Degust (Psalm 119:100-110)

Good morning ladies,

The word of the day is “degust.”  One of my favorite verses in the Bible comes from the longest Psalm.  I remember when I had first started attending church on a regular basis, my high school youth group leader used to give me random facts.  One of these had to deal with what would come to be one of my favorite Psalms and verses with the Bible.

How sweet your words taste to me; they are sweeter than honey.” ~Ps. 119:103

My question is: do you yearn for the sweetness of God’s word?  Today is Thanksgiving, and each of us will probably eat more than our fill.  If you’re like me, you have your favorites.  Maybe it’s cranberry sauce, or yams, or your grandmother’s savory turkey recipe that is hidden to all except for those in the special inside loop.  Whatever it is, as you feast today, remember that God’s word is supposed to be the same.  As the psalmist writes, we are supposed to degust each and every succulent piece of Scripture that enters our soul.  My prayer is that you take some time today to be thankful for God’s presence in your life.

Praying for you,

MO

Pabulum (Psalm 1:6)

Good morning ladies,

The word of the day is “pabulum.”  The Bible talks a lot about what it means for us to be spiritually nourished.  Each of us has a certain level of understanding of the word of God, depending on how much time we put forth learning it.  I remember when I went to seminary, which is a school for pastors, I learned an entirely new understanding of God’s word. Well, in he first psalm God really lays this out pretty good.

“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous..” ~Ps. 1:1-6

My question is: from where do you find your counsel?  There is so much out there today that wants to influence you.  With all of the social media, TV shows, religions, and everything else, you have to choose what is going to speak into your life.  My prayer is that you find people who are wiser than you, and read things – that provide proper written pabulum – that are smarter than you.  If we allow ourselves to learn from the best, then one day we may just have the opportunity to be in that echelon.  And, if we ever get there, it’s not for our praise, but our obedience and service to both God and humans.

Praying for you,

Nostomania (2 Corinthians 12:1-12)

Good morning ladies,

The word of the day is “nostomania.”  Have you ever been homesick? I remember a time when some of my friends and I were out in Israel for school. It was about this time of year, Thanksgiving. There is something about the holidays that make up miss what is most familiar, when we are away from what we call home.  Well, Paul used to talk about the journey in terms of wanting to be home.  and, home for him was Heaven.  He knew that God had good stuff in store.

“I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows.  And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows— was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell.  I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses.” ~2 Cor 12:2-5

My question is: what are your thoughts concerning your homelife… you know, stuff like upbringing, good memories, the tough time? My prayer is that you realize this morning that God has called you home to be with him one day.  Although we are on this earth for a short time, it is eternity that we can look forward to. It’s good to return home every once in a while, get rid of that homesick nostomania.  Remember to celebrate your family this week. Remember the ones who love and care for you.  Maybe even take a moment to let others know why you are thankful for them.

Praying for you,

MO

Gaslight (2 Corinthians 4:1-6)

Good morning ladies,

The word of the day is “gaslight.”  Have you ever thought you were crazy for believing something?  One of your friends tells you some kind of whopper of a story, and you get sucked right into it.  We see in the passage below that the believers had to be on the lookout for things that were not in line with the truth of God.  Focusing on Jesus was tough, and still is today if you are not careful to focus on the light.

“In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” ~2 Cor 4:4

My question is: what are the things that you spend your time believing?  There are a lot of people out there that would like you to move your faith away from God and put it into something else.  Whether that is material possessions, other religions, or just simply wanting to mislead you.  We have to be on the lookout for the stuff that would move us away from a relationship with God.  My prayer is that each of you solidify your faith each day, reading the Word and fellowshipping with other believers.  There will always be someone out there wanting to gaslight, or pull one over, on you.  The more you associate with people that know the truth, the better off you will be in succeeding in life, walking alongside God.

Praying for you,

MO

Vespertide (Psalm 113:1-9)

Good morning ladies,

The word of the day is “vespertide.”  Most of us lead pretty crazy lives. We get up early and go to bed late. There is always something to be done and work to be finished. At times we can even become consumed with the tasks that are in front of us. But how many peeps take the time to sit and reflect on the things of God? I am not saying that we need to shut life down, although sometimes i believe that is appropriate. I do know that we need to give God his due and realize what is important.

