You CAN

With the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, we see how military forces push forward and push back. Both sides have made their mission known. It is no secret.

During these last 28 days, you have fortified the territory of your soul with the love, hope and promises of our living and loving Heavenly Father. With each verse you've received, His intention is clear. 

We, too, as believers and followers of Jesus Christ the Son of God have an enemy, Satan. This tyrannical leader, has a 3-fold battle plan: Steal, Kill and Destroy.

"A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I (Jesus) have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance." (John 10:10).

Your enemy plans to rob the Word of God you've received each day, this month. He will cause doubt with regard to the promises God laid out causing you to think the Father's love and promises are not for you. He subtly repeats your defeat by having you think you've gone too far and there's no hope of redemption. He's so good at this tactic that you may even start to say it to yourself. He tries to cut down that sapling of faith growing in your spirit that God loves even you. And, if he can get a boot in the door, his plan is to take you out for now and eternity.

You are not without a powerful army beside and inside you. 

"I lift up my eyes to the hills. Where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth" (Psalm 121:1-2).

"I can do all things through Him who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13).

"But the Lord is faithful; He will make you strong and guard you from satanic attacks of every kind (2 Thessalonians 3:3).

"(Jesus said,) I have told you this, so that you might have peace in your hearts because of me. While you are in the world, you will have to suffer. But cheer up! I have defeated the world" (John 16:33).

You *can* live victoriously. You *can* overcome evil by the power of God and His Word. You *can* speak these same verses daily over your life and the lives of others. You *can* move in love, hope and promises ...all the days of your life, because God loves you and chose you even before you chose Him.

If you ever feel you need a refresher of these promises, revisit 28 Days to Move in Love, Hope & Promises, here, on my blog at CenterOfThePie.blogspot.com.

~ "Sam"

A Good Thing vs. A god-thing

I love how one author puts it, "This is the drum that beats steadily from Genesis to Revelation: God is faithful."

Yes, He is!

He is the Good Father who knows how to take care of His kids. His gifts are good. He doesn't welcome us into the family only to abandon us the next day. He sticks around and has proven Himself all-in when it come to us.

His desire is for us and desires our love. Numbered as the second in The Ten Commandments, He makes that desire clear: Thou shalt have no other gods before Me. In the New Testament Gospels of Matthew, Mark & Luke, Jesus declares, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength." It's abundantly clear His desire is for us to be all-in, too.

When we place something --even a good something-- ahead of God, that something goes from a good thing to a god-thing. This goes for relationships with people, too. God wants to be #1 in our lives. When we are tempted to make good things into god-things, He promises we don't have to be taken down by these temptations.

"No temptation has come upon you except what is common to humanity. But God is faithful; He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able; but with the temptation He will also provide a way so that you may be able to bear it" (1 Corinthians 10:13).

So maybe the above language was difficult to understand. Side note: Try reading different translations of the Bible to help you understand what you're reading. For instance, this same verse in the Living Bible Translation reads like this...

"Remember this—the wrong desires that come into your life aren’t anything new and different. Many others have faced exactly the same problems before you. And no temptation is irresistible. You can trust God to keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can’t stand up against it, for He has promised this and will do what He says. He will show you how to escape temptation’s power so that you can bear up patiently against it" (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Now, THAT's a promise you can count on! God is faithful!

~ "Sam"

Remember Your Objective

In previous years of ministry, I gave vocal lessons to many young voices. Due to their age and ability, most needed the same corrections to hone their skills and continue to improve their talent.

Later, I had the pleasure of directing a yearly fine arts festival for a little over a decade for middle school and high school students. Each student-participant would receive a written evaluation of their performance or presentation by a panel of three evaluators who were educated and experienced in that particular category.

In the pre-festival meeting with all the evaluators for all the categories, I expressed their objective: For each student you are to offer critique to help take that student to the next level. After hours of many, many, many presentations during these two days, you will get tired and wish for a ditto stamp, because they are young and need the same critique, correction, and direction as the last student. Remember your objective is to encourage and offer positive critique to help train them for the next level.

