At the end of your rope, but not the end of your HOPE

Scripture:

2 Corinthians 4:7-9 If you only look at us, you might well miss the brightness. We carry this precious Message around in the unadorned clay pots of our ordinary lives. That's to prevent anyone from confusing God's incomparable power with us. (8) As it is, there's not much chance of that. You know for yourselves that we're not much to look at. We've been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we're not demoralized; we're not sure what to do, (9) but we know that God knows what to do; we've been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn't left our side; we've been thrown down, but we haven't broken.

Observation:

The supremely valuable message of salvation in Jesus Christ has been entrusted by God to frail and fallible human beings. Paul's focus, however, was not on the perishable container but on its priceless contents—God's power dwelling in us. Though we are "fragile, clay jars," God uses us to spread his Good News, and he gives us power to do his work. Knowing that the power is his, not ours, should keep us from pride and motivate us to keep daily contact with God, our power source. Our responsibility is to let people see God through us.

Paul reminds us that though we may think we are at the end of our rope, we are never at the end of our hope.

Our perishable bodies are subject to sin and suffering, but God never abandons us. Because Christ has won the victory over death, we have eternal life. All our risks, humiliations, and trials are opportunities for Christ to demonstrate his power and presence in and through us.

We must ask ourselves, "Could I handle the suffering and opposition that Paul did?" The success syndrome is a great enemy of effective ministry. From an earthly perspective, Paul was not very successful. Like Paul, we must carry out our ministry, looking to God for strength. When opposition, slander, or disappointment threaten to rob you of the victory, remember that no one can destroy what God has accomplished through you.

Application:

It is still the custom in some places in the world to hide valuables such as money or jewels in an ordinary clay pot. After all, who would think anything of value would be hidden in an inexpensive clay pot?

Paul was encouraged because life had not thrown more at him than he could handle. When we read our verses today we are likely to catch only the bad things that had happened to him and to notice the words (in the KJV version of these verses) "hard pressed," "perplexed," "persecuted," "struck down," and "always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus" (2 Corinthians 4:10).

If Paul had told us all the bad things that had happened to him as a servant of the Lord, we would have felt that he would be justified in being bitter, leaving the ministry, or having a nervous breakdown. But we need to go back and pick up the other end of the sentence where he talked of being "not crushed… not in despair… not forsaken not destroyed," and of the "life of Jesus" being manifest in his body. If we read carefully what he has written, we hear the note of celebration that even though life had knocked him down, it had not knocked him out; he was still functioning.

As God's people, we are a lot tougher than we sometimes think, and it's encouraging for us to realize that we can cope with a great deal with the strength that Christ gives. During many years as a pastor I have seen Christians deal triumphantly with great loss, deep sorrow, tragedy, illness, death, and losses of every sort. I've seen them during times of unbelievable stress with the assurance they would not be abandoned by Christ. And with time and patience and encouragement from Christian friends, I've seen them bounce back with renewed faith and confidence.

Paul was encouraged by God's ability to renew his spirit when circumstances got him down. Though he was confronted by both the aging process and the possibility of death, he could still write, "Though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day" (2 Corinthians 4:16).

When after a long winter I begin to see the early flowers that announce the coming of spring, I think how our spirits grow cold and seem as barren as winter and how we need for God to come and "bring back the springtime to our souls." Through all the years those who have come really to know God have been encouraged by the fact that He is constantly restoring and reviving and renewing our spirits.

Prayer:

"Lord, I am so thankful that You have placed such incredible treasure in this 'pot of clay'. The precious message, gospel, goodnews of Jesus Christ and the salvation that He is bringing into my body, soul, and spirit. We have all gone through the barren winters in our lives when we wonder if we will ever make it out victorious. But today You are restoring, reviving and renewing! You are bringing back the 'springtime to our souls' and I thank You for it. You want us all to know that when we are at the end of our rope, we are not at the end of our Hope, because Hope belongs to You! In Jesus name, amen!"

"Troublemaker in the Family"

Scripture:

Proverbs 6:16-19 (ESV) There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him: (17) haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, (18) a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, (19) a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.

Proverbs 6:16-19 (TM) Here are six things GOD hates, and one more that he loathes with a passion: (17) eyes that are arrogant, a tongue that lies, hands that murder the innocent, (18) a heart that hatches evil plots, feet that race down a wicked track, (19) a mouth that lies under oath, a troublemaker in the family.

