That We Might Know

Mark 2:7-12 (NIV)
⁷ "Why does this fellow talk like that? He's blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?"
⁸ Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, "Why are you thinking these things?
⁹ Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up, take your mat and walk'?
¹⁰ But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...." He said to the paralytic,
¹¹ "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home."
¹² He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!"

Throughout the Bible runs the theme of God wanting us to know Him. From the Old Testament stories, the life and sacrifice of Jesus, and revelations of the Apostles explaining what happened and what it means, it was all done that we would know Him. This story captures the essence of God speaking to an audience that is prone to be hard of hearing. God has done amazing things. He even came to earth as a man to tell of us of His great love for us. He came that we might know. Can you hear Him?

All We Have

Matthew 14:16-21 (MSG)
¹⁶ But Jesus said, "There is no need to dismiss them. You give them supper."
¹⁷ "All we have are five loaves of bread and two fish," they said.
¹⁸ Jesus said, "Bring them here."
¹⁹ Then he had the people sit on the grass. He took the five loaves and two fish, lifted his face to heaven in prayer, blessed, broke, and gave the bread to the disciples. The disciples then gave the food to the congregation.
²⁰ They all ate their fill. They gathered twelve baskets of leftovers.
²¹ About five thousand were fed.

If you’re like me, there have many times when we don’t feel we have what it takes in a given situation or that something just can’t be done. Our common sense tells us what is possible or feasible. We live comfortably in the boundaries of our understanding and assumptions.

But Jesus changes all that, doesn’t He? His disciples look out over the hungry crowd as compared to their meager provisions and know they are unable to feed all these people. They were right. They didn’t have enough on their own. They take the problem to Jesus and suggest a logical solution. Jesus listens to them, and then does something unexpected. Jesus takes what they have, blesses it, and gives it back to the disciples, who gave to all in the congregation. There was more than enough.

If we give Jesus all we have, it will be more than enough.

The Sign Given

Matthew 12:38-39 (NIV)
³⁸ Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, "Teacher, we want to see a miraculous sign from you."
³⁹ He answered, "A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.

Romans 1:1-4 (NIV)
¹ Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God--
² the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures
³ regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David,
⁴ and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.

In Matthew, Jesus answers those that doubt and promises a miraculous sign will be given. They were looking for proof of who He was and His authority by which He taught. It was to come, but not in a way they expected or were looking for.

Paul confirms that the sign was given. Jesus was resurrected from the dead by the power of God. Some would believe, but many would not. It has been that way ever since. Scripture tells us that faith in Jesus is the only way to God. Scripture tells us that Jesus and God are one. The whole point of Scripture is God revealing Himself through Jesus. The question is do we accept this and believe? The sign has been given.

Refreshing Rain

Matthew 5:45 (MSG)
⁴⁵ for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty.

Matthew 5:45 (NKJV)
⁴⁵ that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

Hebrews 6:7 (NIV)
⁷ Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God.

The refreshing rain from heaven falls on all of us. We soak it in to the degree we are ready. How thirsty are our lips, how parched is our land, how soft is our earth, how deep is our soil? For those open to that water of life, who turn and seek Him, the water does not run off but seeps within. There hope is nourished and life grows.

That We Might Become

2 Corinthians 5:21 (MSG)
²¹ How? you say. In Christ. God put the wrong on him who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God.

2 Corinthians 5:21 (NKJV)
²¹ For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

God reached out to us when we did not deserve His love and mercy. He extended His grace to us when we did not seek it. We were loved by Him even though we did not love Him. He did it in a way that is difficult to conceive and hard to believe. Can we fully understand that Jesus, who was sinless, became our sin? He became the sin that you and I have done and will do. He became all the sin that was and is to come, but only for those who believe in Him and accept His call.

Why? He did it so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. In Him we can draw close to God, we can stand before our Father as sons and daughters, and we can joyfully live in His presence forevermore. If He had not done what He did, we could only stand before Him to be judged and then removed for all time, cast out.

He made a way when there was no way. There was no way for us to get there on our own. But the choice is still ours. Freedom of choice is necessary for love but there is risk isn’t there? We can choose right or wrong. He has put our lives and our future in our hands. We don’t have to guess at the right answer and the implications. He came to tell us what is necessary for us to live, that we might become like Him.

They See You And Me

John 14:15-17 (NIV)
¹⁵ "If you love me, you will obey what I command.
¹⁶ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever--
¹⁷ the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.

