A Right Spirit

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. (Psalm 51:10)

It is easier than we think to get upside down in spiritual things. Once we begin to lead with our emotions, intellect, will, or flesh, we are immediately out-of-sorts, and only the Spirit of God can correct us. He has the truth at His disposal, and He will use that truth to help us realize our error and to repent. When we are wise, He gets our attention with just a whisper — but when we are foolish, He has to bring correction through difficulty and pain. Let us choose to be wise and obedient.

God desires that you come to Him; and when you draw near to Him, He will draw near to you. He, and only He can make you holy and give you the power to live in a way that glorifies Him — that is why you come. 

So, come and let Him search you and remove anything that does not please Him. Come, and He will cleanse your heart and renew a right spirit within you. Just come!

“Come unto Me . . ."  

Let’s pray - O Lord, open our eyes and give us a new heart and spirit. Help us to be easily entreated and quick to come to Jesus. Thank You for your grace and patience. Amen.

A Living Sacrifice

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. (Romans 12:1)

God is not being unreasonable when he asks us to lay our lives down, and there is great value in doing so. We become a “living sacrifice” when we are willing to die to ourselves and allow Christ to live out His life in our mortal bodies. What an honor, to gladly give our Lord everything we have and everything we are!

 

The laid-down life is the only life the Lord can raise up. He fills empty vessels, not full ones. He lifts up the humble and resists those who promote themselves. 

 

Truly, Jesus is our Example in all good things, and He is the ultimate living sacrifice. As we walk closely with God, we learn not to consider what obedience costs us. We consider what it cost Him, and it cost Him the life of His Son. 

 

Jesus laid down His life and picked it up again in righteousness and resurrection power. If we will lay our lives down, He will lift us up and fill us with that same righteousness and power. 

 

Remember, we must die to ourselves in order to truly live. So, present yourself to Him today. It is your reasonable service. Are you reasonable?

 

Let’s Pray – Lord, we surrender our all today. Set us free from the bondage of selfishness, so we can truly be children of God. You gave everything for us, and we are most like our Savior when we give all for You. Amen.

 

A New Season

“No one puts a piece from a new garment on an old one; otherwise the new makes a tear, and also the piece that was taken out of the new does not match the old. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine will burst the wineskins and be spilled, and the wineskins will be ruined.” (Luke 5:36-37)

When the Lord does a new thing, it is something that has never been done before — not a refurbished, remodeled, rearranged thing, but a NEW thing. We must be careful not to frustrate the originality of the Holy Spirit by holding Him to the past and our limited understanding of the future. He promises to do beyond what we can ask or think, and we take hold of that promise by faith. Our faith is the only container we possess large and elastic enough to receive the new thing God is doing. So, let go of your history and, by faith, embrace what is ahead!

The old system of things will always resist the new. Remember, one of the greatest battles of the early New Testament Church was the temptation to turn back to Judaism and the Law of Moses — feasts, symbols, buildings, the Levitical priesthood, circumcision, dietary restrictions, and the like. Clinging to the old is always the sign of spiritual stagnation and dead religion, and the Holy Spirit will have none of that in the church. Our Lord is the God of the living and not the dead, and we must be careful not to grieve Him by seeking to breathe life into that which Jesus set aside. The Lord doesn't coddle the old way of doing and seeing things — He puts it away, because its time and purpose has passed. 

Jesus tells us that the Holy Spirit is the New Wine, and we are the new wineskins. So, be filled with the Holy Spirit. Set aside the old. The Lord is doing a new thing, and you are the new thing He’s doing!

Let's Pray - Father, I am prepared by Your Spirit for the new thing. I am willing to be, to do, and to go according to Your sovereign will. Thank You for the courage to let go of the old and embrace the new. In Jesus, Amen. 

