A Hacking Cough – 1Thess 5:17

A Hacking Cough – 1Thess 5:17


If there is one thing I hate about getting sick; it is coughing. It seems like no matter how hard I try, no matter how many cough drops I suck on, I just keep coughing. It will keep me up at night and continue long after my other symptoms are gone. I just cannot stand that continuous hacking cough! I just keep coughing intermittently all day and night, so much that even when I am not coughing I can feel a cough on its way!

It was not until I was reading a commentary (I cannot source because I do not remember which one) that I understood 1Thessalonians 5:17 in a whole new way. “Pray without ceasing” (1Thess 5:17). I had often thought, how can I pray all the time? That is impossible! The commentator explained that the phrase that was translated “without ceasing” had been used in secular writings at the time to describe the symptoms of a hacking cough. The light bulb turned on and I saw clearly the point Paul was trying to make to us. Pray like a hacking cough; continuously, sporadically, all the time!

Prayer is an important part of our walk with Jesus. It is the opportunity for us to praise God, share with Him our needs, the needs of others, as well as have a conversation (two way discourse) with God. We know that we can go boldly before the throne of grace (Heb 4:16), and God hears us and will answer our prayers. Although, (and I am thankful that) He does not always say yes! So if we are to have a living fellowship with God, we must learn to pray without ceasing. We must learn to pray like a hacking cough; always in our throats, naturally occurring and without the ability to hold it in. Remember that you do not have to pray with your eyes closed, or even on your knees, (these are good ways to show reverence which is another lesson) you can talk to God anytime and anywhere! As a matter of fact when someone shares a prayer request with me I often begin to petition God before they are even finished talking.

Have you learned to pray without ceasing? Are you comfortable talking to God? I challenge you today to pray about everything. Share with God how you are feeling, what you are doing, what you see, praise Him for the beauty around you, and ask that He touch those you pass by (be warned He will probably want to use you), pray about absolutely everything. He will not tire of hearing your voice; chances are He has been longing to hear it more often! Practice today the art of praying like a hacking cough; it may just change your life!

Pray

Dear Holy Father, I thank You that through Your son Jesus I can come boldly to the throne of grace! I can praise You and petition You knowing that You hear me and You care about me. Help me to learn to communicate with you like a hacking cough. I know that prayer is important and I want it to become so ingrained in my life that at times I am praying without even realizing it. It is a great honor to know that You desire a closer relationship with me, so today let us talk! I love You Lord, help me to grow daily closer to you. Talk to You VERY soon, in Jesus holy name, Amen.

Pushing a Boulder - Gen. 6:13-22

I once heard a story about a man who prayed to God to give him physical strength.  Upon waking the next day he found a large boulder had rolled off the mountain and landed beside his house.  God spoke to him and told him every morning to get up and with his own strength to move the boulder. The man was obedient and for several hours everyday he pushed the rock and trying diligently to move it.  After a few years of pushing the rock God again spoke to the man and told him to look at himself. His body was physically strong and lean from pushing the rock.

Of course this story is fictional. However the Bible is full of stories in which God tells His servants to do something that may sound useless or even absurd so that He may prepare them for what is up ahead. God is not a teaser of men; His commands always have a purpose. Let us consider Noah for a prime example of being told to push a boulder.

God spoke to Noah and told him to build a giant boat, to house at least two of every animal because He was going to destroy the Earth with a flood.  Sure that was hard to grasp but add the fact that it had never before rained and you have yourself a true boulder. So what did Noah do? Did he fret and try to find another way? Did he tell God it did not make sense so he was not going to do it? No, he built the boat!

Has got placed a boulder in your life that you do not understand? Is it hard to continue pushing day after day? Do you feel like giving up? Just remember that God has a purpose for the boulder in your life. It may not make sense to you, but bear in mind you can not see the whole picture. So whether God has told you to run three miles every morning, study Mandarin Chinese, or physically push a large boulder in your yard; you can rest assured it is all a part of His great plans for you. Just keep pushing!

