Have you ever been to a “Candlelight Service?” The darkened room is changed by one lit candle. The light is then shared with another, then another.
Within a minute, the darkness is overcome by the light that continues to expand to transform the atmosphere into glorious!
Any description is shallow and flat, as a picture’s view of the ocean’s edge or a two-dimensional firework display.
To be present and witness the absence of light then the growing glow of illumination is like “seeing” Love with the eyes and all the senses.
Immediately, the heart is touched by the solution. “Yes, what the world needs now is Love.”
Child-like faith is ignited. Hearts melt. Eyes witness darkness to light. Hope shines in the atmosphere.
The true and living God is our only hope.
“Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light” Genesis 1:2,3.
God’s Word sparks faith. Faith is sight to God’s grace poured out in the light.
The voice of Jesus is heard in each open heart. Without a sound, only expanding light.
“Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God” Mark 10:27, NLT.
First, the darkness.
But one lit candle speaks: “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord,” Luke 2:11.
And the reminder:
But, “He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem” Isaiah 53:3.
Jesus suffered and died.
For me. He took all my sin, failure, and guilt on the cross and suffered my punishment.
But as light fills the room, the nature of God sings: “The LORD, the LORD God, is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion and faithfulness” Psalm 103:8.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” John 3:16.
The expanding light is as a voice we can hear, “I am the light of the world” John 8:12.
God’s Word is illuminated to all who are open to His Spirit, “He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen” Matthew 28:6.
The dark atmosphere transformed to light gives the opportunity and choice to respond,
“Yes, Lord, God. I receive Your light, Your love, Your grace, Your life. Your kingdom come into my life today. Take my hard, selfish heart and give me a new soft and tender heart. Transform me. I desperately need You!”
In Jesus’ name, our hope and light of the world.
Tonirypkema Bible Songs 1. Thanks, Irelyn and Graham!
“He saved me from my low estate, His loving-kindness, oh how great! Samuel Medley, 1782.
When temptations rise to be afraid or heavy-hearted under life’s weight, the hymns immediately change my mind.
After-all, doesn’t the Lord tell me, (and you), in His Word to, “Fix (y)our thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable” Philippians 4:8, NLT.
And furthermore, to “Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.“
The hymnal, (along with the Bible, of course), is a safe place to find excellent and praise-worthy thoughts:
He saw me ruined in the fall, Yet loved me notwithstanding all; He saved me from my lost estate, His loving-kindness, oh how great! Samuel Medley, Loving-Kindness, 1782.
To wake and imagine my sweet Lord, patting the seat next to Him on the sofa,”Come a sit by Me.” So, I sit to be with the Lover of my soul as I open the hymnal:
Awake, my soul, to joyful lays, And sing thy great Redeemer’s praise; He justly claims a song for me, His loving-kindness, oh, how free!
(In the back of our minds, do we have the report from the doctor, or that call on the phone, or the piece of mail that recently arrived?)
The Lord in my heart, is near. He’s right here. And He reminds me today from this hymn long ago:
Though num’rous hosts of mighty foes, Though earth and hell my way oppose, He safely leads my soul along, His loving-kindness, oh, how strong!
Loving-kindness, loving-kindness, His loving-kindness, oh, how strong!
The Comforter, the Holy Spirit speaks to me. He reminds me of a favorite psalm,
Why are you cast down, O my soul?And why are you disquieted within me?Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him Psalm 42:5.
When trouble like a gloomy cloud, Has gathered thick and thundered loud, He near my soul has always stood, His loving-kindness, oh, how good! Loving-kindness, loving-kindness, His loving-kindness, oh, how good!
God’s Word is living water refreshing my soul. Word-picture perfect, Psalm 42 reminds me, “God knows.”
As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God . . . My tears have been my food day and night,While they continually say to me,“Where is your God?” . . .
For I used to go with the multitude;I went with them to the house of God,With the voice of joy and praise, Psalm 42:1,3,4.
I will think on this today, “His loving-kindness, oh, how good:”
The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, And in the night His song shall be with me—A prayer to the God of my life . . .
Why are you cast down, O my soul?And why are you disquieted within me?Hope in God;For I shall yet praise Him,The help of my countenance and my God Psalm 42:8,11.
My eyes are up. My heart is tuned.
“He saved me from my lost estate, His loving-kindness, oh, how great!”
Awake, my soul, to joyful lays, And sing they great Redeemer’s praise; He justly claims a song for me, His loving-kindness, oh, how free!
His loving-kindness, oh, . . .
how free!