The Apostle Paul knew his objective when writing letters to the early churches. He truly loved these new believers as a spiritual father offering praise, instruction and encouragement. In many of the books of the New Testament, his writings were much like a ditto stamp, because they were young in the faith and needed guidance. He could've been the original father of the Critique Sandwich Method; wrapping the critique with positive messages.

God the Father gave you His DNA. Each person may look like his or her earthly parents, but we share the basic blueprint that started with Him. When we make the decision to live for Him, we need instruction to mature and to take our spiritual "skills" to the next level. As we commit to spending time reading the Bible, praying, worshipping and living a Christ-like life, keep today's objective of promise in mind...

"I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you (me) will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 1:6). 

~ "Sam"

A Daily Do-Over

Lamentations. The book of weeping and pain and grief.

This Old Testament book finds the Israelites' hometown of Jerusalem and their temple completely destroyed as they are forcefully relocated, again, to Babylon. They brought it on themselves by breaking the love covenant with God, again. They had forgotten God, again. (sigh)

As their lives are wrecked and they endure extreme suffering in body, mind and spirit, one guy -named Jeremiah- invites them to repent and return their hearts to God. Jeremiah offers hope and perspective as they refocus their trust in His faithful love. God had never forgotten them.

"Because of the Lord's faithful love we do not perish, for His mercies never end. They are new every morning! Great is Your faithfulness!" (Lamentations 3:22-23).

Rejoice, today, because of God's faithful love for you, He gives a daily do-over! When our hearts forget to trust and forget to serve and forget to pursue Him, He extends mercy every day! He never forgets us! We need only to remember to repent of our stubborn and selfish will and return our affection to Him.

Historically speaking, this book of five chapters can be difficult to read. However, I invite you to adjust your perspective as you read it through a lens of faithful love and hope in God our living and loving Heavenly Father and Provider who has never forgotten you.

~ "Sam"

My Druthers

When trusting God with every part of our life, we must also trust Him when things don't look good.

If I had my "druthers" -I can hear my friends laughing- life would be happy, healthy, sunshine and roses. It's much easier to trust God when there's money in the bank and no unexpected bumps in the road.

A growing believer means that our faith and trust is growing. God doesn't play hide-and-seek with His goodness. He is good. He wants us to lean into Him in the good times and when what we see doesn't look hopeful. Yes, He gave us a brain to make wise decisions and He wants us to trust His purpose for our lives. 

"We know all things work together for the good of those who love God who are called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28).

Next time you're blind-sided, go back to this scripture which is God's love-in-action for you knowing He has your best interest at heart. 

~ "Sam"

Rooted and Grounded

Imprisonment gives a person plenty of time to think. 

So I hear. 

The book of Ephesians is a result of Paul having plenty of time to think and dispatch letters due to him either being in prison or under house arrest because of preaching.

If he couldn't be out and about sharing the Gospel, he would simply send out letters to encourage and correct new groups of believers. 

His life was transformed from a religious killer to a man on fire with the love of God through Jesus Christ for others both Jew and Gentile (non-Jew). When something life-giving burns in your heart, it radiates from within.

Perhaps, the recipients of this letter were scared and without a leader. For in this excerpt from his letter to the Ephesians, Paul encourages them to "not lose heart" because of his current situation and prayed for them to be strengthened in their spirits by the power of the Spirit of God. In all, he writes of love being the driving force. God's redeeming love for mankind. And, because God gave His love, that love is within us and works through us.

"...that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love..." (Ephesians 3:17).

Read the next to verses, too. 

Let an imprisoned man's encouraging words reach through history into your current situation so that your spirit is strengthened and everything you say and do is motivated by God's love within you.

~ "Sam" 

A Good Evening with Jesus

He knew the time had come to cover some topics with the guys, because there wouldn't be another opportunity and because He loved them to the end.

Their brief years, together, had been a whirlwind of travel and ministry and miracles. Bonds were strong. The kind of brotherly bonds that sitting around campfires, hiking long stretches of road and all-nighters will forge. This time, prior to Passover, supper time started differently. Both physically and symbolically, He washed their feet and explained the reasoning. Of course, this loving act was met with resistance.

