He is watching... in a good way...

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? (Matthew 6)
Life in a fallen world... It can be... wearisome and worrysome.  You can sit there on your branch tired, hungry, looking around and wondering which way to go, where to find what you need, and who to trust.  Look up, through the trees, and see Who is watching you.  His eyes and His heart at watching out for you...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ku2RUdcku_w

Rejoicing over and over again...

18 May your fountain be blessed,
    and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.
(Proverbs 5:18)
Solomon is not saying to just enjoy your wife when you are young. The thrust of the verb is to keep on enjoying her year after year, never ceasing to find joy in her.  Today I rejoice in celebrating another birthday of the wife of my youth.  Thankful for a lifetime of love with my beautiful bride...
https://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=9MFBFFNU

The Day When...

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” 5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. 7 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. (Revelation 21)

Looking ahead.  Sometimes, in the hustle and bustle of life, it's hard to do. And if we are to live this life on earth as God intends, we cannot just have our heads "stuck in the clouds", missing what He has for us here. Yet, there is a balance of living in the now and knowing this is not our final home.  Anticipation can keep us moving forward through each day.  May we walk through today savoring each experience God has for us, yet keeping our focus on that day when we will all do things right, everyone will treat each other right, and all things will be made right. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGAdaGbmfFs

The Days of Elijah

24 And he said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. 25 But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, 26 and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. 27 And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” 28 When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. 29 And they rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff. 30 But passing through their midst, he went away. (Luke 4)
What a phrase: the days of Elijah.  They are not "the good ole days". They were days when people - even those who were proclaiming to be the people of God, would not listen to Him.  They did the same thing to Jesus.  God does not stop speaking; He goes to those who will.  May we be among those who will: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ca9LnzJnpjQ

Even Though...

Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
(II Corinthians 12)
Paul's life was one of big ups and downs. He had the privilege of being Billy Graham in the big arena, starting churches, and leading many to Christ. He also had times of deep struggle and pain, with physical ailments, persecution and abuse, and the frustration of churches and their problems. But he learned what we all can and must - that even in the midst of these, God is to be trusted and praised. He will take us through the storm, not away from it; He will MAKE a way of escape, not TAKE us out of it.  May we learn to trust Him more today: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6fA35Ved-Y

Our Fortress

1 God is our refuge and strength,
    an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
    and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam
    and the mountains quake with their surging.

4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
    the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5 God is within her, she will not fall;
    God will help her at break of day.
6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
    he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

7 The Lord Almighty is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress.

(Psalm 46)

Where can we go? Where can we hide? Where can we find safety from the storms of life?  The LORD Almighty, He is our fortress in the time of trouble and trial. He cannot be shaken when we cannot be still.  He will boldly stand, when we want to run and hide.  He gives calm when we are fearful.  He is our rock, our fortress, our very help in time of trouble. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8M78bLEHow

Don't just chat... work

14 Keep reminding God’s people of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. 15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. 16 Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. (II Timothy 2)
It was bound to happen sometime. I woke up singing the AWANA theme song, taken from the passage above.  Study, work hard, do you best, to present yourself to God as one approved - one who does not need to be ashamed.  This is not works righteousness, but righteousness that works. It is doing instead of just chatting, serving instead of just singing about it, studying instead of just "letting it soak in."  There's a whole lot of "chatter" going on, and not much getting into and living by the Word of God, so let's change that, starting today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-qGMJtv6to

Swing on By...

11 As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. 12 Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore it in two. (II Kings 2)
Jealousy. That's the word. When we look back and see how Elijah went to glory, many of us are jealous - even envious - that he got to leave here in such a way. But then again, do we really want all the ups and downs he faced?  Often, in this "Beam me up, Lord" kind of world we want Him to take us "calm and easy", or at least for things here to be calm and easy while we wait.  The point is that Elijah, and Elisha after him, and many other faithful followers have endured much in this world, while remaining faithful. They have also had faith in God to take them how, when, and why He sees fit. They are ready to let Him swing on by in His chosen means of transportation... Trust Him. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W60XgUL1YX8

A Hymn of Praise

3 He put a new song in my mouth,
    a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord
    and put their trust in him.

4 Blessed is the one
    who trusts in the Lord,
who does not look to the proud,
    to those who turn aside to false gods.
5 Many, Lord my God,
    are the wonders you have done,
    the things you planned for us.
None can compare with you;
    were I to speak and tell of your deeds,    they would be too many to declare.

(Psalm 40)

The Psalmist had cried out to God from the miry pit, and asked Him to deliver (verses 1,2) He got more than he asked for. Not only did God deliver him; he was also able to see the big picture of all the things God had done - from creation to provision and salvation - and it was overwhelming. It put a new song, a hymn of praise in his heart and his mouth. May we seek God, and then step back today, and let the hymn of praise flow.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1lnk6sJiQo

A Desire for Power

7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3)
We live in a world of power-hungry people. They will go to any lengths and expense to control people, situations, and their own egos.  Sometimes we can be the same.  Paul tells us about seeking a different kind of power - the power of the resurrected Christ. We are to want it so bad we are willing to submit and to suffer to receive it. It seems like a strange path to take, but indeed it is the right path. It is the way to true power - not to wield over others, but one whereby we are controlled by the power of God to do what is best for us, for others, and for His will.  It is indeed the most awesome power we will find. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxH8Q8ue65o

He Reigns

8 God reigns over the nations;
    God is seated on his holy throne.
9 The nobles of the nations assemble
    as the people of the God of Abraham,
for the kings of the earth belong to God;
    he is greatly exalted.
(Psalm 47)
Often in the struggles of daily life, we forget the above truths: God is Holy and He reigns. May that truth work its way into our thoughts and hearts today to make a difference in how we see life and respond.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abMnEOthEeo

Devotion

2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. 3 And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. 4 Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. 5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. (Colossians 4)
The first description of the first believers in Acts is that "they devoted themselves..." They fully committed to a handful of activities and relationships that drew them closer to God through Christ.  Paul touches on them all in his letters, but the one who chooses here, and maybe most, is prayer. Prayer is the deepest sign of devotion to this relationship - spending time talking with God, surrendering ourselves to His will, seeking His guidance, sending up our prayers of thanksgiving and our pleas for mercy, forgiveness and grace. What does Devotion look like to you?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiR03lz0h7U

Not a Nobody

9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (I Peter 2)
Who am I? What am I doing? Does it really matter? Do I really matter? Those are questions most of us deal with - some on a daily basis, or more often.  As God's people, we already have the answers. We just tend to forget. We need to have a proper perspective. Then we can go on and be, and do, who and what God intends us to.  Remember who you are...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSIVjjY8Ou8

Getting it into our heads...

10 I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4)
Paul has just given one of the most quoted promises in scripture, about changing the way we think by dwelling on the character and blessings of God: his joy and peace. Paul learned joy and contentment in the struggles and trials of life, and wants us to know the same.  I guess God wants me to know it too, because this song, our song of Community this month, keeps ringing in my head this morning:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbmOKFkPPn8

Full Surrender

7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3)
There she goes again... the preacher's wife preaching to the preacher.  My wife played this song yesterday for offertory, then gave a testimony about it at our church picnic.  It presses the question Paul infers from the passage above. Have I surrendered all?  Is everything else garbage in comparision to Christ? Does He have first place? 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WZbHo7UVcw