What Happens Today

What Kind of Friend You are my friends if you do what I command. - John 15:14 On the surface, that seems an odd thing for a potential friend to say. Sounds kind of like the kid that wants to be your friend because you have the cool toy. You know, I'll be your friend if you let me play with your X-Box. But it only seems that way on the surface. But God's wisdom and understanding reveals a deeper, different meaning. Jesus said, no greater love has a man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. That's the kind of friend we're talking about. This man who desires to be our friend is not a take, take, take friend, but one who is willing to, and actually did, lay down His life for us. A friend who walks ahead of us by example. A selfless, giving, friend. In fact, you might even look at Jesus as the older, wiser brother type of friend. And understand His heart in saying, "if you do what I command." His intent in instructing us, in commanding...

Silver Promises The Lord's promises are pure, like silver refined in a furnace, purified seven times over - Psalms 12:6 Perfected in the process. There is something about God's words, His promises to us, that align to the process of refinement. God working in us; God refining us as we come into His promises. We obtain His promises through faith and patience, and faith and patience are two ships that travel on the tumultuous sea of trial.  There are promises that we come into and there are promises that must come into us. Some are quickly received, others require process. Everyone who believes has eternal life. That is true now; a promise that is in place, realized now. But it is also a promise we come into, a salvation we walk out with fear and trembling. There are life promises; personal words from the Lord to us. For me, one that He has spoken over me since I first believed, Never will I leave or forsake you. Truth. A promise now. But the reality of that promise...

The Power of Words As the rain and the snow come down from heaven ... - Isaiah 55:10 Snow covers the ground and a mystery occurs. In the dead of winter, preparation for life begins. In the coldest of season, harvest lies dormant. And then the rains come. The warm spring rains, watering over and over. It's a process we see on display in God's creation every year. And every year the Lord wants us to see how this applies to us. He sends His words; through devotionals, through the reading of scripture, through friends, through prophecies and words of knowledge. And just like the snow, just like the rain, those words are working on us. Over time. The harvest we desire, the growth we long for takes time. It takes a season; a season of dead, cold winter and warm spring rains. It takes a season of His word.  But this time of waiting and dormancy is not in vain. Hold on, work of God, masterpiece of the Father; your time is coming when He will make all things beautiful. For t...

Whispers in the Dark A whisper separates the closest of friends. (Prov 16:28) Our enemy's biggest weapon is words. Read the psalms and notice David's descriptions of his enemies: - His mouth is full of lies and threats; trouble and evil are under his tongue. - Lord, have mercy on me. See how my enemies torment me. - They say, “We will lie to our hearts’ content. Our lips are our own—who can stop us?” - Then I can answer those who taunt me, for I trust in your word. Over and over David describes his enemy as one who assaults with his tongue. And so it is for us today - the enemy of our soul attacks with words. And he'll use these words to bring division. Whispers in the night, "Why do you think your pastor did that?" "Remember when your wife said this? That wasn't right." "Your children don't respect you. They can't stand you." And the lies go on and on. Maybe you've heard some of them before. "But it is true...

Renovated I was watching one of those DIY shows today. The story was about a couple who bought a fixer-upper and, with the aid of a professional contractor, undertook a massive renovation. But after some time, the couple had hit their renovation breaking point. Discouragement and tiredness had set in. That's when the contractor walked in and proclaimed, "Your DIY days are over - hand over the tools." The couple's reactions were illuminating. The guy's response? "Be my guest." He had had enough. But the girl's reply? "I don't know, I don't think you can do it." And then with finality, the contractor responds, "Well, you guys are just going to have to trust me."  You're going to have to trust me.  I went to my grandfather's grave today. With me I carried a hammer; his hammer. My grandfather was a brick-mason, an extremely hard working man. He was, in many ways, a father to me; someone who held a very hig...

Would you like to get well? Familiarity, comfort, the safety of the known. There's something endearing to our nature to be in the familiar. My wife's dog barks at the door - he wants to go out. So we let him out, and then he barks because he wants to come in. He likes the freedom, but something is tying him back to the comfort of people and the house. I can relate to that. There is something in my nature that keeps me from being too free. Gotta have something to worry about, right? Well, maybe you can relate to the invalid by the pool of Bethesda in John 5. He was an invalid for 38 years. That's a long time. That's a long time to get comfortable with a condition, no matter how uncomfortable that condition is. In fact, that's long enough to make you think things will never change; maybe even make you think it would be too scary if things actually did change. So Jesus asks the man a simple question, "Would you like to get well?" But the man's an...

The enemy loves to question your motives. Just like the evil sheriff of Nottingham, he'll accuse your heart and question your intent. "Why Robin, you help these poor people simply for the glory, because you want to feel loved." The continual tossing of the nagging questioning over the fence, "Why are you doing this?" The enemy of your soul trying to erode your confidence; always questioning the heart behind the action. But even more evil, even more detrimental than his accusations and questioning of your intent, is his desire to get you to question your own heart. But in this we must stand confident. You are God's own; born again, good-hearted. In fact if you were a character plugged into the Robin Hood saga, your last name would be Goodheart. For He has given you a heart of a flesh, a heart that cares and is genuine in its motives. Sincere. It's no wonder that the enemy of your soul would try to cause you to question your heart. No, we are not unaw...