Daily Devotional March 18 - Doubt Interrupts The Connection To God

 "And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind Him, and touched the hem of His garment: For she said within herself, if I may but touch His garment, I shall be whole. But Jesus turned about, and when He saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour." Matthew 9:20-22

Note: Even if you never had any doubt and faith that was unwavering, you would still be in the world and subject to the free will of others to interfere with your life and to provide a cause and effect that does not always end favorably.  

"She said within herself." If you have ever wondered just how important God thinking might be, here is the center of how our faith works. The mind of God hears the voice of man, whether it is spoken outwardly or just thought inwardly. What we think becomes awfully important in light of this truth.

"She said within herself, if I may but touch His garment , I shall be whole." Whether she was a religious person or not, whether she had read the scriptures or not, what she said within herself was a statement that only faith can generate. At least up unto this time it had not been so, that if you thought in your mind, that if you touched the edge of Jesus's clothes, you would be healed of a disease that you had been suffering from for twelve years. This was the kind of thinking that comes from believing that God is who He says He is. This is the kind of faith that comes from understanding the omnipotence and the omniscience and the holiness of God. This is the kind of faith that is available to every one of us.

If you are not getting this kind of faith-building teaching at your church, at some point in time, it would do you well to think deeper and let God teach you about Himself for a season. It will change your mind. If you are a pastor and you have trouble believing that verses like these are just as potent today as when they were written, you too need to let God teach you about Himself for a season. It would do your congregation more good if you were to take a sabbatical, than to teach the Bible with doubt in your heart. Doubt interrupts the connection between God and man that brings about healing and miracles.

Ok, so does that meant that there is no formula that always works, every time? Yes and no. Yes, with faith all things are possible and with faith you can move mountains, but all of this is under the parameters set by the Express will of God and in that express will of God there is in operation unbelief and doubt by those who oppose the will of God and do adversely to the provisions within the will of God that negative affect certain outcomes. Trusting God always works is a fact, but trusting God does not foretell the outcome. Yes, God knows the outcome, but you will find that the outcome is not always what you perceive is the will of God for you.

No, formula's don't work.  Formula's are religious in origin and designed by man to incorporate the church polity into the schema of God's economy. No God can not be thwarted by some religious jargon, nor can the will of God be suppressed or altered by some religious rite or some polity rule or some church doctrinal statement.  Formulas are for the religious minded and they work or don't work based on the unpredictable outcome of life's events, but in no way do the formulas avert God's will or alter the written Word of God of thwart the inner man working of the Holy Spirit. 

The takeaway from this is Doubt interrupts the connection between God and man that brings about healing and miracles.

Daily Devotional March 17 - Forgiveness Is Permanent

 "And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."  Ephesians 4:32

Are you a believer?
If you were to live forgiven the results would be miraculous. Guilt from the past is a plague, a mental virus capable of gnawing at your soul and disrupting your plans. Guilt keeps great ideas down and guilt causes many who would become leaders to gather in droves like cattle with others who are burdened by guilt. Guilt causes you to think of yourself from the eyes of man. Guilt motivates people to follow this and follow that, afraid to break away and face the opposition.

You are forgiven. You need to live that way. Forgiven, once fully apprehended also travels through your soul, and it builds you up and stamps "Approved" on your plans. Forgiven opens the mind to have ideas and pursue them and causes us to be leaders, to seize the day and look at our obstacles as hurdles that can be jumped. Forgiven causes you to think from the eyes of God. The God who sees you through His Son. You look good to Him. You look beautiful, advantaged, empowered, inspired, courageous, strong and bold. Forgiven motivates people to follow Christ, who set an example for us. Forgiven makes a way, and breaks away from all that is dragging on you. Forgiven is the God/good life.

It is so easy to be revived by such a powerful message as this and then fall prey to the voices of oppression, and in no time at all to start feeling guilty again, dragging yourself through the quagmire of life. You need to believe you are forgiven, and do this until you are assured in the depth of your soul that God is true.

You say, Oh! but you don't know what I've done. You're right! and neither does God.

Daily Devotional March 16 - Uncommon Trust

 "For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."  2 Corinthians 12:8

I met a man that is living this verse. He gets it. He has had a bout with infirmities over many years. He was healed of serious infirmities. Then something else happened and in was in need of the Lord's touch again. And he was healed and then something else came about and he prays for healing now. He does not demand from God, nor does he complain that God is just not moving fast enough for him. No. He is glorying in his infirmities, just like the Apostle Paul and the power of Christ will rest upon him.

