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The God who provides…

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“Come all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money,, come, buy and eat!  Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost….Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near.” Isaiah 55:1,2,6

God, through his prophet Isaiah offers nourishment and life to those who seek Him.  The Hebrew people would understand this concept and remember how God had provided manna from heaven to their ancestors while wandering in the wilderness after leaving Egypt.  They would also recall how God led them into the promised land and brought them victory at Jericho.  

God provides all that we require to live this life here on earth as His servant.  All that we have to do is seek Him daily and have faith in His unlimited provision.  But His provision doesn’t just stop with His children, He longs so desperately to extend His grace and blessings upon the rest of the world as well.  After all, Jesus came for the whosoever (John 3:16) and if anyone would seek Him they will find the storehouses of God are never ending.  

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:33.

Are you thirsty today?  Are you hungry for more in this life?  Is there something lacking in your life and you can’t seem to find out what IT is?  God still calls the righteous and the whosoever to come to Him.  The very first two words of Isaiah 55:1 says; “Come ALL”.  It doesn’t say “Come some of you”, or “Come you VIP’s”…it says “Come ALL”!  

Allow God to replenish your storehouses today.  Allow Him to renew you.  If you’re seeking Him for the first time why don’t you pray this prayer with me: 

PRAYER

How to Pray:
Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior. In Your Name.
Amen.

For additional information on what you just prayed check out this link:  

http://www.billygrahamlibrary.org/PGView.aspx?pid=13

 

 

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Ash Wednesday (a poem…of sorts)

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He wore the ash upon his head

my childish eyes, I thought him dead

a blackened cross, creased and stained

of sweat and dirt the mark remained.

 

I glanced again, i’m not sure why

partly out of foolish eyes

prying back these feeble thoughts

of how the dead could somehow walk

 

I gripped my father’s hand real tight

as the moon shone down on that night

stained glass, an aged building bright

with church goers streaming, it was a sight.

 

With reassurance my father said, 

be not afraid, they are not dead

though on that night an organ wailed 

and we walked a pilgrim’s trail.

 

A cross is smeared upon their head

much alive, though some are dead

a reminder to this heart so true 

to love and serve God, now…will you? 

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The God who holds our hand

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When our first son was just an infant he slept in a crib which was right next to our bed.   Each night we had a routine that we had to go through in order to get him to sleep.  Perhaps it was because we were first time parents or perhaps he was just a needy baby.   But each night, after he was dress in pajamas and had his blanket he would stick his hand out from between the crib railings and demand he hold either my hand or his Mom’s.  Try as we might we could not break this cycle with him.  He needed to have physical contact with us in order to fall asleep.  He needed to have this assurance that we were there watching over him and that he was save and sound.  

Sometimes I think back on those moments and wonder humorously why we didn’t buy a fake hand for him to hold on to or why we didn’t just break him of that dependence all together.  But as I consider those precious moments that we had with our first born I realize how important those moments of contact were for him as he was growing as an infant.  He needed to feel our touch, to know we were there and to be reassured that we were not going anywhere.  

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God still does this for you and for me as well!  We constantly question if He’s there.  We sometimes cry out to Him just to check if He is listening.  We hold out our hand, sometimes in a demanding nature and hope that God’s touch will reach us.  We hope that He’s really there and willing to remain near us.  

The truth is God desires so desperately to hold our hand and to remain right beside us.  He loves us so much that He longs for us to trust Him and to reach out to Him through every season of this life.  Are you willing to reach out your hand to Him today?  He is here, right now and He is not going anywhere.  Trust Him.  Lean on Him.  Allow His love to fill your life with His joy, grace and peace. 

 

-Just a thought for the day. 

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Truth AND Advertising

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Something on the radio this morning set me off a little bit today.  I was listening to the Christian music station when an advertisement came on for one of the radio’s sponsors, which happened to be a church.  I don’t have a problem with church’s helping to sponsor Christian broadcasting by any means but it was how this particular advertisement ended.  The church (who shall remain anonymous) stated it’s name at the end and then made the bold statement “also known as THE love church”.  

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I had to let it sink in for a moment (I had only had one cup of coffee thus far).  “Wait, what?”,  I thought to myself.  “If they’re the ‘Love’ church then what are the other churches around them labeled as?  The “Hate” church?  The “NICE” church?  The “I kind of like you” church?  And after I asked myself that question another question popped into my head; “If that church has all the love” then what do the rest of the churches get?  Why are they only known as the love church?  Is it because they paid for this advertisement segment?  Did they give themselves that name?  

But…

I wish it only happened once in a while in segments on the radio station but it doesn’t.  I’ve driven by other churches that have seemingly snarky phrases at the bottom of their signs which make the statement – “BIBLE BELIEVING CHURCH“…Um okay.  So the other church down the street is NOT a bible believing church?  Or this church is just BETTER at believing in the Bible?  And who decides that this particular church and its congregation is strictly a bible believing church?  Do they pay bills?  Do they drive a car?  Do they pay taxes?   Then they’re not solely a bible believing church then are they?  By this one statement one could make the assertion that their claim to be strictly a bible believing church is false.  

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Still I’ve come across another sign over a church that made this dire statement:  “PREPARE TO MEET THY GOD”.  When I first saw THAT sign I thought to myself, “Wow their God sounds wrathful and fierce, would I even consider stepping into that church?”   

Here’s a truth that the Apostle Paul made that I believe ALL churches should hear again: 

“I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?” -1 Corinthians 1:10-13  

I’m not picking a verse that fits my purpose, I really want churches to stop comparing themselves with each other.  This isn’t some sort of Church growth competition.  There isn’t some trophy a church will receive when they get to Heaven because they had the best advertising campaign or slogan on the front of their church.  Though Paul spoke these words to a specific church at a specific time, the point is still clear and relevant today: “There should be no divisions among you”.   Yet we can look all around us and see just that divisions and comparisons and envy and even hate.  I’m telling you this ought not be!

Regardless if a church advertises that they are “THE love church” the fact of the matter is that if any connecting part of the body of Christ is sound in doctrine and serving those less fortunate they are Christ to the lost AND they are the “Love” church too!  

I would say this to any and every Church out there:  Stop the competition!  Stop the comparisons!  Stop the divisions and underhanded actions.  We have real Kingdom work to do and it will never be accomplished by these ploys and vices.  Get on with loving your neighbor and enemies and stop plastering it all over the place…because we need each other and we all work for the same Master.

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Say “NO” to Divisions in the Church!

-Just a thought! 

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The Weight of Finality

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“The day of the Lord is near for all nations.  As you have done, it will be done to you; your deeds will return upon your own head.”            -Obadiah 1:15

The book of Obadiah is only a chapter long and is often overlooked, but let’s discuss if for a second through the lens of our own context.

This announcement given by Obadiah whose name literally means “servant of God” is not just for the people of Edom, it is for us as well.  The Edomites were proud over their own security as a nation and that of their might, but they also lorded their power and gloated over the Israelites.  Obadiah’s warning to the Edomites also included a warning for all nations as well.  

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Fast-forward:

Jesus is preaching the greatest sermon this earth has ever heard or will ever hear (The Sermon on the mount) and he makes this statement: 

Matthew Chapter 5 –

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’[h] 39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. 40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. 41 If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

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Love for Enemies

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor[i] and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

There is a weight of Finality:

God’s love for humanity, even people we cannot stand, far outweighs our capacity to love them…but that is no excuse.  We are to love and the consequences of that love is that the world is impacted for the better.  Secondly God can shine through us.  

The day of the Lord will come to us.  The real question is what will the weight of that certainty be for us when it does?  

-Just a thought for today.

 

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