Exodus 17:15

Exodus 17:15

The Lord is My Banner.

 

Psalm 60:4

You have given a banner to those who fear You,
That it may be displayed because of the truth.

God of My Forefathers, I BELIEVE You are the Author of Liberty. Thank You for the glorious star spangled banner that gallantly waves o'er the land of the free and brave. Old Glory, as the American flag is known, has long symbolized freedom and justice. I wonder if, when Betsy was stitching it, she was divinely inspired.   Her red stripes are symbolic of hardness and valor. They remind me that You valiantly rode into Calvary knowing full well that You would square off with Satan and die to set the whole world free from his tyranny and oppression. Because You shed Your blood for me, I am at peace in a world at war.   Her white stripes symbolize innocence and purity, two of Your attributes. When I come to You through Jesus, Your Son, admitting that my righteousness is but filthy rags, You cleanse and purify me; bestowing on me His perfect robe of righteousness. Wrapped in Him, I am innocent and pure in Your sight.   Her blue field represents vigilance, perseverance and justice. Blue is the color of majesty. It reminds me that You are King of kings. Genuinely believing in Your supremacy, I will remain vigilant and persevere until You bring judgment and justice to the world.   Her bright white stars representing each state in the union remind me that one Star shines brighter than every other star in the universe, the Bright Morning Star. When life is dark and dangerous, You are the Holy Light guarding and guiding me into a joyous new day with You.    I thank You, O Great God our King, that You have given me a banner to display because of Truth. In all her glory, Old Glory will never quite compare to Your glory on the Cross of Calvary. Amen.

In this world at war how do you display the banner God has given you because of His victory at the Cross of Calvary?

Galatians 5:1

Galatians 5:1

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.

Gracious God of Mercy and Love, Today, we the people of the United States of America commemorate the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. We celebrate our freedom from tyranny and oppression by making speeches, waving flags, and watching parades. We re-enact history, have picnics and over eat. The celebration culminates with a magnificent display of fireworks that light up the night sky. Thank You for allowing me to born in this sweet land of liberty!   Today, as I reflect on history, I am thankful for the men and women who shed their blood to liberate the land I love. By their blood, I am free to worship You in a land flowing with prosperity. But, I am even more grateful for the battle You fought with Satan, and won single-handedly on the hill of Calvary. On that old rugged cross, You shed Your grace on me. By Your stripes I am healed. The tomb could not contain You. Death was swallowed up in victory!   Today, I celebrate my freedom in Christ Jesus, and commemorate my adoption into Your family and the eternal Declaration of Independence from the tyranny of this world that is mine in Christ Jesus, my Lord. Amen.

Thank God for your freedom, and all those who gave their life for it.

Philippians 2: 10-11

Philippians 2: 10-11

At the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
  and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ 

 is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, There's just something about Your Name. It carries ALL authority and ALL power in heaven, in earth, and under the earth. There is no place where the power and authority of Your Name does not reach. If I go up to heaven, it is there. If I go down to the grave, it is there. If I ride the wings of the morning, it is there. If I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there Your Name is proclaimed. Kings and kingdoms will pass away, but Your wonderful life-giving, life-saving almighty Name will endure forever.   In this nation, we have profaned Your Name. Contemptibly, we have made gods to suit our own interests. We sneer at Your design for marriage. We laugh at Your idea of life. We do whatever pleases us. Searcher of hearts and minds, You are not deceived. Those who reject Your Name, neglect Your law and make a fool of Your sacrifice on the old rugged Cross will not get away with it forever.   Jesus, my solace is in knowing Your wonderful, life-giving, life-saving, almighty Name. Exalted to the highest place, You are the Majestic Righteous Honorable Judge, seated on the Great White Throne of Justice. One day, possibly quite soon, all mockers - kings and great men of wealth, along with the drunk and men of little stature, will regretfully stand together to face You. Before being cast into the eternal Lake of Fire each will bow before You and confess that You are Jesus Christ the Lord.   Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, O how I love Your name! Jesus, Jesus, Jesus for as long as I live I will sing glory to Your wonderful, life-giving, life-saving, almighty Name. Amen

