Mercy and Compassion

Lamentations 3:22-23 (ESV)

22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;

    his mercies never come to an end;

23 they are new every morning;

    great is your faithfulness.

There’s a verse in the Bible that talks about God’s mercies being “new every morning” (Lamentations 3:23, NIV). The word “mercy” here is the Hebrew word rachum, which means “to actively show compassion.” So this verse means that every morning, God actively shows compassion toward us.

The first believers used to teach that every night our soul goes back to God to be given wisdom and be close to its Creator ... and then God returns it every morning so we can begin a new day. While this is a great picture of God’s compassion toward us, I know some of us find it hard to start a new day because we still carry the troubles of the previous day and don’t feel we deserve God’s compassion. Sometimes we feel like the bad things that happened in your past will overwhelm you in the day ahead. There is an appropriate way to use your story, not as an excuse but as a testimony to God’s ability to free you from your past.” That is God’s mercy and compassion!

As the sun rises in the morning, may you be aware of God’s tangible compassion and mercy toward you.

Dear Lord, we pray that as the sun rises in the morning that we will see Your compassion and mercy that You show to us everyday. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Nothing more nothing less

Micah 6:8 (ESV)

He has told you, O man, what is good;

    and what does the Lord require of you

but to do justice, and to love kindness,

    and to walk humbly with your God?

Have you ever been humbled by nature? Have you ever walked through a field of tulips or watched a sunset and been reminded of how incredibly awesome God is and how small you are by comparison? It’s humbling. The Hebrew word avanah is what we translate as “humility,” but the literal definition of avanah is to occupy your God-given space in the world—not to overestimate yourself or your abilities, and to not underestimate them either.

We live in a world of likes, retweets, followers, fans, and favorites, and it’s easy to determine our self-worth based on how many—or how few—of these we have. Even many of our national leaders model a lifestyle based on belittling people with different views while bragging about themselves.

What if, just for today, you resolved to simply serve others by taking up the space God has given you to occupy? Nothing more, nothing less.

Dear Lord, help us to occupy the space that You have given to us. Help us to do what You have planned for us to do and not try and do more than You planned. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

My spiritual birthday

John 1:12 (ESV)

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.

50 years ago today I was adopted into God's family. On March 9, 1969 after Sunday school was over, I stayed to talk to my teacher Mrs. Rose. She explained to me how Jesus died on a cross and rose from the dead 3 days later. It was then that I put my faith in Jesus.

As Christians, we are privileged to have two birthdays–the day that we were born physically, and the day that we were born spiritually. Over the years, I have found that our spiritual birth is actually God inspired and ordained.

We cannot come to God unless He draws us to Himself. God, being merciful, sent His Son to die for each and every man and woman—no matter how bad, sinful, or unholy that person might appear to be.

Still, just like our physical birth, our spiritual birth (our salvation), is a gift from God for which we can take no credit. Whilst the two days might differ, whenever you choose to celebrate the latter, it is certainly something that you should be thankful for everyday, and more so on that special birthday.

I pray that as you are reading this you also have the special day you celebrate the gift of salvation, the gift that only God can give. 

This gift has transformed me into a masterpiece—God’s masterpiece—I was created anew in the Christ Jesus. This enables and empowers me to do those things that I was destined to do—to fulfill my purpose.

If you would like to hear more about how you can receive that same gift I did please send me a message.  I would be thrilled to share with you how you can receive that gift today.  If you already have received that gift I would love to hear your testimony. 

Dear Lord, thank You for the greatest gift ever—the gift of salvation—which you gave to us individually on our spiritual birthday. I thank You for Mrs Rose taking the time to show a 7-year-old little boy how he could receive the gift of salvation. Help us to share that gift to those around us today.  Thank you, Lord. In the Name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

Surviving Difficult Times

Jeremiah 17:7-8 (ESV)

7 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,

    whose trust is the Lord.

8 He is like a tree planted by water,

    that sends out its roots by the stream,

and does not fear when heat comes,

    for its leaves remain green,

and is not anxious in the year of drought,

    for it does not cease to bear fruit.”

The acacia tree grows in the desert of Israel. This tree has been designed by God to survive decades of intense heat and drought. It can survive tough circumstances because it has a deep root system to sustain it during the hardest of times. Even during a time of drought, this tree is still able to bless local residents by providing shade during the day and wood for fire at night.

This is the tree the prophet Jeremiah had in mind when he wrote, “Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream” (Jeremiah 17:7-8, NIV). God has specifically designed the acacia to survive difficult times, and He has designed you to be like the acacia—to survive the harshest of circumstances and bless others through hard times. But this only happens when the foundations of your faith are deep.