Revive us Oh Lord. We speak aloud Your Word:
“Sing, . . . Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes . . . Do not be afraid; you will not be put to shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth . . . Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you Isaiah 54:1-10.
Awake, my soul, to joyful lays, And sing they great Redeemer’s praise.
“His loving-kindness, oh, how great!”
Loving-Kindness by Samuel Medley, 1782:
Awake, my soul, to joyful lays, And sing thy great Redeemer’s praise; He justly claims a song for me, His loving-kindness, oh, how free! Loving-kindness, loving-kindness, His loving-kindness, oh, how free!
He saw me ruined in the fall, Yet loved me notwithstanding all; He saved me from my lost estate, His loving-kindness, oh, how great! Loving-kindness, loving-kindness, His loving-kindness, oh, how great!
Though num’rous hosts of mighty foes, Though earth and hell my way oppose, He safely leads my soul along, His loving-kindness, oh, how strong! Loving-kindness, loving-kindness, His loving-kindness, oh, how strong!
When trouble like a gloomy cloud, Has gathered thick and thundered loud, He near my soul has always stood, His loving-kindness, oh, how good! Loving-kindness, loving-kindness, His loving-kindness, oh, how good!
Soon I shall pass the gloomy vale, Soon all my mortal pow’rs must fail; Oh, may my last expiring breath His loving-kindness sing in death. Loving-kindness, loving-kindness, His loving-kindness sing in death.
Then let me mount and soar away To the bright world of endless day; And sing with raptures and surprise, His loving-kindness in the skies. Loving-kindness, loving-kindness, His loving-kindness in the skies.
“Seek the Lord while He may be found,
Call on Him while He is near . . . “Isaiah 55:6,7.
What’s the greatest miracle of them all? Jesus healed the blind, He opened deaf ears. Jesus turned water to wine. Crippled people could walk and jump. The dead became alive again.
Jesus is the resurrected Lord, but none of them match this:
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” Genesis 1:1.
There’s so many miracles in this very first verse of the entire Bible.
God is Creator of science. Here we have time, space, and matter. Let’s say it together: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” Genesis 1:1.
Do I believe this verse? To believe God is called “faith.”
Creator God, He’s all-knowing, all-powerful. God is love 1 John 4:8.
He gave us choice as one of His love-gifts. We can reject His Word or choose to believe and receive Him.
To love God is full of reward and promise to all who believe, (or have faith in Him).
We love rewards, don’t we? Guess what- when we draw near to God, and seek Him, He gives us eyes to see!
How do I know? The Bible tells us:
Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” John 11:40.
Faith to believe God is a glorious miracle.
When we believe, we are as a blind man who can see. We become as one deaf who can now hear.
All of us have been hurt in this life and may have sad hearts that limp, yet the Lord’s love and miracle of faith help us to heal. He gives us power to stand again and walk forward today in good thoughts of His love and help.
The Bible tells us: Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see Hebrews 11:1.
And when we believe, we get understanding,
By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen Hebrews 11:3, NLT.
The Spirit of God was hovering over the darkness of the empty earth, in the beginning, and God said,
Let there be light” and there was light Genesis 1:3. We’re not talking about the sun here. This is light energy. This is the spectrum of color light energy.
Yes, God said let there be a spectrum of color: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, and all the shades in between!
At night when we look out, everything is a tint of gray. But in the day, color!
Blue skies, green grass, lots of colors found in flowers, brown tree trunks.
O LORD, how manifold are you works! In wisdom you have made them all: the earth is full of your riches Psalm 104:24.
The Gospel Huddle:
God said, “Let there be light.” How about you? Do you believe God and His Word?
This is a first step. God doesn’t want us to be in the dark. He doesn’t want our world to feel gray and full of dark shadows.
We feel that way at times. We feel separated and far from God.
Put your arms out far apart.
Yes, this is how we are to God, separated. But do you see your arms stretched far? That’s what Jesus did for you because He loves you so much.
Jesus willingly allowed men to stretch His arms out wide on the cross, even though He didn’t deserve any punishment. (Jesus had no sin). He took our punishment of sin on Himself as He was nailed to a cross and died for you and me.
We all deserve punishment because we all have sin. Every single one human being on this planet.
Sin is anything we think, say, or do that goes against His Word to us.
The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord, Romans 6:23.
God wants us to see His great love gift-Jesus.
When we believe Him and receive His love, our eyes are opened. We see a whole spectrum of color for all things new. A life with Him, forever. In forgiveness and hope.
Perhaps the greatest miracle is God’s gift of faith to believe.
