Who Are You? – Romans 8:16

16 God's Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who He is, and we know who we are: Father and children.

– Romans 8:16 (The Message)

Who Are You?

Do you know who you are? Do you know how really good and very good you are? Do you know that you have been hand-picked, set-aside, and are being polished to perfection to live your life right now, in this place and time? Do you know it? Can you grasp the concept?

Close your eyes and think on God . . . go ahead, stop reading this and close your eyes right now and think on Him and what HE really is in your life. Take your time, I'll wait for you to come back.

Good, you came back . . . Did you see Him? Did you talk to Him? Did you let His Heart touch your heart?  Did you feel His Spirit touching your spirit? Did you get that confirmation that let you know that you are really His. I mean REALLY His?  I know sometimes it doesn't feel like it - especially because we know how many mistakes we make and how easy it is to make them, but yes, we ARE His and He has us in His Hands . . . ALWAYS!

God is our Father!  He is our Hero, our Champion, our entire cheering section.  No one wants to see us succeed and thrive like He does.  He loves us so very much and His Heart aches for our love and recognition of Him as our Papa, our Daddy, our Father.

So give yourself a break today. Refuse to give in to the lie that you are flawed, or that you make too many mistakes so God can't use you, or that maybe He's ashamed of you. Give yourself a break!  Nothing you can do; no mistake you can make; no ugly thought you can think, will change the way He sees you. He loves you because you are His child and if you can get that, I mean REALLY understand it, then you will begin to start having victory over the little things that are constantly trying to divert your attention away from the One who really knows who you are . . . your Father, your Amazing and Wonderful Father, who Loves you so very much!

Prayer

Father, Your Spirit confirms in my spirit that You are my Father! I love You so very much!  I pray for Your help in allowing my brothers and sisters to see You as You really are in their lives - to realize the awesome relationship that exists because You are their Father and they are Your children.  Thank You Lord!

Have a Blessed day Children of God!

– Richard

Climb That Rock – Psalm 61:2

2 From the ends of the earth, I will cry to You for help, for my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety,

3 for You are my safe refuge, a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me.

– Psalm 61:2

Climb That Rock

When life is chasing you down, trying to steal your last bit of sanity; when circumstances are crushing down on you like a sumo wrestler sitting on a grape; when the very air that keeps you alive is filled with the stench of gossip, and slander, and back-biting; when everything you thought was right in the world has turned on you like a 30-day old macaroni salad, where do you turn? Who will be there to give you comfort> How can anyone offer to ease your torment when they are facing torments of their own?  What on earth do you do?

From the ends of the earth; from point A to point B; from your bedroom to your kitchen and on out to the farthest corner of your backyard . . . cry out to Jesus!  Go ahead, I'll cry out with you . . . J-E-S-U-S!

It sounds silly you say?  People might think I'm weird you mutter?  Who cares!  They already probably think your life is looking pretty pathetic!  It doesn't matter what people think. It ONLY matters what YOU think . . . about HIM!

Jesus is our Rock! HE is our Fortress!  He is our Strong Tower! He is our Deliverer!  And (here comes the one we all know), if HE is for us . . . then NO-ONE can be against us!

So why do we wait until things are way out of control before we look to our Champion to help us out? Sad to say I haven't figured that one out myself either.  I still get into the rut of trying to solve things myself until myself gets me in way too deep - but I'm getting better!  I'm learning to recognize the quicksand and avoid the Kool-Aid.  I've started recognizing the DANGER signs and I'm learning to cry out to Jesus early on so that I don't get to the point of my heart being overwhelmed.  BUT, I am not so naive to think that somewhere in my future, the time will come when I will be crushed and my world will fall apart.  I only hope and pray that I will have the strength and the wisdom to make my heart's cry whose Heart cries out for me. My Savior, my Lord, the One True Love of my life . . . J-E-S-U-S!

Are you facing something big today? How about something little? How about anything at all?  If you are facing anything at all today that could potentially snowball into a major life crisis, call out to Him. He will lead you to His Towering Rock of Safety - His Fortress - His Hiding Place - His Still Waters - His Open Arms and His Waiting Heart.

