Seek…

Seek…

Glory in His Holy Name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always. (1 Chronicles 16:10-11)

The Spirit declares: “Today is the day to seek the Lord while He may be found; to call upon Him while He is near.” (Isaiah 55:6) And so my heart cries out: “You, O God, are my God; early will I seek You! My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water.” (Psalm 63:1) “Those who know your Name trust in You, for You, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek You.” (Psalm 9:10) “My heart says within me, ‘Seek His face!’ Yes, Lord, I will seek Your face today!” (Psalm 27:8) For You have said, “Blessed are those who keep Your statutes and seek You with all their heart!” (Psalm 119:2) Thus, Lord, “I seek you with all my heart; and do not let me stray from your commands.” (Psalm 119:10)

I believe we are called to always seek the face of the Lord Jesus! “The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.” (Psalm 14:2) Does He find us seeking Him? Thus says the Lord: “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13) Do you seek Him with your whole heart? Have we come to understand that the Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him – to those who seek Him? (Lamentations 3:25) This is what the Lord says to His people: “Seek me and live!” (Amos 5:4) Indeed, let all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you, O Lord; let those who long for your salvation declare, “The Lord is great!” (Psalm 40:16)

My friends, it is my desire to encourage us in this matter of seeking God. Jesus taught us to seek God and His Kingdom first above all things:

Luke 12:29-30 (NKJV)

Do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. For all these things the nations of the world seek after; and your Heavenly Father knows that you need these things. Rather, seek first the Kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.

And Jesus has affirmed:

Luke 11:9-10 (NKJV)

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”

One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple. (Psalm 27:4)

O saints, let us seek Him!

Have a Blessed Day!

Refuge…

Refuge…

I love you, Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. (Psalm 18:1-2)

I have been under the weather with influenza this week; and a dear friend and prayer warrior shared a prayer that reminded me: “God is my refuge.” It was a timely word … a needed word … to encourage me as I walk through this valley. As I deal with the symptoms and malaise of this virus, I have found that my time of isolation has proven fruitful. I have taken time to meditate on what it means to have God as my refuge and my strength.  For indeed, He is a shield … a protective cover … for all who make their refuge in Him. (Psalm 18:30)

If you or someone you know are being oppressed by a spirit of infirmity, I encourage you to read these verses below and let them settle on your heart:

Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me. Keep me free from the trap that is set for me, for you are my refuge. Into your hands I commit my spirit; deliver me, Lord, my faithful God. ~ Psalm 31:3-5

How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light. ~ Psalm 36:7-9

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. ~ Psalm 46:1

Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, for in you I take refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed. ~ Psalm 57:1


But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble. ~ Psalm 59:16

My salvation and my honor depend on God Most-High; He is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge. ~ Psalm 62:7-8

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most-High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” ~ Psalm 91:1-2

My friends, let us take all of our infirmities in prayer before the Lord and His throne of grace.  Let us find our refuge in Him … our ever-present help in times of trouble. In the shadow of His wings, we will find mercy and strength for the day. Indeed, His love is unfailing, and He is the fountain of life for all who drink.

Have a Blessed Day!

First…

First…

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day,” and the darkness He called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day. (Genesis 1:1-5)

First there was darkness…. Then God said, “Let there be light!” Thus, the first day of creation was completed, and the order of His work was established. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:5) God has ordained a divine order in which all things must take place. If want to the power of light to fill us, we must first let it subdue the lifelessness of the darkness within us.

There is an order of God we need to understand. Consider how Isaiah prophesied the Messiah must suffer first before His ultimate triumph:

Isaiah 53:10-11 (NIV)

Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush Him and cause Him to suffer; and though the Lord makes His life an offering for sin, He will see His offspring and prolong His days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in His hand. After He has suffered, He will see the light of life and be satisfied; by His knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and He will bear their iniquities.

