Love you all, praying for you,
I just love God’s Word – It tells you who God is, it tells you how much God loves you, it tells you what to do, and what to be, it tells you how to succeed, and it tells you what brings God favor, what prevents failure, and what God rewards. If there ever was one thing you would never want to be without, its God’s Word of truth and life! If you had one hallmark of your life, what would it be? What was the hallmark of Jesus? Humility. Though He was equal with God, He didn’t try to keep it, He humbled himself and became obedient unto death even death on a cross. God said, “Be humble.” So how do you do that? Have you ever noticed that anything in life worth doing… is worth practicing? In fact, the only way to become good at something is to practice. You rarely if ever are good at something the first time you try it. And if you are, even if it just somehow comes naturally – practice always gets you better… way better. So what is worth practicing? Anything worth doing. Anything worth doing is worth putting in the time to do it better, to become proficient, expert at it. So what do you practice? Most people practice their craft, or their favorite hobby, but do you ever practice humility? Why practice humility? First you probably should answer… why be humble? Five reasons immediately come to mind. #1 – Jesus was humble – that’s reason enough. #2 - Humility is the beginning of wisdom. That means without humility, you won’t get wisdom. If nothing else to realize God’s Way is better than yours. #3 - God opposes the proud, pride goeth before a fall. If pride comes, the crash is soon coming. #4 - God gives grace to the humble – that means mercy and power – the kind of power that can raise someone from the dead. The force necessary to do whatever He told you to do. You either have more power, or less power – you’re either powerful, or powerless. He gives grace to the humble. #5 – If you humble yourself – you will be exalted… by God. God will do it. (That means – put to a high place, enlarge, make greater). So if you choose the low place, and God will make sure – He puts you in a high place. So how do you practice humility? One really good way is to serve. Serve means inconveniencing yourself – for the good of someone else. Take the time and effort to do something for them that is kind, or what they need, or what they would appreciate, or what they would benefit from. Serve is to do something for someone else, that benefits them not you. Praying that you would ask God today. God, who should I serve? Humble simply means consider others more important than yourself. And to humble yourself – means to take the low place, giving someone else the higher place, the bigger piece, the first turn, the longest turn. Serving someone always puts them and their needs higher than your own. It is perhaps the greatest character forming, character shaping act you can do. Praying that you will ask God, “Who do you want me to serve today, and what do you want me to do for them? What if you served just one person today, or just two people? Your spouse and someone else or your sibling, and one other person? You could actively demonstrate the love of God for them, and you would be practicing humility – the very thing that will get you exalted. Love you all, dad
0 Comments
Love you all, praying for you,
I just love God’s Word. It unlocks truth and it is truth. It’s not what you think truth is, it’s real truth - what God says is true - one hundred percent reliable. Every statement is true, but many also give clues - they uncover a completely different foundation of truth which is opposite of what so many believe, even what you may have believed for a long time. Psalms 34:4 – I sought the LORD and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Praise God for the reminders that he scatters within the truth He speaks. First reminder, God answers when you seek him. Jesus said, you have not because you ask not, and when you ask you don’t receive because you ask with wrong motives, to spend it on your own pleasures. (James 4:2). He said that’s just friendship with the world, which makes you an enemy of God, the opposite of friendship with God. So just a reminder – ask Him what to ask (He knows what you need, and what He wants to give you, you don’t). Ask Him what to ask, so you don’t ask amiss) and then ask Him for it. Seek Him and he will answer you. And then it says, He delivers me from all my fears. Notice it didn’t say He delivers me from all dangers (of course He does that too) but the first deliverance is from all of our fears. Your life is really in your mind. It is what shapes your reality – you think things before they happen. And even when things do happen, how you think determines their impact on you. Things happen both good and bad, but you live in your mind as much as reality, because your mind interprets and therefore determines your reality. Paul and Silas were in the same prison as the rest in even worse condition… but they were rejoicing while the others were languishing. God delivers you in every situation, but He first delivers you from all your fears. Some people try their best to do it themselves. In the book The End of Stress (not recommending the book because I haven’t read it – but the