Thursday, April 28, 2016

Daily Wisdom

“…And all the people shouted with a great shout, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. But many priests and Levites, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, wept with a loud voice…” Ezra 3:12-13 (excerpts)

The cares of comparison… the flower doesn’t think to compare itself to the flower beside it, it just blooms where it’s planted. For the older Jewish leaders, they were more focused on Solomon’s original temple than they were the re-built temple; causing them to weep, comparison robs you of your joy, amongst the shouts of praise (vs 11). Comparison will consistently cloud the clarity of God’s purpose and puts you in a constant state of change in trying to keep up with the crowd; though you change a thousand times, HE has not changed once. Comparing oneself to what lies behind or to who lies before are meaningless compared to what lies within you.  Rather be consumed with the creator of all things instead of comparing yourself to the things HE created. Your worth is not valued in comparison, but in your worth to God; that makes you priceless in comparison!

Before you compare understand the character of that in which you are looking at; if less than Christ, why compare?


HSAY…Todd

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Daily Wisdom

“…the people gathered themselves together as one man; and builded the altar of God...” Ezra 3:1 & 2

As a Christian one should be more concerned about getting right before worrying about looking right!  The King of Persia allowed Ezra and the Jews to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. But, first things first; (vs 5) says they restored all the set feasts that were consecrated by the Lord. The people began worshiping God even before the Temple foundation was laid (2 yrs. later). They had become more concerned about serving God than serving themselves. After years in captivity, they had learned their lesson - they knew that God doesn’t offer special protection to those who ignore him. They had been carried off by the Babylonians when they were relatively strong; here they were few, weak, and surrounded by enemies. If ever they needed to rely on God's power, it was at this time. They realized the importance of obeying God from the heart, and not merely out of habit. Let God establish you in humility before you worry about elevating yourself through pride! It’s easy to say you’re a Christian, the hard part is being one.

Pride screams, look what I am; Humility whispers, but is that what I should be?


HSAY…Todd

Monday, April 25, 2016

Daily Wisdom

But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage.” Gal 4:9

To simply desire a solution to your problem without interest in the answer to your problem, is like continuing to fill a tire with air and wonder why it’s always going flat. You cannot solve your problems with the same level of thinking that created them.  It’s your personal thinking that leads you into sin which requires a solution for redemption, which is in Christ. Yet, while your sin leads you to Jesus as a solution, why would you then not depend on Him for your answer to sin and avoid the bondage that hinders you from living in your inheritance (vs 7)? Too many Christians approach Christ as a problem fixer, not a problem solver. Not desiring to change their thinking; only to get their spiritual tire filled that’s constantly leaking. Sometimes God allows us to get into a situation, like a tire that finally blows from continual neglect, and that now requires a permanent answer not a temporal fix; so we’ll discover He is the only one who has the answer to our problem.  

True Christianity contradicts sense, it requires you to give up the visible (temporal) for the invisible (eternal) truth in Jesus (2 Cor 4:18).


HSAY…Todd

Friday, April 22, 2016

Daily Wisdom

For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.” Gal 1:10

Don’t get caught up in the social and cultural mind-set of today that allows the opinions and thoughts of the masses persuade your thoughts and efforts; where your motive is fueled by fearing the frowns of men while in hopes of finding their favour. Even as Christians many often focus more on who has rejected them rather than who has selected them. Don’t be so mindful of opinions of others, God never called you to impress people only to love them. Your approval and acceptance is woven into life through the cross, not the opinion of man. Remember, your efforts are futile in finding worth and acceptance in a world in which opinion hangs on its narcissistic desires at the moment. Better to find your approval in God than in the applause of men; one is conditional while the other is unconditional. You are at your most powerful for God when you don’t need external approval.

Because of the Gospel you no longer have to live for approval, rather in approval!


