SEPARATE MEANS DIFFERENT

SEPARATE MEANS DIFFERENT!

2 Cor 6:14-18

14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

           Christian separation is a controversial issue. Endless hours can be spent just trying to identify terms. Strangely, Christian separation seems only to be controversial among Christians. The non-Christian world seems to understand, albeit grudgingly, that becoming a believer necessarily makes one different. Why then are Christians so divided on this issue?

           The dictionary definition of the common word “different” is: “unlike in nature and quality; distinct; special.” This compliments the original intent of the word “separate” in our text. The Greek word aphorizo means: “to set off by boundary; to limit; to exclude.” The world seems to understand, and even accept, that there are certain things a real Christian does not do. Perhaps that is why one can order a “Shirley Temple” instead of an alcoholic mixed drink. The drinking world, in that regard, has made allowances for us. Why are Christians so unclear on the issue?

           The problem seems to be the tension between individualism and community; or rather conformity. God intended for believers to be conformed to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29). This is part of the transforming process and is the end result of everything “working out” as is stated in verse 28. We are warned not to be conformed to this world but to be transformed by renewing our mind (Romans 12:2). The idea is that we constantly compare our thoughts with the revealed thoughts of God and bring them into agreement. The world understands and allows this. Why is it so offensive to believers?

           The culture seeks to change our mind by applying pressure from without. Subtly, slowly, the culture challenges our exclusiveness and seeks our conformity. The Holy Spirit seeks to transform, literally to transfigure, us from within. The result is tension and conflict. This is why Jesus said that He would set family members against one another (Luke 12:51-53). The whole Christian community feels this tension.

           The prodigal left the father’s farm because it was so uncomfortably structured and restricting to his desire for individualism and liberty. The father never thought that transforming the farm into a tavern would make his son stay or return home sooner. No, home was “different” from the riotous culture that had swallowed the son. In the end the son needed a place that was so different from his world that it provided a refuge. This is still the challenge of the church. Christianity is not “cool.”

Dear Lord, help me to be decidedly different without being odd. Help me to be a refuge to those who have been bruised. AMEN

THERE IS NO FREE RIDE

THERE IS NO FREE RIDE!

Rom 6:20-22

20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.

21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.

22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

           Subtle differences make the two words “free” very different indeed. In the Greek, the first “free” is the word eleutheros and means “to go at pleasure.” The second “free” is eleutheroo which is a similar but different word and means “exempt from moral, ceremonial, or mortal liability.”

           The New Testament was written to a culture in which slavery was common. Paul dealt with the social problems relating to how a slave and a slave owner should treat one another if both became believers in Christ. It is easy to imagine that a once rebellious slave might become docile and a once harsh owner might become kind. Knowing Jesus makes such a difference.

           You need to know that your free ticket to heaven is not free at all. It was purchased by the sufferings of the Son of God. It was a horrible price that He willing paid because he saw value in you. Paul explained that, now that we have been made free from moral liability, we are free to serve Christ willingly.

1 Cor 6:20

20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

Thank you Lord, for paying a price I could not pay. AMEN

NOT MANY

NOT MANY!

1 Cor 1:26-29

26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:

29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.

• Not many wise sophos or clear.
• Not many mighty dunatos, powerful or capable.
• Not many noble eugenes, well born or high in rank.
• We might also add “not many rich.”
  
  
  There is a verse that seems to fit well here also.
  
  
  1 Tim 6:17
  17 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;
  
  
             I am not as wise as I would like to be and there has been too little time and money to gather diplomas and degrees for my wall. I am not particularly skilled in the tradesman’s arts and I was born of simple but hard working people who endured the Great Depression. I’m not rich. I belong to a band of simple, common believers in a great God.
  
  
             Have you ever wondered why God refuses to bless His children with all these things? Wouldn’t we be more effective in our witness and our work if we had great education and wisdom? Could we not be more influential if we were high born aristocrats? If we were rich the work could move along much more quickly than it does.
  
  
             Certainly God is able to give all these things to His children. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills and could surely spare one or two. He could lay bags of gold at the doors of believers if He wanted to. He sent quails to feed the children of Israel in the wilderness – they ate so much that it came out their noses. Why does God keep us down, dumb and poor?
  
  
             God knows that our sinful nature could not handle great wisdom, station or wealth. We would become haughty, arrogant, proud and stingy. We would not thank Him for any of the blessings and would think of God as useless. We remain dependent upon His wisdom, His ability and His supplies because it is simply best. God does all things well.
  
