Peace in Obedience

| October 23, 2015

Dear child,

I know you want peace. I know that this upheaval that you face has made your world spin and stressed you beyond comfort and reason. You have turned to me to seek guidance, peace and hope in the midst of this chaos. I hear your prayers and my heart is tinder to you in the midst of your struggle.

It is easy to get confused while following me. It is easy to think that following me in chaotic times is about sitting and waiting until you get a clear word from me, until you have peace and only after you find peace do you move forward. There are times where I will instruct you to wait and see my deliverance as I did many times in the Old Testament (Jehoshaphat comes to mind). The confusion comes because often peace comes after obedience. What have I commanded you to do? What of my will do you already know to do without having to ask? Do it with obedience. After you obey you will find peace through my spirit. Still worried you will miss the way? What master would not reward a servant who is being diligent in what they were told to do, while they waited for further instruction? Am I not better than any earthly master? Will I let you miss the way while you are being obedient? Do not wait for peace, be obedient and peace and many other blessings, will come in time.

Peace, I AM

Verses for consideration: John 14:26-28, Matthew 24:44-46, 2 Chronicles 20

Provision

| October 21, 2015

Dear Servant,

In the wanderings of the children of Israel, they reached a point where the food they brought with them from Egypt ran out. They began to be hungry and they grumbled and complained. “Why did we not die in Egypt where we had food to eat, rather than starve in this desert?” was their constant refrain. I provided for them, despite their complaints, but they needed to leave Egypt and its provision behind them to accept my provision for them.

At times in your life you will suffer want as you wander through a desert. It can appear as if I do not love you and have not provided, but my plan is to help you leave behind your dependence on this world and help you learn to depend upon me. What you suffer may be lack of food or other essentials, but it can come in the form of relationships, fellowship, encouragement, recognition, guidance, peace, and a whole host of other ways you may suffer want. Do not despair. I love you and have a plan to provide. I just want to wean you off the things of “Egypt” first, so that you fully rely upon me.

Your Provision in the desert, I AM

Verses for thought: Exodus 16, Psalms 111:4-6, Jeremiah 33:8-10

Scars

| October 19, 2015

My child,

Sin leaves scars. You remember the story of my son Peter. How he denied and cursed when confronted with his relationship with my son. Do you think he did not look back on that event with pain and embarrassment over what he had done? He did go on in grace to serve me. He preached, led and taught as the “rock” I knew he would be, but he did carry scars from his sin and the sins of others.

You can focus on those scars, fret over them, relive the embarrassment of your failures, of others assaults and the make your life about scars. Or, you can step out in my grace and make your life about redemption and healing. You will always have the scars, but a full and blessed life lays before you in my grace and compassion if you will accept it.

Healing for the Scars, I AM

Verses for thought: Luke 22:54-62, James 1:13-15, Acts 2:37-39

Favor

| October 17, 2015

My child,

My favor lasts a lifetime. You cannot wear it out and you cannot outlive it. Your sins cannot tarnish it and your great accomplishments cannot augment it. You will never see its end. My favor on you began before you even knew that you existed, much less knew of my love and compassion for you. My favor will lead you through refining fire, through desert passages and alongside gentle, bountiful streams. My favor will not keep me from being angry with you, but the anger will last only for a few fleeting moments by comparison. Yes, my favor will last a lifetime and when that lifetime ends, you will come home to me to live forever under my favor.

Full of Favor, I AM

Verses for thought: Psalm 30:5, Isaiah 61, Nehemiah 13:31, James 4:6

Purpose

| October 15, 2015

Dear Servant,

So many of the gifts that I give my children are overlooked or discounted. They are not flashy or on the surface appear to be extravagant but they are invaluable.

One such gift I have for you is purpose. So many in the world are lost and wandering aimlessly. They are without purpose. They do not know where they are going nor really why they would bother to go. Do you remember the promise I made to my servant Jeremiah, “…plans to give you hope and a future”? I know today this does not seem like much. You would rather cling to a material concept of prosperity in that verse, but the real prosperity is purpose. You see, for the rest of your life I have a purpose for you. I have things for you to do, people for you to meet, praises for you to sing, prayers for you to pray, ministry for you to engage and my good news of salvation for you to live out. Your life has purpose and meaning in my kingdom. Revel in this gift and when you see those that wander without purpose be thankful for what I have given you and offer them the hope of the purpose that you have in Christ.