HSAY…Todd

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Daily Wisdom

Whom shall I teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.” Isa 28:9

One’s growth, maturity or knowledge in the Lord is illustrated by three stages; Infancy, Adolescence and Adult-hood.  And just as a new-born infant starts with the their mother’s breast milk before they advance physically to foods with more substance, Isaiah states, how can God grow you spiritually if God can’t get you past infancy and your mother’s milk? In ch. 29 these verses characterize the people's reaction to Isaiah. In effect, they were saying, "He's speaking to us like a schoolteacher speaks to small children. We don't need to be taught. We'll make up our own minds." For this attitude, Isaiah prophesied the lesson will still occur, and that the Assyrians would teach them in a way they would like even less. Paul spoke to the same issue in Rom 1 by stating “they knew God but glorified him not, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.” (Rom 1:21-22). Foolish is one who claims their own maturity or wisdom (Pro 22:4), and yet they are still living on milk. Self relied/determined wisdom is idolatry; it makes God in our image, instead of the reverse. A fool can know; but knowledge is understanding wisdom is in God.

Don’t boast in counting the seeds in an apple when only God can count the apples in a seed!


HSAY…Todd 

Monday, April 18, 2016

Daily Wisdom

And the house which I build is great: for great is our God above all gods.” 2 Chro 2:5

What are you building in life; is what you’re building providing others access to and favour of Jesus or self?  In 2 Chronicles 2, Solomon had great purpose in wanting to build a temple for God, not to house him (vs 6), but to worship and sacrifice to Him. Yet, Solomon needed help in resources to do so. He called upon his father’s (King David) old contact the King of Tyre whose nation served and worshipped many gods.  In doing so Solomon, unlike many Christians today, chooses not to hide or conceal his purpose in what he desired to build.  Solomon makes God the central purpose as to why he did what he did (vs 4). By Israel keeping close to the commandments and worship of God, the neighboring nations were willing to be taught by them, as the Israelites had been willing in the days of their apostasy, to be infected with the idolatries and superstitions of their neighbors.  It’s easy to confuse a lot of activity with a purposeful life, but if they don’t see Jesus in it they’ll only see you. Expecting others to respond to Jesus based on what you do rather than “why” you do it, is like expecting a criminal to walk into a jail because he was impressed with a police officer.

The greatest way to deal with your past is to make it the opening story towards your promised future.


HSAY…Todd

Friday, April 15, 2016

Daily Wisdom

“…for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Neh 8:10

If you expect the world to be fair with you because you are fair, you’re fooling yourself.  That’s like expecting a lion not to eat you because you didn’t eat him.  Your joy and peace in life will never accurately be determined by what’s happening around you, but rather what’s happening inside of you.  Unfortunately too many depend on happenings in life for their joy, but the truth is joy originates from within the soul and manifest itself on life around them.  Don’t let your focus be on how good or bad you feel life is; wake up each day thankful for the blessing of life itself, knowing someone else is desperately fighting for theirs.  Life becomes joyful for those who find their joy in the strength of the God, no matter what’s happening around them. Billy Sunday said: If you have no joy, there’s a leak in your Christianity somewhere.”  It’s not found in the absence of suffering, but in the presence of God.  Don’t sit and what for joy to arrive; you must choose joy and keep choosing it everyday, that’s where your strength is.

One who has a heart full of thankfulness will have a soul full of joy!


