His Love And Compassion

Scripture:
Isaiah 42:1-7
Hebrews 4:14-16

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Compassion is often found as weakness in society.  We dare not show emotion or compassion.  If we do we are deemed weak or foolish.  when I was little our family moved from the South to the North.  I had a strong southern accent going to the second grade.  I became the but of everyone's joke.  My emotions got the best of me time and again.  I guess that helped me become more compassionate as I grew.  I had someone once tell me I had the gift of compassion.  I could feel your hurts and pains right along with you.  I somehow new how you felt and felt it with you.

How much more does Jesus feel?  How much more does he understand.  His love for us is so great that He came to this earth to be human.  He felt everything we feel. He suffered great pains and was rejected by all.  Even His closest friends turned away in His our of need.  How much greater is Jesus' compassion for us.  Next time you think how can God know what it is like just remember Jesus has been there and done that...

Most likely this will be my last devotional thought before Christmas.  So I want to take a moment to Wish you all a very Merry Christmas...

Waiting...

Scripture:
Psalm 27:14
Luke 2:1-7

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¹⁴Wait for the LORD;
         Be strong and let your heart take courage;
         Yes, wait for the LORD.

At one of the In-Depth small group meetings I shared some concerns and issues I have been dealing with.  I told them that I was praying over it all.  I shared that I firmly believe I am where God has placed me.  I was asked what was God telling me at this time.  My answer after a brief pause was that God is telling me to wait.  I need to wait upon Him.

It is difficult dealing with these things on a daily basis.  I have reached a point of dread.  However, I do feel God has placed me where He wants me.  I do know He is with me.  He hasn't forsaken me or left me. Some 2,000 years ago Jesus was born to be our savior, our salvation.  God's people had been waiting for years upon years.  When He came many of His chosen people rejected Him.  They waited for a savior and didn't see it when He did come. 

Let us not be like that.  Let us take courage and wait upon the Lord.  Let us see and hear Him when it is time. We need not to act in haste or prematurely.  If we wait and rely on God everything will work out so much better.  If I were not where I am today, where He placed me.  I would not know the people I know.  I wouldn't have the fellowship I have.  I wouldn't have the encouragement and strength offered by fellow Christians.  I wouldn't writing this email today.

God has His reasons and He has His plans.  They are much better than mine.  So will I will wait upon Him...

To Trust or Not To Trust...

Scripture:
Proverbs 3:5-6
Luke 1:26-38

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God is so good and loving and yet we have a hard time trusting in Him.  God sent us the greatest gift of all time.  He gave Himself for our salvation.  Over this past year God has brought me to levels of dependency that I didn't even know I could get to.  Every time I turn around I have found I had no choice to to rely on Him.  Every time He has proven trustworthy.  So why is it so hard to trust.

We live in a world of cold hard facts.  If you cannot see it, touch it, heart, smell it, it doesn't exist.  Facing a mountain of bills or troubles of any kind we think how can God possibly help me.  We think we can do it better ourselves.  We think I have been hurt before, why would God help me now.  We feel rejection from the world and associate it with God rejecting us.

When we believe this we are so far from the truth that we cannot comprehend the truth.  The simple answer but so hard to do is turn to God and trust.  Turn to the Scriptures for answers.  Go to God in prayer.  I often ask God to help me with my  unbelief.  I ask for help to over come my doubts.  When I find it hard to trust God I force myself to stop and take a step back.  I have to say God this is beyond me and I can only trust You.  I can't count the number of times I fail.  God is loving, kind, and merciful...  We can trust Him...

Without Love

Scripture:

1 Corinthians 13

John 14:15-21

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Love, it is so common yet so foreign.  How many of us can say we are kind, that we do not envy, nor boast, not proud.  How many of us can say we do not dishonor others or not self seeking.  What about never failing, who can say that they never fail?  Sure at some point in time everyone can claim these things.  We succeed, we are kind, we honor others.  However, we cannot claim them all and we cannot claim them all the time.

Everyone who believes in Christ receives spiritual gifts.  For some those gifts might be teaching, giving, compassion.  Everyone's spiritual gift is different.  However, we are all called to love as Christ has loved.  Without love our spiritual gifts are nothing.  Without love our offerings and service to God are meaningless.  

