Month: May 2023

Green Pasture Mirage

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““He makes me to lie down in green pastures,” Psalm 23:2

In the heat and cold of desert climates light rays actually bend to create an image that is not really there, called a mirage. A mountain can look like a castle, or a rock formation can look like an oasis of trees. So, what do we do when the green pastures that the 23rd Psalm talks about appear to be a mirage in our lives? God, our Good Shepherd, puts us in a pasture that doesn’t appear to be green at all. Those times when life is in turmoil, or relationships are on the rocks, or finances are in peril. And yet, in those times, the Lord says, “lie down,

Trust Me, I’ve Got This!” 

As you read the 23rd Psalm realize that green pastures are a promise, not a proposal! I can say that because the very first verse of the 23rd Psalm says, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” In other words, God is all you need, no matter what life throws at you. Put another way, it doesn’t matter what the landscape looks like to you because God is way ahead of you. If He says the pasture is green, it’s green, or will turn green soon enough! Trust Him!

Help

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“The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us.” Romans 8:26

Jesus said, “My peace I give to you, not as the world gives.” He understood as well as anyone our pain, our struggle, our hurt, our trials, our everything. Sometimes we feel like we pray until there are just no more words to say. At that point the words simply won’t come anymore and we feel a little lost. Where do I go from here?

When The Words Won’t Come, Reach Up

Say “Jesus, I trust You.” He’s right there, even when we have no idea what to pray, or how to pray, and even when we feel like we’ve lost faith. There is an old Hymn that says, “I’m Leaning on the Everlasting Arms, safe and secure from all alarms.” Sometimes, you just need to lean in and reach to Him for help.

Shall We Dance?

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“David danced before the Lord with all his might.” 2 Samuel 6:14

We don’t leap and dance before the Lord enough in life! King David did it, why don’t we? I’ve been to Superbowls and World Series and have seen more passion and excitement for sports teams than I have for God in church services.

God Created Joy, Laughter, and Dance For a Reason!

With all that God has given to us, why not send a little joy filled passion back in His direction. Put on your dancing shoes. “Let’s Dance!”

Victory

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“For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.” Deuteronomy 20:4

Webster’s says that victory is the “mastery or success in a struggle or endeavor against odds or difficulties”. What I have found is that God is the very definition of Victory. Hand to Him your challenges and He will solve them for you. The fascinating thing for me is to watch how He does it. I can think of twenty ways that God can solve my problems and sometimes He does what just what I think He will do, and other times, the answer comes right out of the blue. But one thing I know for sure, one of three things will happen: God will remove the problem; Or, alter the problem to make it manageable because He has a bigger lesson in mind; Or, God will change me. Whatever victory needs to looks like, victory will come.

Our Job Is To Trust God.

Our God has promised to go before us. 1 John 5:4 likely says it best, saying, “For whosoever is born of God overcomes the world”.

The Path

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“Now the Lord had said to Abraham, “Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you.” Genesis 12:1

We love the familiar, and the comfort it seems to bring. Yet so many times throughout scripture God allows just enough “uncomfortableness” into our lives to get our attention and cause us to move in a direction He has planned for us. If left to our own choices we’ll usually take the easy road rather than the difficult one, all too quickly forgetting that

No Matter Where God Asks Us To Go, He Goes Before Us.

God says to Abraham, pack up, it’s time to move. He said to Moses, “I’m sending you to Pharaoh”. Jesus says to His friends that He had just met, “follow Me”. In each instance, God went with them, carried them, protected them, provided for them, and yes blessed them. The God of the Bible is the same God today. Turn to Him and say, “here I am Lord, send me”. You will be amazed at the incredible path He lays down for you to follow.

Green Eggs & Ham

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“Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.” John 14:23

In the famed Dr. Seuss’ story, “Green Eggs & Ham”, the main character has decided, even before he has tried them, that he does not like green eggs and ham, nor the the Sam I Am character who is offering them to him. When you think about it, that sounds like us!

We Dismiss Before We Try

Why not give the life Jesus wants for you a try. You may end up like the Seuss character, who in the end finds himself admitting, “Say, I do like green eggs and ham. I do like them, Sam I Am.”

No Doubt

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“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” Jesus replied, “Come”. Matthew 14:28

As Peter sat in his fishing boat he saw Jesus walking toward Him on the sea. In seeing this miracle unfold, for a brief moment, Peter had mountain moving faith by saying to Jesus, tell me to come to you and I will walk on the water just like you. Jesus said, bring it on, so Peter did, and for a few steps, actually walked upon the water. Then, his doubts set in. You know the ones, those nagging doubts that say to us “this is not possible”. Of course, we also know that once they start the doubts grow louder between the ears to the point where he actually started to sink. Jesus then reached out to save Him. There are two interesting lessons in this story. For the first lesson let me borrow from Shakespeare who once said,

“Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt.”

Yes doubt is our cruelest of adversaries, often crippling us before we even start. Jesus said it best, saying, “If you only had faith and did not doubt you could say to this mountain move and it would move”. The second lesson is also powerful. In our doubt, Jesus still saves. Jesus did not let Peter dip beneath the water, He reached out his hand and pulled him up. He will do the same for you. Why not lose the doubt. Even in your worst case scenario Jesus is still there to catch you.

Ride Into Your Future

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“I have set before you life and death; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live.” Deuteronomy 30:19-20

In the 2011 Jon Favreau directed film, “Cowboys and Aliens” A cowboy recounts to an old preacher the rough life he’d lived and the bad choices he’d made, to which the wise old preacher replied,

“God Doesn’t Care Where You’ve Been, He Only Cares Where You’re Going”

With Jesus, your past is just that, in the past. You can make sure it stays there by choosing life today. Your future is what’s important and it can truly be a gift from God. This brand new future can start today.

Mustard Seed Faith

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Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree” Matthew 13:31

The mustard seed is so tiny, yet with a magnificent tree locked inside. Jesus uses this tiniest of seeds to illustrate a powerful point. If you plant even the smallest amount of faith in your heart, that faith will grow beyond what you could ever imagine. To further illustrate this Jesus says in Matthew 17 that “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you”.

Little Faith Can Yield Incredible Results

Sprinkle a little faith into your life. You have literally nothing to lose and absolutely everything to gain.

“You Are Mine”

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God says, “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. You are precious in my sight and I love you.” Isaiah 43:1 and 4

We walk through life believing what our friends say we are, or what our enemies say we are, or what the media says we are, or what we decide that we are. Why not look at yourself from a different vantage point.

Who Does God Say We Are?

After all, does it matter what anyone else thinks? Who does God say I am? Scripture says each of us are beautiful and wonderfully made. That we are His handiwork. That we are His children. That we are Royalty. And in Isaiah 43 God says He has redeemed us and called us by name, that we are His, and precious in His sight. Don’t believe the lie that you are unseen, or uncared for. God knows exactly who you are for He made you, and He loves you beyond your comprehension! Look up.