In these dark days when immorality is increasing at record pace and injustice seems to be prevailing, we can take solace in knowing that one day, possibly quite soon, the mockers, great and small, will bow their knee and confess the Name of Jesus.   You may be among those who have refused to make that confession, but the Day of Judgment will come and you will then declare that Jesus Christ is Lord. I guarantee it.   The tragedy is that if you wait till then it will not be a confession unto salvation, but of condemnation.   If you say with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved from the punishment of sin. Romans 10:9

Hosea 10:12-14

Hosea 10:12-14

Sow righteousness for yourselves,
    reap the fruit of unfailing love,
and break up your unplowed ground;
    for it is time to seek the Lord,
until he comes
    and showers his righteousness on you.
But you have planted wickedness,
    you have reaped evil,
    you have eaten the fruit of deception.
Because you have depended on your own strength
    and on your many warriors,
 the roar of battle will rise against your people,
    so that all your fortresses will be devastated-

O Great and Mighty God whose Name I adore,   How much America is like Israel! How much longer will You tolerate us?   You have blessed the sweet land of liberty with prosperity which we have used to make American idols. Because Your people do not know You or the precepts You have established for our benefit, we defied You and voted against righteousness.  Since there is a hefty price for apathy, we should not be surprised when we are incapacitated by government grid lock, debilitated by a devastating load of debt, or incarcerated for sharing our faith. Days of distress and difficulty should not stun us. Without Divine intervention, our indifference to immorality will immobilize the mission of the church. O God, who is slow to anger and full of steadfast love, forgive us for turning the fear of the Lord into a free-for-all frolic to suit our fancy.   Precious Lord, surely, it's time for this bemused nation to seek Your face! Remind us that real freedom is not in a constitution penned by founding fathers, but is written in the precious blood of Jesus on human hearts at the foot of the cross. Using Your strong arm, break up the fallow ground in the hard hearts of not only our leaders and legislatures, but also the church that bears Your name. Rain down righteousness so that the seed of Your Word can begin to take root in our lives. As we read our Bibles to examine Your laws, let them propagate our souls. Fill our minds with wisdom and understanding of Your ways so that as a nation, we will return to our Christian roots and reap the fruit of unfailing love and mercy.   God, despite our rebellion, please bless America, the beautiful land that I love. Stand beside her, and guide her thru the night with a light from above. Restore her to Your glory for Your name sake. Amen.

Polls suggest that only 26% of registered self-proclaimed evangelical Christians voted in the past Presidential Election. That means 74% of the church was indifferent. That's reprehensible. As a church we need to confess our irresponsibility and apathy, and plead with God Almighty to have mercy on our nation. God makes it quite clear in His Word that we will reap what we sow.   The time to seek the Lord is today.

2 Chronicles 7:14

2 Chronicles 7:14

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.  

Jehovah-rapha, Healing Lord, You say IF my people, who are called by my name - Christian - will humble themselves and pray and seek Your face and turn from their wicked ways, THEN You will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. You make the diagnosis for our nation painfully clear, yet millions of people who call themselves Christians are asleep and unconscious, unaware of the remedy for our ailing country.   Polluted with our worldly plans and possessions, many Christians are complacent. Our abundance has led to greed. Our freedom has become a license for lewdness. Our religious heritage has been deemed irrelevant. Failing to exercise discretion, we've eaten a steady diet of humanism. Independent and self-absorbed, we are clueless about the cancer consuming the entire Body and spewing into our beloved country.  O Lord, surely the Church needs a visit from the Great Physician! Come quickly and heal the sick souls who are called by Your name.   Following Your precise prescription, we will discover the cure for our critical condition. Wake us up from our sweet dreams! Compel us, by Your Spirit, to humbly admit that we have a serious sin problem, prayerfully bring our afflictions to You, and continually seek Your advice by spending time in Your Word, the Bible. Then, You will hear our cries and alleviate the ailing Body.   With a fully restored Body, we will notice the sad state of our country. In Your strength, we will stand up, speak out for righteousness, and lead the nation to turn around and follow You. Then, You will heal our land we love restoring the glory of Your name. Amen.

