Tag Archives: bible

July 27, 2016 · 5:47 AM

Your Vindication 


Each one of us comes under attack throughout our lives. Sometimes those attacks are spiritual. These can happen any time, but they especially show up when you start praying strategically and walk in the purpose and plan God has got you. There are times when the attacks are physical as well. These are attacks against your physical person by people deserved or not. Then there are mental attacks. These are often generated by something some said to you, something negative that’s happened to you, or can be destructive self talk you’ve entertained.

In life, it’s not a matter of if you will be attacked one of these ways, it’s a matter of when. As a child of God though, you don’t have to be afraid of any of these attacks. You don’t have to worry that they will destroy you and everything you’ve worked for. You can have peace in the middle of an all out adult on your life because of the promise God gives us in Isaiah 54;17. It says, “But no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment you shall show to be in the wrong. This [peace, righteousness, security, triumph over opposition] is the heritage of the servants of the Lord [those in whom the ideal Servant of the Lord is reproduced]; this is the righteousness or the vindication which they obtain from Me [this is that which I impart to them as their justification], says the Lord” (AMP).

No weapon formed against you shall prosper. This is your heritage as a servant of the Lord! It doesn’t say that you won’t be attacked. It doesn’t say that you won’t suffer damage from the attacks. It says they won’t succeed in destroying you. Because of that, we can have peace, security, and victory over the attack. You are not a victim. You are a victor. You are not a loser. You are a winner. You are not the sum of your failures. You are successful in Him. You are not condemned because of your past. You are righteous according to God’s grace.

Your current situation may not have you feeling like victory is possible. It may seem like there’s no way to win, let alone get out of it. I’ll remind you that there is nothing impossible for God. Your heritage in Him is not defeat. It’s victory over this attack. Claim your victory and ask God to impart to you that which is rightfully yours as His servant. The attacks and suffering may continue for a season, but they will not succeed in destroying you. Your vindication is your coming victory. Walk in it today.

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July 25, 2016 · 5:31 AM

Trust Walk


While creating the video for “Billie Jean”, Michael Jackson ran into a problem. The stage was dark and he couldn’t see where to place his feet while dancing. The director came up with a plan to light up the ground where he was going to put his feet. The only problem was that for it to look right, the light would only come on as he put his foot down. He had to trust the director to light up each step as it came during his complicated dance moves. The result of him trusting the director was an iconic video that was a hit.

If you’re like me, too often my path appears to be dark and hidden. I don’t know where my next step is. The fear of taking a misstep can be paralyzing. Because I can’t see the next step, I often stay where I am longer than I should. I pray and pray for God to show me where to go and what to do, but more often than not, the path seems to be hidden. As a result, I’m not where God wants me, when He needs me to be there. I miss out on my potential.

The reason this happens is I want God to light up my next step before I take it. God. Who is the director of our lives, is often telling us, “Trust me. Take the step and I’ll light it up. I know it seems complicated, but I’ve orchestrated everything.” So much of His plan for our lives relies on our ability to trust Him and to step out in faith. Isaiah 50:10 says, “All of you that honor the Lord and obey the words of his servant, the path you walk may be dark indeed, but trust in the Lord, rely on your God” (GNT).

Our lives are really a trust walk. We have to trust God to light up each step as we take it. Things may be complicated to us, but He knows your next move. He knows where you’re going to put your foot down. He’s ready to light it up, but will only do so once you pick up your foot from where you are and take that step of faith. God, the director of your life, will not fail you when you step out in faith and trust Him. When you do, the result of your life will be a beautiful masterpiece that could only have been directed by God Himself.

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July 21, 2016 · 5:00 AM

Beautiful Feet


When most people think of feet, “beautiful” is not a word that comes to their mind. In the Middle East, feet are used to convey negative emotions rather than positive ones. The Bible discusses feet in that context over and over. In Genesis, it implies that we will bruise the enemies head with our heel. Jesus told the disciples to shake the dust off their feet when people wouldn’t receive the Good News. It was a really big deal that Jesus washed feet. By holding them up to wash them, He was teaching the disciples to be lowly servant leaders.

In light of all that, it is significant that in Isaiah 52, God called feet beautiful. If you think that doesn’t compute with us, imagine the significance to that culture. Verse seven says, “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns!” (NLT). God took what was once used to insult someone and showed how it could be used positively.

We all know that the Great Commission is to go into all the world, to carry the good news of salvation to every tribe, tongue, and people. God sees it as a beautiful thing when we obey His command and share our faith. You were never meant to keep it inside of you or to yourself. Your feet were meant to help you carry the Gospel to the ends of the earth. I like how Bob Goff says that if you don’t know where to go, grab a globe, spin it, and put your finger down. You’ve already been called to go. God will bless you when you follow His command.

