The Slippery Slope

Tuesday, Nov. 8th, 2011

Today's Passage: Romans chapter 1
Memory Verse> Rom. 1:20

In the course of years that I've been walking with the Lord, I've observed the lives of believers who were in relationship with God at one point.  But in time, that walk became less and less evident until there was no longer a trace of the bond between that person and God.  And as a result of seeing this phenomenon time and time again, I came to the central question that troubled me for a while.  How is it possible for people who supposedly love God to walk away from Him and live the opposite way from His laws?

A relationship with God is just that -- a relationship.  It must be maintained, not by us, but by our Father.  He knows how easy it is for us to lose focus of the most important thing in our lives.  So He uses the Holy Spirit, Who speaks to us and convicts us of the areas where we stand in the most danger of going against His will.  While for most of us, this is a good thing, and we run to the throneroom, confess our sins, and receive forgiveness as well as a closer walk with God, others resent this "high-maintenance" activity.  What we see in the beginning is they seem to be okay with God living in their hearts.  But as time goes by and He requires us to relinquish more and more control, the resentment grows.

The whole idea of being able to simply walk away after having enjoyed a relationship with God at one time has to do with being double-minded.  Unholy alliances with the world and everything it stands for cause our allegiance to God to waver depending upon the season we're in if we're not completely sold out to Him.  And this is the situation in which those who question their loyalty to God find themselves.  Therefore, it IS possible to find oneself  "in love" with Jesus one minute, then not even recognized as one of His own the next.  What we don't take into consideration is that whatever foothold we give the enemy is access to torment us about our loyalty to the kingdom of God.  He dangles whatever he can before us -- relationships, money, things we may have had success with in the world before Christ, you name it -- and it is up to us to reject those things or allow the doubts to rise concerning whether or not to let them go.

In the end, the struggle is simply too painful and no longer worth the trouble.  It becomes easier to just lapse back into what we used to know, and to tell the truth, walking in the flesh can be as easy as getting on a bike again after a while.  Our old nature WILL return if we don't do what's necessary to cut all ties with it and let the Holy Spirit do His work in our lives, trusting God to make the change complete no matter how painful it may be.  Here's the sad reality: the more we reject God's ways, the more we'll find that He releases us to do so.  Ultimately, He will give us over to the reprobate mind referred to in today's passage, and we become the complete opposite of what we once used to be.  The result: former gospel artists singing secular music, and even so-called ministers condoning homosexuality as well as other sins as something God accepts in spite of what His Word says.  Saints, we must be very careful about allowing ourselves to get on this slippery slope of backsliding.  There is no going back from it.  Stay in the shadow and shelter of the Shepherd's care.

Prayer:  Father, You've purchased my soul from the enemy's grasp, and You deserve all of me.  But more than anything, I WANT to live for You because You loved me first.  You went to the pit of hell itself for me, and I'll go wherever You desire.  To live for You is not burdensome, but a privilege and an honor.  Keep me in the cradle of Your grace, and I'll live to bring You glory always.  In Jesus' Name, Amen.

   

If You're Saved and You Know It...

Monday, November 7th, 2011

Today's Passage: James chapter 1
Memory Verse> James 1: 6-7

My brother-in-law is an interesting person.  He may be much better at this now, but when he was yet unmarried and lived at home, it took him quite a long time to decide exactly what he wanted to wear. My husband tells me it was even worse when they were in high school.   He would pull out five or six outfits, try each one on, then go searching for something completely new until he had the one that he felt the most satisfied with -- the one that matched with the right shoes and made him look the best.  This took place nearly everyday, and they would consequently be late for school on a daily basis because he never could go through this process the night before.  But even if he did, he would probably change his mind by the morning, and the whole thing would start all over again.

As hilarious as this seems when it comes to clothes, it is no laughing matter when it comes to the issues of our lives.  Of all the things not to be sure about, our eternity is not one of them.  First Corinthians tells us to "Be steadfast, unmoveable, [and] always abounding in the work of the Lord, because our labor is not in vain in [Him].  But double-mindedness is the opposite of everything in this verse.  Our pastors ministered yesterday about how a double-minded person is one whose devotion to God is less than total.  His attention is divided between God and other things.  This means that other things have equal place in this person's life, and take up as much space as, or more than, what God should.  What goes on in our spirits is exactly what manifests in the natural with animals: a two-headed animal.