Many in the Church would agree that our nation is in grave condition and frantically needs the healing hand of Jesus. Will you obediently stand before God today and admit your own faults and failures? Will you then confess the complacency of the Church; acknowledging that we as a Body haven't exercised discretion and have eaten a steady diet of humanism? Will you concede that our abundance has led to greed, our freedom has become a license for lewdness, and our religious heritage has been deemed irrelevant?    God is calling the Church - everyone who calls themselves by the Christian name - to stand up and lead the nation to turn around and follow Him. Our only hope is in a supernatural visit from the Great Physician, and He will only come when we, as a Body, humble ourselves and pray and seek His face and turn from our wicked ways.

Revelation 1:3,7

Revelation 1:3,7
Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.

Look, he is coming with the clouds,
      and every eye will see him,
   even those who pierced him;
      and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him.
So shall it be! Amen.

Living One, who was dead but now lives and reigns forever and ever. Please give me ears to hear and a heart to believe the sobering Words written by Your holy hand. Though many generations have anticipated Your return, and never actually witnessed it, let me not lose faith. Your Words are always true and always right. You are coming and You say the time is near. To You a thousand years are like a single day. It's ridiculous for us to try to figure out Your schedule. However, we can be sure that one day the sun will stop shining, the light of the moon will be dispelled, the stars will fall from the sky, heaven will breathe and You will blow into town on a chariot of clouds. Your astonishing arrival will be highly visible and blatantly obvious. Even those who killed You will stop, drop and look up in wonder. Before the media can inform us or warn us of this monumental event, there will be such a colossal catastrophe that everyone everywhere will know beyond a shadow of doubt that something extraordinary has happened. There will no escaping it. Those who know You will realize what's going on and will not be surprised. Those who've ignored You will panic in the pandemonium. According to Your Word these things will happen. O Lord, thank You for telling us everything we need to know ahead of time, and for the double blessing for those who hear and believe it. Let us not be ignorant, but wisely watch and wait for the great day when You will triumphantly come on a cloud revealing Your glory, honor and power finally and forever. Amen.

Christ's return will be noticeable by everyone. He tells us everything we need to know to recognize it. Don't be ignorant. Prepare yourself by reading Matthew 24, Mark 13, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. God promises you will be doubly blessed when read your Bible, hear His Words, and take them to heart.

Malachi 4:1-2

Malachi 4:1-2
"Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and that day that is coming will set them on fire," says the LORD Almighty. "Not a root or a branch will be left to them. But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall."

Commander of Heaven's Armies, You paint a frighteningly vivid picture of the day of judgment that's coming. Repeatedly, You warn us in Your Word that You are coming - soon; like a thief in the night. We will not know when, but we will know how. At the sound of a trumpet You will heave a ball of fire from the Golden Altar in Glory. Pealing off with thunder, lightning and trembling, unbelievable doomsday disaster will come upon our land. Grasping for straws, desperate people will cry out for their political and spiritual leaders to save them. Because those leaders are the kindling that ignited the flame, they will be fully engaged and powerless to contain the blaze. Since we the people allowed them to build our nation and churches with highly combustible materials like the cheapness of charm and charisma, the degradation of deceit and debt, and the crudeness of egotism and liberalism we should not be surprised when it's all gone in a flash. The losses will be catastrophic as all those who snubbed You for personal pleasure are devoured in the inferno.  But for all those who respectfully acknowledge You as their Righteous Ruler, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in His wings. They will walk through the scorching heat and not be burned; the smoldering smog will not smother them. Like silver, gold and costly gems that are refined and purified when they pass through a furnace, they will come out on the other side bursting with brilliance and vibrant new life. Glowing with Glory, they will be of great value in the vault of heaven. Please dear Lord, do whatever it takes to wake me up to the harsh reality that You are coming and You will test the condition of my heart. O that You would find that I've been a faithful, fearful follower who built with eternal treasures on the bedrock of Jesus Christ. Amen.