He gets it. He understands that God's grace has already done more for him and through him than any man deserves. He trusts God for the healing he needs right now, but he waits in faith and his faith is not swerved from left to right if he is not healed tomorrow or the next day. He besought the Lord. The Lord spoke to him and now he glories in what God has done in him, to him and through him.

He gets it. "Most gladly therefore will he glory in his infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon him." God healed him and he was thankful. More things happened and he trusted God with them and through them. Now he needs prayer again for God to heal him. But this man gets it.

God let's things happen that are not pleasant to us, but the faithful stay faithful despite the outcome. Their faith is not based on what God might do, but on what God has already done. They get it."

Daily Devotional March 15 - Quit Looking To Others For Confirmation

 "Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses and of Juda, and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honor, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house." Mark 6:3-4

Paraphrased:
'Hey, isn't this the guy who grew up down the street. I know his brothers and they were a real bunch. We knew his sisters too. There's no way that Jesus is a prophet. We would have know it. You remember his mom and the trouble she was in 30 years ago. And Joseph marrying her when she should have been stoned. Who's he trying to kid. We've been in town, going to this synagogue for forty years and now he is trying to make a mockery of us. He's just another charlatan.'

It was that way for Jesus and maybe for you at times. Have you ever had a great idea and you were just bubbling with enthusiasm and excitement. You just couldn't wait to tell you friends or family in hopes they would stand behind you and help you to see your dream come true. And then...

These are some observations that you might want to look for if you are about to tell somebody about some great idea, thought or positive change you are about to make in your life:

Don't be surprised if your family would rather you just keep your job and work for 'the man' until you die.

Don't be surprised if your best friends, even your very best, top of the list friend, finds some way to mess it up for you, or in many cases take it from you or explain to you why you aren't worthy.
Don't be surprised if people start to bring up something you did twenty five years ago when you were still a teenager, holding it against you like it happened yesterday.

Don't be surprised if others start to compare your idea or your change of mind or your new found way of life with every other idea that has failed.

Jesus could do no mighty work in His own town and maybe it is true for you too. But,don't be discouraged. There are many wonderful, positive, intelligent, kind, and open minded people that would just love to hear your ideas and stand behind you and support you and help you reach the pinnacle of success. You might have to take the best that you have and use it on strangers, maybe in another town, maybe in another state, but don't let the 'prophet' in you die in you just because of the close proximity of naysayers.

No. "...A prophet is not without honor, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.'

Daily Devotional march 14 - Are You A Sceptic Or A Believer?

 "Art thou the Christ? Tell us. And He said unto them, If I tell you, you will not believe:" Luke 22:67

"Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, if they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead." Luke 16:28-31

It would do you well to consider the implication here. If you or others need to see a miracle, like someone rising from the dead, to believe the scripture...well the Bible says that won't be enough proof. Even if you did see a miracle, if you don't have faith to believe now, you will not have faith to believe then. Faith is made of much thicker thread than sight. Faith believes when sight questions. Faith replaces the need for physical proof. I can attest to this being true. If any of us were to evaluate where we would be without God's intervention in our lives,we would quickly see that God has performed many miracles on our behalf; some we recognize and others unknown to us.

What I'm saying is that the agnostic, atheist and unbelievers have all already seen the miracles of: creation, birth, a rose pedal, DNA, the depth of the galaxy, and in many cases maybe even seen someone come back from the dead.

It's just not enough for those who blatantly deny even the air they breath. Even if Jesus had honored the high priest and the religious sect with an answer, they would have mocked Him more. Answering the questions of those with questionable intentions is of no value in ministry or in life in general. Many people are busy bodies and gossips and there is nothing you could say that they would not slant/swing/spin into something altogether different than what you told them.

Many people just want to box you into a group of their making so that you are no threat to their ignorance. Don't assist them in devaluing your testimony and helping them to disarm the power of the written Word of God.

The Bible says let them listen to Moses and the prophets.

They have the written word. They have all of creation pointing to intelligent creation. The have the life they posses and the air they breath. The Holy Spirit of God pursues every man, woman and child to bring them to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Just give the naysayers your testimony and God will take it from there.