Talk to the Lord as you listen to God’s Word in song about faith in Him:
It’s Time to Seek the LORD Song: Hebrews 11:6, Isaiah 55: 6,8,9.
This Scripture Song invites your heart to seek the Lord.
“Listen to this message that the Lord has spoken,” the prophet Amos recorded for whosoever has ears to hear and eyes to see, “against you, O people of Israel—against the entire family I rescued from Egypt:
“Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction? Does a lion ever roar in a thicket without first finding a victim? Does a young lion growl in its den without first catching its prey? Does a bird ever get caught in a trap that has no bait? Does a trap spring shut when there’s nothing to catch? When the ram’s horn blows a warning, shouldn’t the people be alarmed? Does disaster come to a city unless the Lord has planned it?” Amos 3:3-6.
“That’s it,” many people shout in this present time, I refuse to believe in a God who is evil!”
Yet, Amos the prophet continues, Indeed, the Sovereign Lord never does anything until he reveals his plans to his servants the prophets. Amos 3:7.
The lion has roared— so who isn’t frightened? The Sovereign Lord has spoken— so who can refuse to proclaim his message? Announce this to the leaders of Philistia and to the great ones of Egypt: “Take your seats now on the hills around Samaria, and witness the chaos and oppression in Israel.
My people have forgotten how to do right,” says the Lord. “Their fortresses are filled with wealth taken by theft and violence. Therefore,” says the Sovereign Lord, “an enemy is coming! Amos 3:8-11.
Paul the apostle recorded in Romans 9:7-16 the common belief that God’s not fair. Are we curious to hear the Scriptures on this point?
Being descendants of Abraham doesn’t make them truly Abraham’s children. For the Scriptures say, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted,” though Abraham had other children, too.
This means that Abraham’s physical descendants are not necessarily children of God. Only the children of the promise are considered to be Abraham’s children.For God had promised, “I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”
This son was our ancestor Isaac. When he married Rebekah, she gave birth to twins. But before they were born, before they had done anything good or bad, she received a message from God. (This message shows that God chooses people according to his own purposes;
he calls people, but not according to their good or bad works.) She was told, “Your older son will serve your younger son.” In the words of the Scriptures, “I loved Jacob, but I rejected Esau.”
Are we saying, then, that God was unfair? Of course not! For God said to Moses,“I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.”So it is God who decides to show mercy. We can neither choose it nor work for it.
In our human cry for fairness, we are tempted to believe God is unfair. But Paul continues in Romans 9:18-23.
So you see, God chooses to show mercy to some, and he chooses to harden the hearts of others so they refuse to listen.
Well then, you might say, “Why does God blame people for not responding? Haven’t they simply done what he makes them do?”No, don’t say that. Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who created it, “Why have you made me like this?”
When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn’t he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into?
In the same way, even though God has the right to show his anger and his power, he is very patient with those on whom his anger falls, who are destined for destruction. He does this to make the riches of his glory shine even brighter on those to whom he shows mercy, who were prepared in advance for glory.
“God, give us hunger for the Word of God,” a daily prayer on our lips. For such a time as this, we must thirst for the Living Waters of God’s Word, continually praying for wisdom and understanding in His ways:
Concerning the Gentiles, God says in the prophecy of Hosea,“Those who were not my people, I will now call my people. And I will love those whom I did not love before.”
And,“Then, at the place where they were told,‘You are not my people,’there they will be called ‘children of the living God.’”
And concerning Israel, Isaiah the prophet cried out,“Though the people of Israel are as numerous as the sand of the seashore, only a remnant will be saved. Romans 9: 25-27.
The LORD is a gracious God, compassionate, slow to anger the Bible proclaims. We must turn from the words of man and hear the testimonies of God:
For the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth quickly and with finality.”
And Isaiah said the same thing in another place:“If the Lord of Heaven’s Armies had not spared a few of our children, we would have been wiped out like Sodom, destroyed like Gomorrah.”
What does all this mean? Even though the Gentiles were not trying to follow God’s standards, they were made right with God. And it was by faith that this took place.
But the people of Israel, who tried so hard to get right with God by keeping the law, never succeeded.
Why not? Because they were trying to get right with God by keeping the law instead of by trusting in him.
They stumbled over the great rock in their path. Romans 9:28-32.
Jesus is the rock of stumbling: “He is the stone that makes people stumble, the rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they do not obey God’s word, and so they meet the fate that was planned for them. 1 Peter 2:8.
We have choice. Will we choose Jesus?
Amos 4, consider. This is the Word of the Lord, NLT. Is it time to turn and trust in the Lord?