Pray

Great and omniscient God, I thank you for counting me worthy to be used for Your great purpose.  Help me to be obedient to Your will, even when I do not understand.  I know that Your ways are perfect and I can trust that I am not pushing a boulder for nothing.  I praise You for the things You are preparing me for and the lives that You will touch through my life! In Jesus name I pray, Amen

Present with the Lord 2 Cor 5:1-8

I have thought hard about how to start this devotional today but my emotions are clouding my mind. Late yesterday evening my wife’s “Grandmama” passed away.  I am pleased to say that Norma Baumstark was a fervent follower of Jesus Christ and at the age of 89 was ready to have her faith become sight. She was a dear sweet lady to me that always treated me as if I was one of her own grandchildren.  She will be truly missed by me as well as many others who were touched by her life. We mourn our loss while we celebrate her victory!

This life is our temporary home, young or old we must eventually all face death (Heb. 9:27). If this were the end life would be a truly sad existence.  However, in Christ death is only the doorway by which we enter a new beginning; eternal life in Heaven with God. So we as Christians can mourn the loss of our fellow believers with hope!  I look forward to worshiping Christ forever with Grandmama and our fellow brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ.

Jesus paid the price for our sins on the cross, took the sting of hell and death with his resurrection, and offers us life eternal with Him in Heaven! All we have to do is accept, believe, and confess (Rom. 3:23, 6:23, 5:8, 10:8-10, 10:13, 8:38, 39). So be comforted today if you have lost loved ones who shared a relationship with Jesus Christ, for they are present with the Lord!

I hope this short devotional today will bring you comfort and peace. If you have lost someone dear to you allow God to begin to heal those broken pieces in your life.  You will never forget them, you will still miss them, but let God help you to move past the temporary and to focus on the eternal!

Pray

Heavenly Father I thank You today for Your assurance of salvation through Jesus.  I thank You that this world is not my home and death is not the end!  Help me and others who are mourning the loss of our loved ones to look to You for strength and peace.  I know that You are God and You hold Your children close so I have no fear of You ever leaving me.  Help me today to encourage and comfort others who are mourning the loss of loved ones and remind them that grave has been conquered, death has lost its sting, and hell has no power over those saved by Jesus Christ!  In Jesus name I pray, Amen. 

Turning a Parked Car Prov. 3:6

When I was young I loved to sit behind the wheel of my parent’s car.  I would put both hands on the steering wheel and pretend I was driving. Although I drove hundreds of miles in my imagination, the car never went anywhere. It is hard to move a parked car.

In our walk with Christ we sometimes find ourselves parked and waiting on God to give us intricate, detailed directions.  We want to know how we are going to go, where we are going to go, etc.  So we sit and say we are waiting on the Lord, when often it is He who is waiting on us. We need to remember that Jesus did not say “park right there” or “be idle”; Jesus used the phrase “Follow Me” and the command “Go!” So what are we waiting on? 

The Bible gives us a guideline of the purpose and direction we should follow: Seek first the Kingdom of God (Matt 6:33)! We must prayerfully start following Christ and trust that the Holy Spirit will let us know when and where to go. It is hard to turn a parked car; even so it is hard to direct a parked life.

God has great plans for your life (Jer. 29:11), He loves you! However, if you are going to fully experience His plans for you, you must get up and decide today that you are going to follow Jesus. There is a big difference between envisioning where God’s plans will take you and actually putting your life into drive and allowing God to make those plans reality!

Is your life in park today? Or are you driving forward in God’s plan and allowing Him to guide you to the next step!

