His Dominion

S ~  Psalm 72:6-9

May the king’s rule be refreshing like spring rain on freshly cut grass, 

like the showers that water the earth.
May all the godly flourish during his reign.

May there be abundant prosperity until the moon is no more.

May he reign from sea to sea, and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth.

O ~ The dominion of Canada - He shall reign from sea to sea.  May it be so. There is a refreshing when the King’s rule is in place.

A ~ Certainly God’s rule is in place over all the nations, but it does not mean His rule is in all the nations. He is above all, but there are so many places we see where His rulership is not welcomed or wanted. And yet, it is to our disadvantage anywhere He does not reign.

P ~ Lord reign in me. Reign in my family. Reign in my neighborhood, my city, my province, my country. May Your kingdom come and Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven, and may all the godly flourish!

Give to the (un)Grateful

S ~ Give generously to the poor, not grudgingly, for the Lord your God will bless you in everything you do.  There will always be some in the land who are poor. Deuteronomy 15:10-11

O ~ The poor may or may not bless you when you give to them, but the Lord certainly will - and in everything you do!

A ~ Who knows how grateful a poor person is? They may express deep thanks, or they may affirm their entitlement - but that can not be the motivation or deciding factor. It is easier to give to the grateful, but He is kind to the unkind, and gracious to the ungracious. I am to give, expecting nothing in return - including thankfulness. 

P ~ Lord, there is an ever increasing number of people not working and in need of help. I can’t help everyone, but I can help someone - so please show us who and how we can help.

Deep Roots

S ~ Wickedness never brings stability, but the godly have deep roots. Proverbs 12:3

O ~ Deep Roots. It is not enough for roots to exist, they need to go deep in order to have stability.

A ~ Deep roots go beneath the soil, and then keep going. It’s not enough to have balance, you have to have stability. A very light support can help with balance - or even a tightrope walker’s pole - but more than balance is needed. Stability comes from not a cursory reading of scripture, but somehow embracing, understanding, assimilating it into my life - my heart, my thoughts, my behavior, my very being. Deep Rooted prayer is not a morning or evening greeting, but an encounter that takes time. No shortcuts - deep roots take time to grow.

P ~ Lord, in this crisis of covid, may my roots go deep into Your Word, and deep into relationship with You in prayer. And even though roots take time, I pray mine would grow like bamboo - three feet a day!  Amen.

Learn to Love It

S ~ To learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction. Proverbs 12:1

O ~ Discipline and correction will come, regardless if you love them or hate them. The key to learning, is to learn to love discipline.

A ~ There are a great number of people who hate to be corrected, even though they seem to like being the ones correcting others. I don’t want to be guilty of being such a person. I also need to learn to take discipline, correction, advice, input, comments - without being so sensitive, and taking it so personal, as a sign of rejection. If I display such insecurity, it does cause correction and discipline to be minimized to my face, but it also stops the help others can bring to me.

P ~ Lord, I affirm again that I welcome Your correction and discipline, and welcome it through others You would use to speak into my life. However, please help me know when it is from You.

Carried Each Day

S ~ Praise the Lord; praise God our savior! For each day he carries us in his arms. Interlude Pslam 68:19

O ~ Interlude. Think about this. Pause and Think. Don’t move on quickly. Reflect. Ponder. Hold on a minute. Each day He carries us in His arms. 

A ~ What a great verse to have settle in our hearts - each day He carries us in His arms - whether we know it or not, whether we acknowledge it or not - He carries us. 

P ~ Lord, please help me to not try and walk independently of you, “I can do it myself”. Instead, I lift my hands in the air and say “Carry me”.  Thank You my Saviour. 

Firmly in My MInd

S ~ So remember this and keep it firmly in mind: The Lord is God both in heaven and on earth, and there is no other. Deuteronomy 4:39

O ~ God in heaven AND God on earth.

A ~ Not only is He God in Heaven, ruling over the universe, and we will see Him one day there, but He is God on Earth, and there is no other. No one else in heaven is trying to be God (we saw how that worked out), but there are many on Earth acting as if they were God. God is not only in Heaven, He is on Earth - and may this be firmly planted in our minds - He is God, and He is here.

P ~ Lord, may I continue to be mindful of Your presence - You are not a distant God, and may I be mindful of your “God-ness” - there is only One.

He Guides the Whole World

Scripture:  

May God be merciful and bless us. May His face smile with favor on us.

May Your ways be known throughout the earth, Your saving power among people everywhere.
May the nations praise You, O God. Yes, may all the nations praise You.
Let the whole world sing for joy, because You govern the nations with justice
and guide the people of the whole world.
Psalm 67:1-4

O ~ You guide the people of the whole world - even those who don’t know You are guiding.

