1 Corinthians 13:4-7

MEDITATION:  Love is patient and kind.  Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude.  It does not demand its own way.  It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.  It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.  Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

REVELATION:  Real, authentic love crosses all relationships and situations:  with family, friends, significant others, strangers, and our enemies.  The love of God in us isn’t evident or defined simply by what we say; rather, it is defined by what we do and how we do it.

APPLICATION:  How patient are you with the people in your life?  How patient are you when they make mistakes or don’t speak or act as quickly as you want them to?  How quick are you to wash your hands of/dismiss others?  How do you respond when the person in in front of you is taking his/her own sweet time?  Paul tells us that love is patient.  This means that we don’t become easily irritated and frustrated with others.  Kind love is mild and gentle when dealing with others even if they don’t deserve it.

Love isn’t jealous of others:  what they look like, what they have, who they’re with.  Love doesn’t brag and is not conceited, boosting oneself over others.  Love is not snobbish or arrogant, exalting itself above others.  Love isn’t harsh, abrasive, or impolite.  Love is courteous and respectful towards everyone.  Love doesn’t feel that everything has to be its way or no way.  Love doesn’t look out only for itself; love doesn’t ask “What’s in it for me?”

Have you ever been short with someone or had a difficult time letting go/forgiving people who you feel have wronged you?  If so, that’s not love.  The text teaches us that love forgives.  Forgiving a person does not mean that you are saying that the person is right for what he/she did.  Forgiving people releases you from being held back/stuck because of what they did; forgiving also releases them to God.  Unforgiveness causes us to become resentful, especially when we see them going on with their lives as if nothing happened or they are not concerned about our feelings.  Before we know it, we’re tempted to become vindictive and spiteful.  If we’re not careful, we’ll start behaving that way.

Love is not happy when people are mistreated or oppressed; love is not happy when lies prevail; but, it celebrates when right and truth prevail.  Love is by your side in the good times and the bad.  Love always looks for the best in every person, always hopes for the best no matter how bad things get, and remains strong through it all.

Now that you know what Christian love looks like, how would you assess your love walk?  Do you need to improve in any areas?  Do you need to be more patient with people and/or with yourself?  Why is it hard for you to live love as God expects us to as His children?   If you struggle with accepting God’s love for you as shown through others, why is that?  Do you love yourself?  After all, you cannot fully love others if you don’t love yourself.  Pray about your answers to these questions.  Release whatever has been holding you back and put it into God’s more than capable hands.  Ask God to heal you in your broken places and ask Him to give you what you need in order to love others the way that God loves us.

Philippians 4:19

MEDITATION:  “And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.” (NLT)  “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (KJV)

Context:  The Philippian church was the first to financially support Paul in spreading the Good News and they did so more than once.  Paul told them that their financial gifts were a “fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God” (v. 18).  Because of this, he assures them that they will not lack or go without their needs being met.

REVELATION:  (1) God’s ability is not the issue.  (2)  There is no lack in God.  (3)  Our riches are irrelevant.  (4) Jesus, not our efforts, is the guarantee.

APPLICATION:  One area in which many Christians stumble is giving, especially the tithe.  One of the last areas that many Christians surrender to God is finances.  Why is it that the enemy doesn’t say, “You can’t afford to pay that amount” when you’re out shopping for things that you don’t need and really can’t afford?  Why is it that the enemy says, “You can’t afford to pay your tithe” or “You can’t afford to give a sacrificial offering” whenever it comes to giving to God?  At the forefront of our minds are our bills and any other reasons to rationalize withholding from God.  At the root of our rationalizations is fear – fear of going without.  If we accept the truths revealed in Paul’s statement to the Philippians, we will be freed from the bondage and deprivation that fear causes.  Paul is not telling the Philippians what he thinks will happen; he is telling them what he knows will happen.  How does he know it will happen?  He knows because of his personal relationship with God through Jesus.  Paul says, “my God”/”this same God who takes care of me…”  He knows what God has done for him because of his commitment to the work of the Lord.

Truth #1:  God’s ability is not the issue.  This verse does not say that God might be able to.  It says that God “will supply”/”shall supply”.  “Will” and “shall” are concrete and definitive; they leave no room for doubt as to what God will do.  Since creation, before sin ever entered the picture, God provided for all that He created.  One of the names of God is Jehovah Jireh, the God who provides.  Thus, it is the will and nature of God to provide for His children.   The same God who provided manna from heaven and water from a rock for the Israelites is the same God who will provide for His children today.  The same God who kept the oil flowing until the widow had filled every jar she had so that she could pay off her husband’s debts and have enough left over to sell and live off of is the same God who will provide for His children today.  God’s ability is never the issue.  The issue is always our availability and obedience to God.  The issue is whether or not we trust God to do what God promises to do in the lives of those who trust God.

Truth #2:  There is no lack in God.  We will always be disappointed when we look to anyone or anything to meet all of our needs, including our spouses and/or our jobs.  The promise of God is not just to supply, but to supply all of our needs.    There is no insufficiency or lack in God.  God will never post an “Out of Stock” sign or give us a rain check/I Owe You.  God is not restricted by the stock market.  God is the source of all that is; so, God never runs out.   Psalm 24:1 says, “The earth is the LORD’S and everything in it.  The world and all its people belong to him.”  Psalm 111:5 says, “He gives food to those who fear Him; He always remembers His covenant.”  Psalm 104:14-15 says, “You cause grass to grow for the livestock and plants for people to use.  You allow them to produce food from the earth–wine to make them glad, olive oil to soothe their skin, and bread to give them strength.”  Psalm 84:11b says, “The LORD will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right.”  Don’t let the devil make you think that you will go without if you give to God or that God won’t come through for you.  Matthew 6:32-33 tells us that God already knows all of our needs and He will give us everything we need if we seek His kingdom and live righteously.  2 Corinthians 9:7b-8, 10 tells us that “God loves a person who gives cheerfully.  And God will generously provide all you need.  Then, you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others…For God is the One who provides seed to the farmer and then bread to eat.  In the same way, He will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you.”