Your Life’s Purpose, I AM

Verses for thought: Jeremiah 29:10-12; 2 Corinthians 5:4-6; Ephesians 1:10-12

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One With the Father

| October 13, 2015

My child,
Why do you think my son chose to live on earth as a man, suffer as a human being, endure torture, beatings, and ultimately die on the cross? Was it a simple matter of duty? Of call only? Or was it something much more meaningful that motivated him? My son lived the life that I asked of him because of relationship with me. The earthly Jesus so rightly spoke when he said “I and the Father are one.” He walked so closely with me that what motivated him was not mere duty, fear of punishment or even a lofty sense of call. Rather, what flowed between our hearts was all the motivation he needed, even to be obedient to the cross.

Do you not see that I want the same relationship with you? I want us to walk in relationship so closely that your actions come out of a reflection of my heart. That we are so close, you too can say “I and the Father are one.”

Yearning to be so close with you, I AM

Verses for further thought: John 10:25-30; Philippians 2:7-9

I Love You

| October 11, 2015

My child,

I love you.  I love your laugh and your smile.  I love your voice. I love you when you are being goofy and when you are being solemn. I love the way you care for others. I love it when we spend time together.  I love it when you pray and sing. I do not care that it is off key or does not follow the tune.  I love every moment we spend together. I love it when you confess your sin and I love it when you confess my name. I love you even when you are taken in sin, as only a parent can love a wayward child. I love it when you, like the prodigal son return and allow me to pour out my love on you once again.  I love you.

I know you do not understand my love. I know that it makes no sense to you.  You do not have to understand it, just accept it.

Loving you, I AM

Verses for thought: Luke 15:11-32, 1 John 4:7-12

First

| October 9, 2015

Dear servant,

Moses delivery of the Ten Commandments clearly expressed my will. “You shall have no other gods before me” was not misstated. It is an affront to me for my creation to bow down to any of my creation or to make up gods and worship them. While I know you understand this truth, there are many in the world who are giving my glory to so many things that are not worthy of worship.

The problem for you is not graven images or idols of stone. The problem for you is more subtle. You are not bowing down to metal and wood and calling it “god”, however you are spending so much time on things that are not eternal you have no time for us. You worry about the future, the past, what others think, your job, your kids, your wants and desires, and so many other things that you do not take the time to walk with me. It is not that any of those things are necessarily bad, but when you do not walk with me regularly you cannot see any of those other things clearly. Put me first, spend time with me and then there will be room for the things that are important.

First, I AM

Verses for thought: Exodus 20, Matthew 6:25-34

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Lay It All Down

| October 7, 2015

Dear servant,

Lay it all down. Lay down the worry you have for tomorrow. What part of tomorrow can you change by worry? Lay down your grief over the sins you have committed. Has your grief paid the price for your sin?  Lay down your fear over the future. Who holds the future in his hand? Lay down your pride. Honestly, absent of me what have you ever done that is good, whole and pure? Lay down your self loathing. If I love you, despite yourself, is not that enough? Lay down your self pity. You are a child of the king. Lay down the unforgiveness you harbor towards others. Did I not pay for their sin just like I did yours? Lay down the rumors and lies. I am the father of truth and I have given you the spirit of truth.  Lay down all the stuff you desire. If you truly needed it would I deny you any of it? Lay it down, lay it all down.

Ready to receive, I AM

Verses for thought: 1 Peter 5:7, Psalms 55:22, Matthew 6:25-27

Father’s Business

| October 5, 2015

My child,

Do you remember when my son said, “I must be about my father’s business…”? Do you realize that he was the most talented person that ever lived? Because he did not carry the destructiveness of sin on his mind and body (to say nothing of the fact that he was fully divine) he could have done anything. He could have been the world’s greatest composer, sharing the music of heaven for all mankind to hear its beauty. He could have painted the most stunning pictures of people and nature, capturing every detail. He could have written masterpieces that people would have read time after time, never getting their fill of his words. He could have sang, danced, led armies, built cities, become wealthy in trade and a million other things. He did not choose to do any of those things, but instead chose to do my business.

I have given you many talents and have allowed many opportunities to come your way. I delight in your talents. What father does not delight in seeing his children accomplish? But what about my business? Will you lay aside all you could be to become what I want you to be? Will you honor the work of my kingdom first? If you do, I will honor all that you do.

Your Father, I AM