If an animal has two heads, this means it is getting two completely separate sets of commands.  Which one will it be able to follow?  How can the one body go left when it's being told to go right at the same time?  As a result, they often move in a disoriented and dizzy fashion; some simply zigzag without getting anywhere.  In their research, our pastors found out that two brains result from the failure of two fertilized eggs to separate properly during the gestation of the mother.  So basically, there are two completely different animals living in the body of one.  Eventually, the two-headed animal will die from not being able to properly feed, protect, and sustain itself in its environment. 

Do you see the parallel for believers who are trying to live saved but have not made the necessary changes in order to receive everything that God has provided?  James strongly warns us to ask for the wisdom necessary to obey and be totally devoted to God.  Basically, we must be willing to kill our will, separate and cut off its ability to rule in our lives.  In order for us to be the steadfast, sold-out and totally devoted believers we were created to be, God must be the Only One in control.  No-one else should be allowed to control us, tell us where to go, who to associate with, or even what to eat and how to spend our money.  Everything about us should be completely submitted to the Father.  If you're saved and you know it, live like it.  Don't live confused, disoriented and unsure from one day to the next whether you're going to follow Christ or not.  This decision must be settled in your mind FIRST.  There is simply no other alternative.

Prayer:  Father, as You show us the uncertainty of the times in Your Word, I feel You urging Your people to make up their minds Who they will serve.  As for me and my house, we will serve You, the Most High God.  You are the Only One Who deserves our devotion, for You are the Only One worthy to receive it.  You paid the highest price for our lives, so we give them back to You without reservation.  Live big in us, O God.  In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Prayers that Prevail

Sunday, November 6th, 2011

Today's Passage> 1 Thessalonians 5: 1-11
Memory Verse > 1 Thess. 5:8

Father, You have chosen us to be sons and daughters of the day, and not of the night.  What an awesome thing, to be chosen as one of Your own!  You've called us out of darkness and into Your marvelous light, and we come willingly to serve You and live out our lives to bring You the glory You deserve.  But this privilege also comes with a responsibility.  You require us to awake from our slumber, because we are still in the midst of a war.  This war is for our nation, our families, and our faith in You.

We pray today that You will fill us with such a passion to seek You like never before, not as a religious exercise or out of some sort of obligation, but with expectancy to see You move on our hearts and in the lives of the people around us.  Give us a spirit of watchfulness, being aware of the times and seasons so as to always keep Your presence before us.  Keep us prayerful and thankful for Your intervention in this age.  Give us a heart to seek Your Will above all else, and never compromise our devotion to You.

According to Your Word, we declare that we will be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and wearing on our heads the helmet of salvation which is the very hope of our existence.  May we embrace this season of comforting and edifying one another like never before, filling each other with this blessed hope, so that we all may walk in contentment and peace, knowing that You, the Shepherd, are in full control.  We also lift up our pastors, asking You to cover them and give them even more anointing and intimacy with You so that they may preach Your Word unhindered and unrestrained all their days.

We also pray that You will give us the grace to forgive and release one another no matter what the offense was, not rendering evil for evil at all, but showing them mercy just as You have done for us over and over again.  We declare that we will rejoice always, praying without ceasing, and giving thanks to You in every season.  May we arise to give You sincere praise today, with that blessed hope in our hearts.  May that hope spread to the lives of those who need to know that You are real, and that You reward those who diligently seek You.  In the mighty Name of Jesus, Amen.  

The Promise of Eternity

Saturday, November 5th, 2011

Today's Passage> 1 Peter 1: 3-25
Memory Verse> 1 Peter 1: 4 & 5

I often think about the hard lives many have had from one century to another.  What kept the Pilgrim settlers hoping against hope when they took that giant step across the Atlantic Ocean to start their new life?  When they had to bury their loved ones taken by the harsh winter and disease, what gave them comfort?  No doubt words of a hymn like "How Great Thou Art": "When Christ shall come with shouts of acclamation to take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!  Then I shall bow in humble adoration, and there proclaim, "My God, how great Thou art!" 

A few hundred years afterwards, during the capture, murder and enslavement of African people, what did they have to look forward to?  When their babies were snatched from them, and their families were separated as they were bought, sold off, and sent to various parts of the country, what gave them comfort?  The promise that there was a place much better than this one where no such horrors would take place.  They sang the words of the song, "Swing low, sweet chariot, comin' for to carry me home" along with others that warmed their hearts on dark, cold nights and lit their path when all hope seemed lost.