quote was interesting) The author quotes Michel de Montaigne, “My life has been filled with terrible misfortune; most of which never happened.” He goes on to say, Lo and behold, it turns out that 85% of what subjects worried about never happened and with the 15 percent that did happen, 79 percent of subjects discovered either they could handle the difficulty better than expected, or the difficulty taught them a lesson worth learning. This means 97 percent of what you worry over is not much more than a fearful mind punishing you with exaggerations and misperceptions.” Assuming these numbers are true, it just validates what God says about the enemy, causing you to stress for nothing… One thing I love about God’s Word – it’s a huge measuring stick. All truth is God’s truth, so some authors no matter if they know the truth of God or not, can stumble across some of it. This too is the grace of God. Just be aware, the greatest deceptions are part true – that’s what makes it seem right. But God’s Word is completely true, the true Fact-Checker – (not like those today, who insert their own deception as the standard – to try and cancel truth). In this case the author makes a good observation, once again proving God’s Word to be true, But it’s also a good idea to understand from God’s truth what if anything might be missing. If the moral of the story most people take away - is ‘don’t worry because it won’t be as bad as you think – on average…’ That can be comforting but not fully accurate, it’s missing the source. We know the enemy of your soul is prowling like a hungry lion, seeking whom he may devour. That word is so interesting. Devour, consume – the devil doesn’t actually eat people or swallow them whole, he just swallows them up in fear or fret or guilt. He’s looking to consume you with fear of things that won’t happen, or guilt regarding things that did happen but are past. People who derive the moral of the story… 'things won’t be as bad as you think' – which is statistically true. Leave out the main character of the story. Not the devil, but God! How many times has God delivered them from things that would have surely harmed or destroyed them? Many times, it’s because God showed His kindness to them to lead them to repentance, (Romans 2:4) to turn from their sin, and put their trust in Him. Yet they assume it was just their ability to handle it, not knowing that angels unawares were sent for their protection. God delivers people when they don’t even realize it’s Him, so they just take credit for what God did, or mark it up to coincidence. I sought the LORD and he answered me and he delivered me from all my fears. Before God delivers you from all harm, he delivers you from all fears. Why spend time worrying about what He promised to save you from? Praying that you will be consumed with God, not let the enemy consume your thoughts or fears. Pray that you will Review His Word… PRISM Topic – Fear Not, and PRISM Topic – Do Not Fret. The devil wants to consume you with fear and doubt, God wants to consume you with His Love and Hope! Praying that you will seek Him, so He answers you, that you will be consumed with His love for you, His plans for your good, and His promise for your future. He will deliver you first from fear, and then from everything the devil tries to destroy you with. Praying that you will just Fear God, and He will take care of the rest. Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you,
If you only knew how important God’s Word is, you’d live it and breath it, inhale it and exhale it. You couldn’t get enough of it. How important is it? By His word the worlds were created, by His Word – Jesus the Word of God, they are held together, and by His Word they are reserved for judgment when the wicked will be destroyed. Proverbs 8:8-9 – All the words of my mouth are just; none of them is crooked or perverse. To the discerning all of them are right; they are faultless to those who have knowledge. There are two words. God’s Word, and another word, any other word, anything other than what God said, is the word of the enemy. His intent is to steal, kill and destroy. If you don’t have God’s Word in you, you don’t have truth, all you have is sand. It will sink along with anything built on it when the storm comes. His Word is just, justice is based on God’s Word, not the opinion and conditional applications of man. If you don’t know His word, you don’t know justice, all you have is false justice, another justice – a man-made, unequally applied justice which is no justice at all. It is deception, injustice. Proverbs 28:5 – Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the LORD understand it completely. If you are not discerning, if you lack knowledge, His word doesn’t seem right. You only accept His Word as right if you are discerning, if you have knowledge. His Word is without fault to those who have knowledge, and those who have knowledge acquire it through His Word – revealed by His Holy Spirit. Is that tautology? No, it is truth – God says it, and everything else is measured by it. His Word transcends public opinion, cultural norms, and the rehashed failed human ideas that resurface in a new generation ignorant of history, only to fail again as before with dire consequence to yet another