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Marco Pollo
TONIGHT! It’s happening at 8 PM. If you use Facebook, please set your alarm or write yourself a note to pop in at 8 PM & say hi. Here’s where I’ll be. LIKE/FOLLOW while you’re there. THANKS!
Did you ever play Marco Polo in the swimming pool? I have fond memories of playing it with my sister, Vicki. We’d take turns closing our eyes and calling out “Marco.” The other one would respond “Polo” then swim away so they wouldn’t be tagged. Some of us may think of Jesus as one who is blindly searching for us when we call out to Him. That is far from the case. Jesus has His eyes on us and is waiting for us to call on Him. Jesus is the SEEKER of the LOST, as He explains in Luke 19:10, He came to earth to seek and to save. Call on Him. He sees you.
Lord Jesus, Thank You that You can see us and know right where we are. Thank You for SEEKING and SAVING us. May those who are calling for You then running away, turn toward You with arms open wide.
“The Son of Man has come to SEEK and to SAVE that which was lost. ” Luke 19:10
Are We Heeding God’s Warning
Hurricane Michael, a Category 4 hurricane, with maximum sustained winds of 155 mph, made landfall in Florida on October 10. Governor Rick Scott and other governors issued warnings and called on residents in the path of the hurricane to evacuate and find shelter. Some ignored the warning. Hurricane Michael, as predicted, brought devastation and death. As human governors are looking out for their residents, so our Heavenly Father is looking out for us. Psalm 91:1 describe God as a shelter and says, “He who dwells in the SHELTER of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.” From what and how does our Heavenly Father shelter us? His words in the Bible shelter us from wayward thinking. His righteousness shelters us from temptation. His love shelters us from hate. His presence shelters us from loneliness and despair. God is a SHELTER. Are we heeding His warnings and staying close to Him?
Heavenly Father, thank You for being a SHELTER. Please give courage and hope to all who are suffering loss due to Hurricane Michael.
You Either Have It or You Don’t
We all know what we mean when we say, “I don’t have it in me to….” Then we complete the thought. “I don’t have it in me to go to that reunion.” “I don’t have it in me to keep working the night shift.” It’s important for us to recognize if we do or don’t have something in us. At the top of our check list should be if we have the life of Christ in us. We either do or don’t, and 2 Corinthians 13:5 advises every person to test themselves to see if they do. You see, going to church, enjoying nature, or being a nice person doesn’t make a person a Christian. A Christian is one who has Christ “in” them. ChristIaN. How do we get Christ in us? As we sow a seed into the ground so a plant can spring forth, we receive the seed of Christ’s Holy Spirit into our spirit. God does the work. He sows His seed into our spirit when we come to Jesus by faith; confessing Him as Lord and Savior. Why would we come to Jesus? Because we don’t have it in us to be perfect. If we want to go to heaven when we die, then we need His Holy Spirit in us. The question is, do we or don’t we have it (the Holy Spirit) in us? It’s a consideration that has eternal consequences for every one of us. Learn how to receive the Holy Spirit HERE.
Lord Jesus, promised Seed of Salvation, thank You for planting Your Holy Spirit in our hearts and souls. We love and adore You.
“’And I will put enmity
Between you (satan) and the woman,
And between your (satan’s) seed and her seed (Christ);
He shall bruise you on the head,
And you shall bruise him on the heel.'”
When Life Stinks
Have you ever heard someone say, “This stinks!” Or, maybe you’ve said it. It’s a colloquialism used when something awful or suspicious occurs. If bad things repeatedly happen, the term might be broadened to “life stinks.” Instead of focusing on the foul, though, we have a choice to breathe in what Song of Solomon 2:1 refers to as the Rose of Sharon. Scholar Herbert Lockyer sheds light on why this is a reference to Christ. “Amongst flowers, the rose always and everywhere, with us now and still more in the East and of old, has held the foremost rank; and amongst the rose, the ROSE OF SHARON was chief. If a king were set over flowers, it would be the rose that should reign over them, being the ornament of the earth, the splendor of plants, the eye of flowers, the beauty of the field.” Christ’s title, Rose of Sharon, draws our attention to Christ’s splendor, heavenly fragrance, and beauty. When life stinks, stay extra close to Christ. Breathe in His fragrance.
Lord Jesus, You are the ROSE of SHARON; the fragrant aroma of heaven.Thank You for Your continual presence with us.
“I am the ROSE of SHARON, the lily of the valleys.” Song of Solomon 2:1
*Herbert Lockyer, “All the Divine Names and Titles in the Bible,” Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan, page 247.