My friends, there is a pattern we need to see! We, too, must first deny ourselves, pick up our crosses daily, and follow Jesus. (Luke 9:23) Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12) Indeed, the suffering of the cross must come before the crown can be worn! And we must persevere in faith to receive it! As James affirmed: “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” (James 1:12)

Paul testified as well: “The Messiah would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would bring the message of light to His own people and to the Gentiles.” (Acts 26:23) Likewise, he taught: “If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. It is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. The first man was of the dust of the earth; the second man is of heaven. And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man.” (1 Corinthians 15:45-47, 49)

Have a Blessed Day!

Receive…

Receive…

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. (Colossians 2:6-7)

To receive is to come into possession of something such as a gift. When you receive someone, you greet and welcome them into your home. In Ephesians 2:8-9, faith is represented as a gift from God. Yes, because of His grace, we receive salvation and eternal life through faith in Christ Jesus. And when we receive Jesus, He comes to dwell within us. As John 14:23 affirms: Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.”

One might ask, “How do I receive the gift of faith?” Well, consider how the earth receives light and warmth from the sun – how the clouds release their rain to water the fields and fill the streams. Everything necessary for life is given without any effort from the recipient. It is simply received as a blessing from God. Likewise, our faith is a gift that only needs acceptance. Indeed, the faith we receive from God is essential for life. For by faith, Jesus becomes a real and precious possession. He becomes our very own! I think about the metaphor Jesus used to describe this abiding union:

John 15:4-5 (NIV)

Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

Jesus tells us to remain in Him. And this is how we know if we are abiding in Him – we will bear much fruit to the glory of God the Father. If you and I do not bear fruit, then we are failing to abide in Jesus. The Apostle John explains:

1 John 2:3-6 (NIV)

We know that we have come to know Jesus if we keep His commands. Whoever says, “I know Him,” but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. But if anyone obeys His word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in Him: Whoever claims to live in Him must live as Jesus did.

My friends, what we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. (1 Corinthians 2:12) The Father gave us His Son to abide in us through the Spirit. Just as we receive Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior, let us abide in Him and bear much fruit! Amen.

Have a Blessed Day!

Pray…

Pray…

Now it came to pass in those days that Jesus went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. (Luke 6:12)

I find it interesting that of all the people who might have lived without prayer in their life, it would have been Jesus, the Son of God, who was in closest relationship with the Father. (Cf. John 1:18) Yet, we see in the Scriptures, that Jesus spent a tremendous amount of time in prayer. His disciples sometimes accompanied Him during those times of prayer; but often, Jesus spent time secluded and alone in prayer. (Luke 5:16)

A disciple once asked Jesus to teach them to pray like John the Baptist taught his disciples. Jesus responded with a model prayer we now call the “Lord’s Prayer.” (Cf. Luke 11:1-4) He shared a pattern for “what” to pray; but His example showed them “how” to pray. Every Gospel account captures the great prayerfulness of our Lord Jesus; and He has modeled an effectual prayer life for us with great precision.

What motivated Jesus to spend entire nights in prayer? First, I think it was His immeasurable love and adoration of our Heavenly Father! His intense desire for perfect communion with Him could not be satisfied without intimate time in prayer. Second, I believe Jesus loved people so much that His most passionate desire was to be an Advocate and Intercessor for them. Sometimes, I wonder if we have the same convictions for our time in prayer. Do we have the same mindset as Jesus when it comes to spending quiet time with God?

Our verse recounts how Jesus would spend all night in prayer. And following that occasion, Jesus would appoint twelve of His disciples to be apostles. (Luke 6:13-16) It is obvious His decision required careful deliberation before God. Yet, in His time of greatest need, when Jesus was overwhelmed in His soul, those same disciples could not watch for an hour in prayer. (Cf. Matthew 26:36-46) And shall we, the remnant Church in these latter days, also be unwilling to spend even an hour in intercession for this generation before God?

Jesus foretold the circumstances and events of the end times. And He advised us to be ready. “Take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:34-36)

My friends, devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. (Colossians 4:2) And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. (Ephesians 6:18)

Have a Blessed Day!

