does a trap spring shut when there's nothing to catch? When the ram's horn blows a warning, shouldn't the people be alarmed? Does disaster come to a city unless the LORD has planned it? Indeed, the Sovereign LORD never does anything until he reveals his plans to his servants the prophets." (Amos 3:1-7) NLT 

Monday, December 11, 2017

"Doubling Down"

"When they were but a few men in number; yea, very few, and strangers in it; when they went from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another people; he suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes; saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm." (Psalms 105:12-15)
I know what you might be thinking, but it pays sometimes to take the gamble. When it comes to us trusting in the Lord, it is not about the money or the wealth, it is about us doing whatever it takes to draw closer and closer to Him. That rich young ruler that Jesus told to go and sell all that he had, he just needed to suffer a little, in order to draw closer to the Lord. That was really all that was intended to be, a measure of doing without, just so he could see his need for Jesus more clearly. If you want to take a gamble, then there is where you are most likely going to benefit the most, following Jesus! There is a lot of information tucked away in these four verses, but the main point is about numbers, in that, it really does not matter to God how big or how small, God protects all His children the same. Whether you are at the top of the food-chain, or at the very bottom, to God we are all the same. That said, there is one important thing that matters, and that is our trust in the Lord. The more you trust Him, the more He will use you to do His work. Whether the glass is half full or half empty, it really does not matter in God's economy; the glass belongs to Him, as well as the contents, so wherever you are or whatever you are doing, it is all up to God! He gives and takes away, according to His will and purpose; so if it feels as though we are fighting a loosing battle, then the battle we are fighting is not the right one; the real battle belongs to the Lord. God takes care of His people; and if you do not think that you are being cared for like you should, then you need to change your perspective and draw a little closer to the Lord. What that might involve, really depends on what is most important to you; if there is anything that you hold more dear than your relationship with the Lord, then it needs to be taken down. There should be nothing standing between you and the Lord; no matter where you are or what you are doing, He must be Number One...
""Listen to me, all who hope for deliverance -all who seek the LORD! Consider the rock from which you were cut, the quarry from which you were mined. Yes, think about Abraham, your ancestor, and Sarah, who gave birth to your nation. Abraham was only one man when I called him. But when I blessed him, he became a great nation."" (Isaiah 51:1-2) NLT

Sunday, December 10, 2017

"Because of Whose We Are"

"Which covenant he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac; and confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for his everlasting covenant: saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance." (Psalms 105:9-11)
We can complain about some things, if we want to, but complaining about how much God loves us, that is one area where we will go unanswered. Have you ever said that in an outburst to your mother or father? 'Why don't you love me?' 'Why do you hate me so much?' If I was answered, it would be something like, 'Go to your room, and think about it!' We really are not owed anything; anything and everything that we have is a gift from God, it is not payment for services rendered. Even the air that we breath, and the lungs that we have to breath that air in, it is all a gift from God, including our very lives. When things happen in our life, things that don't quite appear as blessings, the first thing that we always do is to look at our life and try to figure out what we might have done wrong to upset God; as if, all of our troubles are God's way of hurting us for something we have done. If that's what we think, then we really don't understand the difference between a blessing and a curse. In God's economy of good and bad, a curse is only a curse if we make it out to be one; and even then, God can use a curse for good, despite how we might feel about it. A good life to look at would that of Joseph, who had so many reasons to wonder why he was cursed; but he refused to accept any fate as hate! Instead, every circumstance or situation needs to be viewed as opportunities to express God's love and blessings; even the ones which might appear to be curses and disasters, everything that happens to God's children are going to be things that He will allow; and if He will allow it to happen, it has got to be good! Do you believe that to be so? Sometimes I refuse to accept it, in those times when I have done wrong or have sinned. When I trespass against the Lord, I am always looking over my shoulder for some sort of bad to happen; and if it did, even then, God would mean it for good... 
"We have an alter from which the priests in the Tabernacle have no right to eat. Under the old system, the high priest brought the blood of animals into the Holy Place as a sacrifice for sin, and the bodies of the animals were burned outside the camp. So also Jesus suffered and died outside the city gates to make his people holy by means of his own blood. So let us go out to him, outside the camp, and bear the disgrace he bore. For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come. Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name. And don't forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God." (Hebrews 13:10-16) NLT

