Morning Thought: Walk! The principal thing that defines you as a Christian is your walk. It’s how you live that makes the difference. The world is not very interested in your statement of beliefs. It’s your walk that’s your witness. It’s your walk that truly states your faith. Walk consistently, walk uprightly, walk differently—and get back up quickly when you fall. “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16, NASB).
Morning Thought: God is big. Bigger than the universe itself. Yet, he delights to dwell with the small. Trying to make yourself big will never impress him. Instead, he delights in humility. Humble yourself before him and he will lift you far above every mountain. Humility gives you his perspective and is the way to personal revival. “For thus says the high and exalted One Who lives forever, whose name is Holy, ‘I dwell on a high and holy place, And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit In order to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite’” (Isaiah 57:15, NASB).
Morning Thought: What are you focusing on? In Jehosphat’s day a large multitude came to attack God’s people. When the people focused on the enemy they became fearful. But Jehoshaphat made a wise decision: he turned the people’s eyes back to the Almighty. God is more powerful and greater than anything that can be thrown your way. When you focus on the Lord the mountain that threatens you turns into an anthill. Today, focus on God and the fog will clear. “…For we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You” (2 Chronicles 20:12, NASB).
Vintage Morning Thought: Marinating meat changes its flavour. It takes time, but the meat is enhanced as it soaks in the spices. You also will be transformed when you soak in God’s fragrant anointing. As you rest in God’s presence you absorb his nature into your own. Love, joy and peace become a part of your personalty. Bathe in God’s beauty today. “Take the following fine spices…Make these into a sacred anointing oil, a fragrant blend, the work of a perfumer. It will be the sacred anointing oil” (Exodus 30:23-25, NIV).
Morning Thought: Why is faith so important to God? Why did Jesus continually call us to believe? It’s because God’s ultimate desire is a real relationship with you. Trust is the foundation of true friendship. When you don’t trust someone your relationship breaks down. Without trust, relationships become a mere facade. The Lord wants a relationship with you, an authentic and intimate one. And throughout history God has proved himself faithful. You can trust him with your life. “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6, NASB).
Morning Thought: Watch out that your faith is not built on ‘Chinese Whispers.’ Do you remember this game when you were young? Different cultures call it different things. In the US we call it the ‘Telephone Game’. A person is given an orginal message and whispers it in another’s ear. Each person relays the message like a chain, whispering it to the next one. The last person then speaks the message out loud and the room bursts out in laughter. Why? The final message is nothing like the original. The original message is the Word of God, Scripture, spoken by the Father’s mouth. Base your faith on the source, God himself and his written Word. Then your faith will be solid. “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17, NASB).
Morning Thought: This evening begins our Purity Women’s Conference. As it happens, this morning I read the story of how God brought Isaac and Rebekah together. That’s the best way for a relationship to be formed: the Lord guiding and joining two people together. I also observed that the devil wants to rob women and men of their identity by stealing their purity. It’s purity that makes you beautiful. The good news is that whatever your past, the blood of Jesus can make you pure again. Receive his cleansing and live a different standard than the game of thrones. “Behold Rebekah…The girl was very beautiful, a virgin, and no man had had relations with her; and she went down to the spring and filled her jar and came up” (Genesis 24:15-16, NASB).