Pray

Holy Father I know that you have great plans for my life. Help me today to lay aside anything that is stopping me from fulfilling Your will for my life.  Help me to focus on the goals of knowing You more and making You known, while allowing You to direct and use my life as part of Your perfect will.  I love You Lord, and I ask that You forgive me for my complacency. I desire to have a life in drive for You, not one that is stuck in park. Help me daily to take up my cross and follow You! In Your Holy name I pray; Jesus! Amen

Waiting on the Master – Matt 24:44-51

Over the holidays we left our dog Tonka at home alone while we were visiting family. We were gone over night so some close friends of ours agreed to stop by to give him his bathroom breaks. However, a family emergency called our friends away and they were unable to swing by our house and let Tonka out. They promptly notified us of the situation but we were miles away having Christmas with my wife’s family. By the time I got to the house it was several hours past Tonka’s bathroom time and I was dreading what surprises I would find as I walked inside. Little did I expect for Tonka to be patiently waiting on me to let him outside. As he trotted out the door, God helped me to understand why Tonka had not had any accidents: he knew he was not supposed to go to the bathroom in the house and he trusted that I would return to let him outside. He was obediently waiting on the master to return.


As a Christian I am awaiting the return of my master, Jesus Christ. Here on earth His Spirit lives within me and I am able to praise, worship and communicate with my Savior. However some days I ache to see Him, so that I can look into His loving eyes and thank Him face-to-face for what He has done for me. One day I will get the opportunity to do so, but until then I must wait. I know He is coming back and I want nothing more than to glorify His name. To do so I must be obedient to His word and be diligent in going about His business.

My salvation is not conditional upon my works. As my Co-Sunday School teacher has told our class many times, “It is Jesus plus nothing, minus nothing.” I am saved by His grace alone through faith. However, it is my responsibility to be obedient to God’s commands and calling for my life. I have the free will to choose to go about the Father’s business or my own. All too often I follow what seems right unto me only to have my works burned up in the fire (Prov. 14:12, 1Cor. 3:14-15). It is only when I am following closely after Him, allowing the Spirit to be my guide that I am able to be obediently waiting on the Master.

Are you living your life so that you are obediently waiting on the Master’s return? Or are you going your own way?

Pray

Good Master, I thank You today for Your great salvation, without it I would still be lost. Forgive me for acting at times like I am the master and doing things my way. Help me today to be obedient to Your words and Your direction for my life. I eagerly await Your return and I pray that my works may bring glory unto You! In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Give them more! Acts 3

Many times in my life I have come across people begging for hand outs, and I am sure you have seen your share of cardboard pleas for money or food. I usually drive right on by due to the many con artist and lazy people out there. However, occasionally my heart is pricked and I will go through the McDonalds drive through and buy a value meal in hopes that it may actually make a difference in the life of someone who is genuinely going through a hard time. How many times have I earnestly ask God if I can help this person? How many times have I gone the extra mile to see if I can really help them to find a job, or a warm bed…or a Savior?


In Acts 3 a man who truly had a physical need was brought daily to the temple to beg for money at the temple’s gate which was called “Beautiful”. People going into the temple to pray had to pass by him and his constant pleas. How many religious people walked by him every day? Surely some of them were disgusted by him, while others felt sorry for him and gave him a little money or food. How many ever sat down to get to know the man? How many prayed for him in the temple? How many ever tried to help him? Few if any I am sure. Why? There was no hope, he had always been crippled. He would always be crippled! Until one day Peter and John passed by the man, he begged for a little money but got more than he ever expected to receive; instead of money he received a new life.

Countless are the people we pass by everyday who are begging to be filled. Sure they are crying for money or status, but what they truly want is fulfillment and peace; something that is impossible for them to obtain without a relationship with Jesus Christ. As Christians we need to stop simply taking the easy road and tossing them some spiritual pocket change. It is time that we give them more than they are asking us for, time to go the extra mile. We must give them more than a temporary fix; we must give them an eternal solution! “…such as I have, I give to you…” (Acts 3:6)
Who do you come in contact with everyday that needs more than your kind words or your pity? Does someone spring to mind that is in true need of more than you have been giving? Make today the day that you start reaching the lost for Jesus Christ. Jesus has given us much more than we could have ever imagined or ask for, we must share this gift! (Matt. 10:8)

Pray

Our Father who art friend to sinners and lover of men’s souls, I praise Your holy name! I thank You that somewhere along the way I was given more, I was lead to the Savior! My life has never been, nor will ever be the same again. Therefore, I pray that You remind me of where I have came from so that I may give those in need of Your salvation more than just a cheap and temporary hope. Help me to lead others to You who can forgive and cleanse them of all unrighteousness and truly give them Life! Give me a great burden for the lost; lest they die and go to Hell! In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen!

