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Today’s reading is Exodus 7-9, Psalms 105, and Ephesians 1

Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; proclaim his deeds among the people.
Psalms 105:1

Some people are just naturally able to give thanks to God for everything. But, for most of us, we need to practice giving thanks. We need to learn to be more thankful. It is easy to be thankful for the good things, but we need to learn to give thanks even when we are in a hard spot (or when it is 0 degrees outside).

Psalm 105 recounts the works of God. There are 4 main accounts that David recalls “the wonderous works he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced” (verse 5).  We are to give thanks to God because of the deeds he has done and His wonderous works.

*The first account is found in verses 8-15. David recalls the story of Abraham and how God made a promise to his people to give them the land of Canaan. This reminds us that God kept his covenant promise with Abraham. We shall praise Him because God keeps His promises.

*The second account is found in verses 16-25. These verses focus on the story of Joseph being sold into slavery and then the rescuing of God’s people. These verses remind us that God is a rescuing God. Thank You God that you still rescue us today.

*The third account is found in verses 26-42. Part of this account is taken from our reading today in Exodus 7-9. Moses and Aaron plead with Pharaoh to Let the People Go. Because Pharaoh does not listen to what Moses has to say, different plagues affect the land and the people. Eventually, this is the story of Moses and how he rescued God’s people from Egypt. We can praise God and give thanks because he leads us. In verse 42 we see God’s people entering into the promised land. God is to be praised because He remembered his holy promise to Abraham. We praise God because He remembers His promises to us.

*Finally, we see the fourth account in the final verses of Psalm 105.

He brought his people out with rejoicing, his chosen ones with shouts of joy. He gave them the lands of the nations, and they inherited what other peoples had worked for.
Psalms 105:43-44

This is what God did for His people. He has done wondrous things. There is ample reason to give thanks for what He has done.

Psalms 105 reminds us of what God has done. When we have trouble praising God in our days, we can praise him for what he has already done. We can remember that He keeps His promises, He rescues us, He leads us, and He remembers His promises to us. Ultimately, we can praise Him for allowing His son to die on the cross for us. We have a life in eternity promised to us when we put our faith in Him.

Praise Jesus, give thanks to Him.

In the book “Relentless Solution Focus,” written by authors Dr. Jason Selk and Dr. Ellen Reed, they speak of expectancy theory.  They define expectancy theory as, that which you focus on expands.

Our thoughts control our feelings.  Our feelings control our behaviors.  Our behaviors dictate the course and direction of our life.

Expectancy theory essentially says what we think about the most, will happen, and continue to happen.  If we manage our thoughts to think positively and focus on good things, good things happen.  If we focus on negativity and are constantly downtrodden, negative events and happenings will occur in our lives.  Think about this for a few minutes.  No matter our circumstances, no matter how horrible things can be, our thoughts will ultimately control our actions and the events in our lives. Perhaps this sounds simple, but I think we can agree it is quite difficult to see in the moment.

Paul writes to the Galatians encouraging them and rebuking them for their transgressions. In chapter 5, Paul speaks of “walking in the spirit,” and explains in verse 17 that “For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.”

The “flesh,” is our mind leading to the actions of our bodies.

Paul goes on to exclaim the “works of the flesh,” which are “adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like.”

Paul made it clear what the sins of the “flesh” are. If we spend time on our phones, tv’s, social circles, and free time surrounding ourselves with temptations, then what do we think will happen?  If we continue to surround ourselves with negative friends and family, who are a poor influence on us, then what do we think will occur?

Paul went on in verse 22 and explained “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.”  Do you feel like these words describe you?  Do the people you surround yourself with emulate these types of behaviors and descriptions?

For me, I work hard to prevent myself from situations that will tempt my “flesh.”  I fail often and I am a work in progress, but the more temptation or bad situations I place myself in, the more chance I have to make a bad decision. If I surround myself with un-godly people or influences, the greater risk I put myself in to make a poor choice.

I think living out our faith in Jesus Christ has relation to expectancy theory.  The more we study the Gospel, the more we regularly attend a great Bible-based church, the more we socialize with God-fearing people, the better we can manage the challenges of our thoughts that will ultimately impact our outcome of our lives.

My prayer is that from reading Galatians 5 today, you take charge of your thoughts, and your attitude, and the influences in your life to strengthen your relationship with Christ.  Reduce your temptations because we are physiologically susceptible to give into them. The more we study, the more we learn, the better our relationship will be with Christ.

Today’s reading:  Genesis 47-48, Psalm 25, Galatians 3

Yesterday afternoon (Friday 1/20) I attended a funeral service for my dear friend and co-worker Julie.  She was an amazing and fearless woman who never met a problem she didn’t think she could solve or an issue she couldn’t work through.  It didn’t matter if the problem was her own or someone else’s.  When she was invited to the conversation, she dove in and went right to work.  Her strategic approach, innovative ideas, and a can-do attitude made her someone I always wanted on my team.

