Putting God Before You

There are days when I feel the country is spinning out of control with all the crazy accusations of corruption and abuse oozing from every facet of society. Without getting too upset over it I have, in my uneducated naivety, come to the conclusion that people are actually, or so it appears, attempting to inaugurate some righteous living as a way to improve life. Could it be that prayer is actually being answered? Could it be that God is truly alive and active in the lives of those who believe in His sovereign power to rule over this country? Yes, this country can be great again if only we will allow God to rule over our hearts and minds. The promise of God is – He’ll handle the rest, because I can’t.

Often the Christian may be accused of being narrow-minded because he insists that we must completely obey Christ. Yet, all of life is narrow. There is no room for broad-mindedness in the chemical laboratory. Water is composed of two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen. Deviation is forbidden! There is no room for broad-mindedness in music. There are only eight notes in an octave. In the mathematics classroom things are narrow. Geometry, calculus, nor trigonometry allows for zero variation for accuracy. The solution to any problem is either right or it is wrong. On the athletic field the game must be played by the rules otherwise chaos erupts. How then shall we expect that broad-mindedness shall rule in the realm of Christianity and morals? (Paul Sain)

[Psalm 16:8] “I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” A powerful lesson we learn from this text is, if we put God before us we will not be moved or shaken. If God is first in our decisions, thoughts and actions then our way will be secure. Notice how this is such a practical lesson. If God comes first in my decisions, then I will want to seek His will. I ask, “What does God say about this matter?” I must strive to only do what God tells me (Luke 6:46; Matthew 7:21). To put God first in my decisions I must know His Word. Jesus said the truth would make us free (John 8:31-32). Paul encourages us to study God’s word to be approved by him (2 Timothy 2:15). How does someone put God before himself in everyday decisions if he does not know God’s will? He cannot. Therefore, it is imperative for me to study God’s Word so that I can make godly decisions. If I am going to put God before me, I must put His will into my thoughts. Paul taught us to bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:3-5). Christians must think on godly and upright things (Philippians 4:6-8).The only way we can put God into our thoughts is to put His righteousness into our minds. The Psalmist said, “I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Praise be to you, O Lord; teach me your decrees” (Psalm 119:10-12). In every situation we should ask, “How would the Lord want me to think?” When we truly put God into our decisions and thoughts we can have safety (Psalm 16:8). The only way we can proclaim the same today is if God is at our right hand in everything we do. Have you put God before you? If you are not a Christian, I encourage you to obey the gospel. To become a Christian you must, Hear God’s Word (Romans 10:17); Believe the Gospel (Hebrews 11:6); Repent (Acts 17:30-31); Confess Christ (Romans 10:9-10); Be Baptized (Acts 2:38; Galatians 3:26-27); Continue in the faith until death (Colossians 1:23; 2 Peter 1:3-11; Revelation 2:10). Life is getting better because we are becoming more obedient.

Pray With Boldness

I don’t know about you but my early morning wake-up prayer for the past two weeks includes thanking God for a warm house. I also thank God for moving me to South Texas many moons ago when I view the winter weather maps and video reports of winter in the northern states. I sit and shiver knowing that three weeks of winter is a whole lot better than four to five months of freezing temps and blowing snow. A happier camper am I!

Television interviewer and journalist Larry King describes three farmers who gather daily in a field during a horrible drought. The men are down on their knees, looking upward, and praying the skies will open and pour forth a much-needed rain. Unfortunately, the heavens are silent, and the petitioners become discouraged, but they continue to meet every morning to lift up their request to God. One morning an uninvited stranger approaches and asks the men what they are doing. They respond, “We’re praying for rain.” The newcomer looks at each of them and shakes his head, “No, I don’t think so.” The first farmer says, “Of course we’re praying. We are down on our knees pleading for rain. Look around, see the drought. We haven’t had rain in more than a year!” The outsider continues to nod his head and advises them their efforts will never work. The second farmer jumps in and says, “We need the rain; we aren’t asking only for ourselves, but for our families and livestock.” The man listens, nods, and says he still isn’t impressed. “You’re wasting your time,” he says. The third farmer can’t take any more, and in anger he says, “Okay, what would you do if you were in our shoes?” Their guest was silent. The three landowners pleaded, “We really want to know! The future of our farmlands is at stake.” The stranger simply stated, “I would have brought an umbrella!” “If you believe you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer” (Matthew 21:22).

[1 John 4:15-16] Prayer Begins with God. When we pray we are reminding ourselves that God is always with us. The more we think about God being with us, the more it changes the way we act, the way we think and the way we communicate with God in prayer. When we pray we are responding to the love of God. Thus, in prayer, we are bringing our praise, needs and concerns to our heavenly Father. God wants to be in constant communication with His children and prayer is the means by which he invites us to make this happen. It is important to understand that prayer doesn’t start with us, it starts with God. Prayer Ends with God.  We simply cannot expect God to fulfill requests in prayer that do nothing to advance His name and His cause in our lives and in the lives of others. The difference between having confidence in our prayers and not is found in the motivation behind them. Whose will are we really trying to get done? Humans have a tendency to be self-centered and self-seeking. Such is often reflected in our prayers. So before you pray to God, here is the question you need to ask: What is in my prayers for God? What, if my prayer were granted, would bring glory and honor to God’s name and lead to the fulfillment of His will? Prayer was never meant to be a laundry list of our personal and often selfish wants. God created prayer for the purpose of communing with His children and so that He might be glorified in the answer. Prayer begins and ends with God! If Jesus felt the need to pray to the Father, surely we need God’s help in our own lives. So when you pray, pray boldly to the Lord! “...The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective” (James 5:13-16). Don’t give up praying (Luke 18:1-8). Amen!