He is there for you . . . just cry out!

Prayer

Lord Jesus, I pray for all those who need to cry out to You today. Remind them of Your Power and Your Grace! Show them Your Love and the Peace the comes from spending time with You . . . at Your Towering Rock of Safety!

Have a blessed day everyone!

– Richard

The Time Is Now! – 2 Timothy 4:3-5

3 For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 

4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.

5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

– 2 Timothy 4:3-5

The Time Is Now!

The world is looking for answers. To what?  Well, that's a BIG question.  Each person has to answer the specifics to that one for themselves but what it boils down to is: 

What is the meaning of my life? 

Why am I here? 

What's this "life" all about anyway?

People want answers, but the problem is that a lot of them don't want the Truth.  They want something that makes sense to them, allows them to make decisions based on their understanding of things, and if it makes them feel good about themselves, they wrap it up in a package of convenience and call it "spirituality."

Higher inner consciousness, self actualization, life empowerment, chanting, chakras, gurus, yogis, mind-melds, ESP, tarot, spiritualism, wikken, meditation, karma, and on-and-on-and-on the list is almost as long as the imagination is deep.  There seems to be a big push nowadays for people to be "spiritual" and to find whatever the "I'm Ok - You're OK" flavor of the week works, and apply it . . . as long as it doesn't have anything to do with Jesus.

Why is the "spiritual" world so set against and afraid of Jesus?  Of all the "powers" out there, He is the only one that is freely available to all.  The problem (in my opinion), is that it's too easy.  The concept of Grace just doesn't make sense, and that's what really scares people.  People want to be able to achieve. The want to climb the ladder of success.  The want to feel like their efforts and their mastery of something makes them better than the average person.  We are all built that way, and God, in His infinite wisdom, made us that way so that we could survive and prosper here on earth.  The key (and the problem) is that we weren't created just for earth - we were created with eternity in mind.

There isn't anything that we can do to reach a higher level of Jesus-osity.  We can't pray enough, we can't do enough good. We can't buy our way to the top, we can't get enough education, we can't bully our way in, or chant our way out, or "see" our way through. Nothing we can do in our own ability, will get us closer to God.  The only thing we can do is receive.  Open our arms and graciously and humbly accept what Christ has done.  Once that is done, we are all the same in the eyes of the Lord. Billy Graham is as saved as the child who answered the call and recited the Salvation Prayer in Sunday School last week.  Mother Theresa is just as saved as the newest member of the Parking Lot ministry at the local church.  The Pope is just as saved as the prison convert who had nowhere else to turn . . . but to Jesus.

THAT's God's gift to all of us, if we will just accept it, and THAT's what is so difficult for our unsaved friends and loved ones  (the world) to understand. BUT, that doesn't mean that we take our gift of Salvation and hide it way for safe-keeping. No! No! No!

While the gift of Grace is free, and it comes with no conditions, we DO have the responsibility to tell others about the Grace, the Love, the Joy, the Peace, the Forgiveness, the Victory, and the Freedom that comes from our Lord Jesus. Even if people don't want to hear it. Even if they think they have found the answers as a result of scratching their "Itchy Ear" of curiosity. We still have to love them, and tell them, and then leave it up to God to do the rest. 

So even if everyone you know is "Out There," and trying to find their own answers, let's keep our heads, endure the hardships, do the work of evangelists (with Love), and carry out the responsibility we have to tell everyone we can about the Saving Grace of our Lord Jesus!

Prayer

Father thank You for the free gift of Grace that, in Your Love, You have for ALL Your children. I pray that those who are bound by the religions of this earth will forget the itch in their ears and pay attention to the itch in their hearts and turn to You.

Have a great day everyone!

– Richard

This Is The Life! – Jude 1: 20-21 (The Message)

20 But you, dear friends, carefully build yourselves up in this most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit, 

21 staying right at the center of God's love, keeping your arms open and outstretched, ready for the mercy of our Master, Jesus Christ. This is the unending life, the real life!