Daily Devotional March 13 - True Rest Can Be Found

 "Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in the way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass." Psalm 37:7

I could go on for weeks just about finding the "rest" of God. The place where you are fully convinced that God is in charge and that you are in the center of His will. But the reason I chose this verse today is because I think we are too invested in comparing what others have or don't have and what we have or don't have. We should really mind our own business. Yes, many people are going to get rich and look prosperous while we are working hard and sometimes barely getting by. Many people are going to rise up unto stardom while we continue working unnoticed and unrewarded. It is going to look like we have got to do things their way to get what they have and to some extend your right. Except getting what they have, (those who have gotten their wealth by deception) means not only getting the things, but the inner turmoil and total dissatisfaction with themselves.

I wouldn't trade the "rest" of God, the peace of God, the mercy and grace of the Holy Spirit in my life for a few shiny toys. If I ever reach measurable material wealth, I want it to be by the plan of God for my life. I want it to come honorably and with no strings. Don't let the world fool you, you can smile while feeling empty and lost inside. You can don a new Ferrari while suffering from immeasurable loneliness. Don't fret, but if you are bent on worrying anyway, worry that you will obtain what you get in life with integrity and honesty and hard work, all the while not stepping out of the will of God to get there.

Don't focus on what others have accomplished or what others claim to have or really do have. Mind your own affairs and get on with getting what you get through righteous living and prayerful considerations.

Daily Devotional March 12 - Get It In Writing

 "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you..." John 14:1-2a

You need to count on what the Lord tells you. If you are to have confidence you need to know that the information that Jesus gave/gives you if correct. It is interesting that Jesus makes a point to let us know, "if it were not so, I would have told you..." What Jesus said during His ministry and what the Apostles and New Testament writers recorded was what Jesus told us/you.

Jesus spoke every word necessary for you to:

• Recognize the enemies tactics
• Abandon worldly pursuits
• Break spiritual strongholds
• Live free from addictions
• Recover lost territory
• Use what man meant for evil and turn it into something good
• Sense the presence of God
• Receive salvation
• Live the abundant life
• Intercede for others with expectation
• Understand our purpose

"If it were not so," He would have told you. That is really comforting to me. The creator tells us everything we need to know, in writing, so we don't mess it up. Quit looking for deep truths elsewhere. They are within the pages of scripture and written on the tablets of your heart. "If it were not so," He would have told you.

Daily Devotional March 11 - Do You Believe Everything In The Bible

 "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." Hebrews 13:2

Truths like this have almost been conditioned out of us. If you are wondering what entertain means in the Greek, well it means to be hospitable; to show them around and give them a good time. I'll bet you can count on one hand who you can talk to about verses like this. It's just not accepted that angels live among us and can at times materialize so we can see them. (It's a lot easier to just think of angels as figures mentioned in the Bible. Some of the Bible characters had an experience with an angel but none of this was meant for our day.)

It's scary. We should be listening to God and working with the angels to accomplish our goals in life. But our religious experience might be better described like this:

Watered down preaching so as not offend newcomers
Or fire and brimstone preaching where all of the liberties given to us by Jesus are called sin
Along with Bible illiterate Sunday School teachers taking their turn because they have to
Mixed with careless actions on behalf of those who claim to be following Christ
The faithless teaching the hungry how to be faithless
The powerless teaching new believers how to be powerless
No wonder we don't believe in "angels unawares."

The Bible has become static to many who are looking for some sign or some extra biblical move of God. But the Bible is not static truth, with some stories fitted in for our entertainment. The Bible is alive and within it are volumes of truths and millenniums of prophesy and today's voice of the Almighty, clearly and succinctly spoken to anyone who will lend an ear."

Daily Devotional March 10 - Seek Those Things Which Are Above

 "If ye be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth." Colossians 3:1-2

"Seek those things which are above." The things which are above are all to do with the heart. They are the emotions, feelings, love, kindness, grace and mercy kind of things. The things above require forgiveness, long suffering, patience, gentleness and sensitivity to the needs of others. The things above are the throne of God, heaven and the angels. The things above are just as real as the things on earth, just as important, just as much a part of our destiny as the things on earth.