If you want these “beautiful feet”, then go into the world spreading the Gospel. I understand that some of us can’t physically go, but there are still a couple of ways to have beautiful feet. We can all pray for those who go and live apart from family and friends, and give up the comforts of a familiar place called home. The other is that each of us can support those who go. No gift is too small for those who live and serve on the mission field. The money you sow into their ministry will yield a harvest of souls that you will be a part of. Each of us can have beautiful feet in God’s sight.

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July 20, 2016 · 5:49 AM

Comfort In The Chaos


To me, one of the most comforting promises of God is found in the first two verses of Isaiah 43. God says, “Do not be afraid—I will save you. I have called you by name—you are mine. When you pass through deep waters, I will be with you; your troubles will not overwhelm you. When you pass through fire, you will not be burned; the hard trials that come will not hurt you” (GNT). I can know that whatever mountain I’m facing, trial I’m going through, or difficulty I’m having, God will not let me go through it alone.

This verse reminds me to get rid of fear first. Fear takes my eyes off of my savior and puts them on my problems. Fear makes my problems appear to be bigger than God. It can cripple me and prevent my progress in the middle of a trial I’m called to walk through. It makes me want to give up because the struggle is so difficult. But God does not give me a spirit of fear. He gives me a spirit of power and a sound mind so I can advance through whatever I face.

The next part reminds me that I’m His child. When my own child gets in danger, the first thing I do is shout his name to get his attention. God does that to us. In the midst of our chaos, God calls our name to get us to look to Him. When we’re facing uncertainty and feel like we’re drowning in sorrow, it’s His voice we need to listen for. He reminds us that we are His, and He will not leave us nor abandon us in our times I’d desperate need.

When I feel like I’m overwhelmed and I can’t seem to find the light of day, I have the promise that God is with me. He is the rock that higher than I am when those floods come in and wash me down stream. When everything I’m standing on appears to be sinking sand, He is the rock of my foundation. I know that my life is built on Him, and even though everything else seems to be lost, I can trust that my foundation is sure.

Finally, I can rest knowing that my trials will not hurt me in the long run. I know that God works in all things for my good. Set backs, unanswered prayers, times of darkness in my life, and fiery trials all make me stronger and purify my faith. When I feel like giving up, I remember that there’s no fire great enough to burn me when God is with me. I know He leads me by still waters while protecting me with His rod and staff. I can find comfort in the chaos because He sees me, knows me, and walks through fire with me.

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July 19, 2016 · 5:38 AM

A Repurposed Life


One of the things I like about watching HGTV is to see how the repurpose and reuse previously discarded materials. Who knew you could take old, wooden Coca-Cola bottle boxes, screw them together, put legs under them, and put glass on top to create a cool display coffee table? I love how they find new uses for previously thrown out items or give new life to things that are worn out and are thought to be worthless. Their creativity is inspiring.

When I watch that, I can’t help but think, “That’s what God does with us!” He takes our lives that are broken, used up, out dated,and seemingly useless, and repurposes us. He gives us new life and makes us more beautiful than before. He sometimes find us in life’s scrap pile and thinks, “I can find new life and uses for this.” When everyone else sees someone worth discarding, God sees potential. This always gives me hope.

In Isaiah 41, God had strong words for Israel. They had fallen away and were scattered. They were a people who were broken and thought of as trash, but God doesn’t like to leave His children that way. In verse 9 He said, “I have called you back from the ends of the earth, saying, ‘You are my servant.’ For I have chosen you and will not throw you away” (NLT). When others, and often ourselves, don’t see anything of worth in your life and are willing to toss you out with yesterday’s garbage, God sees someone He values highly.

In verse 10, He goes on to say, “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” Not only does He see your life as valuable and worthy of repurposing, He’s going to give you strength, help, and victory for the transition. It’s not always easy being repurposed, but if we will let God have complete control over our lives, He will make something beautiful and useful.

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July 15, 2016 · 5:00 AM

Learning To Endure


My high school track coach used to have me run ladders. If you’re unfamiliar with the term ladder, I had to run 100 meters, walk 50, run 200, walk 100, run 400, walk 200, run 800, walk 400, run 1600, walk 800, run 800, walk 400, run 400, walk 200, run 200, walk 100, run 100, walk 50. She was building up my endurance to be able to handle the demands of a multi-event track runner. The ability to endure is not given to you, it’s earned the hard way.

The Bible speaks a lot about endurance and our need to have it as Christians. We often are pushed to our limits by circumstances so that we can ensure whatever life brings. Your past has prepared you to go through what you’re going through now, and what you’re going through now is preparing you for your future. Times of struggle are purposefully difficult. Without the struggle, you won’t be able to endure all that may come your way.

Here are some of my favorite verses in the Bible about endurance.

1. Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.
Hebrews 10:36 NLT

2. But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing.
James 1:4 AMP

3. May you be made strong with all the strength which comes from his glorious power, so that you may be able to endure everything with patience. And with joy give thanks to the Father, who has made you fit to have your share of what God has reserved for his people in the kingdom of light.
Colossians 1:11-12 GNT

4. No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he’ll never let you be pushed past your limit; he’ll always be there to help you come through it.
1 Corinthians 10:13 MSG

5. God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
James 1:12 NLT

6. For this very reason, adding your diligence [to the divine promises], employ every effort in exercising your faith to develop virtue (excellence, resolution, Christian energy), and in [exercising] virtue [develop] knowledge (intelligence), And in [exercising] knowledge [develop] self-control, and in [exercising] self-control [develop] steadfastness (patience, endurance), and in [exercising] steadfastness [develop] godliness (piety), And in [exercising] godliness [develop] brotherly affection, and in [exercising] brotherly affection [develop] Christian love. For as these qualities are yours and increasingly abound in you, they will keep [you] from being idle or unfruitful unto the [full personal] knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). For whoever lacks these qualities is blind, [spiritually] shortsighted, seeing only what is near to him, and has become oblivious [to the fact] that he was cleansed from his old sins.
2 Peter 1:5-9 AMP

7. But you, man of God, avoid all these things. Strive for righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness.
1 Timothy 6:11 GNT

8. Now may the God Who gives the power of patient endurance (steadfastness) and Who supplies encouragement, grant you to live in such mutual harmony and such full sympathy with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus.
Romans 15:5 AMP

9. Instead, in everything we do we show that we are God’s servants by patiently enduring troubles, hardships, and difficulties.
2 Corinthians 6:4 GNT

10. We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
Romans 5:3-5 NLT

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July 14, 2016 · 5:53 AM

God Loves Underdogs


When I was a Sophomore in high school, our basketball team made it to the state championship. We didn’t look like much either. Our pre game warm up clothes were grey sweat pants and our gym shirt. The tallest guy on our team was only 6’1″. I’ll never forget going into the locker room before that game. Coach had a newspaper in his hands and said, “I want to read y’all something before we go out there. This is the Dallas Morning News. It says, and I quote, ‘This game is nothing but a formality. Lifestyle (my school) doesn’t stand a chance against their stronger, taller, more experienced opponent.”

He put down the paper, looked at us, and said, “Now the world thinks we’ve already lost, and we haven’t even stepped foot on the court. They’ve already decided that trophy belongs to the other team. I say we go out there and prove everyone wrong. I say we go out there and give it everything we’ve got. And when that final buzzer sounds, let’s see who’s on top!” Immediately we began to shout what sounded like war cries. We began to beat the lockers making noise. We ran out of that locker room and played the game of our lives and won.

II Chronicles 32 and Isaiah 36, tell how the king of Assyria was destroying cities across the land. He moved his conquest into Israel and continued his victorious streak. He had a psychological advantage over any city because he hadn’t lost. When he turned his eyes to Jerusalem, King Hezekiah didn’t fear though. It made him curious. Isaiah 36:4 says, “Then the Assyrian king’s chief of staff told them to give this message to Hezekiah: “This is what the great king of Assyria says: What are you trusting in that makes you so confident?”

He wasn’t used to finding kings who weren’t afraid of him. The world knew when the Assyrian King fought you, it was just a formality, but something was different with King Hezekiah. This chief of staff came and spoke loudly in Hebrew about how he was going to destroy everyone and everything in Jerusalem. He told the people it was foolish to trust Hezekiah. He told them to disobey and to just open the gate so the inevitable would happen quickly. He even told them that the Lord their God told him to come destroy them.

Hezekiah’s had confidence because he knew God loves an underdog. In II Chronicles 32:7-8 he told his warriors, “Be strong and courageous! Don’t be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria or his mighty army, for there is a power far greater on our side! He may have a great army, but they are merely men. We have the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles for us!” That day, God got rid of the Assyrian King. He proved why those who trust in Him can have confidence even though everyone else says they’ve already lost. You may not have the power, ability, or strength to win your battle, but you have a power far greater on your side. Don’t let fear cause you to trust what seems to be a formality. Have confidence in our God. His report is what matters.

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July 13, 2016 · 6:05 AM

Go Farther


Recently I took my family to the beach for a weekend getaway. I was scared to let my five-year-year old son go into the ocean. He and I sat right where the waves washed up on the shore. It was fun for a while, but then my son said, “I want to go out there,” as he pointed into the ocean. I didn’t want to take him out there because I was scared of the unknown. How deep was it? Were there drop offs? What would happen if we got pulled out by the current?

After holding him off for a while, I finally consented to his relentless desire to leave the shore. I waded out to where the water was halfway up my calf, but he said, “Go farther!” I then went out to where it was just above my knees. We let the waves crash against us, but he insisted, “Go farther!” I finally went out to waist-deep water, but I refused to go farther against his wishes. I was scared that if the water got any deeper, I would no longer be in control of the situation.