How will you fair on Judgment Day? Will you be devoured by the inferno, or will you come through the fire unscathed? Consider the consequences of your choices today.

1 Peter 3: 10-12

1 Peter 3: 10-12
Whoever would love life
      and see good days
   must keep his tongue from evil
      and his lips from deceitful speech.
He must turn from evil and do good;
      he must seek peace and pursue it.
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
      and his ears are attentive to their prayer.

Guide to the Good Life, Thank You for clearly pointing me in the right direction. If I want to enjoy a good life and see many happy days, here's what I need to do: I must refrain from evil or hurtful language, and intentionally be agreeable, sympathetic, and loving. You want me to be perceptive, peaceful and polite, thinking of others more than myself. In Your realm, revenge and sharp-tongued sarcasm are never acceptable. You expect the ambassadors of Your kingdom to rise above the stabbing pain of criticism and cynicism, and bless those who inflict it by praying for them. I must also turn my back on immorality and cultivate healthy, honest relationships. The Righteous Book of Rules, my Bible, will help me set good moral standards, and identify dangerous situations before I stumble into them. I will overcome obstacles by earnestly looking for them, immediately exposing them, and dealing with them in the light of Your love. Instead of grumbling about them, I will fervently pray for a peaceful resolution; then stand up, and sincerely speak the truth sensitively. Please give me the tenacity to continually search for and maintain peaceful resolutions. For doing what's right, You will reward me by turning Your ear toward me, and listening and responding to my requests. I will be blessed with a life I love and many good days because I've carefully followed the Guide to the Good Life. Amen.

God promises you a life you'll love and many good days, if you control your tongue, turn from immorality, do good deeds, and seek peace. For doing what's right even when it feels wrong, He promises to reward you by listening and responding to your prayer requests. On the other hand, if you choose not follow His Guide to the Good Life, and pursue selfish solutions, He will turn his face from you. Would you rather that God turn His face toward you or away from you? Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. Hebrews12:14

Proverbs 16:6

Proverbs 16:6
Through the fear of the LORD a man avoids evil.

Reigning Ruler of the Universe, As the Creator of everything, You and You alone have the exclusive right to rule the world. Your rules are always right because You are infallible. If only I'd listen to You, I'd avoid danger. Help me develop a deeper respect for Your almighty authority. The more I know You, the more I'll revere You. Awaken my senses to Your unsurpassable power and justice. With the thunderous voice of authority, and the snap of a finger You tell the lightning exactly where to strike. When You open Your mouth the mountains tremble. At Your command the clouds dance over the earth. The storehouses of hail and snow are under Your control. You appoint the sun to shine by day and tell the stars and moon to light up the night sky. Stirring the sea, You whip up the waves. Because everything under heaven obeys Your orders, I ought to too. Since one day, possibly quite soon, I'll appear before Your sacred throne and answer to You for the things I've done, arouse my heart with holy fear. Inspired by Your supreme sovereignty, I'll turn from my selfish desires and seek to satisfy You. Your righteous rules will show me truth, expose my rebellion, correct my mistakes and prompt me to live in reverent fear of the Only One who has the right to reign and rule over the Universe. Amen.

Is your heart aroused with a holy fear of God? Ponder the righteous rules inscribed by His holy hand in the sacred Scriptures. They will show you truth, expose your rebellion, correct your mistakes and prompt you to live reverently before the Reigning Ruler of the Universe.