When you think on the things above you are taken to a higher place than your regular thinking. You are taken to a place where you can see clearer and farther and with more dimension than when you are caught up in the daily, worldly routine. When you think on the things above, God will intervene, the angels get to participate with your daily affairs, the Holy Spirit of God endorses what is on your mind, because what is on your mind are the things of God and they benefit you and the world at large.

You must spend some of your time thinking on the things above. Everything in your life will mature into the right thing if some of your time is spent thinking on the things above. You need to do this on your own. You need to consciously decide to reach higher and seek the mind of God. God wants so much to give you a glimpse of the heavens and show you what is going on behind the scene, so to speak. Look up and meet God today. There is something beautiful on the mind of God that only God can share with you.

Daily Devotional March 9 - True Rest Can Be Found

 "Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in the way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass." Psalm 37:7

I could go on for weeks just about finding the "rest" of/in God. The place where you are fully convinced that God is in charge and that you are in the center of His will. But the reason I chose this verse today is because I think we are too invested in comparing what others have or don't have and what we have or don't have. We should really mind our own business. Yes, many people are going to get rich and look prosperous while we are working hard and sometimes barely getting by. Many people are going to rise up unto stardom while we continue working unnoticed and unrewarded. It is going to look like we have got to do things their way to get what they have and to some extend your right. Except getting what they have, (those who have gotten their wealth by deception) means not only getting the things, but the inner turmoil and total dissatisfaction with themselves.

I wouldn't trade the "rest" of God, the peace of God, the mercy and grace of the Holy Spirit in my life for a few shiny toys. If I ever reach measurable material wealth, I want it to be by the plan of God for my life. I want it to come honorably and with no strings. Don't let the world fool you, you can smile while feeling empty and lost inside. You can don a new Ferrari while suffering from immeasurable loneliness. Don't fret, but if you are bent on worrying anyway, worry that you will obtain what you get in life with integrity and honesty and hard work, all the while not stepping out of the will of God to get there.

Don't focus on what others have accomplished or what others claim to have or really do have. Mind your own affairs and get on with getting what you get through righteous living and prayerful considerations."

Daily Devotional March 8 - Two Principles

 "But He answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." Matthew 4:4

There are two really important principles to remember and live by in this passage. The first is, "It is written." Having Jesus remark that the written Word of God (Logos) is to be read, understood, believed and acted upon is a real message to you and me. The written Word is the preserved voice of God for all generations to teach us the truths that save our soul and give us the ability to live a life in God's will. Unlike the voice of God, which is subjective and constantly being questioned by the unbelieving, unfaithful and poorly taught Christians, the written Word of God is irreproachable, unchanging and indisputable. "It is written" should be the clearest statement concerning the infallibility of scripture. It should also be noted that, rather than always 'looking for a Word from God' that fits what you want isn't as biblically sound as looking to the Word to see exactly what God wants you to want. If the cultural/worldly Christian new the scriptures as well as they know their favorite sitcom, there would be no cultural/worldly Christians.

The second principle is, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." We know from experience that the written Word of God is sure and tested and trustworthy. The voice of God, on the other hand, as you and I have both seen and experienced is not as easily discerned. Yet we are admonished to live by every Word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. It's really not that complicated.

It is true that God speaks to us. God directs us and teaches us and communicates with us and we should be very open to this kind of communication and we should be very open when others speak a word of wisdom. God quite often speaks to us through others. But I believe there is one qualifier that can help us shake out what is from God and what is just man's silly and unsubstantiated philosophies.

Can what was heard or said be substantiated from the written Word?

Don't fall for all the TV hype and questionable interpretations from those who are willing to stick their neck out and claim something that is extra biblical and unsubstantiated. If you can't find it in the Word, you need to pray about it and wait for the indwelling Holy Spirit to talk with your spirit about the validity of the matter. Guessing is not biblical, nor is standing hard on matters of questionable origin. If God said it, God will wait until you get it to require anything from you, especially your money. Being driven to do something that you are unsure of is not from God. It's man's way of getting you to buy into their personal interpretation of what God said. You can't afford to bet your dreams on man's promises. Wait until you hear from God. It's OK, God has the patience to wait until you are fully convinced in your 'knower' before responding to anything."

Daily Devotional March 7 - Is Jesus Allowed In Your Boat?