Believing is more than thus saying yes He is the Son of God. We must do something. There must be a change in our hearts and lives. This will come as we seek to obey His teachings

Jesus promises that the Holy Spirit will come. He did and He does for all those who come to Jesus, believing in Him. Notice that the Spirit does not come for just a little while, but forever. The Spirit is called Counselor, the Spirit of truth. Just as Jesus did for us what we could not do on our own, so does the Spirit lead and strengthen us. He is with us and in us. It is impossible to remain the same in the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Sadly, the world can only hear the rustling of leaves as the Spirit passes by. They won’t accept what they can’t see or know. But they can see you and me.

Change Is Not An Option

Matthew 3:8 (NIV)
⁸ Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.

Matthew 3:10 (NIV)
¹⁰ The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

Gal 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness,
23 Gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence). Against such things there is no law [that can bring a charge].
AMP

If you believe, if the Spirit dwells within you, there is a change. It may not be all at once and it is a work which is never complete, but there is a change. A visible halo does not appear around our heads. We don’t sprout wings and we don’t suddenly know everything. But the Spirit does begin working in us. The presence of the Spirit will slowly melt the old way of thinking and acting. We will start to see something different in the way we act and react. The fruit of the Spirit will grow in our lives.

We must not get discouraged about not being perfect. No one is. But the more we turn to the light of the Spirit the more the fruit of the Spirit will be reflected in our lives.

Mat 3:10 makes it clear that change is not an option.

In The Midst

Matthew 18:20 (NKJV)
²⁰ For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them."

Jesus is in no way saying that He is not with us when we are alone. This verse confirms the reality of the body of Christ. This is the definition of the church. When we gather together and he is the reason, He will be there. He is the unifying Spirit of peace and love. When we call upon His name, He will listen for He is with us.

Beyond Us, Yet Near

He cannot be contained in a thought or in all of our thoughts. Nor will He be exhausted in all thoughts that have been or ever will be, but He is near.

Our God is so beyond our conception that our ideas of Him are just that: ideas. He reveals Himself to us but we are limited in what we can see and understand. If all mankind stood still and thought only of God, He would still be more than we could imagine.

But that is not a reason for discouragement but joy because we serve the One alone Who is worthy, to whom all things belong. He is the One Who loves us, Who calls us, and is with us.

He is near.

That We Might Find Him

All things are of God
Our explorations, our search
Only leads to Him
Our increase of knowledge and understanding
Only reveals more about Him
He is the only given
Beyond creation
For from Him
The thought formed
The Word was spoken
Our universe took shape
All things that are sprang forth
Leaving clues of the Creator
For us to find
That we might find Him

Our Hand In His

Psalms 37:23-24 (NIV)
²³ If the LORD delights in a man's way, he makes his steps firm;
²⁴ though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand.

Psalms 37:23-24 (NKJV)
²³ The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, And He delights in his way.
²⁴ Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the Lord upholds him with His hand.

Isaiah 41:13 (NIV)
¹³ For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.

What a promise we have from God! If we walk with Him, He is not only with us but He holds our hand on the journey. If we stumble, He keeps us upright. If we stagger from an unexpected blow, the strength of His hand becomes our strength and we do not completely fall.

How do we become that “good man” whose steps are “ordered by the Lord”? We do this by seeking Him. Time in His Word points our spirit to God. As we delight in His Word, He delights in us as a Father catching His child as that child takes the first steps toward His open arms.

Fear not, I will help you, says the Lord.

Be Separate

2 Corinthians 6:16-17 (NIV)
¹⁶ What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people."
¹⁷ "Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you."

Because we are God’s people, He calls us to be different. We are to separate ourselves from the world in the way we live. One way that idea is expressed to us is just as Jesus is the light of the world; we are to live in the light. As such, we bear the light of the Christ within.

Before Jesus came, the temple in Jerusalem was the place to go to access the presence of God. But now, God lives with us and walks among us because we have become the temple of the living God. That is why we are called to be Holy like Him. To be holy is to separated out for a divine purpose. What could be a greater purpose than to be the dwelling place of God Almighty?

¹⁷ "Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord.

May His light show forth in us
Keep us from those things which dim that light

How Great Is Our God!

Revelation 4:8 (NASB)
⁸ And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come."