– Jude 1: 20-21 (The Message)

This Is The Life!

Do you want to know the secret to true happiness and a full and rich life?  Do you want to find out the "secret" for calmness and peace in the middle of life's storms?  Do you want more than anything to know God's will for your life?  The answer is simple . . simple, and hard, at the same time.  It's simple because it's available to and for all of us. It's hard because it's too simple, and our minds have a tough time making sense of it. In fact, it can seem downright  foolish to some folks.

The answer is . . . Praying In The Spirit!

That's it! 

That's all!

Pretty simple huh? 

By praying in the Spirit, and making it a daily habit, or lifestyle if you will, the Bible tells us that we can "carefully" build ourselves up – by the power of the Holy Spirit . . . to live the life that our heavenly Father designed for us. A life maintained in the center of His Love, and in His Favor. A life that moves, and breathes, in His Love and Forgiveness. A life of Strength and Victory, of Power and Dominion, over our past pitfalls and failures.  The Holy Spirit, when we pray IN Him, gives us wisdom, and abilities, and talents, and insight so that we can make the decisions that are going to propel us, and help us navigate the mighty flow of the River of God that is taking us from point A to point B - the River of Life . . . OUR Life . . . IN Him.

But praying in the Spirit can be a scary thing at first. I mean it sounds like a bunch of babbling, and it just seems silly to those who aren't accustomed to it. BUT, when a person takes the plunge, and removes the fear, and the doubt, and all the preconceived notions and ideas, and they open their hearts and let the sounds of praise escape through their lips – by the power of the Holy Spirit . . . their life will be transformed.  What seemed silly and contrived at first, will soon become a comfortable friend and a powerful weapon against the enemy.  Praying in the Spirit will be like a good breakfast – the most important meal of the day!

So open your arms! Stretch them out wide, and get ready as the Power of the Holy Spirit leads you, via the mercy of our Master, the Lord Jesus Christ, into this unending life. This REAL life. This life designed especially and specifically, just for us, by our Father in Heaven, who (by the way), Loves Us VERY Much!

Prayer

Father, thank You for reminding me that I need to continually be building myself up by praying in Your Holy Spirit. My arms are open and stretched out wide as I receive Your Mercies today. I pray for my brothers and sisters who are tentative about praying in the Spirit and I ask that You give them a boldness and a confidence to take the plunge into Your mighty River of Life, and let the Spirit move them as He wills . . . according to Your purpose, in Jesus' name!

Have a blessed day everyone!

– Richard

Lighten Up! – 1 John 1:7

7 But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son cleanses us from all sin.

– 1 John 1:7

Lighten Up!

I think we have all heard the expression that we are to be a "light" in this dark world. That we are to let our "lights" shine before men, etc., etc.  While that is so true and the world will be a better place when we all decide to "light" things up, we have to consider what "light" we are talking about.

The scripture tells us that if we walk in the light – as He is in the light . . . then all the other good stuff happens.  So what does that mean?  Well, since God IS light and the scripture tells us that He is also IN the light, then the purity of His light is, was, and always will be un-compromised.  There is no shadow. There is no darkness.  There are no hidden nooks and crannies (I'm not really sure what a "cranny" is but rest assured, God doesn't have any).  He is light within light within light. Turned inside out, He is still light – upside down, 360º, no matter what angle you choose to look, He is out there and available for ALL to see . . L-I-G-H-T.

So . . . how then, can we, with all our nooks, crannies, shadows, faults, secrets, evil and lustful desires, obsessions, anger, bitterness, envy, jealousy, criticism, hatred, habits, addictions, self-loathing, and on-and-on-and-on, be light . . . in its most meager of terms?  I mean, there is now way right?  I don't know about you, but I am so unworthy to be called "light," and on my own, there is no way I can even begin to walk in it, let alone even begin to understand what it is to walk as HE (God) is!  So how then do we do it? How do we fulfill this part of scripture . . . this Promise, in our lives?

The key phrase is . . . and the Blood of Jesus!