Saturday, December 9, 2017

"Won't Take it Back"

"He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations." (Psalms 105:8)
For some of us that know, eight is the number representing new beginnings; it's like the next day after the day of rest, the day when all that was done before gets put into action. There is probably one very important thing that must always be cherish within our hearts, that God does not give up! It is probably the biggest thing that God hates about divorce, because it goes against the very heart of what He stands for: when He makes a promise, He won't take it back! God knows us, inside and out, He knows all that there is about us; even before we were conceived in our mother's womb, He knew already all that there was to know about us. So what could we possibly do to cause Him to stop loving us? If He has called you out of the darkness and giving you eternal life, then He will not ever cast you back or take away the life He has given you. You are trapped there for ever more, so deal with it, there is no going back! This morning I have the privilege of sharing a message with some brothers in the Lord. I know that there will most likely be some who won't receive it, because I will be sharing about commitment in marriage, and how, if the marriage has fallen apart, then it is the husbands fault that it has happened. I have this discussion quite frequently with brothers who might be going through something or have in past dealt with divorce; so I know how hard it is to convince them that it is or was their fault; everyone always has some excuse, or some exception to the rule. They can sometimes become quite nasty about what they think they know has happened. Yes, it's a two way street, but the husband controls the traffic! You swerve into the other lane, and they will react, without hesitation! In Ephesians 5:32, when Paul talks about this "great mystery," that he shares regarding the man and woman becoming one flesh, it is not the kind of mystery that cannot be revealed; it is the kind of mystery that is lived out. Like one of the seven wonders of the world; you wonder what they could be all about, and you will continue to wonder, until the day the go and visit to see what they are all about. It is a mystery that is sought after, that is found out; and it only is revealed by being there. The most amazing thing that God has shown me, is that the wife submitting is not something she controls herself, it is controlled by her husband. It truly is a responsive action to the way that she is loved...
"Then his father, Zachariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy: "Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited and redeemed his people. He has sent us a mighty Savior from the royal line of his servant David, just as he promised through his holy prophets long ago. Now we will be saved from our enemies and from all who hate us. He has been merciful to our ancestors by remembering his sacred covenant -the covenant he swore with an oath to our ancestor Abraham. We have been rescued from our enemies so we can serve God without fear, in holiness and righteousness for as long as we live. "And you, my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most High, because you will prepare the way for the Lord. You will tell his people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins. Because of God's tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace."" (Luke 1:67-79) NLT

Friday, December 8, 2017

"Filled With Grace"

"He is the LORD our God: his judgments are in all the earth." (Psalms 105:7)
When I was a child, that is how I approached God, earnestly and afraid, but wanting something. It was never really about knowing who He was or trying to draw closer to Him; it was about Him saving me from whatever mess I had gotten myself into, or making my step-dad quit beating on me or my mother. Our Lord has compassion in those situations, I truly believe He does and He did, even though I had not accepted Him yet into my heart. I have heard it said by some, "God does not listen to the unbelievers," and I have never ever accepted that as truth. The definition of grace is enough to tell us that God does listen; not only does He listen, but I most certainly believe that His hand was upon my life, even before the day that I was born. We don't just become His children when we are born again; when we are born again, we are confirmed that we are His children; and it is not to God, it is to ourselves. So no one can try and convince me that God was not listening all those times when I wept bitterly and cried out to Him, because I know it's not true. What is it that we have to offer to God? Our very life! And it's not a one time deal; we don't just say a prayer and call the deal done; it is a life, the day to day life that we live. Our body is now the property of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior; it is no longer our own. I think that we sometimes forget that, as we make a life of our own, in so many different ways. There is nothing that we offer God that counts for anything, except that we lay down our lives. Besides, anything that we have to offer, is from Him in the first place. That includes are very life! When do you think you actually became the property of Jesus? Was it the day that you asked Him into your heart? When did Jacob become the chosen one of God? We really don't deserve anything, it has all been freely given! His "judgments" are exactly that, they are His, and His alone! He decides who His children are, we don't have the kind of power that we think that we have; thank goodness for that...
""This is my covenant with you: I will make you the father of a multitude of nations! What's more, I am changing your name. It will no longer be Abram. Instead, you will be called Abraham, for you will be the father of many nations. I will make you extremely fruitful. Your descendants will become many nations, and kings will be among them! "I will confirm my covenant with you and your descendants after you, from generation to generation. This is the everlasting covenant: I will always be your God and the God of your descendants after you. And I will give the entire land of Canaan, where you now live as a foreigner, to you and your descendants. It will be their possession forever, and I will be their God."" (Genesis 17:4-8) NLT