HSAY…Todd

Thursday, April 14, 2016

Daily Wisdom

Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances.” Col 2:20

To the Colossians, the discipline demanded by the false teachers seemed good, and legalism still attracts many people today. Following a long list of religious rules requires strong self-discipline and can make a person appear and feel moral, but religious rules cannot do what only the Holy Spirit can, change a person's heart. Nor can we cannot reach up to God by following rules of pious self-denial, by observing rituals, or by practicing religion.  Man-made religions focus on human effort; Christianity focuses on Christ's work. Believers must put aside sinful desires, but doing so is the by-product of our new life in Christ, not the reason for our new life.  Rather choosing to deny and humble ourselves in order to serve someone else is the greatest act of growing in Christ. As Christians we are called to be selfless rather than self-centered.  Verse 18 says: “Let no man beguile you of your reward” don’t let religion cause you play the hate card rather confessing you’re your own hate; if you want to arrogantly lecture, rather than humbly learn; if you don’t want to feel guilt in your soul when you are guilty of sin; if you want to be enabled rather than confronted, there are religions that will feed your wants, but none of which is Christ-like! Christ is more interested in you practicing personal forgiveness than religious judgment; reconciliation rather than conflict. Church/Religion should not be a “safe-zone” to hide from your convictions, but rather to learn that life is not about you, but Christ and others around you. And while you may have to deal with guilt when listening to a sermon, be thankful the Holy Spirit cares enough to convict you.  And the way to address it is to repent, not relocate to a more comfortable word.


HSAY…Todd

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Daily Wisdom

Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” Heb 13:5

It’s said “You get what you get and don’t pitch a fit!” I remember a friend showing me a new car he had recently purchased, to which he stated it was the car he had always dreamed of.  Interesting enough I ran into him less than a year later and you guessed it; he was driving a new car again.  Is that not life today, I got to have it until I find something better!  Lack of contentment in one’s life fuels impulsive, emotional and temporal thinking.  It is said, contentment is a natural and healthy wealth; luxury is artificial poverty. Contentment does not mean or require one to be without prayers, but it does mean that one’s joy and peace is not based one’s prayers being answered.  God often may answer NO! It’s then one will be able to determine their own level of contentment in their soul.  Many claims are made concerning the lives one would live and the deeds they would do, if only they were better circumstances.  Moses was called to deliver and birth a nation with only a rod and he opened parted a sea with it.  David had only five pebbles and yet with God brought down Goliath. The widowed woman was able to pay all her debts with just a minuscule amount of oil and God. The most glorious and powerful deeds don’t require the wealth of men, but only the abundance God.  Where is your “Contentment”, is it found in the resources of this world or in the promises and strength of the Lord?  “…The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear”; “…for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” (Heb 13:6; Phil 4:11)

You’ll never know what enough is until you know what’s more than enough.


HSAY…Todd

Monday, April 11, 2016

Daily Wisdom

And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.” Exo 14:21

Like the children of Israel, we too have found ourselves stuck between what appears to be a dead end; caught between boundaries that seem to prevent us from moving forward while being pursued by a fast approaching enemy from behind.  This is where we find Nahshon; he was counted in the census following the Exodus to represent the tribe of Judah.  Though he obviously survived the Pharaoh’s assault, he was now challenged in his faith to move forward in the will of the Father.  God had led them to what appeared to be an ultimate death. But, God was about to birth a nation using the parting of the Red Sea as His tool of choice.  This is where the faith of Nahshon and the Israelites would be challenged.  Jewish tradition claims Nahshon was the first Israelite to step into the Red Sea. However, as he waded in his faith the waters continued to rise over his body, starting from his ankles and slowly rising as it proceeded towards his head. Then the miracle was delivered and the waters parted for their deliverance.

Nahshon teaches us a powerful lesson.  For many Christians we fail to walk a new path God has set before us, instead choosing to stick with something old and familiar.  Many times the only way through a trial is to walk forward in our faith no matter what the obstacle before us appears to be, even if an ocean lay’s ahead.  Don’t challenge God by demanding the miracle first, that’s a poor definition of faith.  Instead, be a Nahshon, walk boldly in your faith and leave the timing of the miracle up to God!

Faith requires an action on our part before we get a re-action on God’s part.


HSAY…Todd 

Daily Wisdom


Friday, April 8, 2016

Daily Wisdom

My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, o Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.” Psa 5:3

CHRIST is alive; with each and every new day His love and blessings fall as the morning dew!  The flower called Morning Glory blooms every morning prepared to receive that day’s dew;  likewise so should our hearts be open each new day to God’s grace, goodness and mercy, not closed causing His dew to simply run off.  A state of mind that sees God’s hand in every new day is evidence of growth in grace and thankfulness.  Be cautious looking around you’ll become impressed, don’t look down you’ll become depressed; just look at Him and count your blessings and pray not because of need, but because you have a lot to be thankful for. Knowing each morning’s horizon brings with it our promised hope of God’s grace.