Truth #3:  Our riches are irrelevant.  This, in and of itself, is a reason to shout.  God’s ability to supply all of our needs is not based upon what we have in our pockets, wallets, purses, or bank accounts.  God’s ability to supply all of our needs is based upon His riches in glory.  My adopted mother said to me, “Your budget is not God’s budget.”  Every time that my funds get low and aren’t enough to meet my financial need, I remind myself of this and I thank God that my budget is not His budget.  I thank God that my riches are irrelevant and that His ability to meet my needs is not based upon what I have, but upon His riches in glory.  God’s riches are inexhaustible.  The enemy will always try to get you to focus on what you don’t have and what you can’t do because of what you don’t have.  When this happens, we have two options:  become worried; depressed; and desperate, trying to make things happen on our own OR become even more determined to stand on God’s Word, thanking God that our riches are irrelevant to His ability to meet our needs.  Receive this in your spirit and be liberated from worry, depression, desperation, and fear.  Your praise will confuse the enemy.

Truth #4:  Jesus, not our efforts, is the guarantee.  The Bible clearly teaches us that our access to the promises of God comes through Jesus, and Jesus alone.  This verse, in particular, explains how we have access to the glorious riches of God:  “…which have been given to us in Christ Jesus“/”by Christ Jesus“.   When we believe on Jesus and confess Him as Lord of our lives, we gain access to every promise that God made to His children.  Never again do we have to try to figure out how we are going to make things work.  Never again do we have to feel as if we can’t afford to give to God.  As the context of this verse conveys, this guarantee of provision spoken by Paul is to those who give financially to advance the kingdom of God.  Jesus ensures that our needs will be met.

George Williams is credited as drawing an analogy using the bank of faith to help us better understand this verse:  My God = the Banker; Shall supply = the promise to pay; All your need = the value of the bank note; According to His riches = the capital [or wealth] of the bank; In glory = the address of the bank; By Christ Jesus = the signature at the foot [of the note], without which the note is worthless.  Jesus guarantees that we will always have what we need.  I don’t know about you, but I’m definitely banking with the bank of faith!

Luke 5:36-39; 2 Cor. 5:17

MEDITATION:  Luke 5:36-39 (NLT):  “No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and uses it to patch an old garment.  For then the new garment would be ruined, and the new patch wouldn’t even match the old garment.  And no one puts new wine into old wineskins.  For the new wine would burst the wineskins, spilling the wine and ruining the skins.  New wine must be stored in new wineskins.  But no one who drinks the old wine seems to want the new wine.  ‘The old is just fine,’ they say.’”

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT):  “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person.  The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”

REVELATION:  (1)  The old is not compatible with the new.  (2)  Jesus Christ brings a new way of thinking and living to those who believe in and confess Him as Lord.

APPLICATION:  Every January 1st, people say to each other “Happy New Year!”  We send cards, call, email, text, tweet, Facebook, and Instant Message these words.  We say them to those we know personally, as well as to strangers we encounter throughout the day.  Truth-be-told, we often times rattle these three words off like a pre-recorded message without taking the time to ponder the meaning/implication of these words as they relate to our lives.

The word NEW kept resonating in my mind on yesterday, December 31, 2013, and on this January 1, 2014.  I asked myself what NEW means and what would be new for me this year.  In order to answer that question, I had to think about what OLD means and what old things I determined not to bring into this NEW year and season of my life.  Since they are used as adjectives when talking about the “year”, I looked up both words on www.dictionary.reference.com.  There were 26 contextual definitions of the word OLD as an adjective and 12 contextual definitions of the word NEW as an adjective.

Three definitions of OLD stuck out to me:  (1)  over-familiar to the point of tedium (tedium:  the quality or state of being wearisome; irksomeness; tediousness); (2)  deteriorated through age or long use; worn, decayed, or dilapidated; and (3)  of long standing; having been such for a comparatively long time.  Two definitions of NEW caught my attention:  (1)  coming or occurring afresh and (2)  different and better.

Jesus’ example in Luke makes it plainly clear that the old is not compatible with the new.  There are some OLD – overly familiar, worn out, unproductive – tendencies and attitudes in each of us that are incompatible with who God has destined us to be and what He has purposed us to do for the Kingdom.  Although comfortable and predictable, they serve no good purpose and have actually hindered us and caused us to become stagnant.  Over time, that which is stagnant begins to stink.  In Christ Jesus, we are given a new life – a new way of thinking and living that will help us grow into who God has destined us to be and accomplish what He has purposed us to do for the Kingdom.  The challenge and charge for us is to be willing to part with the old “wineskin”, the old “life” with its comfort, routine, and predictability in order to become NEW wineskins ready to be filled with the NEW wine of the Holy Spirit.  I don’t know about you, but I am determined in this NEW year to leave the old behind; determined to become a NEW wineskin filled with the NEW wine of the Holy Spirit!

