Isaiah 55:12

You will indeed go out with joy and be peacefully guided; the mountains and the hills will break into singing before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.

God’s plan for us is filled with joy and peace. That does not mean that we won’t have to go through storms or trials to get to our destination, but the result will be worth the journey. He is taking us to a good place, but we may have to encounter difficulty along the way. He is with us, however, through the difficulty and will bring us to a place where we are so excited that the mountains and hills will seem to break into singing before us as we enter the new territory He specifically designed just for us – our promised land; our inheritance.

Meditate for a moment on Romans 8:18-19

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us. For the creation eagerly waits with anticipation for God’s sons to be revealed.

The mountains and the hills are waiting for God to reveal you to them. The trees of the field are anxiously awaiting your arrival and will burst forth into a thunder of applause when God presents you to them. The sufferings of this present time will pass, and God will reveal His glory in you. He is working something in you that others need to see because it has ministry for them.

You may very well be asking yourself the question, “What is God’s plan for my life?” Know for certain that He intends for you to go out with joy and be peacefully guided. Creation is eagerly awaiting with anticipation for God to reveal His glory in you. What He invests in you through the struggle is designed to change the world around you, and the fight you’re in now will help you keep and maintain the blessing He’s planned for you. Your day of joy and peace is coming. Carry on!

Have a blessed day!

John 8:37

I know you are descendants of Abraham, but you are trying to kill Me because My word is not welcome among you.

These were Jesus’s words to the Jews who did not believe Him. Many of them assumed that because they were descendants of Abraham they were God’s people. Jesus, however, explained that anyone who belonged to God would not be trying to kill Him. God’s people would welcome what He had to say because their hearts would resonate with His teaching. What He taught directly contradicted the beliefs and traditions of the Jewish religious stronghold, and they sought to kill Him, rather than believe Him.

We are no different today. When biblical teaching contradicts what is comfortable to us or convenient for us, we deny Jesus and His teaching and seek to destroy it. Hollywood has been doing this for many years, and our culture has followed the messages portrayed in movies, TV, and the media, rather than following the truth coming from our pulpits. Our society resonates with human ambition and craving more than it resonates with truth. Our feelings and desires have become our standards, and these things will surely enslave us by leading us into sin.

Is God’s word welcome in your life? If so, He will lead you out of darkness. You will shine as the light of the world because Jesus is the light. Does God’s word contradict what you believe to be true in your heart? If so, you are believing the lies of the enemy. You are already walking in darkness, and you need the light of God’s word to save you. If you continue to live by your feelings, emotions, or desires, you will find yourself on a road of self-destruction. God’s word is the standard of truth by which we will be judged, and nothing else will matter. Instead of trying to kill Jesus and make your sinful desires acceptable, welcome God’s word into your life, and rid yourself of what doesn’t match. You will find the chains of sin falling as you walk forth in new freedom in Christ. He is our liberator! Welcome His word and walk free.

Have a blessed day!

Luke 7:12-14

Just as He neared the gate of the town, a dead man was being carried out. He was his mother’s only son, and she was a widow. A large crowd from the city was also with her. When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said, “Don’t cry.” Then He came up and touched the open coffin, and the pallbearers stopped. And He said, “Young man, I tell you, get up!”

This story closely resembles the Old Testament account of Elijah’s raising the widow’s son to life again. When the people saw this widow’s son rise from the dead, they immediately knew He was a prophet. They knew His power was from God and they should listen to Him closely.

Jesus had compassion on this widow the moment He saw her. As a widow without a son, she would be forced to beg or depend upon society to take care of her. This, however, would be a secondary concern to the seemingly unbearable pain she must have felt in losing her only son. Jesus saw the incredible pain she carried and instantly intervened on her behalf. He still has compassion for widows today, and He still moves on our behalf when He sees our pain!

I have heard it said that Jesus does not respond to pain; He responds only to faith. According to this story, I disagree with the statement. There is no indication this hurting widow knew who He was when she met Him outside the gate of Nain that day. Jesus saw her pain and immediately had compassion on her. He moved on her behalf without her even asking for a thing or having any kind of faith. When she encountered Jesus, her situation changed. Know for certain that He does have compassion on your pain, and He does care about you!

