June 5 Thought for the day...You are not a mistake

Some thing so many in our culture has struggled with is rejection. We live in a culture of such affluence yet we feel like no one cares or perhaps worse we are not meant to be here, we are a mistake! The Holy Spirit clears that up for us.

"Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes." Ephesians 1:4

There are times where you can feel down, rejected, hurting, and think why was I born, what is my purpose? Paul reminds us that none of us are here by accident, but God has chosen us. Psalm 139 tells us that we were known by God before we were born and while we were being formed.

The word "chosen" here means to be specifically selected. This would be used in a military sense for the selection of elite forces like the modern day Rangers or Seals. No Christian has been created by accident, we have all been specially selected even when we didn't know it.

Why being "chosen"? Paul writes that before the world began, we were chosen, which is to say not only did God know us and select us but we are all selected for a purpose. He didn't just create us but created us with a plan, from the very beginning, to fulfill our purpose, to change the world.

As men and women of God, we can't take the time to "boo hoo" or to feel that we were merely an accident. We must realize it doesn't matter how we came into the world, who are parents are, or even what the conditions of our birth were. Instead, we must realize before God created the earth, He saw us. Even before the earth was formed, God knew who you would be, how you would be born, and had a plan to use it all for His glory and to bless you.

You were born for a purpose. Don't allow the enemy to lie to you, to make you feel like you have no purpose, or that you were a mistake. God makes no mistakes, only people who are called to impact the world.

You are a gift to your friends, family, and all who know you. You have been chosen by God even if everyone rejects you. He has a wonderful plan to use you to fulfill His plan and to bless you!

June 2 Thought for the day...rooted for a solid destiny

Have you ever gone through a time when you have been waiting for your harvest, and it seems like it is taking forever? I think sometimes we think God is like a Chia Pet just add water and there is instantaneous growth. God has a different plan.

"rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving." Colossians 2:7

Before any tree can bear fruit, there must be a time for it to allow the roots to go down deep and then once established in the soil the tree begins to blossom and bear fruit. Jeremiah talks about it, and the Psalmist wrote about it in 1:3 that a person rooted in God's word is like a tree who deals with the elements but always bears fruit because they are dug in deep. It may be taking a while for your fruitful season, but the bigger the tree, the bigger the root system must be. You may be preparing for some greatness and your time is coming, but your roots must go deeper first.

The word "rooted" in the Greek means to be firmly held in place, steady, stable, and strong. The roots gain the nourishment for the tree and also are the security for the tree to withstand anything and everything that comes against it. Rather than complaining that it is taking a long time to see fruit in your life, take the time to get into the word, grow in the Holy Spirit allow your roots to go down deep. If you do, eventually you will come into your fruitful season, and nothing will be able to stop you or slow you down.

Begin to thank the Lord for taking a longer time in your life. Have you ever seen someone who achieved success too quickly in life only to implode or lose it because they really weren't deep-rooted? When you have allowed your roots to go down deeper, then you are "established" set in a strong, solid place, firmly secure in all that you will do. 

You have been taught, gained the experience, and the maturity, you are ready to take on the world and be everything you have been called and destined to be. Don't fret, don't worry, allow the rooting to take place will guarantee you freedom, joy, and success. Be thankful for all the Lord is doing in your life because you have chosen to wait and allow your roots to go deep!

June 1 Thought for the Day...having prayers answered

So many tell me, I pray but never get answers. Has that ever happened to you? Perhaps I can give you some answers today.

James 4:3 "You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures."

The Holy Spirit is instructing us through James to not ask "amiss" meaning wrongly, badly, or inappropriately. We can ask in a way that goes against God's Word. We can ask with an un-Christlike attitude. We can ask with all the right motives and attitude but without faith. All of these things will stop us from receiving our answer. Your passion in prayer does not move God.  It is your right heart, aligning with God's Word, and motivated by a true trust that God hears and will answer prayer.

The Holy Spirit makes it more clear in 1 John 5:14 "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us." The word "confidence" means boldness, with complete assurance, unashamedly.

How is it that we can pray this way? 1) we know we are asking according to God's Word, 2) our relationship with the Lord is strong enough that we know it is God's will. When we have that going for us we know 100% our prayers will be answered. If we know God's Word, we are reading it and living it every day we will quickly understand His will!