Witness…

Witness…

My mouth will tell of your righteous deeds, of your saving acts all day long— though I know not how to relate them all. I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, Sovereign Lord; I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone. Since my youth, God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds. Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your mighty acts to all who are to come. (Psalm 71:15-18)

What a powerful witness of our Sovereign God the aging King David became as ruler of the nation of Israel. God chose Israel to be His treasured possession of all the peoples of the earth; and it was His purpose that Israel would be His witness to all nations. Their testimony of His awesome power and mighty deeds in the land of Egypt; their victories in the land of Canaan; and the ordinances of their worship in the tabernacle would be proof of the Almighty God who redeemed them and chose them:

“You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am He. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from me there is no Savior. I have revealed and saved and proclaimed— I, and not some foreign god among you. “You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “that I am God.” (Isaiah 43:10-12)

But Israel became hardened and did not fulfill their calling from God. (Cf. Romans 10-11) Therefore, God sent His Son to be a light to His people and to the nations. The Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us. (Cf. John 1:14) And He, Jesus, testified to the truth! As a faithful witness, Jesus revealed the Father. (Cf. Revelation 1:5; 3:14) And after His resurrection, Jesus sent His disciples into the world to be faithful witnesses as well:

Then Jesus opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” (Luke 24:45-49)

My friends, we have been empowered to proclaim repentance for the forgiveness of sins in His Name. As Spirit-filled believers, we are witnesses of the atonement for sin accomplished in Jesus.  Like the Apostles, we are called to be faithful witnesses of the Gospel of grace and reconciliation. Yes, it is my prayer that others will find assurance of eternal life in Christ.

Have a Blessed Day!

Doubt…

Doubt…

Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” He said, “why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:31)

Doubt is not a new phenomenon. It is the principal tactic of Satan to dissuade our trust in God … our faith in who He is and His nature. Doubt was planted in the Garden of Eden when Eve questioned the motivations of God. “Why would God withhold knowledge?” she wondered. And so, reverence gave way to doubt, and the consequence has impacted all creation. (Cf. Genesis 3) Yes, the history of man has been riddled with doubt toward God … the sin of unbelief. But God has been faithful through His plan of salvation to destroy the work of doubt and to redeem the glory of His grace.   

Doubt…. It exposes our lack of confidence. It arouses our inclination not to believe or accept the truth even when it is right in front of us. It produces hesitation and distrust within our inner beings. We see its effect when Peter attempted to walk on the water. Jesus bid him to come, but Peter began to sink when he doubted. (Cf. Matthew 14:22-33) Yes, doubt crept in when Peter took his eyes off of Jesus and began to look at the circumstances surrounding him.

Doubt suppresses our faith – our confidence in what we hope; the evidence of what we cannot see. (Hebrews 11:1) And yet, even when the disciples saw Jesus after His resurrection, some of them still doubted. (Cf. Luke 24:36-43) We can recall what Jesus said to Thomas: “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas responded to Him, “My Lord and my God!” Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:27-29)

My friends, God is still telling us today: “Stop doubting and believe!” He assures us: “Do not be afraid.” Yes, the Lord promises each of us: “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Cf. Deuteronomy 31:6; Hebrews 13:5) So, I pray we will believe Him at His Word without any doubt – because doubt is the enemy of faith! And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6) Indeed, Jesus encourages us to pray with complete and unwavering faith:

Mark 11:22-24 (NKJV)

So, Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore, I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

Have a Blessed Day!

Unknown…

Unknown…

The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law. (Deuteronomy 29:29)

From the beginning, humans have pondered and wondered about the unknown.  It was the desire to know what God had not made known that tempted Adam and Eve to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. (Cf. Genesis 2:15-17) Indeed, what a different world we would live in now had obedience prevailed in their hearts…. Truly there are things unknown that are best left in their mystery. Indeed, it is purposed that we live by faith! Yes, faith is the confidence in what we hope for and the evidence of what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1)

That God will reveal to us the things we need to know has been attested in His Word. God has made known His mercy through the Noahic Covenant with the sign of a rainbow. God has made known His faithfulness through the Abrahamic Covenant with an unchanging promise. God has made known His will through the Mosaic Covenant with tablets of stone. God has made known His mediation through the Davidic Covenant. And God has made known His everlasting love through the New Covenant – with the blood of Christ Jesus.