Questions for Meditation/Revelation/Application:  What OLD attitudes, mindsets, ways, practices, etc…, will you determine to leave in 2013 because they have no place in your NEW year?  What NEW attitudes, mindsets, ways, practices, etc…, will you allow to come into your NEW year that will make you different and better – NEW wineskin ready to be filled with the NEW wine of the Holy Spirit?

Luke 1:45

MEDITATION:  “You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”  (NLT)

Context:  Mary, a teenage virgin peasant girl, is suddenly visited by the archangel Gabriel, a messenger of God.  Gabriel tells her that the LORD is with her.  Then, he tells her that the Holy Spirit will come upon her; she will become pregnant and will give birth to a Son, whom she is to name Jesus.  This child will be called the Son of the Most High; God will give Him the throne of His forefather, David; He will reign over the house of Jacob throughout the ages; and His reign will never end.  After telling Mary that her elderly cousin, Elizabeth, is six months pregnant, Gabriel tells Mary that “nothing is ever impossible [with God] and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment.”  (AMP)  Mary replies, “I am the Lord’s servant.  May everything you have said about me come true.”  (NLT)  Mary goes to visit Elizabeth.  Upon Mary’s greeting, both Elizabeth and the baby that she is carrying are filled with the Holy Spirit.  Controlled by the Holy Spirit, Elizabeth pronounces a blessing over Mary.  Mary responds with a song of praise.  (v. 33-55)

REVELATION:  Real faith is taking God at His Word and living as if we have already received its promises BEFORE we actually birth/receive the promises.

APPLICATION:  A promise from God is beyond what our minds can comprehend.  On the one hand, we are excited about the possibility; on the other hand, we are terrified because we know our limitations.  We don’t see how it is humanly possible for us to realize the fulfillment of the promise because it cannot be accomplished based upon our own efforts.  When God speaks a Word of promise in our spirits, we have two options:  doubt and rejection or acceptance and submission.  Without doubting the truthfulness of the angel’s statements; questioning the possibility; seeing any evidence up front; or requiring assurance, Mary accepted the angel’s message from God as truth, acted on it, and praised God for His hand in her life.  She models for us how we are to respond when we get a Word of promise from God.

(1)  Personally submit to the power of God’s Word (v. 38).  God’s Word is Truth.  God’s Word is His action and our response to His Word is to be as Mary’s:  one of submission and acceptance based upon God’s character, not man’s limited understanding or our own.  God cannot lie.  The promises of God are “Yea” and “Amen”.  Submitting to God shows that we give up control of our lives to Him.  Submitting to God shows that we surrender to His authority over us, to His way of doing things.  Proverbs tells us that if we commit our actions to the Lord, our plans will succeed (16:3); “we can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps” (16:9); “Those who listen to instruction will prosper; those who trust the LORD will be joyful” (16:20); “There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death” (16:25); “you can make many plans, but the LORD’s purpose will prevail” (19:21); “The LORD directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way?” (20:24)  God’s obligation is to fulfill His Word and the Bible tells us that God’s Word won’t return to Him without accomplishing all that He sent it to accomplish.  That’s all the assurance that we need.  Because God said it, it is so!  How much more would we accomplish in our lives and for the Kingdom of God if we submitted to and accepted God’s Word as the Truth that it is?

A woman doesn’t give birth the day after she finds out that she is pregnant.  In fact, she doesn’t even notice her growth; it just happens as she lives her daily life.  In the same way, there may be no sign of our being pregnant with a promise from God other than the promise in our spiritual womb.  Keep believing and submitting to the power of God’s Word no matter how things look around you, no matter what people say about you, no matter what people attempt to do to you.  Your personal submission to God has nothing to do with other people; so, don’t let them make you think that they have a say.  When they try to dissuade you from walking in the promise that God has given you, you keep believing and submitting to the power of God’s Word.  Your blessing is on the way!

(2)  Purposefully act on the promise of God (v. 39-40).  The angel of God said, “For with God nothing is ever impossible and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment.” (Luke 1:37-AMP)  Prompted by a Word from God, Mary acted.  Because she acted on the promise, she received both natural reassurance and spiritual affirmation of v. 37.  Without a word being said, Mary could see that her old, formerly barren cousin was pregnant.  Seeing Elizabeth’s stomach protruding was physical evidence of the power of God at work.  Likewise, when we act on the promise of God’s Word to us, we will see physical evidence of God’s power at work in our lives along the way to the fulfillment of the promise.  Doors that were once closed will be opened; ways that didn’t exist will be made; opportunities that weren’t available will present themselves; stagnation will give way to progress; bill money will come; balances will be reduced; extensions will be given; the doctor’s report will be good.

Mary greeted Elizabeth when she arrived at her home.  This simple act triggered divine power.  Mary received spiritual affirmation when the Holy Spirit began speaking through Elizabeth and called her “blessed”.  The first two times, blessed means that Mary and the “Fruit of [her] womb” are favored by God.   The third time, blessed means that Mary is happy and to be envied by all other women.  Through this declaration, Mary receives affirmation that God chose to bestow upon her the honor/privilege of giving birth to the Messiah, to whom Elizabeth referred to as “Lord”.  Mary will be happy because her faith in the promise of God’s Word would be rewarded.  Follow God and act according to His Word and you, too, will receive spiritual affirmation of the promise.  Don’t despise the small, seemingly insignificant steps along the way to the fulfillment of the promise that God has placed within your spiritual womb.  Be intentional with every decision you make, ever step you take, every word you speak.  Go where God tells you to go; do what God tells you to do; say what God tells you to say.  You never know whom God has anointed and appointed to speak an affirming word over the promise that He’s given you.  God will affirm and confirm His Word to you.  You’ll know that it’s spiritual confirmation because the only way that the person could know what he/she knows is for the Holy Spirit to have revealed it to them.  They may not even realize that God is speaking through them.