The blood that covers us in light, allows us to walk in the light, just as He (God) is Light, is Love, is Peace, is Joy, is Hope, is Forgiveness, is Victory, is Understanding, is Purity.  When we are covered in the blood, the very life source of Jesus, poured out for each one of us, just so we could walk in His light, we begin to see others before ourselves.  We begin to really care for one another, and love one another, and the self-centered, prideful ways that once owned us is chased away like the utter darkness that it is.  When the "light" is switched on, and we walk (live our lives) like we know what that means, THEN we can have true fellowship with one another, AND that same blood of Jesus, keeps us clean from the sin that once ruled over us.

Lets recognize His light by being light today.  Smile at someone; help someone; let someone else be first; give generously to someone; let someone know they are loved today; BE light today. Show the world that the Light of God is pure - that His Love is real, that His Joy can be for them too.  Walk in the light as He is light today and see what it can do to brighten up the world around you.  No matter what it is that you have to go through today – even if the world looks dark and gloomy . . . choose to be the light.  I guarantee that not only will you make a difference,  you will notice a difference in your own life, no matter what it is you are facing.

Prayer

Father, Thank You for reminding me of the purity of Your light. Show me how to be exposed today so that others can see Your light in and through me.  Make me a beacon of Your Love, and Peace, and Joy, and Forgiveness today.

Have a blessed day everyone!

– Richard

Straight Talk – Job 40:6-7

6 God addressed Job next from the eye of the storm, and this is what he said:
7 "I have some more questions for you, and I want straight answers.

– Job 40:6-7

Straight Talk

Have you ever wondered where God is when you are going through tough times? You know, when the world is raging around you and everything you think to be true has been turned upside down – when even your very best friends seem to have turned against you?  Those can be some very lonely times and the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel can seem like it will never come into focus.

When we are in the middle of facing the "Junk," the "Big Nasty," or the "Storm of the Century," the best thing to do is take a breath, get quiet, and wait.  Yes wait . . . in the quiet . . . for God. That's where He is, just waiting . . . for you.  That's where He will speak. From the "eye" of your storm; in the quiet and calm that is smack-dab in the middle of ALL your turmoil; where you have a perfect 360º view of your situation; where God can point out what's happening – and why it's happening, and you can calmly turn to see every aspect of the situation and most importantly, where you can answer His hard questions, honestly, openly, and completely.

"But why should I have to answer hard questions? I don't even know why this is "happening" to me!"

The hard questions aren't going to be about your situation. The really hard questions are going to be about Him. Who you see God as. What you really think He can and/or cannot do. When you think He should act, Where you think He has been all this time, and How much do you trust Him.  You see the really hard questions are always going to be about why we don't trust the One we call our God . . . to give us the grace to weather the storm; to be our constant help in times of trouble; to provide a way when there just seems to be no way; to be God over ALL things in our lives . . . even the storms.

The thing is that God is God no matter what is happening to us, in us, through us, or around us.  He knows what we are going through and sometimes it's stuff we just have to go through, and if we will just allow God to be God, and trust that He will NEVER leave us nor forsake us, then we can focus on Him and NOT on the storms we are in.  

Our storms will come and our storms will go . . . but our God (who Loves us by the way), will ALWAYS be right there to see us through . . . according to HIS plans and purpose for our lives.

So what's the easy answer to the hard question?

It's all about Him, and not about us.  

It's "God, You do what is best for me and I will praise You – in the storm and in the quiet . . . because YOU have my life in Your hand. I submit my life to YOUR perfect will."

When we get to that point; when we truly understand what that means, THAT's when we can walk in peace . . . even in the middle of a raging storm.  That's my prayer for all of us today.

Prayer

Father, I pray that we can all take our eyes off of our problems today and that we can look to You no matter what we are facing. You are so very good . . . ALL the time, and we will praise you no matter what comes our way.  We submit ourselves to Your Master plan and we ask for Your help as we learn to stay focussed on You.

Have a blessed day everyone!

