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

Peaches, Apples, & Grapes – Galatians 5:22-23

22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 

23  Gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

– Galatians 5:22-23

Peaches, Apples, & Grapes

Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-control – I will do my best to live up to the power of this "fruit" in everything I do today and if I'm successful I will sing praises to God . . . but if I'm not, at the end of the day when I reflect on how things went today, I will still praise God and thank Him for His Grace. Then . . . I will lay my head down and be at peace.

You see the sweetness of this kind of fruit comes from the decisions and the choices that I will make throughout my day.

I choose to Love

– I will love because God is Love and I love Him - I will remind myself of that when criticism rears its ugly head.

I choose to have Joy

– I will invite God into my circumstances and I will choose to see my problems as an opportunity to show everyone how good God is.

I choose Peace

– I will forgive and I will seek forgiveness. I will not let me pride be offended by anything or anyone.

I choose to be Patient

– I will look for opportunities to be 2nd (or 3rd or 4th). I will smile when I am inconvenienced and I will thank God for the opportunity to wait.

I choose to be Kind

– I will think on how good and kind my Lord has been to me and I will do my best to pass that on to others.

I choose to be Good

– I will do the right thing and I will look for opportunities to show the love of Jesus to others.

I choose to be Faithful

– I will keep my promises and I will do my best to make sure that others can trust me - with everything I do.

I choose to be Gentle

– I will not raise my voice today  . . . except to praise my Savior.

I choose Self Control

– I will monitor myself and I will think on God and His love and Grace for me before I make any decision.

I choose to honor my Father today by doing my very best - for Him. My choices and my decisions will reflect who I am - according to His Word.  My actions will show others that I believe what my Father says about me.  And at the end of my day, I will lay me head down in Peace and I will rest in His Grace.

Prayer

Father, I give my day to you and I will make my choices according to who You say I am.  I will be fruitful to the best of my ability. And Lord, I ask for Your guiding hand to help me and to show me if my fruit begins to sour. Let my life reflect who You are so that others are drawn into Your loving arms.

Have a blessed day everyone!

– Richard

A Prayer For You All! – Ephesians 3:14-21

A Prayer For You All!

14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 

15 from whom His whole family 

      in heaven and on earth derives its name. 

16 I pray that out of His glorious riches 

      He may Strengthen you with Power 

      through His Spirit in your inner being, 

17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. 

      And I pray that you, 

      being rooted and established in Love, 

18 may have Power, 

      together with ALL the saints, 

      to grasp How Wide, 

      and How Long,

      and How High, 

      and How Deep, 

      IS the Love of Christ, 

19 and to know this Love 

      that surpasses ALL knowledge

      that you may be Filled 

      to the measure of ALL the Fullness of God.

20 Now to Him who IS ABLE 

      to do immeasurably More 

      than ALL we ask, 

      or imagine, 

      according to His Power 

      that is at work within us, 

21 to Him be Glory in the Church 

      and in Christ Jesus 

      throughout ALL generations, 

      FOREVER AND EVER! 

      AMEN!

 – Ephesians 3:14-21

Nothing I can add can top this one – I pray this for you ALL today!

Have a blessed day everyone!

– Richard

Peace Out! – 2 Corinthians 13:11

11 Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace;  and the God of Love and Peace will be with you.
– 2 Corinthians 13:11

Peace Out!
Rejoice!
Restore your relationships!
Comfort one another!
Agree with one another!
Live in Peace!
     THEN...God, who IS Love and Peace, will be with you.

Pretty heady stuff eh?  Can you wrap your mind around this one?  The ball is in your court – whatcha gonna do with it?  You gonna run with it or are you gonna sit around waiting for God to make you feel like being a lovable and peaceful Christian?   If that's the case I hope you have a good set of lungs because you're gonna be holding your breath for-a-long-time!  

God wants us to take the initiative and show the world that we are different – that we talk differently, we drive differently, we live differently, and we react differently – not because we are being made to, but because we choose to.  We have to make a conscious effort to rejoice in the face of tough situations like when we receive a bad Dr's report, or a job loss, or to show love and compassion to those who oppose us.  We must choose to speak life into situations that by all outward appearances seem to be hopeless, and we must live peaceably and be examples of calm in the midst of our trials so that our neighbors and coworkers, and anyone else observing us will be drawn to the light of Christ that dwells within us.