If you believe nothing else today, believe in the unfailing love Jesus has for you. He knows your dire predicaments, and He knows your pain. What you need to overcome your hurt is an encounter with Him. Look to Him to help you, and surrender everything to Him. This poor widow was a woman surrendered because she had no means to do anything on her own. She was already at rock bottom, so to speak, and the only hope she had was for someone to intervene for her. When you are at your lowest point, He is there to move on your behalf! No one cares for widows the way He does, and He does it like no one else could!

Have a blessed day!

John 16:33

I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.

Jesus said this to His disciples before He died and rose again. He had not yet conquered death, yet He still lived in victory over the world. Because He walked daily with the Father, He had peace in the midst of troubles, suffering, and persecution.

Jesus never promised us happiness. He never promised us an easy or carefree life. In fact, He promised we will find suffering in the world, just as He did. His answer comes to us in the form of a command to be courageous. He overcame the world, and so can we if we are in Him and walk daily with the Father, as He did.  In Him, we won’t avoid suffering – we will overcome it.

To have peace means to live with integrity. Many people are living a lie because they can’t accept the truth of who they are. Life has not happened the way they dreamed it would, so they’ve created a facade – a vision of who they want others to think they are. Perhaps, if enough people come to believe the lie they’ve created, they can believe it themselves and actually live the life they’ve always dreamed of living. Others have accepted the lies the Devil has told them about themselves, and they behave in a degrading manner because they have yet to learn the truth about who they are in God’s eyes. Some have abandoned all responsibility in order to chase some fleeting fantasy of what they think will make them happy, and they’ve convinced themselves God approves because they deserve to be happy. Such people have not conquered the world; they have allowed the world to conquer them and rob them of their purpose.

We find true peace in Christ by surrendering to His Lordship. That means we make Him the boss. We accept who we are – failures and all – and surrender them to Him. We walk in integrity, knowing that whatever mistakes or disappointments we have faced can all be restored in Him because He has conquered the world. We will never overcome this world as long as we give in to it and accept its standards. Any peace we find in living a lie is temporary and false.

Christ came so you could have life and have it in abundance. He came to give you real peace and real joy. Don’t settle for less than His provision for you by surrendering to the world’s attractions and standards. Live out of the purpose to which He has called you, and find a life worth living. In Him you will find peace because He has overcome the world, and you are His. You don’t have to try to be something you are not. You can be all He created you to be. Choose His peace, and conquer your own world.

Have a blessed day!

Psalm 127:1

Unless the LORD builds a house, its builders labor over it in vain; unless the LORD watches over a city, the watchman stays alert in vain.

Have you ever tried your hardest to make something work, but it just wouldn’t?  Have you ever exhausted all your efforts to see little in return? Have you ever tried to save relationships that just couldn’t seem to be salvaged? Unless the LORD is in it, He will not bless it.

Many times we make the mistake of trying to do something and asking the LORD to bless our plans. God, however, is not interested in our plan; He is working His plan. Author of Experiencing God, Henry Blackaby, has some great advice in fulfilling the plan God has for us. He states we should watch to see where God is moving in our lives, then move with Him. God is always at work fulfilling His purpose, and He often doesn’t include our agendas. We need to see where God is working and be willing to work with Him.

When we begin to move with God and cooperate with His plan, we find that He blesses us in the process. We have to learn to get on His page and not demand that He get on ours. Our own agendas will not bring us the ultimate satisfaction we think they will, anyway. When we begin to move in rhythm with God, He fulfills our deepest longings, and we find significance. We also enjoy the excitement of being a part of a great move of God.

Are you frustrated in a particular area of your life? Have you prayed and prayed and seen no results? Submit that area completely to God, and pay attention to where He is moving. Join in His work, even if it seems small at the moment. Ask Him for new opportunities that involve His plan and His purpose. He will be faithful to answer. God will handle your area of concern when you become concerned about His plan. He is training you to hear His voice and follow His lead. He is watching over you and is trying to move you in the right direction. Just pay attention.

Have a blessed day!

Mark 9:7

A cloud appeared, overshadowing them, and a voice came from the cloud: This is My beloved Son; listen to Him!

God the Father was correcting Peter in this statement. Jesus had taken the three disciples closest to him – Peter, James, and John – to the high mountain, where they saw Jesus transfigured in dazzling white, and Moses and Elijah joined Him. The three disciples were terrified at the sight and held speechless. Peter, however, couldn’t stand the silence and suggested they build three tabernacles to honor Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. God, however, did not want Peter to speak. They were to listen to Jesus.

