Daily Wisodm

“Every man’s work shall be made manifest; for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.” 1 Cor 3:13

It’s not what you do or the size of it that’s important, but the why. The fire in which God uses to measure our work will either purify or reveal your motive and its true worth in the eternal kingdom. We’re blinded in this world when it comes to defining worth; it’s measured by size, monetary value, appearance and popularity. Man measures success, God measures motive. Don’t make life decisions based on the advice or measure of people you will not have to answer to in the eternal. We come about a proper motive like building a ship. You don’t drum up men, divide the work and bark out orders. Instead, teach them to desire the vastness of the sea. Likewise we come to a right motive when we encourage others along with ourselves to desire the vast richness of Christ and His righteousness.

HSAY…Todd

Daily Wisdom

“…he that watereth shall be watered also himself.” Pro 11:25

It’s been illustrated many times, but there are two bodies of water in Israel; Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea. One is flowing and alive with an abundance of resources while the other is dead, hence its name offering little to no resources. The reason for the vast difference is simple and very applicable to us as well. While both are feed by the same resource, the Jordan River, the Sea of Galilee passes on that which it receives to other bodies. Yet the Dead Sea has no outlet; it never passes that which it was gifted by the Jordan River and becomes dormant, and its one time abundance becomes useless; simply stated one gives and one hoards (Psa 41:1-3).  Both received the same blessings, one lives in giving and the other dies in taking. Your abundance is not in what you have, but what you’ve been given and like the Sea of Galilee you benefit from it, but the biggest blessing is in paying it forward. The highest appreciation and greatest form of gratitude towards what we’ve been giving is not in the words we utter, but in simply sharing it with others. Jm 1:17 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father…” it’s not ours to hoard, but to give; its stewardship verses ownership! Jesus paid it all (Isa 53:5), and gifted you to share it with others.

Your blessings are a gift from God; what you do with them is your gift too God.

HSAY…Todd

Daily Wisdom

“And the Lord said unto Joshua, get thee up, wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face?” Joshua 7:10

Joshua laid in mourning, anguishing in fear over his men being defeated by their enemy Ai; Joshua would rather leave the Promise Land God gave them and retreat. But Israel’s problem wasn’t their enemy, it was their own heart and the sin they let permeate within that was their obstacle, not their enemies.  God’s response was one of encouragement not consoling; “get thee up” address the problem, don’t dwell in it. Often we pray for our situation to change and God is waiting for our heart to change first. We all make mistakes (sin); have struggles, and even regret. But that’s not who you are; don’t let it define you by living life prostrate in the dust of such problems. Live in the promise of God’s love. The greatest victory in living lies not in never failing, but in rising in Christ every time you fall. Every day may not be a good day, but there’s good in every day; but you have to “get thee up” to find it! Look up, get up and never give up, because Christ got up, and never gives up on you!

I CAN is far more important than IQ

HSAY…Todd

Daily Wisdom

“But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know then, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.” 1 Cor 2:14-15

Don’t expect most people to approve of or understand your decision to follow Christ. It all seems foolish to them. Just as a tone-deaf person cannot appreciate fine music, the person who rejects Christ cannot understand truths from the Spirit of God. Therefore we must make ourselves available to the Holy Spirit as a line of communication and a light between God and a lost world. We must be alert to opportunities; a person’s question may be evidence that God is drawing them to a point of decision. How would you respond if someone asked you about your faith?  1 Pt. 3:15 “…be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.”

True hope is when you have nothing else but God, and realize you have everything.”

HSAY…Todd 

Daily Wisdom

“This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare.” 1 Tim 1:18

Paul renews his charge to Timothy to not only disciple others in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but to do so himself by holding strong to his faith (vs 19). Paul himself stood beholding his faith with a good conscience as he addressed the courts in (Acts 23:1). In order to fight a spiritual war it requires courage, integrity and most of all a beholding faith.  One beyond a profession of faith, but rather an unwavering faith in opposition to concealing it or laying aside as often done in times of fear and doubt; which Paul experienced through Alexander and Hymenaeus (vs 19). A beholding faith stands in contiguity to righteousness, never separating itself one from the other; as if never leaving the shadow of Christ. A faith that wavers from truth is not faith because truth never wavers. Faith doesn’t stand in consideration of outcomes, but strictly on the premise of what is right. “Faith doesn’t always make sense, but that’s why it makes miracles.”

The purpose of God’s word is not for a knowledgeable life, but for a changed life!

HSAY…Todd  

Daily Wisdom

“And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith. And the Lord said, if ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.” Lk 17:5-6

The disciples request poses a good question, more faith or more obedience?  The prayer for more faith is justified, but is it the answer they really need. The disciples felt over-whelmed by Jesus teachings in vss 1-4 and felt desperately they needed a greater faith to do His will. But Jesus’ answer indicates that more faith is not the issue. Faith is not measured by quantity, but rather by its presence. Jesus isn’t looking for how many times we are faithful, but when we are faithful. He says a mustard seed size of faith will do great things. Jesus gives the disciples, and us the answer in vss 7-10; indicating Jesus is looking for obedience and humility. Notice Jesus offers an answer, not an accommodation; he tells them how to gain greater faith, not hand it to them.  You want a faith that moves through obstacles in your life, live a life that moves in obedience to His word. When faced with difficulty in life don’t simply seek more faith, but instead act in more humility and obedience. True faith is the ability and willingness to be humbly obedient.