Listen to me, you fat cows living in Samaria, you women who oppress the poor and crush the needy, and who are always calling to your husbands, “Bring us another drink!” The Sovereign Lord has sworn this by his holiness: “The time will come when you will be led away with hooks in your noses. Amos 4:1,2. (This is how they treated their enemies).
Every last one of you will be dragged away like a fish on a hook! You will be led out through the ruins of the wall; you will be thrown from your fortresses,[b]” says the Lord.
“Go ahead and offer sacrifices to the idols at Bethel. Keep on disobeying at Gilgal. Offer sacrifices each morning, and bring your tithes every three days. Present your bread made with yeast as an offering of thanksgiving. Then give your extra voluntary offerings so you can brag about it everywhere! This is the kind of thing you Israelites love to do,” says the Sovereign Lord.
“I brought hunger to every city and famine to every town. But still you would not return to me,” says the Lord.
“I kept the rain from falling when your crops needed it the most. I sent rain on one town but withheld it from another. Rain fell on one field, while another field withered away. People staggered from town to town looking for water, but there was never enough. But still you would not return to me,” says the Lord.
“I struck your farms and vineyards with blight and mildew. Locusts devoured all your fig and olive trees. But still you would not return to me,” says the Lord.
“I sent plagues on you like the plagues I sent on Egypt long ago. I killed your young men in war and led all your horses away. The stench of death filled the air! But still you would not return to me,” says the Lord.
“I destroyed some of your cities, as I destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. Those of you who survived were like charred sticks pulled from a fire. But still you would not return to me,” says the Lord.
“Therefore, I will bring upon you all the disasters I have announced. Prepare to meet your God in judgment, you people of Israel!”
For the Lord is the one who shaped the mountains, stirs up the winds, and reveals his thoughts to mankind. He turns the light of dawn into darkness and treads on the heights of the earth. The Lord God of Heaven’s Armies is his name!
Can we hear the word “return?” Do we choose today in humility to return, to “repent” for the kingdom of heaven,
is.
at.
hand.
God is gracious to receive those who chose to believe in the Son He graciously gave to pay our debt in full on the cross at Calvary.
“Today, today . . . ” the Good Shepherd calls His sheep. Do we turn to Him? The choice is ours.
Have a wonderful day!” Greetings, blessings, and prayers for good health are a common occurrence and desire for most humans on this planet.
But God knows that we have greater need than present happiness.
Our greatest need in acquiring a deep fulfillment in this present day, this present life is . . . His presence.
Can we begin to live our life for an audience of one?
Is our main concern to find ourselves pleasing to the Lord?
What does that look like anyway?
The Bible tells us in Proverbs 16:7 that When people’s lives please the LORD, even their enemies are at peace with them.
How do we get inner health, heart and mind, and become pleasing to the LORD?
What does He require? Is it to “be kind” each day? Can we “be honest” in all things? None of us can be Holy and perfect, apart from believing on the work of Jesus on the cross.
Where is our help? No one is perfect.
Jesus, who is perfect says to us weary and broken-hearted,
“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” Matthew 11:28,29.
Who doesn’t want rest for their souls?
Have we heard lies about “those Christians” and let our attitude about their faults and failures keep us from a community of faith that will prove to lift up our heavy laden hearts?
Jesus knows every person on the entire planet misses the mark. None of us can get it right! But when we check out the stories of Jesus with an opened Bible, we learn, . . . He is the only righteous One.
Jesus spoke on a hill one day, when a great crowd of people gathered in one place.
We might live in a day where, “What’s good is bad,” but Jesus has the Words of life. He speaks to the broken-hearted turning things around for good bringing hope in every situation.
I’m sure in this multitude of people gathered there were all kinds of “sin-full” people present. Jesus knew they were all “sin-full” people. (We’re all sin-full people.) But He loved each one and He spoke about a new attitude, (Matthew 5, Amplified),
“Blessed [spiritually prosperous, happy, to be admired] are the poor in spirit[those devoid of spiritual arrogance, those who regard themselves as insignificant], for theirs is the kingdom of heaven [both now and forever].
The poor in spirit are those who might be feeling they have failed.
But when one turns to Jesus, he, she’s forgiven, . . . he, she’s washed, . . . In Him, He makes all things new, 2 Corinthians 5:17 reminds us this,
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
In Him, In Jesus, we’re blessed. Why? The multitude all gathered together heard it from His very own voice,
“Blessed [forgiven, refreshed by God’s grace] are those who mourn [over their sins and repent], for they will be comforted [when the burden of sin is lifted] Matthew 5:4, AMP.