Look Toward Heaven

Then He brought him {Abraham} outside and said, "Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them." And He said to him, "So shall your descendants be." And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.  (Genesis 15:5-6)

God wants to free us from the trap of small thinking. We limit God in our minds whenever we elevate our circumstances instead of leaning on our faith. Faith is our determination to cling to God and His Word, and to let Him have the final say in all things. The name of Jesus must truly become the “name above all names” in our thinking — and our most sincere efforts get lost in the possibilities of His sovereign will, His grace, and His remarkable kindness. 

 

“Look toward heaven.”

God is not only the Promise-giver, but He is the Promise-keeper. So, draw near and you will hear the promises that only He has the power to accomplish. He alone makes all things work together for good in the lives of His people, and He alone sees the beginning and end.

 

Faith in God is the only basis we have for relationship with Him (Hebrews 11:4), and when we believe Him, He is free to do what could never be done otherwise. So, believe Him — He is pleased when we do.

 

Let's Pray - Dear Lord, may I be found looking to You and looking up, instead of down and around. Give me a razor-sharp and heavenward focus. I want to see what you have for me. Thank You for opening the eyes of my heart. In Jesus alone, Amen.

Forgive and Forget

Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven." (Matthew 18:21, 22)

The blood Jesus shed offers us complete forgiveness and the limitless capacity to forgive — and then to forget. Remember, all our sins are first and foremost an affront to God (not men), and He responds to our sins with the willingness to forgive them all. Therefore, we are able to forgive others, because He’s forgives us, and we are like our Father. We are no longer trapped in bitterness, anger, and a victim mentality, because we have been given a new heart, a new spirit, and the ministry of reconciliation. Now, we can pray for our enemies and those who sin against us! Like our Savior, we can say, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." (Luke 23:34)

 

The Lord forgives and forgets, and He expects the same of us. In fact, He only remember our sins if we remember the sins of others.

 

Jesus said, “But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matthew 6:15)

 

How petty we are, quick to beg for forgiveness and restoration, and slow to do the same for others! While it is never easy, God gives us the power to do what we could not do otherwise. His love endures, and He never grows weary of hearing our sincere confession and forgiving our trespasses. We are called to be like Him and do for others what He does for us — forgive and forget. Father, help us!

 

Let's Pray - Lord, I will never forget the price You paid to forgive my sins. I will show my appreciation by forgiving those who have sinned against me, like I have been forgiven of the sins I committed against You. Thank You for my Savior Who forgives me, and Your Spirit Who keeps me. Amen.

By His Spirit, pt. 2

 So, he answered and said to me:
"This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: 
‘Not by might nor by power, 
but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts."  (Zechariah 4:6)

 

If we think we can love God and the world, we deceive ourselves; and that deception stems from the belief that good can be found in anything or anyone other than Jesus. That is where we are in danger of losing the vitality of our faith, and where we are tempted to fall out of love with Jesus and in love with success. Therefore, we must be careful to draw near to God and take a more earnest heed to His Word. He desires to have us to Himself; so we cannot get wrapped up in worldly pursuits, lest we become like salt that loses its savor, or lamps hidden under a bushel. Let that not be said of us!

 

Believers are hidden under the shadow of the Cross, and the world no longer has the access to us it once had. We are no longer entangled with worldly people and causes, and we refuse to go back to the places from which God removed us. He has taken us off the table, so to speak, and we are exclusively available to Him. God has set you apart, so let Him have His way with you. Abundant life awaits, and that life is only found in Christ, and only by His Spirit.

 

 . . . "but by My Spirit," says the Lord of hosts.

 

Let's Pray - Father, I am turning away from the futility of worldly activities and thinking, and I am confidently turning to You. I submit myself to You; so, lead me by Your Holy Spirit, and I will gladly follow. In Jesus, Amen.

By His Spirit

So, he answered and said to me:

"This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel:

‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’

Says the Lord of hosts." (Zechariah 4:6)

 

We must endeavor to understand God’s ways more and more, because He uses methods we are not acquainted with. Too often, we are looking for what we can see, understand, calculate, control, and organize; but the Lord is working on a much deeper level. “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing . . .” (John 6:63a) When we ask Him for true wisdom, He will answer, give us spiritual understanding, and a superior perspective on things.