Observation:

6:12 Verses 12-15 are a classic description of a con man. He is a malicious swindler whose cunning smile masks a treacherous heart. He goes around with falsehood on his lips.

6:16 The things which characterize this wicked man (vv. 12-15) are hated by God (vv. 16-19), especially the sowing of discord (compare vv. 14 and 19).

The formula "six things . . . yes, seven . . ." indicates that the seventh is worst of all. Let's look at all seven:

A proud look. Pride is dust deifying itself. The valet of an emperor said:

I cannot deny that my master was vain. He had to be the central figure in everything. If he went to a christening, he wanted to be the baby. If he went to a wedding, he wanted to be the bride. If he went to a funeral, he wanted to be the corpse.

A lying tongue. The tongue was created to glorify the Lord. To lie is to pervert its use for that which is worthless. God cannot lie, and He will not give the privilege to anyone else.

Hands that shed innocent blood. Every human life is of infinite value to God. He proved this by paying an infinite price at Calvary for our redemption. The institution of capital punishment (Genesis 9:6) reflects God's attitude toward murder.

A heart that devises wicked plans. This, of course, refers to the mind that is always plotting some evil. The Lord Jesus listed some of these wicked imaginations in Mark 7:21-22.

Feet that are swift in running to evil. God hates not only the mind that plans the evil but the feet that are eager to carry it out.

A false witness who speaks lies. Here it is a matter of public testimony in a court of law. In verse 17b it was more a matter of everyday conversation.

One who sows discord among brethren. The striking thing here is that God ranks the one who causes divisions among brethren with murderers, liars, and perjurers!

Notice some verses about those who sow discord:

Proverbs 6:14 Their perverse minds are always cooking up something nasty, always stirring up trouble.

Proverbs 16:28 Troublemakers start fights; gossips break up friendships.

Application:

Christians must never forget that their words can promote life or death, unity or division, love or hate. How many souls have been murdered with the mouths of discontent believers? “The hypocrite with his mouth destroys his neighbor...” (Prov. 11:9).

The Bible clearly warns us to mark those who cause division and strife and to avoid them. They are used by the Devil to cause trouble to the church and to the work of the Gospel (Romans 16:17).

Are you a sower of discord? Are you being used by the Devil to cause division and strife in your church? If so, be warned of the severe consequences that you will face unless you repent of your sin and bring your mouth under control.

God promises, the sower of discord will face calamity. “A worthless person, a wicked man, walks with a perverse mouth; he winks with his eyes, he shuffles his feet, he points with his fingers; perversity is in his heart, he devises evil continually, he sows discord. Therefore his calamity shall come suddenly; suddenly he shall be broken without remedy” (Prov. 6:12-15).

If you can’t say good things about your church, then keep your mouth shut. If you don’t think the church or its leaders are doing what they should, go talk with them privately. Pray daily for God to help them. And if you still don’t think the church is doing you any good, then get down to the altar and pray until it does, or get out of there and find one that will!

Whatever you do, don’t become an adversary to the church, it’s leaders or people! Regardless of what you think about your church, it belongs to the Lord, and if it is in error He’s big enough to correct it without your complaints.

If you become a trouble-maker to your church, you will make yourself an enemy to Jesus (Matthew 25:40), and He warned against becoming a stumbling-block to the faith of believers lest you face severe judgment. “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea” (Matt. 18:6).

Prayer:

"Lord, forgive me for the times I have caused one of Your children to stumble. Forgive me for the times I have allowed sower of discord to affect me in a negative way. Forgive me for the times I have not stopped a sower of discord from planting those seeds in my mind and heart. I speak healing, health, unity into Your people who read this blog today. May each of us ask You to forgive us for being used as a tool in the hands of the devil. Help me to examine my words and motives today. Some of us need to stop the trouble maker in their path when they begin to speak, or we will be held accountable. Help us Holy Spirit, in Jesus' name, amen!"

