Today’s Thought “Sturdy v. Flimsy” G. Ward

Jeremiah 29

⁷ Seek the prosperity of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord in its behalf; for in its prosperity will be your prosperity.

The very term “God and Country” may be idolatrous. Why? Because it relies on mankind’s juxtaposition of loving both (*Matt.6:24), without significantly understanding as Israel endeavored being in a strange land (away from home – cf. Phil.3:20), we also exist temporarily in this place, praying for its leaders and well- being. It remains impossible to be devoted to both divine and worldly pursuits simultaneously and many American citizen’s downfall is/will be the exacerbation in celebrating “red, white and blue” while neglecting worship of Holy God’s precedent of Christ Sufficiency.

So, wave your flag, pledge allegiance, but know that if any propose Heaven as Home, territorial delight won’t exist and whereas Jesus taught us how to correlate to the Father, saying “pray then in this way - Our Father, who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven…”

 

Today’s Thought “Yeah, But…” G. Ward

Acts 1:6

So, when they had come together, they began asking Him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time that You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?”

To miss the point, won’t always indicate bad communication from another, but selfish desire from the hearer that absolutely won’t move from their own perspective.

Political ambition from these who walked with Christ, witnessing great miracles, along with perfect, exemplary character with unparalleled compassion and unrelenting efforts to seek and save the lost, to then see such brutal punishment of their Savior, including a tumultuous death on a cross, whereby HE died and would marvel at such exactness of all HE said (“in three days I’ll rise”) and thereafter they’d personally testify in seeing where they pierced HIM in HIS side, along with HIS nail scared hands and feet, to then ask a selfish question that would embrace a political conquest is absurd! Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected for our sins forgiven, along with granting eternal life (for any who’d follow HIM) and now we’re witnessing so many who propose knowing HIM, begging for political reprieve from earthen kings? That’s called idolatry (*Ex.20:1-5).

Father God, absolute dependence on You can be marginalized by such a view we’re afforded in seeing such exploits from the rich unto blatant disregard to every class of man. Yet, we look to Your Word that more sought to prepare us for such, in that this remains an age-old issue and whereas we’ve craved such a wealthy posture, even dreaming of things and money, our heads hang low in shame; asking Your regard onto contentment – that realizes that to be rich in grace with ongoing mercy from Holy God is extolling our Great Shepherd, whereby we’ll have no want. May You forever be praised, through Jesus, Amen.

 Today’s Thought “Need Another Outfit?” G. Ward

Jeremiah 17: 7 Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose trust is the Lord. 8 For he will be like a tree planted by the water That extends its roots by a stream, and does not fear when the heat comes; But its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought, nor cease to yield fruit.

There’s great uncertainty in the time of America and it’s unsettling. I want to encourage you today to not yield to speculation, but to gather more to the Truth of God’s Word. The way our Father establishes Himself in the earth won’t appear so different from what HE did in the Old Testament. Many would die along the way, along with suffering famine and loss of things, and whereas our Lord still called for faithfulness among those proposing to love Him existed then, He’s still proposing such a test now. These verses are a call to place confidence in God's reliability and strength rather than in oneself or others. We’ve become too acquainted with peace in this land. We’ve violated the Truth of His Word to settle for no less than fluffy stories about our Lord with guarantee of peace and safety, even while witnessing other nations He loves without clean drinking water and dying of diseases practically extinct from our society and so we pray:

Father God, You are said to love those You’ve created; even beyond the scope of this territory and we’ve grown calloused to our neighbor by failing to see that some are without and merely offer prayers and whereas giving it back to You is unfaithful, particularly since You said faith without works is useless, may our mindsets change in Your presence, where the divide we’ve proposed won’t indicate “whosoever will” from Your Truth – be overwhelmed, via more preparation in Your Word that won’t violate another day in doing what says, In Jesus Name, Amen.

 

Today’s Thought “Small Sin, Big Sin = SIN” G. Ward

1 Samuel 13: ¹³ But Samuel said to Saul, “You have acted foolishly! You have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you, for the Lord would now have established your kingdom over Israel forever. ¹⁴ But now your kingdom shall not endure. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has appointed him ruler over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.”