Just another day… until… Luke Chapter 2:1-21

I joyfully remember every Christmas morning before the first present was opened dad would get out his well worn Bible and read Luke Chapter 2.  Yes, sometimes as kids we wanted dad to read FASTER, but now I wish He was here to read it just once more!  I have carried on the tradition with my own family to remind us of what Christmas is all about, to remind us that it was once just another day until…the Savior was born!

It was just an ordinary day (probably not December, 25 by the way.), the shepherds were doing their same old job, the inns were full due to the census and nothing was special about this day in Bethlehem. No one had any idea that the world as they knew it was about to be changed forever. As the night drew on the Savior…Jesus…entered the world, which He had created, as human child. Angels appeared, a new star shown and many other miracles began on the first Christmas night. 

However, the Christmas story did not end with the baby Jesus in a manager. The first Christmas morning was the beginning of Jesus’ earthly Journey that would take us to the cross, the grave, and the empty tomb.  Standing alone the story of the babe in the manger is no great thing, nor is the cross triumphant. If it were not for the empty tomb; the resurrected Savior, then all of it would have simply just come to pass leaving us with just another day. 

This Christmas as we celebrate the birth of our Savior I urge you to remember that the manger was not a destination (as many seem to forget) but merely a checkpoint of Jesus’ earthly journey. Do not worship the day, or even the celebration. Worship the Lord who humbly came down from His throne spent an earthly lifetime with His creation and gave His life so that they may spend an eternity with Him.

Merry Christmas!

Pray

Blessed Savior God, I thank You that You set aside Your throne in Heaven to come to the Earth that You created, to live, to love, and to suffer and die to pay the price for my sins.  Thank You that the manger was a beginning and not an end, that I worship not a babe in a manger but a resurrected King of Kings. Help me Lord to redeem the time and to use this season of Christmas celebration to share with those around me the love that You have for them.  The love that You proved with a manger, a cross, and an empty tomb.  In Your Holy Name Jesus I pray, Amen (YES!)  

A Monster’s Focus! Philippians 3:7-8

In the movie "Monsters Inc" Sully finds himself in a tough spot.  He and Mike have been banished to the Himalayas.  Sully realizes that the only thing that is important is to save Boo. Everything else they have worked for no longer matters.  Mike however just wants to go back to his life; he wishes they never met Boo.  Sully finds a way down the mountain and Mike tells him he is on his own if he is going that way. Sully makes the hard decision and leaves to save Boo alone.

There will be times in your walk with Christ when the direction God is calling you may seem strange or even foolish to those around you.  Do not be surprised when even some of your closest friends can not understand and will turn away when you follow this path.  Do not let them deter your focus toward God's plan. Remember, everyone else may abandon you but God will always be with you!  I am happy to say that Mike in the movie finally realized Sully was right and got on board. Unfortunately in life this may not always be the case.

Paul came to a revelation much like Sully, that everything that was not beneficial to the cause of Christ was garbage!(Phil. 3:7-8)  He decided that he must lay aside every weight and run furiously in the direction of God's will!  Several of his closest friends begged him not to go to Jerusalem where God was leading. They feared for Paul's life. Paul realized that God was calling him to Jerusalem where he would be turned over to the Romans. He went anyway and was able to spread God's message further. Although it did cost him his physical life, it opened the door for so many to follow Jesus and to find strength in his obedience. (Acts 21:10-14)

Is God calling you to something that is not comfortable? Maybe others doubt your sanity or think you are going way overboard. If God is leading you there, you follow! My dad once told me that God would not lead me out on a limb and then cut off that limb from beneath me. Know that God will always lead you down the best path! Fear not!