Just as physical pregnancy is a sensitive process for both the mother and the unborn child, so it is with those of us who are spiritually pregnant with a promise from God.  At every stage, there is potentially a new threat of harm to the promise that you’re carrying.  Sometimes, purposefully acting on the promise of God means that you have to periodically purge your life of people and things that are a hindrance or a detriment to you birthing the promise.  You have to scan the landscape of your life and identify those and that which can cause you to abort or miscarry the promise, those whose activity in your life can cause you to have a breech birth, those whose activity in your life can cause you to go into preterm labor and/or have to have an emergency C-section before it’s time for you to deliver.  If you’re not careful, some will lead you to believe that they are qualified to be your mid-wife when all they really want to do is kill your promise or take it as their own.  Don’t allow anyone or anything to jeopardize the promise that you’re carrying.

(3.)  Publicly proclaim praise for the work of God.  In response to the spiritual affirmation that Mary received, she sang a song of praise for God’s hand at work in her life and in the life of the godly.  Mary praised God for taking her from a “low station” (poor, peasant) and “humiliation” (pregnant out of wedlock) to a place of blessing, happiness, and enviability.  Mary declared God’s name holy and praised Him for His mercy (compassion and kindness) towards those who fear Him with godly reverence.  Mary praised God for His strength, power, and provision.  Mary praised God for keeping His promise to Abraham and his descendants, which includes us, forever.   When you’re pregnant with a promise from God, like Mary, you will freely and publicly praise Him.  When you understand that God’s Word won’t return to Him void, you will praise Him like it’s already done…because it is.  When you’re by yourself, praise Him; when you’re around others, praise Him.  You’re not worthy, but He chose you; so, praise Him.  God could’ve given the promise to anyone, but He gave it to you; so, praise Him.  With tears in your eyes, praise Him; sometimes alone and misunderstood, praise Him.  With aches and pains, praise Him; under pressure, praise Him.  God has been that good to you; so, praise Him.  For protecting the promise when the devil tried to cause a miscarriage, praise Him.  For protecting the promise when the devil tried to make you abort the promise, praise Him.  For protecting the promise when the devil tried to trigger pre-term labor, praise Him.  The devil meant it for bad, but God used it for your good.  God used that break-up to protect the promise.  God used that lay-off to protect the promise.  God used that bad news to protect the promise.  God used that prison sentence to protect the promise.  Determine as the psalmist in Psalm 34:  “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.  My soul shall make her boast in the LORD, the humble shall hear thereof and be glad.  O magnify the LORD with me; let us exalt His name together” because He is worthy!!!!

Mary submitted, acted, and praised all BEFORE she saw the manifestation of the Word.  She submitted, acted, and praised because she believed that there would be a fulfillment of the things that were spoken to her from the Lord.  Right where you are, Submit to the power of God’s Word; Act on the promise of God’s Word; Praise God publicly for His hand in your life.  Your believing precedes your blessing.  Embrace the promise and see it fulfilled as Mary did in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Psalm 34:1-3

MEDITATION:  “I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.  My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.  O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.”  (KJV)

REVELATION:  The Lord is to be praised at all times and in every situation.

APPLICATION:  I will bless the Lord at all times:  His praise shall continually be in my mouth.  It’s easy to praise God when everything thing is going well in our lives and according to our plans.  It’s easy to talk about how good God is, how worthy He is, how faithful He is, how He blesses us, etc…, during those times.  God is the same good, worthy, faithful, blessing-bestowing God when things aren’t going well in our lives nor according to our plans.  The psalmist reminds us that the Lord is to be praised at all times.  When we’re up, He is to be praised; when we’re down, He is to be praised; when we wake in the morning, He is to be praised; as we go through the day, He is to be praised; when we lie down at night, He is to be praised.  “At all times” and “continually” aren’t just situational; they’re also spatial.  No matter where we are, whether we are alone; in a small, intimate setting; or in a large, corporate setting, the Lord is to be praised.  Unashamedly, we will offer the fruit of our lips in praise to the Lord no matter who is around.  We aren’t to ask for permission or seek the approval of others.  “I will” and “His praise shall” are personal declarations because the Lord is worthy.  Question:  Do you bless the Lord at all times, situational and spatial?  Is His praise continually in your mouth?  If not, why don’t you bless Him at all times and why isn’t His praise continually in your mouth?

My soul shall make her boast in the Lord:  the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.  We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.  There is nothing that we can do to earn our salvation.  We can take no credit.  Jesus did it all; so, our boast must be in Him and Him alone.  God’s grace makes available to us everything that we need; so, our boast is in the Lord.  Reflecting upon all that the Lord has done for us is reason for us to boast in Him.  The “humble”/the helpless/those caught in the grip of sin will hear our testimony of the Lord’s goodness and find hope that what God has done for us, He can do for them.  Question:  Do you boast in the Lord or in yourself?  Do you let those around you who you know are lost and helpless know what the Lord has done for you?  If not, why not?

O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together.  “Magnify” means to make great.  This is an invitation for others to join in and together, let us make great the name of the LORD.  Let us praise His name together.  God’s greatness is deserving of all of our praise.  Let us collectively tell of His good deeds on our behalf.  Question:  When is the last time that you’ve invited others to join you in praising God?  If you haven’t, why not?