Proverbs 3:5-6

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.

All-Knowing One, You are my Leader and Guide on this journey through life. When I try to figure out where You're taking me, I only end up lost and confused. Who can understand You? My thoughts are not Your thoughts, neither are my ways Your ways. Just as the heavens are far above the earth, so are Your ideas far superior and brighter than mine. You are always right, always good and always loving. You, O God, are perfect in knowledge. Exalted in power, who has taught You? No one! Who can teach You? No one! You are the Master Mind of the universe. No mind on earth is equal to You. No one can begin to grasp Your greatness. Yet, we feebly try to.    Who am I to question You? Surely, I have foolishly spoken things I don't fully understand. A haughty know-it-all, I despise myself for my own ignorance and arrogance. Discrediting Your holy justice, I've condemned You to justify myself. Who in the world do I think I am? Please humble me Lord Jesus and teach me Your ways. Give me a fresh revelation of Who You are and I will acknowledge You in all my ways. With a proper perspective of You, I'll trust You with all my heart and not rely on my own foolish wisdom. When I read my Bible You will light my way, make my path straight and lead me on the highway to happiness and holiness. Thank You for this guarantee if I obey. Amen.

God promises to make your paths straight if: You trust Him with all your heart, stop relying on yourself, and acknowledge Him in all your ways. The way to trust Him and acknowledge Him is to know Him. The only way to know Him is through His Word, the Bible.

Psalm 67:5-6

Psalm 67:5-6
Let the peoples praise You, O God;
Let all the peoples praise You.
Then the earth shall yield her increase;
God, our own God, shall bless us. NKJV

O Glorious God, You are my God! Thank You for Your Living Word that tells us exactly how to work the land to produce bountiful blessings! We need to join together as believers and plow the field with praise even in the midst of our own problems and pain. Then the whole world will see how You work. The godless will see how You save.  We need to joyfully shout: S        Our God is a God who saves! (Ps. 68:20) A      Awesome are You, O God!          You give power and strength to Your people. (Ps. 68:35) L       Your love stands firm forever. (Ps. 89:2)           You're eagerly waiting to give the gift of eternal life to everyone!           (Rom. 5:17) V        You will rescue the weak from violence. (Ps. 72:14)   A        Direct access to Your wide open spaces of grace and glory are available            to all know Your Son.  (Rom. 5:2, Heb. 4:16) T         You will take Your people into glory; (Ps. 73:24)             And, free them from tyranny and torture. (Ps. 72:14) I          Instead of disgrace they will rejoice in their inheritance;             They will inherit unimaginable blessings and everlasting joy! (Isa. 61:7) O       You will rescue the oppressed,            because their lives are precious to You. (Ps 72:14) N       There is no condemnation for those who belong to You! (Rom. 8:1)   O Lord, let us together be happy and shout for joy because You judge us fair and square. Even though You've seen the depth of our debt, You've graciously paid it in full with the blood of Your Son. Display Your exuberance in us, O God! Let Your face shine on us. Mark us with grace and blessing so that the whole world will witness that a wonderful Savior You are! Hallelujah! Amen!

Jesus says you will be judged by the fruit you bear. (Matthew 7:17-19) God's Word clearly tells us how to be blessed with everlasting fruit. We, the people of God, all of us together, need to start singing His praises! Instead of complaining we ought to be complimenting. Instead of arguing we ought to be agreeing. Instead of blaming we ought to be blessing. Instead of grumbling we ought to be grateful. Instead of accusing we ought to be interceding. At all times we should praise Him with our words. Then, the whole world, not just our individual communities, will see how He works. As we shout for joy during our difficulties people will hear and be saved! Join me in plowing the fields with praise! Together we will be blessed with fruit that lasts forever.   When we intentionally turn our complaints to praise, God will surely smile on us and bless our hearts. God's Smile - His affirmation comes in the form of grace and blessing. When God smiles on you, you can feel it in every part of your life. - Henry Blackaby.

