Trust God in 2018, Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust God in 2018

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.

Daughters, a new year has begun. The older you get, and you are getting old, you find that a holiday, a birthday or a new year doesn't make that much difference; the days come and the days go and life flies on by... But know this, a new event or experience or year is an opportunity to make needed changes in your life. Whether it is going away to school, starting a new job or even getting married, they are points in time that you can utilize to spark a new direction in your life. A new year is just that kind of event.

A and K, as you begin 2018, purpose in your heart to trust the Lord. Do so with all of your heart mind, soul and strength, your complete being. Forget what the world around you pushes you to think. It may Facebook or Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest, YouTube or Vimeo. They push each of us to embrace the ways of the world around us. Don't get me wrong, they can be and are used for good, but as you use them, evil is right there beside you trying to suck you in (Romans 7:21). 

So, what are you to do? It may be necessary to take a break from social media. It may be that you just give it up all together. The first is a good idea and the second, unlikely. But, what is certainly a requirement with social media as with all other areas of life, "in all your ways acknowledge him". Then, the Lord will guide you down the straight and narrow road of life where you will be content, satisfied with life.

Ladies, live for the Lord in 2018!

~Dad

You Shall Find Him, Matthew 2:11a

You Shall Find Him

Matthew 2:11a On coming to the house, they saw him with his mother, Mary.

The Magi from the East saw the star when it had reappeared and followed it to the place over where it stood. There they found the child.

We have heard it said that "wise men still seek him". But a better phrase might be... Wise men, and ladies, still find him! Deuteronomy 4:29 states that we shall find the Lord if we seek him with all our heart and soul. The wise men of old left their land to find the new king and when they found hi they gave him gifts and worshipped him.

K and A, be wise. Seek the Lord with all your heart and soul. If you do, he promises that you will find him, close and precious he will be to you. The gift to give him is yourself and all that you have. Give it all to him and worship the Christ. He is worth finding.

~Dad

Christ Is The Blessing Genesis 22:1-19 (18)

Christ Is The Blessing

Genesis 22:18 and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.

The Lord said, through your offspring, all nations on earth will be bless because you have obeyed... that blessing is Jesus! Because of Abraham's faithful, full surrendered life, Jesus was born in his line of descendants.

A and K, who will find Jesus because of your faithfulness? Who will find the peace and joy that is possible in life because you surrendered everything in you life, your hopes, your dreams, your family, your time, your all? Who? The results from your holy living has great potential!

~Dad

Full Surrender Blesses Others, Genesis 1:19 (18)

Full Surrender Blesses Others

Genesis 22:18 and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because yo have obeyed me.

Abraham's descendants were going to be a blessing to others, because Abraham was faithful. Certainly, Abraham had already been a blessing to the people around him. He had helped save people from marauders, gave gifts to the King of Salem, and pleaded for Lot's life. Now, God tells him that his faithfulness was going to bless others in the future.

Obedience to the Lord is proof that we love him (John 14:21). The Bible make record of the struggles of serving God. There are many poor examples, ways not to live, but conversely there are great examples of how to live righteously. Abraham is a great example of the results of being fully surrendered to God. It is beneficial to our lives and to others as well.

K and A, God loves to use you to be a blessing to others. Even though God could help others by himself, he wants you to reach out and bless others. One of the ways in which he does this is to use your example of a righteous life. You rarely know that he is even using you, but he is. Only when you get to heaven will you fully understand the impact of how you lived your life and the blessing it became to others, and throughout the generation beyond you. So live a holy life, fully surrendered to him. Others will be grateful you did!

~Dad

Full Surrender Claims Ground, Genesis 1:19 (17b)

Full Surrender Reclaims Ground

Genesis 22:17b Your descendants will take possession of the cities of your enemies.

God had told Abraham to look around. From the top of the mountain, he saw the land the Lord would give to his descendants. The promised land was all around him but not yet his. But now, because Abraham was willing to give up his most cherished possession, God declared that his offspring would certainly take possession of the land.

I know what I want to say here, I struggled over the title for five minutes or so. Wrote and rewrote it and plan to go back and change yesterday's - okay, I just did. But why? Because, obedience, no matter how much I like the word is not where it's at. It is only when we surrender our ways to his way that counts. Doing "it" because God said so is good for society and the church but that doesn't bring about the life God is looking for in us. It is much bigger than that.