 

Anything that rises up from us (no matter how good or sincere) will become a thing in itself, and this is always a snare in Christian work. Though it may seem godly, Christian enterprise is no more holy than that of the world. The Lord is building that which is heavenly, not earthly; and that which He is building will point men and women to Jesus Christ, not to us. It does not matter what people think of me or you, our works, or our reputation. In fact, we will encounter the fiercest opposition and misunderstanding (even from Christians) when we are truly serving God.

 

May every Christian worker lay aside good intentions and our most sincere efforts in order to grasp the meaning of these words, "'Not by (your) might, nor by (your) power, but by My Spirit,' says the Lord." 

 

Let's Pray - Lord, I will not limit You to methods I can understand, but I will look to You in the Spirit and see Your great salvation! Do what only You can do in my life; and use the people, places, and things You ordain. Let it be unto me according to Your will. In Jesus alone, Amen.

Come to Me

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

The rest Jesus offers is the assurance that He loves and cares for us, and we can confidently give our all to the One who is able to save us and keep us forever. You see, Jesus is not just interested in giving us rest, but being our rest. He is the Rest of God! The "yoke" He gives us is the assurance that He is always with us, through all our tests and labors. Therefore, we should never be depleted or exhausted, for He shares our burdens, and we will find true rest in Him.

 

The rest Jesus offers is not a respite or vacation from our labors. It is the benefit we enjoy when we receive Him as our Lord, as well as our Savior. He must truly become the "Author and Finisher" of our faith and our works. We can rest in the assurance that He takes total responsibility for everything we commit to Him, and we must commit everything to Him. 

 

Truly, He is our Sabbath — not a day of the week, but a way of life, where we learn He is sufficient and trustworthy in all things, all the time. And all we have to do is come. 

 

If you are weary, it is because you are laboring without Him. So remember, believing in Jesus is the work you've been given to do. Take His yoke, stop striving, and start trusting. Come and find your rest in Him. Come to Jesus.

 

Let's Pray - Father, I confidently enter into the rest that is mine when I trust You. I take my life back from myself and the world, and I offer it to You as a living sacrifice. Use me to glorify Your name. Amen.

God is Good

“Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?” (Matthew 20:15) 

God’s Word has gone out into the entire world, and the world has largely rejected His call. Jesus came to the Jews, and they largely rejected Him. He reached out to the Gentiles, and they, too, largely shunned the Savior. To this very day, men go about their way in futility, looking to gain what they cannot keep, and turning away from Him who would keep them forever. The Church of Jesus Christ, however, is the clearest sign on earth that the Lord is good, His mercy endures, and He is still reaching out to save men — all men. His care and kindness are born out of His unfathomable love, and we do well to be among those who heed the One who calls!

 

God's ways are higher than ours and always will be. His kingdom works on another order, and even Christians will misunderstand His ways, unless we seek His Kingdom first. Our best-laid plans and our highest ideals will never move the hand of God. Yet, simple faith and obedience brings all the power of heaven to bear on our behalf.

 

May the Lord give us spiritual wisdom and understanding; and may the Kingdom and its rule in our lives be the clearest evidence that we are the children of God — and that God is good.

 

Let’s Pray – Father, thank You for Your lovingkindness, for it is better than life itself. Your goodness is beyond comprehension, and we are grateful. We will show that same love and kindness to everyone we meet in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Get Wise Counsel

My son, hear the instruction of your father, and do not forsake the law of your mother; for they will be a graceful ornament on your head, and chains about your neck. (Proverbs 1:8-9)

Be sure to seek, hear, and heed the instructions of your spiritual elders and leaders. They are gifts to you from the Lord, fountains of life and wisdom.  Every child of God should find himself or herself in the company of those who have walked with the Lord longer than they. Fathers and mothers of the faith are precious jewels, so be sure to adorn your life with them. Be willing to receive from them, because their counsel will help, strengthen, and spare you untold and unnecessary pain.