He spoke of difficult times ahead when they would question their faith and even deny association with Him. Once again, their voices raised in defiance. They could not imagine ever being the one to turn their back on Him. Ever. He knew it would happen. It had to fulfill prophecy.

While they listened to Jesus, questions would pop out. In His own way, which seemed mostly as riddles, He answered them. He knew their anxiety was amping up and inserted, "Don't let your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if not I would have told you. I am going away to prepare a place for you. If I go away and prepare a place for you, I *will* come again and take you to myself, so that where I am you may be also" (John 14:1-3).

So many topics were covered, that evening, giving them a heads-up of what would happen in the next few days. Still, it was a good evening to be with Jesus.

~ "Sam"

Sowing and Reaping and Clock Cogs

I can't answer why some prayers are answered instantly and why others take time, sometimes, a lifetime.

From *my* prayer perspective, I see only the need and pray for the desired outcome.

It's like the face of a clock. I see the hands ticking around and marking time.

From God's perspective, He sees the need,
He sees me praying,
He knows my heart's motivation,
He sees the answer,
He sees how others are involved,
He sees their heart,
He sees the connection,
He sees the future of how that answer will ripple-effect others for years to come.

Using the clock metaphor, He sees behind the face of the clock to how each cog is aligned and connected for movement.

My prayer is so much more than me, yet it involves me. It involves others and their will to be involved and their faith which may take extra time.

I know the Bible mentions Jesus is acquainted with our weakness. He understands how it feels to mourn. He, too, has felt the sting of loss and betrayal. He prayed for people to return to a relationship with God. Even Jesus couldn't do miracles in one town, because of their lack of faith. And, He wept.

The promise found in today's verse encourages me to keep praying that prayer that I can't, yet, see the answer. Keep bringing that need before Him praying His perfect will be done for His glory. Plant those tear-soaked need-seeds at His feet believing the answer is coming. Keep rejoicing, in advance of the answered prayer, over the fact He keeps His promises!

"They that sow in tears shall reap in joy (Psalm 126:5).

~ "Sam"

Another Chance

Aren't you thankful for another chance? A do-over?

When you and I have messed-up, fallen short, mis-stepped or sinned, God doesn't call us out at the plate like some condemning umpire. No, that's what we tend to do to ourselves and to others who wrong us. He looks at us through a filter of Christ's sacrifice as He promises love and forgiveness.

A technique learned years ago, A-B-C, is a simple tool for when we realize we need a Savior and to realign our will to His.

A - Ask forgiveness 
B - Believe in Christ as your Lord and Savior
C - Confess your sins to Him and receive salvation

"For God so loved the world, He gave his only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God." (John 3:16-18.

Thank you, Lord, for loving us and for Your promise of forgiveness of sins and an eternal life with You! You give us a hope and a future. Help us open our mouths and tell our Jesus Story to others to spread the Good News!

~ "Sam"

Am I Bankrupt?

A friend recently posted on social media, "There are two types of tired: One that requires rest. Another requires peace." Does that seem to speak to the pace of our lives? 

We pack our calendars. We fill every moment of every day with busy things, important things and, sometimes, empty things that keep us from being still and resting our minds and our bodies. Frankly it's a life-sucking habit. Boundaries are important. They are intentionally creating space for us to renew and refresh.

Why do we avoid space that yields rest and rest that yields peace? Do we think all the stuff won't get checked off of our To Do list? Is it to keep all the plates spinning so we don't fail or fail someone? Or, is it a subliminal behavior to keep ourselves numbed from feeling, silenced from thinking, afraid from being alone or from what just might surface in this time of rest? 

Christ says He came that we "would have abundant life" ...not a busy life. There's nothing wrong with being busy as long as it's not borrowing from tomorrow's strength. If that's the daily way of living, we will eventually bankrupt our energy, our emotions, our health and our peace. Even relationships will suffer.

Be encouraged to sit with these words of our Savior, "I give you peace, the kind of peace that only I can give. It isn’t like the peace that this world can give. So don’t be worried or afraid." (John 14:27).

While resting in His comforting words, thank Him for that peace and prayerfully seek His wisdom for creating space in our lives for our body, mind and soul.

~ "Sam"