In Praise Peace

“Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name” (Hebrews 13:15, NIV).

Praise. It is that very instance, when in my most difficult circumstance, distress changes into joy; praise dispels worry, and confusion changes into clarity. All is well and peaceful within me though outwardly the storm rages.

In praise I am changed, and that change must first come from within me. No matter how difficult my problems or my circumstance–the change is found in my heart. Praise in the midst of hardship breaks down inner walls. It recognizes the power of my God over the things out of my control. Once I grasp that truth my heart will trust His faithfulness, and in the chaos of my circumstances order will come. 

My gift to Him is a thankful heart. When things are hard—when pain persists—when problems overwhelm, I will seek reasons to be thankful. I will seek to realize the blessings He gives that often slip by unobserved. The gift of thanksgiving in my heart—no matter what is going on in my life—is my sacrifice of praise. 

What had once been a sacrifice of praise shall be a sacrifice no longer. My heart shall no longer focus on my pain, but on His faithfulness and His blessings. And then there will be joy.

Love Intentionally

Several years ago with Brother Bill's lesson on passing spiritual blessings fresh on my mind, I went to visit a precious lady who was almost ready to go to her eternal home. As I stood in her room, I saw in her family the love and spiritual blessings that she had passed on to them. 

I bet she was intentional with her love. She must have shared the small things that make the biggest difference in another's life. She must have hugged her loved ones each chance she had, and told them that God loved them so much that He died for them. She must have spoken life over and over again so each one would be sure of her love. She must have believed strongly in what each one could be, and prayed daily for them to know their potential. 

How did I know this when I hadn’t known this lady very long? I saw her in her family. I saw her love in their commitment and in their love as she prepared to move on to eternity.

Recently my own dear mother passed away. For several days we stood around her bedside and spent precious time with her. My mother passed intentional love and spiritual blessings on to each one of us. As my sister shared in her eulogy, she prayed and ruminated, then prayed again, ruminated, and then took action. Mama always saw our potential, and helped us discover it. She loved her Savior and her family fiercely, as my sister shared. I believe with all my heart that my mother passed her fierce love for Christ and others on to me. I see her commitment, love, and strength in each one of my family.

Be a blessing to someone today. Intentionally pass love along. It will come back to you again and again.

His Love Remains

“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal” (1 Corinthians 13:1).

God is love. What is done in His love remains. The recognition of man that demands attention–the honor given to the one who speaks with the tongues of men and of angels does not remain. It is worthless if it lacks God's love. Consider how a simple word of love or a loving gesture can inspire a heart, while words spoken without thought or regard can damage a heart. Is what I say or do inspired by love or by a selfish need?

Then there is the work that is done in His name. Is it inspired by His love? It is vain and useless if it isn't. If we could only see how wasted is much of what we do in His name, and not even recognized by Him. If we rid ourselves of our selfish need for recognition, and rid our hearts of all that is not born of His love, then who we are and what we do in His name will be lasting. It will remain.

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13).

I AM RESPONSIBLE

We live in a quick fix society. Whatever we go through, if it involves any discomfort or pain or change in our status quo, we want it to end immediately. Commitment and perseverance are virtues that have fallen by the wayside. “Superficiality,” writes Richard Foster in Celebration of Discipline,” is the curse of our age. The doctrine of instant satisfaction is a primary spiritual problem.”

Society also teaches me that whatever is wrong in my life, it is not a result of anything I have done. “Don't blame yourself,” society forgives, “someone else caused this to happen. You couldn't help it.” It is time that I take responsibility for what I am, what I believe, what I say, and how I act. I am not responsible for circumstances over which I have no control, and it would be self-defeating for me to analyze the cause of each one, but I am responsible for how I respond to failures, trials, problems and life. I am totally responsible for my reaction. 

Spiritual growth in Christ is convicting. It doesn't allow me to make excuses. It tells me that I must take responsibility for my bad attitude or my fly-off-the-handle reaction. It means that I will learn from my failure, and make every effort to not create that circumstance again. Spiritual maturity also tells me that the next time I am faced with circumstances either of my own making or not of my own making, I will react in a mature way that exhibits the fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The only way that I can have the fruit of the Spirit alive in my life is to allow all the selfishness of myself to be crucified with Christ. When I am willing to make this selfless journey, when I am willing to accept my responsibility for all that I am, and when I am realize that without Him I cannot become my true self, then I have begun the journey to grow deep in Him.

“The desperate need today,” Richard Foster concludes with his thought about superficiality, “is not for a greater number of people or intelligent people, or gifted people, but for a deep people.” I want to go deeper into His Word, and His Truth. I want my life to be transformed by the Holy Spirit, and my mind to be renewed. I yearn for the virtues that Peter writes about in 2 Peter 1:3-7—those spiritual qualities of diligence, moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, and godliness, brotherly kindness, and love! 

