You, Lord, brought me up from the realm of the dead;
you spared me from going down to the pit.
Psalm 30:3 (NKJV)
Thought for Today: When I was a boy staying in a hospital I made friends with another little boy on the same floor. Neil could not speak due to the effects of a brain tumor. Somehow I and a few other boys would communicate with Neil as we gave him rides in the hospital carts that we thought were our toys. We all enjoyed playing with him, even though he could not speak. One day, everything changed as Neil suddenly began talking to us. When we told his parents, they were overjoyed beyond words. Their son, the one who the doctors thought would not talk again, was talking! To his parents, perhaps the Neil that they once knew, the one who talked, had died. Now, he was alive and well.
Have you given up hope? Perhaps you had thought that your life would be one way and it is not. Maybe you have been let down by others. You may have experienced a loss so great that you feel that a part of you has died.
When Neil was discharged from the hospital, he gave me a multicolored pen with many different barrels of ink and buttons to change the color. This reminds me of how the Lord wants us to live our lives. We see things in one color, wanting our lives to go one way. Yet, the Lord so wants us to write our lives in multiple colors, some pleasant, some painful and some in between. In the end, all of the colors will come together to tell our story, the one with threads of God's love running through every corner as evidenced by His mercy, love and long-suffering.
Will you today trust that all of the things that happen to you in this life God will turn into a beautiful picture? Trust in Him, that you may be rescued from the death of a life without hope, for He is our hope in all things, at all times.
Sunday, February 1, 2015
Thursday, January 22, 2015
Healing
Lord my God, I called to you for help,
and you healed me.
Psalm 30:2 (NKJV)
Thought for Today: Frank awoke once again to the annoying sound, "drip, drip, drip." For weeks now, somewhere in his house there was a leak. He was not sure where it was coming from, but several times a day he would hear that dreadful dripping sound and then, mysteriously, it would stop as quickly as it started. Being the more practical one, Frank's wife Stella had suggested that they need the services of a plumber. Frank, being stubborn, would not hear of it. He told Stella that he would find the problem and fix it himself, thus saving them the cost of hiring a plumber. Unfortunately, the very next day the sound that Frank awoke to was a roar and not a drip. Had he not been home to shut off the water at the main, the damage would have been much worse. Now the source of the leak had been exposed and could be fixed, along with a lot of water damage.
Our human nature is to not ask for help and to try to do things ourselves. Unfortunately, this approach so often doesn't work and causes damage to us and to those around us. Just like the water in Frank's house left a trail of destruction in its wake, so too can an unhealed heart leave a trail of brokenness.
Is there some area of your life today that needs healing? Are you afraid to ask the Lord for help due to your own pride or fear? Let go of your pride, let go of your fear and ask Him to heal you. Surely Jehovah Rophi, our God who heals, will reach out His hand to you and bring healing. My prayer is that this day you will trust Him and let Him into the deepest places of your heart to bring healing and peace.
and you healed me.
Psalm 30:2 (NKJV)
Thought for Today: Frank awoke once again to the annoying sound, "drip, drip, drip." For weeks now, somewhere in his house there was a leak. He was not sure where it was coming from, but several times a day he would hear that dreadful dripping sound and then, mysteriously, it would stop as quickly as it started. Being the more practical one, Frank's wife Stella had suggested that they need the services of a plumber. Frank, being stubborn, would not hear of it. He told Stella that he would find the problem and fix it himself, thus saving them the cost of hiring a plumber. Unfortunately, the very next day the sound that Frank awoke to was a roar and not a drip. Had he not been home to shut off the water at the main, the damage would have been much worse. Now the source of the leak had been exposed and could be fixed, along with a lot of water damage.
Our human nature is to not ask for help and to try to do things ourselves. Unfortunately, this approach so often doesn't work and causes damage to us and to those around us. Just like the water in Frank's house left a trail of destruction in its wake, so too can an unhealed heart leave a trail of brokenness.
Is there some area of your life today that needs healing? Are you afraid to ask the Lord for help due to your own pride or fear? Let go of your pride, let go of your fear and ask Him to heal you. Surely Jehovah Rophi, our God who heals, will reach out His hand to you and bring healing. My prayer is that this day you will trust Him and let Him into the deepest places of your heart to bring healing and peace.
