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Yea, thou I walk

The events of December 14th have touched the hearts and souls of the world.  Sorrow, anguish, horror, sadness and pain for those lost, and for those left behind to cope with their journey through the valley of the shadow of death.

Lord, paint our souls with a picture of you, so Your divine light can be seen in this dark world. Paint our hearts with your love to enable us to show what real love really is. Paint our spirits with your peace so we become vessels of calm in troubled waters.  Paint our minds with your wisdom, and our bodies with your strength and mercy, so that we show your amazing grace to the world.

Help us Lord, to walk with these families and others through this time.  Their journey through these dark days are beyond comprehension.  And like others before them, remind us all that our personal journeys intersect with theirs right now, and as your servants we have a work to do them.

Lord, let them know they are not alone, for you are with them.  Your rod and staff will comfort them, and the table you’ve prepared is anointed with your healing oil.  Remind them You are filling their cups with your loving comfort, like the gates of heaven.

Lord, be with these families whose children, and loved ones are gone and with those who are providing care, comfort, support, aid.  Give us the strength and courage as a nation to help, really help those who need it.  Amen

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Detours, Distractions,Dilemmas

Detours, distractions and dilemmas–in this season of joy, happiness, gift-giving, celebrations you or someone who know may be facing a season of trial, and tragedy.  The brightest season for them has becomes covered in blight and despair, hardly a time of laughter and fun.   Even if you are not facing a personal challenge, or someone who know, you must be aware of the nurse who killed herself after being the victim of a hoax by two DJ’s, or perhaps you’ve been following the two NFL tragedies committed by young men who appeared to have everything.

Increasingly more and more individuals are foregoing the joys of “true life” for horror and mayhem, for tragic detours and futile distractions that land head first into their families, thereby creating lasting dilemmas and damages.

This should be a time of learning about the real reason for the season.  It should be times of love, sharing and serving others.  These days should be spent in reflection, and living life with intention and divine purpose.  With only 20 days left in 2012, we need to take note of those who have become twisted and tangled in the superficiality of life, and not with the substance; with those who are suffering and not serving; those who are taking detours instead of staying focused on the high calling of the mark in Christ Jesus.   These days should be times of helping others to find their way back home.

If you are facing a personal trial, stay centered on and in Christ.  Let Him clarify your thinking and show you your purpose.  Don’t become distracted by the storm and the clouds.  These are temporary.  Focus on Christ, and not on the circumstance.  You probably saying, sure that’s easy for you to say.  You don’t know what I’m going through.  Well you’re right.  I don’t.  But Christ does, and there is nothing, no circumstance, situation, challenge, detour, distraction, or dilemma He can’t fix.   Give Him a chance.  Christ came so we can experience fullness in this life, even in the midst of the storms. So whether it’s you or someone you care about, share that detours, distractions and dilemmas are temporary, and Christ is eternal.   That’s good news.

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Standing As High Priest

A Classic Devotional from C.H. Spurgeon

“Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord.”  Zechariah 3:1

In Joshua the high priest we see a picture of each and every child of God, who has been made nigh by the blood of Christ, and has been taught to minister in holy things, and enter into that which is within the veil.  Jesus has made us priests and kings unto God, and een her upon earth we exercise the priesthood of consecrated living and hallowed service.  But this high priest is said to be “standing before the angel of the Lord,” that is, standing to minister.  This should be the perpetual position of true believer.  [Is this your position?]

Every place is now God’s temple, and his people can as truly serve him in their daily employments as in his house. They are to be always “ministering,” offering the spiritual sacrifice of prayer and praise, and presenting themselves a “living sacrifice.”  [Are you ministering as a priest?]

But notice where it is that Joshua stands to minister, it is before the angel of Jehovah.  It is only through a mediator that we poor defiled ones can ever become priests unto God.  I present what I have before the messenger, the angel of the covenant, the Lord Jesus; and through him my prayers find acceptance wrapped up in his prayers; my praises become sweet as they are bound up with bundles of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia from Christ’s own garden.  If I can bring him nothing but my tears, he will put them with his own tears in his own bottle for he once wept; if I can bring him nothing but my groans and sighs, he will accept these as an acceptable sacrifice, for he once was broken in heart, and sighed heavily in spirit. I myself, standing in him, am accepted in the Beloved; and all my polluted works, though in themselves only objects of divine abhorrence, are so received, that God smelleth a sweet savour.  He is content and I am blessed [beyond measure].  See, then, the position of the Christian — “a priest standing before the angel of the Lord.”

