Stop Before You Eat the Whole Thing!
Good morning, Father! It has taken me a bit to get here. Help me to focus on what is important…and that is You. Our time together is a foundational part of my day. May I draw close to You. Amen.
1 John 3:4-10 (<<click here)
Lord, there are things in my life that I strive to eradicate. A majority of the time I – and only with Your help – I can be victorious over them. In a way, it’s like some people diet. They do really well and then they eat a little bit of something they shouldn’t eat – just a little bit. Then a little later they have a bit more. It’s not a lot, just a little. But then there are a lot of little bits and before it’s all said and done the whole cake is gone and their diet is blown to smithereens!
Temptation can be like that. We yield just a little bit and sort of blow it off and try and put it behind us. Then it happens again a bit later…then again…and again and before we know it, it seems, we succumb and our relationship with You is all messed up.
This may happen but we cannot give up! You don’t give up on us, so we can’t give up either. As I wrote yesterday, we’ve got to move forward!
My study Bible* puts forth some very good advice,
“Three steps are necessary to find victory over prevailing sin: (1) Seek the power of the Holy Spirit and God’s Word; (2) stay away from tempting situations; and (3) seek the help of the body of Christ – be open to their willingness to hold you accountable and to pray for you.”
Lord, when I stay close to You, I am strong. May I cling to You every moment. Amen.
*Life Application Study Bible New Living Translation
May 3rd, Wed, 9:26 am
Forgiven and Not Forgotten (at least by me)
Father, I do not know what today holds but You do. May I have the wisdom and courage to act when the opportunity arises to how my love and dedication to You. May I be the light the world needs.
Lord, what I am about to write must be important for You brought it to mind not once…not twice… but three times during the night. Help me to write under Your direction and may those who need to see it be unhindered from doing so. May the great enemy of our soul be defeated on every front – amen!
There are things that I have done in my life that can only be labeled as sin. They weren’t mistakes; they were deliberate acts of disobedience on my part. David communicated his situation quite clearly in Psalm 51 (<<click here). One portion of this chapter is quite appropriate here.
“Against you, and you alone, have I sinned;
I have done what is evil in your sight.” verse 4a
I am purposely not expounding upon what I specifically have done because, as Romans 3:23 (<<click here) states,
“For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.”
My sin is not greater than yours and your sin is not greater the mine. Sin is sin…period.
Long ago I asked for God’s forgiveness and it was freely given. I may not be able to forget my past but, praise the Lord, those things are no longer held to my account.
Romans 3:24 (<<click here) goes on to say,
“Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.”
No matter how many times I have fallen in many areas of my life, when I have sincerely asked, God has forgiven me. No sin is too far out or so deeply ingrained that God cannot forgive. We may carry the scars of our actions the rest of our lives, but our souls are free from condemnation all because of Your great sacrifice, Jesus.
So today, if there is something you have done – maybe even something long, long ago – and you just can’t seem to forgive yourself. Remember, if you have asked God for His forgiveness and this great God, this holy and perfectly pure God, has forgiven you then there is nothing for you to hold on to. It is gone. It is over. It is finished. What is behind is behind and the only place worth moving is forward. So with God’s aid do so – move forward.
Lord, I would ask that You would enable me, each and every day, to follow closely by Your side. I pray that sin would increasingly repulse me and that my light will shine all the more brightly.
May 2nd, Tues, 6:32 am
Do You Love Me More than These?
Father, there is a full week ahead and I willingly acknowledge my dependence upon You on getting me through it. Only with Your strength, wisdom, and love coursing through me can I have the greatest impact on the world around me. Amen.
Lord, in the middle of the night a song came to mind and then again when I awoke this morning. It is entitled, “Lovest Thou Me More than These.” It is a beautiful song but more important is the fact that it is based on words You spoke to Peter after Your resurrection.
Of course, prior to Your crucifixion, Peter denied You three times. You knew it would happen but even though You have forewarned him and he proclaimed his dedication, he still fell and fell hard. He did exactly what he said he would never do.
After Your resurrection, even with all his interaction with You, he was still a broken man. John 21:15-17 tells of Your conversation with him in which he reaffirmed his love for You. He accepts Your forgiveness and with the Holy Spirit’s infilling shortly afterward he becomes a foundational stone – a rock (Peter means rock) – upon which Your Church is built.
