Today’s Thought “Foundational Lessons” G. Ward

 

Proverbs 1: ⁸ Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction, and do not ignore your mother’s teaching; ⁹ For they are a graceful wreath for your head and necklaces for your neck.

 

Whereas there was the outstanding commercial primarily shown at Christmas featuring “Jeffrey the Giraffe” of the Toyz R Us stores, that witnessed children joyfully singing, “I don’t want to grow up, I’m a Toyz R Us kid” we can glean from it a timeless truth that ought to apply to every believer’s desire to remain in the grip of grace our Almighty King provides. For to be regarded as a “child of God” (John 1:12-13) demands our highest praise. Earthen fathers have lent providing for their children unto adulthood, but our Heavenly Father keeps providing without regard to our leaving HIS house. So, may we sing Jeffrey’s song, enjoying every moment of perfect coverage, while proclaiming HIS sufficiency to provide what is essential for life, strength, and faithfulness. May we be reminded that there’s strength in our weakness, for it understands we were made to be frail, so our total dependence would be on Holy God. God's power shines brightest when human strength, health, or emotional endurance runs out. Weakness is not failure; it is the space where God's active help takes over.

 

Father God, we thank You for abiding with us, despite our wavering soul’s demand to live on our own. We know every self-imposed act as doomed for failure, while knowing to follow Your precepts deliver joy and peace; as we are comforted by Your presence, even when the flames of life’s journey become overwhelmingly hot, we’ll still cry out our God is great and greatly to be praised. May this day given proclaim that, so others are remarkably interested to hear of a Savior interested in having a love relationship with them also. In Jesus Name, Amen.

 

Today’s Thought “Through the Good or Bad” G. Ward

 

Psalm 150:6, Everything that has breath shall praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!

 

There’s a universal summons demanded from Holy God’s judicious court that says every living creature praise HIM. Psalm 150 is the Final Doxology of all psalms culminating the litany of issue written expressly by at least 7 named authors or groups, with roughly 50 additional psalms remaining anonymous. Their troubles and triumphs were comparable to ours and whereas God’s resolve was their peace in the similitude of Jeremiah’s expansion of God’s word, “Call to Me and I will answer you” has now become our opportunity. Every breath a person or creature draws is a direct gift from God, making praise the natural and proper response. To praise HIM means giving God the honor, glory, and reverence HE deserves, placing Him above all other things or people and whereas Psalm 150 invites all to even put music to it, that won’t mean at every occasion, but understands the invitational regard from some, may witness those all around incited to do the same.

 

Father God, You alone are worthy of all our praise, so may this day more consider Your perfect peace than our trials and may our endurance rise to extend greater kindness through patience, overwhelming our judgment, by extending the same mercy You allowed us, that our light within would magnificently shine, to invite others in echoing, How Great is Our God! In Jesus Name, Amen.

 

Today’s Thought “TRIED and TRUE” G. Ward

 

Isaiah 43:11-12, “I, only I, am the Lord, And there is no savior besides Me. It is I who have declared and saved and proclaimed, And there was no strange god among you; So you are My witnesses,” declares the Lord, “And I am God.”

 

To be clear: Whereas Sarah would call Abraham, lord, upon hearing she’d be with child at such a late age and would say he too was far too old, she wouldn’t be irreverent, or blasphemous of Holy God’s title in the same, but would merely honor her husband’s lead. Our theme confirms such when the Almighty insists all would know that “no savior” exists besides Himself. The scriptures are holy, inspired by God and whereas believers are called to study its intricate prose, any doing so will note that outside of the many names of God that may witness some being called lord, or declare themselves as a savior, those words won’t be capitalized. So, we’ll need our Lord’s declaration to be sure in our hearing. Our God wants all (believers and unbelievers) to know, HE alone is SOLE Maker of Heaven and Earth; calling for those HE made to utterly reject any dependence on foreign gods or human alliances. His track record of rescuing Israel and us, serves as direct observation for Israel and believers now, that HE remains the God unable to lie; assuring those who’ll place their trust in HIM of a greatest presence that won’t fail.

 

Almighty God, Your record is considerably perfect and more valuable than all the silver and gold. So, following Your commands is becoming easier in every day provided. We’ll never let go of Your unchanging hand, even when troubles overwhelm our souls; for then, we have immediate need to be comforted and You generously keep providing. This access to You is granted by the ONLY Wise Savior that is beside You. So, we thank You for a mighty rescue in HIS Name, Amen.

 

Today’s Thought “Promises of Prosperity – Without Repentance…” G. Ward

 

2 Peter 2: ¹⁷ These are springs without water and mists driven by a storm, for whom the black darkness has been reserved. 