A ~ God is able to show His saving power - just like He did in Egypt, that people everywhere would know He alone is God. With the death toll rising and the virus spreading, He still is God. He has a way through this - so may He guide us all.

P ~ Lord, please guide Justin Trudeau, Jason Kenny, Deena Hinshaw and all their counterparts worldwide. May you guide Steve Falkiner and Glenn Burris, and our entire Foursquare family. May Your saving power be known throughout the earth.

The Good Guy Spots

S ~  But even after all he did, you refused to trust the Lord your God,  who goes before you looking for the best places to camp, guiding you with a pillar of fire by night and a pillar of cloud by day. Deuteronomy 1:32 - 33

O ~ Looking for the best places to camp. How great is that? The God who goes before us gets the best camping spots!

A ~ He is the One who can be in two places at once. He can walk with us, and yet also go before us, appearing to ‘scout out’ the best camping spot. I don’t have to know where we are heading, I just need to make sure I am following. D1 at Mount Kidd. Tyee Lane at Scotch Creek. He knows the spots.

P ~ Lord, thank You for all the times we had with our kids camping - how I cherish those memories. And thank You for leading us now, through these difficult times. May my eyes be on You, and as we will one day look back upon these moments, may these days be full of memories, of how You led us.

I Live Here Too

S ~ You must not defile the land where you live, for I live there myself. I am the Lord, who lives among the people of Israel.” Numbers 35:34

O ~ I live there Myself. Essentially, ‘I gotta live here too - so don’t make a mess!’

A ~ I have never considered the impact of the mess of my life, or my world - on the Lord. If I leave garbage lying around and don’t pick up after myself, it impacts Him too. And not just physically - if I leave garbage laying around my life, and have a mess of things in my heart and mind, it impacts Him too, because ‘He’s gotta live there’.

P ~ Lord, please help me to recognize Your presence, and that I would not be so self centered that I forget to consider You.

Overreacting

S ~ If you turn away from him like this and he abandons them again in the wilderness, you will be responsible for destroying this entire nation!”. Numbers 32:15

O ~ Moses did not let the leaders of the tribes of Reuben and Gad explain. Instead he overreacted with accusation. I’m sure he was frustrated, exhausted, and overwhelmed when leaders appeared to be refusing to enter the promised land again, 40 years later.

A ~ It is so important to hear people out before reacting, or specifically, over reacting. Don’t jump to conclusions about people’s intentions. I need to take time to give them the benefit of the doubt, being quick to listen,  slow to speak, slow to anger.

P ~ Lord, thank You for not jumping to conclusions about my attitudes, and even taking the time to gently adjust them when they are wrong. 

Sanctuary

S ~  I have seen You in Your sanctuary and gazed upon Your power and glory. Pslam 63:2

O ~ There is a difference between His sanctuary, and our church sanctuary. 

A ~ In many churches, the main room or auditorium is still called The Sanctuary. In many other churches The Sanctuary is the area in front of the railing at the front of the room, the place where the altar is located. However, these are not the sanctuaries we need to get to - not an earthly building, but rather a heavenly place. Sanctuary is a place set apart for holy purposes. I need to set aside places and times for holy purposes - to meet with God - to gaze upon and experience His power and His glory.

P ~ Lord, may I see You, just like Isaiah saw You - High and lifted up, and may Your glorious presence fill the sanctuary.  

Not A Hide Out

S ~  Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken. My victory and honor come from God alone.
He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me. O my people, trust in Him at all times.
Pour out your heart to Him, for God is our refuge. Psalm 62: 5-8

O ~  A Hide Out is a place where no one else can reach me. David could be reached in a cave, or in a palace, or anywhere in between. But hidden in God, no enemy could find him there.

A ~ Somehow I feel like there is a distinction between Hiding Out, and Hiding In. The focus of Hiding Out is to get away, be hidden, not found. The focus of Hiding In is to be found - to be found in Him. The focus is not what you are giving up, but what are you giving yourself to. 

P ~ Lord, my heart is to draw near to You, not simply to draw away from COVID-19 and the frenzy. I want to hear Your voice, know Your presence, and experience Your power. Let’s get together.

Cross The River

S ~ Then John went from place to place on both sides of the Jordan River, preaching that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven. Luke 3:3

O ~ John baptized on both sides of the Jordan. This is hugely significant because the Jordan River is what separated ‘The Promised Land’ from the wilderness wanderings. 

