Words of Encouragement

Jeremiah had to go wherever God sent him.  He had to go to the potter's house and gain understanding of a message God wanted him to give.  God will do the same in us today, if he sends us to gain understanding, we must be willing to go.

                                                                                                                                The word of the LORD came to me, saying, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew [a] you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."  "Ah, Sovereign LORD," I said, "I do not know how to speak; I am only a child." But the LORD said to me, "Do not say, 'I am only a child.' You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you," declares the LORD. Then the LORD reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, "Now, I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant." - Jeremiah 1:4-10

You Want Me? Jeremiah: I'm Too Young! The Prophet Jeremiah was called by God at an early age to speak his words. Some scholars give Jeremiah the age of between 12-20 at the time of his calling to speak God's word. 

Whatever his age, Jeremiah was fearful of his ability to speak because of his age. Yet God assures him that he will speak through him.  The scripture says that God touched Jeremiah's mouth and in doing so, anointed his mouth the speak the words he would appoint to come through him.  Jeremiah would speak words that would be given over nations and kingdom.  The words Jeremiah would speak would tear down and build up.

They would tear down false beliefs and lies or tricks of deception.  They would build up God's truth and standard. Surely to speak for God in such a way is not always easy nor is it easily accepted.  To speak the truth no matter whom you must face is difficult for Jeremiah.  It is also difficult because who wants to believe one so young?  The beauty is this, God can call and use whomever he desires to use.  It does not matter you age nor does it matter your experience.

In this instant you may not be young in age, but maybe you are feeling the resistence because of lack of spiritual maturity, or lack in wisdom or anything that makes you feel "too young" to accept the assignment God has for you.  Yet, if God is going to call you to do something, he is also going to equip you to do it.

So today, I pray for us that we accept those assignments given to us by God and do not be afraid of what is lacking in us, because God will touch us and put into us what we will need for the journey, if we let him.

Words of Encouragement

The LORD said, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt." But Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?"  - Exodus 3:7-11

You Want me? Moses: I Cannot Speak. Moses was faced with an awesome encounter, he met God.  He didn't just hear about God, but God was present before him speaking to him.  What God spoke to Moses was I have heard the cry of my people and I am choosing you to go be the one that stands before Pharaoh to have my people released.

While God was speaking, I could see Moses joy at knowing that God was going to release the people from their misery until he heard his part in the plan.  Instantly when the Lord stopped speaking, Moses was ready with an answer.  Not an answer of yes, but of one that said wait a minute, do you know who I am?  Surely you couldn't be talking to me?  I am not one able to go and speak to Pharaoh.

With the objection that Moses gave, God answers him in the next verse and says, but I will be with you.  Moses then begins to come up with one excuses after another as to the reason why he could not be the one chosen to carry out this task.  Moses finds excuses all the way to the next chapter, verse 10 where he says, look God, I have never been great at speeches. I am slow of tongue, so surely you can pick someone better than me.  Finally Moses, just simply said, Lord, please send someone else. Moses objected so long until God became angry with him.

We cannot look at Moses and say, he was speaking to God so surely he should have been able to accept the assignment.  Well the question is, are we any different?  Don't we too doubt our abilities to do what God ask of us.  Especially when we see that we will have to stand up against strong authorities and powers.  Surely, I cannot speak to the powerful, the mighty and expect them to listen?  Yet if God sends you to do a task, he will surely equip you to do it.

What Moses did not think about was this, he had lived in Pharaoh's house, he had learned the ways and customs of Pharaoh.  Moses had been trained for this position and he did not even realize it.  God allows us sometimes to be in places both good and bad that are a learning ground for us.  God allows those places to be what trains us for the next journey, the next assignment that God has for us.

So we like Moses may become doubtful that we have the skills, the talents or the ability to speak for God, but if God calls us he will place in our hands that which we need to show he is with us.  Like Moses staff, he will place in our hands access to his power and wonders.

I pray for us today.  Lord you already know what power you have given to us, so allow us the ability to us that power to do your will.  Help us not to become fearful in stepping out in the call you have on  our lives.  Help us today to have that encounter with your presence that will assure us of what you require from us.

Words of Encouragement

Jesus, the word.  It is the word, the truth of that word that brings freedom.  It is through that freedom that captives are set free.  Free from sin, from disease (of the body, the mind and the soul).  It is through that freedom that we then can worship the Lord and have it acceptable unto him.

And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. - Hebrews 10:10-12

Sacrifices. The Eternal Sacrifice. I mentioned this in one of the post earlier this week, but I wanted to end the week with this same message.  The sacrifices that were made by the priest under the Old Testament did not remove the sins of the people.  The sacrifices were done because it was the law.  However, all was not lost.

We can be made holy by the sacrifice of  one, Jesus Christ. We are able to be living sacrifices because of the sacrifice of Jesus.  His life gave us the ability to live for God so that we would be acceptable and not detestable in his sight.  Jesus' sacrifice gave us the right to be called righteous, because God imparted his righteousness to us. He gave it to us because of his Son's blood.

Today, let us rejoice in the Lord because of the sacrifice that took away our sins.  Not just my sins, but the sins of the entire world.  He did it so that none would perish.  Now he requires us to go and be living sacrifices to others so that through our lives we can draw people to the one that can save, Jesus Christ.

Words of Encouragement

I liked this picture.  When the "dogs" approach, it is good to have someone willing to sacrifice themself to be by your side so that you do not have to face those trials alone.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. - Romans 12:1-3

Sacrifices. My Reasonable Service. I know I have written using this scripture several times before, but you can never speak about this too often. The call from Paul to the people is to understand the mercy of God.  This mercy from God has given them life because of God's sacrifice of his son.