  
  Prov 3:5-10
  5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
  6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
  7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
  8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.
  9 Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:
  10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.
  
  
  Dear Lord, I have you and that is enough. I thank you that a great store of wisdom and wealth is dispensed to me as I need them. Help me to be a good and thankful steward. AMEN

THE DOLDRUMS

THE DOLDRUMS!

Song 4:16

16 Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits.

           The doldrums is a colloquial expression derived from historical maritime usage, which refers to those parts of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans affected by the Intertropical Convergence Zone, a low-pressure area around the equator where the prevailing winds are calm. The doldrums are also noted for calm periods when the winds disappear altogether, trapping sail-powered boats for periods of days or weeks. The term appears to have arisen in the 18th century, when cross-equator sailing voyages became more common. The doldrums have been more than adequately described in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by the English poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge. (source Wikipedia)

Day after day, day after day,

We stuck, nor breath nor motion;

As idle as a painted ship

Upon a painted ocean.

Water, water, every where,

And all the boards did shrink;

Water, water, every where,

Nor any drop to drink.

           The early church was warned in Acts 1:4 not to venture out until they had received the “promise of the Father” which arrived in Acts 2 as a “rushing mighty wind!” The Holy Spirit brought everything that this new church would need to navigate the sea of change. They opened their sails to a powerful moving force.

           Oh, how many times have I been caught in the doldrums! Days and weeks go by and my vessel seems stuck in non-movement. Then the breath of the sweet Holy Spirit fills my sails and moves me forward. How refreshing are the breezes of God.

           If you’re stuck in the doldrums, let me encourage you not to give up. Wait on the Lord in prayer and ask for Him to send the Wind of the Holy Spirit into your life. I’m talking about spending some serious time in prayer. The disciples prayed and waited in one place until God answered. We need to do the same thing. Be prepared though. When that rushing, mighty wind blows into your life, God will take you farther than you ever dreamed possible.

Dear Holy Spirit, blow upon those who are stuck in the doldrums today. AMEN

WITH LAUGHTER AND SINGING

WITH LAUGHTER AND SINGING!

Ps 126:1-3

126 When the Lord  turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.

2 Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The Lord  hath done great things for them.

3 The Lord  hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.

           One of our young men has been dreading going to work for the last several days. The industry in which he works has seen a sharp downturn and co-workers have lost their jobs. He knew he was next in line for a lay off.

           Yesterday the boss called him in and said “there has been a change.” Instead of losing his job, our guy was given a promotion and a pay raise. Imagine the relief! Imagine the joy!

When Israel's rebellion became so great that the land itself was being defiled, God took them out of the land and sent them to Babylon for seventy years. Now they had been set free and they could not believe what was happening.

Why does God allow difficulty to come into our lives? It is either to show us who we are or to show us who God is. When we sin, God, after a patient waiting period, responds with chastisement. In our distress we learn who we have become and take steps to change. When God wants to reveal Himself to us He turns our mourning into laughter. We are then reminded of who God has always been.

Heb 13:20-21

20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,

21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

May the God of all mercy and grace turn your sorrow into laughter and singing. AMEN

GOD NEVER PUNTS

GOD NEVER PUNTS!

Ps 91:1-2

91:1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

2 I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

When I first became pastor of my current church the secretary had a small item on top of her file cabinet which read simply “God Never Panics!” I will never forget misreading it for the very first time as “God Never PUNTS!” When you think about it, it still makes good sense. If God had a football team there would be no punts!

Panic is the result of challenges that are greater than our store of resources. We come up against a force too strong to deal with and we run away. This happens often with men but never with God. He has an unlimited supply of options at His disposal. His strength is unmatched.

Secret Place! The idea from the Hebrew word is simply a “cover,” hiding place or disguise. The idea of a “secret” place suggests an inner circle of those initiated into a choice brotherhood. It is a place for insiders, for those who are intimately acquainted with “the Most High.” It is a place of acceptance no matter how diverse may be the individual members of this secret society. They have status. They are granted entrance and protection.

Shadow of the Almighty! The Hebrew is Shadday (shad-dah'-ee) and springs from one of the names of God, El Shaddai. Shaddai itself occurs forty-eight times in the Old Testament and is translated "almighty." The other word so like it, and from which we believe it to be derived, occurs twenty-four times and is translated "breast." As connected with the word breast, the title Shaddai signifies one who nourishes, supplies, satisfies. The Egyptian goddess Isis was clustered over with breasts because all things are sustained or nourished by the earth or nature." The same was true of the idol of the Ephesians’ goddess Diana in Acts 19, for Diana signified nature and the world with all its products.