The devil's attempt to divide and conquer

Scripture:

1 Peter 5:8 (ESV) Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

1 Peter 5:8 (TM) Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping.

Observation:

Lions attack sick, young, or straggling animals; they choose victims who are alone or not alert. Peter warns us to watch out for Satan when we are suffering or being persecuted. If you are feeling alone, weak, helpless, and cut off from other believers, or if you are so focused on your troubles that you forget to watch for danger, those are the times when you are especially vulnerable to Satan's attacks. During times of suffering, seek other Christians for support. Keep your eyes on Christ, and resist the devil. Then, says James, "he will flee from you" (James 4:7)

I LOVE the Discovey channel, and especially like to watch when they are showing lions chasing a wildebeest. Several years ago we were watching this take place on our television, and I was cheering for the lions to catch the Wildebeest, while Taylor, my eight year old daughter (at that time) was yelling, "run deer, run." She was so upset about the lions trying to kill the "deer" that she was about to cry. She started saying, "turn it daddy, turn it, I don't want to watch the lions kill that 'deer'" I eventually turned the channel , but continued to think about what we had just seen on TV.

For you see, a lion will not go into a herd of wildebeest to attack. The herd could trample the lion. What he does, is wait until one of the wildebeest separates himself from the pack. When this happens, the lion(s) begin to crouch and prowl toward the "very much alone" wildebeest. The lions are hoping to "DIVIDE AND CONQUER." You then watch the Wildebeest trying his best to get away from the lion, and in many cases, attempting to get back to the pack of his friends.

My friend, that is exactly what the Bible says about the devil. It is said about satan, that he comes "as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." What is his strategy? DIVIDE AND CONQUER!

Application:

The Bible says in Romans 4 that when Abraham didn't receive the promise of God for some 25 years, that he "didn't stagger at the promise of God." The word stagger in the Greek means, "to not separate oneself in a hostile spirit." Abraham refused to become offended and allow the devil (lion) to DIVIDE AND CONQUER. However, many people do fall for this trick of our enemy. They become upset, hurt or offended, and the first thought that comes into their mind is to "separate themselves from other people." They are deceived into believing that the best thing for them to do is to leave the fellowship of God's people. They decide that they can serve God at home better than being around people at church. It is a lie and a trick of the devil. God's Word plainly says in Hebrews 10:25:

Hebrews 10:25 (AMP) Not forsaking or neglecting to assemble together [as believers], as is the habit of some people, but admonishing (warning, urging, and encouraging) one another, and all the more faithfully as you see the day approaching.

(CEV) Some people have gotten out of the habit of meeting for worship, but we must not do that. We should keep on encouraging each other, especially since you know that the day of the Lord's coming is getting closer.

(KJVR) Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

(MSG) not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching.

The closer we get to the Lord's return, the greater the deception is going to be by the enemy to try to get us to "separate ourselves" from our friends, church, and even family members. It is an attack of the devil that will only increase. The Word of God says that in the last days, that the "very elect" of God's people are going to be tempted to be deceived. Also, that the "love of many" will grow cold. Please hear your pastors heart today. We NEED each other. Don't be like the wildebeest and separate yourself from the HERD of God's people. The desire to do so is NOT coming from the Spirit of God, but from the god of this world, satan himself, the "roaming lion" who is seeking to devour you and your family.

What is even sadder to me today, is that the enemy is great at using God's children as tools in his hand. Too often, christian men and women "sow seeds of discord" among God's people by telling lies, discussing how they have been hurt, and wallowing in self pity. This is a STENCH in the nostrils of God. There is NOTHING holy, righteous or godly about this. My friend, if some comes to you sowing seeds of discord, stop them immediately because if you listen, God will hold you accountable as well. Don't allow the devil to cause you to separate yourself from your church.

If you have already separated yourself from others for whatever reason, why don't you ask God to help you get past your offense, and grow in the Lord. Some good folks, never mature in the Lord because they are always running from their problems. Oh, they may sound spiritual, but my friends, if they are separating themselves from God's people in offense, they are falling for the oldest trick of the enemy. Please know that you are WELCOME to come back to God's Herd. He is calling, beckoning you through this blog to, COME BACK HOME! God's Word tells you that "greater is HE that is in you, than he that is in the world."

Prayer:

"Lord, I truly believe we are living in the last days. There are so many attacks against Your people and Your Church. I know You will fight against those who are deliberately sowing discord among the brethren. Those who are attempting to undermine Your work by running thier mouth, spewing out lies. The thing that troubles me are those who listen to the lies and begin to separate themselves from the "herd". Then the enemy has done exactly what he needs to do to conquer. Holy Spirit, speak to each of us about walking in the Spirit and not in our flesh. I die to my flesh again right now. In Jesus' name, amen!"