As we were out there, I couldn’t help but think how if God were an ocean, the Holy Spirit would be calling me to go farther into Him. Like me, many of us are afraid to go deeper than our ability to have control. We are afraid to explore the depths of who God is beyond our understanding, so we sit on the shore just wetting our feet or wade in waist-deep. We ignore the Spirit’s calling to go farther because what we discover about who God is may not fit into our boxes that we have placed Him in.

According to NOAA.gov, we have explored less than 5% of the oceans on earth. I wonder if that’s how much we have explored the depths of God. In I Corinthians 2:10-11, Paul wrote, “The Spirit, not content to flit around on the surface, dives into the depths of God, and brings out what God planned all along. Who ever knows what you’re thinking and planning except you yourself? The same with God” (MSG). If we want to explore the depths of God, we need to be led by His Spirit who knows Him intimately.

The most powerful, yet most underutilized gift God has given to each of us as believers is His Spirit. If we as Christians won’t explore the depths of God, how will we lead others to explore Him? You can only lead others as far as you have gone. We must be willing to hear the Spirit say, “Go farther,” and then to let Him lead us there if we are going to experience the growth God is looking to get out of us. We have to set aside our fear, relinquish our control, and let the Holy Spirit sweep us away into the unknown depths of God.

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June 6, 2016 · 5:00 AM

Open The Flood Gates


Recently, my community has been flooded. Thousands of homes were affected by the high water. As you drive through the neighborhoods that were hit, you will see piles of trash out by the road. Sheetrock, furniture, clothes, electronics, and anything that the water touched are thrown out into these piles. ThIngs that once cost so much and meant so much to these families are now worthless as they lay in those piles.

As I see those piles, I can’t help of one of the songs we sing at church: “Open up the Flood Gates of Heaven”. In this and many other songs, we pray for God to flood our lives with His goodness and rain down blessings. I’m not sure we really understand or think about what we are asking for. Floods are devastating. Floods destroy. Floods are very costly. If we are going to ask God to flood our lives, we need to count the cost.

When God floods our lives, our dreams get devastated. We realize that they were too small. God has dreams for our lives that are so much greater than we can comprehend. Through Him, we are able to accomplish and be more than we ever thought. The flood of His Spirit in our lives means that our perspective changes and often our purpose. When His flood comes in, our lives get displaced from complacency.

Another thing that happens is we lose the things we once held dear. Suddenly, we realize that the things we hold onto the tightest are really worthless when compared to what He wants to give us. When We invite Him to flood our lives, all the junk, clutter, walls, and things not pleasing to Him will need to get dragged out to the street and chunked. In order to fill our lives with the things we wants to give us, we need to get rid of things from our old lives. This flood invites change.

If we truly want revival to come, then we do need God to come flood our lives, our nation, and our world. We need Him to help us get our junk out and become renewed first. As Paul said in II Corinthians 5:17, “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (NLT) God wants to give us new life, but we have to let His flood bring about the change necessary. We have to be willing to be displaced from our old lives, to get rid of the things in our lives that tie us to that old life, and adopt the new life He gives. The next time we sing and pray for God to open the flood gates of Heaven, I hope we mean it.
If you want to hear that song, click here.

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May 31, 2016 · 5:53 AM

Motivated To Change


What do you think is a more powerful motivator, pain or pleasure? If you think pleasure, let me ask you why you’re going to work today instead of going on vacation? It’s because the threat of the pain of losing your house, car, and belongings. The thought of that pain will motivate you to go to work instead of going to the beach. Pain has been proven to be a powerful motivator in humans, and it often causes us to do things differently.

At one point in my life, I wasn’t living how I knew God wanted me to. I did things that He considers evil, and I lived my way on my terms. I received several messages from God through scripture and from others, but I ignored them. I knew the things I was doing were wrong, but lacked the will power to stop. I kept pressing forward against God disregarding the consequences of my actions.

Then, one day, everything in my life started to crash down and implode. God started removing the things in my life to get my attention. If you don’t know, I’m a pretty stubborn person. I was a lot like Jonah. I kept going in the wrong direction despite the raging storm. I waited until all was lost before I decided to toss my selfishness overboard, admit I was wrong, and ask for forgiveness. It’s was very humbling, but effective in getting me to turn my life around.

Proverbs 20:30 says, “Sometimes it takes a painful experience to make us change our ways” (GNT). For me, that’s what it took. God broke me by sending me through so much pain I wanted to end it all. In the end though, I changed paths and now listen when He speaks. I don’t wait for the painful experiences to change the parts of my life He wants changed. Each of us have a choice when God speaks. We can change or we can keep on doing what we are doing. Like a good parent though, He will use whatever is necessary to get us to change our ways depending on how much motivation we need.

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