Let not forget the God our Father is worthy of worship. He is holy, the Lord God Almighty. He is worthy of our praise, He alone. We are to come to Him with thanksgiving and praise for who He is and what He has done, to the glory of His name. Let us not take anything for granted. Let us not be guilty of forgetting who God is, what He has done, and what He will do. This is the chief reason we gather together, to worship the One Who called us and gave His life that we might have life.

How great is our God!

He Was Very Humble

Numbers 12:3 (NKJV)
³ (Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth.)

Moses was chosen by God to lead his people out of bondage to the promised land. He was a great man in God’s view because he was humble. In fact, he was more humble than anyone else. Because of that he was chosen by God to be blessed and to bless many. He could be used by God.

Being humble brings us closer to God. It melts away the distance and barriers that pride creates. It allows us to seek God and to receive His blessings. When we come to realize that we are nothing we are then ready to be filled by the One who is everything.

More of You Lord, less of me
It is Your glory that I would see

Obedience

John 14:23-24

23 Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
NIV

Love is not an abstract thought. Jesus tells us that love and obedience are tied together. If we love Him it will be apparent to ourselves and to others. Our lives will reflect our new spirit. Obedience to God starts when we accept Jesus for who He is and what He did. As it continues and increases, we become more like Him who obeyed perfectly.

He promises that if we do, then He and the Father will come. They come in a personal way to each of us. They come with a love for you and I beyond what we can imagine.

Help me to love You more
Come make Your home with me

The Way

John 14:5-7

5 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" 6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."
NIV

I read recently that there were three gates in the Jewish temple itself. The first gate leads into the temple area and the last leads into the Holy of Holies. These gates had names. You might be amazed to learn the name of the first gate was The Way. The second gate was named The Truth. You can guess the name of the third gate: The Life.

Jesus was telling Thomas that the temple was a shadow of what was to come representing God’s own Son, which now stood before him. The temple was where man could have access to God. God continued His revelation in the pointing to Jesus, the way and the truth and the life. Jesus provides that way to God by addressing and overcoming our sins once and for all. He provides the truth that leads to life. He offers that gift to all who would believe in Him.

Thank you, Oh Lord, for providing the way
Teach us to walk with You
Fill us with Your Truth and Life

Just Say Go

Matthew 4:10-11 (NASB)
¹⁰ Then Jesus said* to him, "Go, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only .' "
¹¹ Then the devil left* Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him.

Jesus answers temptation with His knowledge of God’s will as revealed in scripture. The Holy Spirit had just descended upon Him after His baptism. He was able to tell Satan to go, and he left. He didn’t say no. He went further than that; He said go, begone, away with you. Jesus prevailed over Satan. He was not drawn away from His purpose or who He was, nor weakened to the point of giving in to His own desire. The devil had to turn away.

That same Spirit is within us. We have the power and authority of the risen Son because we have been raised up with Him. He is with us and if He is, who can be against us?

Don’t just say no, say Go!
In the name of Jesus.

I Never Knew You

Matthew 7:20-23 (NIV)
²⁰ Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
²¹ "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
²² Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?'
²³ Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

In the end what matters is truly seeking God and doing the will of God. It doesn’t matter if we say and do the right things if we are faking it. It doesn’t matter what others think of us. It doesn’t matter what we think of ourselves. It only matters what God thinks. God alone will judge.

If we honestly and earnestly seek Him, if we try to walk in the way He would have us to walk, we will reach the kingdom. He will know us and welcome us with open arms.

Lord we seek to know You
Help us to seek Your will
And receive the joy that comes from both

Only Words

Matthew 12:36-37 (MSG)
³⁶ Let me tell you something: Every one of these careless words is going to come back to haunt you. There will be a time of Reckoning. Words are powerful; take them seriously.
³⁷ Words can be your salvation. Words can also be your damnation."

Jesus tells us of the power and consequence of words. They reflect what is inside us. They issue forth from who we are. They are powerful in that they have the ability of build somebody up or tear them down. We can speak words of praise, encouragement, love, and poetry, or we can utter words of slander, lie, belittle, and hurt others.

It is a sobering to think that all our words will be taken into account, just as actions. We will be judged by our words and the heart from which they flow.

Let us be mindful of the words we choose. They are not only words.

Forget Not

Psalms 103:2-5 (NIV)
² Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits--
³ who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,
⁴ who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,
⁵ who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

Psalms 103:11-12 (NIV)
¹¹ For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him;
¹² as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

He brings us close to Him. His love and compassion cleanses and heals. For those who turn to Him, trusting and believing, all sins are forgotten. Our innocence is restored before Him. We can soar close to Him on the wings of forgiveness like an eagle with its wings spread high in the sky. He satisfies the soul.

