Year: 2016

Monday Night Meditation 

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This text makes reference to the house of David and when we look at this house it is lying in ruins. For 600 years we see a bare , withered tree stump, robbed of its trunk and top. It looks as if the stump will never bear any fruit any more. When it all seem bleak, dark and a lost cause , God, on Christmas night, stepped out of eternity and into time in the form of a baby. All of a sudden, from this long-dead stump springs forth new life. Let me prophesy over you this day after Christmas: Things that you thought were once dead are breathing in life again Years the cankerworm has eaten are being restored in your life Valley places are being raised up Crooked places are being made smooth Dead seeds are invigorated Dead dreams rejuvenated Dead ends obliterated I see light at the end of your tunnel Something good is already happening to you. Your possibilities are endless Your resurgence is inevitable Your prospects are bright So step …

I know who you are: 10 days of Holy Confidence

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Day #2 Lord, Maker, Savior I know that through it all You are greater Your love for me Will never fade away Those who hope in you Will never be ashamed ‘Cause I know who You are…’ “Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.” According to the Old Testament, your name is your identity. There is usually a meaning and purpose behind every name. This idea applies to God as well. He reveals Himself to us through His names. This Thanksgiving season, let’s do ourselves a favor and ask ourselves this fundamental question: How well do I know God? Many bible characters asked and answered that very same question. For example: Paul said, “I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me.” David said, “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.” Job said, “I know my redeemer lives, and in the end, He …

He will Hold me Fast: A Post Election Day Prayer for our Nation.

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From the beginning of the election season, I’ve watched with eager enthusiasm. Along the way, I made my feelings abundantly clear to my family where I stood on the issues. I also made a comment or two to close friends but never made a public comment either on social media, this Blog or from my pulpit. Wait, maybe one time, as I shut down a guy who shouted, “build the wall,” as I made a sermon illustration on an unrelated topic about China’s Great Wall. I believe everyone is entitled to their own political beliefs, but when we gather for worship the focus should be Christ-centered. So, I led  the church I pastor in prayer on a regular basis for our dear and beloved country. Something I hope to continue moving forward. As you have rightly suspected, this nation is deeply divided, but it is important for us to heal this great divide by calling on the Lord. We are at a critical point right now. We cannot miss this moment. If we will ever reach a …

I know who you are: 10 Days of Holy Confidence

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Day #1 Lord, Maker, Savior I know that through it all You are greater Your love for me Will never fade away Those who hope in you Will never be ashamed ‘Cause I know who You are…’ “Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.” According to the Old Testament, your name is your identity. There is usually a meaning and purpose behind every name. This idea applies to God as well. He reveals Himself to us through His names. This Thanksgiving season, let’s do ourselves a favor and ask ourselves this fundamental question: How well do we know God? Many bible characters asked and answered that very same question. For example: Paul said, “I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me.” David said, “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.” Job said, “I know my redeemer lives, and in the end, He …

The Holy Spirit has feelings too

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Somewhere along the way we learned that through humble prayer and pursuit, radical consecration, deep worship and diligent study of God’s word, we can experience His supernatural power – and rightly so. As a result, we run after the Holy Spirit just for Him to make us look good, successful, anointed and powerful. We run after Him just so He can help us teach with power, lead extraordinarily, and do “greater things.” I believe it’s about time we start running after the Holy Spirit not because of the comfort he brings; the needs he meet; the dreams He fulfill or the power He gives, but simply because of who He is – God – deserving of our pursuit, our worship, our longing and our honor. When we wait for Him – we wait not because we want to take, but because we want to give Him our very lives. We want to expose the very fiber of our being, till everything we’re made of burst in endless love and adoration. When we run after Him – …

Reset: A Second Chance Prayer

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The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” Lamentations 3:22, 23, 24 Father, for: The sins of commission The sins of omission The passion I had before The love turned cold The faith that lacked zeal The truth to which I failed to yield The credibility I lost The bridges I burned The hurt I caused The rebellion I learned I pray for a reset Clean Slate Fresh Start New Beginning Let me feel your steadfast love that never ceases Taste your mercies that never come to an end Turn them into every morning experiences Until God, the Most High becomes friend For: Your faithfulness is great! Your Lordship is what I crave Your hope is a firm grip! Note: The key passage in Lamentations is 3:19–24, where the speaker affirms that belief in God’s mercy and faithfulness is the key to a restored relationship with God. This fact is true …

The Treasures of Darkness

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I hope it was the title of this post that compelled you to click. I know it sounds ridiculous. How can darkness produce any kind of treasure? My family and I went on a 9 to 10 days Norwegian Vacation Cruise to the Islands of Hawaii a few weeks ago. On board the ship, I signed up to do a workshop entitled, “Eat more to weigh less.” You can imagine how happy I was, given the fact that there are more than 4 or 5 restaurants on the ship; not counting the other 3 or 4 spaces where the most delicious food (buffet style) is served all day long. Unfortunately, my hopes came crashing down when the fitness coach told us to stay away from all the “good stuff.” You know, the foods that are really bad for you. And yes, the ones you really like. She told us to eat more of the “good stuff.” You know, your kale and broccoli sprouts. So when I first read the Oswald Chambers’ devotional, based on his book, …

When all hell breaks loose: Lessons from Job

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It was a beautiful day. I imagine tempretures in the low 70s. The warm summer breeze graced his face as he stood in the front of his ocean view house, basking in the glory and favor of his God. In the distance he noticed a runner – than another. One by one, messengers approached him dropping to their knees as they delivered heart breaking accounts of a beautiful and festive day gone bad. Job stood there listening to each one of them as they unloaded tragedy after tragedy. But the account that knocked him off his feet and brought him face to the ground was the account of the last runner.  Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, and behold, a great wind came across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you. Have you ever been hit with bad news? How did you handle it? How should you handle it? I confess there …

I’d rather have Jesus

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Imagine a house full of feasting, but its residents have no peace because of strife and fights. That is a life without Him. Imagine running vigorously, yet always missing your mark because your aim is off and your purpose is weak. That is a life without Him. Imagine Filling your life with everything you feel will bring you happiness, but it feels like you’re fetching water from a broken fountain. That is life without Him. I often wonder – what causes people to walk away from God? The following usually come to mind: Tribulations “When tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, those who have no root in themselves, immediately they fall away.” The deceitfulness of riches “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” Entangled and overcome by sin “For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they …