generation. Get His Word – Get knowledge, your life depends on it, your success depend on it, your freedom depends on it, your ability to discern depends on it. If you doubt His Word, you lack knowledge – your knowledge is based on another word. It is not knowledge at all, it is deception – false knowledge. There are two words and two ways… The way of truth, or the way of the liar. Whose word will you believe? If you don’t believe God’s Word whose word will you believe? And if you don’t know God’s Word – you’re believing something else. Praying that you will review the PRISM Topic – His Word. That it will become life for you, that you will know it so well, and do immediately whatever He tells you, that you will stand for truth in a world that believes lies. That’s what the wicked do, they listen to lies, so that is what they believe. Praying that you will love others to truth, and never come into agreement with words that are false. That you will by neither speech nor silence condone what is untrue. Everyone does not have their own truth; their own experience, their own opinion yes, but there is one truth. Jesus said, I am the way the truth and the life. If you lack truth, or confidence in it, you are doubleminded, like the waves of the sea; easily turned, easily confused, easily offended, and easily led astray. But if you will seek His Word – if PRISM becomes a priority every day for you. You will see clearly when others are groping in the darkness, not even knowing what makes them stumble. Praying that you will know the truth, so the truth will set you free from the lies of the enemy… which are against God, His Truth, freedom from sin, and the freedoms in life that Jesus died to give to all people. His Word is that important! Praying that you will get it, so you get wisdom, and knowledge – so you know what is right and just – completely. Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you,
Have you ever arrived at a place in your career where you worked for a major company, or even a small company with job responsibilities beyond every day assignments? Where you have discretion over your own efforts, responsibilities to perform, not just tasks assigned? Where your accomplishments were expected but self-directed? Where they didn’t tell you exactly how to do it, it was just your job to get things done, in the best possible way, and how you did it was really up to you? Even before that… remember when you went to college, you got away from your parents, the bus didn’t come at 6:50 every morning, and classes weren’t third, fourth and fifth period every day? In college no one got you up in the morning, no bus came to pick you up, you could miss your 8:00 altogether and no one would call your parents. You could miss it two weeks in a row (and next semester you didn’t schedule one)? If you had a job with some self-determined priorities, you had meetings with your boss - probably regularly. Were you ever surprised by a question? Something they asked you for – that it dawns on you should have obviously been completed, or done first, but you didn’t do it because you didn’t think of it, or maybe were focused on one project, when the project they deemed a priority – didn’t get done? It’s an awkward conversation, whether your boss is nice or rude. You worked your butt off, but on the wrong thing, and missed the thing they wanted most? The next time you went in for a meeting with your boss – you thought beforehand – what will He ask me for? Or what will she expect that I got done? You then come prepared for anything your boss might ask – you come over prepared! Most of which goes undiscussed, but you were ready if they asked. Then you learned to anticipate those questions not going into the meeting, but as soon as you leave the last meeting – so you anticipate what they will ask next time, and focus your time and energy between now and then - on what they deem most important. If you screw up and miss it completely. It’s embarrassing, but you will surely be prepared for next time - lesson learned. But have you ever thought about the end of your life? When your entire life is over, and you have a meeting with your boss? How will that go? No do-overs possible on this one. Clearly God is our Heavenly Father – it will be a homecoming beyond your greatest imagination! Way more joy than you could ever dream! But it will also be a meeting with your boss. He said there will be a review of your life - everything you ever did. Not gonna lie, that sometimes makes me a little nervous. While I can’t change the past – I want to be sure from this day forward I do everything that He tells me, so my thoughts and my ways, even the meditations of my heart are pleasing to Him. Have you ever wondered what He will ask you? What would be the first question? Probably what’s most important to Him… Will it surprise you? What do you think He will ask? Did you go to church every Sunday? Did you wear your best clothes? Did you stay and help but the chairs away? Did you do your devotions every day? Did you ever say a bad word? Isn’t it funny how humans have a list in their mind of the do’s and don’ts we think that God expects. But what if he asks something totally different, like your boss did? What if He asks… How many disciples did you