A ~ For God so loved the entire world, He sent His Son. He not only sent Jesus to the Jews, but through the Jews - that the message might reach beyond themselves to the entire world. 

P ~ Lord, please help my heart to be open to sharing the message of the gospel as far as I can reach. And even today, may the message of the gospel reach those who physically live on either side of the Jordan river - I pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and peace from Jerusalem.

Stop Fussing

S ~ His parents didn’t know what to think. “Son,” his mother said to him, “why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere.” Luke 2:48

O ~ Mary and Joseph were frantic. They did not know what had happened to Jesus. Probably the very last thing they thought was that He wandered off voluntarily to hang out at church.  Romans?? Demons?? Who took Him? How could they manage it? Why didn’t God protect Him? So many frantic questions? Was He dead? Was He hurt? Was He lost?

A ~ As I think about this passage, I am mindful that Jesus responded with “What’s all the fuss?” “Didn’t you know?”   There are so many unexpected things in life - so many times I can be tempted to be frantic. And yet, I think His answer is still the same... “What’s all the fuss?”.  He is in control, so we have no need to be frantic.

P ~ Lord, in the midst of this covid-19 pandemic, please help me to model trust in You. During all fo this, may I be about my Father’s business.

Mourningless Mornings

S ~ But as for me, I will sing about your power. Each morning I will sing with joy about your unfailing love. For you have been my refuge, a place of safety when I am in distress. O my Strength, to you I sing praises, for you, O God, are my refuge, the God who shows me unfailing love. Psalm 59:16-17

O ~Each morning - not just some mornings - there needs to be a song of joy, for His unfailing love.

A ~ Clearly I need to add to my prayer and bible reading, a joyful song in the morning, awakening the dawn, but not awakening my family.

P ~ Lord, may my morning praises softly rise to You, grateful each day for Your unfailing love.

Speak To Me - Speak Through Me

S ~ But Balaam replied, “I will speak only the message that the Lord puts in my mouth.” Numbers 23:12

O ~ Balaam did not have the freedom, as a prophet, to say whatever he wanted to say. Instead, his commitment (at least in prophecy) was to say repeat what He heard the Lord say.

A ~ There is much confusion about the story of Balaam, and his eventual going to Balak does not end well - he traps Israel in sin. Yet, this statement he makes, is something that I want to be true of my life. When I preach, may I only speak the message that the Lord puts in my mouth.

P ~ Lord, for this to work, I need to be dependent on hearing Your voice. Please help me draw near enough to live in that kind of close relationship with You - not to just hear a message, but to know Your heart. I

Wake Up!

S ~ My heart is confident in you, O God; my heart is confident. No wonder I can sing your praises!
Wake up, my heart! Wake up, O lyre and harp! I will wake the dawn with my song.
I will thank you, Lord, among all the people. I will sing your praises among the nations.
For your unfailing love is as high as the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens. May your glory shine over all the earth. Psalm 57:7-11

O ~ Confidence in God results in early morning praises - sung out loud among the people and nations!

A ~ I have found it good to awaken the dawn with a song, but not to awaken my family, or the neighbors. The only grace appears to be on September 1st. And yet, it is a joy to sing praises to God (quietly) in the morning. 

P ~ Lord, I place my confidence in You... You have never failed me, and I want to never fail to praise You in the morning. 

A Bottle of Tears

S ~ You keep track of all my sorrows.You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book. Psalm 56:8

O ~ How loving and caring and kind is God, to keep track of all my sorrows. Tears are stored. Sorrows are remembered. 

A ~ There will be a day when everything is set right - He will make all things new and all things right. He is ‘The God Who Sees’ and ‘The God Who Cares’. Once the disciples asked of Jesus while in a storm “Don’t You care that we are perishing?”. Surely, the answer is YES.. HE CARES!

P ~ Lord, in the midst of the Coronavirus outbreak, and so many fearful struggles for our world, may it be clear through my life that You are the God Who Cares!

Prone to Wander

S ~ Give the following instructions to the people of Israel: Throughout the generations to come you must make tassels for the hems of your clothing and attach them with a blue cord. When you see the tassels, you will remember and obey all the commands of the Lord instead of following your own desires and defiling yourselves, as you are prone to do. Numbers 15:38-39

O ~ The children of Israel needed to have a constant reminder in front of them - on their clothing - to remember to obey the Lord. They had a propensity to follow their own desires.

A ~ What reminders are needed for me? Just reading the Bible in the morning and praying are not enough - I too am prone to following my own desires. 

P ~ Lord, please help me remember to obey. Help me not forget. Help me be constantly reminded - everywhere I look - to joyfully follow You.