Monday, January 19, 2015
Our Deliverer
I will exalt you, Lord,
for you lifted me out of the depths
and did not let my enemies gloat over me.
Psalm 30:1 (NKJV)
Thought for Today: Cliff and his companions were taking a hike one day in the beautiful October Colorado weather. They hiked over some foothills heading toward the mountains. As they approached a valley, the sky began to grow cloudy and it got colder. Pushing on towards their goal, they eventually found themselves in a blizzard, inadequately dressed and disoriented. All that they could see ahead of them was the beam of a bright light.
Life is full of peaks and valleys. Like Cliff's party, we too often end up in a valley as a storm forms around us. Ill prepared for the storm, we become disoriented, not knowing what to do or where to go. Sometimes the storm is external, things beyond our control. At other times, the storm rages on inside of our own spirits, as we wrestle with our own sinful nature.
As the bright light came closer, Cliff realized that it was multiple headlamps. A team of experienced hikers who had passed Cliff's party a while back before the storm had come back to find the party. They brought them to a shelter, gave them warm clothing and hot food. Once the storm subsided, both parties hiked out to safety.
Sometimes, in the midst of the storms of life, all we can do is reach out to the Lord and ask to be delivered. What storm are you facing today? Perhaps you feel so alone in the depths of your emotions or grief. Maybe you just learned of a diagnosis that you did not want to hear for you or a loved one. Whatever the storm, Jesus will shelter you and deliver you. All that you need to do is ask Him and trust Him to deliver. Will you do that today?
for you lifted me out of the depths
and did not let my enemies gloat over me.
Psalm 30:1 (NKJV)
Thought for Today: Cliff and his companions were taking a hike one day in the beautiful October Colorado weather. They hiked over some foothills heading toward the mountains. As they approached a valley, the sky began to grow cloudy and it got colder. Pushing on towards their goal, they eventually found themselves in a blizzard, inadequately dressed and disoriented. All that they could see ahead of them was the beam of a bright light.
Life is full of peaks and valleys. Like Cliff's party, we too often end up in a valley as a storm forms around us. Ill prepared for the storm, we become disoriented, not knowing what to do or where to go. Sometimes the storm is external, things beyond our control. At other times, the storm rages on inside of our own spirits, as we wrestle with our own sinful nature.
As the bright light came closer, Cliff realized that it was multiple headlamps. A team of experienced hikers who had passed Cliff's party a while back before the storm had come back to find the party. They brought them to a shelter, gave them warm clothing and hot food. Once the storm subsided, both parties hiked out to safety.
Sometimes, in the midst of the storms of life, all we can do is reach out to the Lord and ask to be delivered. What storm are you facing today? Perhaps you feel so alone in the depths of your emotions or grief. Maybe you just learned of a diagnosis that you did not want to hear for you or a loved one. Whatever the storm, Jesus will shelter you and deliver you. All that you need to do is ask Him and trust Him to deliver. Will you do that today?
Wednesday, December 17, 2014
Rejected by Men
He is despised and rejected by men,
A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him;
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
Isaiah 53:3 (NJKV)
Thought for today: Scott so wanted to be like the other kids, to be able to play games outside during recess, to be able to run through the hallways of his school. He tried in every possible way to be like them, yet at every turn he faced the sting of rejection as he was not included in activities, even though he could only be a spectator. You see, Scott's legs stopped working when he was very young due to SMA, a degenerative neurological disorder. He would likely be confined to a wheelchair all of his days.
Have you ever felt the sting of rejection and tried everything in your power to avoid it? Do you think that Jesus felt rejected when He became man? It is unimaginable to think about what Jesus gave up to become one of us. The baby in the manger, so adored, would soon become the man rejected by many. I can only imagine that His pain when rejected was even more magnified than ours. Not only were people rejecting Him but also His message of salvation. Jesus knew that by not believing in Him, they were doomed to eternal punishment.
Things changed for Scott when he met Jenny. She wanted to spend time with him and told him that even though he couldn't run like the other kids, he had an amazing mind and a kind heart. Things started looking up for Scott as he suddenly began to see a new purpose in his life and was able to look beyond the rejection.