make? Huh? What? Uhh, could you repeat the question please? How many disciples did you make? If you ever had a weekly 1:1 with your boss, only to find out that all the hours you put in, were focused on the wrong project, or out of priority order, you’ll never forget the feeling. But what if God just asks you about the great commission? The big kahuna – the job description? Go and make disciples. How did you do? How many disciples did you make? How many did you bring with you? Go into the whole world (every where you go) and tell people the good news about my son Jesus, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit – and teach them to do whatever I commanded you… to make one more follower of me, like you. Which leads to the first question. How are you following? You can’t make one if you aren’t one. What are you doing that you could replicate in someone else? That they could do… like you do? Not because you tell them to, but because they can see the fruit and it draws them! What are you doing in your life to follow Him, that’s transferable to someone else? Are you close enough to anyone for them to see it? You can’t teach them your assignment, that’s for you, they got one too. You can’t teach them your anointing, that’s for you, but they have one too. But how well you walk in yours, can encourage them to walk in theirs - if you’re close enough to someone for them to see it, and for you to share it. Your personal impact on others, is perhaps measured best by what remains after you’re gone. What do they remember about you? And what do they do because you do? How did you love them? they won’t remember anything else without feeling that… And how did you love Jesus – where they could see it? As usual God’s way is way different than man’s way. People want to make one before they want to be one. The best way to make a follower of Jesus – is to follow better. You can trust him to bring you alongside someone just to encourage them in their anointing, maybe with the way you are walking in yours. Praying that you will Know His Plans, be soaked in His Word, and walk with someone daily – so how you love and follow, can rub off on them, and encourage them to follow too. That’s the iron sharpening iron that makes disciples, better followers, better praisers, better obeyers. Praying that you will be aware of that next meeting that’s coming… and ask the Holy Spirit to direct your efforts where they will make the biggest difference, the greatest impact, and bring the best result. That’s where all the joy is, and the reward. Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you,
I just love God’s Word. It is always comforting and always challenging. Mark 3:6 – And he was amazed at their lack of faith. Another time He was amazed again. Matthew 8:10 – When he heard this, Jesus was amazed, and said to those following him. “I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. So how amazing are you? Are you amazing to God? Is your faith amazing? Is God amazed at your faith? The strength of it? Or the lack of it? Why were some people’s faith so lacking? Jesus had gone to his hometown, and started preaching in the temple, but they took offense at him. So he couldn’t do many miracles there. It amazed him, their lack of faith. That’s why he said, only in his hometown is a prophet without honor… What happened? Familiarity, they knew this person – that suddenly God is using, hearing things they’ve never heard before, even healing people? They got caught in the comparison trap which always leads to the pride trap. Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this the son of Mary and brother of – and they listed off the kids? They thought they were better than the carpenter. They couldn’t see past their own pride and comparison and opinion, and jealously – just like the Pharisees. But that about the other guy – that made his faith so amazing? This guy wasn’t even Jew, He was a Roman Centurion. He came to Jesus to ask him for help with his servant who was paralyzed and in great pain. He said – “I’m not worthy to have you come to my house, just say the word and my servant will be healed. For I am under authority just like you, I tell this one go and he goes, that one come and he comes and to my servant, “do this,” and he does it.” What made his faith so amazing to Jesus when the lack of faith amazed him before? First humility – not comparison that led to pride, but simple humility. I’m not worthy to have you come to my house. A surprising thing to say from a man of great standing and authority in an occupying nation that had an oppressive military force stationed throughout Israel. The second thing was revelation – he understood it wasn’t a comparison about him versus anyone. It had to do with authority. The authority that had his servant in bondage was subject to a higher authority – The King of Kings and the LORD of Lords. He understood how the military works – how authority is granted, and everything under it must come into alignment. So it wasn’t hard work that made his faith strong, it was simple recognition of truth. Not hard to believe something you know is true. Praying that your faith today will be amazing to God, just like His Grace is Amazing to you. The more Word you get, the more your faith becomes strong. If you understand how things operate, it won’t be hard to use your faith. Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you,