Thursday, December 7, 2017

"Empty Hands" -Too

"Remember his marvelous works that he has done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth; O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen." (Psalms 105:5-6)
They say that there is more than one way to skin a cat, but don't tell my wife I mentioned that, please. As far as the tithing thing goes, the tithe was established before the law was given; so it is not really excusable to use the, "we are not under the law" excuse, that so many try and use. Abraham was the one who established the tithe; and who do you think that it was that he gave his tithe to? I could go on, but this is really not specific to tithing, that was only an example of one way to worship; to give back to the One that has given so much, so much that we could never ever repay Him for what He has done for us. What can you give Him that He does not already have? (Not yet, it's still to early.) Whether called or chosen, there is still something there that requires our response. It's like that word "submit," which Paul uses in Ephesians 5:22, "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord." The word appears to be so demanding, as if it is to put the wife in the submissive role. But it is more about responding, which is why Paul goes on to explain that "the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church, and he is the saviour of the body." That reminds me, if Adam was there, then he was neglecting his role, letting Eve be the head; wow, I might need to give that a little more thought. Anywho, there is something there in the association between the wife needing to submit to the husband, and the church needing to submit to the Lord; with the word submit meaning that there is a response! And it is not a response that even needs to be thought about; it's a response that is a response! He loves us, we love Him back, that kind of response! All of those sacrifices that the LORD was speaking about, those are given for our benefit to be in fellowship with the LORD. As such, if we desire His fellowship, then it is something we do; which is why the LORD says, "you refuse to ask for my help, and you have grown tired of me." Instead, we end up being like the friend that only calls to ask for money; when our lives seem to be falling apart, that is when we bring Him our sins and our faults; not to seek His fellowship, but to get our lives back on track...
"For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord himself. On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember me." In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, "This cup in the new covenant between God and his people -an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this to remember me as often as you drink it." For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord's death until he comes again. So anyone who eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily is guilty of sinning against the body and the blood of the Lord. That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup. For if you eat the bread or drink the cup without honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God's judgment upon yourself. That is why many are weak and sick and some have even died." (1 Corinthians 11:23-30) NLT

Wednesday, December 6, 2017

"Empty Hands"