Why do we listen to lies that He’s going to take all the good stuff away? Who doesn’t want to be new? Who will reject being comforted?
Many do.
But those who have ears to hear, the Bible says over and over, “Let him hear,” “Blessed [inwardly peaceful, spiritually secure, worthy of respect] are the gentle [the kind-hearted, the sweet-spirited, the self-controlled], for they will inherit the earth” Matthew 5:5, AMP.
And there are more blessings.
“Who was this Man on the hill speaking to the multitudes?”
He’s Savior to those who believe. But today, we must check our heart, are we believing?
Here, in Matthew 5 He’s a great teacher. In many Bible stories, He’s healer. He fed thousands. Jesus was good, but,
He won’t become Savior until we invite him in, for salvation, one time, for guidance, every minute . . .
“Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” John the Baptist proclaimed in John 1:29.
We all need washed. Only the blood of the Lamb cleanses.
If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth.
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from . . .
all sin 1 John 1:6,7.
John the Baptist prepared the people, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near” in Matthew 3:2.
Has the kingdom of heaven come near? Right now?
“Blessed [joyful, nourished by God’s goodness] are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness [those who actively seek right standing with God], for they will be [completely] satisfied” Matthew 5:6.
Satisfied, healthy, and joyful. Isn’t this the desire of our heart?
Jesus looks on us who turn to Him with grace and compassion. He is slow to anger. He is abounding in mercy:
“Blessed [content, sheltered by God’s promises] are the merciful, for they will receive mercy” Matthew 5: 7.
And Oh, how happy we can be in Him today.
“Jesus, we need You in our lives to direct and guide and keep us in Your way.
You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. (Ps.16:11), . . .
we believe in Jesus’ name. Amen”
Will we believe? Do we choose Jesus and abide in Him? What do you say?
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.
I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” John 15: 4,5.
Today I take time to look at creation, to be open to hear a Word that was spoken.
Not by men and their gathered thoughts, but by God sprinkled throughout His 66 Books.
Faith is the key, I must confess. We need faith to receive what the Bible does tell. But it takes faith in the wisdom of man to believe every word the public arena does sell.
We hear the world’s message loud and clear, but for the children’s sake, should we stop, and at least, take some time to hear?
What does the Bible say? Do we know? Will we be as a Berean back in ancient days? It is told they had open minds, to listen eagerly, and to search for answers day . . . after. . . day. (1)
Let’s open the Book and view the wonder of God’s love on display:
Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. John 1:3.
This living Book, The Bible was written for you and me, and for ever it will be. (2)
God understands the difficulty to trust and believe. He gives His Word and waits as we receive:
“But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell . . . ; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform . . . Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.” Job 12:7-10.
Oh, would it not be amazing to stop and ask our animal friends.
God is gentle, kind, patient, and true. His glorious creation is His daily gift to human-kind, the whole earth through.
You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created all things, and they exist because you created what you pleased, Revelation 4:11, this is the Master Artist’s creation.
Psalm 95:4-5,In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also. 5 The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.
God’s Word is Living. Ask Him. He gives grace to understand!
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Psalm 19:1. How vast is His expanse. How grand is His Hand. He deserves praise each day for the warmth of the sun.
God loves. He speaks each day through His creation.
How many are your works, Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures, Psalm 104:24.
Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth, John 17:17.
Is the Word not powerful and glorious? Ask God to reveal Himself and give you understanding!
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse, Romans 1:20.
These are seven Scriptures that gently speak of God the Creator of everything. Are we curious and hungry for more? The Bible has answers for more, and plenty!
Take time to follow God in His Word. He will give you peace. He is the LORD.
(1) And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth, Acts 17:11.
(2) Your word, LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens, Psalm 119:89.
A look out the window or a walk out the door and a word about creation can be simple as a breath. But what’s simple might not be easy, especially when it comes to talk about the Lord.
There are so many words that have evolved through time. Opinions, books, nature shows, and more, but there is a Word of power, life, and truth,
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth, (1) . . .
This Word is said to be living and able to transform death to life.
And today, for those who have faith, as we walk out the door, with young or with older, as we experience troubles and pressures on every side,
we can overcome darkness by speaking of the Light.
We can reveal or remind that in the beginning the earth was a formless mess. Empty and dark, told in the second verse of God’s Holy Book. God didn’t leave us alone in despair, in the same verse it continues,
and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. (2)
Good news was present in the dark, formless story. And the Spirit of God moves over our empty, dark hearts as well.
God is here. God was there. God’s Spirit is moving over the waters of our being, this moment, as well.