I just love God’s Word. One thing I love about it. When it’s really important, He says it twice. Praise the Word. Psalms 56:4 – In God, whose Word I praise, in God I trust I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me? Psalms 56:10 - In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise – in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? He just said that! If He says it twice, it must be important. Praying that you will start every day in your PRISM time in His Word – with Praise The Word. Just read a verse and praise Him using the words of that verse. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you and He will take you beyond the page! Mark 4:9 – Then Jesus said, He who has ears to hear, let him hear. Mark 4:23 – If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear. He already said that, it must be important. Actually, Jesus said it eight times that are recorded in scripture. And we know the gospels don’t record every single word He ever said, or every single time he said something. He may have said it even more. So why would he say that? Clearly people have ears, everyone has them. But they don’t have ears that hear. Just because you have ears, doesn’t mean you hear. And just because your ears at one time did hear, doesn’t mean they hear now. What if you heard what God said, and you did it? Those who hear and obey - reap a harvest – a one hundred fold harvest. What if your life produced fruit like that? But what if you didn’t hear – if you didn’t hear his voice, or his plans for you? You’d be stuck with what you can do, and miss entirely what God can do. So how do you hear better? FIRST, you need to want to hear – because you want to obey the next thing He says - having already decided that whatever He says, you will do it. God said, To him to has, more will be given, but to him who doesn’t have even what he has will be taken from him. This applies to hearing and your ability to hear. If you don’t want to obey, you won’t hear. He’s not speaking, He’s still waiting on you to do what He told you before. He said to Ezekiel (12:2) You live in the middle of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, but do not see, they have ears to hear, but do not hear, because they are a rebellious house. What is rebellious? Not doing what God tells you. Rebellion, God likens it to the sin of witchcraft – an egregious offense against God. If you hear but don’t obey what He says, you didn’t really hear… it went in one ear, and out the other. But if you do hear, and then obey, He will give you more to hear because He knows you will do it. The eyes of the LORD are literally searching to and fro throughout the earth, looking to show himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are fully devoted to him. That means those who want to hear – because they will surely do it. SECOND - you need to Look to Hear – look for him to speak, expect it, and know that He may speak in a way that others wouldn’t expect – so keep you ears open, your eyes pealed, look for the next thing that He will say. THIRD - ask the Holy Spirit to help you. You can’t hear without him. These ears are not natural, they are spiritual - of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is how you hear. FOURTH - Stop listening to other voices. Jesus said, My sheep hear my voice. It’s hard to hear him if your ears are filled with noise, other voices. If your attention is consumed with other things, your affection will be drawn to those other things. And you won’t hear – because you are hearing something else. FIFTH – you need to Come to Hear. Go to where He is speaking! Get in that quiet place with Him. If it’s not a daily time on your PiVAT for today, it probably won’t happen. Ask God when and where. God doesn’t scream or yell at you, His voice is that still small voice. So go where He is speaking. Come away from the crowd, and the noise. That’s why your own time in worship every day, that secret place for your PRISM time with Him is so important. So His Word is what you fully focus on. Undistracted. It shuts out everything else, and gives Him your full attention – He will surely speak. The closer you are to Him, the better you hear. The further you wander, the quieter his voice becomes, and the harder it gets to hear. Like Sprint… Can you hear me now? You gotta walk to the place where you get the best reception. The more you come to where He is, the better you will hear. And SIXTH – you need to Speak What You Hear. What He already said, speak it, and you’ll hear it again. So when He speaks again, you’ll know it’s him. And when another voice speaks – you will instantly know – that’s not him! Jesus was saying, “Listen to what I say– it’s important! If you have ears to hear, if you have any interest at all in what I’m saying… if you have decided in your heart to hear and obey – then Hear and do it! Praying that you will Hear this time, Obey this time. If you didn’t obey last time, its harder to obey this time. But if you did obey last time, it gets easier to obey this time. So how are you doing lately with that hearing thing? and that obeying thing? If not so well, don’t be