Is God Ever Angry with Me
Have you ever wondered if God is angry with you? I have. It’s a troubling thought to think God might be angry with us. I’ve researched the subject and yes, there are times recorded in Scripture where we find, “The anger of the Lord burned against…”one of His children. On one occasion it was Moses. Why? Because he told God that he wasn’t a good speaker; so therefore wasn’t a good candidate for the job of leading the Israelites out of Egypt. (Exodus 4:10-14). Makes us kind of want to chuckle, right; because we know the end of the story. Perhaps Moses’s story encourages us. Yes, we too, may have backed down from God’s calling to a position or maybe we’ve backed down from God’s calling to holiness and we wonder if it’s made God angry. But just as He shepherded Moses in His holy will, He shepherds us. David said it well in Psalm 23:1, “The Lord is my Shepherd.” In what way is He shepherding you today?
Heavenly Father, we’re thankful You’re our SHEPHERD. Help us be wise sheep who stay close by Your side and follow You.
The Lord is my shepherd,
I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.
He restores my soul;
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You have anointed my head with oil;
My cup overflows.
Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord [i]forever.
*Remember to record God’s attributes in your Prayers of My Heart journal. As you do, praise Him for all He means to you.
Whose Side Are You On
Sides. Children learn the concept of sides in their young years. They’re on this side or that side of the field depending on their team. They learn about historical battles and what each side stood for. The Bible tells us that there are spiritual sides. God is on one side and the devil is on the other. They’re battling over human souls. Ephesians 6:16 tells us how to extinguish the devil’s flaming arrows. But, we’re not in this battle alone. Our Heavenly Father is the Captain of our side, and He doesn’t use just any arrow to win the war against Satan. Isaiah 49:2 tells us that Jesus is a Select Arrow, sent from God’s quiver. He is the One who destroys the works of the devil and saves our soul. Take courage. You may be in a skirmish, but if you’re a follower of Christ, you’re on the right side.
Lord Jesus, God’s SELECT ARROW, thank You for coming forth from Your Father to destroy the works of the devil and take us to Your side. We love and praise You!
“He has also made Me a select arrow, He has hidden Me in His quiver.” Isaiah 49:2
If You’re Tired of Sinning
I wish I wouldn’t sin. I long for for the day when I’m perfected in Christ’s image. How about you? The fact is, as long as we’re in our earthly bodies, we’ll contend with our the sin nature. As a matter of fact, not only will we contend with it, Galatians 5:17 says our flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Sprit against the flesh; that they’re in opposition to one another…” So we have this little, ummm, big war going on inside of us. Here’s the wonderful news as recorded in 1 Thessalonians 5:23. God, in His grace, has chosen to SANCTIFY us, to set us apart for Himself as holy, without blame. Think about it! What we can’t do for ourselves, God does for us. We who call upon the name of the Lord will one day live in heaven completely holy because of Christ. Does knowing that cause you to want to kneel in awe, stand with arms lifted in praise, or sing His praises? Whichever, give Him praise now.
God, we praise You, our SANCTIFIER. Thank You for setting us apart for Yourself and for taking it upon Yourself to sanctify us complete and without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are so ready!
“Now may the God of peace Himself SANCTIFY you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
I Think… I Think… Hmmm, What Do I Think?
Do you ever feel that things change so fast you can hardly keep up? Does it seem that people change what they say from one day to the next? Here’s some good news. God doesn’t change. Hebrews 13:8 reminds us that Jesus Christ is the SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY, and FOREVER. Society may change standards and morals, but our Heavenly Father will always be the same holy, loving, grace-filled God that He’s always been. If we ever wonder whose opinion we need to align ourselves with, it would be His.
Lord God, thank You that You do not change. You are the SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY, and FOREVER.
When You’re Concerned About Shifting Views
UPDATE: Thank you for your prayers for the Indianapolis P.R.A.Y. with Passion Conference! It was a blessing and YOU are a blessing to partner with me with your prayers and support.
Are you concerned about shifting views about the Bible and Jesus Christ? If so, take comfort. Jesus is who He says He is – the solid Rock truth and Savior. We can build our lives on Him and His Word. As a matter of fact, in Matthew 7:24-27, Jesus says we’re wise if we do. Listen to His counsel. “Therefore, everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.” Yes, friend, we are wise to build our lives on Jesus, the solid Rock.
“O come, let us sing for joy to the Lord,
Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation.”