Are you tired of easy answers that over no lasting peace? Are you tired of not rising above the things that hit you in the face? Take responsibility for who you are, and ask Him to continually make you new. In your own journey, you will discover the freedom that comes with spiritual growth and accountability. No more masks. You will know that where the Spirit of God is, you have been set free. And those who are free, are free indeed!

Who I am is Found

^“The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. So the Lord said, ‘I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them’” (Genesis 6:5-7).

Regrets. We all have regrets from time to time. We wonder why we did something. We have qualms about it or we doubt our own reasons. Who would have thought that God, the creator of “who I am”, would have regrets? But God saw how wicked His creation, the human race, had become. His heart was deeply troubled, and He doubted what He had done. So He made a decision to destroy the very thing He had lovingly made. However, when God had Noah build the ark, He saved a remnant of what He had created.

There have been times that I have wondered if God regretted making me–times when I knew that I had fallen short of who He had created me to be. Many times we don’t take responsibility for our own actions. In fact, we blame others for wickedness without looking inside our own heart. Sometimes we judge others without looking at what is within ourselves. When God looked at His creation He saw what was in their hearts. When He looks at me and when He looks at you, He sees our hearts.

I regret the times I have failed Him, but I am thankful, that just like He saved that remnant, He rescues me from the waters that would drown me. Just as He made a covenant with the remnant He saved then, He makes a covenant with those He saves now. “I now give you everything,” God said to Noah (Genesis 9:3). Now He says to us through the sacrifice of His son, “I have given who I am for you; I, who had no sin, became sin, so that you may be free.”

Today I look inside my own heart, and realize that He gave His life so that I might not have to battle the ugliness of my past–of its remembrances. Today I give Him any thought that is not of Him, and any feeling that would destroy the closeness of my walk throughout the day. I want to be part of the remnant that believes and is saved.

In the parable of the prodigal son, the father tells the son who has remained faithful, “you are always with me, and everything I have is yours” (Luke 15:31). God tells His child who remains faithful the same thing. But how wonderful to know that He also says about the other son who had been lost that he must “celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found” (Luke 15:32).

I’m been lost and now I’m found. Have you been found? Are you part of the remnant who believes and knows that God has given everything so can be free of the battles in your own heart? There is peace in your storm, and it comes through Him. Just as a dove brought a sign to Noah that the promise of life was still real, His Holy Spirit comes to you, and brings promise of new life.

My Commitment His Commitment

The time had come for the Israelites to move forward and take Canaan. The fulfillment of their promise was just ahead. The Lord had brought them miraculously to this place. In Joshua chapter one, they were told to be strong, courageous, and obedient. In chapter two, Joshua sends spies into Jericho, and they are protected and helped by Rahab. In chapter three, God once more holds back water, this time of the Jordan River; so that the Israelites can move forward receive their promise. Now in chapter five, they have circumcised the new generation, and held Passover in preparation for the military invasion of Canaan. They perceive they are ready to go.

Last night, after a good discussion with Jayson Arnold, something came to light in Joshua 5:13-15.

“Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, ‘Are you for us or for our enemies? ‘Neither,’ he replied, ‘but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.’ Then Joshua fell face down to the ground in reverence, and asked him, ‘What message does my Lord have for his servant?’ The commander of the Lord’s army replied, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.’ And Joshua did so” (Joshua 5:13-15, NIV).

Joshua looks up and sees a powerful man with a drawn sword, and he asks if he is for the Israelites or for their adversaries. The man replies that he is for neither, and then tells Joshua that he is the commander of the army of the Lord. Joshua’s reaction is to worship him, and then the commander tells him to remove his sandals because “the place where you are standing is holy ground.” At the burning bush Moses was told to take of his shoes because he was standing on holy ground. God was there and it was a holy place. Moses couldn’t look upon the Lord, or he would die. Now someone stands before Joshua and tells him that he stands on holy ground. But now that holiness can be seen by human eyes. Surely this great commander is Jesus, because then Joshua would not have been told to take of his shoes because he was on holy ground. 

At the point when Joshua asked if the Lord was with him, the Lord told him that he was with neither side. Joshua had not yet surrendered to him in worship. He had not yet removed his shoes. He had not yet committed himself. When Joshua removed his shoes, he honored who was before him. With Joshua’s surrender and commitment, the answer was so longer “no”. It was “yes”.

Jesus stands before us, and waits for us to remove our shoes and worship Him. He waits for our heart, our commitment, and our obedience. He longs to take us into our Promised Land, but He waits for our absolute surrender. With that surrender comes all of His power and His unfailing commitment to us.