 "And it came to pass, that as the people pressed upon Him to hear the word of God, He stood by the lake of Gennesaret, And saw two ships standing by the lake; but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets. And He entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And He sat down, and taught the people out of the ship. Now when He had left speaking, He said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. And Simon answering said unto Him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. And when they had this done, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both ships, so that they began to sink." Luke 5:1-6

If you have ever taught Sunday School or gone to the mission field or been in charge of a business, you have experienced what it is like to put out your net and catch nothing. Don't miss the whole premise here. Jesus asked them to use their boat and afterward, after He had used their boat, Jesus gave them the direction to put the boat out and of course they did and they had a huge, overwhelming catch.

Is Jesus allowed to use your boat? Did you let Jesus have your boat before you put out to catch fish? Don't think it would make any difference? This is the Jesus who can walk on the water, who speaks to the wind and the waves, who created all that there is and who works on your behalf every day and for your benefit. This is the Jesus who heals the sick, saves the lost and gives you the air you breath. This is the Jesus who can speak a word and your boat will become full, just like those in this story.

If Jesus asks you to use your boat, do it. There is no thing that can compare with providing a physical prop for Jesus and seeing what He will do with it. Wait! there's more. Did you notice that even those who did not let Jesus use their boat were blessed by those who did? Association with those who do the will of the Father will bring many undeserved blessings upon them. That's right, the faithful permeate with God's overflowing and even the lost get blessed when a man or a woman of faith walks by.

Daily Devotional March 6 - Think On Things Above

 "If ye be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth." Colossians 3:1-2

"Seek those things which are above." The things which are above are all to do with the heart. They are the emotions, feelings, love, kindness, grace and mercy kind of things. The things above require forgiveness, long suffering, patience, gentleness and sensitivity to the needs of others. The things above are the throne of God, heaven and the angels. The things above are just as real as the things on earth, just as important, just as much a part of our destiny as the things on earth.

When you think on the things above you are taken to a higher place than your regular thinking. You are taken to a place where you can see clearer and farther and with more dimension than when you are caught up in the daily, worldly routine. When you think on the things above, God will intervene, the angels get to participate with your daily affairs, the Holy Spirit of God endorses what is on your mind, because what is on your mind are the things of God and they benefit you and the world at large.

You must spend some of your time thinking on the things above. Everything in your life will mature into the right thing if some of your time is spent thinking on the things above. You need to do this on your own. You need to consciously decide to reach higher and seek the mind of God. God wants so much to give you a glimpse of the heavens and show you what is going on behind the scene, so to speak. Look up and meet God today. There is something beautiful on the mind of God that only God can share with you."

Daily Devotional March 5 - Think Upon God

 "Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people." Nehemiah 5:19

Here is a man who knows God and knows how God operates. I would say that there are times when we do not want God to think upon us, which means to look deep into our soul and fully determine our intents and motives. When God looks upon us like this God looks through us and thoroughly sees our inner most being, nothing hidden, nothing spared from the eyes of God, nothing not known about our thoughts. How many times in life have you entered into the place where you would lift your eyes to heaven and say, think upon me, knowing that when God does look upon you, the whole you is exposed, your actions, your thoughts and your sins.

You should look to God to think upon you more often. Your fear of God knowing who you really are is unfounded. God knows all about your past, present and future without your requesting an inspection. God already knows the innermost parts of your thought life. You cannot hide from God nor should you want to. God looks upon you with favor, seeing you through the works of Christ and not your own, looking deep into your soul where the Holy Spirit resides, taking issue with the work of Christ on the cross on your behalf and the daily inner work of the Holy Spirit within. God remembers that you were made of dust. It is man that has skewed your view of what God will do with you if he sees you as you really are.

What God will do with you if you were to look to heaven and say, "Think upon me, my God," is to see a beautiful person, filled with the essence of God, a child of His own, perfected in the work of Christ and daily being brought into the likeness of Jesus. God has no interest in what you have done or how bad you have been or how many times you have let your family down or how many times you have let God down or how often you have sinned or what you have done or what you should have done that you didn't do. God looks upon you to infuse you with blessings and to do good unto you and to lift you up and to show you the right path and to lead you on the way and to give you of Himself and to purify your life. God does this so you will enjoy His creation and continue through life co-creating with God His will. Life was meant to be shared with a God that loves you and only can do good toward you and only blesses you continually.