discouraged. Just start now! Just obey what He says right now the very first thing – and you can make it easier to obey next time. It will attract His voice - He just favors obeyers – He loves showing Himself strong on their behalf. If you don’t know what He is saying right now. Just go right now to where He is speaking. Just start with PRISM - Praise the Word – It attracts Him to you – He inhabits your praise with the Holy Spirit – and the Holy Spirit always reveals what God says. Just do PiVAT for today –right now! - and then just do what He told you in this hour. Maybe you’re at work… Just work with all your heart as unto the LORD, not for men. Just praise Him while you work, do it with the joy that He gives. It’s a little step – but it’s obeying, and it will start a new momentum of hearing and obeying for you, so you can hear more! Praying that you will get even better at hearing, so you get even better at obeying. The more you do it – the easier it gets – and the more He speaks that you obey - the more He does! That’s more testimony, and more overcoming, and more joy! And great reward! It’s worth it! Praying that you will hear better every day! Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you,
I just love God’s Word. It tells you what God did and what others did. It reminds you that we’re not the first one’s to do what He said. If they did it, we can do it, and when we obey like they did, God can do the same thing in our day. Mark 5:18 - As they were getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. (This was the guy that was famous. He lived in the caves, screaming and cutting himself, and pretty much terrorizing the neighborhood. They tried binding him with chains but it was no use. He had so many demons they called themselves Legion… But when he came to Jesus, the demons had to go. A lifetime of bondage – set free with one word from the Savior. The people came running, found him clothed and sitting in his right mind. And having been set free from his prison, he just wanted to go with Jesus – he had nothing to lose, so he wanted to give his life to Jesus, to go wherever He was going. ) Verse 19, Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” (Jesus simply said, I need you here – to share the good news with the people here. Jesus didn’t need his testimony where he was going… Jesus got new testimonies everywhere he went. Jesus needed his testimony here.) Verse 20, So the man went and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and how much God’s mercy was shown him. And all the people were amazed. So the man went and did what Jesus told him. Wow. He wanted one thing. He requested to come with Jesus. But Jesus told him to do something else, something completely different from what he wanted the most – what he specifically asked for. He didn’t argue or appeal, bargain or negotiate, he went. Immediately he changed his mind to what God said, changed his expectations, his dream, his goal, and his course, and he went. He did exactly what Jesus told him to do. Maybe because Jesus knew… “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony.” When you obey what God said, and then say what God did – your testimony cements your victory. His obedience was his victory, his testimony was a protection for him, and the hope of freedom for others. Every time you obey and then testify you get stronger. It made sure the demons didn’t try to come back with more. He went back and told the people who knew him before, and then everyone who would listen… what God did for him, and how God had mercy on him. Not only were the people amazed, no doubt some began to believe that God could have mercy on them too. If He did it for him, He could do it for me! And this guy didn’t stop… he kept telling people throughout the ten city region of the Decapolis. So what if you obeyed what God told you to do? Even if it wasn’t what you thought or wanted, even if it wasn’t your first choice… But He told you. Would you do it? What if you told someone what God did for you? And how He showed mercy to you? What did God do for you today? Every time you obey just gives Him the opportunity to do more! And your testimony strengthens you as much as it will give hope to them. It’s why God said – have a Daily Call – Exhort one another daily (Hebrews 3:13) so you can learn to obey and overcome with your testimony. And once you have told it once, it becomes easier to tell the next time, and God reminds you of even more. He wants to amaze you! And amaze the ones who hear you. Praying that you will Get His Word, Get His plans, Do what He told you, and Tell Somebody what He did! So they will know that His mercy can reach them too! Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you,