Are you standing in your rightful position?

O Lord, help us to stand as your high priests and kings today.  Use us as an instrument of love unto good works to glorify your kingdom.  Amen

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Thanksgiving

 “Earth should be a temple filled with the songs of grateful saints, and every day should be a smoking censor with the sweet incense of thanksgiving.”  C.H. Spurgeon

As you prepare for feasting and fellowship with family and friends, let us not forget those whose sacred circles have been disrupted.  Those columns of home, health, safety, and family which anchor our hearts and minds, for some have been blown apart by nature, poor decisions, or the insensitivity of man.    Pray for those who are feeling lost, abandoned, rejected, alone.  Ask God to strengthen their hearts and minds, and out of His endless supply of love grant them hope, peace and blessed assurance He knows all, see all, and is still there.   Then offer up songs of praise, and thanksgiving to our Great God for His amazing love, His mercy and His grace.   God has done so much for us.  We owe it to ourselves to spend some time in His garden of grace expressing our appreciation for His mercy and great love.

May the God of all mercy and grace be with you and your family this holiday.

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So walk ye in him

A Devotional by C.H. Spurgeon

“So walk ye in him.” Colossians 2:6

If we have received Christ himself in our inmost hearts, our new life will manifest its intimate acquaintance with him by a walk of faith in him. Walking implies action. Our religion is not to be confined to our closet; we must carry out into practical effect that which we believe. If a man walks in Christ, then he so acts as Christ would act; for Christ being in him, his hope, his love, his joy, his life, he is the reflex of the image of Jesus; and men say of that man, “He is like his Master; he lives like Jesus Christ.” Walking signifies progress. “So walk ye in him;” proceed from grace to grace, run forward until you reach the uttermost degree of knowledge that a man can attain concerning our Beloved.

Walking implies continuance. There must be a perpetual abiding in Christ. How many Christians think that in the morning and evening they ought to come into the company of Jesus, and may then give their hearts to the world all the day: but this is poor living; we should always be with him, treading in his steps and doing his will. 

Walking implies habit. When we speak of a man’s walk and conversation, we mean his habits, the constant tenor of his life.  Now, if we sometimes enjoy Christ, and then forget him; sometimes call him ours, and anon lose our hold, that is not a habit; we do not walk in him.  We must keep to him, cling to him, never let him go, but live and have our being in him. “As ye have received Chrsit Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him;” persevere in the same way in which ye have begun, and, as at the first Christ Jesus was the trust of your faith, the source of your life, the principle of your action, and the joy of your spirit, so let him be the same till life’s end; the same when you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, and enter into the joy and the rest which remains for the people of God.  O Holy Spirit, enable us to obey this heavenly precept.   Amen.

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Is There A Church In Your House?

“The church in thy house.”  Philemon 2

C.H. Spurgeon

Is there a church in this [your] house? Are parents, children, friends, servants, all members of it? or are some still unconverted?

Let us pause here and let the question go round–Am I a member of the Church in this house?  How would father’s heart leap for joy, and mother’s eyes fill with holy tears if from the eldest to the youngest all were saved!  Let us pray for this great mercy until the Lord shall grant it to us. Probably it head been the dearest object of Philemon’s desires to have all his household saved; but it was not at first granted him in its fulness. He had a wicked servant, Onesimus, who, having wronged him, ran away from his service. HIs master’s prayers followed him, and at last, as God would have it, Onesimus was led to hear Paul preached; his heart was touched, and he returned to Philemon, not only to be a faithful servant, but a brother beloved, adding another member to the Church in Philemon’s house.  Is there an unconverted servant or child absent this morning? Make special supplication that such may, on their return to their home, gladden all hearts with good news of what grace has done! Is there one present? Let him partake in this same earnest entreaty.

If there be such a Church in our house, let us order it well, and let all act as in the sight of God.  Let us move in the common affairs of life with studied holiness, diligence, kindness, and integrity.  More is expected of a Church than of an ordinary household; family worship must, in such a case, be more devout and hearty; internal love must be more warm and unbroken, and external conduct must be more sanctified and Christlike. We need not fear that the smallness of our number will put us out of the list of Churches, for the Holy Spirit has enrolled a family-church in the inspired book of remembrance.  As a Church let us now draw night to the great head of the one Church universal, and let us beseech him to give us grace to shine before men to the glory of his name.

