Conversation with God

After the Apostles delegated the day-to-day responsibilities of ministry to Stephen and others, they devoted themselves to the most important part of their remaining responsibilities - talking with God and seeking His direction. This passage helps us understand how they did it. The apostles's conversations with God were two way. First one is "They SPOKE to GOD through PRAYER", and the second one is "They LISTENED to GOD through the WORD." Initially, they were fortunate enough to have heard from the Word directly, but as the eye witnesses to Christ died, believers were able to turn to the written Word to hear God speak. That same source is available to us today in the written and inspired BIBLE.

"WHEN WE MEDITATE ON THE WORD, 

THE FATHER SPEAKS TO US, AND WHEN WE PRAY, 

WE SPEAK TO THE FATHER".

Let's teach our kids this skill of "conversing" with God.

Promise of God #119

Isaiah 51:11 WEB

The ransomed of Yahweh shall return, and come with singing to Zion;
and everlasting joy shall be on their heads.
They shall obtain gladness and joy. Sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
  

The Bible says in Nehemiah 8:10 that the joy of the Lord is our strength. In John 17:13, in His high priestly prayer to His Father, Jesus tells His Dad that He wants us to have the full measure of His joy. In Romans 14:17, Paul the Apostle writes... For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, (NIV) 

There is no question that the joy of the Lord is our inheritance and today's promise tells us that God's everlasting joy will be upon our heads! While we know the culmination of this promise will be in heaven, my prayer today is that we would experience a measure of the joy of the Lord here on earth. In Isaiah 61 we read that weeping lasts for the night, but joy comes in the morning! Hallelujah for that promise!

Psalm 16:11 says... You make known to me the path of life;in your presence there is fullness of joy;at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.(ESV) There is no question in my mind that God is filled with joy and He wants us to be filled with joy too! May you and I experience an increased outpouring of the joy of the Lord today, and may His joy drive all sorrow and mourning away!

Photo by Barry Adams

God's Plan not ours

Promise of God #118

Revelation 21:4 WEB

He will wipe away from them every tear from their eyes.
Death will be no more; neither will there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more.
The first things have passed away.”
  

Today's promise tells us of a day that is coming when God Himself will wipe away every tear from our eye. On that great and glorious day, there will be no more death, no more sorrow, no more reason for tears and no more pain.

All of the memories of the suffering of this world will vanish in the light and love of our Father's embrace. God Himself will wipe away every tear that we have cried and He promises to take away all the pain that we have suffered on this earth.

May this promise bring hope to those who are in the midst of difficult circumstances. May this promise bring comfort to those who are grieving the loss of a loved one. One day, we will see Jesus face to face and we will be taken up on the lap our heavenly Father. May this promise bring much joy to our hearts and anticipation to living forever in the embrace of the One who loves us with an everlasting love.

Photo by Eric Boldt

Promise of God #116

Luke 12:31 WEB

But seek God’s Kingdom,
and all these things will be added to you.
 

Today's Bible verse is an excerpt from a larger text found in Luke 12:22-34 where Jesus is talking about some of the major things we worry about... Food, clothing, shelter. He encourages us to not to worry about these things because we have a loving Father who has promised to provide for us. Jesus uses illustrations of the birds of the air and the lilies in the field to get His point across, that God provides for all that He created. 

The premise of today's promise is this... Your Father in heaven knows what you need and He will be faithful to provide because that is what good fathers do for their kids. Since we do not have to carry the burden of looking after ourselves, we can be free to focus on our heavenly Father's kingdom and be about His business.

Personally I have found this text of Scripture to be very challenging at times in my life. Jesus actually says that we do not need to give any thought for our life. I don't know about you, but I find that difficult to comprehend. Yet, Jesus told us that it is possible to live such a care-free life that we can actually live without worry. 

My prayer today for all of us is that we would take God at His Word. I know if we can truly do this, the end result will be a life free from worry and anxiety to the degree which we can trust Him with our lives. When we seek Him with all our heart, He looks after all of the other details in our lives!

Photo by Barry Adams

Right from the Heart - Purpose for Living

Purpose for Living

What is your purpose for living? Have you ever taken time to pursue in the rat race of life and figure out why you're in it?

I recommend developing a life purpose statement. A man once told me his purpose statement was to "Get all you can; can all you get; and sit on the can!" I hope that when you develop your purpose statement, It'll be more than that.  Don't be shortsighted, focusing on this life alone. Keep eternity in mind. God created all of us for a purpose. What's yours?

Here's a hint. Knowing God has put you on this earth for a purpose becomes clear when you get to know the person of Jesus Christ. With Him, it's amazing how all things become clear. Otherwise, you end up like the masses, too busy to take time to know why you're here and too lost to know where you're going.

Are you racing through life going nowhere fast? Stop for a second. Look to God in Christ and discover the purpose of your life.

"Whoever has the Son has life;

whoever does not have God's Son does not have life."

1 John 5:12

Right from the Heart - Friends

Friends


What is your definition of true friendship?

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "Happy is the house the shelters a friend," and "A friend is a person with whom I may be sincere and before him I may think aloud. The only reward of virtue is virtue; the only way to have a friend is to be one."

Walter Winchell defines a friend as "one who walks in when others walk out." Someone else has said a friend is "a man who laughs at your funny stories, even when they ain't so good, and sympathizes with your misfortunes, even when they ain't so bad."

As for me, a friend is the "one who always be there for you no matter what, who will stand before you and fight for you till the end."

Do you have a friend? Do you know true friendship?

Many, I'm sad to say, have to answer no. The good news is this: you can have a best friend forever. That friend is Jesus Christ. I encourage you to get to know Him. You'll never be disappointed. He'll always be there with you.

"A friend is always loyal, and a brother or a sister 

is born to help in time of need."

Proverbs 17:17