If you know of another god, one that seeks your demise, and one that sees you as a mistake, one that harps on you and makes you fell uncomfortable, one that is constantly revealing your imperfections and making you to fell inferior, you have not met the god of little religions, the god of impotent preaching, a created god, not the God of creation. Quit being afraid of God and stand up and call out His name and say, "Reveal me and speak to me and use me. I am not afraid anymore. I am sorry for having blamed you for having believed in the philosophies of men. I want to believe you and see you and understand. I want you to see me as I am. I am not afraid for you to reveal me, because according to Your Word I am Your creation and you will finish me."

Daily Devotional March 4 - Do What You Say You Are Going To Do

 "But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, son, go work today in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of His father?" Matthew 21:28-31a

I love this passage because it is proof of how sensible and perfect God's ways are. The first son said he wouldn't go, but did, and the second son said he would go, but didn't. I wish people would do what they say they are going to do. I would venture to say there are a lot more people that say one thing and do another. A lot of people are guilty of acting like they like us but inwardly they are plotting to exclude us; acting like they will be there for us, but not showing up when things get tough; acting like they are devoted, but secretly finding ways out of responsibility. Alcoholics are like that and many people Jesus met were like that to.

When Jesus asks which one of the two men did the will of the Father, it is clear that lip service is not the qualifying agent. Doing the will of the Father must be done by our mind and body working together to do whatever we are called to. It's easy to get real spiritual and try to accomplish the will of God with mental assent, but it is not Biblical. God wants us to hear the call, answer the call and do the task, that's truly cooperating with God. Next time you hear God calling you, try to remember this simple rule; He called you because you are the one person in all creation designed to work perfectly in His will to get the job done.

Daily Devotional March 3 - Find You Place In God's Economy And Relax

 "Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass." Psalm 37:7

Fret not means, don't grow angry or jealous or discouraged and get all caught up in what is happening around you or to you. Wait patiently on the Lord. Rest in the inner knowledge that God has it covered, under control, within prescribed parameters, that God is fully aware of your entire situation, yesterday, today and tomorrow and God is working out the details. Fretting does not and cannot bring about any results. It is an emotional response with no efficacy. Trusting God on the other hand, has power in it, in that, trust is built upon faith, and faith is a real substance that does have efficacy.

Keep your focus. You are responsible for your actions, not others. Sometimes what appears to be someone 'prospering in the way' is actually someone being disobedient to God and reaping a few moments of perceived prosperity. But God is with you for the long haul and the long haul is the one that reveals a persons true character and relationship with God. I've seen many Christians jump at any chance to get rich as if getting rich were an honorable goal. Getting rich by honest pursuits, with hard work, personal integrity and godly stewardship is an honorable goal. But getting rich as a goal is not for everyone, nor is it supposed to be or ever was supposed to be part of the Christian manifesto.

There will always be rich Christians, middle income Christians and poor Christians. Finding your place in God's economy and being satisfied there, is true riches. Knowing who you are and finding your place in life, whether it is to be as an engineer or doctor, car mechanic, tire salesman, housewife/husband or lawyer is where true riches are born. If it wasn't for all the advertisements you are exposed to everyday, you would already know that riches are within and have nothing to do with material wealth.

You are already anointed to do and to be all that God intended you to be. Keep your eyes on your relationship with God and seek Him out for your answers. Get your eyes off of what others have and you will have nothing to fret about.

Daily Devotional March 2 - There Are So Many Reasons

 "Oh LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches." Psalm 104:24

The psalmist must have had a deep understanding of God to pen these words and all of Psalm 104. It would do you well to take time to get to know God in this way. I know from my own experience that it is easy to get caught up in the day to day, worldly pursuits and not take the time to see and grasp all that has been made for us. I was on a mountain cliff last night overlooking a long view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It was breathtaking. It was overwhelming. I felt close to nature in a good way, but I sensed that we have not done well in working with nature to accomplish our human goals.

Even though I don't have the answers to how to stop our foolish pillaging of nature I do recognize its greatness. I see the wisdom of God built into nature. I know that God has made them all. I see the wisdom of it. I know the earth is full of His riches. I am so thankful that I have come to this place in my life where my surroundings have meaning. I hope you are not so caught up with what you are doing that you don't give any time to recognizing the glory of God in the many wonders that God made. I know this is a small thing, but the psalmists wrote about the mighty wonders of God's creation quite a lot and God allowed it to become our guidebook to life. Maybe there is more to connecting to the natural elements than we have previously acknowledged.

