Author: kezha1

It tells us in Proverbs 18:22 that he who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord. And we don’t have to look much farther than Proverbs 31:10-31 to discover an excellent example of this precious gift given of God…your wife. If you’ve never read this Proverb it sings the praises of a good wife, and extols the honor and dignity of all womanhood. It demonstrates the virtues of a wise woman, beautified by both her practical wisdom and charity towards others. But it also shows how powerful and noble a woman can be as she fears the Lord, putting Him above all else…resulting in trust and honor from her husband and family.

Daniel did not allow anything to stop him from praying…not Darius’s edict, not the fear that people were watching him, not even the knowledge that he was openly choosing to obey God and not the king. Prayer had become a habit, a pattern and practice that was deeply ingrained in his behavior. For this ritual of daily prayer brought Daniel comfort and way to commune with God…experiencing Him in a personal and powerful way, and he wasn’t going to abandon it. When you’ve formed the habit of daily prayer – even when bad things come into your life – it’s there like an anchor, grounding you in what really matters. Daily prayer is that important…it’s an intimate conversation with God…a way to express adoration, bare our soul in confession, pour out thanksgiving with a grateful heart, and offer up petitions to our Heavenly Father. I encourage you today to practice the habit of daily prayer.

Around me is the landscape of a harsh Midwestern Winter. The temperatures are freezing, the snow is deep, the skies are gray. So imagine my surprise the other day when I glanced out the window and saw a big rabbit warming itself in the sun near our backyard shed. Now admittingly, I have a love/hate relationship with the rabbits in our yard. I love to see the tiny baby bunnies frolicking in the grass early in the morning come Spring…but I hate them when they eat my garden and flowers down to nothing. But slowly over the years we have forged a peaceful co-existence…I now only plant rabbit-resistive flowers and place barriers around my raised garden beds. And as I watched the rabbit enjoying the warm sunshine my mind went to Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration, where Peter, James, and John witnessed for themselves Jesus supernaturally changing from a earthly form into a heavenly one. Matthew 17:2 tells us that Jesus’ face shone like the sun…illuminated by overwhelming strength and glory. I can only imagine how these three disciples tried to wrap their heads around what they were seeing…but I do know one thing…they were forever changed by it!

The promised Holy Spirit came at Pentecost and as Paul tells us in Romans 8:9 & II Timothy 1:14 He now lives in us. So when I hear someone pray, “Please be with so and so in their time of need…” I’m confused. Granted, asking the Lord to be with someone is a lovely sentiment, especially if that person lives a long distance from us. We can imagine in our minds Jesus lovingly wrapping His arms around that person and drawing them close to Him in a comforting hug…it makes us feel better. But if the Holy Spirit is living within that person…He’s already there…comforting, guiding, and encouraging as only the Counselor and the third part of the Trinity can.

The last few years have been difficult for all of us with the Pandemic wreaking havoc across the globe. It has touched us all in some way…from contracting COVID ourselves, to losing a friend or loved one to it, to just the isolation and loneliness we’ve been forced to endure. And as the months have passed, our Spiritual focus can become very inward centered. But Isaiah wants us to raise our eyes and look above the overwhelming nature of our present state filled with problems, trials, and tribulations and see the greater nature of God’s sovereign power and control. Correct Spiritual focus is conforming our mind and thoughts to that of Christ’s…and of taking control over our thought patterns, or as II Corinthians 10:5 tells us, “…to take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” So I urge you, lift up you eyes and look straight into the face of Jesus today…experience His peace, discover His loving- kindness, and take control of your thoughts in obedience to Him.

“Come, all you who are thirsty…” (Isaiah 55:1) Are you thirsty today? Is your life dry, your mind parched, and your soul in an arid place right now? Spiritual thirst is unlike anything else we can go through. When we’re physically dry and dehydrated it creates within us the sensation of thirst…our body telling us we need fluids…and we immediately know to drink some water! But Spiritual thirst can be confusing and perplexing at times…and instead of satisfying it with God, we frantically fill it with all kinds of wacky things. God is the source and fountain of Living Water for us to draw from. From His Wellspring and His alone, comes life everlasting and the light of His Word. For in God’s great light lies salvation, wisdom, and prosperity. One reason you may be dry is that you’ve not been in the Word…drinking in God’s promises…another, could be that you are no longer part of a Body of Believers. Ask God to show you WHY you’re Spiritually thirsty today…and I am certain He WILL show you!

Deuteronomy Chapter 32 is called The Song of Moses…not only showing the power of song in worship, but how lyrics can serve as a testimony and reminder of God’s goodness, power, and provision. Within this song we see God’s promises, commands, and revelation. For the first time in Scripture we see the word Rock used to describe God (Verse 4) and His protection, portrayed as being the apple of His eye (Verse 10). Moses ends his song with a warning here in Verses 45-47, knowing He will not be joining them in crossing over the Jordan River into the Promised Land. Instead his song would go with them, reminding them that obeying God’s Word was a matter of life (eternal) or death.

As Malachi 3:10 points out to us, You can’t out give God! And Paul wanted us to realize not only this truth, but by quoting Psalm 112:9 here, wanted us to remember that God will supply all our needs. So in return we are to be generous in our giving. For when we give joyfully it deepens our experience of God’s grace…setting our hearts free from material possessions…and with it comes blessings unspeakable in return. But becoming a generous person takes practice…but if you can see yourself as a steward or caretaker of what God has given you…giving to others will take on new meaning. Think on this then… when we sow into another person’s life that which is right and good, it brings about a harvest of blessing into our lives from the Lord.

Let this seep down into your soul today…God is good and He only does what is good. He is good to everyone and everything…that’s called Common Grace… meaning, all His creation receives the same goodness from His hand. Then His Son, Jesus Christ, came preaching the message of salvation, called, you guessed it, the Good News…God’s plan for man to again be in right standing with Him by way of His Son. God’s goodness can range from what’s practical and economical to what’s beautiful and inspiring. God is good and He only does good…so teach us Your precepts and statues to live by Lord, that we may see Your goodness in everything around us.

The ultimate trust of God is shown in who we rely on. Or when something wonderful happens in our life, who we give credit to. The Psalmist is very clear here…we are not to get the glory in anything that happens in our life….for it is God Who is directing and causing it. The ultimate trust in God is when we glorify Him, not ourselves, and when faith overrides selfish ambitions. We are to ascribe to the Lord the glory due His Name, Psalm 96:8 tells us…in other words, all glory rightfully belongs to God, not us. So ultimately, who we place our trust in will determine who receives this glory…ourselves or God.