Your greatest testimony is how you act and treat others after church is over.


HSAY…Todd 

Thursday, April 7, 2016

Daily Wisdom

“…our craft is in danger to be set at nought;” Acts 19:27

The people of Ephesus and the craftsmen were more worried about their loss of money from making false idols than they were the truth Paul was preaching. The love of money and wealth in general encouraged them to hide their greed behind the mask of loyalty; not seeing their selfish motives.  Men are jealous for that by which they get their wealth/pleasure; and many stubbornly and unreasonably set themselves against the gospel of Christ for such idols made by human hands. Riches can’t buy day, but righteousness provides eternity (Pro 11:4). He is rich who is content in Christ; for contentment is the wealth of God.  There is no greater wealth than wisdom in God and no greater poverty than ignorance; the Gospel is a call to self-denial, not self-fulfillment.

Some people are so poor, all they have is money.


HSAY…Todd

Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Daily Wisdom

And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?” Acts 19:15

Power does not exist in what you claim, but in whom you claim it. Certain Jews, sons of Sceva the high priest travelled town to town making a living claiming to drive out demons; proclaiming power by using Jesus’ name in effort to match Paul’s power. By the response of the evil spirit you can see they were misinformed as to whom controls such power that Paul possessed. Even as Christians we don’t possess the power of God, it possess’ us. To proclaim Jesus and to know Jesus are two greatly different things; like ones salvation it’s not what you know, but whom you know that provides all that you need.  The power of God, which resonates by our faith, does not operate in the realm of the possible; there is no glory for God in that which is humanly possible. Power and faith begin where man’s ability ends.

God’s power is made perfect in our weakness, not our boasting.


HSAY…Todd

Tuesday, April 5, 2016

Daily Wisdom

“He hath shown thee, O man, what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God.” Micah 6:8

Concerning God being pleased with us, our acts must be an investment in the atonement of Christ, and that the sin by which we displease Him may be taken away. What will be a satisfaction to God's justice? In what righteousness shall we appear before him? Our proposals often betray ignorance, though they may show zeal. We become spiritually arrogant, offering that which is rich and costly, as if it will appease the God that owns it all (vs 6-7). The Lord wants a living sacrifice not a material or monetary substitution. One cannot bribe God spiritually with rituals and religious acts, “the Lord requires of thee” changed lives a living sacrifice (Rom 12: 1-2). Our walk is not about finding ways to please God, but simply to serve Him. God has made His wishes clear: He requires thee “to do justly, love mercy and to walk humbly” with Him; as an offering to others, not simply for your own consumption.

For the man who gets all he can and saves all he can, but doesn't give all he can, better devise another plan!

HSAY…Todd

Monday, April 4, 2016

Daily Wisdom

When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.” Isa 43:2

James Taylor hit song “Fire and Rain” alludes to life’s storms one faces; claiming “I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain.”  Sometimes God calms the storms raging around us and other times He lets the storm rage and calms His child.  You can find His calming peace knowing the fire within you burns brighter than the fire around you…Heb 12:29 “For our God is a consuming fire.”  Don’t fear your storms, fear being a part of something that can be explained by your own power and ability. Rather be a part of something, even a storm where its result can only be explained by the power of God.  Remember faith doesn’t wait on understanding or proof; in that case it wouldn’t be faith. Question is: Would you rather go through a storm with Jesus or sail in calm waters alone?

PRAYER: “Spirit lead me where my trust is without boarders; Let me walk upon the waters, wherever you would call me. Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander; and my faith be made stronger in the presence of my saviour.”


HSAY…Todd