Hosea 14

Hosea 14
Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for your sins have brought you down. Bring your petitions, and return to the Lord. Say to him, "Forgive all our sins and graciously receive us, so that we may offer you the sacrifice of praise. Assyria cannot save us, nor can our strength in battle. Never again will we call the idols we have made 'our gods.' No, in you alone do the orphans find mercy."

The Lord says, "Then I will heal you of your idolatry and faithlessness, and my love will know no bounds, for my anger will be gone forever! I will be to Israel like a refreshing dew from heaven. It will blossom like the lily; it will send roots deep into the soil like the cedars in Lebanon. Its branches will spread out like those of beautiful olive trees, as fragrant as the cedar forests of Lebanon. My people will return again to the safety of their land. They will flourish like grain and blossom like grapevines. They will be as fragrant as the wines of Lebanon.

"O Israel, stay away from idols! I am the one who looks after you and cares for you. I am like a tree that is always green, giving my fruit to you all through the year."

Let those who are wise understand these things. Let those who are discerning listen carefully. The paths of the Lord are true and right, and righteous people live by walking in them. But sinners stumble and fall along the way.

God of Grace, have mercy on me! Admittedly, I'm conceited and controlling, insisting on having my own way. Thoughtless and inconsiderate, I'm absolutely self-absorbed, self-assured, self-righteous, self-reliant, self-seeking and just plain SELFISH. Demanding my own rights, I'm completely disrespectful and irreverent, denying Your supreme authority over my life. Vigilantly looking for virtues in others, I cease to be virtuous myself. O Lord, how I've disappointed You. Please be gracious, forgive me, and accept my sweet sacrifice of praise. Heal me of my selfish idolatry and faithlessness. Let Your limitless love fall fresh on me like tiny teardrops from heaven. Watered by them, I'll burst up from the dirt of despair like a lovely lily in springtime. My roots will go down deep and I'll stand firm, free and fragrant like a tall cedar in Lebanon. I'll produce many off-shoots and become a sheltering forest where others will find relief from the hellish heat. My beauty will be widespread like that of a hearty, ancient olive tree. I'll grow gracefully like a golden grain of wheat. My vine will be famous for producing fresh, flavorful fruit. O Lord, my God, You are the everlasting Tree of Life. You protect me and provide for me. Everything I need is found in You. In the shelter of Your presence give me wisdom to fully understand Your generosity and goodness. Carefully listening to Your time-proven, trustworthy teaching, I'll stand firm on Your powerful promises. My heart's desire is to live well by You and grasp all the blessings You bestow on those who walk close beside You. Following You, I will be faithful, fulfilled and fruitful and Your holy name will be glorified. Amen.

Confess your waywardness, asking the God of Grace to forgive and heal you. Then, claim all the powerful promises contained in these verses. Following Him, you will be faithful, fulfilled and fruitful.

Romans 11:17-18

Romans 11:17-18
If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not boast over those branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you.

Heavenly Father, Thank You for another wonderful word picture to teach me who You are, and who I am. You are the Divine Gardner. Jesus is the solid trunk with deep roots, wounded for me. I am nothing but a dead branch that's been gently and graciously grafted to Him. Completely connected to You, the sap of Your Spirit nourishes every part of my being - heart, mind, and soul. Drinking from the deep spring of Living Water, I'll grow in Your everlasting light and never die. Saturated with the fertilizer of Your Word, I will produce luscious fruit for You. Though I stand tall, radiant and confident, I have no grounds for bragging. Apart from You I'm nothing but deadwood. I'm totally dependent on Your strong root system to give me abundant life. I know that You will ruthlessly cut off every unproductive limb and preserve it for future grafting.           O Holy Gardener, snip me and clip me, even though it hurts. Shape me into the fruitful branch You want me to be. Cultivate me to produce baskets full of sweet succulent fruit to adorn Your glorious temple. In Your hands, carefully and skillfully tend to my branch making me the shoot that displays changed lives for the glory and splendor of Your name. Amen.