1 Corinthians 10:13

MEDITATION:  “Every test that you have experienced is the kind that normally comes to people.  But God keeps his promise, and he will not allow you to be tested beyond your power to remain firm; at the time you are put to the test, he will give you the strength to endure it, and so provide you with a way out.”  (GNT)  “The temptations in your life are not different from what others experience.  And God is faithful.  He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand.  When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.”  (NLT)

REVELATION:  (1)  You’re not the only one.  (2)  God knows your limit.  (3)  God always provides a way out.

APPLICATION:  In order to truly appreciate the application of this verse of scripture to our lives, we need to look at it in the context of where temptation comes from and the provision that God has already made for us in advance of the temptation.

James 1:13-15 says, “And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, ‘God is tempting me.’  God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else.  Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away.  These desires give birth to sinful actions.  And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.”  (NLT)

Hebrews 4:15 says, “So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what be we believe.  This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin.  So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God.  There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.”  (NLT)

(1)  You’re not the only one.  The nature of our flesh is to do the opposite of what the Spirit of God tells us.  It is a constant struggle.  If God tells us to stay the course, we are tempted to quit.  If God tells us to act, we’re tempted to keep still.  Sometimes it seems as if we desire the very thing that we know is the worst for us.  Figuratively speaking, we even go so far as to take our shoes off and dip our toes in the water, knowing that it won’t be long before we dive in head first.  We even try to rationalize/justify our desires by telling ourselves that “a little bit won’t hurt”, “no one has to know”,  “no one understands”, etc…  If we aren’t careful, we will start believing ourselves and give in to the temptation.

Paul tells us plainly that the temptations we face are not unique to us; other people face the same temptations that we do.  While this verse removes our “nobody understands” excuse, it’s comforting to know that we’re not alone.  Someone somewhere knows exactly how we feel.  Most importantly, Jesus knows.  He has faced every temptation that we could possibly experience and because of this, He is able to identify with our need.  He understands us right where we are in every situation.

(2.)  God knows your limit.  God created us in His image.  He knows everything about us and understands us far better than we understand ourselves.  Psalm 139:1-4 says, “O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.  You know when I sit down or stand up.  You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.  You see me when I travel and when I rest at home.  You know everything I do.  You know what I am going to say even before I say it, LORD.”  v. 13 says, “You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb.  v. 16:  “You saw me before I was born.”

God knows our limits:  physical, emotional, mental, etc…  The text says that God will not allow us to be tested/tempted beyond our ability to endure.  Jesus understands our weaknesses because he’s been where we are.  Hebrews tells us that Jesus “faced all of the same testings that we do…”  It’s in our weaknesses/at our limits that God’s strength is made perfect in us.  It’s in these moments that Jesus carries us.

(3.)  God always provides a way of escape.  Jesus faced temptation, but did not sin.  He is our way of escape.   Because of Jesus, we can go boldly to the throne of grace and ask God for what we need when we feel that the weight of the temptations/tests is more than we can bear.  He won’t turn His back on us.  God keeps His promises and because of His grace, we have access to everything that we need.  All we have to do is ask and receive.  Relying on God’s strength, not our own, is our way of escape.  As the chorus to Yield Not to Temptation says, “You just ask the Savior to help you, comfort, strengthen, and keep you.  He is willing to aid you; He will carry you through.”

Psalm 111

MEDITATION:  “Praise the LORD!  I will thank the LORD with all my heart as I meet with his godly people.  How amazing are the deeds of the LORD!  All who delight in him should ponder them.  Everything he does reveals his glory and majesty.  His righteousness never fails.  He causes us to remember his wonderful works.  How gracious and merciful is our LORD!  He gives food to those who fear him; he always remembers his covenant.  He has shown his great power to his people by giving them the lands of other nations.  All he does is just and good, and all his commandments are trustworthy.  They are forever true, to be obeyed faithfully and with integrity.  He has paid a full ransom for his people.  He has guaranteed his covenant with them forever.  What a holy, awe-inspiring name he has!  Fear of the LORD is the foundation of true wisdom.  All who obey his commandments will grow in wisdom.  Praise him forever.”  (NLT)

REVELATION:  Praise the LORD and give Him thanks for who He is and what He does.  Everything that the LORD does reveals His character.

APPLICATION:  Everyday of our lives, God shows Himself to us and we are called to praise His name and give Him thanks, both privately and in public.  This text says that if we “delight in” the Lord, we should take time to think about the amazing things that He does.  What has God done for you and what is He currently doing for which you ought to give Him praise?  What have you learned about God’s character/about who He is by looking at what He has done/is doing for which you ought to give Him praise?  The text gives us examples of God’s character traits for which we should praise and thank Him daily.  The psalmist describes God as righteous, gracious (giving us the good things that we don’t deserve), merciful (withholding the punishment that we do deserve), compassionate, faithful, trustworthy, just, good, holy, and awe-inspiring.

Believe it or not, we have more to thank God for than we have to complain to Him about not having.  What has God done for us?  For what do we have to praise and thank Him?    He wakes us up each day.  He gives us the activity of our limbs.  He gives us sight to see the beautiful colors of the autumn trees.  He gives us the ability to hear our loved ones’ voices.  He provides something for us to eat each day.  He provides a place to lay our heads, even if it isn’t our own.  He provides clothes, even if they are “hand-me-downs”.  He gives us the ability to wash our faces, bathe our bodies, and dress ourselves.  He keeps us in our right mind (even after all that we’ve been through and put ourselves through).  He gives us the ability to work, along with employment opportunities so that we can provide for our families.  He protects us from dangers seen and unseen as we travel the highways and byways each day.  He gives us strength to make it through difficult situations.  He gives us joy in times of sorrow.  He gives us hope for tomorrow no matter what we go through because He will never go back on His Word.  He gives us His unconditional love.  We have so much for which to be thankful and praise Him!