So why is it so hard to love at times?  Why do we struggle with love?  My thought is that we are self seeking and self serving.  Because of this when someone wrongs us we find it hard to show love and compassion.  When we are looking within it becomes all about me.  We  lose site of love.  When we focus on Christ we can show Christ-like love.  When it seems impossible to show love I find it helps to remind myself that Jesus Loves them.  If Jesus loves them and accepts them as they are who am I to do any different...

Gifts & Submission

Scripture:

2 Corinthians 5:6-8

James 4:1-10

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Why is it that we have trouble submitting to the will of God?  What is it that makes us think we can do better. James 4:7 "Submit yourselves, then to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."  There are times it seems that the world comes crashing down on me.  In these moments I find I am trying to do it my way on my own.  I do not submit to God's will but struggle with my own will.  Satan seems to grab hold and not let go.  

I find that things in my life work out far better when I submit to God's will and allow Him control.  I look back at all the so called unanswered prayers in my life and see God's hand at work.  Had God given me exactly what I asked for when I asked for it my life would have been filled with even more disasters.  I look back and see God's answer to those prayers.  I think what a blessing God gave me and I didn't even see it.

All we have to do is submit to His will.  It isn't an easy task, I struggle with it daily.  Everything we ask for in His name while seeking His will will be answered.  God wants to bless us and He want's to give us all our desires.  Most parents want to give their kids everything they ask for.  We however can see a bigger picture than they do.  Sometimes we withhold a gift from our children for their own sakes.  Sometimes even if they don't see it we say no because in the end they are better off with the no.  Sometimes we give even before they ask it.  How much more does God do for us?  How much more does He love us? 

Who Needs The Instructions

Scripture:
Joshua 1:1-9
1 John 5:1-13

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OK, why is it that most men do not read the instructions?  I will sit down to assemble a new toy or something we purchased without reading the instructions.  It almost always gets messed up in the process and I get frustrated.

After Nancy and I got married we purchased a gas grill.  We sat down together to assemble it.  She read the instructions pointing out what I needed to do. I did most of the physical labor.  We managed to fairly quickly and accurately assemble the grill.

Our lives and spiritual growth require instructions.  We get those instructions through the Bible.  Joshua is told by God to continuously meditate on God's law.  The reason for this was for him to be able to do everything written in it.  We also need to read the scriptures continuously in order to know God's word and be able to decipher His will.  By diving deep in God's word we will keep him close to our hearts.  I started reading a book by Gary Smalley, Change your Heart Change Your Live,  and in it he talks about what we keep in our hearts.  What is in the heart is what we think, believe, and act on.  By continuously reading God's word it will form in our hearts.  Once in our hearts we will live it out.

We are not supposed to do this all alone though.  Just as Nancy and I worked to assemble the grill we are to help one another spiritually.  She is my helper and I hers.  Another source of help and encouragement is our small group at InDepth in church.  I also have a small circle of friends who give encouragement, advice, and prayers from time to time.  They allow me to dump on them and they offer unconditional love and friendship.  God didn't mean for us to be alone.  Not only is He with us always He also gave us each other...

Me Great, Naw...

Scripture:
2 Chronicles 26:3-19
Colossians 2:13-14

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One thing I never want to get away from is giving God credit.  There have been a few times after giving a devotional or sermon when someone would come up and say you did a good job, or that was a really good sermon.  As they gave me praise I would shift the focus from me to God.  I knew that what I said wasn't me but God through me.  I could never say anything profound or theologically great.  Even these thoughts I share are insights that God has given me.  I always pray before writing a devotional or sermon for God to give me the words to speak.  I even pray for the words to write in these emails & blog posts.

For years I have been a computer technician or systems analyst.  I have had a successful career in the I.T. field.  However, my success and abilities are not my own.  God has given me the knowledge and skills.  He is the one not me that is able to accomplish all that I do.  I try to pray every morning for God to give me wisdom and the knowledge I need for that day.

The days I fail, or feel a total failure, are the days I forget to include God.  Those are the times when I say "I did it..."  If you look at our Biblical greats they all made monumental accomplishments only because, and when, they fully trusted and relied on God.  Just to name a few examples are Moses, King David, and King Uzziah.  Each were great and did great things, but only when they turned to God.  Their greatness came because they were faithful to God.