God listens to His Word and He listens to faith. You can not expect God to move mountains for a stranger but someone that knows Him and He knows will have every prayer answered. Spend time with Him, spend time in His Word. As you do these things your heart is moved by His heart and you will always have your prayers answered. Maybe not in the way you want, but it will be in the way that will bless you the most!

May 31 Thought for the day....darkness scattered by light, always

Every Christian experiences times where they seem to be defeated. The truth is because we have faith we will never really be defeated. John makes that very clear.

"And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it." John 1:5

John is writing to a church under persecution. He is also writing to you and me, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to encourage us. The word "comprehend" means to seize, to suppress to dominate, to subjugate under power. The Holy Spirit is telling us that darkness is always trying to overpower the light but never will be able to, no matter how hard it may try, it does not have enough power to do so!

It doesn't mean that the darkness won't try, but according to God's word, it does not have the power to do so unless we surrender the power given to us in Christ. Ephesians 5:8 shows us that we are children of light and therefore the enemy doesn't have the power to overcome us without our permission.

1 John 5:4 further encourages our understanding here. "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world." The word "overcome" means to conquer. It is the idea of an athlete who has become superior at their skill and takes on every competition to win. This says to us that we are going to enter into a fight but that we are also in it to win. Many believe when they came to Christ it would be peaceful, but the light overcomes the darkness. By our choosing to walk in the light we stand in the face of the darkness all over the earth, and that is why the Lord brought you to Him to be His light that will arise over all darkness.

Paul said he was "persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed," an accurate translation of this for our purpose today is "knocked down but not out!" We are the light shining in the darkness. There is not enough darkness in the world to put out the light of a single candle. The enemy will come against you, he will stand against you, but he has neither the strength, authority nor the power, to overcome the light in you. Every time we stand against the darkness, it will shatter! Begin to believe it, apply it, and live it. You will see the enemy defeated every time!

May 30 Thought for the day...strongholds

Maybe it is the way we are raised. Sometimes it is life events. Sometimes it is our choices. Regardless of the root cause, we must always be aware of strongholds in our lives.

2 Corinthians 10:4,5 "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,"

Growing to be who Christ has called us to be, requires us to be introspective, examining closely, our own lives to find the strongholds and tear them down. There are two basic types of strongholds those that make sense and those that are nonsensical. 

Those that make sense are the most dangerous. The word "arguments" here comes from the root word meaning logic. It is the things that we can process and figure out, how not to follow the Lord. God asks us to share the Gospel, and we think of 4 or 5 reasons not to. God challenges us to take a leap of faith, and we talk ourselves out of it. God calls us to trust Him through giving, and we come up with all kinds of reasons that we can't. God challenges us to choose Him for our kids over all the other extracurricular activities, we chose the stuff fearing our children will miss out. These are the most dangerous strongholds because we can cause them to make sense and present good logical reasoning to either disobey or not trust God!

The non-sensical strongholds are the irrational fears we have of developing a terminal illness, early, losing our job, crashing in an airplane, fear of rejection, most of us will never see any of this happen. Normally, these types of strongholds will run their course and then dissipate. If they stay because we are dwelling on them too long, we have to bring them captive. 

Notice Paul doesn't mention the devil at all in this discourse. The devil has no power unless we don't bring these thoughts captive. If we do not, then he has the right to attack and try to take control in those areas where we have allowed the strongholds to remain. 

We don't have to allow the enemy to have any control. Pray and ask the Lord to show you the strongholds you are facing then take those thoughts captive, apply peace, love, trust, obedience. Believe God at His Word. Read His Word so you will know it then defeat every thought that would try to take you captive by taking it captive!

May 29 Thought for the day...being a parent can make things apparent

I am a people watcher by nature. Those of you that know me may find it interesting to know that I am at heart an introvert and shy. I enjoy watching people's reactions but watching someone's children often reveals far more than most people want you to know.

"one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence" 1 Timothy 3:4

Paul is talking about the qualities of a leader. The best way to interpret this passage and the reflective one in Titus is that every man of God should do these things. Then from that group, choose quality leaders. Paul takes special note to the reflection the children have on their parents.

