Hope and Healing Are on the Horizon

Then he said to me: This water flows toward the eastern region, goes down into the valley, and enters the sea. When it reaches the sea, its waters are healed. And it shall be that every living thing that moves, wherever the rivers go, will live.' Ezekiel 47:8-9

When God spoke, the world was created, so you might think that what He says about us is important. Here are a few things He says about us:

In John 10, He says that He came to give us life and life abundantly. In John 7, Jesus says, If anyone thirsts, let him come to me. And he who believes, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.

Then in Matthew 28 and Acts 1, Jesus says, Go, therefore, and, You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. That word, Upon, gives us the picture of the Lord overflowing in your life, filling you up with His Holy Spirit and flowing out of you, pressed down, shaken together, and flowing out of you like a mighty, rushing river.

This life is no longer you living, but Christ who lives in you. The river flowing out of you picked you up and carried you right to the cross where you found hope and healing for every need. It then kept moving you, carrying you, compelling you by the Spirit of God flowing out of you to carry your hope and healing with you wherever you go.

Now you are the great river of God mentioned in our verses for today, flowing directly to the sea, which, the sea in the Bible is very often a picture of the world. This one is especially that picture for us, because the sea it's talking about is the Dead Sea.

But what happens when the river hits the sea? The waters of the sea are healed and filled with life, because wherever the rivers go will live.

Does this describe your life? If not, then maybe you haven't committed to let the river flow out of you and carry you where it is needed most. Maybe you haven't realized that your life is a desert until that river brings life. Maybe you have a little pond and you think that's enough for you.

I'm telling you today, you need the river, and so does a dead, desert world.

Prayer Lord Jesus,

Thank You for what You say about me! Now please let Your words come to pass in my life. Make me a river that is flowing with life! And when I have been filled with life, hope, and healing, let me bring it to others who need it, too.

Amen

Fender Mender

For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have been entrusted with a stewardship. 1 Corinthians 9:16-17

I am going to give you the most incredible financial tip you have ever heard. Are you ready? Here it is: If you want to make money in the stock market, then you need to put money into the stock market.

Wasn't that profound? I know, not really. We all know that in order to receive benefit from the stock market we need to make an investment in it. What we might not all recognize, however, is that the principle holds true in spiritual things as well.

Paul wrote to the church in Corinth about the issue of finances, and specifically about how they were falling short of their duty and opportunity to invest in the gospel through him. They had received the gospel free of charge as Paul actually picked up a second job making tents in Corinth in addition to building the church. He worked extra hard so they could receive the gospel free of charge.

This was a sacrifice for him. It cost him to do these things, but he did it willingly knowing that God would reward him for it.

Now he wrote to his immature church to teach them the principle by which he had lived while among them. He said, Hey, you can keep freeloading in the gospel, but you won't get the same reward. If you don't invest willingly, then you don't get dividends. And even if you don't want to invest, you have a responsibility in helping to steward the gospel.

He wanted them to know that the money issue was not about him. He wasn't trying to get rich off of them. Instead, he was trying to increase their reward from God.

What is the attitude of your heart in giving to your church? Do you think it's all just for selfish pastors and over-the-top building projects? Think again. This is about you investing in the gospel and setting yourself up for rewards in Heaven.

Prayer Lord Jesus,

Thank You for investing Your life for me! Teach me the right attitude to have in giving to my church. I choose to have a generous heart that invests in Your gospel.

Amen

The Key of Forgiveness

Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. Ephesians 4:31-32

Have you ever wondered why God forgave you?

I think a lot of us are scared to ask the question, as though our inability to come up with an answer might make God change His mind. But there's no reason for us to be scared.

Do you know why?

Because it is God's very nature to forgive. And now, as His children, we need to recognize that our new nature is also one that forgives.

I don't mean in any way to minimize the hurt you've experienced. I know the pain is real,

and I know the pain runs deep. But I also know that unforgiveness is a prison, and the walls are really thick, and you're the one being imprisoned by harboring unforgiveness in your heart. So many people underestimate the ramifications of unforgiveness in our lives. This is why blood pressures are too high. This is why there are so many ulcers. This is why there are so many heart attacks. This is why there are so many problems with people's digestion and nervous breakdowns. Your body wasn't designed to hold onto these things.