And God said, “Let there be light, and there was light.”(3)
God moves first. God’s Word of power changes things.
God saw that the light was good. (4)
Safety, peace, warmth, pleasure, and glory are given by God through His Word. “Let there be light.”
We agree with God when we say true Light is good.
And he separated the light from the darkness.(5)
God’s Word proclaims.
We need to know that we’re all separated from God. Each of us has a dark, empty, and cold heart.
We’re all selfish, insecure, and impatient, naturally.
The kids understand, they know, they see, how easy it is to want to hide, and fear, and want their own way. Adults might want to look the other way.
But we can share our story of beginnings, when our darkness of heart was touched by the Light.
No one can debate the story we have inside.
In the beginning, when we received God’s Word. Power was given. A new creation was born. God the giver of Light came to shine in our empty, formless life.
Jesus the Man took hold of my sin and the guilt all died, with Him. He breathed His last, on the cross. After three long nights, He rose again.
It’s time to share the stories to this generation today.
Many books could be written throughout the history of man, if each new creation in God told how he was touched by the Light, and it was no longer night.
God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day. (6)
Is your heart burning within you? Has darkness the guilt of night seen it’s final hour?
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world.Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12.
God has given His Son for you and me.
He who believes and receives Jesus today, becomes a new creation. Today can be — your very first day.
While it is day, join me in reminding others of the true Light?
In our fast-paced days in this culture, I hope to help us learn to change gears and bring in some whole-hearted conversations about God as we go along the way.
Many people understand and agree The Bible to be the Word of God. Making time to seek God in His word is a daily challenge. And talking about the things of God a whole other test.
We face hardship and brokenness,
but in this greatest of all stories, “along the way,” perhaps we can be strengthened to see Jesus, not in our heads, but 18 inches lower, in the retelling of it:
News stories are often the talk of town, but there is one that had everyone in town talking.
Two men left Jerusalem sad and weary after a prophet of dynamic works and word, blessed by God and all the people around, known as Jesus the Nazarene had been betrayed and sentenced to death. They were talking and a stranger joined them,
“What’s the conversation about?”
They had no clue it was Jesus. They didn’t recognize Him, so one of them answered,
“Are you the only one in Jerusalem who hasn’t heard what’s happened during the last few days?” (1)
“The One about to deliver Israel is dead. It’s been three days. And not only that, some women said they couldn’t find his body and they saw an angel that said, ‘he’s alive.'”
“And there were some friends that went and said they found it empty as the women did, but they didn’t see him.”
As they talked along the way, the stranger said to them,
“How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken!Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?”And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. (2)
Can you imagine a 5-7 mile walk with Jesus sharing Himself in all of the words of Moses and the Prophets? The Alpha and Omega speaking the stories himself.
But even greater is when they saw it was He:
As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther.But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. (3)
Let’s keep our eyes and ears open and may the Lord give us help to see Him as these two men did:
When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them.Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.(4)
We too, go along our way, not recognizing Jesus, but, as the bread is broken, God allows brokenness in our lives. It is then that our eyes are willing to see Jesus. Our hearts are opened to the blessings of God, far exceeding anything we can comprehend or attain on our own.
Children face times of discouragement and brokenness as well. How beautiful to retell this story where Jesus broke the bread and blessed it.
When we invite Jesus in to heal our broken state, He blesses us.
Our hearts begin to burn, and a hunger and thirst is kindled within us to know him more.
They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” (5)
Yes, our hearts burn, and we go to tell the story to anyone who has ears to hear, like these two men on their journey after Jesus had died.
They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled togetherand saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.”
Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread. (5)
Jesus is the broken bread. He’s been poured out for us. His blood on the cross is what allows for our healed lives.
Can you see Jesus break the bread and bless it?
His Word is our healing, peace, and rest. His Story is Love for all who ask.
We live in a fallen world.
But we’re not left orphans on this earth. But there are times when we feel like we are.
Jesus said, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you” John 14:18.
Perhaps, there was a young day, when the soil of the heart was soft and receiving, and the journey was abundant with blessing and joy, but
what happens through the the course of time when the clay soil overtakes the soft top ground, the cold scorches the life from the leaves, the wind of trouble choke joy all around.
Because of circumstances, temptations of doubt and fear blow in like a harsh blizzard. Hearts, grown dark and cold, think of Jesus, the Light of the world, that He’s some distance away, somewhere.
We think a-miss. We trust our feelings and heart. Then we separate from the Word, and begin to trust elsewhere.
And we look around, and the name of God’s Son, Jesus, is taken from every place. It’s not in the schools, in the towns, or the books children are allowed to read. It’s used as a curse, even on TV.