I once asked one of my teachers, in the public school for over 30 years “What can you tell about a family by the way a child behaves in school?” She answered, “Everything! I can usually tell by the way a child acts if his or her home is peaceful or tormented; if the parents pay attention to their kids or ignore them; and if the father and mother have a good relationship. Almost everything can be determined by watching a child’s behavior. It’s usually a mirror of what’s happening at home.”

The word used here to describe "children" is referencing to children that are under the guidance and tutelage of their parents. Once a child has grown to become an adult, the parents are no longer responsible, but until that time the parents are responsible for the child's actions and speech.

I want to especially challenge men here, because Paul is, that we must accept the responsibility for our children. Our actions as leaders in the household set the tone. Men tend to pass off the nurturing and care of the children to their wives but especially in this day and age of Fatherlessness. I want to encourage men to be Jesus in their homes so the children will reflect Him too!

The word translated "reverence" refers to a person who carries themselves with dignity and treats others with honor and respect. What I am about to say is not 100% accurate but it is at least 95% there are always exceptions. If I see children always bickering, disrespecting one another, treating each other with little value or care on a constant basis. I know that the home is the same. Children mimic the life of the home, and by watching children, I can better understand the home life and the life of the parents. Children will fight and bicker it is in their nature, but it is not natural to be in a constant state.

Likewise, if children are disrespectful of leadership and lack a servants heart, I can guarantee that this is the revelation of the household. I have been disappointed at some who have worn the mask of servant leadership in the church building, yet their children revealed the truth of what home was really like.

Thank the Lord the opposite is true as well. Respectful children, kind children, children full of love and hope tend to come from homes filled with the same. I know some parents are feeling guilty but listen, any child can turn south after they leave home. Some children are simply problem children. Today's blog is not to make people feel guilty but to notice the signs of your household. You may not even notice your arguing, fighting, gossiping, disrespectful behavior but your children are reflecting it. Take it to the Lord. Thank Him for the acknowledgment of the problem. Ask Him how to fix it and begin to enjoy a life with your children where they truly love you and the Lord.

God never points out a problem to hurt us only to help. Your parenting may be more apparent than you know! If your kids reflect Jesus, they are reflecting Him because they are reflecting you!

May 26 Thought for the day...giving your all

Many years ago the Lord met me in such a dramatic way that I was challenged with a simple but profound call, which has become part of my daily prayer. Break my heart with the things that break your heart, help me to see people, things, and circumstances the way that you do, and teach me to be a man 100% sold out to you. Even though that prayer was many years ago, I am still learning all three parts. Paul challenges us to live that way

"So, affectionately longing for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives because you had become dear to us" 1 Thessalonians 3:8

Here is what I mean. In this one sentence, Paul is challenging both leadership and laity with his example. He begins by saying I am thrilled to have taught you the life-giving word of the Gospel. We know Paul was a master theologian. Most of the New Testament are his writings. He was a strong preacher of the Word.

He went beyond the word by saying "also our own lives". He was living the gospel as well as preaching it. I remember running into a guy at the gym who wanted to argue Calvinism with me. He did have some good points as many with a theological bent do but then I posed the question, "with all of your study of the word and John Calvin's teachings, how many people have you lead to Christ? How many families have you helped to heal? Tell me about the fruit in your ministry regarding lives changed, the poor hearing the Gospel, the captive is set free? His answer sadly was "none". 

It is not enough for anyone to be able to preach the Gospel. It is just as important and actually at times more so to live the Gospel before people. Do people know you are a Christ-follower by your actions or only your words? Do they see you facing similar problems to their's and not losing it, growing fearful or angry? Do people see you as a loving person who cares about them? Do you live in fear, anxiety, and worry about tomorrow? Do you have complete confidence the Lord has your tomorrow? Does the way you work, do your taxes, spend your money, time, and talent show you are a Christ-follower?

It is never enough, as a Christ-follower to talk about the light we must be the light...as William Tyndale, a translator of one of the first English translations of the Bible and martyr for the Kingdom. "I set myself on fire so that others may come and watch me burn." The inference being give your all for the Gospel so that others will see the truth.