Honestly, harboring hatred and unforgiveness toward others who have wronged us is like shooting ourselves with a rifle so that we could hit our enemy with the recoil of the gun. How stupid is that? I'm going to blow my head off so the recoil hits you. That's what unforgiveness does. I don't mean to minimize the pain of what's been done. What's been done was wrong. No one's getting off scot-free. But the Bible tells us to make room for God to take over and work in that situation, and whatever action has taken place, God is looking at our reaction to the action that has taken place.

Have I been hurt? You bet. Have I been betrayed? Absolutely. So have you. We all have.

But God is looking now at our hearts and our response and our reaction. We'll be judged on our reaction. And it doesn't matter how grievous or hellish the sin was that was committed that hurt you, it doesn't give you the right to sin in response to the sin that was done.

As long as you hold onto unforgiveness, you are stuck in the pain of your past. Forgive the people who hurt you so that you can be free from the pain they gave you.

Prayer Lord Jesus,

Thank You that You took all my sin and hurts on the cross so that I know You understand how much I have been hurt! But I need to be done hurting, so I choose to forgive the people who have hurt me and I ask You to heal me from the hurts I have suffered.

Amen

Are We There Yet?

Now I pray to God that you do no evil, not that we should appear approved, but that you should do what is honorable, though we may seem disqualified. For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. 2 Corinthians 13:7-8

Do you know the biggest game-changer in the world? It's love. Love changes everything the moment it walks in the room.

And here, today, I want us to see from scripture how the truth of God's love changes everything for us, whether we feel like we deserve it or not.

Because, here's the crazy thing-I think most of us, if we're honest with ourselves, come to church feeling like we don't belong there. We're thinking, Man, if these people knew what I did this past week, they'd run me right out of the building.

Listen, I know you've messed up; so have I. But if you could really see the Jesus that is present before you right now, you wouldn't be thinking those thoughts. It would be all about Jesus and what He's saying to you right now. Because here's the reality-we're there. We've got His love.

Well, Bob, how do you know that I feel disqualified? Do you know how I know that you feel that way? Because I feel that way, just being honest with you. But God doesn't love you because you're loveable. He didn't love me because I'm loveable. But He unconditionally loves us anyway. We're there. We are complete in His love.

Now a lot of times, we don't feel that way. And Paul writes to you in our verses today and says, Isn't it cool that it doesn't have anything to do with feelings? Because a lot of times, we're not feeling it. I don't feel worthy to be your pastor. I don't feel worthy to stand on the stage. I know I'm undeserving of this. Do you know what I deserve? Hell. That's how I feel.

Yet God comes along and says, This is what I've done for you. And I desire that what I've done would forever change who you are and what you live for. No longer live for evil, not because you need to be approved. You don't need to earn my love. You don't need to seek my approval. I love you even though you're unlovable. I've chosen to love you. While you were still a sinner, I loved you. I chose to love you.

It doesn't have anything to do with how I feel; it is the facts that matter. Because you know what? Nothing we do can change the truth. You can reject God and refuse to receive His love, but it doesn't change the truth. The truth is the truth. And the truth is that God's love changes everything.

Prayer Father God,

Thanks for loving me even when I've been unlovable! Please fill me with Your love today so that I can be truly transformed into a new person.

Amen

Downpour

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. Acts 1:8

It must have been crazy to be one of Jesus' disciples in the days surrounding His death, resurrection, and ascension. Imagine yourself in their shoes, standing there when He's caught up into Heaven.

That would have been quite a scene, don't you think? I mean just a few days earlier, you saw Jesus die on the cross and thought it was all over. But then Jesus starts showing up again, proving that He rose from the dead. You've had some great meals together, breakfast up on the Sea of Galilee. Momentum is building again and you're just waiting for Jesus' next move.

And you should be used to it by now, that Jesus' next move was not what you expected. Because He's gone-again. He said He'd return-but when? Then the angels show up and say, Hey, didn't Jesus give you some things to do? Stop staring at the sky and go get on with the program. Don't worry, He'll come back the same way He left.

Gang, there's our bookends. They saw Jesus leave and we have been given the promise that He is soon to return. But we can't just sit gazing up into the stars waiting for the lunar eclipse and big asteroid to hit. You know, we have to be about our Father's business.