HSAY…Todd   

Daily Wisdom

“And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after.” Heb 3:5

How you live will speak louder and longer than what you say.  Moses was not only faithful to deliver Israel but also to prepare the way for Christ; are you living in a way to prepare others for the return of Christ? The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be faithful, to be compassionate, to have it make a difference in others ability to see Christ. Christ not only saved your life… He made it worth living so others can see His purpose. Your story is what can unlock someone else’s prison. By allowing them to see your scars they see the hurt is over, the wound is closed, you endured the pain and God has healed you. He is preparing others to hear your story, He requires you faith to share fearlessly what should be the most precious thing to you. Don’t live ordinary, life is too short, the cost is too real and God’s love is too great. No matter what’s happening around you, live purposefully knowing who’s inside you.

Remember: The real church doesn’t start until the service is over.

HSAY…Todd

Daily Wisdom

“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.” Psa 103:2

God’s years and man’s days; such is the comparison of the eternal verses the temporal. A thousand years is as a day unto to God. During times of trouble and heartache we can see life like our shadow, passing by with the time of day. While a man deals in the moment, God deals in years by comparison. That’s our challenge; because man looks at life in the temporal it magnifies the need for the immediate. Even though man flourishes like a flower in the field, the wind passes over and it’s gone (Psa 103:15) in a temporal moment. But, the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear (reverence) the Lord. Don’t dwell on a temporal passing of a shadow; rather focus on the Sun/Son that cast the shadow.

If you’ve trusted God with your eternal soul, why would you not trust him with your temporal life?   

HSAY…Todd

Daily Wisdom

“This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” 1 Jn 1:5

Darkness in itself does not exist; only by the absence of light do you find darkness.  In a comparative manner doubt is the absence of hope; anger is the absence of joy; jealously is the absence of contentment; selfishness is the absence of love; hate is the absence of peace and fear is the absence of faith. The absence which is missing is fellowship with God (vss 6 & 7). The word fellowship means participation, without such we are left with self reliance when it comes to light, hope, joy, love, peace and faith.  Darkness encroaches when we are left without the light we need to see His righteousness; yet in the darkest moments in life you can still have great vision if you’re participating in it with Christ. Darkness will always try to cast its shadow over you; its ability to hinder your strength will depend on your fellowship/participation with Christ… “I am the light of the world; he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” Jn 8:12 

Darkness has never prevailed over light, only our lack of participation has allowed darkness to prevail over us!

HSAY…Todd

Daily Wisdom

“My Soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.” Lam 3:20

Humility is the gateway into God’s favor. It’s the giant of character traits; in the valley one sees great things and small things from the mountain tops. In the midst of Jerusalem’s pain from its destruction, they were able bring into remembrance their humility and recall the Lord is their portion (vs 24).  In doing so it opened the spiritual flood gates of God’s promises in their time of need. In humility we find our HOPE (vs 21). With hope we recall God’s MERCIES (vs 22).  In His mercy we discover His COMPASSION fails not (vs 22); and we see they’re new every morning by way of His FAITHFULNESS (vs 23).  God’s hope, mercy, compassion and faithfulness are all triggered by our humility and its proper spiritual order “Whosoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.” Mat 23:12  

Humility should lead you to work for a cause not applause; live to express not impress; and not try to make your presence noticed, but rather your absence felt.

HSAY…Todd

Daily Wisdom

“The Lord hath done that which he had devised; he hath fulfilled his word that he commanded in the days of old…” Lam 2:17

Not only by the mouth of Jeremiah, but in the days of Isaiah and Samuel and even Moses; were they all commanded to prophesy that if God’s children would not keep His words vexation and rebuke would come in all they apply their hand to (Deut 28:20). God says what He means and means what He says.  But this is a GREAT promise for us to hold, not in fear but in hope; knowing He which can bring forth wrath can and will bring forth His deliverance for those same who choose to follow His word and call upon His name (Joel 2:32).  God’s promises may be delayed in our desired timing, but He will never deny them to those who diligently seek His will and walk accordingly. “God’s will is what we would choose if we knew what God knows.”  Psalm 62:5 “My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.”

He who puts everything in God’s hand will come to see God’s hand in everything.

HSAY…Todd

Daily Wisdom

“The adversary hath spread out his hand upon all her pleasant things; for she hath seen that the heathen entered into her sanctuary, whom thou didst command that they should not enter into thy congregation.” Lam 1:10

Chapter one of lamentations is one of the most burdensome passages from God’s children as they mourn, thus lament from their rebellion against God. And verse ten illustrates the choice of rebellion was not necessarily willful as much as it was negligence.  They allowed within their realm of influence that which God had warned them about.  That, outside of God which looks to enter offering light will eventually leave you in darkness. Seldom does one intentionally sin or rebel against God, they are influenced by that which has been allowed to have access to their thoughts; control your influencers, control your impulse. You’ve been called to change the world, not chase after it; but you can never change that which you live like. That which influences you will eventually instruct you.

“Laughter of the world is merely loneliness trying to reassure itself.”

HSAY…Todd