The Prince of Wholeness

Scripture:

Isaiah 9:6 (ESV) For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6 (TM) For a child has been born--for us! the gift of a son--for us! He'll take over the running of the world. His names will be: Amazing Counselor, Strong God, Eternal Father, Prince of Wholeness.

Observation:

This child, who would become their deliverer, is the Messiah, Jesus. Matthew quotes these verses in describing Christ's ministry (Mathew4:15-16). The territories of Zebulun and Naphtali represent the northern kingdom as a whole. These were also the territories where Jesus grew up and often ministered; this is why they would see "a great light.

In a time of great darkness, God promised to send a light who would shine on everyone living in the shadow of death. He is both "Wonderful Counselor" and "Mighty God." This message of hope was fulfilled in the birth of Christ and the establishment of his eternal Kingdom. He came to deliver all people from their slavery to sin.

"For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given." The first clause speaks of His humanity, the second of His deity.

the government will be upon His shoulder — He will reign as King of kings and Lord of lords. The rest of the verse describes His personal glories:

His name will be called Wonderful — this name is a noun, not an adjective, and speaks of His Person and work.

Counselor — His wisdom in government.

Mighty God — the omnipotent, supreme Ruler.

Everlasting Father — or better, the Father (or "Source") of eternity. Eternal Himself, He confers eternal life on those who believe in Him. Vine comments: "There is a twofold revelation in this: (1) He inhabits and possesses eternity (Isaiah 57:15); (2) He is loving, tender, compassionate, an all wise Instructor, Trainer, and Provider."

Prince of Peace (Sar-Shãlôm) — the One who will at last bring peace to this troubled world.

Application:

One of the names of Jesus is the Prince of Peace. The Hebrew word for peace is shalom and means "completeness, soundness, welfare, safety, health, contentment.

Shalom is a very important term in the Old Testament and has maintained its place in Mishnaic, rabbinic, and modern Hebrew. In Israel today, people greet the newcomer and each other with the words mah shlomka, ("what is your peace," "how are you doing,") and they ask about the "peace" ("well-being") of one's family.

I have been fascinated as I have read about the word "Peace" used in our text. Especially with one word that is associated over and over again... wholeness. There are so many of God's children who are broken, shattered and scattered. So many who are discouraged, in desapair and despression. Even more who are lost with seemingly no purpose, but plenty of pain.

Friends, one of Jesus' names is "Prince of WHOLENESS". He desires to bring healing to your emotions. He truly restores our soul as the good Shepherd.

I can't tell you the times when I felt so broken, devastated, helpless, with my back up against the wall, and wondering what I would do. I would sense such darkness around me, and with it all of the things that accompany spiritual darkness.

I would always go back to Isaiah 9:2 "the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of deep darkness, on them as light shined."

Jesus wants to bring us out of the land of deep darkness. This "land" of deep darkness is a place where some folk have hung out for some time. But today, the Prince of Peace, and Wholeness, wants to shine His light upon you to bring you into the Light and to bring completeness into your life, relationships, emotions, and relationship with God. How do you do that? Let me give you an acrostic of P.E.A.C.E.

Pray to your living, caring God daily

Express your darkness to Him

Accept His loving rebuke and correction

Carry His Word in your heart (daily have a Word that you are dwelling on)

Enjoy life again! (Let your heart be filled with thanksgiving)

Prayer:

"Thank you Lord, that You are the Prince of Peace. The Prince of Wholeness. You want to bring healing, completeness, joy, and purpose back into Your children's life. I know there are some reading this blog today that desperately need Your peace. I ask You to saturate with a gift of peace as they read and pray through this article today. In Jesus' name, amen!"

Am I living a "well done" life?

Scripture:

Matthew 25:21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

Observation:

Wealthy landowners usually delegated the control and multiplication of their wealth to trained accountants, who could be free persons or, as here, servants. In view of the impending day of reckoning, believers must make the wisest use of all that the Lord has entrusted to them, to make it count for him; they must never take their stewardships for granted (Matthew 24:45-51)

Mat_25:14. Well-to-do masters often went on long journeys. Given the uncertainties of transportation in those days, the time of return for even a well-planned trip would be uncertain.