"Remember his marvelous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth; O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen." (Psalms 105:5-6)
I don't know, there is so much here, I might have wanted to leave these two verses apart; but they are meant to be woven together like a glove! I heard a message yesterday from Pastor Jon, it was about Aaron's sons and when they had offered strange fire before the LORD. Jon had used that burning-up of those two sons to express how we believers get burned-out serving God; that it is because we forget about the True Sacrifice, and we offer up something different and strange. It is all about Jesus, His death on that cross, His blood that was poured out for us; there is no other way to please the Father, there is no other sacrifice that is pleasing to God. How many servants of God in the ministry neglect to give tithes, thinking that the time they give is good enough? It should not be so! If there is one thing that I lack in service to God, it is probably the opposite attitude in my heart; how that I give all of my tithes, and then think I don't need to give any of my time; or at least much of my time. I do try to give at least 10% of my time; that is my two to three hour devotions from 4:00am till 7:00am. But does that really count? Does it matter for anything? These are things that we are expected to do with a heart that is eager to do them, so why should it be something that counts? You breath in air, do you count the number of breaths that you take? That would be silly and useless to even try. It is the same with our service towards the Lord, no matter what it is that we do or how that we do it. All that matters is what He has done for us! We can never repay what He has done, not in a thousand life times, not in a million years. I think Abraham is referred as God's servant because of his many years of serving God without seeing the promise; yet he kept on serving, no matter what his mind might think, his heart kept trusting in God. Those that are the seed of Abraham must do the same; keeping the promises of God securely locked in our hearts, and disciplining our minds to stay focused upon Him and His reward. Is that even possible? I think it depends what we bring to the offering...
"This is what the LORD says -your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "For your sakes I will send an army against Babylon, forcing the Babylonians to flee in those ships they are so proud of. I am the LORD, your Holy One, Israel's Creator and King. I am the LORD, who opened a way through the waters, making a dry path through the sea. I called forth the mighty army of Egypt with all its chariots and horses. I drew them beneath the waves, and they drowned, their lives snuffed out like a smoldering candlestick. "But forget all that -it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland. The wild animals in the fields will thank me, the jackals and owls, too, for giving them water in the desert. Yes, I will make rivers in the dry wasteland so my chosen people can be refreshed. I have made Israel for myself, and they will someday honor me before the whole world. "But, dear family of Jacob, you refuse to ask for my help. You have grown tired of me, O Israel! You have not brought me sheep or goats for burnt offerings. You have not honored me with sacrifices, though I have not burdened or wearied you with requests for grain offerings and frankincense. You have not brought me fragrant calamus or pleased me with the fat from sacrifices. Instead, you have burdened me with your sins and wearied me with your faults. "I -yes, I alone -will blot out your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again. Let us review the situation together, you can present your case to prove your innocence.""
(Isaiah 43:14-26) NLT

Tuesday, December 5, 2017

"Not a Care in this World"

"Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore." (Psalms 105:4)
It is always better to obey the LORD; even when we are disobedient, God will always provide mercy, He will always accept our plea for forgiveness. I know people who don't really believe that is true for them. People who once were so on fire for God, and who messed up their lives or their marriage, and who now do not believe that God can have mercy, not the kind of mercy that they want, anyways. Whether or not Paul once was married, I have no idea, except that it was the custom for anyone who was in leadership within the Pharisees to be married; but I do know what Paul spoke about the past, in saying, "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." We are never really going to reach the prize here, not in this lifetime, not in these corrupted bodies; but we will reach it once we are united and glorified with the Lord. That is how we forget about those things that are behind, by focusing upon those things are before, and reaching for them! We can never change what was done, so why do we try and expect God to change them; the past is in the past, but what is ahead, that's a whole new topic and adventure. Through every thing that was done in the Bible, from Adam's sin, to Moses striking the rock again, to Jesus being crucified upon the cross, was there anything that God made undone? Nothing God does will He undo, but He will make it new! That is miracle of who He is and all that He does; He makes beauty from ashes; He makes something beautiful from the ugly and the condemned. If you know someone like I shared about, all that you can do is to pray for them and try to express to them that they are loved by God; but don't try and counsel them, not unless you are equipped to deal with that kind of believing. It's like learning to minister to the cults; you study what they believe, and sure enough, your heart will be swayed. We all have some insecurities when it comes to our salvation; sooner or later, even the strongest saint will question what they believe. So it is always best to stay in the Word and keep pressing forward, toward the mark. By the way, what is the "mark," anyways? Well, it's only used once, but the translation is the Greek word 'skopos,' which means mark or goal that one looks at or end that one has in view; it also means an observer or a watchman. It is kind of unique, because the word comes from the root word that represents 'skeptic.' The main point of the term is that of  'to spy' or 'peer' or 'to look into the distance.' In a nutshell, the mark is not something that is seen here, it is there; there is where we have our hope...
"The one thing I seek most -is to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, delighting in the LORD'S perfections and meditating in his temple. For he will conceal me there when troubles come; he will hide me in his sanctuary. He will place me out of reach on a high rock. Then I will hold my head high above my enemies who surround me. At his sanctuary I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy, singing and praising the LORD with music. Hear me as I pray, O LORD. Be merciful and answer me! My heart has heard you say, "Come and talk with me." And my heart responds, "LORD, I am coming." Do not turn your back on me. Do not reject your servant in anger. You have always been my helper. Don't leave me now; don't abandon me, O God of my salvation! Even if my father and mother abandon me, the LORD will hold me close." (Psalms 27:4-10) NLT