Pray

Holy Father I know Your way is best. I trust today in Your will and Your direction. Help me not to be discouraged when my friends do not understand the direction You are calling me to.  Give me the strength to follow You no matter what! I love You Lord and Your perfect will for my life! In Jesus' Holy Name, Amen! (I completely agree)

The Mustard Seed that Moved a Mountain! Matt. 17:20

When I was still a young Christian I remember reading Matt. 17:20.  Living in a valley I could literally go outside and see a mountain no matter which way I looked.   So I thought about the verse for a little while and came to the conclusion that surely I had little bitty, tiny, mustard seed faith! So I scrounged up every bit of faith I could, leaned out the front door, pointed at the mountain in front of me and said, “Be moved Mountain, in the name of Jesus!” Needless to say it did not move, well at least not instantaneously. It was about five years later when the highway that had been discussed since my dad was a boy finally came through causing the mountain which had always been there…to be moved!

During our life we all experience many mountains in our way (i.e. finances, health problems, spiritual warfare). So why is it that we have a tendency to believe that we can not remove them from our life? Did not Jesus tell us if we had faith those mountains would move? Just an itsy bitsy little faith, not truck loads of it! One problem we have is we tend to forget that Jesus did not say, “…and the mountain will be moved before your eyes as soon as you speak.” If He had said that then I could see believing we can not move mountains when they do not just poof away, but He did not.

Sometimes we do not believe we can move mountains because we fail to recognize the mountains that have already been removed. I remember the Apostle Paul had an infirmity that he asked God to take away from him three times. This could be considered a mountain in Paul’s life.  Paul asked God each time to remove his ailment without any prevail. God simply explained to Paul that His grace was enough, that His strength would better be revealed in Paul’s weakness. God did not remove Paul’s thorn, but we see in Paul’s statement “therefore I take pleasure in my infirmities…” that because of Paul’s new insight it ceased to be a mountain! (2Cor. 12:7-10) 

Wherever you are with the mountains in your life, you need to realize that those mountains can be removed.  They will seldom be removed the way and in the time frame which you expect them to, but with a little faith they will cease to exist!   I will close by telling you about a Christian family who prayed every night for the fall of the Berlin wall.  One day while watching the news the father was surprised to see the Berlin Wall being torn down.  “I can’t believe it!” he exclaimed.  One of his children responded, “Why not? We prayed for God to tear it down every night?” 

Pray

Precious Lord, I thank You today for the mountains that You have already removed from my life.  Help me Lord to realize that through faith in You I can move every mountain, although they will not always move in the way I think they will or as fast as I think they should.  I acknowledge today that Your timing is perfect as is Your will.  Help me to move these mountains in my life today that are keeping me from fully serving you. I look forward to seeing how You remove them! I give to You all the praise as it is only through my faith in YOUR POWER that mountains move. I love You Lord.  In Jesus name I pray, Amen (Yes, Yes!)

I Have a Testimony? 2 Corinthians 5:17

From the time I was two I was a sick child.  The doctors had my mom and dad convinced that if they let me lead a normal life (i.e. playing outside) that I would die.  My tonsils were oversized and I was underweight, among other health issues.  I was an over-diagnosed child on the way to becoming a bubble-boy!  By the time I was seven my tonsils were so big that if I laid down flat it would cut off my windpipe.  Soon these ailments and treatments caused my spleen to follow suit. I ended up in the hospital with a quack doctor who wanted to remove my spleen and ignore everything else!

Then something dramatic and life changing happened.  A new doctor in town doing his rounds in the hospital came into my room.  He looked at my chart and asked permission to examine me.  My parents agreed and he quickly came to the conclusion that should have been evident to my other doctor all along; these tonsils need to come out! Push came to shove and he convinced my parents to trust him to remove my tonsils. My life was different from that point on; I began to live the normal life of a child.

