Seeking the True

“Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other. By myself I have sworn, my mouth has uttered in all integrity a word that will not be revoked: Before me every knee will bow; by me every tongue will swear” (Isaiah 45:22-23 NIV).

  In our culture, we have excess and abundance in every aspect of our lives.  Generally none of the overflowing mix of technology, information, products and endless choices in everything from the things we eat, to the things we wear … satisfies us for more than a few moments in time.

     We also live in a time when every kind of philosophy, psychology,  religious and anti-religious fervor complete with the significance and worship of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.  On one hand ascetics, legalists scream and react and on the other hand, hedonists live solely for pleasure and millions float in apathy hardly concerned with anything or anyone around them.

     Our lives cannot be fulfilled with gaining more in the material sense or in the denial of things or ways of living. We cannot find real direction in seeking after every new thinking, teaching or scheme. We were created for fellowship with the Living God and our hearts and souls are nourished, satisfied and saved by our relationship with our Savior who makes all fulfillment and life possible.  We should not be fooled by the false or always rush after the newest. We should discern, turn, seek and always remember what is true. True light and life is Jesus Christ our Lord.

“And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to live in obedience to him. Let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him, so you will grow in faith, strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught. Let your lives overflow with thanksgiving for all he has done” (Colossians 2:6-7 NLT).

Scripture Reading    Isaiah 45 & Colossians 2

In the midst of a busy day ...

“And the LORD has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession as he promised, and that you are to keep all his commands” (Deuteronomy 26:18 NIV).

  The days get busy and we rush around doing many things.  We plan for each day as if nothing will interfere with our schedules for the day.  We look at the hours and minutes of the day as if they are completely at our disposal.  As if we can by our will mold them perfectly into course of action for the day.

     On the other side of the day are the troubles that we dealing with.  We find stress when our plans and schedules go awry and time has slipped away again leaving us further behind than ahead. We find issues with our work, our business, our relationships and our families that hang over us with difficulties and problems.

    There is joy amongst all of this but we miss it at times as we get consumed with the day. Our days are God’s. Each and every day, He gives us the day as a precious gift and we need to stop for a few moments throughout the day to be with Him. It will change the day from ours to His.

     Today, amidst your busy day … pray the Lord’s Prayer. Don’t just say the words as  to get through it but prayerfully, gratefully and reflectively pray the Lord’s Prayer.  Stop and start, linger over each word and let time fade between the phrases.  Slow down, ponder Him instead of all that you are doing, praise Him, thank your Savior and ask for the Holy Spirit to come over you.  Come into the presence of your Father in Heaven  … talk to Him, share your frustrations of the moment and release all of your planning, effort and stress to the One who made the day in the first place.  The Lord’s Prayer is familiar and so we can repeat it even in our busyness. Slow the prayer down and maybe it will change your focus on this day.  Pray it a few times today remembering the day is really His.  All the pressures that lay ahead of you … are ahead of you … stay with the day.  Take care of the issues of the day as they come … release the expectations for this day and the days ahead.  Be thankful to your Savior for giving you this day.

Give praise to your Father in Heaven … it is a great joy to be His child.

Ask that His kingdom and His ways  … come into your heart.

Thank Him for His provision … we have more than enough for this day.

Seek His forgiveness … and forgive those who have hurt you.

Stay away from temptation … ask for His power for deliverance.

Give Him glory and honor … for His kingdom is forever.

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble”

 (Matthew 6:33-34 ESV).

It is in the dying ...

“Then said Jesus to his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever will save his life shall lose it: and whoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? (Luke 16:24-26 NIV)

  Jesus himself spoke in the losing of one’s life and the things in one’s world, that a new life is gained.  Life for us comes from Christ by His death, as it secures the new life He gives us as a Risen Lord.