Friday afternoon funerals aren’t usually a great way to start the weekend.  My heart is so sad.  I don’t know why God’s plan was to take her from this earth so fast.  But I trust his plan, and because of Julie’s faith, I am at peace.  See, Julie’s solution to the cancer problem she couldn’t solve on her own was to put it in God’s hands.  Her words to me were, “God always makes his presence known in tough situations.”  And while I didn’t get the answer I wanted this time, which was to restore Julie to the friend I knew and loved, I know she is in Heaven.  She is free from all sickness and sorrow.

God made his presence known to me today.  My heart is comforted as I make David’s Psalm 25 prayer my own:

In you, Lord my God, I put my trust (Psalm 25:1).

Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.  Relieve the troubles of my heart and free me from my anguish (Psalm 25:16-17).

Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths.  Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long (Psalm 25:4-5).

Amen.

 

Today’s Reading: Genesis 41-42; Mark 16 

Have you ever asked yourself….Why am I in this situation? Why can’t the situation get better? How does good come from the situation?

These are some questions that our protagonists in these stories could ask themselves. Throughout our everyday life,  we have many different experiences and these are the items that build us into who we are currently.  In today’s reading our protagonists are Joseph and Jesus.  

A few days ago,  while listening to a podcast the speaker stated something that really resonates with today’s reading, “In every problem there is an answer and in every problem there is a lesson.”   In today’s reading we have several instances that we are learning from our past experiences. 

In the first reading, we have access to Joseph in prison.  In this passage, Joseph has been in prison in Egypt for some time.  He was sold into slavery by his older brothers, the sons of Israel also known as Jacob.  The reason that he was trapped and sold into slavery was because he shared his visions and dreams with his siblings.  He trusted his brothers and wanted to share his excitement and dreams.  When this happened, his brothers betrayed him and tried to extinguish his fire.  

           After he was sold into slavery, Joseph had several different experiences that led him to become a prisoner in Pharaoh’s personal dungeon.  Here he was distraught and found destitute.  At what he thought would be his final place, God created an opportunity for him to grow. Joseph used his gift of dream reading and helped the baker and chief butler.  This then led to him interpreting the dreams of Pharaoh and saving the entire empire of Egypt.  The total time that Joseph was in slavery and prison was 13 years.  The time between the interpretation of the dreams and the introduction to Pharaoh is assumed to be two years.  This can seem like an eternity when you do not know what’s on the other side.

This new found success, allows him to have grace and find room for forgiveness for his brothers.  Many times in my life, there have been questionable places and areas that God has allowed me to experience in order for Him to show me grace and in turn allow me to show grace to others.  Many times while we are in the situation, we cannot see or recognize that God is preparing us for success in his time. 

In the second reading we are at the resurrection.  This is the ultimate example of preparing for success.  Jesus has been with his apostles and close friends for most of his life.  We have the stories of his ministry, which began on earth for a period of three years. But Jesus knew these individuals for a majority of his life.  He had planted seeds of the Spirit of God in them throughout their journey together.  He was preparing them for the opportunity to be successful after his departure.  He is continually preparing us for his ministry daily. We have to be open to the opportunities and the challenges that we are presented with as chances to see success through him. 

I know that many times in my life, I’ve been in many situations where I know that God has provided for me and is going to change things for me, but at the moment in time, I cannot understand. But he was preparing me for something else, something greater.  What is God preparing you for? What current situation are you in that he might be preparing you for success? 

 

Be Blessed 

 

Today’s reading:  Genesis 32-34, Psalm 145, and Mark 13

Do you wear a watch? Maybe an Apple watch? It is amazing what the device you wear on your wrist can tell you. You can find out exactly how you slept (or didn’t sleep) last night. You can learn about your heart and how it beats during different activities or while you are at rest. You can keep track of how many steps you take during the day. And, of course you can always keep track of exactly what time it is. It is pretty convenient to have all of this information right at your fingertips.

If only our watch could predict the future and tell us exactly the time Jesus will return to earth. In Mark 13 we read of all that will happen before Jesus returns to this earth. Reading through the verses we see that, “the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken” (vs. 25). When this happens I am sure people will be scared and questioning what is going on. We of course do not know all the details, but Mark 13 gives us pretty good idea of the calamities that will take place. These events will be painful and challenging. It feels like there is no hope, until we get to verse 28.

“Learn this lesson from the fig tree; As soon as its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves, you know that summer is near. In the same way, when you see these things happening, recognize that he is near—at the door.
Mark 13:28-29

When the fig tree blooms, it signals that summer is near. After living through the dead of winter, it is always a blessing when summer comes upon us. The same will be true when  the horrendous things happen around us, we need to remember that Jesus is near.

We do not have a watch to tell us when Jesus will return or when all these events will take place, but we are called to “be alert.”

Therefore be alert, since you don’t know when the master of the house is coming—whether in the evening or at midnight or at the crowing of the rooster or early in the morning. Otherwise, when he comes suddenly he might find you sleeping. And what I say to you, I say to everyone: Be alert!
Mark 13:35-36

Because Jesus is coming back we have hope. We do not have to worry or fear for the end of things and all that will take place. We are to “be alert,” to continue to seek Him daily and be ready, for nobody knows the time He may return.