A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him;
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
Isaiah 53:3 (NJKV)
Thought for today: Scott so wanted to be like the other kids, to be able to play games outside during recess, to be able to run through the hallways of his school. He tried in every possible way to be like them, yet at every turn he faced the sting of rejection as he was not included in activities, even though he could only be a spectator. You see, Scott's legs stopped working when he was very young due to SMA, a degenerative neurological disorder. He would likely be confined to a wheelchair all of his days.
Have you ever felt the sting of rejection and tried everything in your power to avoid it? Do you think that Jesus felt rejected when He became man? It is unimaginable to think about what Jesus gave up to become one of us. The baby in the manger, so adored, would soon become the man rejected by many. I can only imagine that His pain when rejected was even more magnified than ours. Not only were people rejecting Him but also His message of salvation. Jesus knew that by not believing in Him, they were doomed to eternal punishment.
Things changed for Scott when he met Jenny. She wanted to spend time with him and told him that even though he couldn't run like the other kids, he had an amazing mind and a kind heart. Things started looking up for Scott as he suddenly began to see a new purpose in his life and was able to look beyond the rejection.
During this Christmas season, as you reflect upon God's wonderful gift to us of His Son, examine your own heart. Is fear of rejection holding you back from God's higher calling on your life? Are there hurts from your past causing you to not want to risk relationships and reaching out to others? My prayer is that we all can look to Jesus as our role model. Although rejected and despised, He continued to risk, continued to reach out to those around Him. Will you ask Jesus today to help you to become more like Him?
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
December 16 Set Free
All we like sheep have gone astray;
We have turned, every one, to his own way;
And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
Isaiah 53:6 (NKJV)
Thought for today: During my teenage years, one of my cousins smashed his father's car into a tree. When I asked him what happened, he told me that the tree just suddenly jumped out in front of him. Well, trees generally don't ambulate, so perhaps he was not paying attention when he steered into the tree.
We are all, by nature, inclined to be headed for a crash, it is called sin. At a macro level, we cannot be looked upon by a holy God because of our inherent sin nature. Without our Savior and His great sacrifice for us, that crash would be a long dive into hell and an awful eternal life. At the micro level, we all have a propensity to sin and the consequences of sin can leave our lives like the front end of my uncle's car: mashed, mangled and in need of a major repair.
Have you thought about what is inside of your mind today? When I think about my thoughts some days I could just cry. Christ knows even the deepest, darkest thought that rattles around in your brain. You know, the one that you could never tell another living soul about. He knows about the secret sins that have left their mark on your thought life. Yet, Jesus still loves you so much and was willing to make such a sacrifice so that you could be set free from the bondage of sin.
So, you feel the urge to sin deep down in your spirit, to go your own way, regardless of whether it is God's way or not. How do you stop the wreck from happening? 2 Corinthians 10:5 tells us to bring every thought into captivity of Christ. Like my cousin, if we are not paying attention, filtering our thoughts against God's Word, we can easily head for a wreck. Ask the One upon whom our iniquities were laid to help you to live in obedience to Him and the Word. If you have never asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, then receiving God's free gift of forgiveness and salvation is a first step. If you have received Him as your Savior but let Him take a back seat in your mind, my prayer is that you would bring Him to His rightful place. For if you truly believe that Jesus is your Lord, then He must be the Lord of all of you: body, mind and soul.
We have turned, every one, to his own way;
And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
Isaiah 53:6 (NKJV)
Thought for today: During my teenage years, one of my cousins smashed his father's car into a tree. When I asked him what happened, he told me that the tree just suddenly jumped out in front of him. Well, trees generally don't ambulate, so perhaps he was not paying attention when he steered into the tree.
We are all, by nature, inclined to be headed for a crash, it is called sin. At a macro level, we cannot be looked upon by a holy God because of our inherent sin nature. Without our Savior and His great sacrifice for us, that crash would be a long dive into hell and an awful eternal life. At the micro level, we all have a propensity to sin and the consequences of sin can leave our lives like the front end of my uncle's car: mashed, mangled and in need of a major repair.
