Daily Wisdom

“Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee:…” Psa 55:22

Ever taken time to be thankful someone knows what they’re doing. Jn 1:16 “And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.” God’s blessings are abundant despite what we might see or acknowledge. Often, they come in unanswered prayers according to our request. But, still answered in his grace. In 1 Kg 19 Elijah prayed that God would take his life in being overwhelmed.  And yet when Elijah asked, “that he might die”, God gave him strength to live. When we’ve exhausted our strength and abilities to continue in our faith is when God intervenes with the abundance of his strength to tap into. When we experience being burned out, overwhelmed it’s because we have been using our own resources and exhausted our self; Rather than depending on God.  In self-sufficiency, we are prone to succumb to a false sense of failure (I am no better than my father’s), cynical attitudes (take away my life), apathy/emotional distance and escape (he went a day’s journey into the wilderness) and even insecurity (I have been very jealous). But once Elijah started getting his strength from God (vss 5-8) he got the strength he needed, not what he desired. Which is a great difference, “because the journey is too great for thee” (vs 7). The key to strengthening spiritual muscles and enduring hardship is in exercising yourself by finding strength in the promises/word of God.

That which makes you strong, keeps you strong!

HSAY … Todd

Daily Wisdom

“Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.” Isa 43:18-19

Allow your past to make you better, not bitter. When you forgive, be it yourself or others, you in no way change the past, but you sure do change the future. The past can offer a great lesson from your own pain – learn to seek God, not in a single event or scene of history, but in your own soul as the constant verification of experience (Rom 5:3-5) in life and God’s love.  Just because your past didn’t turn out like you desired, doesn’t mean your future can’t be better than you’ve ever imagine. Anything in this world meant or resulting in hurt and pain, God can use for good. God is able to take the mess of your past and turn it into a message.  The past is where you learn the lesson, the future is where you apply it… just don’t give up in the middle!

If you carry the bricks from your past into tomorrow, you’ll build the same house!

HSAY … Todd

Daily Wisdom

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a man travelling into a far country, who call his own savants, and delivered unto them his goods.” Mt 25:14

Man is prone to want the benefits of something gained, but not always the responsibility that goes with it.  Seldom in life are you allowed to reap without the responsibility or accountability to what was gained. The 4oth parable concerning talents (gifts), Christ the travelling man, passes on his goods to his servants for them to be responsible in their stewardship as well. Such gains are not just to be gotten, but to give to others and not gloated over. While salvation is free, spreading the gospel is not without expense; obedient stewards are responsible to cover those expenses.  Paul makes a bold statement in Phl 3:7-8 “But what things were gained to me, those I counted loss for Christ.”  Paul said the advantages he was gifted education, wealth, status and even external conformity to the law were missed guided gain, and were really a disadvantage, hindrance, and obstacle towards Christ. The greatest inheritance, gain coming, is for those who stand before Christ broke; knowing and able to claim that every single talent left them was used by giving to others. Often, we ask God to give us what we don’t have, when we aren’t even being faithful with what we do have. Gain to give, not just to get.

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”

HSAY … Todd

Daily Wisdom

“Now therefore, why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we are able to bear?” Acts 15:10

The law (yoke) plays no part in saving or keeping one saved.  The church must be careful in burdening a new convert with the bondage of legalism that can create spiritual baggage they should not have to carry. For one’s character to change allow the Holy Spirit do what man’s efforts cannot.  Legalism may change one’s appearance, it does not change their heart… “Legalism says God will love us if we change. The gospel says God will change us because he loves us.” If your Christianity is burdensome you’re carrying the wrong load, Jesus said his yoke is easy and his burden is light (Mt 11:30). Thus, stand in liberty with Christ who has freed you from the entanglement and bondage of the law as justification, if not you have fallen from grace. (Gal 5:1; 4)

Don’t allow what you’re doing become bigger than what Jesus did.

HSAY … Todd

Daily Wisdom

“…God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” Jam 4:6 

D.L. Moody states “God sends no one away empty except those who are full of themselves.” Pride works as a cancer, it consumes the very possibility of love, contentment and even common sense. Pride self-promotes a person into placing themselves in a position with a point of view of looking down on others; thus, eliminating the possibility of looking above. It produces bad spiritual posture. God “resists the proud” it’s the one trait that works as a spiritual hindrance or dividing wall in your relationship with God. The challenge is we all have pride to a point, that essence of self that rears its ugly head in our lives. Pride is an independent, ME-oriented spirit that resides in the heart. When our heart is prideful, we don’t give God the due credit and in turn look down on others and often missing the blessing in them. Pride is like a weed that begins to harvest itself amongst the spiritual-fruit in your life, and chokes it out. While the opposite is humility, where grace abounds. Humility is the ultimate Christ-likeness we can embody: Phl 2:7 “But made himself (Christ) of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant…” By this Christ was able to influence those around him. We will never influence change in the world by the pride of going to church. We will only change a world through humility and being the church. Don’t get blinded in your pride and become focused on who is right. But rather live with humility, and stay focused on what is right.

“True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it’s thinking of yourself less.”