Lord, Help Me improve

As we enter the third week of 2018 I’ll bet there are those who have already slipped away from some of their resolutions for the year. It’s easy to do once we get back into our “normal” routines, which we are so used to, after the dust has settled from the holidays. We make ourselves a lot of promises when we discover last year’s clothing didn’t fit like it used to and our stamina walking the malls and playing with the grand-children is waning due to the lack of daily exercise. The two most common New Year’s resolutions are to lose weight and exercise more. Shamefully, most of us just can’t seem to fit physical fitness into our daily schedules. Fast food and automobiles have us all a little out of shape and our blood-work awry. It takes a change of mind to assert physical change and working on the spirit and adjusting the way we think about our self can bring about great change. Take charge and quit looking for excuses for why you can’t do it.

“Sick” by Shel Silverstein “I cannot go to school (church) today,” Said little Peggy Ann McKay. “I have the measles and the mumps, A gash, a rash and purple bumps. My mouth is wet, my throat is dry, I’m going blind in my right eye. My tonsils are as big as rocks, I’ve counted sixteen chicken pox And there’s one more - that’s seventeen. And don’t you think my face looks green? My leg is cut, my eyes are blue - It might be instamatic flu. I cough and sneeze and gasp and choke, I’m sure that my left leg is broke. My hip hurts  when I move my chin, My belly button’s caving in, My back is wrenched, my ankle’s sprained, My ’pendix pains each time it rains. My nose is cold, my toes are numb, I have a sliver in my thumb. My neck is stiff, my voice is weak, I hardly whisper when I speak. My tongue is filling up my mouth; I think my hair is falling out. My elbow's bent, my spine ain’t straight. My temperature is one-0-eight. My brain is shrunk, I cannot hear, There is a hole inside my ear. I have a hangnail, and my heart is - What? What's that?  What's that you say? You say today is Saturday? G’bye, I’m going to the mall today!” Is everything okay as long as it’s my way?

[Luke 14:27] “...anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.” You must take charge of your spiritual life because - “You Can't Fool God” (by Grenville Klieser): You can fool the hapless public, You can be a subtle fraud, You can hide your little meanness, But you can't fool God! You can advertise your virtues, You can self achievement laud, You can load yourself with riches, But you can't fool God! You can criticize the Bible You can be a selfish clod, You can lie, swear, drink, and gamble, But you can't fool God! You can magnify your talent, You can hear the world applaud, You can boast yourself somebody, But you can't fool God! Resolve that during the year 2018 I will: Like Paul, forget those things which are behind and press forward (Philippians 3:12-14). Like David, lift up my eyes to the hills from which my help comes (Psalm 121:1-2). Like Abraham, trust my God implicitly (Hebrews 11:8). Like Enoch, walk in daily fellowship with my heavenly Father (Genesis 5:21-24). Like Moses, suffer rather than enjoy the pleasure of sin for a time (Hebrews 11:24-26). Like Job, be patient and faithful in all circumstances (James 5:11). Like Joseph, turn my back on all evil advances (Genesis 39:12). Like Gideon, advance even when my friends are few (Judges 6:14-16). Like Andrew, strive to lead my brother to Christ (John 1:40-42a). I pray you don’t give up your self-improvement. Ask the Lord daily to help improve you.

Consider Your Ways

It seems like yesterday that all the news for 1999 was directed at the computer and that all the computers of the world were going to crash at the stroke of midnight and the turn of the century. We were being warned our new-found fascination with the personal computer was in jeopardy and a world-wide panic was inevitable. Folks were storing up water and canned goods because the food industry was going to be unable to deliver goods to the retail markets. Y2K did present some concerns as to the function of computers not programmed for the turn of the century with the unrecognizable 2xxx year designation, but throughout the previous several years they had been updated to survive the stroke of midnight and the year 2000. Still, some wouldn’t listen and fretted over a problem that didn’t exist, that is unless preparations had not been taken before hand. New Year’s morning was awash with plenty of water and calmer minds prevailed. Now was the time to focus on that magical year of 2020. It seemed so far off and dreams of what it was going to be like were fabulous. Now its only two years away and the whole world seems to have introverted to a me society, and for many the magic of 2020 is all but gone.

[Haggai 1:2-11] ...Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.” This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways.” The beginning of a new year is a good time to pause and consider the direction of our lives. It is easy to get into ruts and routines (even extremely hectic ones) and thus never stop to consider where we are going or where we should be going. After the children of Israel had returned home from Babylonian captivity, the people soon became careless in their faith and devotion to Almighty God. Their focus shifted from God to self. So God sent them a prophet by the name of Haggai with a stinging rebuke and warning. He told them to give careful thought to what they were doing. According to Haggai 1:6, they try and try to please themselves but nothing is working! They are working really hard, but what they are doing isn’t accomplishing anything! Do you ever feel that way? God is saying, “Do what will glorify ME! You want your life to matter and be satisfying and fulfilling and all that it can be? Glorify me!” With this event in mind, let us stop and consider our ways. Here are some serious spiritual questions (thanks to Donald Whitney) that will help us consider our ways and see if we are seeking to glorify God or self. • What is the single most important thing I can do to improve the quality of my family life this year? • What is the single biggest time-waster in my life, and what will I do about it this year? • What is the most helpful new way I could strengthen my congregation? • For whom will I pray most fervently this year? • Who is the person(s) that I most want to encourage this year? • What is the one thing I could do this year to enrich the spiritual legacy that I will leave to my children and grandchildren? • What single thing that I plan to do this year will matter most in 10 years? In eternity? • What is the one thing I most regret about last year, and what will I do about it this year? We must plan for spiritual greatness. It won’t happen by accident. Let us consider our ways. “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:17).