Today’s Thought “Fraternal Order” G. Ward

Luke 16:24-25 And he cried out and said, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.” But Abraham said, “Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony.”

There’s a consolation worth distributing when the demise of a loved one occurs, including assurance of an inevitable, eternal presence with those who have passed for any remaining (cf. Matt.7:21). While consensus remains soothing for the soul grieved in temporal despair, it’s entirely without authority in placing another in a land without human proprietorship (Ps.24:1). Obedience to the Landowner continues as the litmus test unto suggestive faith and no matter the excessive remarks from man portraying the goodness found in one’s life journey (Ro.3:10,23), the Most High’s recognition remains paramount.

Today’s Thought “I’ll Go Next Sunday” G. Ward

Amos 5:4 “For thus says the Lord to the house of Israel: Seek Me and live!”

If you have a steeple on your building, we won’t come! If you hold services too long, forget it! Altogether and without mercy exists the opinion from man that subtracts from the greatest sacrifice given him from Holy God, Who waits patiently for our repentance. Most of our discussions on God concerns religious practices vs. a relationship with the All-Wise and the perpetuation in dissension from the populous remains the fault of the presumed believer who fails miserably in sharing and modeling the Object of their faith.

The disconcert with the sacred things must never equate man’s impropriety that denies created ones great opportunity in knowing that the KING of all kings came to the most tumultuous death, to rise from the same on their behalf. Yet many still chant, I’ll take “What the People Demand That Never Satisfies” for $200 Alex (*cf. Ac.4:12)…”

Today’s Thought “Am I Responsible for the Road Rage?” G. Ward

1 John 4:19-21 We love, because He first loved us.  If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.

Our snide remarks regarding HIS church may be obvious in terms of improprieties, even warranting the deepest outrage unto its practitioners, but definitively not sanctioned by Heaven. Our insistence has become “the elephant in the room” disallowing passage towards freedom’s highway and while others are seemingly more careless with life given; the mammoth we escorted in our own soul ceases to eat peanuts, devouring pieces of our being until it’s consumed entirely…

Today’s Thought “I Knew Him First…” G. Ward

2 Timothy 2:23-24 “Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil.”

There’s a beauty in growing in Christ; for the proof more becomes imitating His life in earth vs. cultural consideration. The guidance therein recalls the individualized distance (we modeled before our transformation) from forgiveness and kindness unto another needing that same peace. Without daily surrender to the best reconciliation found through pursuit of Holy God’s standard (*2 Ti.2:15-16, 3:16-17), we’re all doomed towards regrettable submission that embarrasses…

Today’s Thought “Plans for A Future?” G. Ward

Romans 14:11 For it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall give praise to God.”

The inevitable onto everyone, particularly when posed as a must, is the demand of now never contained in presumption that a next moment will come. The urgency therein may soon identify a peace once thought to exist through materialism, unto a blessed assurance in tranquility; precluding religion as futile and a pursuit in intimacy with Christ as Owner paramount.

Today’s Thought “A Spirit of Easter On Stormy Monday” G. Ward

John 20:19 “So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and *said to them, “Peace be with you.”

When sorrow grips one’s own heart, particularly when their suppositions propose selfish demands on the things the Glorious Creator has bestowed (cf. Ps.24:1); even the superiority of locks on doors won’t keep the thief from entering. Implicit trust however, must be the insistence from every believer even while trouble persists; knowing our Mighty Conqueror’s presence never fails, substantiating faith without a visual. HE will because HE can…

Today’s Thought “No Matter What the People Say…” G. Ward

Matthew 27:1-2 “Now when morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people conferred together against Jesus to put Him to death; and they bound Him, and led Him away and delivered Him to Pilate the governor.”

More than the wonders of this world is the depth of the testimony of man and when his proclamation exclaims the omnipotence of its Leader as unmatched it compels intrigue from many. Will there be patience and kindness extended unto their inquisition from those who believe, or will they portray insufficiency by deferring the answer to another spirit median (cf.1 Pe.3:15)? Idealism from religious leaders can/will perpetuate indecision. Holy God on the other hand, desires a personal relationship with any that will call HIM Lord (Ro.1:16).

Today’s Thought “Small-ville” G. Ward

Philippians 2:5-7 “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷ but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.”

Prudence in hearing guarantees learning and when any settle down in their limited scope they tend to identify that others may seemingly need to be taught in accordance to their education and experience (to which the world may deem great intellect), whereas the ultimate aim (i.e. living with eternity in mind) reveals the practice to more behold.

In other words, all that we do should embody how to present less so that Christ may be the focal point in our presentation (cf. Jas.1:19-21).

Today’s Thought “No More Shopping Sprees…” G. Ward

Judges 2:10 “All that generation also were gathered to their fathers; and there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord, nor yet the work which He had done for Israel.”