“From the rising of the sun to its setting The name of the LORD is to be praised.”

~Psalm 113:3

ANd that is about it… so here is the question: Are you praising God on a continual basis? I know that stuff needs to get done. THere is always something pressing that cannot wait.  But there is always a way to incorporate God into whatever is going on in your life. My prayer is that you take a moment to praise God.  And, whether you're going through good times or bad, day or nite, morning or vespertide, you realize that you have been given this life, which is the best gift God could give. And it’s a simple way to give back to God through a bit of simple praise.

Paying for you,

MO

Reliance (1 Peter 5:1-11)

Good morning ladies,

The word of the day is "reliance."  One of the great things about the Bible is the comforter brings in times of trouble and need.  I know that I have had my share of troubles, as each of you have.  One important lesson I learned from my mentor early on was that life was not always going to be easy.  But he did assure me that God would never leave me.  I now think back to the times where I had trouble in my life but did not have a relationship with Jesus.  I mean, really, how did I get through it?

Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” ~1 Peter 5:7

My question is, how well do you give your concerns and fears over to God?  Just as Peter was talking to those in the congregation who were experiencing tough times in their lives, so do we have to remember that in our tough times we have a choice as well.  My prayer is that you step out on faith a little bit today and when you don't understand something, really tried to get over to God.  It's the times where we don't feel like we can trust God to take care of stuff that we really need to allow him to do so.  God will sustain you in times of trouble.  He made the promise, and you keep it.

Praying for you,

MO

Apocryphal (Hebrews 12:1-8)

Good morning ladies,

The word of the day is “apocryphal.  The author of Hebrews was especially focused on helping his readers understand that the Gospel needed to be first and formost.  He realized that Jesus was the center of faith, and that because he made the ultimate sacrifice we are now able to share in his glory. 

“…fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” ~Heb 12:2

My question is: what are the things that you spend most time on?  Some of us give a lot of time to work, others family, or maybe fun stuff.  I think that there is a kind of balance that we needed to have in life.  Not to say that everything is going to have an equal amount of time always, but that in certain seasons of life you know what is most important.  We don't have to worry about something fake, or apocryphal, when it comes to the gospel.  Jesus Israel and his word persevere.  My prayer is that the matter what you focus on, God is always part of that equation and central to the tasks and relationships in your life.

Praying for you,

Rufescent (Matthew 19:1-22)

Good morning ladies,

The word of the day is “rufescent.”  Have you ever been embarrassed in a situation? I know that is kind of a rhetorical question. Of course, we all have.  Well, one of the reoccurring themes in the New Testament is the Pharisees trying to catch Jesus in a lie, or worse yet, something to condemn himself in front of all of his followers.  We all know that he is God, but what comes along with that sometimes is a lack of spiritual understanding, as we are all in need of growth.

Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. ~Matt 19:21-22

My question is: what the things that are most important to you? I know that sometimes we put stuff in front of our spiritual growth.  My prayer is that each of you takes moment to evaluate all of the important items of your life, and make sure that God is a part of those growth areas.  Each of you has a ton of blessings from the Lord, we just need to capitalize on all of the stuff that God puts in front of us.  That way we will never have a sheepish and rufescent, or reddish, shade of embarrassment on our faces.

Praying for you,

MO

Callow (Ephesians 4:14-15)

Good morning ladies,

The word of the day is “callow.”  When Paul was writing to the church at Ephesus, he reminded them of the their commitment to the gospel and the importance that they continue to grow in the face, not looking back at when they were without the discipline that was now in their lives.  He knew the importance of their need for real and effective change.

So that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ… ~Eph 4:14-15

My question is: are you the kind of person that speaks the truth in love?  It's not only important that we tell people with honesty what we believe, but more importantly to do with the correct attitude.  I never really appreciated when those who had been in the faith longer than me ridiculed or criticized my lack of understanding of the Bible or other things of God.  I vowed early on that I would not be this kind of Christian.  My prayer is that each of you becomes more knowledgeable in Scripture and godly principles, but that you keep the message simple and clear, so that others might be encouraged by what you have to say, and not condemned.

Praying for you,