As we do this . . . as we make the choice to rejoice in the life that we have, and as we demonstrate peace, and love, and kindness, and we learn to live full and contented lives (despite our circumstances), we will experience God's love and peace which will enable us to go even deeper in our relationship with Him.  In turn, this will allow us to be even more effective in bringing peace and love and joy to those who don't know Christ.  It is a continuous cycle that as Christians, we should be constantly working in and towards.  

I have been trying to apply this in my own life and I can tell you that I have never felt more at peace with who I am and my walk in Christ.  I am, on a daily basis, getting a better understanding of the depth of God's love and the sweet taste and aroma of His peace in my life, and I actually feel physically better because of it.  Oh, I still have arthritis, and I still have all the aches and pains that go with that, but the stress just isn't there as much.  I wish I could say it isn't there at all, but I am still learning how to make the right choices in celebrating my life as Christ intended, and I know that everyday, I will get a little bit better at living in peace.

Won't you join me in making a lifestyle change?  Make the choice to be a peacemaker and watch your life change for the better.  I challenge you to give up something that you feel is rightfully and justifiably yours in order to bring peace to the situation.  For example, have you been at odds with someone over a debt that is owed?  Forgive the debt and then apologize for any ill-feelings that may have come about because of the debt.  Are you angry with someone for hurting your feelings?  Go to them and apologize for being angry at them (chances are they aren't even aware you've been angry).  Do you have a family member that you haven't talked to in a long time because of something that happened years ago?  Call them today and tell them you love them.  Then watch as God moves in your life – and theirs.  Send me a note with your story . . . I'd love to hear how God has restored your relationships because you made the choice to be a peacemaker!

Prayer
Father I thank You for the revelation of my role in living in peace and rejoicing in my life.  For too long I was expecting You to bring peace in my life but I wasn't willing to do my part.  I see now that I must make the choice to live as a peacemaker in order for Your grace and peace to be active in my life.  I pray that as I continue living my life according to Your Word, others will be drawn to Your peace, which surpasses all earthly understanding.

Have a blessed day everyone!

– Richard

And Be At Peace! – 2 Peter 3:13-14

13    But according to His promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
14    Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by Him without spot or blemish, and at peace. 
– 2 Peter 3:13-14

And Be At Peace!
As we work through our "issues" and try to become more like Christ, are we at peace? With God? With our families and friends?  

Good! Now here's a tough one . . . are we at peace with ourselves?  

For some reason, we are our own worst enemies and so we can find it difficult to let things go.  Especially when we make the same mistakes over and over again.  We hold on to our disappointment and embarrassment like a child holds on to an ice cream cone, or a greedy miser holds on to a shiny coin.  We can be at peace with the whole world, but when we take a look in the mirror of our soul, we only see our flaws and we question God as to why we can't change or are having difficulty changing.

God wants to let you know today that it's OK to let go.  It's really that easy.  Just raise your arm, open your hands up, and start visualizing your self-beratement drifting off to space like some colorful group of helium filled balloons. 

"But I can't!" you say? 
"You just don't understand?" you think?
"How can I just let go of all the damage I've done and the people I've hurt?"
"How can I be at peace when I just can't seem to stop doing the same dumb things time-after-time?"
"How can I . . . (enter your own question here)?"

Well I do understand.  I go over and over my own mistakes all the time and I think of all the should've, would've, could've scenarios over - and over - and over again.  I don't know why I do it, but I do.  But you know what?  I'm getting better at just letting go.  I'm getting better at asking the Holy Spirit for help in doing it.  I'm getting better at laying at Jesus' feet . . . and leaving it there.  I'm getting better and I have to tell you that there is so much freedom in not having to revisit my mistakes every day.  Not living in and dwelling on your past mistakes will help bring you closer to being at peace with yourself. 

Won't you try it today?  Won't you lift up, reach out, and let go?  Try to be at peace with your life!  Start with doing it just for today.  Forgive yourself and let the blood of Jesus wash everything out of your mind.  He went through so much . . . just for you, and He wants you to know the freedom, and the joy, and the peace that He is holding out in front of you!  Reach out and take it!  NowTHAT is something to hold on to!

Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank You so much for all that You went through just so that we could know the freedom of Your love.  I am so sorry for discounting Your sacrifice by refusing to let go of my past sins and failures and for dwelling on things that I have no power to change.  I need Your grace and the power of the Holy Spirit to help me each day so I can overcome this tendency to go back to my self-hating ways.  Thank You Lord, I know I will learn to live in peace - with myself  - with Your help.

Have a blessed day everyone!

–Richard