Probably my favorite TV show ever… The Voice. I just love it when nobodies get a chance to be somebody. Granted, fans are fickle, fame is fleeting, money soon takes wings and flies away, and what makes you somebody is not being famous – it’s being faithful – and even that is a gift from God – a fruit of the Spirit. What makes you ‘somebody’ is not talent, or what you do – it’s really just Who you know… but I’m just talking about the childhood dreams of the world for a minute – becoming the next Elvis or Whitney. When it comes to The Voice - My favorite judge? I love Blake and Adam, Pharrell is cool, Kelly Clarkson is awesome, but to me… the best judge ever, hand’s down - Jennifer Hudson. Really – I love her the best! Not only can she sing better still, than any contestant that could ever come on that show… but she is just really encouraging, genuinely, not faking it. And the best Jennifer Hudson line ever? “Boy, you better sing…” and if she takes her shoe off and starts to throw it at the stage… you know your killing it! So why does God say – Boy, you better sing! Have you noticed… it’s just a worldwide human response to sing along when you hear a favorite song? Singing can make you happy, and when you’re really happy - you just gotta sing. Doesn’t matter if you’re good or not. Some singing shows – their Momma should have told them… “Honey… that’s not your strong suit…” Nothing more cringeworthy than having Simon have to tell you… Europeans understand this ‘singing response’ thing - better than Americans do. Have you ever seen an International Soccer match? They call it football… Or a Connor MacGregor Fight? The entire crowd is singing – like it’s the unwritten rule! Because if you don’t… you’re not a real Irishman, or Manchester United fan! Clearly, God made the voice, music, melody and song itself. What is it for? And at what time should you sing? Here’s what God says. “Make a joyful noise.” He never said you have to be good at it. Just do it. God says “Sing to the LORD” – not once. He says it nineteen times! (In case you didn’t hear him the first time). And when God said to praise him in song… He even included “sing a new song.” In fact, the Bible mentions a new song - thirty-one times! And you don’t have to be Ed Sheeran. David said, He put a new song in my mouth – even praise to our God. That means God gives it to you! It doesn’t have to rhyme, you can even swipe the melody, many of the greatest Hymns were borrowed bar songs. Or He can give you a new melody never before sung. Sing your Praise to the LORD – come on everybody, stand up and sing one more Hallelujah! He deserves it! God will give you a new song, He’ll put it in your heart. If you think about what He has done for you? Boy, you better sing! You can even sing that song with just two or three notes, even one. Something about God… He loves to hear your voice. I remember one day many years ago, I had my first daughter and one day when I walked past her room, I heard a sound coming from within. So I peaked in the door, and it was her… singing. As I lingered to listen, she was singing… about how much she loved her daddy, not a cover song – an original by a two year old. I’ll never forget it for the rest of my life. (Parents, they don’t do that anymore once they become teenagers… never could figure out why). But your Heavenly Father – He’s worth a song! Whether you are two, or twenty-two, or forty-two or ninety-two. Praying that your PRISM time today will include a song. I often do PRISM with the songs of the LORD playing in the background, not just a song list, a live worship set – where the Holy Spirit was free to move – and He did. It can take your PRISM time in His Word to new level. God always takes you to new levels in your time with Him. Praying that you will take the time to review the PRISM Topic – You Better Sing! It will encourage you – right from God’s mouth. Praying that He will give you a new song today. Ask Him, He will. Just the thought of Him can start it. PRISM - is Praise the Word, Read the Word, Insight from the Word, Study the Word and Meditate on the Word. But clearly there also is Pray the Word – a powerful tool for the Holy Spirit to pray through you – it’s a fire starter – the best prayers you can pray are led by His Spirit – and when it comes to your earthly language, the best ones come straight from His Word. But there is also Sing the Word – not part of PRISM – but it could be. You can sing any verse as well as you can Praise it or Pray it. God will give you a new song… Some songs are for the masses, even for the ages – like Amazing Grace, but some songs are just for you and your Daddy – who just happens to be The Great I Am, the Alpha and the Omega, the Soon and Coming King! You’ll never run out of words or melody for that! Love you all, your other dad Love you all, praying for you,
I just love God’s Word. It is just so good! It is true, and God will reveal truth to you in it. Some is on the surface, and some is beneath. I love that God’s Word is the only true standard by which every word is measured. It affirms what is true and exposes what is false. It’s the template to test what you hear. Someone once said, “You can’t fix stupid.” Perhaps in some cases, but not all. Actually, you can fix stupid. We were all stupid at some point. God said, the fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” That puts him apart from God, and apart from God all you can be is stupid. His Word is true, and wisdom resides with Him. You can fix stupid! You do it by His Word. You don’t have to remain the way you are. Get His Word, and apply it, and you will fix stupid, you’ll leave it behind. It makes the simple, wise. Proverbs 19:11 – A man’s wisdom gives him patience. It is to his glory to overlook an offense. Wow, not often practiced in today’s culture. What