[Is there a church in your house?]

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Have you been with Jesus

Have you been with Jesus?

Will any part of the world know if you have been with Jesus?  What will your actions, attitudes, mannerisms, behaviors suggests?  Will you show the world the light of His countenance?  Will they be able to see light, grace, mercy?  Will you walk with confidence, and fearing nothing; assured of His power and anointing?  Can you resist the temptation lurking around the water cooler, or on your computer? Will you stand up for the oppressed, or simply go along with the crowd?  Have you been with Jesus?  

The spirit of divine life circulates within every believer.   A healthy Christian carries Jesus’ blood within them; creating and producing the fruit of the spirit.  Christ’s power, love, energy and strength must manifest our conversation and conduct and show our encounters with our Savior.

Have you been with Jesus today?  If not, take a little walk with Him.  The world needs to see that you’ve been with our Lord.

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Has He…

From one of my favorite authors, C.H. Spurgeon:

“How much do you owe the Lord?

Has he ever done anything for you? Has he forgiven your sins? Has he covered you with a robe of righteousness?

Has he set your feet upon a rock? Has he established your goings? Has he prepared heaven for you?

Has he prepared you for heaven? Has he written your name in his book of life?

Has he given you countless blessings?  Has he laid up for you a store of mercies, which eye hath not seen nor ear heard?

Then do something for Jesus worthy of his love.

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Pray to Maintain

“When a Christian shuns fellowship with other Christians, the devil smiles. When he stops studying the Bible, the devil laughs.

When he stops praying, the devil shouts for joy.” Corrie Ten Boom

Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving. Colossians 4:2

PRAY WITHOUT CEASING 1 Thessalonians 5:17

Lord, help us to pray passionately for the things of God.  To seek the kingdom of God, and your righteousness first, and then to pray for your peace and wisdom in our relationships, and activities.  Lord, help us to become more Christ like in every way, so we can fulfill the divine mission you placed within us.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen

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What Are You Prepared to Do?

 “The Lord is with you when you are with Him.

If you seek Him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.” 2 Chronicles 15:2 b (NIV)

What are you prepared to do?  What are you prepared to do to seek God?  What are you prepared to do to honor and love Him?  What are you prepared to do to gain Christ?  The journey to seek and find God can be an easy or perilous one.   We were designed for the task, and the very best markers were left to guide our paths.   But the real question is, what are you prepared to do?

Scripture said if we seek him, we shall find him.  That if is a huge marker that indicates some action on our part.  We must initiate the seeking.  God is already there waiting for us to discover Him, but it is up to us to do so.  Seeking Him means taking part in the process. When you want something bad enough, you will rally your resources to get the intended object.  If we really want to find God, we will do everything within our power to seek Him out.

Seeking also means serving Him.   Service, when done out of love and deep appreciation for what He did for us, becomes a glorious journey of discovery and experiencing God.   Along the way, you discover why God gave us His very, very best His Son, Christ our blessed redeemer.  The process of seeking also reveals the real purpose for which we were created.   The seeking creates windows of opportunity for the expression of God’s goodness and mercy through service.  And as we serve, our lives become a beautiful reflection of Christ’s magnificent gift.   We learn that we fulfill the whole law as we serve Him.  We lose nothing, we only gain.  We discover love, joy, peace, understanding, diligence, and beauty.   Life becomes more about Him and less about us.  We undercover the true family, fruitful relationships, abilities, gifts, and talents through the gateway of service in His kingdom.   We taste and see that the Lord is good, and His mercy endures forever.  We find out He will be with us until the end of time.

So, what are you prepared to do?   If you forsake the Lord, and all He has done, then the journey to find fulfillment, and happiness becomes empty, shallow reflections; tainted, worthless idols of fame and fortune.  Our souls become bleached and withered from the years of wandering in the wilderness.   If you forsake Him, you lose all; everything; you lose God.  He will not force it; for this is a voluntary act of gratefulness to find Him who is our all in all.    There is a cost to seeking God.  It may cost everything.  But He reassured,  there is great reward.

What are you prepared to do to find God?