Author: David LaFrance

Hearing What I Like

Today’s Readings: 1 Kings 22, 2 Chronicles 18, Matthew 2

14 But Micaiah said, “As surely as the Lord lives, I can tell him only what the Lord tells me.”

We all love to hear what we want to hear.  When we have the support from others it can make you walk with some additional confidence or add a chip to the shoulders.  Here are some times when this may occur

  • idea at work
  • plans for spouse or family
  • dinner choice
  • the way that you may vote for something
  • talking about the decision that someone else made

The list can go on and on. In 1 Kings 22, the prophet Micaiah prophesied to King Ahab of Isreal and King Jehoshaphat of Judah, who were preparing for battle against the Syrians.  Now, the other prophets told them they were assured victory because these prophets wanted to fit it, not ruffle any feathers, and sustain their current position even if it meant not telling the truth.  I think there can be times in our lives when we tell others what they want to hear.  When looking for affirmations you go to those that you know will agree with you.

Ahab didn’t want to go to Micaiah because he knew that whatever he said it would be the truth.  Ahab says that he only tells him bad things and doesn’t want to hear what he says.

I love reading and hearing the truth daily through His Word. Micaiah was a prophet who told the truth because people would say he genuinely walked with God and did not just say what others wanted to hear. At church yesterday, we discussed those you could list and turn to when needed—those who would give you genuine Godly feedback, wisdom, or clarity when needed.  Micaiah would be one of these people.

  • Known for walking with God –  “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.” Ephesians 5:1  “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.”  Galatians 5:16
  • Not being afraid of telling the truth without regard for himself– “The Lord detests lying lips, but He delights in men who are truthful” Proverbs 12:22 , “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body” Ephesians 4:25-28

Dear Heavenly Father – Help us always to seek Your truth so that we don’t rely on what we just want to hear.  Help us seek Your counsel and provide that truth to others without fear when needed. I thank you, Lord, for this story and the mercy You have shown me when I have taken the wrong course, just like Jehoshaphat.  Give me a heart and courage like Micaiah to face the world daily grounded in your truth so I can be the husband, father, friend, leader, son, sibling, and example of You and the truth You have shown us through Your Son Jesus.  Amen 

 

Pleasures

I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good.” But that also proved to be meaningless.

Reading through Ecclesiastes, you will find all the pleasures available to all of us.  I can find myself spending a lifetime if I’m not aware of chasing them.  What are you after today? Am I chasing the pleasure that offers moments of happiness or chasing an eternal Kingdom with Him?

“Pleasures are meaningless” is a phrase that appears in the Bible in Ecclesiastes 2:1-11. Remember the following lines:

“I said to myself, ‘Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good.’ But that also proved to be meaningless”

“I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards. I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them”

“I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my labor, and this was the reward for all my toil”

“I saw what I had worked so hard to get. And nothing had any meaning. It was like chasing the wind. Nothing was gained on this earth”

 

Today’s Readings: Ecclesiastes 1-3, Psalms 45, 2 Timothy 1

Waiting for His Return

12 Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. 13 Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. 14 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Jennifer is great at packing.  With three kids and many activities there are season where we have lived out of suitcases. The time it takes to get all the things prepared I often underestimate and leave many things behind.  Being prepared is present on trips to the pool, school, and everywhere in between.  In today’s reading from 1 Thesselonian 5 there is a reminder that the rapture will occur quickly, catching the unbelieving world unprepared.  I often pray and very thankful for words like these that help me to remember the watchfulness we need to have, how we need to conduct ourselves, and simple instructions to our daily lives that we need to listen to and pray on daily.

Watchfulness
Believers should be awake and sober, and not like others who are asleep.

Duties to others
Believers should comfort one another and do good to everyone, not just other Christians.

Practical instructions
Believers should be peaceful, hardworking, and forgiving, and should pray constantly and maintain an attitude of joyfulness.

Christ is coming again, I’ll admit that I take this for granted too often and think I have another day.  Today’s a great day to rejoice, pray, and give praise to our Lord trusting His will for our lives.

My mom and dad were married multiple times before having me and my two younger sisters.  They would go on to separate from each other, and both went their separate ways when I was in 4th grade.  I can think of various memories that included making adulterous and lustful decisions along the way.  This is what we knew as kids.  As I grew older, I would make the same mistakes with young relationships.  I’m sure there are multiple labels you could give to these poor choices growing up.  I vowed not to be like this but still struggled.

This sinful behavior changed when I started an honest and genuine walk with the Lord. I had already felt the consequences of my decisions and knew that God has bigger plans for us when we choose to follow.