 What lies before you? What promise waits? Is He with you? You are standing on holy ground in His presence. What will you do? Will you take off your shoes and worship Him? Or will you hesitate because you are not sure? He is all you need when you say “yes”.

Heavenly for the Earthly

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,” Jesus taught, “where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for your selves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19-21). What we hold close reveals what we have in our heart.

These are well-turned phrases which tell us to place our treasures in heaven and avoid the pitfalls of earthly concerns. We are to give ourselves away in order to later receive something much better. We are to die to self so we can live to Christ. Perhaps we treat God’s biblical truths as nothing more than platitudes because they call for sacrifice. Because we serve two masters (Luke 6:24), we sit on the fence, unable to give up the importance of earthly things. Whatever the reason for our obstinacy, we end up coveting possessions and relationships which give sensory comfort instead of seeking an abiding relationship with the Lord which offers both earthly and eternal fulfillment (Luke 6:33).

How do you store treasures in heaven? We begin by replacing the demands of the earthly for the expectation of the heavenly. God doesn’t demand anything. He just expects because He always see your potential.

How do you find God’s expectations? Fall in love with Jesus for a lifetime. Put Him first in all your decisions. If you submit only for the moment you miss two promises of falling in love with Jesus: understanding God’s provision and an opportunity to grow in faith.

If you are married, place your spouse next. Falling in love with Jesus means you are willing to sacrifice, and makes love for your spouse greater. This doesn’t mean it is easy. Surrendering to your spouse because of your love for Christ (Ephesians 5:21) is the only way you will find the strength to commit through the hard times. If you have children, they are your next priority. Too many people put the needs of their children above the needs of a spouse. When you put a spouse first, your children will later understand the love of two parents who stood in agreement, and offered them loving discipline. As you daily love these “tender mercies” God has given you, they become your treasures in heaven.

Your ministry for Jesus Christ is where the passion of your faith is truly revealed. Your vocation or job is where your faith is seen by others who are not a part of your family. What you offer in ministry and in your vocation in regards to responsibility and in relationships speaks of your faith in Christ. 

Then there is your daily life. This is the place where you learn to handle the blessings and the trials of life in a responsible way. When our blessings are placed first instead of Christ, they become earthly possessions instead of heavenly inspiration. Likewise, trials that are not given to Christ (Philippians 4:6-7) rob us of His lesson and His peace. When Christ is truly in our lives then these things are handled in the proper spiritual prospective.

When we place ourselves completely under the Lordship of Jesus Christ we invest in heaven. The more we reach for His expectations, the less the importance of earthly demands. We learn what it means to walk in His Spirit above earthly possessions or concerns of life (Galatians 5:25). It doesn’t matter if your life appears mix-matched, because it really isn’t. You have traded the earthly for the heavenly.

Face Your Giants

“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:6-9).

The Israelites had wandered for many years knowing God's Promised Land waited. When it was just within their grasp, they just couldn't face the giants in order to get it. They sat for five years knowing their blessing was just within reach. But they also knew that they would have to fight for their promise. It would not just be handed to them on a silver platter. But they were afraid.

Does this sound like us? We can see our promise, but we just can't make the commitment to reach it or the fear of what it will cost holds us back. Something stands in the way that God wishes us to address, and the very thought of facing that giant in our life keeps us from the joy that lies ahead. Blessings require obedience and commitment. We want to be blessed, but many times we don't want to pay the cost.

God told His people then, and He tells His people now, to be strong and courageous, to be obedient and committed. Know the Word. Fill your mind and heart with its promise and the strength that it brings to receive His promise. Do not be afraid, and never be discouraged. Reach out and make the commitment that is needed to receive His promise. Disillusionment and discouragement will vanish with commitment to Him. And you will receive the promise.

“So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised” (Hebrews 10:35-36).

Trust

I lay all on His altar everyday. I come to Him expecting help in every Time of need. This next statement is hard, but I believe it. Nothing happens to me that is not in answer to my prayers. He hears every request and every yearning. I may not understand everything that happens, but He always has what is best for me in His hands. I will go forward today and everyday, unafraid knowing that He is not just with me, but in me. He is my strength and my peace.

All Is Really Well

Bar your mind against doubt and fear. Bar the windows and doors of your souls against them. The enemy is the thief who comes to steal and destroy your faith. Create a fortress in your mind that allows no access.

You have been given great gifts of peace, joy, and love. These gifts can be taken away by doubt and fear. Anchor peace, joy and love in your spirit, and face each day with praise for God's faithfulness. Laugh at the enemy's lies...for that is what they are. Lies. You will discover that God's anchor holds strong.

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23). Unswervingly profess your hope. Speak it until the healing balm of His presence protects you from the lies that bring fear. Repeat that “all is well” until the wound in your spirit is healed. He is faithful.

All is really well.