CONSIDER THIS: CONNECTIVITY

 In the same way, even though we are many individuals, Christ makes us one body and individuals who are connected to each other….Romans 12:5

CONSIDER THIS:  Connectivity is not found in the bible, but its concept is. Check out today’s verse. While we may be in many types of houses every Sunday morning, we are connected by this only one fact – the God of Heaven sent God the Son to be born; live as a man and die for us, so that God the Spirit can live in us to keep us connected to both Him AND each other! Both the dying world and us will not get this fully, this side of heaven.

ACTION: Our calling is to be the CONDUIT for this Connectivity of Christ’s Children- the Church. Are you available RIGHT NOW to be used to love someone new into this exclusive Body of Believers? Christians are built for relationships – first with God, and then with each other, in the Body of Christ. Pray the Lord grows you in fellowship with the people of God, starting today in the store, gas station, office or home.

Father of Lights, oh merciful God of Heaven, thank You for yet another day, in Jesus’ Name. You made the sun to rule by day and the moon and stars to rule by night. Lord, You created us for fellowship, for relationship, to show Your love for each other, as You have loved us. Make us and in many cases, continue to use us, to be that middle man or woman, whom the world sees, that would bridge the gap between loneliness and love; between hopelessness and hope; between despair and delight; between giving up and giving You a chance. Let US stand in the gap for someone else this week, month or year to show them a better way – the Way of the Truth, the Way of the Gospel, the Way of Christ, unto Whom all praise, joy and glory belong, in His Name – the Name of Jesus we pray, amen.

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CONSIDER THIS: PARADIGM

 “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life….Galatians 6:7-8

CONSIDER THIS: A paradigm is a set of values/beliefs etc from which a reality is viewed, as either a practical or intellectual discipline.  But in this verse, we have God’s paradigm which He made very simple for us to comprehend! God’s values are also God’s reality…and therefore, His paradigm.

ACTION: So now, search your heart. Then pray the Spirit sears your conscience. Follow this with a virtual crying out for forgiveness in Repentance about any sin. Finally, reexamine priorities this week, with an eye to seeing if the seeds you are sowing, are the very seeds of which Heaven will approve! Through the eyes of Scripture, discern if those seeds are the ones which will bear Fruit for the Kingdom! Amen.

Oh Holy Father, I pray You search the corners of my heart and reveal to me the things I need to correct, shift away from and repent of, for even considering doing, far less actually doing it. Lord, help me to be disciplined enough to line up my life with Scripture in the right literal interpretation so that the seeds I am sowing, are not from the world….masquerading as You, but FROM You, the One True God in Heaven. Thank You for working this through me. Be with me as I work through these new things in the coming weeks, months and years, so that my priorities and values will always be the same as prescribed in Your Word, in Jesus’ Strong Name, amen.

CONSIDER THIS: RELIGIOSITY

 “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded….James 4:8

CONSIDER THIS: Religiosity is described in the dictionary as “exaggerated or affected piety and religious zeal”. If you look up the word “affected”, it means “something done to impress others”. The “disease” which this word carries, is infectious. Yet if we REALLY follow the command above, we too can have the single exclusive blessings of True Christianity (which is GRACE) rather than two-faced religiosity, which leads to eventual destruction. Ask the Pharisees whom Jesus condemned in Matthew 23.

ACTION: Jesus told us to remove the log from our own eyes before looking at the log in another person’s eyes. Today, let us look in the mirror of our soul to discern if we are guilty of the same shortcomings of others whom we criticize for the same thing. Then repent at the Foot of the Cross and quit this sort of conduct, of accusing others, while we are just as doubleminded as they are.

