Today’s Thought “Tonight is the Night?” G. Ward

1 Corinthians 10: ²¹ You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot share in the Lord’s table and the table of demons.

There’s faith and there’s unbelief. There’s good (only attributable to God – cf. Matthew 19:16-17) and there’s evil (Ge.8:21) and while we as believers insist on taking shelter under Holy God in all we’ll do and say, HIS shelter remains sufficient; but when our insistence to govern ourselves happens (outside HIS realm), we’re subject for disaster.

It’s Friday and we’ve worked hard and often desire to play hard. It certainly invites those seemingly fun, to help create an environment of good times, but at what expense? Have any promised God they’d walk as Christ walked (1 John 2:6)? Where are we taking our Lord, considering HE lives in me? Do I need to hear fussing and cussing, along with ideas of peace coming from political reform (Ex.20:1-4)? Are my words deeming some hopeless, inasmuch as I’ve been redeemed by the Holy One? In other words, are some just too difficult even for God to change them (Jer.32:17,27)?

Any of these questions can determine what table we’re proposing to sit at and whereas some will teeter-totter on both the Lord’s table and the table of demons, our Lord says – that’s spiritually impossible.

Father God, per Your insistence and our repentance, You’ve declared us Your property. We’ve made many plans to forget such, that has questioned our belonging as wishy-washy. Your standard is highest and prohibits us to correct these issues unbecoming of You on our own, but we’re instructed to submit more to the Spirit’s direction, allowing Your change. So, may we all slow down to evaluate every choice that would honor You, or selfishly reject the Way of the Lord, as we pray for one another – to honor You in/through Jesus Name, Amen.

 

 

Today’s Thought “The Bedrock of Faith” G. Ward

Leviticus 19: ¹⁸ You shall not take vengeance, nor hold any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord.

 

The truest summation in correlating to others (particularly for believers), is to persist in greatest compassion that emulates our Father in Heaven. So many have adopted notions in merely speaking quiet salutations to another who violated their consciousness, while disallowing what was greater continuity prior; as if to say one’s own mouth always carefully echoed peaceable sentiment unto everyone (?).

Our Lord taught every disciple how their praying should be directed to the Almighty and it included “forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors,” *asking God to pardon our sins based on the premise that we have forgiven others who have wronged us. How utterly disingenuous for any to conveniently return to retributional behaviors because they were wronged, but forget the personal, persistent denial of our Savior’s way from the whole of humanity (Ro.12:3)?

“Trust and obey, for there's no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.”

 

Today’s Thought “Family Expansion” G. Ward

Philippians 1: ⁷ For it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of grace with me. 

The Apostle Paul’s commendation for the church at Philippi is significant to being a church without walls, no matter the potential hazards ahead (cf. Gal.6:10). His being imprisoned for the cause of the gospel, witnessed those congregants complete support with great prayers that truly understood our Lord’s preparation for every believer to know - we cannot be HIS disciple unless we’re ready for such a surrender that denies ourselves a presumable preservation that may, or may not involve our safety. Moreover, he’d remind them of the Savior’s presence, so unrelenting, by insisting they knew HE alone began their salvation; so, HE wouldn’t leave them to their own theorizing, but would provide them with resolute answers from HIS Word (John 14:26-27); for HE desired the outsider’s repentance, as demonstrated in having received ours (2 Pe.3:9).

That charge remains, for HIS church is not sectarian (that is, divided – Eph.4:5-6). So, we must remember, our Lord will have mercy on whom HE chooses and whereas we called to an indiscriminate posture that proclaims HIM as sole sufficiency (i.e., HE can save them, grant them HIS righteousness, give them eternal life, without requiring their works, particularly since anything offered would be entirely deficient), we say, send us.

Thank You Father God, for allowing our new spiritual energy (this day) to continue in the race proposed. May our eyes see our Savior at the finish line; for HE provides that view as the culminating Hope we never imagined could exist. May all who’ve placed their complete trust in HIM – seek to prepare more than ever before in Your Word - that provides escape from this world’s lack of definitive Truth that graciously grants any introductory sessions (from us) concerning their Maker, our Blessed Redeemer Jesus, Amen.

 

Today’s Thought “The Edge of Night” G. Ward

2 Timothy 4:³ For the time will come when they will not tolerate sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires.

Many upon hearing such, immediately adjourn to criticisms of another versus interrogation of personal conscience. The doctrine represented in our theme solely portrays God’s Truth and whereas there’s much said about HIS Way, it must involve a daily, ongoing research from the whole of any who believe (*John 8:31-32, Heb.11:6). Therefore, if any neglect such, whether they’re alone in a day’s journey, or involving themselves among the masses, they’re exposed to a varied and worldly doctrine, they’re vulnerable to more of the world’s un-spiritual discernment – that’s subject to change; particularly when another far more eloquent view presents material appearing best to adopt. Have you noticed how the days are with great speed and spiritual intentionality is diminished? It’s because anything routinely practiced becomes habit, causing mindsets’ adjustment to visions that hope I’ll keep living until an old ripe age and as I grow (not so much in the Lord), it’s then I’ll be forced to settle down and count the blessing of intimacy with HIM – which is faith compromised.