“Who’s Jesus? Why should I care what He says?”
The winter is long, hard, and cold, and we ask, “What’s happened to this place?”
Quite honestly, I have failed God often through unbelief, and lack of faith. And, there are people in my life who have witnessed failure at times in walking the faith I claim to have.
But there is not one day, that, even though I didn’t have a hold on God, He had a hold on me.
Yes, I believe!
There was a day, that I have written about before, when I thought I was going to die. But I didn’t. I was sick, outwardly afraid, and weak. I’m reminded of it often, but, again today because of a verse I read this morning:
“After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this” Revelation 1:4.
My eyes were closed, and I saw a door open. Out of all the things I could have possibly see, I saw the two scarred, but healed, hands of Jesus presented palms up before me. And the impression of the words from a favorite child’s book, “Not all know Me as their King.”
“Oh, I’ve heard this before,” you might be saying to yourself. Yes, perhaps, but today, I’m reminded of a question I was asked from Sunday’s message from church,
“What is living, to you?”
Quite honestly, through all that God has allowed for me to be part of, great treasure and riches in family and friends, great gifts, and joys, as well as deep, and excruciating loss and sadness, I would like to answer the pastor,
“to live is Christ.”
Yes, as in the Book of Philippians, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” Philippians 1:21.
I feel the light enter my heart at the very proclamation.
He knows every little thing about us. Even before we were born, the Bible says God knew:
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart;” Jeremiah 1:5.
Do I believe God? Yes, the choice is mine. I choose right now, with each minute of time, to believe God’s Word to illuminate and vitalize my mind.
God knows my name. He knows yours too. He has a plan for each of us. He is Almighty God, and He is good.
The Bible proclaims that God sees us now. He knew what went on yesterday, and He knows our tomorrow as well:
“You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely” Psalm 139:2-4.
The number of our days is already written in a book: “My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them!” Psalm 139:15-17.
Am I living to live long? Is the purpose of my life my family? my job? serving in the church?
What is all this living for anyway? Who am I believing to show me the way?
Do I believe God?
I guess the main issue, when it all comes down to it, is, God is God. Whether we believe Him or not.
I don’t need to worry what this one thinks or that, for that matter, but I must be concerned about God’s heart and thoughts. Do I believe?
He’s like the Polar Express coming at some point in our lives, and the door opens, and He calls, “All Aboard.”
He gives every single human being a call at some time or another. I believe every house is visited.
He’s big enough when we don’t believe.
Yes, He is. He let’s us be.
But today, I will proclaim Him, and best I can, receive His great love, which is beyond my understanding. And I pray to the God of the Universe, that He help those who believe to be like little samples of His grace.
Hey, the Express is here,
“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me” Revelation 3:20.
Let’s choose Jesus, the Christ today. The journey northward to heaven will be directed by the Conductor. He’s got the plan all written down.
“To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne” Revelation 3:21.
Amen. God help our unbelief. We’re taking the big step to forever, with God at the helm.
The horse precedes the cart. Does it not? If it’s to move forward it must.
Am I guilty of putting the cart before the horse? Am I am guilty of lifting my hands in praise to my God, yet often forgetting to remember He is Holy. He is Just.
Have I forgotten?
He knows every thought in my heart.
Do I come through God’s doors seeking blessing and peace?
And yet expect perfection from others, not trusting, making lists of their wrongs, and then come to praise God, lift my hands. What is it I seek?
“Our Father who is in Heaven, Hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
Do I even come close to understand the words I’m saying?
“Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven our debtors.”
We all have debts, we all have debtors. God knows this world is hard and painful, but He breathed out His letters.
“As we haveforgiven our debtors.” This is the method Jesus instructed we pray. How sharp, and at the same time grace-full; instruction and warning yet, “always believing.” This the Lord’s, (not man’s) way. “Help my perceiving.”
I have forgiven. I have spent time in prayer. God knows I have, but then, am I being tempted that I haven’t?
The battle is great, my constitution weak:
And do not lead us into temptation but deliver us from evil.” (1)
I won’t for a minute longer try to celebrate the joy of the Lord, until I have first come, asking mercy, with a heart ready for surgery from His Word.
I come to the cross. Drawing near to God. He laid down His life. He took all my sin—my ugliness, my strife.
I must not worry about what others think, I must first come to Jesus, and be willing to hear Him speak.
Tempted to run, but right here I’ll stay. Today must be a day of atonement for me. To be at-one-with-God. To know Him and His love and His compassionate, gracious way.