Isaiah prophesied: Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’ (Isaiah 46:9-10)

Paul affirmed: “We declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” – the things God has prepared for those who love Him— these are the things God has revealed to us by His Spirit. (1 Corinthians 2:7-10)

My friends, we have been given sufficient knowledge to know the Father and His will for us – through His Word, our Lord Jesus, and Holy Spirit. Therefore, I pray we will walk in what we do know and has been revealed. Let us always be mindful to walk in the obedience of faith that we have received through grace because it is unknown when our Lord Jesus will return. We only know that as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. And we know as the prophetic signs begin to take place, we should stand up and lift our heads, because our redemption is drawing near. (Cf. Luke 21:5-36)

Have a Blessed Day!

Grace…

Grace…

The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. Out of His fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (John 1:14, 16-17)

The Apostle John had great insight and wisdom into the deep significance of the Son of God … His origin in eternity past; His intimate relationship with the Father; and the ordained purpose for which He was sent into the world. The grace of the Law given through Moses was sufficient; and yet, a greater grace was sent from heaven to be received in faith by those who believe. As Paul articulated: “Since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. (Cf. Romans 5:1-2)

The grace of God is rooted in His Being. It is just as inherent as His great compassion, His unfailing love, and His enduring mercy. His utmost purpose from the beginning has been for us, His treasured possession, to experience the delight of His goodness and love; to abide in His glorious presence through intimate fellowship; and to walk in the beauty of holiness just as He is holy. It is apparent that grace has been integral to the plan of God to see the desires of His heart come to pass. “For if righteousness could be gained through the Law, then Christ Jesus died for nothing.” (Cf. Galatians 2:21)

Our Lord Jesus is the expressed grace of God! As Paul explained: “Because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.  (Ephesians 2:4-9)

My friends, “God has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done, but because of His own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior. (2 Timothy 1:9-10) Therefore, I urge us all to embrace the fullness of His grace! For His grace is more than sufficient for us! His power is made perfect in our weakness!” (Cf. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

Have a Blessed Day!

Change…

Change…

God, who is enthroned from of old, who does not change— He will hear them and humble them, because they have no fear of God. (Psalm 55:19)

“I the Lord do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. (Malachi 3:6)

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (James 1:17)

The Word of God is consistent regarding this truth: God Does Not Change! God is not human, that He should lie; not a human being that He should change His mind. Does He speak and then not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?” (Numbers 23:19) Concerning His Son: “The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind: “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.” (Psalm 110:4) Though God created the heavens and the earth, they will perish.  But He will remain the same and endure forever. (Cf. Psalm 102:25-27) The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the Word of God endures forever. (Isaiah 40:8) Yes, the Lord Jesus declared: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.” (Matthew 24:35; Mark 13:31; Luke 21:33) Indeed, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever! (Hebrews 13:8)

God the Father does not change; and yet, He is the agent of change! He changes times and seasons; He deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. (Daniel 2:21) By His Spirit, God changes people and their hearts. He used the Prophet Samuel to anoint the first King of Israel with oil; and Saul was changed into a different person. (Cf. 1 Samuel 10:6-11) And He is in the process of changing each of us. “For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son; that He might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.” (Romans 8:29-30)

We are called by our Holy Creator to change … to be transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory – which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (Cf. Corinthians 3:16-18) Jesus told His disciples, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the Kingdom of God.” (Matthew 18:3; Mark 10:15; Luke 18:17) Indeed, change is necessary if we want to become like Jesus and live as Jesus did. This is how we will know that we are in Him. (1 John 2:5-6)

My friends, soon there is a great change coming to our lives: “We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52)

Have a Blessed Day!