So then the call is be willing to be a "living" sacrifice unto God.  God's Son sacrificed himself for you and I so that we can walk right before the Lord.  When Jesus did this for us, we then were given the strength to walk right, live right, think right and obey him.  We can sacrifice our bodies to God so that they can be used for his purpose.  When we do that, he will glorify himself through our sacrifices. 

We can worship God and give ourselves to him and know that he will bring about something wonderful, even if we have to face difficulties.  The difficulties do not stop the beauty from coming through. 

Lord today, we say thank you for your Spirit and your gift that helps us to live for you, your way.

Words of Encouragement

The cross means nothing without Jesus.  It only represents a crude method of death.  However, Jesus intertwined with the cross represents life forever more.  How could something so crude and ugly represent something so beautiful?  Only God knows.

and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement,[a] through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. - Romans 3:24-26

Sacrifices. The Right (and true) Sacrifice. We looked at the fact that God required a sacrifice without spot to atone for the sins of the people.  Let me just say here, the Old Testament system never removed the sins of the people, it was simply a foreshadowing of what would be done through Jesus.  The ritual of sacrifice for the people was what God required so therefore it was what the people should do.

Yet, it was not a system that would do the job needed, therefore Jesus came.  Jesus was the sacrifice that would not be detestable to God because he is pure and without sin.  His sacrifice would also be the only one ever needed again.  It was and is the right and true sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins.

The scripture says that what God did was he had in fact left sins unpunished.  Let us not get this wrong.  It does not mean God was not just, it simply means that God allows through his mercy the Old Testament system to suffice until the New system was in place. Jesus is now the atonement for the sins of mankind.

Jesus made a sacrifice of his life so that you and I could live.  He gave his life, to give us life.  He shed his blood to purify our blood line from the curse of sin.  He took the sentence of our crime so that we would no longer be guilty.  Today let us thank God for the sacrifice of his son, the true and righteous sacrifice.

Lord, today I say thank you for loving me enough to redeem me from the sins that I committed.  I deserved the punishment, instead you saved me and gave me the promises.  You are worthy of all praise.

Words of Encouragement

(modern abstract of flames)

They forsook all the commands of the LORD their God and made for themselves two idols cast in the shape of calves, and an Asherah pole. They bowed down to all the starry hosts, and they worshiped Baal. They sacrificed their sons and daughters in [a] the fire. They practiced divination and sorcery and sold themselves to do evil in the eyes of the LORD, provoking him to anger.  So the LORD was very angry with Israel and removed them from his presence. Only the tribe of Judah was left, - 2 Kings 17:16-18

Sacrifices. Destructive Sacrifices. If you are like me, when I read these verses of scripture, I find this discomforting.  The first thought comes to your mind, what matter of person would take their own son or daughter and thrown them in the flames to sacrifice to a worthless god?  We become outraged at this.

However, we must stop and think how does this relate to people today?  While we may not take an actual fire and put our children in it, what about the lives that are set before them that lead them to the fires of hell?  What about the parent that lives a sinful life before their child and sets that behavior as righteous?  When that child becomes a product of that behavior, which leads to sin can this parent say they are truly any better than the children of God of old that physically put their children in the flames?  It was for their own lust that they did it.  Isn't that the same today?

Instead, the call for us today is to make sure we are not making sacrifices that are destructive.  We are not sacrificing our time to sinful behavior which will result in the effects being lived out by our children. These sinful behaviors only cause us to be removed from the presence of the Lord.

I pray today that God will help us to have ears to hear what he is telling us and eyes to see what the cause and effects are of our lives.  Lord today we seek you to help us to give you the sacrifices of ourselves that are acceptable to you.

Words of Encouragement

Have you ever just taken the time to look at the beauty of God's earth?  Have you noticed the detail he puts into even the petals on the flower?  Do you know what he does that?  It is because he is perfect.  God does everything good.  If he can fashion the flower to reflect his beauty, surely he can do it with man?

Do not sacrifice to the LORD your God an ox or a sheep that has any defect or flaw in it, for that would be detestable to him. - Deuteronomy 17:1

Sacrifices. What is acceptable to God.  When you read the Old Testament and learn about the sacrificial system, it seems quite strange to say the least. Yet, this was the requirement for the people.  God set up a system of sacrifices that were to be given for the people on behalf of their sins.

One requirement was that the animal be without defeat or flaw because this would be detestable to God.  Why do you think this would be so? God is a holy God and he requires that which is right before him.

How can something flawed be a true sacrifice unto God?  We do not really have to completely understand the reason why, we simply must accept that this is God's way. When we do, then we can have a better understanding why our sacrifices to God must be without flaw or defeat. 

The only way that happens is if our sacrifices are done unto God through his Son, Jesus.  Jesus makes our efforts acceptable to God.  If I yield myself to Jesus then my sacrifices becomes acceptable in the sight of God.  Jesus was the true sacrifice that was without blemish or spot and was acceptable unto God.

His sacrifice is what presents you and I to God as one that is not detestable.  If you try to go to God without the blood of Christ, you are a defeat and are flawed, and therefore you are destestable to him.

When you stand represented by his son, you are then acceptable to him.  Today I pray that we continue to stand in the path that Jesus has set for us so that we will continually be acceptable unto God.  That our lives, when sacrificed for God, are acceptable unto him.