Forget not
But take joy
And remember all that He has done

Holy Spirit For All

Acts 11:15-16 (NKJV)
¹⁵ And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning.
¹⁶ Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, 'John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'

Peter has returned to Jerusalem and is telling the brethren about his experience in the house of Cornelius, a gentile. He relates that as he spoke the word the Holy Spirit moved. This is power of God working through one who is willing. The Greek word translated fell implies an embrace with affection. Remember when the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus when He was baptized?

The same Spirit that descended on Jesus, which fell upon the believers in Acts, comes to us today. The Spirit moves as we live at His direction, in the words we speak and the things we do. God’s Spirit settles on us and embraces us in the loving fellowship of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is for everyone.

Spirit fall on us today
Let us feel Your embrace
The comfort of Your presence
Use us to draw others to the Father

Our Days Are Like Grass

Psalms 103:15-18 (NKJV)
¹⁵ As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
¹⁶ For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, And its place remembers it no more.
¹⁷ But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting On those who fear Him, And His righteousness to children's children,
¹⁸ To such as keep His covenant, And to those who remember His commandments to do them.

Our time here is short. It is good to pause now and then to consider our frailty. It is easy to forget until something happens that makes the point so clear. The Psalmist says it well; we are like grass, here today and gone tomorrow.

We can then appreciate even more the gift that God bestows on us. He offers eternal life. His love and mercy are given freely. We are to love Him back with obedience and thanksgiving.

Teach us Your ways Oh Lord
Increase our desire to seek You

The Resurrection Life

Romans 5:10 (NIV)
¹⁰ For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!

Romans 5:10 (MSG)
¹⁰ If, when we were at our worst, we were put on friendly terms with God by the sacrificial death of his Son, now that we're at our best, just think of how our lives will expand and deepen by means of his resurrection life!

It is not just that we are now reconciled to God, though that is true. It is not just that the penalty of sins been paid, though it has. But now an incredible new life opens up before us. Just as Jesus rose from that tomb, we vacate the dark surroundings and the grip of death. We rise up beyond the world to the Father Himself. We enter into the fellowship of God. Jesus shares His resurrection life with us. This is new life. This is the resurrection life.

How Big Is Your Belief?

Matthew 8:10 (MSG)
¹⁰ Taken aback, Jesus said, "I've yet to come across this kind of simple trust in Israel, the very people who are supposed to know all about God and how he works.

Matthew 8:13 (MSG)
¹³ Then Jesus turned to the captain and said, "Go. What you believed could happen has happened." At that moment his servant became well.

Have you ever run into someone who blows you away by their whole hearted, without question belief in Jesus? Not only did this soldier believe in that way, he acted on that belief. He comes to Jesus asking that his servant be healed. He tells Jesus just to say the word, there is no need to go see the servant.

Jesus is taken aback. Another translation says astonished. Imagine Jesus looking at this man for a moment. Then Jesus tells him that what he believed has happened. It happened at the moment he asked Jesus in full faith, fully believing it would be so.

What is happening around us?

Let this be our moment to ask and believe.

Where Is Your Treasure?

Matthew 6:21 (NIV)
²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Matthew 6:21 (MSG)
²¹ It's obvious, isn't it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being.

Someone said we become like the thing we love. Our heart is drawn close to that which means the most. We are shaped by our thoughts and actions. It makes a difference what we consider valuable. It matters what we see as important. What we choose has eternal implications.

Where is your heart?
Where is your treasure?

What Are You Looking For?

“God is the only comfort. He is also the supreme terror: the thing we most need and the thing we most want to hide from.

“In religion, and in war and everything else, comfort is the one thing you cannot get by looking for it. If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end: if you look for comfort you will get either comfort or truth—only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin with and, in the end, despair.

C.S Lewis, Mere Christianity

Lewis speaks to paradox of God and reminds that our God is more than some small feel-good construction of our own thinking and design. He is God Almighty. All of creation burst into being by His Word. He is just, pure, and beautiful. We are not. We are marred by sin. That is why He is the thing we need most, yet we tend to run away and hide.