So I look up atonement, and let God’s Word (and Spurgeon’s Devotional Bible on Leviticus 23), speak.
Thetenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. Hold a sacred assembly and deny yourselves, and present an offering made to the LORD . . .
A time to be sorry for sin. For looking . . . in.
But then on the same page, in the same chapter and all, is a feast, a celebration, a joyous time. I continue to read in Spurgeon’s Devotional,
“So beginning with the fifteenth day of the seventh month, after you have gathered the crops of the land, celebrate the festival to the LORD for seven days; . . . On the first day you are to take choice fruit from the trees, and palm fronds, leafy branches . . . and rejoice before the LORD your God for seven days.“
Sorrow for sin is the “horse” so to speak. The horse must precede the cart, or nothing gets moving.
Sorrow for sin is the hallway I must go through, before I enter the room of atonement. “If sin is sweet to my tastebuds and life, I will miss completely at-one-ment with Christ.”
The horse precedes the cart. This is the only way to move forward. This day of mourning and sadness for sin, leads on to gladsome feast and in the Lord, great rejoicing.
No work of mine. Not one thing I can do. Jesus did the work for me. And He paid it in full . . . for you.
We’ve all been broken. We’ve all fallen. We so often miss the mark. But He’s risen and alive!
The day of atonement must come first. But then the joy of the Lord will move the cart.
Daily let us come to the cross and seek His grace. Receiving and believing, this moment, then . . . we wash the tears from our face.
Spurgeon’s Devotional Bible brought insight for this blog. Feb. 24—Evening, Leviticus XXIII.
(1) Matthew 6:9-13
The Author of life. An eye for design, has gained pleasure with color,sound, shape, and line.
But His greatest joy, I believe I have learned, is when we choose to believe, receive and love Him back in return.
Then a song develops deep in our heart, and abiding in Him, strengthened by Him, joy returns with each day’s new start.
He’s a gift giver, our Father in heaven, reaches out His great hand. He sees, He knows, He is able … and He waits … ’till we reach out to Him.
If we don’t, we won’t see – that our Father in heaven sent Jesus to save us and the Holy Spirit of promise to keep, comfort, and help us.
The gift of God is gloriously expressed in heavenly sunsets, and sunrises. He is the Master Artist, the Author of life, and patient as He waits … for us to call Him beside us.
He’s the Creator of all that we see. He is Great. He is God. And we all have a choice. To live in the Spirit in fellowship with Him, or walk away from Him and follow the lead of our own voice.
Freedom to choose. God, the greatest gift giver. Freedom to love. When we choose Jesus, we bring God complete pleasure.
Revelation 3:20, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”
John 1:12, Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—
Every living human being on this planet is guilty. Go ahead and blame Adam and Eve, but we would have done the same thing if we were them.
We’re naturally rebellious. We all struggle with temptation and curiosity. Doesn’t the wisdom of the world always sound like it makes more sense than God’s Word?
Science and scholars convince themselves (and everyone else) that the Bible is only mythology and fables.
But, what we believe doesn’t change who God is, His story, or His Word.
The Bible tells us that Jesus died for liars.
He died for haters.
He died for adulterers and murderers.
Jesus faced nails hammered into His hands, the agony, ridicule, and shame of the cross for the hopeless.
I wonder if our denying Him hurts more than all His scars put together? The spit, the tearing out of His beard. The harsh words, the cruel behavior, the flogging, the whipping.
He didn’t say, “Forget it Father, these people aren’t worth dying for.”
Instead, when it was all said and done, moments before dying, Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing . . . ” Luke 23:34.
Who can do this?
Jesus.
The human race is born spiritually blind and mute. Faith is the eye opener.
Do you know Jesus? Let an old hymn unlock Faith’s door:
I hear the Savior say, Thy strength indeed is small, child of weakness Watch and Pray- find in Me – thine all in all.
Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain He washed it white as snow!
He washed our stain of sin, white as snow. That’s why we make a big deal about Jesus. His power changes us when we ask forgiveness and believe in His name.
Lord, now indeed I find Thy pow’r and Thine alone, Can change the leper’s spots And melt the heart of stone.
A heart of stone made soft? Change from the inside out?
That’s what Jesus does. And He humbles us of pride:
For nothing good have I Where-by Thy grace to claim; I’ll wash my garments white In the blood of Calv’ry’s Lamb.
Nothing good on my part, save believing on all He has done.
Jesus paid it all. He suffers long and waits. And when we receive Him, life everlasting is ours for the taking:
And when, before the throne, I stand in Him complete, “Jesus died my soul to save,” My lips shall still repeat.