Father, in the Name of Jesus, You know our every thought, action and intention. You search the hearts of men and women and most times, we fall short of the desired mark. Lord, today we ask that You reveal anything hidden, which we cannot see ourselves, because we are too busy looking at the things which others are doing, or not doing. In addition, help us not to be doubleminded as we put on fake faces in public of peace, tranquility and piety, when behind the scenes, when we are by ourselves, all kinds of unresolved or sinful things are going on. Lord, remove the fake religiosity in our lives, which can condemn as as Pharisees and may we be the same behind closed doors, as Christians, as we are in church on Sunday morning. May we be the walking definition of Spiritual Integrity, in Jesus’ Name amen.

CONSIDER THIS: SERVE

 "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many….Mark 10:45

CONSIDER THIS: We live in a “me-first” society. In fact, this country, which was once the world’s economic engine, has become a land full of “Service Industry”. Simply put – we want to be served, and pay top dollar for it. The welfare mentality, created by fifty years of dependency, leads many to expect others to serve them rather than what the Bible teaches. To be like Christ, our service must be other-focused and the joyful fruit of our Salvation. After evaluating yours, are your intentions like Jesus’ in today’s verse? Do you give first…or like most (even in the church). expect to be waited on, hand and foot?

ACTION: The great bard of the 1960’s – Bob Dylan – once sang “You gotta serve somebody”. Today, how about finding someone in your circle and mine, to whom we can reach out and say “is there anything you need right now”….”can I help with anything, I know things are kind of tight with you at this moment”. Or “can I pray for anything for you and your family”? Most people are afraid or feel weird going to a mission or nursing home to minister to someone else. Now is the perfect time to step out of the comfort zone. Would you?

Heavenly Father, on this brand new day, activate the heart within me, which You placed and which I have so conveniently shoved to the side, while I only think about my own needs. Lord, I pray for an opportunity today to minister to someone who needs the special touch from the Savior, someone who needs the kind of love- today – which will show them, visibly, that there is a God Who loves them and cares about them. Lord, today, let me be Your hands and feet and mouthpiece, in Jesus’ Name amen.

CONSIDER THIS: CHOOSE

 "And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD….Joshua 24:15.

CONSIDER THIS: Yogi Berra said when “you come to a fork in the road, take it”. If you’re looking for a philosophy in life, this is not it….and neither, anything from the “spiritual mind” of men. Go to God, because Doctrine is one of those things in life, with which we do not mess or take lightly. The choice today is before us on the road of Life. We can choose to fool ourselves and walk with the perishing world in all its sin, perversion, corruption and evil, while thinking we are serving God, thinking He is okay with that….or we can simply CHOOSE righteousness, holiness, purity and consecrate ourselves to Him, as Joshua did. You have to make that choice. There is NO middle ground.  

ACTION: Each of us are not only supposed to do this but it is literally wise, in so many ways, to wake up, daily, in the Faith and reaffirm our devotion to the Lord. One way to do this is to resolve to read all three (3) EXTREMELY short books of 1, 2 and 3 John (close to the final book of the Bible – Revelation). This reading of 1, 2 and 3rd John should be done over the period of the next week, with thoughts being recorded in margins of bibles, or prayer journals.

Oh most gracious God and Father in Heaven, thank You for all You have done and the freedom of Will to choose to be in Your Family throughout eternity. Most of all, we thank You for choosing US as Your children to be in the Family of God, through Jesus Christ, the Author and Perfecter of our Faith. Help us now and from here on out, to be careful in all aspects of our daily life choices, to honor You in every way and to seek You in Word, Spirit and Truth, in Jesus’ Name amen.

CONSIDER THIS: COMMAND

 "This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success….Joshua 1:8

Old Fashioned Tent Revival (Image Courtesy Pinterest)

CONSIDER THIS: The command from Joshua to the Israelites entering Canaan is for all people of all time. The book of the Law of God – Bible – is for all generations until He comes and we know this from several scriptures. Our calling is the following:  NOT to let it depart from our mouths/hearts/minds; to meditate on it always and to walk carefully in Holiness! Is this easy? No, it is not. We are going to drop our phone or tablet and crack the screen. Subsequently, the urge to let out a four letter word is right there. If it slips out, repent immediately, but if the Bible is second nature to you, then recall the words of Isaiah who told God face to Face “I am a man of unclean lips”, and the Lord cleansed his mouth with a burning coal. Bringing Scripture to mind will avert almost ANY desire to react in sin and fury.