When you accept Jesus into your life a radical change, even more than a tonsillectomy, occurs.  You become a new creation, never again to be the same (2Cor. 5:17).  You are the only person who can truly tell your story.  Were you a Christian killing Jew like Paul? Probably not, but that does not mean God has not done great things in your life.  Your testimony may not seem flashy enough for you, but it is not about you! It is about what Christ has done in your life. It is about His Grace, His Mercy, His Forgiveness, and His Righteousness.  That makes for one powerful testimony no matter how you look at it! (Eph 3:20-21)

So go and share with the world what Christ has done for you! Sounds pretty simple does it not? That is because it is simple!  You do not have to have a great degree or even be older than ten.  You just have to have Jesus in your heart, and voila…Instant testimony.

Pray

Thanks Dad for giving me my very own personal testimony. You have truly changed my life forever!  Help me today, tomorrow and as long as I am breathing to share my Jesus story; my testimony.  Give me Your fire in my eyes and your passion in my voice that others may truly see what you have done for me, and long for that change in their own life.  Help me to never forget that just because You may not have saved me from a fiery furnace, you did deliver me from an eternal Hell! You are truly great and truly good. I love You Lord.  In Jesus Name I pray, Amen. (uh-huh!) 

Blinded to the Blind 1Corinthians 15:34

My younger brother can attest to the fact that I do not always pay attention to what is going on around me.  A few years back I remember driving down the road just me and the little guy (6’ 3”, 240lb little guy) and noticing a new store that had popped up in our home town.  I remember asking him when the shop had opened up.  He quickly replied to me that it had been there for about two years!  It is amazing what we can miss when something else has our focus.

We are called to share the good news of Jesus Christ! We are the light shining into a world of darkness so that they may have what we have; an eternal relationship with Jesus (Matt 5:14). However, there are many people who have no idea who Jesus is, how much He loves them, and what He has done for them (1 Cor. 15:34).  Sometimes we get so caught up in the fact that we know that Jesus loves us that we forget that everyone else does not know.  We become blinded to the fact that there are people all around us that we daily come in contact with that have no clue who God is, much less have a relationship with Him.  They are blind of the Gospel. Are we blind of them?

Without the Gospel of Jesus man cannot be saved (Acts 4:12). You need to realize that there are people in your life who may never hear about Jesus if you do not tell them. Oh I know you think God will send someone else to share with them, but what if everyone He sends feels and acts the same way you do? How will the blind see? (Romans 10: 13-15)  

I was talking to a friend of mine just a few days ago.  I have known this person for around two years. I have pushed her to further her education and better herself, to not be satisfied with where she is today.  I may have briefly talked about Christian things to her but I never took the time to find out about what she believed or if she had a relationship with Christ.  I was so focused on helping her better her temporal life that I totally overlooked the fact she was blind to the eternal.  I assumed my friend knew what she meant to God; how much He loves her and what He has done to assure her a place in Heaven if she will accept it.  She had no idea!

Now I stop to think, how many other people in my life have I been blind to their need to hear the news of Jesus Christ? How many people are there in your life?  If we truly care about these people and do not want them to suffer eternity without a relationship with God, we must ask God to open our eyes.  If we do not reach them with the Good News, they may never hear. If they never hear, how can they believe? (Rom. 10:14)

Pray

Almighty God, I thank You that someone shared with me the Good News so that I could have a relationship with You!  I come before you today and ask you that you would no longer allow my eyes to be blinded to the lost around me. Give me a burden upon my heart to share Your word so that those who have not heard, will hear.  Thank You again for the manger, the cross and the empty tomb! It is in Jesus Name we ask and pray, Amen. (As it has been said)

Are You Hungry? Matt 5:6

For a long time I looked at Matthew 5:6 and I missed a big part of what Christ was expressing to us.   “Blessed are those that hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.”   I thought I understood exactly what He meant. Ok, hunger after righteousness on Earth and be filled eternally. Got it!  It was not until I was recently reading the scripture once again that God revealed a whole new depth to me. Although, I believe Christ was speaking of the eternal I also believe there is a deeper message about our daily walk with Him.