(from Names of God, Copyright 1944 by The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago.)

Perhaps that is too much information for this early in the morning but the idea is that God is quite capable of satisfying the needs of His people! The Almighty is all-mighty.

Dear Lord, I know I can hide in your secret place today. I am a member of a beloved band and have access to the “hideout.” I know also that I have no need that can’t be met by your rich supply. Let there be no panic today. AMEN

NO CRISIS TOO LARGE

NO CRISIS TOO LARGE!

Jer 32:17-18

17 Ah Lord God! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:

18 Thou shewest lovingkindness unto thousands, and recompensest the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them: the Great, the Mighty God, the LORD of hosts, is his name.

Luke 1:37

37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.

          Nine times in the New Testament we find the word “impossible” and usually it means “un-doable.” Only once does Jesus use the word when it means “implausible” when he says that is impossible [not likely] but that offenses will come. (Luke 17:1)

          In Genesis God tells Sarah that she will have a child. She complains that she is too old but God explains that nothing is too hard for Him. In Luke 1:37 Mary is told that she will have a child but she complains that she is too young! She has not had any sexual contact with a man. Sarah was not too old. Mary was not too young and the circumstances were not too hard for God.

          Why does God allow us to come up against so many impossible situations? Over and over in Exodus we see the phrase “that ye may know.” God needed to prove himself to a doubting people. He brought them to hunger and then provided bread. He allowed them to thirst and then produced water from a rock. He brought them to the brink of certain destruction and then parted the waters for them to cross.

          Paul and Silas found themselves in the dungeon with their feet held fast in the stocks. It was impossible, or at least implausible, that they would be freed so they did the only thing they could do. They made the best of a bad situation. One looked to the other and said: “Let’s sing!” God did the rest.

          As a young boy I remember singing a little chorus in church that went something like this…

Got any rivers – you think are un-crossable?

God any mountains – you can’t tunnel through?

God specializes in things thought – impossible!

And He can do – what – no other power can do!

Almighty God, when we have done all we can do without success, let us simply sing and trust you. AMEN

CHURCH IS FAMILY

CHURCH IS FAMILY!

Eph 3:14-16

14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,

16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man.

           God is our Father, Christ is our elder brother and the Holy Spirit dwells inside us. Every believer, whether in heaven or in earth, is a brother or sister. We are saved by the precious blood of Christ and so we are blood kin. Like most families, we don’t always agree but we are always family.

           Within the family there is the comfort of being yourself without any pretense. To reside without makeup; to walk barefoot; are some of the comforts of home. We enjoy the blessing of mutual love and familiarity. At the end of the day we drag ourselves from the rigors and stresses of daily life and we rush home where we can reconnect with family. This is what every local church should provide.

Dr. Charles Stanley said: “Taking church lightly, and attending sporadically, is ingratitude toward the One who put us in a family. It's akin to refusing to show up for family reunions because we have other things that are more important.”

Dear Lord, thank you for my local church “home” and my brothers and sisters who gather there. AMEN

LOVING GOD AND OTHERS

LOVING GOD AND OTHERS!

Matt 22:37-40

37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

38 This is the first and great commandment.

39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

           This response from Jesus was prompted by a question from a lawyer. A lawyer is interested in the law so he asks which of the many laws on the books was the most important.

“This was not a new question, for the scribes had been debating it for centuries. They had documented 613 commandments in the Law, 248 positive and 365 negative. No person could ever hope to know and fully obey all of these commandments. So, to make it easier, the experts divided the commandments into "heavy" (important) and "light" (unimportant). A person could major on the "heavy commandments" and not worry about the trivial ones.” (from The Bible Exposition Commentary. Copyright ©  Used by permission.) Jesus answers the question simply but keeping the two imperial laws would be anything but simple.

Love God supremely! Jesus includes every part of man in the act of loving. We are to love Him with our heart, soul, and mind. The heart includes all our thoughts and feelings. The soul is the Greek word psuche and literally means breath. It refers to our spirit. The mind is dianoia and refers to deep thought. It includes imagination and understanding. By this time most of us have failed test number one.

Love your neighbor as yourself. Neighbor is from the Greek plesion and the root is pelas which literally means nearby. It is hard to love someone in any meaningful way who is not close by. I have friends scattered around the country and throughout the world. I love them but I can’t give any practical expression to that love because they are distant. I have a very dear friend who is now buried beneath an eastern blizzard. I can’t love him by helping him shovel his walkway.