Mat_25:15-17. Although the exact value of a talent varied from period to period and place to place, we may estimate the values of these investments at roughly fifty thousand, twenty thousand and ten thousand denarii. Since one denarius was a day’s wage, this would be a “small sum” (Matthew 25:21, Matthew 25:23) only to a very rich master, who would probably entrust his wealth only to his most dependable and prudent servants.

Those with sufficient capital could invest it at a profit; for instance, they could lend it to moneychangers who would use it to turn a profit and give them a substantial share. Lending money at interest was also profitable, given the exorbitant interest rates of the period (although Jewish people were not supposed to charge interest to fellow Jews); one patron is reported to have lent to an entire city at roughly 50 percent interest! Because most people did not have capital available for investment, those who did could reap large profits.

Mat_25:18. One of the safest—and least profitable—ways of protecting one’s money was to bury it in the ground; such buried reserves are still occasionally found where someone never returned to retrieve his or her deposits. (In Luke 19:1-48, a servant does worse: tying up money in a head cloth instead of burying it was considered gross negligence, because it did not even keep the deposit safe.)

Mat_25:19-23. Doubling one’s investment was normal, and the servants should have been able to accomplish this. The principle that integrity in smaller matters qualified one to prove one’s integrity in larger matters was often invoked in antiquity. Jesus may well have used the Aramaic term for “joy” that also means “festival” (cf. Matthew 25:10); the master threw a feast at his return and honored his helpful servants.

Mat_25:24-25. The third slave should have known better; he simply did not care what happened to his master’s property. The smallest possible investment, providing interest on a savings deposit, could not have endangered the deposit; it would have been as safe as burying the money. The phrase “You have what is yours” was used in Jewish transactions to say, “I am not responsible for this any further.

Application:

The three servants fell into two categories: faithful and unfaithful. The faithful servants took their talents and put them to work for their Lord. The unfaithful servant hid his talent in the earth. Instead of using his opportunities, he buried them! He did not purposely do evil. But by doing nothing, he was committing sin and robbing his Lord of service and increase.

The third servant was unfaithful and therefore was unrewarded. Because this man was afraid he might fail, he never tried to succeed. He feared life and his responsibilities.

As a Pastor I see both types of people daily. There are some that are so in love with Jesus that they can't wait to serve God through His Church. They are the types who are willing to "wash feet" or whatever job is needed. I have a man named Danny Grice who is like that at WM First Assembly. Danny before and after each serve is waiting to see if his pastor needs anything. He is a joy to be around. He does not miss services. You can count on Danny.

Then there are others who you just can't count on. They may or may not be in church, depending upon a couple of things: what else they have to do, and whether they feel like it or not. These are they type that "bury their talent" in the sand. They have time for everything, and everyone else but serving God through His Church. Pastor friends, these are the type of people who will emotionally wear you out if you aren't careful. I know several pastors who just got tired of the unfaithfulness and called it quits. Please understand you have some faithful, dependable people around you. They are the ones you need to connect with, and mentor.

God is looking for "faithful" servants. People He can depend upon. He will reward them with "well done!" Why not check your priorities today. The Word of God tells us not to "forsake the coming together with the saints" weekly, especially now that we are in the last days. (Hebrews 10:25)

Prayer:

"Lord, I know we shall all stand before You one day. My greatest desire in life is to hear You say 'well done my good and faithful servant'. I can't wait until everything works out the way I want it to, to decide to be faithful. I need to be faithful in the small things of life or I will never be faithful in the larger things of life. I thank You for this Word today. In Jesus' name, amen!"

Laughing in the Heavens

Scripture:

Psalm 2:4 He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.

Observation:

Being seated is a sign of His authority: He is the eternal Creator and the transcendent Lord of all things. News from earth doesn't dismay Him or make Him nervous. He doesn't read the daily paper to keep current. "Behold, the nations are as a drop in a bucket…. All nations before Him are as nothing, and they are counted by Him less than nothing and worthless … It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers…. He brings the princes to nothing; He makes the judges of the earth useless" (Isaiah 40:15, Isaiah 40:17, Isaiah 40:22, Isaiah 40:23).

God is all-powerful. He created the world and knew about the empires of the earth long before they came into being (Daniel 2:26-45). But pride and power cause nations and leaders to rebel against God and try to break free of him. Many world leaders boast of their power, rant and rave against God and his people, and promise to take over and form their own empires. But God laughs because any power they have comes from him, and he can also take it from them. We need not fear the boasts of tyrants—they are in God's hands and will be judged by him.