Verse 9 says, “He has paid a full ransom for his people.  He has guaranteed his covenant with them forever…”.  When I read this, I thought about the comparison between what Jesus did for us on Calvary and the warranties/service plans that we purchase on our vehicles and other things.  Man’s contracts always come with fine print and loop holes that will void the coverage if we miss an appointment, miss a payment, make a late payment, have our vehicles serviced elsewhere, etc…, in addition to the expensive price that we pay just to have the coverage.  Calvary’s plan didn’t cost us anything.  Jesus paid for it in full; it doesn’t have an expiration date; and the LORD sent us the Holy Spirit as our guarantee that our eternal life contract with Him will never be voided.  All we have to do is believe it and receive it.

Thank God for loving us that much!  Thank Him and praise His holy name!  Praise Him when you’re all alone; praise Him when you’re around people.  Be intentional about thanking God throughout each day for the day’s blessings.  Begin keeping a “Today, I am thankful for…” list.  Before you go to bed each night, take time to reflect upon and jot down what God did for you over the course of the day.  With a mind and heart full of thanksgiving towards God on a daily basis, there won’t be any room for the enemy of our souls to plant seeds of doubt.  Praise the LORD forever!

1 Corinthians 10:23-24, 31-11:1

MEDITATION:  “You say, ‘I am allowed to do anything’ – but not everything is good for you.  You say, ‘I am allowed to do anything’ – but not everything is beneficial.  Don’t be concerned for your own good but for the good of others…So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.  Don’t give offense to Jews or Gentiles of the church of God.  I, too, try to please everyone in everything I do.  I don’t just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved.  And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.”  (NLT)

(The Context of the Scripture)  In Ch. 9, Paul talks about how he gave up his rights/that to which he was entitled for the sake of other people.  In Ch. 10, Paul talks about how God provided for Israel in the wilderness (v. 1-5), the lesson to be learned from the wrath of God due to their disobedience/idolatry (v. 6-11), when Christians should/should not eat meat that has been sacrificed to idols (v. 12-30), and gives two basic principles that are to guide Christians when faced with such issues:  (1) Do everything for the glory of God.  (2)  Do not give offense to anyone; including the church of God.

REVELATION:

(1)  With freedom comes responsibility.

(2)  Do EVERYTHING for God’s glory.

(3)  Don’t cause others to sin.

APPLICATION:  With freedom comes responsibility (v. 23-24).  In accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we are free from the rules and regulations of the Old Testament law because Jesus fulfilled the law and makes us clean for the rest of our lives.  We are no longer bound by a list of “Do’s” and “Dont’s”, even when it comes to food.  The Bible teaches us that “whom the Son has set free is free indeed”.  Our freedom from religious rules, however, does not free us from the responsibility of doing what we know to be right in the sight of God.  Not everything that we can do is in our best interest to do; not everything that we can do is in the best interest of others.  As blood-bought believers in Christ, we have a responsibility to set the right example for others by the way we live.  How we live lets others know that we belong to Christ.  Jesus, himself, said that if we love Him, we’ll keep His commandments. In choosing Jesus, we choose to live under His authority and that means dying to the way we want to live and do things.   Questions for self-reflection:  How responsible have you been with the freedom that you have in Christ?  Have you exercised your freedom in a way that was harmful (physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually) to others?  Are there areas in your life in which your actions have not shown that you belong to Christ?  What do you plan to do about it?

Do everything for the glory of God.  Bishop Noel Jones and The City of Refuge Sanctuary Choir has a song called “It’s Not About Us.”  Like Paul, the song reminds us that everything we do in this life is about Jesus.  Among the lyrics are “I present my body as a living sacrifice holy and acceptable unto Christ.  Everything I am and Everything I’ll be, I lay it all at His feet.  It’s not about us; it’s about Jesus…”  That is essentially what Paul is telling us:  It’s not about us; it’s about Jesus.  Everything that we do should bring honor to God.  As Christians, we are to have one motive behind everything that we do in our home, on our jobs, in church, in school, in the communities in which we live, in our relationships, in our interactions with strangers, in our organizational affiliations, in our public lives, and in our private lives.  No one should ever have to wonder what our motive/angle is because it should be evident.  Our singular motive is to do everything for the glory of God.  Let us move forward determined to honor God in everything we do, including our chores and those things that we perceive as routine and mundane; dry and boring; inconvenient and an interruption.  From now on, look at the chore as a chance to shine for God; the task as a testament of the ability that God has given you; the mundane as a mission from the Most High; the dry as your destiny in the making; the routine as a reason to give Him glory; the boring as a blessing from God; and the inconvenient interruption as an invitation to show the love of God to others.  In 2 Thessalonians 1:12, Paul tells us that when the Jesus Christ is honored because of the way we live, we will be honored along with him and that it is made possible because of the grace of God and our Lord Jesus Christ.  Wow!!!  When we honor Him, He will honor us.  That’s something to shout about!!!