I’m sure Peter thought he had a great idea. After all, he was just trying to honor everyone. God made it very clear, however, that we are to pay attention to what Jesus says. While Moses brought the law and Elijah conquered the prophets of Baal, even they must bow to Jesus. His finished work of the cross is the only thing that will give us a right relationship with the Father and grant us eternal life with Him.

Jesus took them up the mountain to show them something supernatural that day. He was revealing more of Himself to them. When Jesus begins to reveal more of Himself to us, it is better we keep silent and allow Him to continue to speak. He is not looking for our ideas; He is trying to show us more of His plan. We need to pay attention and let Him do the talking. Like Mary at His feet, we should be concerned with absorbing and savoring every moment. Martha missed the peace and power of His presence by trying to do something for Him. Peter was dangerously close to missing this great, powerful moment by trying to add something earthly to a heavenly transformed moment. Earthly tabernacles can never match the glory of God!

The closer you get to Jesus, the higher He will take you. Spend time getting close to Him today, and just listen to Him. He does not need our ideas, regardless of how great they may be. His plan is greater, and you will want to see it and understand it because you are being used to bring it to pass! Enjoy and savor every moment He spends speaking to you. He is God’s beloved Son, and He desires to reveal Himself to you!

Have a blessed day!

Luke 13:34

Jerusalem, Jerusalem! The city who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her. How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!

Jerusalem was under Roman rule and being forced to pay unfair taxes. They longed for independence and hoped for a political or military leader to free them from oppression. The religious leaders taught the law and lorded their positions over the people, who could never meet their stringent standards. They were a people oppressed by government and spiritual leadership, yet their answer sat right in the midst of them, teaching and performing miracles. While many were drawn to Him, He was rejected by those in power. Jesus, however, still longed to shelter them from the enemy that oppressed them and give them real victory. His answer just wasn’t what they wanted to hear.

We aren’t much different from Jerusalem at times. When the enemy attacks us, Jesus waits with the answer and longs to shelter us as a hen gathers her chicks, but we reject Him in hopes of finding a different solution. A chick doesn’t have the understanding of a full grown hen, and the people of Jerusalem could not understand how God was moving when He sent Jesus. Like immature but growing chicks, we often don’t understand what God is doing, either. Jerusalem had the anointing of Jesus and His teaching, and we have the written word of God. We can believe what His word says and run under its protective wings, or we can run rampant in hopes of finding another solution. Running rampant, however, can lead us straight into the lair of a predator, who is just waiting to devour us.

While Jerusalem may have killed the prophets who were sent to her, she could not kill the word of God. He remained the same, as He still does today. We can reject His word and try to find our own way, but His word will remain true and every man a liar. Our greatest hope is found by running to Jesus and listening to what His word has to say. Even if it doesn’t make sense to us, we can trust God to be faithful to His word. He knows the beginning from the end, and He will shelter us from the enemy as He brings the truth to light.

If you are in need of answers today, run to Jesus. If nothing makes sense, run to Him anyway. Dig deeply into God’s word, and trust it for your life. Reject the distractions that cause you to doubt His word. Put your trust firmly in Him, and know that whatever happens in life to you can never trump what God can do for you. Don’t drown in a sea of hopelessness; drown the distractions that steal your hope. Be willing for Jesus to hide you under His wing and protect you from the dangers that lie ahead. He is your mighty fortress, and He is waiting to be strong for you.

Have a blessed day!

Matthew 26:48-49

His betrayer had given them a sign: “The One I kiss, He’s the One; arrest Him!” So he went right up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!”  – and kissed Him.

Judas betrayed Jesus with a sign of affection. What should have been a sign of love and deep admiration was a signal to arrest Him and an act of betrayal – perhaps the most hurtful of all sins. Was Judas really trying to hurt Jesus or force His hand to act?

Like the other disciples, Judas had just spent three years learning at the feet of Jesus. He had witnessed many miracles and knew of His power. Why would he betray Jesus? John 12 tells the story of Mary of Bethany and how she anointed Jesus with expensive oil. She, too, kissed Jesus – on His feet as she washed them. Hers was a sign of true devotion and submission to His will. Judas did not like the fact that the expensive oil was used for this purpose. He knew how much it was worth and sought to take the oil from her and sell it. Jesus rebuked him. Judas did not get what he wanted, and the next time he is mentioned in Scripture, he is plotting with the chief priests and elders to arrest Jesus. 