ACTION:  Start memorizing Scripture. Apart from just reading over and over and memorizing that way, a good way is to write it out by hand. Using your prayer journal or ESV or other Journaling Bible, start by writing out Psalm 23. Be slow and intentional by focusing on every line which is written. When this is memorized, go to Psalm 34 and write only a portion per day. DO that for a month and watch the difference  both in you and in your alone time with the Lord.

Heavenly Father, thank you for Jesus, Who is the Word Who became flesh. Your Word in the natural here on earth is all we need, after Salvation and to continue to fight that which lives accuses and attempt to deceive us. Wpsalm e thank You that Jesus shows us how to approach these less-than-ideal situations by the Sword of the Word  – as in “It is written”. Help us to be so saturated by the Word of God that it becomes second nature and we can draw on the right verse, at the right time, for any occasion, for such a time as this, in Jesus Strong Name amen.

CONSIDER THIS: TESTIMONY

   TESTIMONY….”And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death….Revelation 12:11

CONSIDER THIS: The word “Testimony” means the giving of evidence in support of facts. In personal terms, it serves as evidence of a life completely converted, rejuvenated and turned around by Jesus Christ. If a person does NOT have a testimony, they have not been saved. This may sound rather harsh, but the Truth is meant to both set a person free, as well as to inspire them towards doing the right thing…..as this verse plainly states. We can ONLY overcome/win/defeat the enemy and have eternal victory in Jesus via the precious, supernatural Blood of the Lamb of God, for the forgiveness of ALL our sins and the substitutionary atonement thereof.

ACTION:  Do YOU have a testimony? Can you “testify” under oath…give evidence to…and speak publicly about HOW and WHEN Jesus Christ changed your life? Can you? Our very eternal future has been bought at a price and we immediately know it in our very being. So now, that we are keeping, maybe not daily, but somewhat, a note in our Bible or prayer journal, can we act on this – write out your testimony OR tell someone this week, how Jesus Christ removed you from the Dominion of Darkness into the Kingdom of His Marvelous Light.

Father in the Name of Jesus, I pray for that divine appointment to share my testimony with someone this week, about what You have done for, in and through me, because Jesus is my Lord and my Savior. It could be, Lord, a family member, or friend or someone completely unknown, I pray for that opportunity to witness for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, in order that both the hearer and myself, may be edified and the Name of the Lord will be greatly to be praised, in Jesus’ Name amen.

CONSIDER THIS: REST

 REST….“Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.…Hebrews 4:11.

CONSIDER THIS: A person can be both busy, hardworking and always on the go, while at the same time, functioning from the assurance which God’s Rest gives. Are you that kind of a person? What does this mean anyway? What is this “rest” the Bible talks about and how does it apply to me?

ACTION: Read Hebrews chapter 3:7 through chapter 4:13. Pray for revelation and discernment about this powerful message and passage from the Lord .

Begin a Prayer Journal or if you have a Journaling Bible, begin notes on topics like “What is God’s “rest” and then record any thoughts or difficulty you may experience truly resting in the Lord? The key is prioritizing in prayer and submission to the Will of God, so that the Work of God can proceed in and through us.

Pray and journal like this – Heavenly Father, I come to You in Jesus Strong Name asking for wisdom, guidance and direction about how to remain in Your Will, how to remain obedient and fully reliant on You, and still accomplish the things I am supposed to, in my daily life. Father I trust You completely in this. I accept completely the answers You will provide and I rest in this decision to fully walk in this Truth all the days of my life, in Jesus’ Name amen.