I started thinking about how eating and hunger is such a big part of my daily life. Those who know me personally can confirm that I have a large appetite. However, it seems no matter how much I eat I soon become hungry and am ready to eat again. My built in hunger gauge lets me know quickly (and sometimes audibly) that it is time for some more nourishment. Did a light-bulb just go off over your head?  We are not meant to be filled with His righteousness just one time and done! (Deut. 8:3)

Our daily physical need causes us to get hungry, eat, be filled, get hungry, eat, be filled… repeat.  Our spiritual nature has the same basic need for us to continue allowing Christ to make us hungry for His righteousness, to obediently seek and worship Him, and allow Him to fill us. Once we are in Heaven I believe we will be eternally filled, but here on Earth we need to be filled over and over again. 

Are you hungry?  Are you following Christ so that He is continuously filling you with His power, His energy, and His purpose for your life?  You wouldn’t think of going days without eating (some of us cringe at hours) so why would you hinder God from filling your spirit on a daily basis? The scary thing is that we can seem to starve the spiritual nature for so long that we lose sight of even being hungry and we become SSS (saved, sit down, and satisfied). Is it a coincidence that SSS happens to be the sound a snake makes? (Gen 3) I’ll let you decide. I pray you are hungry today, so that He may fill you with His righteousness!(Matt. 4:4)

Pray

Precious Lord, I thank You that You know everything about me and still desire a personal and daily relationship with me. I am unworthy of your righteousness but yet you offer it to me so freely.  I know that on accepting Your son Jesus as my savior that I am eternally filled with Your righteousness and that I am eternally secure in You!  I understand however that here on Earth I need to daily seek You and Your will that I may be able to be used for Your glory. Please Lord help me to hunger daily after your righteousness that I may be filled again and again!  In Your son Jesus’ most powerful name, AMEN (oh yes!).

A promise of peace...not comfort. John 14:27

How many times do we as Christians believe that God wants us to be comfortable? He does not call us to comfort, He calls us to peace.  Sometimes these two words are confused with one another. I want to take a little time today to help you better understand the difference between these two different concepts.

Let us take into consideration a small pond that has no movement. There is no life, no refreshing. It has become stagnant. It soon becomes evident that without movement the oxygen in the water is depleted. Any large scale life in the pond starts to shrivel and disappear. If there is no change the pond will become covered in scum and take on an overpowering stench. Eventually it will dry up and die. It will leave nothing but an ugly crater behind to remind us of what it could have been, but was not. This pond is comfortable.

Now let us consider a second pond. This pond has a constant inflow and outflow of water. Because of its movement many creatures will call this pond home. It will be both beneficial and enjoyable to all the come near it. The water may become murky from time to time as it weathers storms, but it will quickly clear up and become fresh and new again. This pond is alive. This pond is at peace.

Which pond represents your walk with Christ today?  Are you a saved and satisfied Christian who believes God has called us to be comfortable? Or are you allowing God to ever challenge and change you? Let me assure you stagnant waters will never see souls saved (Luke 10:2), will never see mountains moved (Matt 17:20), and will never fully experience God’s gift of peace upon Earth (John 14:27).

Pray

Holy God I come before you today asking you to help me understand the difference between comfort and peace in my life.  I do not want to live my life as a comfortable Christian and miss out on Your true and active peace. I am asking You today to take me outside my comfort zone, to use me in a way that I will grow closer to You and will help others to do the same. I do not wish to lead a stagnant life that is does not glorify You. I want to be an active and moving Christian that is always at peace even though I am not always comfortable.  In Jesus’ name Amen (Let it be). 