 

Godly counsel and friendly advice are two different things. We can obtain advice from any number of sources, and it may or may not be beneficial, especially as it pertains to spiritual things. What is advisable and expedient according to the world's standards is not necessarily so in the spirit! However, counsel from godly men and women is rooted in the scriptures and based on a heavenly value system. Worldly advice cannot compare to the guidance we receive from those who know God and walk in His ways, and you will find them ready and willing to share their wisdom freely. Remember, the only way to get wisdom is to seek it and receive it from those who are wise. That is what the Bible teaches. 

Let’s Pray – Father, thank You for placing wise men and women in the church to give us biblical counsel. We will seek them out and heed their words as the Bible instructs. Amen.

 

Vengeance Is Mine

Vengeance is Mine, and recompense; their foot shall slip in due time; for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things to come hasten upon them. (Deuteronomy 32:35)

We must rest on the promise that the Lord sees, hears, and knows everything, and He will make all things right in the end. Only then can we focus on what is ahead instead of the past. Though it seems that evil people get away with their shameful acts, God has promised to judge each one according to his deeds, and He will repay sinners and reward saints accordingly. God’s judgments will be honest and true because He is honest and true. Let us rest in Him. He will work things out, and He does all things well.

 

Only the Holy Spirit can rightly search out the inner sanctums of the human heart, and that is why He alone is fit to judge. When we contemplate revenge or getting even, we have made ourselves God, and we have considered our judgment fair and impartial, when that may not be true. We can only be sure of what the Lord reveals to us, and when He allows us to see another's faults, it is so we might intercede and ask that He show them mercy — the same mercy He showed us when we deserved judgment.

 

May we come to the point of trusting God in all things. It is God who judges, and God who shows mercy.

 

Let’s Pray – Dear God, I trust you with every outcome, and I know You will judge every man, woman, and circumstance fairly. I forgive all who have sinned against me because I have been forgiven. Thank You for Your mercy and thank You for Your judgments. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Be at Peace

 .  . . be at peace among yourselves. 
(1 Thessalonians 5:13b)

Christians are to display the love of God to all people, especially those within the household of faith. When the Holy Spirit dwells in us, He overflows the borders of our natural affinities and freely expresses God's love as only He can. That unique love lays a foundation for peace, like that enjoyed by the Father, Son, and Spirit we serve. When we live in that peace, we truly are one, as They are One.

 

Beware of Christians who are strident and combative, more interested in being seen, being right, and demanding their rights than walking in God's righteousness. That is the spirit of the day, and it is not the Holy Spirit, but a counterfeit.

 

When the Lord wants to bring peace to a situation, He sends you, because you are an instrument of His peace. Controversies, divisions, self-seeking, and the like will all give way when a peacemaker enters the conversation. Our presence in the earth is a sure sign that the Lord is still extending His love and grace to a needy world, and He is not finished winning souls and saving the lost. So, go and deliver the Gospel and God's peace wherever the Prince of Peace sends you. Above all, be at peace.

 

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. (Matthew 5:9)

 

Let’s Pray – Dear God, thank You for the unity of the Holy Spirit and the bond of peace in Your house. We will walk humbly and lovingly before You and before one another. May we come to Your throne and bow at Your feet continually. Amen.

A Spotless Bride

. . . that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. (Ephesians 5:27) 

I have been privileged to witness many weddings, and I always notice the attention to detail paid to the bride. I have never seen a bride with a dingy dress, a careless hairstyle or makeup — but she is flawlessly prepared for the occasion, and rightly so. If you and I choose to live in a fashion that adorns the Gospel of Jesus Christ, then we, too, will be well prepared for our Heavenly Bridegroom on that great wedding day. Would Jesus be proud to call you His bride today? Is your life spotless and holy? Are you fit to be with Him, or will you be shut out?