No matter the time or season, the promise of eternity is the one beacon that shines brighter than any other element of our faith.  It strengthened our Lord Himself when He was stretched out on the cross, and it sustained him to focus on what He was purchasing for us.  Today's passage gives me the feeling that if this was important then, it's important now.  Many believers spend countless hours feeling worried, sad, hopeless, or aggravated about the circumstances in which they find themselves.  But hope is what makes the difference, and for good reason.

I've said this before and I'll say it again: eternity is the only thing the enemy has no influence over.  So rather than try, he simply works on getting us to fear the unknown so much that we lessen the impact of eternity on our NOW.  If we can trust God with our future, why wouldn't He take care of our present?  We must begin allowing the things God has put in place for us to stand firm in our hearts, even when we can't feel or see it.  Hope in our eternity is the best thing we've got to latch on to.  In the midst of the hardest situations, it's amazing how a simple song can transport us to another place.  I don't know what your "eternity" song might be.  For me, it's "Lord, You're my dwelling place; I long to shout Your praise, singing hallelujah.  I know that there will come a day when I will see You face to face, and I will be embraced by the beauty of holiness....."

Prayer: Father, thank You for the promise of eternity.  I'm longing for the day when I get to see You, hear You say, "Well done", and sit at the welcome feast with Your Son Jesus.  All of the issues of this life fade into insignificance when my heart settles on this fact.  Be glorified in all I say and do, and may those who do not know You accept this same promise.  In Jesus' Name, amen.
     

Hope...Don't Leave Home Without It!

Friday November 4, 2011

Today's Passage: Job 11:7-20
Memory Verse: Job 11:8

Last year, a friend of mine was told she had cancer. At the time, I'm sure fear in regards to her future were ever before her. However, she approached each day as if she had a lifetime to live. When she could, she continued to work and function in ministry as she'd always done. While praying for her one night, I asked God how she maintained such a positive outlook, and His answer was life-changing. He said "As long as she has hope, she has help".

Hope is not a man-made, emotional sensation. Hope is a gift given by God Himself. Its very definition describes it as a confident expectation. For the believer, all is not lost when the loved-one has passed, or when the diagnosis is spoken. All is not lost when the there are more bills than money. All is lost when the expectation that God will deliver what He promised is cast aside. Without faith, it's impossible to please God. Without hope, it's impossible to know Him. Hope brings a spiritual God into our natural world. It literally grants access into the kingdom of God. So, while some might have felt sorry for my friend, we rejoiced in the fact that she knew at any moment, God could take her cancer away. What do you hope for? As you think about your answer, be reminded that hoping is not wishing. Those who wish live by chance. Their lives are like tossing a coin into a well, thinking something will come out. Again, hope is expecting; like buying a ticket knowing the train will soon arrive.

Our passage today says God is far higher than we could ever imagine; deeper than we can comprehend. Nothing will ever be able to go over Him, or get around Him. He's all powerful, and totally inexhaustible. That being said, no matter the circumstances of our lives, we must position ourselves to access His limitless power. Hope establishes that position for us. So what part does hope play in getting us through tough times? It plays the biggest part. You can't get through tough times without hope. Just ask my friend, she sang with our praise team Wednesday night....cancer free!

Prayer: Holy Father, we are in awe of You. You give us everything we need. You knew there would be days our faith would be tested. You knew we'd experience moments of weakness. So You gave us hope. You promised us You'd be there for us. So, we'll live with expectation, in Jesus' name. Amen

The Necessary Thing

Thursday, November 3rd, 2011

Today's Passage> 1 Peter 3: 8-22
Memory Verse> 1 Peter 8:15

As believers, we are in amazing company. We share in the glory of the disciples and all those who lived and died in Christ after them. We share in the joy of knowing that, no matter how many trials arise, God is always there to strengthen and sustain us. But more than that, we share in the hope that persecution, or suffering for doing good, is worth going through.

Persecution is defined as the act of being mistreated or abused, especially for religious reasons. We greatly sympathize with those who have to endure it, many times voicing our outrage that it even has to happen to them. But the very essence of being a Christian, as much as we may want to avoid facing this fact, is being ready and willing to go through persecution. A look at the lives of those who've gone before us will answer the question: "Is persecution necessary?". God, in His great wisdom, figures this into the equation and allows this as part of the process that makes us who He's calling us to be.