 

Believers have been afforded a most excellent conduit of forgiveness of sins – Jesus Christ (Ro.8:1, 33-39) and whereas HIS sacrifice for our sins is complete, we yet war with fleshy demand and if/when there’s committal to satisfy foolish desire – thereafter, true follow-ship of Christ WILL soon witness our repentance; for our truest desire wants to bless our Lord at all times. This in no way means a reverberation of such indiscretion won’t visit thereafter, yet, we are with certainty that our Savior won’t leave us (even while difficulties persist).

Our theme for today witnesses a heart more in tune to deception than understanding Holy God as Omnipresent (not limited by space or physical constraints) and after receiving marching orders, King Saul, without authority, sought re-writing the Almighty’s script (cf. Matt.7:21-23).

If one won’t hate the sin within, through habitually participating in sins of sorts (1 John 3:4-9), along with unsanctioned self-governance, they’ve become their own lord and forsake inheritance of the Kingdom of God (*Gal.5:16 -*21).

 

 Today’s Thought “Must Jesus Bear the Cross Alone?” G. Ward

Isaiah 55: ⁶ Seek the Lord while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near. ⁷ Let the wicked abandon his way, And the unrighteous person his thoughts; And let him return to the Lord, And He will have compassion on him, And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.

 

Grace from Holy God is mostly thought of solely from a New Testament view, because it involves Christ unparalleled sacrifice and whereas HE alone paid the sin debt for mankind that enabled true connection to the Almighty, entirely Holy; Christ bridging the gap requires our turning from sinfulness (i.e., repentance), that absolutely desires His lead in every way. Faith however, remains difficult; because there’s an incessant, natural inclination to lead ourselves, particularly in view of being given a brain that’s so creative, along with many perspectives - subject to change, yet adopted by many – until another purveyor of eloquence displaces the prior view (cf. Proverbs 14:12-16). On today, I want to express my praying for any who choose to read this:

 Father God, Your lovingkindness and patience is unmatched and whereas we know the Truth of Your Word says all fall short of Your glory, we keep pressing; knowing the light of Your Truth within - must never be extinguished by our spiritual apathy of time as short to prove we love You, along with Your Word. So, may our supplication this day, celebrate You hearing us, that will involve a proposed hurriedness unto Your commandments, that compels each of us to run to Your Great Shelter, while granting others gospel Truth, through Jesus, Amen.

 

 

Today’s Thought “Because HE’S Marvelous!” G. Ward

1 John 4:9 “By this the love of God was revealed in us, that God has sent His only Son into the world so that we may live through Him.”

The deity of Christ is a real standout here; particularly since this is God’s Holy Word, so many call on as absolute. To deny that Christ was in earth (through prophetic mission even – Isa.53:2-5, Micah 5:2-4), as God in the flesh (*John 1:1-3,14) is faithlessness (John 14:6) and to believe this unadulterated actuality (from our passage), yet walk without HIS attitude (1 John 2:6) also denies HIM and whereas some mindsets in defense will immediately seek to adjourn to some good qualities they possess, along with their personal benevolence onto others, marginalizes the grace HE gave and changes the meaning of the most significant, unchanging pardon of sins provided. Absolutely no words in concert with that Great Sacrifice, can extol HIM as entirely sufficient (i.e., requiring no additional works from mere man), yet TODAY is given to offer re-direction; for HIS love continues.

 

Today’s Thought “Trouble in My Way…” G. Ward

Psalm 118: ⁵ From my distress I called upon the Lord; The Lord answered me and put me in an open space. ⁶ The Lord is for me; I will not fear; What can man do to me?

Being in dire straits is the issue and whereas that condition won’t always involve finance, but can include any “crisis of belief” (i.e., where deeply held convictions about God – war against a fleshly demand for immediate reprieve), may those who follow Christ persevere in righteousness imputed.

 The great crowds at Christ’s Triumphal Entry (into Jerusalem on a donkey) would chant portions of this psalm (v.25), declaring “Hosanna” (pleas for salvation) and whereas hundreds of thousands would chant “Blessed is the one who comes in the Name of the Lord” so happily that day, less than 5 days later would witness many shouting “Crucify HIM!”

When/if the kinds of tight spaces compel us to an un-spiritual, reactionary response, may it cause us to remember the reverberation to our sinful insistence can often deliver us unto even more troubles. Instead, and worthy for adoption is, “those who wait for the Lord, Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.”