Let us all remember that it isn't because we can do it.  It is all because God works in and through us...

Comfort...

Scripture:
2 Corinthians 1:3-7
Isaiah 26:2-4

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I remember years ago I had my own computer business.  Things had been shaky at best almost all the time.  That year I went to a Promise Keepers event with a few church members and our pastor.  During one of the breaks I was feeling rather depressed and frustrated.  I had walked outside with one particular person in the group.  We had sat down together to eat our lunches.  During this time we started to talk.  I ended up pouring out my heart and soul to him.  He sat and listened and didn't judge.  He offered friendship and comfort.  Since then him and his wife have become dear and close friends of ours.  They are adopted grandparents to our children, who love them dearly.  The influence, support and love they give has been the comfort we have needed from time to time over the years.  God definitely blessed me when He brought Oz into my life.

As the years pass by I look back and see all that we have been through.  Nancy and I have been more sympathetic to those who have struggled financially.  All of us have had financial woes.  Some of those woes are our own fault and some we have had no control over.  Regardless of the reason we still need support, understanding, and love. 

God brought Oz and his wife to us when we needed them.  He recently brought another friend  into my life that has listened to my constant complaints and woes without judgment or criticism.  I am very grateful and thankful to God that He has blessed me with Oz and Rich.  As I go through life I only hope and pray that I too can be that comfort and friendship to someone else in need...

Stress And Comfort

Scripture:
Psalm 46:1-11
Psalm 91

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It seems that today people are stressed more than usual.  I know for us this last week as been a rather rough one.  Nancy not only dealt with home-schooling the kids but added company and two sick puppies to the list.  Facing vet bills and extreme puppy care was more than enough to put all of us over the top with stress.  The capstone of it all was the death of one of the puppies.  Even though we lost one of the puppies we felt some of the stress lift away.  Saddened by the loss and grateful to have had her we move on. 

Psalm 46:11 "The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah."  No matter what we are going through we know God is with us.  He is our strength and refuge.  Psalm 91:1 "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty."   God will give us strength, comfort, and all the help we need. 

As we were dealing with the puppies God sent two very special people to us.  They gave of their time, money, and love.  God sent them to us when we needed them most.  All we  have to do is wait upon the Lord and He will our refuge, our stronghold, our protector and provider.

God is merciful, loving, and caring.  He will be with us at all times.  He will send someone to us when we need them.  We just have to be open to Him and allow Him to work in our lives...

The Enemies Weakness...

 Scripture:
Acts 3:17-26
Ephesians 6:10-11

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When war leaders prepare for battle they assess the enemy.  Scouts go out and intelligence is gathered.  The goal is to find any and all weaknesses.  Inevitably in the movies you will hear the mentor or "master" teach their students that everyone and everything has a weakness.  Find the weakness and exploit it to win the battle.  Back in the 80's there was a TV show called Airwolf.  A helicopter that had no weakness or openings for attack.  It was suposedly completely bullet proof and able to withstand any attack.  However, there was one weakness.  That weakness was the opening for the in-flight refueling system.  Greek methology has Achilles.  He was all but indestructible.  Nothing could hurt him.  His only weakness was his heel. 

Every one looks for the weakness of their enemy.  Satan does the same to us.  He will look for and exploit our weaknesses.  We are told to wear the armor of God in order to be prepared.  God's armor covers and protects us completely unlike the helicopter in Airwolf or Achilles' heel there is no weakness in God or His armor.  However, we do not wear the armor completely or necessarily correctly.  We create the weakness that allows Satan to get through. 

God promises to refresh us.  Acts 3:19 "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,"  When we feel tired, weary, and ready to fall to the enemy all we have to do is turn our eyes upon God and allow Him to refresh us.  We will mount up as on eagle's wings and not grow weary.  When we get worn down we have to refocus on God and allow the Holy Spirit to wash us anew.  God will not forsake us, it is our own doing that separates us from God.  Jesus is waiting and willing to step between us and the enemy.  All we have to do is step aside and allow Him to be in control...