Yes, we're waiting for the return of Christ. But this waiting is not a passive waiting, it's actively waiting. It's actively trusting. It is actively entering into this life of faith and obedience to which the Lord has called us. He's trusted us last-day saints to not just be stargazers, to not just be looking up into the heavens, but to be actively trusting and waiting and, I would say, daily entering into this Spirit-filled, guided, controlled, and led life until the trumpet sounds and the Lord returns.

Listen, we've seen God do some amazing, incredible things among us, have we not? We have seen Him-and I pray this is true for you personally-forgive us of our sins, fill us with His Holy Spirit, and empower us for life within His kingdom.

But now that we've seen God do amazing things, we have a job to do. We have to go testify to everyone who doesn't know Him yet of what God has done.

Jesus is coming soon. Are you telling others what God has done, or are you just staring at the sky?

Prayer Lord Jesus,

Thank You that You are coming again soon! I submit myself to You to be filled and led by Your Holy Spirit to the places where people need to hear what You have done. Let me not just be staring at the sky when You return, but let me be doing what You have sent me to do!

Amen

For His Name's Sake

I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name's sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left you first love. Revelation 2:2-4

What is the driving force behind your actions?

Have you ever thought about that? Why do you do what you do? It's a big question, and one that certainly deserves an answer.

As we look through scripture, we see one of the driving forces behind what the Lord does, and it's His name. He does things for His name's sake. Just look through scripture and you'll see gobs of examples-Samuel, David, Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and many others all write about the things that God does for His name's sake.

Jesus takes it a step further in Luke 21:12-13, saying, But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name's sake. But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony.

See, here Jesus is saying that unbelievers will do things to us for His name's sake. He's saying that we will be persecuted because we live for the name of Jesus Christ.

So God is driven to act because of His name's sake-His name is on the line. We are driven to act because of God's name, because we represent His name and His reputation is on the line in our lives. But even if we do this well, there is something deeper that we need to remember-love.

Specifically, we need to remember our first love, which had better be Jesus. Look at our verses today. Now, I imagine that most of us would love to have those things said of us; it seems like pretty high praise from Jesus, until you get to the end.

Really, I mean, yikes. How wonderful it is for us to live for the sake of the name of Jesus, but let us never forget the heart that those actions come from-a heart that absolutely loves Jesus above and before all else.

Prayer Lord Jesus,

Thank You for loving me for Your name's sake! Please let Your love grow in my heart as I choose to love You. May my love for You always grow until it is the motivation behind all that I do!

Amen

Women Drivers

My son, keep your father's command, and do not forsake the law of your mother. Bind them continually upon your heart; tie them around your neck. When you roam, they will lead you; when you sleep, they will keep you; and when you awake, they will speak with you. Proverbs 6:20-22

Do you parent with faith? How much confidence do you have that your children will walk with the Lord their whole lives?

I think a lot of parents out there look at their own lives and how they wandered away from their parents' values, or they look at the children around them who are completely blowing off their parents, and a lot of parents are scared. They are afraid that they don't have what it takes. They are worried that their children will chase after their friends and forget the way in which they were raised.

I am here to tell you that you do not have to be afraid, because you can parent with confidence that your children will never forsake God.

What's the key? The key has two parts. First, have a law, and have commands. Moms, it's your job not just to comfort boo-boos and owies, but to lay down a law that you force your children to follow.

Let me give you a secret for this: The whole point of discipline is not about correcting behavior; it is about training your children live by your words. Deuteronomy 8:3-5 shows us God's pattern for this, in that the purpose of His discipline for Israel was so that they knew that man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from His mouth. He wanted Israel to live by His words and our goal for parenting is the same. When our words to our children don't just go in one ear and out the other, instead actually carrying weight with them, then the law and commands that we give them actually get inside of them where their decisions are made.

Then you will find the promise of these verses coming true in your children's lives-your law that you gave them will guide them, keep them, and speak to them no matter where they go.

The second part of parenting with confidence is entrusting your kids to God. God is faithful with what belongs to Him, so it is silly to not trust Him with our children. Hold them openly before Him and ask Him to help you, to have His way in your life, in your family, and in your children's lives.

Then stand back and watch, for having taught a law and entrusted them to God, you can confidently parent, knowing that your children will remain faithful to God.

Prayer Father God,

You are the ultimate parent! Please show me how You parent so that I can do the same things You do, and thank You that You will show me how to parent my children so that they walk with You their whole lives!

Amen