Tuesday, August 31, 2010

John 14:2

"In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.”


There is a great deal of pain as well as fear when some one we love leaves; especially when it is permanent. Jesus was preparing His followers for His departure from earth. Christ’s disciples had forsaken their careers, friendships, and all that was familiar, trusting Christ with their entire life. Considering this, it is easy to understand their fear when considering Jesus was leaving.
There are a couple promises in here but I want to focus on the promise of Jesus to “prepare” a place just for you. This idea reminds me of my cousin Sandy. Several years ago she bought elaborate sewing equipment so she could better express her love to friends and family. I especially remember the quilt she made for her dad. It contained several squares, one for each child and grandchild. Each square had the person’s name and an item that symbolized a dominant aspect of their character.

A person looking at the quality of the quilt would be impressed with its craftsmanship, but those who knew the family are amazed by its intricate detail. The essence of each person was not only precisely symbolized by her choice of object, but even the colors perfectly reflected the individual! It was obvious Sandy knew each person in great detail, thus her ability to prepare exactly the right square.

In like manner, Jesus is saying I know just what to make for you. When you come into eternity to be with me I want you to know that I have been working on the perfect place for you. The only real question left is; “Are you living in such a way that you will be able to live in your mansion?”

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Matthew 11:28

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”



This was spoken by Jesus to the multitude that had gathered around Him. It was recorded in the bible to give assurance to you that there also is rest for you. In my short life I have had several experiences where I worked such long hard hours that when I got home I simply collapsed into bed, too exhausted to even shower. Those nights resulted in complete, almost dead-like, sleep. It is like those rare occasions when you awake from a full nights sleep with the feeling you never moved all night.


Life is full of experiences that are hard, causing heavy burdens. Do you have circumstances that are weighing down your spirit? Do you ever feel worn out from fighting what seems like a losing battle? Would you like some rest? God is promising a rest to your inner being, a rest where your soul lays completely still, like a great night’s sleep. This promise hinges only your willingness to come to Jesus.



As humans we have a tendency to think we must take care of it ourselves, which is why we find ourselves heavily laden. I well recall how easily I slipped into this condition just last month when I was over-loaded with legitimate concerns for my family, friends, finances, students, and souls. An alarming email signaling disharmony among God’s people sent me over the edge. I felt awful inside and my soul was tired from all the unrest. The first break I got at work, I left my classroom and sought out a seldom-used room in the basement of my school. Alone in the darkness of that room I “came” to Christ with all my burdens. I can’t say how long I prayed but I can tell you I did not get up until my soul was resting. Praise God for real soul rest!

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

John 8:11

“ neither do I condemn thee; go and sin no more.”

How well I remember the times in my childhood when I got caught doing foolish things. Too often I would simply act without thinking only to regret it later. My parents were wise because they would make me go to my room and think about what I had done. It was during this time, guilt and frustration with myself began its work to bring me to a place of repentance.

As I got older I felt an overwhelming urge to explain why I had done something bad. It was if I was trying to appease a deep-seated emotion if I could somehow make sense out of my mistake. I imagine you are not much different than I am, so we are tempted to explain or justify our mistakes to God. Don’t bother. He is not interested in your excuse. He is interested in repentance, which is an expression of Love.

In the story preceding this verse we see a guilty woman forced to think about her shameful act. Like this woman, we all have been caught at one time or another. However, like this woman we too can claim Jesus’ promise of “neither do I condemn thee.” Jesus, knowing the contrition of her heart, simply said, “I forgive you.” Do you realize it is that easy?

The other half of the promise is that He will equip you to do better. When he said “go and sin no more” it implies that she now had the ability to perform that which He commanded. When you are forgiven you are freed to do better. Is there anything in your life that you know isn’t right with God? Do you wish you could do better? God is promising to forgive and empower you.

Friday, August 20, 2010

Proverbs 16:3

"Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established."

Here we have another conditional promise. Our part is to commit what we are doing unto the Lord. That doesn't mean I am doing whatever I feel like and hoping the Lord is pleased with it. This means that I am actively seeking God's will in my life and doing what pleases him.