The only reason you're on the Divine Tree is because your graft "took:" when you believed, and because you're connected to the belief-nurturing root. So, don't be cocky or arrogant. How can you be humbly mindful of the root that gives you life?

Matthew 13: 24-30

Matthew 13: 24-30 Jesus told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.  "The owner's servants came to him and said, 'Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?'  "'An enemy did this,' he replied.       "The servants asked him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them up?'  "'No,' he answered, 'because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.' "

Jesus, I love the stories You tell! You create a vibrant vision of Your glory. The pictures You paint with Words are crisp and clear. Perusing and pondering them, I will discover the Only Way to eternal life and happily-ever-after living. Two kinds of people appear to be members of Your Kingdom. Those who BELIEVE You and those who believe IN You. Thank You for showing me the difference. The good seed are those individuals who know You as their friend. You've sown the seed of Your Word in the soft soil of their soul. They believe what You say and grow as children of the kingdom. They're fertilized with the Holy Spirit and watered with the Truth. The Son shines on them. They grow and multiply, spreading the good seed of Your Word in the world where it produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and gentleness. They are the rich golden grain of wheat that glistens and glows with Your glory. The bad seed are the people who are familiar with You. The seed of Your Word falls on them but never takes root. They don't know You personally; therefore, they can't understand You. Sadly, they are children of the Devil. They are fed watered down truth and sugar coated lies by false teachers. They grow and multiply, spreading the shallow seed of deceptive philosophy that depends on human traditions and worldly principles. Outwardly, they look exactly like the wheat planted by You. However, upon careful examination after the harvest, You notice that their grain doesn't glisten or glow with Your glory. Instead, it is black as night and of no value to Your Kingdom. You separate and throw these weeds into the fiery furnace where they will burn with eternal weeping and everlasting misery. Lord, since the wheat and the weeds are growing together in the same field and impossible to differentiate with the naked eye, please help me to be non-judgmental. Only You can verify the weeds, and only You have the right to pull them. Forgive me for all the times, I've tried to uproot unbelievers and ripped out Your tender plants instead! Lord, I want to love You and everyone You've planted in the field surrounding me. Then, You will recognize me during the harvest by my glistening glow of Your glory. Amen.

At the harvest on Judgment Day will God recognize you as a glistening golden wheat or a wild weed? How can you be sure? His beloved friends will admit their sin, believe that He died and rose to save them from destruction, and commit to following Him. They'll trust and obey Him. Believing that He is who He says He is and will do what He says He will do, they'll live their lives to please Him. At the harvest, He will recognize them by their golden glow. If you are God's good seed, you will love Him and others unconditionally. You will set aside your selfish interests for the benefit of others. What will you do today to show Him how much you love Him? Acquaintances are only familiar with Him. They believe in Him, but don't take Him at His Word. Denying the reality of sin, they twist the truth to make themselves and others feel good. Because they do not trust and obey Him, at the harvest, He will recognize them by the black grain they produce. If you're growing as a weed in the field, it is of utmost importance that you befriend Jesus quickly or you will be thrown into the fiery furnace, guaranteed! God says so! Surrender yourself to Him today by: Admitting with your mouth that you're a sinner in need of His grace  Believing in your heart that He died and rose again to save you from destruction  Committing to follow Him from this day forward

John 12:24

Driving down through the beautiful, bucolic farmlands of south central Pennsylvania, I noticed the gloriously golden wheat fields and pondered these words spoken by Jesus.   I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But, if it dies, it produces many seeds.  John 12:24

Glorious Father- Thank you for this beautiful word picture. Like a grain of wheat that falls to the ground and dies to live anew, I lay down all my dreams and worldly desires to follow you. Plant me wherever you want to produce a harvest for your Kingdom. Press down on me, crush me, and break me. Soften me and release me to press upward to reproduce an enormous multiplication of blessings. God please crucify me with Jesus - fully yielded, completely surrendered, totally submitted. Use the problems and challenges that are part of my every day life to put me to death. Then raise me, like a kernel of wheat to an abundant ... victorious ... blessed ... fruitful ... powerful ... Christ-like ... Spirit-filled life. I love you Lord and want to be more like you! In Jesus name, I surrender all. Amen.