Have you thought about what is inside of your mind today? When I think about my thoughts some days I could just cry. Christ knows even the deepest, darkest thought that rattles around in your brain. You know, the one that you could never tell another living soul about. He knows about the secret sins that have left their mark on your thought life. Yet, Jesus still loves you so much and was willing to make such a sacrifice so that you could be set free from the bondage of sin.
So, you feel the urge to sin deep down in your spirit, to go your own way, regardless of whether it is God's way or not. How do you stop the wreck from happening? 2 Corinthians 10:5 tells us to bring every thought into captivity of Christ. Like my cousin, if we are not paying attention, filtering our thoughts against God's Word, we can easily head for a wreck. Ask the One upon whom our iniquities were laid to help you to live in obedience to Him and the Word. If you have never asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, then receiving God's free gift of forgiveness and salvation is a first step. If you have received Him as your Savior but let Him take a back seat in your mind, my prayer is that you would bring Him to His rightful place. For if you truly believe that Jesus is your Lord, then He must be the Lord of all of you: body, mind and soul.
Saturday, December 13, 2014
December 13 - We are the Reason for the Season
Surely He has borne our griefs
And carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten by God, and afflicted.
But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed.
Isaiah 53:4-5
Thought for today: I've been listening to the song "Above all Power" and I'm struck by these lyrics:
And carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten by God, and afflicted.
But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed.
Isaiah 53:4-5
Thought for today: I've been listening to the song "Above all Power" and I'm struck by these lyrics:
Crucified
Laid behind a stone
You lived to die
Rejected and alone
Like a rose
Trampled on the ground
You took the fall
And thought of me
Above all.
Have you ever thought about how Jesus had you on His mind when He chose to come to earth as a man? We so often consider that Jesus thought of us when He made the supreme sacrifice on Calvary. Yet, He thought of you more than His own desires when Father God asked Him to become one of us. Being fully God, Jesus foreknew what He would suffer on this earth. Yet, He chose to go anyway. Imagine yourself in a battle situation where you know there is no way out alive yet you could save your comrades by accepting the assignment. How many of us would do such a selfless act?
How then should we respond to such great love as this? Worship. As you go about your business this holiday season, take some time to reflect upon what Jesus did for you. Draw close to Him, in reverence and thankfulness, for He so desires a relationship with you. You probably have heard the saying "He is the reason for the season." While this is true, it is also true that you are the reason for the season. Without having you and I in mind, putting us first, God would never have became man. Let's praise Him for this wonderful love.
How then should we respond to such great love as this? Worship. As you go about your business this holiday season, take some time to reflect upon what Jesus did for you. Draw close to Him, in reverence and thankfulness, for He so desires a relationship with you. You probably have heard the saying "He is the reason for the season." While this is true, it is also true that you are the reason for the season. Without having you and I in mind, putting us first, God would never have became man. Let's praise Him for this wonderful love.
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
November 26 - You are an Inheritance
Save Your people,
And bless Your inheritance;
Shepherd them also,
And bear them up forever.
Psalm 28:9 (NKJV)
Thought for Today: Up high on the closet shelf sits a box. Not an ordinary cardboard box, but a rather ornate box made of the finest mahogany. Positioned in a way for easy access, the box almost looks like it is waiting for its owner to come and admire it. Theresa dutifully takes the box down daily and views the jewels contained within. As she carefully polishes the box, she thinks about her grandmother, who had left it to her along with the jewelry. Handling grandma's jewels and her jewelry box almost bring her back to life. Theresa thinks about how it will be someday when she can pass this precious box on to her children or grandchildren.
Do you have a precious item that you inherited? Perhaps it is something that you admire often and, like Theresa, think about the conferrer and how much he or she meant to you. Did you ever consider that we are God's inheritance, ones that He holds close to His heart? How is it that I, roguish man that I am, can be admired by God and viewed as someone precious in His sight? I can only attribute this to His grace, for I don't deserve to be considered an inheritance.
Are you feeling caught up in yourself today, in the weight of your own sinfulness? All of us struggle with our sinful nature. Yet, regardless of how low you feel today, know that you are so precious to God. Precious enough that He sent His own son, Jesus, to die for that very sin that burdens you today. My prayer is that you can accept His total forgiveness, knowing that Jesus had you on His mind when He so freely gave of Himself on the cross of Calvary.
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