An Eternal Celebration!

Luke 15:24 - "'For this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate."

Knowing that God is love and His very character is inclusive of all those who accept Christ as their Savior, it is not a stretch to believe He celebrates continually over us as sons and daughters. When we turn to Him throughout our day—no matter what we are going through—we can believe He is rejoicing in His beloved. The prophet Zephaniah states "He will exult over you with joy ... He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy” (Zephaniah 3:17).

Know this, beloved of God, whether we glory in our salvation or not, the Godhead rejoices in it every minute of the day. May we all step out of looking at ourselves and look toward Father who is enthusiastically celebrating His great love for us. Inevitably, it will be our choice whether we decide to join the proverbial party and celebrate with heaven the great things He has done!

Marked for Prayer

Ezekiel 9:4 - "The LORD said to him, 'Go through the midst of the city, even through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations which are being committed in its midst.'”

Too often, we who would desire to be great prayer warriors for God are confused how this is accomplished. We say, "God mark us for You! Make us mighty intercessors for You!" However, God is saying, "Devote yourself to prayer and then I will mark you as one who shares my heart for the lost and hurting!"

We often desire God to come down and make us something we are not, rather than spend the time pouring out our lives for Him and others. We imagine a bolt of glory from heaven when all He wants is for us to choose to glorify Him with a poured out life. Beloved, devoted intercession often starts with us pouring our hearts out for those closest to us. Those we can see changed by God's power can often result in faith for those who we may not see. However, when we acquire the eyes of faith, then He can truly trust us with His heart for our communities, our country, and the world.

Behaving Wisely

Colossians 4:5 - "Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity."

How are we at being ambassadors for Christ? Have we learned yet to step away from that conversation that tends to gossip about a co-worker? Or, how about how we behave at sporting events with our friends? The list could go on and on. Beloved, even as Paul states to the Corinthian church, we are often the only Bible others will see. Are we an effectual letter of Christ to those around us? (II Corinthians 3:3)

As Paul tells the Colossian church, wisdom is the key in proper conduct. The Scriptures tell us the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 1:7). Do we reverence the Lord or do we merely say we love Jesus? It will be evident in how we behave to a world that desperately needs Him.

Let Peace Rule

Colossians 3:15 - "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful."

There will always be that man or woman – often the exception in our encounters with Christians – who will exude the peace of Jesus Christ. Some will erroneously think that this person never has a trial or a reason to become disturbed. However, if the aforementioned are living in peace, it is because they have chosen to do so.

Paul tells us the secret of this sort of peace in the preceding verses. He tells the Colossians to "put on a heart of compassion" for others and to choose to live in the fruit of the Holy Spirit. He speaks of forgiving all as Christ forgave us and to do all with a thankful heart (Colossians 3:12-15). If we are choosing to be loving, forgiving, and thankful, beloved, we will experience peace ruling in our hearts and touching everyone we meet.

Fathering Without Provocation

Ephesians 6:4 - "Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord."

Many of us who have raised children failed to do so "in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." That is often the reason for rebellion, because deep down, what children want are boundaries set by a father who loves them. They desire a firm but loving daddy who cares enough for them to not let them make wrong choices. Often, our disinterest and lack of love equated to provocation and the anger that so many children experience today.

Those of us who are fathers will never quit being fathers. Even though we have made mistakes, God desires to redeem our children even when they are grown and far from the Lord (Acts 2:39). Though we have sown the whirlwind regarding our children (Hosea 8:7), His desire is to rebuke the devourer off their lives and bring them home once again (Malachi 3:11).

Lord, may You have your way in the hearts of our children, bringing them to You and for Your glory, Amen!

Children of God's Inheritance

Luke 12:32 - "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom."

God is not reluctant to give us everything pertaining to life and godliness. He has called us sons and daughters of the Most High. Why then would he hold back and defraud His heirs of anything according to His will in this life or the one to come? The only reason is our inability to believe through lack of faith. Often, this comes by not understanding His great love for us.

His kingdom has come on earth as it has in heaven if we will but embrace it. While the devil runs amuck and continues to reign as a counterfeit ruler, Jesus said that all power and authority had been handed back to Him at the defeat of His adversary (Matthew 28:18). It is our rightful inheritance as children of God.

May we choose gladly to receive Christ's kingdom which the Father has gladly given.

Lasting Greatness

Jeremiah 45:5 - "'But you, are you seeking great things for yourself? Do not seek them; for behold, I am going to bring disaster on all flesh,’ declares the LORD,‘but I will give your life to you as booty in all the places where you may go.'"

Greatness should be superfluous to the child of God. Especially when it has to do with personal gain. What will a man give in exchange for his soul? This rhetorical question of the Lord from the Gospels is similar to the one He asked through the prophet 700 years earlier. The betterment of the flesh has not changed from Jeremiah's time up through Christ and even today. Self-seeking will only result in "disaster on all flesh."

If we seek greatness, it should be wrapped in a cloak of humility that is seeking Christ's kingdom. Without our surrender to Jesus, we are merely profiting the flesh which -- in the end -- will not redeem anyone or anything. It will be consumed only upon our own lust for recognition. However, if we desire to see Jesus lifted up and magnified, then paradoxically we will know greatness for both ourselves and all we touch in His name.