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CONSIDER THIS: AUTHENTIC

 AUTHENTIC….”But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart….1 Samuel 16:7

CONSIDER THIS: Shakespeare once said “be true to thyself and thou shall not be false to any man”. One of the definition of the word “authentic” is being “accurate in representation of the facts; trustworthy…and genuine”, according to most dictionaries.  The world can spot a fake Christian over a period of time, after observing the speech and actions of that person. God sees our actions, intentions and our spiritual heart, which is who we really are.

If we say we are a Christian, we are saying we are a reflection of Christ. Would both God and those around you agree with that?  One more time, let us be resolved to not just be authentic in our inward faith, but in a life full of integrity before both man and God.  It is only a heart full of no double-mindedness and no twisting things into pretzels to make them fit a template, that can truly move forward in Christ, in a new year and at any point in our brief time here on earth.

ACTION: The Apostle Paul himself exhorted us to examine ourselves daily to see if we “be in the faith”. Paul did not say this because we need to get “saved again” (which is impossible). All of this self-examination is so necessary moving forward. Therefore, let’s take the following few steps:

• Pray the Lord reveal any hidden sin in you…from even way back in your childhood, of which there has been no repentance or closure. Trust me – there are many which were hidden and which God Himself will bring to mind, if you ask and He allows since ALL sins were forgiven at the point of conversion. When He brings them to mind. Repent of them and it is so simple – they will be gone! This is important. Our sins are forgiven when we get saved, but there are things in our hidden past which must be resolved before God and, I know from experience, He will wipe the entire slate clean. Hold nothing back. He knows, so be authentic.
• Pray the Holy Spirit takes absolute control in both your prayer and devotional life as well as your daily life, where you live and work and eat and drive etc. If you do this, He will guide you into a new plane of Spiritual maturity and power of which you never would.

CONSIDER THIS: UNDENIABLE

 UNDENIABLE….”But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellencies of the power may be of God, and not of us….2 Corinthians 4:7

CONSIDER THIS: Whether unbelievers “believe it or not” God is their creator and He is written His law in every heart of every human ever born, and that includes Darwin and Hawkings. It is undeniable. For the truly converted Christian though, what is also undeniable is the awesome power, majesty and power of Almighty God is unmatched, unparalleled. The Sovereignty of God is undeniable. Everything is created by, through, of and for Him and is OWNED by Him, not us. From the very minute we awake to laying down to sleep, even our breath is His. At the point of death, even atheists and other cult religion follows know where they will spend eternity – with all but the Redeemed by Christ, headed for eternal separation. This is undeniable. The issue for us is, given all of the above, will we recognize these truths and praise, prepare and proclaim His Mighty deeds, in our own daily quiet lives and in the wider marketplace.

ACTION: Can we put aside our fleshly tendencies to want/have/do it OUR way? Should we? Yes! Look deep inside, we are still holding on to an awful lot of human and spiritual pride. Today- well….dispose of it! Our Heavenly Father, we thank Thee for the undeniable truths of Life that You are omnipotent, omniscient and Sovereign over all. As the psalmist says in 139:1-3 “1. O Lord, You have searched me and known me.
2 You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thought afar off.
3 You comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.

Father we worship, adore, praise, magnify, lift up Your Name and the Name of Your Son Jesus above all else, NOW and every day this year and for the rest of our lives as we see to pursuit Your Heart….to think in accordance with Your Word…to obey Your Will for our lives, that we may be found walking in a manner pleasing to You at all times, in the Strong and Powerful Name of Jesus,  amen.

CONSIDER THIS: PURSUIT

 .”With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from Your commandments….Psalm 119:10

CONSIDER THIS: Man does not seek after God, the Bible says so. It is God Who pursues us, until we either respond or reject Him. In that case, how can David (who wrote Psalm 119 under the Power of the Holy Spirit) say that “I have sought thee”? How can we in our lost condition “seek God”? We simply cannot. Initially, it is the Lord Who seeks us out, gives us a clear view of Himself and then calls us to Salvation. After conversion, when He embeds His Holy Spirit in us, our spirit man then begins which should be a life-long pursuit of the Person and Character of God, in Christ.