Application:

God laughs, not at the nations, but at their confused thoughts about power. It is the laughter of a father when his three-year-old boasts that he or she can outrun him or beat him in a wrestling match. The father knows the limited strength of his little child, and God knows the boundaries of power of the nations. Every nation is limited, but God is omnipotent. If you have to choose between confidence in God and confidence in any nation, choose God!

Have you ever imagined God laughing in the heavens? Think about it for a moment. Right now, God is on the throne. He’s not mad. He’s not worried about the economy. He’s not upset with us. No, God is full of joy and laughing on the throne. It goes on to tell us in Psalm 37 that He’s laughing because “He can see the destruction of the enemy coming.” In other words, the reason God laughs is because He knows the end of the story. He knows the final outcome. The good news is that you and I win. God always causes us to triumph!

I am a HUGE Arkansas Razorback fan. During the football season when Arkansas is playing a game, I am a nervous wreck. If the game is close, i go outside, and peek through the wiindow and see how they are doing. My son is the same way. What if I already knew who was going to win? No matter how far behind the Razorbacks may get, no matter how bad it looks for them, I wouldn’t get upset. I wouldn’t be worried. Why? Because I've got inside information. I know the final outcome. That’s what God is saying to us today. When it gets tough and things don’t look like they’re going to work out, we know that with God we are on the winning team! Today, you can laugh with Him knowing that He is in control, and He has already let you know that you are going to win.

Prayer:

"Lord, it is difficult at times with the batles we face in life. It is easy to get stressed out, discoureaged, depressed, and overwhelmed. When things aren't looking very promising, it is easy to just want to throw up our hands and quit. But God I thank You for this Word today. I am so thankful that You look out at the way things are going in the world, and You can laugh. You laugh because You know the end. You know how it all turns out. So, today I choose to laugh with You. The laugh of joy! Thank You Lord! In Jesus name, amen!"

What are you full of?

Scripture:

Isaiah 2:6-8 For you have rejected your people, the house of Jacob, because they are full of things from the east and of fortune-tellers like the Philistines, and they strike hands with the children of foreigners. Their land is filled with silver and gold,and there is no end to their treasures; their land is filled with horses, and there is no end to their chariots. Their land is filled with idols; they bow down to the work of their hands,to what their own fingers have made.

Observation:

The urgency of v. 5 is explained. full … filled … no end. Rather than the world coming to Zion to learn God’s ways (vv. 2–4), the people of God in Isaiah’s day are influenced by the ways of the world—to the point of saturation.

Application:

This verse screams to me "what are you full of?" In our text, God's people instead of being "full of" Jehovah God, and His love, influence, and character, they were "full of things from the east". In other words, mysticism, sorcery, serving, believing, loving, and depending upon other gods besides the One True God, the One who had delivered them from the Red Sea, fed them manna for forty years. Miraculously fed them meat, and provided for them, fought for them, kept their shoes from wearing out in the midst of a forty year walk through the wilderness. YET...they were not "full of" Him, but of other gods.

"Wow" is my first response until I ask myself, "What am I full of?" And I have to admit, I complain more than I should. Instead of being full of "thanksgiving" I find myself full of bellyaching. Instead of being full of Gods grace and love, I find myself offended and angry so easily. Instead of being full of God's peace, I too often, and too easily slip into turmoil and fear when a storm arises. Instead of being full of God's grace (undeserving favor) I am too slow at times to over the same grace to those who have hurt me. Instead of being full of God's promises, I find myself staring blankly into the eyes of the problem and become emotionally paralyzed. Instead of being full of God's Spirit, I find myself at times enjoying following my fleshly tendencies instead.

So I guess if I am going to give a "wow" to the Children of Israel for not being as "full of God" as I believe they should be, then maybe I owe myself a "wow" as well.

Today, I will be more aware of what I am "full of" with the help of God's Holy Spirit!

Prayer:

"Lord, please forgive me for the times I have allowed myself to become more "full of" anger, frustration, agitation, graceless words, peace deprived storms than I am "full of" Your Spirit. Thank You for speaking this word into my life today. I do not want to allow the world, culture and habits around me to influence me. I want to be salt and light for You today. That comes from being FULL OF YOU! That is my choice for today. In Jesus' name, amen!"