Don’t cause others to sin.  “Don’t give offense to Jews or Gentiles or the church of God.” (v. 32)  In this context, “Don’t give offense…” comes from the Greek aproskopos, which means not causing to stumble, not leading others into sin.  While we are called to live in peace with others; seek to please others; and put others before ourselves, there is a limit to which we go along in order to get along and Paul makes that clear in v. 32-33.  Not giving offense isn’t so much about offending others by our actions as it is about us joining in with them or condoning their sinful behavior, thereby causing them to offend God.  Have you ever been among people with “unwholesome talk” coming out of their mouths and you joined in with them?  Have you ever been around someone who is getting high or drunk and you decided to take a hit or a drink, too?  Are you having sex outside of the bond of marriage?  If you are doing so, not only are you offending God, but you are also causing the other person to offend God.  The same holds true when we encourage anyone to do anything that is against the Word and Will of God.  Paul urges us not to do anything that will cause people to reject the Gospel.  We have to be mindful about our influence and our example.  We also have to be mindful that Satan’s goal is to corrupt our witness.  Once people view us as hypocritical, they won’t receive from us and the less effective our witness for Christ will be.

“I, too, try to please everyone in everything I do.” (v. 33)  Our mission is the same as Paul’s:  honoring God and spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ so that others may be saved.  Pleasing people is not about catering to their wishes at the expense of our mission.    Jesus Christ is the example that we, like Paul, are to follow.  Even though he spent time with sinners and connected with them on their level/in the place where they were, He did not sin to establish that connection.  He was about His Father’s business and we are to be about the same.  When we said, “Yes” to Jesus, He freed us from the bondage of sin and we became His agents.  Our assignment is to love and lead others to Him by the way that we live so that they, too, may be set free.

Proverbs 16:3-4

MEDITATION:  Proverbs 16:3-4 (NLT):  “Commit your actions to the LORD, and your plans will succeed.  The LORD has made everything for his own purposes, even the wicked for the day of disaster.”  (NKJV):  “Commit your works to the LORD, and your thoughts will be established.  The LORD has made all for Himself, Yes, even the wicked for the day of doom.”  (NIV):  “Commit to the LORD whatever you do and your plans will succeed.  The LORD works out everything to its proper end – even the wicked for the day of disaster.”  (LEB):  “Commit your work to Yahweh, and your plans will be established.  All Yahweh has made is for His purpose, and even the wicked for the day of trouble.”

REVELATION:

(1)  There is a divine order to success.

(2)  Committing requires submission and trust.

(3)  God created us for Himself and His purpose for us.

APPLICATION:  Have you ever become frustrated because you haven’t been able to accomplish or attain the level of success that you want or wondered why nothing you do appears to be working out the way you planned?  Burger King branded the slogan “Have it your way” in 1974 and returned to it in 2004.  The franchise’s initial purpose was to distinguish Burger King from its competitor, McDonald’s.  The draw: customers can have their Whopper fixed their way, only ordering the fixin’s they want.  Over the years, our culture has adopted “Have it your way” and translated it to “Have it [my] way” and made it applicable to every area of our lives:  finances, relationships, health, work, religion, education, etc…  The problem with this way of thinking and living is that life is not Burger King and we cannot Have it [our] way.

The practical words of wisdom in Proverbs 16:3-4 offer us insight as to why, perhaps, our plans haven’t worked/aren’t working/won’t work the way we want them to.  They tell us what to do in order to experience success in every area of our lives and why it will work.

(1) There is a divine order to achieving success.  God established the order and it existed before we did.  We, first, have to commit our actions (the things that we do) to God; then, our plans will succeed. In this context, commit means “to put or place”.  In order for our plans to succeed, we have to put/place the things we do (including how we do them) in God’s hands. We have to give our actions to God. We relinquish our will and our way when we commit our actions to God, which leads to the second revelation of these verses.

(2) Committing requires that we submit to and trust God with whatever it is that we give Him.  Psalm 37:5 says, “Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust Him and He will help you.” (NLT) “Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him and He shall bring it to pass.” (NKJV) “Commit to Yahweh your way; trust also on Him and He will act.” (LEB)  “Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him and He will do this:” (NIV)  When we submit to God, we place ourselves under His authority and control.  The act of submission says that we will do what He says in the way that He says to do it when He says to do it.  The act of trusting God says that we have confidence in God’s ability to handle whatever it is that we have put/placed in His hands.  We are confident that God will help us, that God will bring to pass what we give Him, and that God will act and everything will work out to our favor and in our best interest.

(3) God created us for Himself and His purpose.  Too often, we want God to co-sign on our plans and our will; but, we didn’t make ourselves nor did God make us for us.  v. 4 tells us that God made everything (and everyone) for Himself; He made everything (and everyone) for His own purposes.  None of us is here by accident.  God knew us before we were formed in our mothers’ wombs and He purposed our existence.  Our purpose existed before we did.  In other words, we were created to fulfill God’s purpose for us.  God had a plan for our lives and it’s His plan for us that will succeed.  That’s why we can find hope in the promise that God made to the Babylonian exiles in Jeremiah 29:11 when He said, “For I know the plans I have for you…plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (NIV)  When our plans are God’s plans, our plans will succeed.

God’s obligation is to His Word, not to our will.  God cannot lie.  His Word will not return to Him void; it will accomplish all that He sent it to accomplish.  God’s word is Truth; God’s word is seed; God’s word is what will produce fruit (success, abundance, prosperity) in our lives.  God’s plan will never fail and neither will ours if our plan is God’s plan.  When we accept and submit ALL of ourselves and ALL that concerns us to our Creator, understanding His role and ours in our relationship with Him, committing our actions to Him won’t be an issue.  Submitting to and trusting in Him and His ways of bringing His word to pass won’t be an issue either because we will be confident that our plans will succeed. 