ACTION: Looking at the Webster’s dictionary definition of the word “Pursuit”, we find the following synonyms: chasing, following, seeking, hounding, tracking, pursuing etc….all active and almost aggressive verbs. This is how we are to love God and it is the very first commandment (Love the Lord with all your heart, all your soul and all your strength – Jesus 33 AD) Do you and I love God like this? Can we say with confidence that we press in daily to know Him better through prayer, supplication and the washing of the Word? The majority of us do not. Today, our assignment, so to speak, is to literally search our hearts to first, be assured of our identity in Christ and secondly, we need to embark on a consistent plan for becoming a true worshiper in Church, in lifestyle and in Truth….in an extremely proactive way. Apart from prayer, a great exercise would be to tune out the Oldies or Top 40 Secular radio station, and put on a worship CD in our cars, while going through one of those Daily One Year Bibles. THIS is the start of one major breakthrough in the pursuit of the Lord and Kingdom lifestyle.

Pray now: Father, in Jesus’ Name, I seek to not just acknowledge Your Manifest Presence but Your to dwell/abide/remain daily connected to You, in Your Power, oh Lord, and I pray for a burning passion in my soul, the clear pathway to holiness and an everlasting longing to persevere until the end, even when I do not feel like it. Lord give the resolve, strength and the heart to go on in prayer, the Bible and deeds along with the spiritual blinders I need to lessen my tendency when I am prone to wander off into a rabbit trail and trap set by the world. Thank You Lord for Your search and rescue mission for my soul, help me to pursue You and Your Word, daily, in Jesus’ Name amen.

CONSIDER THIS: LOYALTY

“So the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, and drew water from the well of Bethlehem which was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David. Nevertheless he would not drink it, but poured it out to the Lord….2 Samuel 23:16

CONSIDER THIS: The account in this verse is amazing. If you actually see it in one of the old time Bible movies about King David, it is even more impactful. David and his “Mighty Men”, as the scriptures call them, were equally in danger and under duress. Yet these three great soldiers put their very own lives at risk to get the equivalent of “designer water” for their leader, who was just reminiscing about the tasty spring waters of Bethlehem, his birth place. When they bravely went behind enemy lines, drew a large amount of water from the Bethlehem well, and escaped again to take the water to King David, he was immediately cognizant of the fact that he did not deserve such a favor. He knew the men had risked their own lives to satisfy his fleeting thirst for tasty water.

The question for us is – are we willing to risk ANYTHING to please our God? David took the gift of his special favorite water and poured down the altar as a drink offering to the Lord. He did not even take one drink. What the three warriors and their other comrades saw was a man so completely sold out to the Lord, that he gave Him the thing he desired most at that moment in time. Scripture tells us that the Lord desires the praises of His people. Worship is not music but a frame of mind, which includes prayer, music and the Word of God.

David worshiped God in praise (as the pouring of the Drink Offering) as he prayed in 2 Samuel 23:17 “Be it far from me, O Lord, that I should do this. Shall I drink the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives?” Therefore he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men did.

ACTION: By definition, a Christian is loyal to Christ. Many of us would go the extra mile to win our loved one to Salvation or to feed and clothe a relative, friend or homeless person. The question is, are we therefore loyal or better yet, absolutely aware of the sacrifice God gave on the Cross? Are we willing to give up a craving for some fancy thing, as David did? Are we so tuned into the Holy Spirit that we can pray, praise, read the Bible and fast when spurred by the Spirit so we can grasp that the greater calling of the Christian is to worship God over everything else? We can enhance our spiritual maturity if we react proactive, daily, to all of these points, going forward. We will suddenly find ourselves instinctively drawing closer to the Lord, in prayer, bible study and deed.