Great celebration included tens of thousands shouting acclamations at Christ upon His triumphal entry into Jerusalem one week before His merciful compliance in dying for the worst in society then and now. Holy week’s transcendence to spiritual preparation from generations prior witnessed great shopping for garments of pungent pastels, Easter baskets and hams, etc., to now see a diminishing of what should be the greatest day of reckoning life given for the purpose of the Master (cf. Gal.2:20), to unfortunate admittance that Easter morning and my attending services won’t have me purporting more hypocrisy by purchasing a new outfit along with criticisms from those church people that point out my irregularity!

What will Easter look like in another fifty years if we continue to blame preachers with planes, trains and ostentatious automobiles for our lack in recognizing a reasonable reciprocity unto the Savior who loves us until the end (*cf. Jer. 23:1-3)?

Today’s Thought “Without Independent Thought” G. Ward

Psalm 84:10 “For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand outside. I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.”

Unfortunately the actuality of global warming has become great political indifference and no I really don’t care what side you’re on. Regardless, we’ve all witnessed the demand for products and services at an instant at the expense of health now and for future generations that imposes greatly on our ecology. Holy God’s initiation of earth’s contents was regarded as “good” and our tampering and selfish conjuring thereafter compromised the authority given us from “On High.”

There’s spiritual restoration that remains the truest requirement for peace and continuity; when/if it goes forsaken, the populous is with another bad example. Moreover, it’s the natural inclination for mankind (when exposed to chaos) to seek shelter (not always pertinent to visual) and the joy for any believer who enjoin themselves unto an excellent recourse found in the Shelter of the Almighty, refusing to share the space and consolation offered there, is worse than contributions towards climatic anarchy that kills softly…

Today’s Thought “Blue Lights In the Basement” G. Ward

Zechariah 9:9 “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, Humble, and mounted on a donkey, Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

Our society awaits the next party because we’ve been taught more about a pursuit in happiness over contentment (and yes there is a difference). The most thrilling time in the world (deemed Passion Week), the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, preparing for a tumultuous death to pardon you and me (particularly a willing Vessel without sin), including shouts of acclamation from what was over 100,000 presumed followers, anticipating Who for them was undeniably the Savior of the world, but looking to HIM for political freedom along with immediate social reform HE could offer yet denying their soul’s rescue from sin, perpetuating self aggrandizement.

At the ascension of Jesus unto heaven 120 disciples are said to have existed, enclosed in a small room, with the music off, disquieted with uncertainty that would soon afford their awareness of all HE promised that became their reality and is now our own (Acts 1). Will you proclaim HIM as Lord or continue looking for the party purporting principles of pleasure?

Today’s Thought “Old Slogans Gone” G. Ward

James 1:17 “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

When many of us were growing up and particularly upon departure, there would be another who would yell, “Hey, don’t you take any wooden nickels!” Although many were without the facts relative to the origin of such, we all knew it represented inauthenticity. The world to which we live now frowns on terminology of old, including its practices. Altogether I don’t believe many from our modernity are antagonistic with historical perpetuations (whether sayings or actions), but have become very reliant on something “new and improved”.

The transcendence of our expectations can/have bled onto our lack of interrogating terms of endearment found in Holy God’s word. If we’re not careful, our familiarity jeopardizes the accommodation given us by Christ’s sufficiency (cf. Jn.14:1-3).

Today’s Thought “Our Newest Craze” G. Ward

Romans 4:4-5                                                                                          

“Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due.  But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness.”

While text messaging may be a great device in communication, it’s no better than what many of us enjoined ourselves onto decades ago; inserting a dime in a telephone located in an unsanitary booth.  Voices in familiarity more allowed the hearer a particular discernment distinguishing joy, distress, or embellishing from the sayer, whereas a text allows the commoner equality with the greatest author or actor.

Generations prior to our time exercised a pursuit in intimacy with Holy God via a fundamental standard of old; they ascertained a copy of HIS words deeming it a necessary guide for their every moment. Moreover, they trusted in that quiet time, refusing movement while HE spoke. The meditation thereafter was lasting, permeating their souls with a piercing that wouldn’t relent, even when evil would raise its ugly head and the habitual practice therein brought about faith in their Deliverer…

Today’s Thought “Give Me Back My Umbilical Cord!” G. Ward

John 14:6

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”

Replete means to be abundantly fed, comparable to walking away from the dining room table after a Thanksgiving extravaganza. While we accept insensible terms of independence, it was never the intent of the Creator for humanity’s success. Moreover, it’s not the intellectual giants that decipher our composition (i.e. dust) for us to share weakness as the tag for any; Holy God maintains purpose (cf. Ge.8:21). His infinite wisdom understands the propensity for every man to reach beyond the scope of their existence. In other words thinking too highly of themselves – to which I too suffer. My quiet time on today longs to have this feeling (i.e. replete at Holy God’s table – cf. Ps.23:3-5) carry forth throughout this day presented and that way onto spiritual success (i.e. contentment) is the meditative process considerate of every moment belonging to the Holy One who determines whether my next seconds will…