Rudolph Was a Red-Nosed Reindeer 1Cor. 12:17-20

Most of us have sung the song and seen the movie many times.  Poor Rudolph was laughed at and even shunned from joining the others in the reindeer games. He started to believe that he had no purpose in life and was worthless.  I can’t help but feel a little bad for Rudolph. After all, he only wanted to fit in and be an active member of the group. He did not realize that his nose had a bigger purpose. It quickly transformed from a burden to a glory when it helped guide Santa’s sleigh.  It is amazing how the other reindeer changed their tune when they realized that Rudolph’s special nose had  saved Christmas.

How easy it is for us to become the “other reindeer”.  We tend to look at the surface value of a person and miss the true significance of their life to God.  May I remind you that people in the Bible who were called to great works by God’s plan where often seen as weird, radical, and even crazy. John the Baptist with his camel’s hair coat and diet of locust and wild honey seemed like he had lost his mind. How many people missed his message because they couldn’t overlook his “red nose”? 

There are many Rudolphs in our world that are hurting because of their “red nose”.  They may not understand why God has given them something that others tend to despise, shun, or see as less important.  Our job as Christians is to help them draw closer to God and understand that He has a purpose for their life and a purpose for their red nose. (Jer. 29:11, Rom 8:28)* Let us not forget that if it wasn’t for Rudolph’s nose there would have been no Christmas that year. 

Pray

Holy God, I thank you for Your great plans.  Help me to understand and accept any “red noses” that You have put in my life.  I know that Your will is perfect, and I stand on the promises that You have good plans and a purpose for my life. I thank You for loving me regardless of my shortcomings.  Lord, help me to be accepting and uplifting to those around me in which You have blessed with “red noses”. Grant me the grace to comfort them with the knowledge that they are designed by You and they are special in Your sight.  In Your Son Jesus’ name, Amen (So Be It).

*I want to make a little side note that I do not view homosexuality as a red nose.  Homosexuality is defined in the Bible as sin.  We need to love the gay community and express God’s love for them but I do no condone the lifestyle nor is it something that God has given them and thus not a figurative “red nose”. 

“And God Remembered…” Genesis 8:1

We often use the word remembered to express something that is brought back to our mind, something that we have forgotten. I often misplace my keys (among other things) and occasionally after thinking for a moment I will remember where I left them.  Sometimes when I get home from work I remember that I did not pick up milk.  So it is not unusual for us to look at Genesis 8:1 where it says “And God remembered Noah,” and reason within ourselves that God must have at one point forgotten about him.

It is easy for us to think of God as we are; limited, forgetful, and fallible.  It is a hard thing for us to think about God as omniscient (all knowing).  We are relative creatures; we learn and understand by relating our thoughts to things we can see and with things which we have experienced.  God is not like us! We must learn as we grow closer to Him that He is not limited by our imagination nor does He think on the same level as we do. We see this expressed in Romans 11:33.

That being said we can start to understand that when God remembered Noah and every living thing on the Ark (Gen 8:1), Abraham (Gen 19:29), and Rachel (Gen 30:22) that it was not a remembrance of a former forgetfulness!  It was rather a statement of “I have not forgotten!”  When it truly sinks into our being that God does not forget His people or His promises, then we can begin to trust in Him and lay aside the fear of being alone in our situation. God will never abandon His child! (Isaiah 49:15)

Regardless of what you are dealing with today, God remembers. You can be confident that you can call upon His name and He is there waiting holding you in His arms.  It may not always feel like He is there with you, but He is.  He has not put you on a back burner and forgotten you.   He does, and He will remember you!

Pray

God help me today to realize that you remember me!  You know the things that I am dealing with and I acknowledge that you are in control and you have not forsaken me.  Give me the strength to cling close to You and Your word. Open my eyes today that I may see the ways in which you are working in my situation. I know the promise you made that all things work together for good for those of us who love you and are called to Your purpose (Rom. 8:28). I do love you Lord and I am trusting today that you remember me!  In Your Son Jesus’ Name I Pray, Amen (Let it be done).