Today’s passages are Proverbs 6-7,  Psalm 6, and Romans 11

As I read through the verses of the day, I thought about how Proverbs can provide a written description of purity, take a young, misguided boy, and help him keep them as a treasure to lean on when struggling.

Proverbs 6

16 There are six things the Lord hates,
seven that are detestable to him:
17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a heart that devises wicked schemes,
feet that are quick to rush into evil,
19 a false witness who pours out lies
and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.

My son, keep your father’s command
and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
21 Bind them always on your heart;
fasten them around your neck.
22 When you walk, they will guide you;
when you sleep, they will watch over you;
when you awake, they will speak to you.
23 For this command is a lamp,
this teaching is a light,
and correction and instruction
are the way to life,

The prescription for our life of sin is to know and obey the words of God. Take His words and cherish them as if He were speaking personally to each one of us face to face. We need to keep His word closer than any of our pride possessions. Even though our sins are forgiven only through Him, we can feel the impact of scare tissue from the sin.  Making sinful choices ignores tomorrow’s consequences by emphasizing today’s delights.  I pray for us all and remember His closeness when we are tempted by sin today.

Have a blessed and obedient day!

Desire for His Presence

Today’s Readings 2 Samuel 15-17, Psalm 3, 63, Romans 1

In today’s readings, you will read about the rebellion of David’s son Absalom.  God had forgiven David for his sins but did not cancel the consequences of his sin.  Why did Absalom go against his father? Why did Absalom constantly take bad advice from others?

2 Samuel 15:4 Moreover, Absalom would say, ‘Oh that one would appoint me judge in the land, then every man who has any suit or cause could come to me and I would give him justice.’

While parenting a teenage son, I can reflect on the many sins that I have been forgiven for. I pray for my son to see and learn from my example that we can all experience forgiveness when we turn our lives over to God. It’s not saying sins will never happen again, but we can experience His love that will never go away.  As humans, we can be prone to the sins of our adults in our lives. We need to be aware and seek Him always.

Psalm 3 happens to be the Psalm written when David was fleeing from his son. David confidently trusted God for protection and peace. Many of my reflection moments and scripture reading time can happen in the morning. Prayers can come in the middle of the night when I wake and have questions that I can reach out to God for His answers.

3 But you are a shield around me, O LORD; you bestow glory on me and lift [2] up my head. 4 To the LORD I cry aloud, and he answers me from his holy hill. Selah 5 I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me.

These sleepless nights are covered by the Lord. This is also read in Psalm 63. Instead of tossing and turning in bed, David turned to the Lord in confidence.

6 When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches.

Lord we know that in our moments of uncertainity we can trust in Your future for our lives and our childrens’. We can learn from David about His peace and trust we can always have in You!

Transitions

2 and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”3 So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?” “John’s baptism,” they replied.

Have you ever been in a transition in life? A new house, job, marriage, or child? All of these experiences involve a learning curve. Some right choices and often many wrong decisions are involved as well. Today, as I read the questions Paul asked the twelve disciples, their answers were transitional. They still followed the old law and did not understand what Jesus had promised once they truly believed.  In my faith journey, there was a time when I thought I had to earn His love and that there would be things I would need to cut out of my life for our Lord to consider me.  Wow! How wrong.  Our Lord has a love for us that He has always had.  The disciples here thought they would receive the Holy Spirit once they had arrived at a certain spiritual point in their lives.

Paul told them He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.”  verse 4

We all need that. That’s all that we, as believers, have to tell others about! Believe in Him! God gives us the Holy Spirit to be with us in His fullness permanently, personally, and indwelling from the moment of our salvation.

Here are a few additional verses that we can share about His promise.

  • Romans 8:9 9 You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.
  • 1 Corinthians 6:19 19You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.
  • Ezekial 36:26-27 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.
  • 2 Corinthians 6:16 For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said:“I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God,
    and they will be my people.

Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? Yes!

 

Remembering God’s Blessings

Today’s Readings: 1 Samuel 11-13, Psalm 38, Acts 9

This evening, I had an opportunity to talk with a group of adults about the impact of a positive mindset. We can take intentional steps like recording or reflecting on recognizing these things for which we are grateful. We can change our perspective in a world bombarded by the negative and seek to exploit the mistakes or critique what’s not going right.

In 1 Samuel 12:24-25 Samuel reminds the people of Isreal to take time to notice and remember the good things God has done in our lives.