With this in mind, how exactly do you maintain hope in the middle of this necessary thing? Does God expect us to paste this smile on our faces and pretend as though everything were perfect? What purpose does it even serve TO have this blessed hope when one's world is crashing? Again the answers are found in the biblical examples that were left as landmarks. Scourged, crucified, and rejected by His own because He declared Himself to be the Son of God, Jesus endured the pain and shame of the cross. What was He holding on to, and where did it come from? Better yet, why did He hold on to it? The hope was in God's promise that those who did not see but believed anyway would be given a crown of righteousness.

For Christ, Who was already righteous, it was necessary to hold on to that hope because He was the first fruit of the promise that salvation would be made available to every man who accepted it. Can you see Him standing there the whole time He was being hit by the cat' o nine tails? Every lash was for what He was winning for us. While He didn't bear that agony with smiles on His face, He bore it with the promise that it was not in vain. Every blow we are dealt can be withstood in the same way-- because our children's children are coming after us, and we must still set the standard for them to uphold in this world. Just as Jesus saw us, we must see them and reach for that promise with every ounce within us. May our hearts burn with the same fire as all those who were loved by the Father, as we boldly declare, "We CAN do the necessary thing!"

Prayer: Father, You are so loving. You have prepared us to reach for the provision even in the midst of mistreatment. We want You to be glorified no matter what. We hold on to the blessed hope, which will allow us to not take matters into our own hands. Use us always, and speak through us when the time is right in Jesus' Name. Amen.

It's Tea Time!

Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011

Today's Passage: Jeremiah 29:10-14 (NKJ)
Memory Verse: Jeremiah 29:11 (NKJ)

I was so happy when Yassah allowed me to drink Arizona Green Tea again.  I had gotten into trouble because I drank too many of them too frequently.  So in order to keep her darling husband from overdoing it, she handed down the decree that I'd have to drink water for a while.  Finally, I was able to buy one.  After buying it, I sat it aside with special plans for it.  I thought frequently about when I'd bring it out and enjoy it again.  I don't know how many times I opened the refridgerator to make sure it was still in place, unmolested by greedy kids and my out-of-control behavior (lol).

Okay, maybe you don't like green tea that much, but you can still imagine having something special in your possession.  You know what it is, and its purpose for existing.  Therefore, it is extremely valuable to you.  Not only that, there's a specific moment when you plan to unleash that purpose and destiny.  Likewise, we are God's special prize.  None of us were brought into existence by accident.  He purposed for us to be here. 

Some may say they didn't have a good beginning.  Maybe your upbringing was financially challenged, or your home was more like the Simmons' than the Huxtables.  It doesn't matter.  God has a plan for you.  He has sanctified you (set you aside...like my tea) for a specific purpose.  God's word in the Book of Jeremiah says "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope".  Listen, when the Creator of Heaven and Earth says He thinks about you, you're in a good place!  And since He is incapable of thinking evil about you, His thoughts have to consistently be of love, companionship, and blessing.  Don't think you've done too much to be in relationship with Him.  He's waiting for you.  Besides, You wouldn't preserve something you're planning to throw away would you?  Well God wouldn't sanctify what He plans to destroy.  But wait, this part excites me even more.    He didn't require Jeremiah to be taller, or smarter, or richer, or lighter, or darker.  He never told Jeremiah to be anything but obedient.  So lose the 'I need to be like them' mentality.  You don't need it. He never required you to speak like him, or sing like her.  He knows what you can and can't do, yet He still has an awesome plan for your life.  What does that tell you?  Each day, He looks to make sure you're where He placed you.  He doesn't want you to be tainted by the greed of the world and its ideals.  Besides, the world is your mission, not your destiny.  Pretty soon, God's going to release that purpose for which you were born.  So be ready.  Don't spend another day being a slave to the past.  In contrast, you should spend each moment preparing for a bright and glorious future.  Hmmm, that made me thirsty.  Would anyone like some tea?

Prayer:  Gracious God, You are everything we need.  Thank You for giving our lives purpose.  When we were living without You, we didn't know what we were here for.  But now, through You, life has meaning.  Mere words will never be able to express what You mean to us.  So we'll just let Your praise continually be in our mouths, in Jesus' name.  Amen