Luke 22:31-34

MEDITATION:  Luke 22:31-34 (RSV):  “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have You [all], that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail and when you have turned again, strengthen your brethren.  And he said to him, ‘Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.’  He said, ‘I tell you, Peter, the cock will not crow this day, until you three times deny that you know me.'”

REVELATION:

(1) In the Greek,  “demanded” means to inquire, seek; to ask for information.  Satan has to ask permission from God in order to test our faith.  Ultimate authority rests with God.

(2)  Sift, in the biblical sense, refers to an inward agitation that tries one’s faith to the verge of overflowing.  The sieve represents our life situations; the substance on the inside of the sieve is our faith going into the situation; the sifting blades represent the trials, tribulations, and temptations aimed to draw us into sin and away from God.  Both God and Satan have a vested interest in our sifting.

(3)  As believers, victory is guaranteed.  (“Satan [has] demanded to have you [all]…but I have prayed for you…and when you have turned again”)  The conjunction “but” sets up a contrast to the discouraging news that Peter received in v. 31 and v.34.  Jesus acknowledged the reality of our humanity.

(4)  Our being sifted is not just about us.  (“…strengthen your brethren.”)

APPLICATION:  We can survive the storms of life with our faith intact if we put our faith and trust in Christ.

(1)  Be careful not to give Satan credit for what God has allowed.  Contrary to how things may seem, Satan is not in control; he is subject to God and has to operate within the parameters that God gives him.

(2)  As stated earlier, both God and Satan have a vested interest in our sifting.  Satan desires to steal our joy; destroy our families, finances, and our relationships; and ultimately kill us.  God desires to refine our character and draw us closer to Him.  It’s easy to panic, worry, and feel depressed and hopeless when the pain and pressure of the sifting process become too much for us to bear.  Satan hopes that we will throw in the towel and abort the plan that God has for our lives.  As difficult as it may be, we can’t afford to focus on the hardships that we face.  Rather, we have to focus on what God is doing IN us while we’re being sifted.  If we hold on to our faith and trust the Word of God, we will be able to survive the sifting blades of life and move closer to the purpose for which God created us.

(3)  It is both comforting and encouraging to know that even before all hell breaks loose in our lives, Jesus has already gone to the Father on our behalf, interceding for us so that our faith may not fail in the midst of our tests and trials.  There will be times in our lives when we may fall or make poor decisions while the sifting blades of life are agitating us.  Satan wants us to dwell on and get stuck on the fact that we messed up/missed the mark/fell short and he will constantly throw that in our faces.  The real truth is that we serve a merciful and forgiving God who understands our humanity and, through Jesus, reinstates us into right relationship with Him.  That’s what enables us to be victorious no matter what we go through.

(4)  Be careful not to get caught up in “woe is me” and have a pity party.  Being sifted can push you to the brink of giving up on your dreams, your children, your marriage, your God, and even your life.  That’s why it is especially important that we keep our sieve experiences in perspective.  Pain is pain and it hurts no matter who you are; yet, our struggles and hurts are never just about us.  Unless we have a sieve experience from time-to-time, we will be unable to relate to the reality of the pain/struggle of those around us; nor will we be able to offer them the comfort, healing, and deliverance that we found in Jesus Christ.  God uses all of our experiences for our good and He intends that we will come out of it not only intact, but also stronger and with a deeper understanding of who He is in our lives and who we are in Him.  Jesus endured the ultimate sieve experience and came out with all power in His hands so that the ain’ts can become saints, so that you and I can live victoriously and have a right to the Tree of Life.

Remember, if you abide in Him and He in you, you will never go through the sieve alone.  Jesus is with you will carry you through to victory!!!

1 Corinthians 2:10-16

MEDITATION:  1 Corinthians 2:10-16 (NLT):  “But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit.  For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets.  No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit.  And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us…But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s spirit.  It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means.  Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others.  For, ‘Who can know the LORD’s thoughts?  Who knows enough to teach him?’  But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.”

REVELATION:  People who “aren’t spiritual” refers to those who are unbelievers/those who live life according to their natural senses.  They cannot see beyond their senses of sight, taste, hearing, touch, and smell.  It is impossible for them to receive and understand the things of God because they are not led by the Holy Spirit.  Revelation/understanding God’s Word and the things of God comes from the Holy Spirit.  Being led by the Holy Spirits enables us to see more than what is in front of us, hear what is not said, touch what has not manifested itself in the natural.  We are able to see, hear, and feel God in every situation/circumstance.  We step out in faith, knowing that God has already provided everything we need and has released it in the spirit.  We have a level of discernment that transforms our thinking (“…the mind of Christ”), our speaking, and our actions.

APPLICATION:  It’s easy to become discouraged, angry, frustrated, etc… when those around us just don’t seem to understand our decision to live our lives according to God’s Word and His will for us.  Feeling the need to defend our choices and/or keep these people in our lives, we sometimes end up in arguments or worse – turning back from what we know God has told us to do in order to hold on to people whom we want to keep in our lives.  This passage releases us from the distraction, frustration, and discouragement caused by these situations.  There is no point in getting frustrated, discouraged, or defeated because the people in our lives just don’t get it.  God’s Word clearly tells us that they can’t “get it” if they aren’t led by His Spirit.  Instead of arguing with them, we need to pray for them and keep it moving.  Keep following the leading of the Holy Spirit.  Keeping walking in love (even if we have to love them from a distance).  We might be called crazy and foolish; we will be misunderstood.  Be willing to be misunderstood by man in order that God will get the glory out of our lives.