God's offer

Riches and honor elude a great many - at least in terms of physical riches and human honor. God's children enjoy not only untold riches, some unmeasured by human eye or understanding, but also the honor of being welcomed into the Kingdom of God. Right standing with God himself is the most significant of honors one can receive, yet some will discount this 'honor' as they bypass each and every invitation they receive to be welcomed into that family. If they only knew just how much they'd receive they might not resist the invitation so much. Perhaps they need us to share the message time and time again, living out that 'message' in our daily lives, until one day they finally realize they need what we have found.

I love those who love me, and those who look for me will find me. With me there are riches and honor.
I have lasting wealth to give to you. What I give is better than fine gold. What I produce is better than pure silver. I lead people the right way—along the paths of justice. I give riches to those who love me,
and I fill their houses with treasures. (Proverbs 8:17-21)

God loves those who look for him - promising that he will be found when they search. You might have heard a term in Christian circles today referencing a 'seeker-friendly' church environment. What they are saying is that they want a welcoming feel to their church services, so those who are a bit skeptical about 'religion' will feel welcomed, comfortable, and that the message they are hearing is relevant to society today. I don't know about you, but as 'comfortable' as these seeker-friendly churches have been for me, there are just times when God needs to disturb my present comfort in order to make my future comfort all that more enjoyable!

God's offer is relevant to all ages - there is no 'irrelevancy' in his message of trust. He welcomes all, seeking to have all of their heart, and then he blesses them with 'wealth' beyond what most will ever appreciate. Forgiveness of sins and being made right with the God of the Universe carries a certain degree of 'wealth' we will never be able to measure through human understanding. Some will never know the forgiveness of God, but that doesn't mean he won't keep inviting them to know him! God looks for the lost, seeking them out with a tenacity that doesn't quit. All we might do is live the message for others to 'see', so they might 'seek', and then we can all rejoice when what was lost is finally found! Just sayin!

Shall we make our nation great again?

Goodness makes a nation great, but sin is a shame to any people. (Proverbs 14:34)

It is GOODNESS that makes a nation great again, not a man, a political party, or an office. It is the people who set their hearts right with Jesus, welcoming him into their lives, and living in such a manner so as to please God who make it great. No one in the past, nor in the future, whoever holds office is capable of filling hearts with goodness - the very ingredient that makes a country 'great'. 

God changes the heart of a man or woman who welcomes him into their lives, giving him authority to rule and reign in place of their own pride or selfish will. Is it possible for other things or people to change a man's heart in the same way? I don't think it is, but it is possible to change a person's heart by leading someone into the pathway of sin simply with the use of misleading untruths. 

This is why it is so important for us to observe God's actions, see what responses his Son had while here on this earth, and allow his Word to correct any misleading 'untruths' that may have found their way into our hearts. Jesus didn't need to call attention to himself - those who desired truth came to him. Jesus didn't exclude those who were different - he welcomed them openly. Jesus didn't 'cover-up' bad behavior - he behaved well because he reflected the heart of his Father at all times.

The nation who wishes to be great again needs to seek God first. Remember, if his people, who are called by his name, humble themselves and prayerfully confessing their sins, turning from all manner of evil, God will restore their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14) Very specific steps there - humble oneself, prayerfully confess, turn away (repent) from sin, and seek God with all your heart. If we want a 'great nation' again, it isn't the man in office that will make it great - it is the Lord of Lords and King of Kings in your heart thata will! Just sayin!

Nothing like grace

Seek the Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near. Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously. (Isaiah 55:6-7)

Three thoughts for us to ponder this morning: 1) Seekers find God; 2) Those who seek also ask for what it is they have need of; and 3) Those who turn to God find he is generous beyond measure. How is it possible to receive what we did not have a means to find on our own, or have our prayers heard in the heavens? Maybe God answered that one for us in the next verse: "My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine." Beyond anything you could imagine - seekers find, those with needs find them met, and forgiveness abounds where it is the least deserved.

Seek the Lord while you can find him. Does this mean we could miss the opportunity that is presented to us today by not seeking with an intensity that indicates our determination to find what it we need so desperately? I think there are times when we are 'more open' to receiving from God than at other times. It is as though the intensity of our search is magnified because of some external force exerting pressure upon us, or the internal struggles we find so overwhelming driving us to find a solution to our turmoil. Seekers know they have need of something and they search with the determination to find it. Those external or internal forces merely magnify the intensity of the search.

Call on him while he is near. Does this mean God goes away at times? If we are honest here, we probably just didn't see that he was moving us on from where we had become so comfortable and now we feel like he isn't all that 'near' to us anymore. God is always near to those who call upon him. We may not 'sense' his nearness at times, but that doesn't mean he isn't ever-present with us. So, call on him - he is nearer than you may think.

Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously. Does this mean we might not realize how much we need his forgiveness? It is possible we don't realize how wicked our ways have become until we turn fully into his face and behold the depths of his grace. When we finally behold him, we see the filth of our sin and fall at his knees seeking what we most need - mercy. Turn toward him and you will always find exactly what you have need of - even when you didn't realize how much you need what he offers. Just sayin!

The most 'unfertile' ground

O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. I have seen you in your sanctuary and gazed upon your power and glory. Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you! (Psalm 63:1-3)

Growing up in the Arizona desert, I have walked many a dry wash, climbed over huge boulders, and been pricked by more than my share of cacti. It is dry, filled with all kinds of dangers, and barely livable in many parts. Water is not easily found, nor is it readily available if you were to drill for it. Many places have to truck it in right to this day. You can be so 'dry' in the desert that you actually crave water. It doesn't seem all that fertile, does it? What seems like the most 'unfertile' ground in our lives may actually be the place where the greatest growth occurs. Something you may not realize is how many 'distractions' are removed when you are in that desert place in life. It is as though the only thing you begin to focus on is Jesus, because all the other stuff you had been distracted by just doesn't matter when you get good and thirsty for his presence. I think of the dry places as 'fertile ground' - they have been the times when God does some of the greatest work IN me because I have drawn closer to him without all those distractions pulling me away from him. Maybe we don't actually want to go into these dry places, but if we find ourselves in the midst of the 'desert' spiritually or emotionally, we might just want to spend some time getting to know him just a bit deeper right there.

David was born into a family of sheep herders. He was to follow along in the footsteps of his father, Salmon. He was not raised to be a king, but he was raised in a home of faith - he knew his God and he served him even from the earliest of his days. He learned much in his early life, tending the sheep out on the lonely grazing lands, moving them from one grazing place to another while protecting them from all manner of evil that sought to end their lives. Even after being anointed as king, he didn't immediately 'live the good life' in the court of the king. We find him hiding out in caves, scaling peaks he could use as a vantage point in escaping from the armies of Saul. His life wasn't 'worry-free', but it was 'rich' because wherever he went, his God was right there with him. Can you say the same? Do you find the dry places in your life to be the most 'fertile'? It may not feel like it when you are wandering around in that 'wilderness', but when you finally come into those places where 'barrenness' seems to be replaced by 'beauty' and 'peace', you realize how much was accomplished in the desert. 

One of the most profound things about the desert is the thirst you develop while there. Maybe this is why God allows for us to experience those 'dry places' in life - so we will develop a hunger and thirst for righteousness! Remember, what seems like the most 'unfertile' ground may actually be the most fertile place you experience. Just sayin!