about you? What are you offended by? How much energy – thought and word (which takes time and plants seed) do you allocate to it? If time is your most precious commodity, how much of it do you invest in offense? Those who take and hold offense easily are perpetually in mental and emotional turmoil, unrest. But the wise man’s wisdom gives him patience. Patience for what? That God will handle the offense and the offender. It will not prosper, He will turn it for your good. “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” says the LORD. Does your faith believe Him when He says that? Are you patient – to let Him handle it, or do you take it upon yourself. To overlook something means you are looking at something else… something higher, something better, His next step for you. Vindication and vengeance are His, pouring out kindness is yours. He will make it as burning coals on their head. Patience is faith coming out. Believing that God’s timing to make that right is the best timing. You’re free to do His next step for your good! You can take offense, or take His next step. If you lack patience, you lack wisdom, and if you rehearse offense, you lack patience. You’ll never run out of offenses if that’s what you want to focus on – people are idiots! But what are you if you think about what they do? Certainly not wise. You don’t really overlook something, you just look over it to the next thing. It’s what you look at that helps you overlook something else. Patience is focus. Focusing on what God has for you, not what He doesn’t have yet. When you focus on His next thing for your good, you overlook everything else, not just bad things, even second best… Praying that you will always look at His next step for you, not the last thing someone did to you. He’s got that, you just do you. Praying that His Word will be your Word, and His Plan for you today – is your sole focus. Take joy, not offense. Rejoice for the steps of a righteous man and woman are ordered of the LORD. He’s ordered good for you, overlook everything else. Look at the next step He told you, because your next step brings your next victory, and your next testimony! It’s waiting! Your next joy is waiting, and your next step is His best! Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you,
I just love God’s Word. It always opens your eyes to how BIG God really is! It always reminds you of what God could do, when we use our faith, and just obey. Mark 4:35 – That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was in the boat. There were also other boats with them. A furious storm came up, and the waves broke over the boat so that it was beginning to sink. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “Why were you so afraid? Do you still have no faith? They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him.” Who is this? Do you know who this is? Have you forgotten who is in the boat with you? What storm is rising up right now on the horizon? What waves are threatening to sink your ship? Where is your faith? Is it so small? Is it too small for this storm? Is God himself too small for this storm? Whatever the storm or the need you face… Is your fear bigger than your faith? Do you think Jesus doesn’t care? Or doesn’t see? He is just waiting for you to ask and to believe – that He will rebuke the wind, and speak to the waves - again. He rebukes the source of the turmoil, and He calms everything that is raging around you. He knew the storm was coming. He already has the rebuke and the Word ready. This is your chance! to use your faith to overcome the fear. If you only - know Who this is… it will be easy. The more you know Him, the easier it gets for your faith to replace the fear. Faith is yours! It’s in you! Because God gave it to you, the measure you need – for this storm. Just use it. Fear is not yours. That’s just what the devil is trying to give you – to see if you will take it as your own, when it doesn’t even belong to you – to see if you will take it, rather than what God has given you - the faith you need to overcome. Know Him more, and speak your faith. So the LORD will rebuke the wind and speak to the waves that are coming against you and trying to sink you. Who is this? He is the Storm-Killer, the Peace-Giver, your Strong Tower, your Way-Maker, your Life-Saver, your Healer and your Mighty Deliverer. Do you know Who this is? That’s in the boat with you? If you do – everything that happens outside of the boat doesn’t matter, only Who’s in the boat with you matters. Who Is This? – that’s all you need to know. Every storm doesn’t matter – He is the LORD over it. He will save you! He will bring you through it! Praying that you will know Him more, so your faith overcomes every fear. The more time you spend with Him, His Presence, His Word, and getting His plan for you, the more you will know Who This Is – who speaks to the wind and the waves to be still. Praying that you will Know Him More, and Speak Your Faith. You have it, just use it, speak your faith more than the fear speaks. His Word is the fuel of your faith. Praying that you will speak it – so your faith grows stronger, so the One in the boat with you can speak to the wind and the waves. Love you all, dad |
About This BLOG
Daily Huddle - Archives
April 2021
Categories |