 

God's standard is perfection, and that is because His standard is Jesus. Notice Paul tells us that Jesus is preparing His bride for Himself. In other words, if you belong to Him, He places His loving hands on every detail of your life. Every imperfection must be dealt with, and every attitude and temperament, as well as words and deeds, must be laid bare before Him and His scrutiny. Our heavenly adornment must be as spotless and white as His was on the Mount of Transfiguration, because nothing of sin or self will be received or accepted in heaven. Those of us who are looking forward to that Day purify ourselves, just as He is pure (1 John 3:3). Remember, holiness is demanding work, but it is glorious work, and the benefits are eternal.

 

Let’s Pray – Father, I want to be ready when my Lord returns for me. Whether by death or rapture, I only want to spend eternity with Jesus. So, cleanse me, sanctify me, and make me holy, Lord. I am Yours. Amen.

A New Creation

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Among the greatest joys for a believer is the privilege of beginning again. God does not ask us to salvage or rehabilitate the old self, but to let that life die out altogether. There is a new life Jesus has for His children, and He has no interest in coddling things we should put away. Never be sympathetic with your old nature, but crucify it, pick up your cross daily, and follow Jesus. The resurrected life will be yours to enjoy forever.

 

It takes a new creature to see and to thrive in the new creation. So, be willing to move on from all you have come to depend on, go beyond your own understanding, and let the Lord direct you into a deeper and fuller life. That is why your journey with Him is called a "walk." The Lord is leading you forward.

 

“Go.”

 

Let’s Pray – Dear Lord, I realize my blessings lie before me and not behind. Give me a forward-looking perspective, and I will expect good things as You keep the promises You have made in Your Word. In Jesus Christ, Amen.

Saved by Grace

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God. (Ephesians 2:8)

 

The successful Christian life is not found in our usefulness, giftedness, or anything we can obtain by our efforts. Every good and perfect gift comes down to us from above, and nothing of any eternal weight rises from us to heaven. Without the Holy Spirit, none of us are good — no, not one. God is not increased or enriched at all by anything we can say or do for Him, and He is God whether we believe or acknowledge Him. The only thing we have to offer is a sacrifice of praise, and even the ability to do that is a function of God's grace. We have been saved by grace, we remain in Him by grace, and He will receive us up into glory by grace. So, none of us should boast, but all of us should worship.

 

Rejoice in your salvation today. Spend your life loving, believing, worshiping, enjoying, and glorifying Him. Relax and lay down your burdens because His grace is sufficient for you. His grace is amazing.

 

Hallelujah!

 

Let’s pray –Lord, we rejoice in the power of Your name, and because of Your great love. Thank You for the Blood of the Lamb shed for us, so that we might be saved and sanctified in Christ Jesus. Yes, we will rejoice and be glad! Amen.

Shine Your Light

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)

Wherever the Holy Spirit dwells there is light, and He dwells in believers. We are Spirit-filled, and others get the opportunity to see the Lord by the light of our presence. The world is a place of spiritual darkness, so we must be prepared to stand out every place we go. How well Jesus is seen in the world depends entirely on us, and we glorify Him when we surrender to His will, love one another, and walk in the light as He did. It is simple; we shine, people see, God gets the glory.

 

The Lord is looking to expand the work of Jesus in the earth, and that expansion must first take place in those surrendered to Him. Even a little darkness is unacceptable to God, and we grieve the Spirit by allowing any sin or smallness of heart whatsoever. Every root of bitterness, grudge, or unsavory attitude must be brought kicking and screaming to the Cross, where we can exchange them for the strength and sweetness of our Savior.

 

God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5).

 

Neither can there be any darkness abiding in you. Come to the Lord about this matter today. Your light is dawning.

Let’s Pray – Father, please give us Your Spirit so we can stand for You before all men. We are honored to be representatives of heaven, and we want to see You glorified in the earth. Thank You for making us Your children and calling us the light of the world! Amen.