But, He made a way for us to come to Him. The need to hide from God is removed. The terror of our sin before God is no longer justified. Jesus came to pay the penalty of our sin, which was death. In doing so He gave us life. In this life are comfort, joy, and peace.

We must be careful and mindful of what we seek. God is what we most need. If we seek Him first, everything else we need will come. Let us not settle for anything less.

Become Visible

Ephesians 5:13 (NIV)
¹³ But everything exposed by the light becomes visible,

Ephesians 5:14 (NIV)
¹⁴ for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: "Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."

When the light of Christ shines on us there is much to see. For the first time we see the reality of the world in which we live as the darkness gives way. It’s like walking out of a musty, dark cave into the warm sun of a spring day.

The light enables us to see ourselves and others as we truly are; God’s children, miracles of His grace and love. We become part of the light of Christ because His Spirit is within us. As Christ shines on us, His light goes forth from us into the world. This light is not to be hidden but to be shared with others as it has been shared with us.

The light grows brighter as we draw closer to God

Shine on me, Oh Lord
That I might grow in Your light
And become visible and a light to others

People Liked What They Saw

Acts 2:46 (MSG)
⁴⁶ They followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful,

Acts 2:47 (MSG)
⁴⁷ as they praised God. People in general liked what they saw. Every day their number grew as God added those who were saved.

These early Christians were different than those around them. Their life overflowed with joy and praise. With joy in their hearts and a song on their lips they worshiped God and praised His name. Worship was not confined to the Temple but filled their daily lives.

People liked what they saw. They were drawn by what God was doing in the lives of those Christians. As the Christians followed Jesus daily, it says that every day their number grew. Isn’t that an awesome thought?

May the rising of the morning sun
Remind me daily of the wonderful thing You’ve done
That others might see
The change in me
And other souls might then be won

What Do We Do Now?

Acts 2:36 (MSG)
³⁶ "All Israel, then, know this: There's no longer room for doubt—God made him Master and Messiah, this Jesus whom you killed on a cross."

Acts 2:37 (MSG)
³⁷ Cut to the quick, those who were there listening asked Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers! Brothers! So now what do we do?"

Acts 2:38 (MSG)
³⁸ Peter said, "Change your life. Turn to God and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, so your sins are forgiven. Receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

In verse 37 the original Greek begins with “they were pierced to the heart”. Peter’s message to those listening got through. They understood without a doubt that Peter was telling the truth. The enormity of what they had done hit them full force leaving no room for excuse or defense. Their guilt was exposed.

In their anguish they ask Peter “what do we do?” Peter answers: “Change Your Life”.

Let this be a day of change for us
May we be open to the Spirit.

As We Have Opportunity

Galatians 6:10 (NIV)
¹⁰ Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

Galatians 6:10 (MSG)
¹⁰ Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith.

Galatians 6:10 (NKJV)
¹⁰ Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

The outgrowth of the change in us brought about by the Holy Spirit will bring a change in the way we see ourselves and others. Opportunities will come into view that would not have been recognized before we came to follow Jesus. Paul tells us to be watchful for others and to do good for all when an opportunity comes our way.

This is an example of faith expressing itself, of a life renewed, and presence of the Spirit.

You Are The Message

1 Thessalonians 1:8 (NIV)
⁸ The Lord's message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia--your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it,

1 Thessalonians 1:8 (MSG)
⁸ The word has gotten around. Your lives are echoing the Master's Word, not only in the provinces but all over the place. The news of your faith in God is out. We don't even have to say anything anymore—you're the message!

1 Thessalonians 1:8 (NKJV)
⁸ For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything.

How we live makes a difference! Our actions speak loudly of whom we are and what we believe. It is humbling, if not a matter of dismay, to think that others may be judging what it means to be a follower of Jesus by what they see us doing or not doing. Something is being said! What is it in your life?

Let us speak the right message in word and deed.

Happy New Year!

May this year be better than the last.
May we love better, grow in wisdom, and live with abandon.
May we grow closer to the One who made us.

Face Of The Waters

Genesis 1:2 (NKJV)
² The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

The earth is described as void and dark. A heart apart from God can be described in the same way. But God came near the face of the waters, He is the source of light, order, and beauty. In the same way the Word says that He is near to us. The word translated face implies the part of the body that turns. God wants to bring light and form and beauty to our lives, but we must first turn to Him.

God is near
The distance is within us
But if we turn to Him
He hovers no longer
His Spirit enters the heart
We begin to take form
Darkness gives way to light