      It was in the turning to follow after Christ as their Savior, that the Apostles died to their former lives and were each given a new life.  It is the same with each one of us … the transformation of Christ in our lives to a new life comes as we die to ourselves.  As believers, it is vital to remember that from the smallest detail to the most important aspects of our faith in our relationships with strangers, family and brothers and sisters in Christ: everything that matters has an element of dying in order to be reborn in new life.  It is in the losing or letting go of our selfish old sinful natures that we are reborn, as we take on the new nature of Christ. Christ’s love poured forth in His death to save us and forgive us. We need to remember this foundational truth in order to tap into His redemptive power in any and all of our relationships.  As we trust and obey  Him in that power, we have life in the abundant ways He desires for us as redeemed followers.

    New life cannot come without dying. It is as simple as that. The Holy Spirit is grieved when new life cannot come because we hold unto our old selfish natures.  It is incredibly sad that we often times long for new life but refuse to die to ourselves in order for that new life to be birthed in us.

    Oh Father in Heaven, I come to You, broken and repentant, as again I need to die to myself.  I lay down and release to You, oh Lord … my old hopeless, selfish and unholy ways that keep me from the new life that you long to give me.  Lord, break my prideful heart of stone that I may have Your heart as I follow your ways above everything else on this earth.  Forgive my sins as I die to them and their power.  Help me by your Holy Spirit to forgive others of all their sins against me, as I remember Your forgiveness of my own sins.  Craft a new heart in this earthen vessel of my life, as I die to myself and find new life in Jesus Christ , my blessed redeeming and empowering Lord.  In the name of my Savior,  Jesus Christ, Amen.     

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.  Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:30-32 NIV).

Scripture Readings Ephesians 4 & 5

From death to life ...

“So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation” (Hebrews 9:28 KJV).

  That living could come from dying is one of the most remarkable facts of the creating, birthing and the sustaining of all life as we know and understand it.  Yet in the rebirthing of new life … other nurturing facets towards life are required as well.  Something happens in death that gives life … vital release of elements to birth and sustain new life. 

     Upon the cross as death demands the payment for the sins of each of us … a death occurs that conquers all sin for all time.  In the resurrection … the birth of new life begins for previously hopelessly dead. We are released by Christ from sin to be reborn to live now and forever (John 3). 

    In baptism we participate in the death, resurrection and new life that Jesus secures and freely gives in grace (Romans 6). It is in the death of Christ that life comes for all who believe and follow.  Thus it is in the dying of Christ that we are reborn and by His Holy Spirit that we be regenerated into a sustained and totally new life.  This new life comes to those who believe and follow because of the kindness and love of God.  It is the greatest gift, the world has ever seen.  If you are seeking, open your heart to receive this gift of life from death and if you have been received this new life … rejoice in the gift you have been given.

“Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled by others and became slaves to many wicked desires and evil pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy. We hated others, and they hated us. But then God our Savior showed us his kindness and love. He saved us, not because of the good things we did, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins and gave us a new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us because of what Jesus Christ our Savior did. He declared us not guilty because of his great kindness. And now we know that we will inherit eternal life” (Titus 3:3-8).

Scripture readings  Hebrews 2 & Hebrews 9

This particular day ...

“The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn …” (Isaiah 61:1-2 NIV).

   If we think about this day and all the blessings we will receive on this particular day, the day becomes special and unique.  There will be facets to this day that will mark the day in particular ways.  It might be the day we become blessed by our relationships with family, friends and other believers.  It might be the day something extraordinary happens to us. It might be the day: something is restored to us or even better, the day when a friendship begins again after a season of difficulty or separation.

     Of all the things or occurrences that can come our way in a day, one element of the day overshadows all other realities of the day.  What stands above all other parts of any day is what our Savior brings to that day. He takes up our cares, brings us the good news of forgiveness and reconciliation, heals our brokenness, opens our eyes and gives us a freedom from all condemnation.  When Jesus fulfilled all the hopes and prophecies before Him as He lived out His life, the fulfillment wasn’t just for that particular day but for all days to come, including every new day we are blessed with.  All of the blessings God gives to us and all that His grace promises to us as children, are fulfilled this day and every day to come by Jesus Christ the Son.  Rejoice in this day you have been given by the Savior.

"Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing" (Luke 4:21 NIV).

Daily Bible Reading Isaiah 61 & Luke 4