The song title and proceeding verses address Your question to Peter, and inevitably to us, “do you love me more than these?”
As I read the lyrics to the song, Lord, may my testimony be “I love Thee more than this old world could offer, all sinful follies I deny for Thee, my life, my all, I pledge Thee. I love thee Lord, more than these.”
Lovest Thou Me (More Than These?) (<<click here to listen to it)
Lovest thou me, lovest thou me, more than these?
Modern times have brought us many blessings
People live in wealth and luxury
But the Master asks this question
Lovest thou me, lovest thou me, more than these?
I love Thee more than this old world could offer
All sinful follies I deny for Thee
My love, my life, my all, I pledge Thee
I love thee, Lord, I love thee Lord, more than these
More than these
CHORUS
Lovest thou me, more than these my child?
What will, will your answer be?
Oh, precious Lord, I love Thee more than all of these
More than fame
More than wealth
More than the world
More than fame
More than wealth
More than the world
Words and Music by William J. Gaither
May 1st, Mon, 6:38 am
Still Listening
Thank You so much for being with us yesterday, Father. Your comforting presence made all the difference at the funeral, graveside service and the meal and fellowship afterward. I would pray that Your love would permeate the hearts and minds of all present – both Your followers and those who have yet chosen to do so. Amen
In my praying this morning, Lord, You have led me back to a journal entry from October 2015. I believe it bears repeating for it is still my prayer today. (Oh, and this is still the best picture!)
As I sit here in contemplation, young Samuel’s response comes to mind as he answered Your call, Lord, in the Israelite tabernacle of old. “Speak, your servant is listening.” 1 Samuel 3:10 Help me to be receptive to Your call on me this day. I, Your servant, am listening.
It’s hard to wrap my mind around it but I cling to the fact that You chose and loved me even before the creation of the world (Ephesians 1:4) And You chose me to be holy and blameless. You saved me not because I deserved it but to make Your grace known. You “broke the power of death and illuminated the way of life and immortality through the Good News.” 2 Timothy 1:10
We like to think that we got to where we are all on our own but there is no truth in that. At least in our culture, it’s all about “me”. “I” got me to where I am, “I” don’t need anyone else. Me, myself and I will get through just fine. But if we really, down deep, look at it, we realize it’s the farthest thing from the truth.
My only means of fulfillment on this speck of dust in the universe, my only means of security in the fact that there is life beyond the threshold of death, is found solely in You. Because of Your unfathomable sacrifice, I have true life, now and for all eternity.
Lord, You love me and You have my best interests in mind. Help me, every moment of every day, to strive for holiness – to become more like You with every breath I take. Fill me with Your presence. Use me to shine Your light into the darkness of this world. May I be attentive to You. “Speak, your servant is listening.”
Oct 23rd, 2015, Fri, 6:42 am
Apr 30th, 2017, Sun, 6:09 am
I Refuse to Blame God
Though last night was a little rough, Father, I was grateful that You were by my side. It is reassuring to have You in my thoughts at any time, day or night. I am glad You are my comforter.
In the past twelve days, four men in my life have died – three from my churches and one from my family. On top of that, I have two uncles recovering from strokes. It has been difficult, but one thing I refuse to do is to blame God for it.
If anything sin is to blame. God created us and this world to be perfect, clean, and holy. And we soiled this holy perfection by inviting sin into the picture. We can’t just blame Adam either. Throughout the thousands of years of man’s existence, all of humanity – men, women, boys and girls – we have all perpetuated sin in each of our lives. Sin is at the core of all of our heartache and disease.
Personally, we should be grateful towards God. How many prayers have been answered that have prolonged life giving us another day…another month…another year? How many minds has God gifted with the ability to think through seemingly insurmountable problems of disease and illness? Medical advancements in my lifetime alone are absolutely amazing!
How many times has everything lined up in such a way that at just the right time physical maladies have intersected with just the right professional who was able to put all the pieces together to find an answer? That is not coincidence – that is providence! It is God’s intervention!
God does love us! He does care! In the midst of the awful storms of life, God is there! He is the rock upon which we can build our lives. And even when our lives come to an end, He is still there. If we have given our lives over to Him, death is not the victor! He has overcome death and we can step across that cold threshold into His loving presence for all of eternity. No more pain. No more tears. No more sorrow. Only everlasting love and joy! Amen!
Apr 26th, Wed, 8:50 am