When you do this, the Lord has promised to deal with your mind. When it comes to being "drawn" away from the Lord it starts with the mind. The principle of reaping and sowing works in the negative also.

Sow a thought, reap an act. Sow an act, reap a habit. Sow a habit, reap a character.

Jesus said, as a man thinketh in his heart so he is. All this is pointing out that our actions are dictated by what we think about. This is why the promise is so precious. The Lord is saying I will protect your mind and help you to focus your thoughts on what is good.

The best way I can eloborate on this is to share my own experience of it. Several years back I felt impressed, of the Lord, to have a tent meeting in the park. The last month preceeding the meeting was very busy, as I was taking care of the logistics and prayfully asking the Lord for inspiring messages to share. The month came and went as did the meeting. After it was over the Lord asked me, "Did you notice that during all this work you never had time to think about what others were or were not doing?" The Lord was letting me know that if I'll concentrate on His work for my life then I won't have time to be scrutinizing others.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Malachi 4:2

“But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as the calves of the stall.”

Praise God! He has promised to heal you and me. The healing that he has covers every aspect of your life. I have personally seen God answer prayer and perform miracles to people I know. Miracles just like the ones Jesus did when he was walking the earth. God’s power to heal in a miraculous manner has not diminished with time. James 5:16 encourages God’s people to pray for each other that they may be healed. Did you know God’s healing power is not limited to a physical body?

Imagine your emotions being likened unto the meat of a cow. A cow that has sustained a severe bodily injury has a natural reaction to fight off infection using chemicals within its body. These chemicals surround the bacteria to keep it from spreading, which results in a hardness of the meat. You can imagine how tough that meat would be years later. Contrast that meat with meat from a cow that spent its entire life lying in a barn stall. My cousin ate such a cow and bragged about how tender the meat was. He claimed it was full of flavor and the most tender meat he had ever eaten.

In this verse God has promised that we can be calves of the stall. This means our emotions can be tender despite what we have faced in life. You don’t have to harbor bad feelings and carry around hurts that make you appear “tough” to others. Like the natural chemicals within the cow you have devised a system of protection for your emotions, which has created hardness and scars. God promises to heal both your emotions and scars. You can be tender once again. A verse of a song captures it best, “There’s healing in Jesus. There’s a balm for each pain. The heart that has been broken can be made whole again.”

Friday, August 13, 2010

James 1:5

“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”

Do you know the answer to every question in life? My guess is you have been stumped often over the course of your life. There are simple everyday events, which you struggle . with to find the right decision for, but this promise is much more than that. This promise enables us to have peace with more pressing issues like, “What happens when I die? Where will I spend eternity? What is God pleased with? How do I truly love my enemies?” These are a few of many important issues.

When I was a kid I often got on people’s nerves because I always asked questions. I was an inquisitive kid who wanted to know how, why, and what if. There are many memories of various adults growing impatient with my incessant questioning. I especially enjoy the part of this promise where God will give “liberally” to all who ask. That tells me that God doesn’t grow impatient with my questions. He is well able to answer them and much more that I haven’t even thought about yet.

I have known people who will not ask questions because they were afraid of being ridiculed for their lack of knowledge. This is often the biggest cause for students to be silent in a classroom setting. They are afraid to admit what they do not know. Did you know that it is safe to admit to God you don’t know something? He won’t upbraid you even if he has told you the answer before!

Understand something very important. God has promised you wisdom in all that you will face in life. He has also promised not to “beat you up” because you did not know. Do you still have unanswered questions? You know where to find the answer. What are you waiting for? Go claim your promise.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Proverbs 3:6

“In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”


“What do you want to do? I don’t know, what do you want to do? I don’t know, what about ….?” Have you ever had a conversation like this? They can be humorous when deciding where to eat, however, when it comes down to serious matters of life or concerns deep within your spiritual being it is no laughing matter. There is no peace in the soul when you have no sense of direction.