The earth is full of His riches. How wondrous are His creations and worthy of our acknowledgement. There's beauty at every turn. Look for it, find it and thank God for it.

Daily Devotional March 1 - An Imprint Of The Creator

 "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth His handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech or language, where their voice is not heard."  Psalm 192:3

In the creation of all that is, God put in it (all of it) an imprint of the creator, a signature of sorts making it clear about the source of the creation itself. The only creature that even begins to think about denying the creator and denying who the creator is, is man. Just the fact that man has the ability and/or the audacity to deny God is proof itself of God's incredible creation of man. God made man so that in man's mind he could, is he chose to, deny the material world and the maker of the material world, deny the spiritual realm and the maker of the spiritual realm.

Even those who actively attempt to show the non-existence of God reveal God through their intellectual acumen. Every time they add a building block to the house of atheism or agnosticism, they do so using their creators tools; intelligence, language, reason, scientific fact.

There is nothing created (seen or unseen) that does not scream of being created by a loving, organized, intelligent, faithful and patient creator. All of creation cries out to its creator. Man was the only creature made in the image and likeness of God and therefore the only creature with the capability to deny the existence of God. Don't lose too much sleep over those you know that deny God His rightful place in their lives. They are bucking against all of creation.

Daily Devotional February 28 - Oh God!

 "When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?" Psalm 8:3-4

To paraphrase: "When I look around and see the splendor of what you created and how all of creation serves you in faithfulness, how all of creation bows to you in great regard for your magnificence; how is it that you look upon man with anything except contempt, seeing that we have not been faithful and we have not given you the honor due Your holy name."

Getting to the place where you actually see God by the work of His hands is a station along the way of maturity in the Christian life. To look toward heaven and realize that we are of more worth to God than all creation put together and that all creation was made just for us is also a sign of Christian maturity. These are the kinds of things we find out while walking with God and talking with God along our journey.

Think on these things and let God speak to you through the mighty work of His hands. Think on how beautiful and complete you are because God has carried you through life up to this point and has a purpose that is being fulfilled in your life. Believe it. Get in touch with the purposes that you were created for. Ask, seek and find meaning in the everyday events of your life. Take serious the call from God to be the man or woman for the job. Quit trying to process life without prayer and meditation. Let God speak into your soul and you will see life the way that God says it is. That's important.

Daily Devotional February 27 - Touched By An Angel

 "And whiles I was speaking in prayer, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the holy mountain of God; Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation. And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding." Daniel 9:20-22

Touched by an angel. I will venture to say that many of us have been touched by an angel, in a dream, in a vision or in the flesh. Angels are messengers of God sent for specific purposes to advance the kingdom. They get it. The angels that are with God understand God's plan. They are not rebelling anymore. They have all decided to participate in the divine work of investing themselves in the affairs of mankind. Angels have specific duties and their duties include you.

Many Christians have become agnostic concerning the reality of angelic beings, their work among mankind and their place in the lives of Christians. Too many Christians have almost made a mockery of those few who have said to have had an encounter with an angel. Whether someone has had an encounter or not, and whether their have been stories made up about angels, has hardly anything to do with the scriptural truth of their presence among us. Angels are real and they pass between earth and the heavens. They have projects to accomplish and they positively intervene in the affairs of mankind. Many are warring with fallen angels (demons) on your behalf.

Did you notice in the scripture above that Gabriel came forth to give Daniel skill and understanding? Daniel had been serving the Lord for many years and with a deep love of God and a passion to serve God based on his understanding of God through the scriptures and from the verbal truths handed down to him from his forefathers for centuries. It wasn't after Daniel had gone to God and asked for a new Mercedes or after Daniel had shown God how talented he was in making money or after Daniel had decided to dabble with other religious philosophies that the angel visited. No. Daniel could be trusted with the holy things of God. He wasn't in it for himself. He hadn't compromised on the basic truths that have been taught and handed down throughout the centuries. Daniel had no more privilege than you and I to receive a message from a holy angel, but he was faithful to God in his daily actions.