What do you need to surrender in order to reproduce abundant blessings for the Kingdom of God? Make a deliberate determination to be interested only in what interests God. Intentionally, remove everything from your life that keeps you from following God's dreams and plans. Concentrate on the Son who did not give up when He had to suffer shame and die on a cross. He knew of the joy that would be His later. This joy will be yours too, if only you will die to yourself and devote your life to Him. O. Chambers writes (06/19) in My Utmost For His Highest, "The secret of a disciple's life is devotion to Jesus Christ, and the characteristic of that life is its seeming insignificance and its meekness. Yet it is like a grain of wheat that "falls into the ground and dies" - it will spring up and change the entire landscape.

Psalm 126

Psalm 126 When the LORD restored his exiles to Jerusalem, it was like a dream! We were filled with laughter, and we sang for joy. And the other nations said, "What amazing things the LORD has done for them." Yes, the LORD has done amazing things for us! What joy! Restore our fortunes, LORD, as streams renew the desert. Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest. NLT

How Great You are O Sovereign King! There is none like You! Lord, overwhelming sorrow tries to take me away from You. Battered and bruised by the battle with the enemy, a fountain of tears flow from my eyes. Wounded and worn out, I weep. Gripped by grief, I'm a miserable mess. Rescue me! Restore my fortune! Bring me back to the peace of Your presence. Help me to plant kernels of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility and discipline in the soil surrounding my sadness. I will gently water them with a steady stream of tears. And, then I will patiently wait through the season of sorrow for the promised heavenly harvest. When I joyfully return with baskets full of bountiful blessings I will share a foretaste of glory divine with those around me. They will notice that You have done amazing things for me! Together, we will sing, laugh and celebrate a yield of sweet succulent spiritual fruit. I believe that You will turn my hard situation into an enormous reward for the praise of Your glory! Amen.

What has taken you away from your Sovereign King? It could be sin, addiction, false teaching, idolatry, ministering to someone needy, transition, a new job, busyness, or love to name a few. Identify the thing that holds you captive and break free! Plant the seed of His Word in the soil of your situation, water it with your tears and patiently endure while it grows. Then reap the bountiful blessed harvest and celebrate the amazing things the Lord has done!

Luke 12:7b

Jesus said, "Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." Luke 12:7b

Jesus,  Thank You for the sparrows You send to our windows to remind us that we're worth more than the birds of the air!   Please don't let me feel discouraged by the darkness of shadows. Don't let my heart be lonely. Be my portion and constant Friend. You promise to constantly keep Your eye on me. Watch over me. Don't let my heart be troubled. Let me hear You tenderly say, "Don't be afraid, my child. You're worth more than many sparrows." Let me rest on the goodness of your precious promise where doubt and fear will cease. Lead me through the dark valleys by shining Your light ahead of me so that I can vividly see and follow You. Just as Your eye is always on the sparrow, watch over me at all times. Within Your sight and light, let me sing joyfully. When I'm tempted to fear, when storm clouds arise, when songs give way to sighing, and when all the hope in my heart dies ... remind me that I'm worth more to You than many sparrows. Draw me back to the Light and lead me safely until I reach heaven's gate where You'll welcome me home. Please dear God, take away my fears today in the name of Jesus. Amen.

God commands: Don't be afraid.   He promises: You are worth more than many sparrows. Do you believe God? Will you rest on His promise today? You are worth more than many sparrows. He provides for them and will sustain you even more. Do not be afraid. Trust Him.