Monday, December 4, 2017

"Lost in Love"

"Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD." (Psalms 105:3)
By now you might be wondering about all this stuff about love; if so, caring and love go hand in hand, much like the word charity and love. If you say that you love someone, then you must also care for and be charitable towards them. It is like what James speaks of in James 2:14-17, regarding faith and works; love is an action word that requires that you do something in order for it to be real. Saying that you love someone does not demonstrate your love for them, it only opens the door for you to show them that you mean it. It is the same with our love for the Lord. When we say that we love Him, we must demonstrate that love by doing those things which He has instructed us to do. It's not about works, it is about obedience to what you know is right. Easier said than done; trust me, I know! But that does not mean we do not try! Failure is never an excuse for not trying again and again; it is only a reason for us to try harder and harder. God will never ask you to do something that you can not do; but He will ask you to do something that might require His help! But you must do something! You are not going to experience the love of God unless you share His love with others. Sure, you can feel the love of God in the way that He has forgiven you of your sins, but even that forgiveness means nothing if you cannot forgive others who need your forgiveness. His love is the same; we experience His love in our lives when we love; if we do not love, then we really do not know love. And we can't just say that we love, love requires us to do something in order for it to be real and affective. Maybe you don't see the connection; but if we really are seeking after God, then we need to be on the same page with Him; and if we are on the same page, then we will be rejoicing. It is really that simple! If you think it's not, then think about those times when you feel joy and those times when you don't. In the times when you are doing what the Lord says to do, your heart is filled with joy; in the times when you are not, your heart is gloomy. At least that is my experience, but I am kind of weird like that, and that is how I prefer it to be. At least then I know when I am messing up...
"Seek the LORD while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near. Let the wicked change their ways and banish every thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the LORD that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously. "My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts," says the LORD. "And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts."" (Isaiah 55:6-9) NLT

Sunday, December 3, 2017

"Love That is Rendered"

"Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works." (Psalms 105:2)
If there is one thing that I have learned over these last 14 years, it's that God's love has nothing to do with circumstance or situation. We should never think that it does; yet, the world will always want you to see it as so, saying, "How can you say that God loves you, yet he let's that happen?" Don't buy into that way of thinking; don't let that sink into your heart! There are a whole list of people in the Scriptures that wrote about such things, things about the wicked prospering and the ones who serve God suffering. Some even expressed how difficult it was to accept, and how they wondered why they even served the LORD at all. But then they realized something that mattered more, that this is not where life ends. When you look at that, and you factor in Paul's words from 2 Corinthians 10:5-6, you can understand that our fight is not against flesh and blood; it never was about flesh and blood, but about the eternity of our soul. From the very beginning the devil has caused man to focus upon the temporary things and forget about the eternal; the eternal life that we have in God. That great lie that was uttered, "Ye shall not surely die," is still be uttered today, but now he has changed things up, by saying, "This will surely kill you." It's all about the temporary pleasures and this temporary life; the things that Jesus warned us about focusing on, saying, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God." When it comes to sharing about God's wondrous works, if we are looking at life from our temporary situation or circumstance, then it might be really hard to share how wonderful God has been to you; whether or not you are holding out for something better down the road. His joy is for now, right now, in your current situation, right now, through the circumstance; His love is in the trial and suffering! Whether you believe me or not, there is almost not a day that goes by when I do not sing to my wife. It is really weird, but I never sang to her before her accident. But now, it seems so right; it causes a reaction in her look towards me, and I am reminded that she is there. I have had people try and tell me that she is not really there, and I need to tell them that they don't know what they are talking about. It reminds me of the conversation I heard on Rich Buhler's show when "Silent Scream" came out in 1984. He was talking to some kind of expert in human anatomy and prenatal care, and she was talking about the part in the movie where the baby in the womb is being torn apart, and how its reactions were only reflex actions and there was no pain associated with it; as if there was really not a live person in there. I remember the anger I felt towards that woman, and how I had wished she could experience her limbs being torn off and see if it hurt or not. This is a really strange world we live in, where experts really have no clue what they are talking about. One more reason that we need to read our Bible and stick to what God says, not what the world says. Just remember that God's love is never out of reach or far away; we are all His Temple, living and breathing tents where God has His Tabernacle abiding in us. We can experience God's love in any situation and through every circumstance...
"That same day two of Jesus' followers were walking to the village of Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem. As they walked along they were talking about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things, Jesus himself suddenly came and began walking with them. But God kept them from recognizing him. He asked them, "What are you discussing so intently as you walk?" They stopped short, sadness written across their faces. Then one of them, Cleopas, replied, "You must be the only person in Jerusalem who hasn't heard about all the things that have happened there the last few days. "What things? Jesus asked. "The things that happened to Jesus, the man from Nazareth," they said. "He was a prophet who did powerful miracles, and he was a mighty teacher in the eyes of God and all the people. But our leading priests and other religious leaders handed him over to be condemned to death, and they crucified him. We had hoped he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel. This all happen three days ago."" (Luke 24:13-21) NLT

Saturday, December 2, 2017

"Love Without Measure"

"O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people."
(Psalms 105:1)
It is easy to forget what it is that keeps our spirit pressing forward; this life has a way of causing our hearts to become numb to what it feels like to be loved the way that God loves us. I was thinking about this the other day and shared it with a friend, that the devil loves it when we reflect upon the bad choices we have made; when we gloom over those past mistakes. He takes those opportunities to try and convince us that we are unworthy of God's love. Well, if that ever happens, we need to remember that we are not worthy of His love; none of us are worthy of God's love! He loves us because He has chosen to love us, regardless of how unworthy we might be; His love is not based upon our ability to do this or that, it is based upon the fact that He loves us, period! When Jesus spoke to Nicodemus, He mentioned that He was not sent by the Father to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. (John 3:17) We really don't need condemning, because we were condemned already. Jesus came to free us from our condemnation and give us life, eternal life in Him. When we are talking about love without measure, this is not something that we possess on our own, it is only something that is of God. That consuming fire spoken of, that fire that burns away all that is not of Him, it is His love; the closer we get to Him, the deeper our love becomes, the brighter His love will shine in our hearts. There are three very simple parts to the verse above; the first one being the most important one of all, to give Him thanks! It is not just a simple little, 'Thank you God for what you do,' it is more about thanking Him for loving you, regardless of what you do! That is why the second part is to "call upon His name," because it is only about God's love; it's not even about us giving thanks, because our giving thanks really changes nothing; His love never changes! The third part is really the easiest part, because it only requires that express the love we have been given. Maybe you don't think it is so easy; maybe you are afraid to express God's love to others; but it is not really like you need to become a preacher or evangelist; you just need to be yourself and express who He is to you, the rest is up to God. It is His love that we are talking about, not our own. If we can remember that, then maybe we will not feel so intimidated to make His deeds known...
"I am writing to God's church in Corinth, to you who have been called by God to be his own holy people. He made you holy by means of Christ Jesus, just as he did for people everywhere who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours. May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. I always thank my God for you and for the gracious gifts he has given you, now that you belong to Christ Jesus. Through him, God has enriched your church in every way -with all of your eloquent words and all of your knowledge. This confirms that what I told you about Christ is true. Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns. God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." (1 Corinthians 1:2-9) NLT