We have struggles in our life. Some are related to our physical life, but there are spiritual struggles that affect all of our life and certainly our eternal life. There are areas in our life (plots of ground) that we just can't seem to take hold of, those we can't control. Maybe it's jealousy or anger, pride or conceit? Maybe we tear others down to puff ourselves up? Maybe we have hatred or envy, slander or tell lies? Possibly, there are impure sexual thoughts or we may even carry them out? Can these "plots of ground", these "cities" be conquered? Yes, they can! And we better (Galations 5:21)!!

God has given us this "land". It has been promised to us. But to take possession of it is our choice. Yes, the Israelites returned to conquer the land as the Lord had told Abraham, but a whole generation of people never got to enter his land because they refused to surrender to the will of God. They refused to believe and obey, they had little faith in God. (Numbers 14:23). How sad. But how wonderful for those that fully surrender to him. They shall take possession of it and rid their lives of all that works to strangle them (Hebrews 12:1) and keeps them from taking control of it!

A and K, take control of the those areas of your life that you know are not pleasing to God. Oh, they will not be conquered on your own no matter how hard you try, but as you fully surrender to God, like Abraham did, being willing to give up everything, anything, you will find that the promises of God will be fulfilled in your life. Reclaim the ground that God has promised. It is yours forever if you surrender all to him.

~Dad

Full Surrender Brings Blessings, Genesis 22:1-19 (15-17)

Full surrender Brings Blessings

Genesis 22:15-17a The angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time, "I swear by myself, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the sand on the seashore.

From Genesis to Revelations, God's Word is full of commands, covenants, and promises explaining the blessings received for being obedient. Here is just one of them. Abraham was blessed for giving up his son as the Lord had commanded him; the Lord reiterates his promise which he had made before to Abraham. It was conditional when he made it and here we see what God expected of him... full obedience.

Is there more than just blind obedience to this accounting of Abraham's actions? Doesn't Paul say that obedience to the law is not required, therefor obedience is not needed? Yes, and No. The Bible is a rule book for living life, that can't be denied, but obedience to those commands is not blind. It is life itself. But why do we do them? Because we believe, that's why. But, what do we believe? We believe who God is and we believe what God says. And, because we believe, we act. Like James says, faith and deeds are inseparable, I will show you my faith by what I do (James 2:18). Faith is more than just facts and belief, it is action! And, these actions bring blessings, because we are "putting legs" to our faith.

K and A, There are rewards for serving God: God repays each one according to what they have done (Romans 2:6), That it may go well with you and you may live a long life (Ephesians 6:3) You will receive an inheritance from the Lord (Colossians 3:23-24),  Receive honor (Proverbs 22:4), Be given a prize (Philippians 3:14), God will give you the crown of life (James 1:12), and much more. Remain faithful, serve him, follow his commands both written and those the Spirit gives you. For, God is waiting to richly bless you. (and no my name isn't Daddy Jay Osteen Brubaker!)

~Dad

In My Place, Genesis 22:1-19 (13-14)

In My Place

Genesis 22:13 Abraham looked up and there in the thicket was a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt instead of his son.

I lay there terrified. What is my father thinking? Why would my father do this? He reassured me that all would be okay, but when he picked up the knife, fear shot through every part of my body. My father thought so highly of me, but now he was going to slay me! Then the voice of the Lord rang out. Abraham, Abraham... Do not lay a hand on the boy! Now I know that you fear God for you have not withheld from me your only son. And there in the bushes a ram was caught. My father untied me and sacrificed the ram in my place. Peace flooded my soul and all was well...

In the midst of our torment and trails of life, God calls to us. He says, I have provided a way out. I have a substitute for all your sin and heartache. Look, a Lamb will be given. It is Jesus. He offers to die in your place.

A and K. Satan wants to sacrifice you. He knows that punishment awaits you, and he is willing to offer you up. But, God has provided a way out. He offers his son to die in your place. He has taken the punishment you deserve. You must have faith that this is true and live for him what ere you do. So, live a life worthy of your calling, bearing fruit by doing good works that please him. This will cause you to grow in the knowledge of the Lord (Colossians 1:10). Like Isaac, you will live with the hope of a future. Take his offer throughout your life and peace will always flood your soul (Philippians 4:7).

~Dad