– Richard

TAKE HEART! – John 16: 33

33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace.   In the world you will have tribulation.   But take heart;  I have overcome the world."
– John 16: 33

TAKE HEART!
When we think of the promises of God we usually think about His blessings.  Especially in this country where we have so much and we are all so blessed – we think of prosperity, and peace, joy, and an abundant life, and we hold on to the hope of eternal life with Him.  All of these are very good things and we should always think on them.

On the other hand, Jesus also promises us that as long as we are here on this planet, we will have tribulation.  We will have trials and troubles, and we will be persecuted, and lied about, and talked about, and accused of things we didn't do.  We will be shunned by the world for loving and believing in Jesus.  We will get sick, and we will have to watch horrible things happen to those we love. That's just the way it is – and the it will always be – for as long as we live.

As Americans, sometimes we forget that for much of the world, an Abundant Life could mean having just enough food for not one, but maybe two small meals a day.  Prosperity could mean having hand-me-down shoes.  Peace could be moment-to-moment, and Grace could mean that the mortar shells missed your home last night.

The troubles that we in America have to deal with are very different from the rest of the world, and sometimes we must seem like spoiled children to our Father when our prayers are so self centered and trite.  Sometimes we complain way too much about what we don't have, when we should be thanking Him for giving so freely to us.  We should be able to handle our troubles with more faith – especially in light of the fact that our God has blessed us to be able to live in such a rich country and with so much freedom.  

We should really recognize that we have found God's favor over all the other countries in the world.  No where else on this blue marble in space )in my opinion), do so many people enjoy the abundance of life that we do.  Oh sure, there are those of us who have more, and there are those of us who have less, but we have all been chosen to live in this blessed place at this time in history.  So what are we going to do about it?  How should we be living our lives and where should we be focusing our attention?

First I think we need to stop right now and thank our Father for giving so freely and richly to us.  We need to thank Him for sparing us from the terrible depths of poverty, and war, and famine, and drought, and genocide that many people in this world face every day.  We need to thank Him for running water (especially hot water).  We need to get down on our knees and praise Him for indoor bathrooms.  We should all open our closets this morning and shower God with gratitude for the ridiculous amount of shoes that we have, and the ability to choose a different clean outfit every day.  We need to stand in front of our refrigerators (and first of all thank Him for the refrigerator), and open the doors and sing praises of thanksgiving for the meals that are already supplied and just waiting to be prepared.  We need to lay our hands on our children and thank Him for the hopes and dreams that He has placed in each one – and the fact that they live in a place where those hopes and dreams can be realized.  

We, each one of us, need to stand in front of a mirror, look ourselves in the eye, and humbly ask our Father in heaven, the Creator of ALL things, the one who breathed life into each one of us, for forgiveness for taking all that He has so freely given us for granted.  We need to ask Him to forgive our petty, self-centered, prideful prayers and we need to repent from our unbelief of His Word because It says that we should be taking heart – having hope – having faith, because He has overcome the trials and tribulations of this world . . . just – for – us.

Prayer
Father, I am so sorry for always focusing on the things that I want and don't have.  My trials and troubles, while very real and big to me, should not be what I come to You with every day.  You know what they are and You have already promised that You will supply me the grace to overcome them.  I repent of this self-centered way that I have been approaching You.  I thank You father, for this wonderful life that You have blessed me with.  I thank You for my awesome wife - she is always a blessing and a help to me.  I thank You for my son – he is my joy and You have blessed him with the ability to move people's hearts.  I thank You for my step daughter - she is pure light to our family and our grandchildren are a constant reminder of the miracles You bless me with each day.  I thank You for my step son – he loves You so much and he works so hard to provide for his family.  I thank you for my entire family and all my friends Lord – You have provided me with the richness of their wisdom.  I thank You for my job and the people that I get to interact with every day – I pray that I can be a good representative of Your kingdom to them.  Most of all Lord, I want to thank You for calling me to this time and this place in history.  I pray that I can effect change in this world and that others will come to know You because of the life that You have given me and the path that You have set my feet on.  Help me to live well and to show Jesus to everyone around me.

Have a blessed day everyone!

– Richard