 24 But be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you

I think about the amazing things about today that I take for granted many days. My smile is big as I praise Him for the big and small details that captured my mind from before the sun came up to this evening when I could see my children sleep and listen to my beautiful bride show her love and genuine care for assuring all things are prepared for our family to start the next day.

This reflection allows us to focus on God’s goodness and strengthen our faith and trust in Him.  In a world that wants us to get, make, do, and be future-focused, we forget what is right in front of us.  Take time today to remember all that God has done lately.  Will you join me in making it part of a daily rhythm so we can grow in faith together?

So I throw up my hands and praise you again and again because all I have is Hallauah!… Get up and Praise the Lord! 

 

8 Keep me as the apple of your eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings
9 from the wicked who are out to destroy me,
from my mortal enemies who surround me.

The definition of etymologically is the study of words and the origin or history of a word’s meaning. The phrase “apple of your eye” stands for the “little man” in someone’s pupil, which, of course, would be you when you are close enough to a person.   Give it a try. I just practiced it with my daughter.  You need to be close to see your own reflection in someone’s eyes.  For me, it can feel a little uncomfortable because of the personal space we all have.

The psalmist’s prayer in Psalm 17:8 is for God to keep guard over us as He would the pupil of His own eye. Oh, how I pray for that closeness, that protection. Lord, help me to seek You daily, to stay in Your Word, and to be obedient. Let us remember Your closeness when the enemies surround us, knowing that we are protected.

The Song of Moses

I love music. The arrangement of sounds to create harmony, melody, or rhythm to express words can impact us all differently. On Sunday, with hands raised, we can praise our Lord, who speaks into our lives daily. We can feel joy and gratitude in our hearts as we sing, knowing what He is currently doing and promises we will one day see.  Some songs bring tears of joy as your brain connects back to experiences that changed your life.  Songs that can pump us up to conquer anything in front of us.

Music is a part of all human societies and is a communication tool that can culturally connect us all.  In Deuteronomy 32, Moses turns his message into a song for the congregation of Israel.  Songs can make things easier to remember. ( I want to sing the United States song as this was the only way I remembered.) This song gives us a brief history of Israel. It reminds us of their mistakes, warns us about repeating the same mistakes, and offers hope that can only come from trusting God.  It sounds like something we can still use today.  Imagine or go ahead and sing these first few verses.

“Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak,
    and let the earth hear the words of my mouth.
2 May my teaching drop as the rain,
    my speech distill as the dew,
like gentle rain upon the tender grass,
    and like showers upon the herb.
3 For I will proclaim the name of the Lord; ascribe greatness to our God!  4 “The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity,  just and upright is he.

We can experience so many emotions when we sing or listen to a song. Behind this song is a truth about the greatness of our Lord—the hope that we remember as we move closer to Easter. As Moses finished this song, he proclaimed these words.

46 he said to them, “Take to heart all the words by which I am warning you today, that you may command them to your children, that they may be careful to do all the words of this law. 47 For it is no empty word for you, but your very life, and by this word you shall live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess.”

Are We Prepared for Jesus?

Today’s Readings: Numbers 30-33, Psalm 35, Luke 3

This past week, I talked with my daughter Gianna about Easter. She said that Easter and Christmas were her favorite holidays, and I agreed. We talked about the Easter Story and how Jesus had given up His life for all of us. She said she loved him so much for dying for us and that she can’t wait to see Him in Heaven. Again, I agreed.

As we prepare for Easter in a couple of weeks, I connected with the story of John the Baptist Preparing the Way for Jesus.  Luke 3: 4-6

“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.
5 Every valley shall be filled in,
every mountain and hill made low.
The crooked roads shall become straight,
the rough ways smooth.
6 And all people will see God’s salvation.’”[

The metaphorical language used in these verses signifies the spiritual preparation required for Jesus’s arrival. It speaks of making the paths straight, filling in valleys, lowering mountains and hills, and making crooked roads straight and rough ways smooth. These descriptions symbolize removing obstacles that hinder people from experiencing God’s salvation.

John had a job to prepare and present Jesus to others.  In the next couple of weeks, we will have a chance to present the opportunity to know Jesus through a possible invitation to Easter.  Many obstacles will be put in the way to hinder these invites.  Many obstacles get in the way of our preparation. John was courageous and called to share the news of Jesus and how we need to repent.  He was a prophet who lived a life that was not based on the authority of the world but on God.  Some people may never have been open to hearing the Word until now.  Will you let them know?  Easter service is a wonderful time to share the salvation we have through Him.