Lord God, we’re given a charge unto introspection of our ways, causing us to evaluate Your demand unto every generation that insists "Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it,” meaning, clinging to a selfish, worldly life leads to spiritual ruin. So, we pray on this day for one another, that we’d exercise both independently and more corporately, examining Your Truth, determining to walk as our Savior walked, thanking HIS leading us, for HIS glory and not ours, Amen.

 

Today’s Thought “Missions: The Missing Church Standard” G. Ward

Matthew 16: ²⁶ For what good will it do a person if he gains the whole world, but forfeits his soul? Or what will a person give in exchange for his soul?

I’ve had many opportunities to visit countries whereby the predominance of its citizenry lives in abject poverty and whereas our arrival witnessed how impressed they were (with American visitation), even receiving us as if we were entertainers of sorts, both lining up in advance to ensure a seat, along with the food provisions we’d supply, my message to them and for this strange land remains - the riches of our Lord’s grace.

While some may pity some underserved and without, deeming them impoverished via common lack of goods and services, a best presentation will afford any a spiritual view (*necessary for endurance), introducing the Creator’s Sufficiency through Christ, forgetting a contrast so entirely temporal. Poverty, won’t always be indicative by how much one has, but how little they’ll realize is at hand. Moreover, and whereas idolatry is forbidden by the Almighty’s standard, it’s not the sole graven image theorizing as most propose, but the kind of neglect that won’t anticipate HIS presence over personal desire, along with refusal to being discipled, even refusing worshipful gathering with others of like faith to gain our Father’s consideration over things and people so temporary (The real spiritual definition of poverty).

And so, Father God, we ask on this day, that all our contemplations, be resolved to how contented we should be in knowing we have Your patient, lovingkindness this day to celebrate, but we cannot continue in being driven differently to how our Lord Jesus correlated to living in an spiritually impoverished world, whereby many a view was/is obscured by desire for wealth over faith in a Living Savior, to lead and guide us to an eternity where we’ll be overwhelmed in euphoric joy forever. We ask Your forgiveness, having fallen short of the joy of absolute dependence of Your Sovereign Control, All because of Jesus, Amen.

 

 

Today’s Thought “I’m Still Here, Lacking Popularity” G. Ward

 2 Chronicles 36:15-16 And the LORD God of their fathers sent warnings to them by His messengers, rising up early and sending them, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place. But they mocked the messengers of God, despised His words, and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against His people, till there was no remedy.

 In the year 2020, 65% of Americans identified themselves as Christians and every year thereafter that stat grew in small percentile. There’s a confounding gathering of information that states American church attendance is experiencing great decline; so, while some are confounded, true believers understand *Matthew 7:21-23. Many echoes of hope without confident confirmation exist presumably, but lack personal interrogation from/by Holy God’s terms (1 John 2:6). Our theme more testifies to God’s immense patience (then and now) in repeatedly sending prophets/ministers to warn His people of their lethargy as HIS compassion is great. The Israelites, however, mocked the messengers and despised God’s word, leading to a point where "no remedy" remained for their persistent rebellion. Today’s purveyors of hope, seek vibrancy (i.e., light shows, theatrics, palatial buildings and charismatic preachers) over substance, to then be confounded in why these institutions keep begging for more money, even distorting God’s Truth to substantiate lavish lifestyles beyond the scope of modesty, keeping eyes on them, versus Christ. It’s no wonder to be witness to great planning on this Friday from many, who neglect to definitively mention a greater plan for Sunday morning’s anticipation to be discipled one more time (*Heb.10:25).

 

Today’s Thought “Final Authority Speaks” G. Ward

1 Corinthians 2: ¹² Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God. ¹³ We also speak these things, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.

 

The Word of God, more known as the Bible can be defeatist to a desired destiny to endeavor a love relationship with Christ and some may say that’s idiomatic nonsense, but I see it daily, even in the church (2 Peter 1:20-21). The Word of God stated, keeps the centrality on the Almighty and utilization of the term “Bible” keeps allowing argumentative pragmatism (i.e., that which determines it as practical, but subjectively interpretive = NOT TRUE) and whereas God’s Truth is entirely impractical by design, unto those outside of faith in Christ (cf. *1:18-19 - e.g., parting of the sea, virgin birth, rising from the dead, etc.), believers must hold the banner of Truth higher for these times, insisting that all know that our Father speaking to man is short-lived for mankind’s reception of it and whereas many throughout the generations have sought to subvert God’s Word to another helpful ideology, it remains inerrantly FINAL (Matt.24:35).