Go or Stay - At His Word Alone

S ~ Then they got up early the next morning and went to the top of the range of hills. “Let’s go,” they said. “We realize that we have sinned, but now we are ready to enter the land the Lord has promised us.” Numbers 14:40

O ~ It is sin to stay when the Lord says go, and sin to go when the Lord says stay.

A ~ Following the Lord is about relationship, and obedience. To obey is truly better than sacrifice.

P ~ Lord, help me to hear Your voice over all others, and help me to obey no matter what.

Ah Lord God...

S ~ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Has my arm lost its power? Now you will see whether or not my word comes true!”

O ~ The ability to provide meat for all the people was in question. Moses explained to the Lord how much would be needed, and that it was not possible. God responded with “watch and learn”.

A ~ His arm had not lost any power since Egypt. His arm has never lost it’s power. He has the power to fulfill His Word.  Then, and now. 

P ~ Please Lord, let Your Word to Audrey be that she is healed.... forever.

Up, Up, and Away

S ~ Don’t let him find you sleeping when he arrives without warning. I say to you what I say to everyone: Watch for him!”. Mark 13:36-37

O ~ Scripture is repeatedly very clear - the return of the King is at a time when we do not expect it. It will catch us off guard, if we are not looking for Him.  

A ~ Watch for Him. His return is about relationship - watch for Him. Don’t just watch the signs of the times, but watch for Him. He is returning for those who are ‘eagerly waiting for His appearing.”  The way to watch is to know the scriptures, and walk in the Spirit.

P ~ Lord, I don’t want to be surprised at Your return, but rather be a person who has my eyes fixed on You - seeing Your approach from a long way off.

I Understand

S ~ O don’t be dismayed when the wicked grow rich and their homes become ever more splendid. For when they die, they take nothing with them. Their wealth will not follow them into the grave.
In this life they consider themselves fortunate and are applauded for their success. But they will die like all before them and never again see the light of day. People who boast of their wealth don’t understand; they will die, just like animals. Psalm 49:16-20

O ~ You can take no riches with you to the grave, nor do they follow you into the next life. When people focus on this life, it is clear they don’t understand. 

A ~ How tempting it is to focus on those who ‘have it made’. They have fortune (fortunate) and success, and are commended for it. It must not be so in my life. My life must be focussed on eternity, not the things of this world. The problem is I do understand - and still get tempted to focus on this life, the here and now, right in front of me. They have an excuse - they don’t understand - but I do.

P ~ Lord, please help me enjoy the passing pleasures of this life, without being jealous or covetous or discontent. Help me to focus on eternity, on seeing heaven populated with people who have come across me, and I have pointed them to You.

His Word and His Power

S ~ Jesus replied, “Your mistake is that you don’t know the Scriptures, and you don’t know the power of God.” Mark 12:24

O ~ A twofold mistake, and later Jesus will say it’s a serious one.

A ~ Sadducees come to Jesus with a question, in a failed attempt to trap Him. “Who’s wife will she be?” they ask. Jesus points to the problem with the question - they no neither His Word or His power. We live in such an age now.

P ~ Lord, please help me to know both Your Word, and Your Power - and not just know about them, but know them by experience. 

Dedicated. Consecrated. Set Apart.

S ~ However, anything specially set apart for the Lord—whether a person, an animal, or family property—must never be sold or bought back. Anything devoted in this way has been set apart as holy, and it belongs to the Lord. Leviticus 27:28

O ~ A person set apart for the Lord must never be bought back. A person devoted in this way has been set apart and belongs to the Lord.

A ~ I’m thankful for the significance of baby dedication - how Dougie, Robyn and Emily Dawn were publicly dedicated to the Lord. They can never be ‘bought back’, because they have been ‘bought with a price’ ~ I Corinthians 6:20

P ~ Lord, I continue to dedicate my kids to You. Please keep them from stumbling.

A Rich Blessing

S ~ The blessing of the Lord makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow with it. Proverbs 10:22

O ~ This is not a verse about prosperity, but about provision, and about source. The Lord is the One who a) is our source of blessing; b) is generous to give increase; c) richness is not limited to finances; d) God’s blessing includes finances; e) no strings of sorrow are attached from Him.

A ~ Not everyone is intended to be rich, but when someone is rich, it is good to acknowledge that it is the blessing of God extended, and for the rich to be a blessing, not a money hog.  One person’s richness should not cause another to have sorrow - as He adds no sorrow with His blessing - to the rich or those around them.

P ~ Lord, please help me to manage my riches wisely, to bless others, not hoard for myself. May I be generous, wise, and thankful.