As thyself! This makes the impossible even more so. It makes love very personal and even more practical. The common activities of hygiene I do for myself every day. Would you perform these duties for a friend if needed? Would you comb their hair or brush their teeth? How about a sponge bath? Would you select food and feed it to them? “As thyself” covers a lot of territory!

Dear Lord, let me engage all my parts in loving you and help me to allow myself to be inconvenienced in loving and serving others. AMEN

DEATH BE NOT PROUD

DEATH BE NOT PROUD!

1 Cor 15:53-57

53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

           Today we bury another pastor friend; a giant of the faith! He died but is not dead. He lives on in that land promised by our Lord when He said: “I go to prepare a place for you.” Poet, John Donne, lived a long time ago and wrote the poem below. It serves as a reminder to us all.

DEATH BE NOT PROUD

John Donne (1572–1631)

Death be not proud, though some have called thee

Mighty and dreadfull, for, thou art not so,

For, those, whom thou think’st, thou dost overthrow,

Die not, poore death, nor yet canst thou kill me.

From rest and sleepe, which but thy pictures bee,

Much pleasure, then from thee, much more must flow,

And soonest our best men with thee doe goe,

Rest of their bones, and soules deliverie.

Thou art slave to Fate, Chance, kings, and desperate men,

And dost with poyson, warre, and sicknesse dwell,

And poppie, or charmes can make us sleepe as well,

And better then thy stroake; why swell’st thou then;

One short sleepe past, wee wake eternally,

And death shall be no more; death, thou shalt die.

Dear Lord, help me to remember in times of grief that death has been vanquished on thy cross. AMEN

MISUNDERSTANDINGS

MISUNDERSTANDINGS!

Prov 18:19

19 A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.

           Misunderstandings happen – all too frequently. Our methods of communication have changed and the most modern technology does not adequately transmit the nuances of facial expression and vocal tone. Body language cannot be observed in a hastily typed LOL.

           It may be overly simplistic but the Bible tells us to avoid misunderstandings by loving one another. “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another Rom 12:10. Understanding one another – even if we understand that we disagree – is easier if we love one another.

           Jesus said: “It is impossible but that offences will come” Luke 17:1 but when misunderstandings happen we are urged to deal with it quickly before it escalates. “Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison Matt 5:25.

Dear Lord, help me not to be offensive today – nor touchy! AMEN

AMAZING LOVE

AMAZING LOVE!

John 13:1

13 Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.

           It was love that made Him leave the hallowed halls of heaven and squeeze himself into humanity as a baby. It was love that submitted to the humiliation of barnyard accommodations. Love caused Him to increase in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.

           When, at the age of twelve, He debated the scholars in the Temple, it was love that caused him to suspend His father’s business and work in his earthly father’s business. Every stick of carpentry was fashioned in love. Every errand done for his mother was done in love.

           It was love that submitted to the baptism of John because it fulfilled all righteousness. Love healed the sick, made the blind to see, the lame to walk, and the dead to breathe again. Love sent him into the wilderness alone to fast, pray, and to be tempted of the devil. Love made him triumph over temptation.

           Love made him wash Judas’ feet when He knew that Judas would betray him. Love made him patient with Simon Peter when he would have refused the washing of feet.

           Love made Him sweat great drops of blood in the garden of prayer. Love caused him to bend down and pick up the ear that Peter had severed from an enemy and replace it as good as new. It was love that received the kiss of Judas.

           Love nailed Him to the cross and love raised Him on the third day. Love fashioned the promise that he would go to prepare a place for us and then come again and receive us unto himself that where He is we may be also.

How deep the Father's love for us?
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure?

How great the pain of searing loss?
The Father turned His face away
As wounds which mar the Chosen One
Bring many sons to glory

Dear Lord of love, thank you for loving one such as I am. AMEN

LEAVING A GODLY LEGACY

LEAVING A GODLY LEGACY!

Josh 24:13-15

13 And I have given you a land for which ye did not labour, and cities which ye built not, and ye dwell in them; of the vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat.

14 Now therefore fear the Lord , and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord .

15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord , choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord .

Merriam Webster defines legacy as: “something transmitted by or received from an ancestor or predecessor or from the past.” Traditions are passed from generation to generation. Joshua had received a legacy from his leader, Moses. After Moses’ death he was given the challenge of leading the nation of Israel into the Promised Land. In taking up that challenge, he left a legacy of firm resolve.