Perhaps, Judas was getting revenge on Jesus for rebuking him and not selling the oil. He may also have been trying to force Jesus’s hand to act and take authority from the Romans, as the disciples hoped He would do. Either way, Judas took matters into his own hands, and the result was deadly. Most scholars believe Judas hung himself within three days of the arrest. He finally realized who Jesus really was and could not live with the sin he had committed. He could not face Jesus again.

If things just aren’t going your way, understand that you cannot take revenge on Jesus or force His hand to act. Like Mary of Bethany, your only recourse is to submit fully to His authority. As her kiss was genuine and life-giving, so your submission to His will is your life-giving alternative. Jesus cannot be manipulated or controlled. He is either Lord of your life or your judge. Rebellion only brings death. Choose life by submitting to His plan for you. He can turn all your disappointments into joy, but you must die to your own will first so His perfect plan can emerge. 

Have a blessed day!

Psalm 119:105

Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path.

Every time I read this verse, I’m reminded of the Amy Grant song. I find myself singing the words, rather than just reading them. Indeed, having God’s word in our hearts helps illuminate our path when days become dark and grim. If His word is in us, we can take one step at a time in the light we have and trust He will illuminate the next step for us.

We don’t run in the dark. We often have to feel our way through it. Not knowing what is ahead may make us anxious or even fearful, but God’s word will help lead us through the dark places in our lives. If we’ve filled ourselves with God’s word during the good times, it will become a light to guide us through dark times, eventually becoming a beacon of hope to others.

A light shines in darkness. We may not realize how much God’s word is light to us when we are experiencing good things, but when things go dark, the word begins to illuminate. If we will only walk in the light we have, we will make progress. We fail when we disregard His word altogether and shut out its light.

Whether you are in good times or bad right now, dig deeper into God’s word. It is a lamp for your feet and a light on your path. His word will give you the direction you need, even if it requires taking only one step at a time. Dare to become a beacon of light for those around you. Everyone needs direction, and you can point the way to Christ.

Have a blessed day!

1 Chronicles 4:9-10

Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother named him Jabez and said, “I gave birth to him in pain.” Jabez called out to the God of Israel: “If only You would bless me, extend my border, let Your hand be with me, and keep me from harm, so that I will not cause any pain.” And God granted his request.

People have studied and practiced the prayer of Jabez for several years now due to a popular book that focused upon this Scripture. While the book may have some very good insights into this man and his prayer, anyone who studies it with the intention of gaining financial prosperity is missing the heart of Jabez. God did not bless Jabez because he was more honorable than his brothers. God blessed Jabez because of his heart toward Him. Jabez did nothing to deserve God’s blessing. God honored his request as an act of grace – undeserved favor.

The name, “Jabez,” actually means “pain.” He came into this world through pain, and his mother named him from the pain she bore. He was a constant reminder of pain to her, and everyone else would recognize him as pain. Imagine being associated with pain all of your life. What a miserable way to live!

We’ve probably all known someone who was a source of pain to us. They are usually people who will not assume proper responsibility for their own lives and become a burden on us or those we love in some way. Anytime we fail to assume responsibility for our own lives and expect someone else to fight our battles for us, we can cause pain. That does not mean that we may not need help or support at times, but those times should be the exception and not the rule. People who cause pain take and do not give in return. They hurt the very people who love them by taking advantage, either financially or emotionally.

Jabez did not want to cause anyone pain. While he had no control over the pain his birth caused, he could determine not to let his life be one that continued to cause pain. He cried out to God and asked Him to extend his border – increase his territory – make his world bigger. Those who cause pain are focused only upon themselves. If they are ever to become responsible individuals, they must make their world bigger and begin to care about others and the effects they have upon them.

God has called us to bigger things than ourselves. If we focus only upon our own little world or concerns and never give into anyone else’s life, we will find ourselves causing pain. God will not extend the territory of those who are self-centered. If we look at the prayer of Jabez as a tool to gain prosperity, we’ve missed the whole point. God has territory for you to gain, but you will not gain it through selfish ambition. Look beyond yourself, find a bigger world waiting for you, and step into it.

Have a blessed day!