The solution is simple. Acknowledge God and he has promised to take care of the directions. It is important to point out that acknowledging God is more than a mere recognition of his existence or presence. Acknowledging God implies a detailed understanding of his character and accomplishments. I think the best illustration would be an eulogy at a funeral. In those few moments the deceased person is identified by name, birth date and a list of attributes that made them unique. Often in these ceremonies the audience is invited to share memories they had of the person. The combined efforts of the eulogy and shared memories are an active demonstration of acknowledging the life of the deceased.

In like manner, you can acknowledge God by becoming intimately familiar with him. Becoming familiar with God starts with faith in his existence and deepens as you read his word while allowing him time to share in your life experiences. It is not enough to know that God exists and cares, but to acknowledge him implies you understand his character and how he would react to your situation. When you know in your heart how God would react to your situation you now have direction. Are you facing something difficult to understand? Do you know which way to go? God has an answer that will bring peace to your soul. Have you acknowledged him in your current situation?

Friday, August 6, 2010

Matthew 18:12

“How think ye? If a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray.”

This verse has always served as an inspiration for several reasons. When I think of being lost, it reminds me of the time I wandered away from my mom in the grocery store. It would have been no big deal, except I was a small 5 year-old child with no hope of finding her on my own. Even now, at the age of thirty, I still have vivid remembrance of how it felt to be “lost.”

Spiritually we are lost without Jesus. He is our only ride home. He alone is our protection and caregiver. All others are out to steal, kill, and destroy me. That is what makes this promise so sweet. Jesus has promised to come looking for us! He even promised to search for us in the rugged or dangerous areas we aimlessly wander into among the “mountains.”

Also hidden in here is the thought that we are not lost in the crowd. Have you ever had 100 pennies and lost one? How hard did you look for it? If you are like me, you probably thought, “No big deal, it is just a penny.” Isn’t it comforting to know that Jesus sees us to be of much more value? Even among the multitude of his sheep he knows if we are missing and it moves him with compassion to seek us out that we may be in his company once again.

Do you feel lost? Can you imagine the panic that Jesus feels? Don’t feel like the Lord does not care. Be encouraged to know that Jesus is on your trail that he might restore you to himself. He also promises to bring you back into the company of the rest of the sheep.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Isaiah 26:3

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee.”

Really? Perfect peace? No matter what happens? YES! YES! YES! Oh how I know this to be true. Here God is making a simple yet profound promise based on one important detail. You can have peace in any event in life. There is no circumstance more powerful than God’s ability to grant you peace. Access hinges on your willingness to focus on God.

Peter, an apostle of Jesus, was able to literally walk on top of water because he trusted Jesus and focused his mind on Him. After walking a few steps Peter began to be distracted by the waves. This prompted him to lose focus on Jesus, thus he began to sink. If, like Peter, you start looking around at what is happening you will lose your peace and “sink”.

Recently, a large body of fellow ministers met to discuss some concerns and issues. Emotional overload, and a genuine lack of love was demonstrated by a few; resulting in a division of sorts. As news spread, the emotions of people within the church were charged causing more issues and problems. Some were deeply saddened, wondering what this would lead to.

At first I felt a heavy burden until I took it to the Lord in prayer. When praying for my fellow brethren, the Lord gently reminded me of where my focus needed to be. As I began to seek the Lord and not focus on the waves around me, I found a place of perfect peace. A peace that was so perfect that even my emotions were calmed. This has lasted only as long as I kept my mind on Jesus and His will for me. When I allow my mind to drift, thinking about what went wrong and how to fix it, my peace ebbs away and a feel myself sinking. Peace is restored when I refocus on the great I AM.

All of this reminds me of the old Capitol One credit card commercials where the hoard of armed criminals are charging forward, desiring to destroy some helpless woman. When she pulls out the Capitol One card its power stops the hoard in its tracks and she is safe. Then the question, “What’s in your wallet?” God is asking you, “What’s in your wallet?” Am I the focus of your life? If so, I will be your protection.