 

This chapter opens with a thunderous warning concerning the messages of false teachers (cf. Ac.17:11). Thereafter, we’re given various examples of some who perverted consequences of habitual sin; even believing in an unsubstantiated pardon from Holy God without their repentance and whereas the Apostle Peter would record the Almighty’s unchanging judgment, these practitioners of mediocrity were more assured of eternal condemnation.

Wells or springs that look promising from a distance, but are completely dry - from our theme, describes a false messenger’s notion of freedom. Instead, each one proclaiming Christ as Savior, must spew righteousness from their entire beings and allow the Spirit’s transformation onto endurance; otherwise, what one thinks and says, remain futile attempts to gain intimacy with Holy God.

 

Father God, Your day presented allows greatest celebration to know we’ve been redeemed and should compel us to examine our lives against our Exemplar Leader-Jesus and determine, there’s no greater posture to consider. May we, Your learners, decide that what we know as worthy to teach and throw those struggling through indecision, truest resolution in/through Jesus, Amen.

 

Today’s Thought “Community Activism” G. Ward

 

Romans 12: ²⁰ “But if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.”

 

This enemy spoken of indicates any who oppose your conviction concerning something or someone and whereas its base is primarily conditional and whereas we were once enemies of the cross, to witness our Lord’s grace (i.e., unconditional), despite our hostility to be changed, another’s lack should uncover a believer’s hospitality that renders basic care – regardless to whether their change of heart happens on our watch or not. Human kindness has become more unusual than before and from the beginning was meant to disarm hostility and whereas our Lord teaches every disciple, you and me, to allow our light to shine unto HIS attitude while in the earth, HE fed multitudes despite their hatred of HIM, yet compassionately and freely gave.

 

And Lord God, we’ll ask many times, what shall we render and surely the answer remains, walk as HE walked. May we rise through an intentionality uncommon to man; beginning with love for the brethren of Your fellowship. It’s then that the others will know us by that love and crave that bond and may we proclaim we’re nothing apart from HIS redeeming us, escorting them to Your Magnificent Throne, all because of Jesus, Amen.

 

Today’s Thought “Business Card Distribution at the Church House” G. Ward

 

John 2: ¹⁵ And He made a whip of cords, and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables; ¹⁶ and to those who were selling the doves He said, “Take these things away from here; stop making My Father’s house a place of business!”

 

Whereas to be forgiven of sin is the goal met unto the believer by Christ, the Passover, commemorates the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt (i.e., During the final plague—the death of the Egyptian firstborns—God "passed over" the marked homes of the Israelites, sparing their children.). The temple court would have merchants of sorts taking advantage of a long journeying for the Jews, whereby goods and animals to be sacrificed would be sold, considerate of a light load proposed by many travelling on foot and by beast. Our Lord never suggested this selling shouldn’t exist, but that it would be fair. So, He’d use the whip to encourage animals to vacate those spiritual premises and absolutely shut down abusive selling.

Our spiritual institutions shouldn’t be a place of networking over worship and whereas many are involved in entrepreneurial ventures, worshippers should genuinely embody a total regard to be discipled, extending praise unto the One Redeemer, before blatant introductory ploys of becoming wealthy; for our Lord not being pleased may witness a table or two being overturned.

Lord God, may we all invite ourselves to a periodic evaluation in whether our deeds are integrous or self-centered and may our desire for more be considerably extinguished upon entering the worship space You’ve allowed, that all praise would be Yours, that lends a meditative resilience to stand during the week, learning a spirit of contentment, while absolutely dependent on You in every way and through Jesus, Amen.

 

Today’s Thought “Bandaging a Dead Man’s Wound” G. Ward

 

Hebrews 11: Now faith is the certainty of things hoped for, a proof of things not seen. ² For by it the people of old gained approval.

 

This great chapter of faith unfolds many patriarchs along with some ordinary believers who absolutely trusted in the Lord’s promises of a future hope. Verse 39 says that the many listed were greatly oppressed, persecuted and murdered for their faith, and did not receive what was promised while in earth. Moreover, it was said that they were seeking a country of their own (Heaven). We’re exposed to a false cultural expression of inheritance now; a totally irrational, un-spiritual view. Here’s why: Eternity weighed against 90-100 years can be likened to a quarter of an ant against all the peoples of the world. Periodic pain now can empty into an eternity with perpetual doom and torment, but for the believer, with the testimony of the many spiritual predecessors listed from our theme – joy and peace without suffering, along with face-to-face presence with the Savior remains the reward for placing faith in ALL HE said/says.

 

Father God, while we welcome that to which our Lord Jesus provided, a Home, without consideration of humanity’s efforts, others profess similarly, but fail to obey HIS commands. May we promote HIS entire counsel that includes ongoing discipleship for every believer; for in that reality, maturity to endure sufferings, understands Your presence faithfully abides with us. So, we thank You for assurance, praying Your will be done, In Jesus Name, Amen.