Are you going through a tough time today? Are you in the middle of a drought? God wants you to develop deep-rooted trust and faith in Him—not just to survive your own circumstances, but to also bless others around you with your confidence in God.

Dear Lord, we pray that we would work on our faith, We pray that our faith would be so strong and rooted in You that during the down times our faith would shine to those around us. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Clarity is important

1 Corinthians 10:23-31 (ESV)

23 “All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. 24 Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. 25 Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 26 For “the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof.” 27 If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 28 But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience— 29 I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be determined by someone else's conscience? 30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks? 31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Clarity is important.  When my boys were growing up I regularly give them some ‘opportunities’ to help me with around the house to give them ‘exposure’ to what it’s like to be an adult.  Mainly, I try to encourage them to see a problem and then fix it. To get the result I want I have to be very clear with the direction that I gave approaching each problem.  

Fasting also requires clarity – a well-defined thing we’re going to fast from and a pre-determined time we’re going to spend fasting.  For your digital fast you need to figure out exactly what forms of technology you’re going to break from.  I’d encourage you to think about the things that currently occupy a lot of your time and tie up your attention. Maybe it’s your social media apps, Netflix…you decide.  Then determine your parameters and the length of time you plan to fast. If this is your first digital fast, start with an hour or two a day (I’m going to shut my phone off from 6-8:00 pm or I’ll leave my phone in my room during meal times, for example). If you really want to “go big” try fasting from all your technology for a 24-hour period.

1 Corinthians 10 reminds us that good things (like technology) aren’t always good for us.  Read this passage today and think about what “good things” in your life you need to take a break from so they don’t eventually hurt you (or those around you)!

Dear Lord, I pray that we would take the time to look at the things that are taking up our time. Help us to put You first in all things that we do. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Digital Fast

Matthew 6:16-18 (ESV)

16 “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Something to consider is embarking on a “digital fast”.  Don’t worry about starting today –take a few days and consider what a digital fast might be like.  Explore your heart and needs and readiness.

Are you growing painfully aware of how attached you are to technology? 

  

If you are going to attempt a “digital fast” your fast needs a purpose – and holy motivator.  Today, take some time to write down why you are considering unplugging and what you hope to gain from your fasting experience.  When staying unplugged gets hard it will help to remember why you started. 

Dear Lord, guide us as we search our heart to see if You would have us to fast our digital devices. If that is what we decide help us to do it for the right reason. In the Name of Jesus, amen.

Fasting

Daniel 1:8-20 (ESV)

8 But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself. 9 And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs, 10 and the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who assigned your food and your drink; for why should he see that you were in worse condition than the youths who are of your own age? So you would endanger my head with the king.” 11 Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had assigned over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12 “Test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then let our appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the king's food be observed by you, and deal with your servants according to what you see.” 14 So he listened to them in this matter, and tested them for ten days. 15 At the end of ten days it was seen that they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the king's food. 16 So the steward took away their food and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables. 17 As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. 18 At the end of the time, when the king had commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. 19 And the king spoke with them, and among all of them none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they stood before the king. 20 And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom.

Fasting is a practice of giving up something you love, or something you depend on, for a period of time so that you can prioritize your relationship with God.

Fasting is a way of saying, “God, I love you more than anything else in my life. I don’t want to be wrapped up in anything else.  I want my life to come from You and You alone, and because of that I’m going to abstain from _________, to remind myself that I need to depend on you and refocus on our relationship.”

We can fast from anything - food, media, technology.  Probably best if it isn’t homework, showering or chores!  Most often people choose to fast from foods, especially during the season of Lent. Sometimes a food fast is for a specific amount of time from all food or meals – other times is can be foregoing specific kinds of food for a period of time.  But what’s most important about a fast is NOT what’s being abstained from and more the heart behind what’s motivating the fast.  We don’t fast from food to lose weight, and we shouldn’t fast just because other people are doing it.  A fast isn’t truly a fast when it’s not driven by a personal desire to grow closer to God.  Without that motivation, fasting is nothing more than a poorly planned (and often poorly executed) diet.

Daniel 1 tells a great story about some guys that fasted as a way of proving that God’s ideas were better than their king’s (a guy named Nebuchadnezzar). Read this story today and notice how God blessed these guys for the approach they took to a difficult situation.

Disclaimer: This story should show the mentality we should have when we fast. Fasting from certain things won’t make you bigger, better, faster, or stronger.  We fast so that God can be made greater in our lives, and that’s exactly what happens in today’s passage!

Dear Lord, we pray that we would strive to make You greater in our life.  When we fast help us to do it because out heart wants to not because those around us are doing it. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.