On Friday I hope to attend the funeral of the second great preacher that has died this year. Both left a vast legacy of godliness that continues to influence men and women for good. I, and others, look around and wonder who will take up their weighty mantles of leadership. I pray that I may not weaken the legacy through dissipation.

The devotional question is this: “What legacy am I leaving?” How will I be remembered and what will be my lasting influence? We live in a generation that loathes to ask such questions. Such questions are morose and our current climate is one of exuberant abandon. Yet the question lingers in the air like the scent of roses on a grave.

Serving God in sincerity and truth can only result from a free and willing allegiance of the heart. This is precisely what Joshua invites, as Moses had done before him.

Deut 30:15

15 See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil.

Dear Lord, let me live my life so as to influence future generations for godliness. AMEN

IS THAT YOUR FINAL ANSWER

IS THAT YOUR FINAL ANSWER?

Jer 20:8-9

8 For since I spake, I cried out, I cried violence and spoil; because the word of the Lord  was made a reproach unto me, and a derision, daily.

9 Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.

           Jeremiah’s burden was heavy because it was not well received by those that heard it. The word “derision” indicates that the prophet was made a laughing stock. This burden was so heavy that Jeremiah decided to resign his prophetic office and return to his home.

           When the servants of God find themselves in trouble because they've been faithful in ministry, they're often tempted to question their call and reconsider their vocation. It is as dangerous to refuse to go when called, as it is to run without a call. When a messenger suppresses the message it begins to torture him from inside. Many have abandoned opportunities to quit because they didn’t want the heartburn.

           Jesus gave His servants adequate warning in John 15:20 when He said: The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

Dear Lord, there are wounded soldiers that need encouragement today. Help them as they reenlist. AMEN

DO YOU WANT TO

DO YOU WANT TO?

Ps 37:4-5

4 Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

5 Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

           I was reading a novel last night and, retired but fidgety, Father Tim was presented with an opportunity to return to his former parish. It was exciting and sounded perfect but, after a few days of prayer and seeking guidance, his adopted son asked a simple question: “Do you want to?” Suddenly he realized that he did not want to. Some decisions are as simple as that.

           Some today are weighing major life changes. They have been presented with either challenges or opportunities. I have learned through the years that every challenge is an opportunity and every opportunity has challenges. Sometimes it comes down to “Do you want to?” Three caveats are present in the above verses and we should mention them in order.

           Delight thyself in the Lord! Warren Wiersbe says, if we truly delight in the Lord, then the chief desire of our heart will be to know Him better so we can delight in Him even more, and the Lord will satisfy that desire! This is not a promise for people who want "things," but for those who want more of God in their lives. Simply put, God pays attention to those with whom He has deep connection and affection.

           Commit thy way unto the Lord! The verb means "to roll off your bur-den" (1 Peter 5:7). Let God carry your concerns. Let God choose your career path, your life partner, and the direction of your life. His wisdom is far above our own. His strength never fades.

           Trust also in Him! The idea is to “be silent and still.” God speaks in whispers and there is so much clamor in our life we need solitude and silence to hear Him. Meditation is a lost art and even church services have become loud and assaulting to our ears and mind.

           When you pray, understand that God knows your heart and wants to give you your heart’s desire if your delight is in Him. Commit your cares, concerns, and path to God. Trust Him! He is already at work bring it to pass.

Dear Lord, let me delight myself in Thee, commit my way to you, and trust you completely. Then I will be given the desires of my heart – even if I do not clearly understand what those desires are. AMEN

WATCHING IN PRAYER

WATCHING IN PRAYER!

Matt 26:37-38

37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.

38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.

Mark 14:37-38

37 And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour?

38 Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.

           The word “watch” in both these scriptures is the Greek word gregoreuo which means “to be vigilant and awake.” The word sounds like our English word “gregarious” which means “fond of company; sociable.” It is clear that Jesus wanted company while he was praying.

When about to experience great suffering, most people want to have someone with them, to help share the burden. Often in my pastoral ministry, I have sat with people at the hospital, waiting for the surgeon to come with a report. Being perfectly human, Jesus wanted companionship as He faced the cross, and He selected Peter, James, and John.

Paul expressed a desire to enter into league with Jesus in His suffering in Philippians 3:10. He said: “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.”

Is there anyone you might “watch” with while they suffer today? Does a weakened brother or sister need you to be vigilant in prayer on their behalf? Do they just need companionship? Think about it and then provide the ministry of your presence.

Dear Lord help me to be a watcher and a companion to those who are afflicted today. AMEN