HSAY … Todd

Daily Wisdom

“Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.” Jn 20:19

The simplest way to say it: be where you should be and you don’t have to worry about what you might miss!  The disciples were gathered at the first of the week for worship, and there Christ appeared. Unfortunately, Thomas chose not to be there (vs 24) and he is labeled as doubting Thomas, due to his unbelief to Christ resurrection and appearance to other disciples. Due to Thomas not staying on a spiritual schedule he missed what would’ve eliminated his doubt.  The spiritual actions that betters you is the same process that blesses you. A wise man said, “you don’t know what you miss until you miss it.” Sometimes what is missed is of greater value than you can afford. We all have the same 24 hrs. to invest with, don’t miss the works of God because of your will for the world. 

Christ… don’t miss him for the world!

HSAY… Todd

Daily Wisdom

“Many are the afflictions of the righteous; but the Lord delivereth him out of them all” Psa 34:19

Life’s greatest of opportunities are often in the face of the greatest of opposition. This is what Elijah faced, one of the great prophets used of God, a man who destroyed 850 false prophets, and now himself is spiritually and emotionally destroyed and wanting to die (1 Kg 19:3-5).  Don’t get caught in your disappointment, don’t expect to reign without resistance. It’s hard to understand, but pain was necessary for salvation. Be patient in your affliction it reveals God’s grace that is missed in times of prosperity. Often disappointment and expectations are correlated in such a way that if you expect the wrong thing you end up disappointed because you went in delusional. Elijah was wanting to die because of his position in life. But God told him to “go return” (1 Kg 19:15) back to the wilderness where you came. Change your position and return to the provision that is already waiting in God’s promise to deliver you in the place the enemy is fighting you the most! But this time with the expectation of grace, not just personal gain.

Don’t miss the greatest provision by fleeing the place you fear, that’s often where God placed it.

HSAY… Todd

Daily Wisdom

“… and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.” Acts 19:17

Magnification deals with perspective. No matter the instrument used the object being magnified cannot be changed in size, only the perspective of the viewer is affected. In life, no matter how much a person is magnified, displayed or enhanced the nature and character of the individual is still the same. Projection does not always equal profit. While Paul could not enlarge Christ, he could enlarger the perspective of those around him by giving a wider, deeper and broader understanding of Christ by using his life/ministry as a tool for magnification. So, what does your life project and magnify for others to see? Like tithing, it’s an instrument used to magnify God by giving him and putting him first (Deut 14:23), by the same faith do you project God before yourselves in your decision, positions in truth; are others able to see the character of Christ more than they see you. Understand, God did not give a mission to the church, he formed the church for his mission. Choosing your own mission to project isolates you from the church and simply makes you a disobedient Christian hanging out with the church.

The projecting the presence of God may not always fix the problem, but it will clarify one’s perspective.

HSAY… Todd

Daily WIsdom

“And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.” Jn 16:8

Jesus himself told us that it was better for him to depart than to stay so we can be en-gifted with the Holy Spirit (vs 7). With the purpose to comfort (intercede) us in the Father’s will, not to our service; the Holy Spirit is for our comfort, not our control. This verse establishes the Spirit’s purpose to reprimand or censor the actions in the spirit of man when it comes to sin, righteousness and judgment., all which man struggles with. Man is prone to suppress his sin, reflect his righteousness and justify his judgment, which greatly hinders God’s will being done in his life. The Holy Spirit intercedes where man interrupt’s by empowering us to acknowledge our sin as what it is, not suppressing it; clarifying we have no reward of righteousness outside of God’s, and our jurisdiction is not to judge others, but rather ourselves in the Father’s will. “You might as well try to see without eyes, hear without ears, or breath without lungs, as to try to live the Christina life without the Holy Spirit.”  A soul of a man without the Spirit moving in him is like a ship without wind, it accomplishes nothing good and for God!  

To be filled with the Spirit, you must be emptied of self.

HSAY… Todd

Daily Wisdom

“I speak as to wise men, judge ye what I say.” I Cor 10:15

Paul had in the previous chapter described himself as mortifying his flesh (9:12), and keeping his body under subjection, that he might gain the prize (vs 24). In this chapter, his object is to exhort the Corinthians to the same; and to do this he admonishes them not to be lulled into security by the idea of the many spiritual blessings which had been conferred upon them. The reasons referred to are those in which follow in the remainder of the chapter; idolatry, communion and warns us to take heed lest we fall (vs 12). Paul says: “I speak to the wise men” those with understanding that God’s word, the bible is the best place to find the authoritative words that elevate the mind and spirit.  The bible instills an awe of God’s power and love, as well as reminding us of the beauty that pervades all His creation. Paul challenges the “wise men” to “Judge what I say” and consider and weigh the matters well, and you’ll discern what is true. To discern truth otherwise, outside God’s word, is equal to a man trying to determine and earn his own salvation by standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle. His effort will never overcome his dependence and need for God’s grace through Jesus.

A man who tries to determine his own reward by justifying his acts of servitude, will always have the vote and support of those he serves. But not necessarily Jesus’

HSAY… Todd

Daily Wisdom

“… you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food” Heb 5:11-12

Complacency leads to a lack of enthusiasm, which leads to a lack of effort, which leads to a lack of results and eventual regression. One is either green and growing in their efforts or they become ripe and complacent, and regress into rottenness.  Hebrews warns us that due to a dullness of hearing or lack of interest to do so, resulted in regression and back into spiritual adolescence in need of the simplest of diets. When they should’ve been nurturing, feeding and teaching others. Complacency conspires to choke spiritual growth in you, as well as others.  Like working in a gym, your growth remains measurable until you find yourself staring in the mirror and becoming satisfied with what you see.  The cost of complacency is redundancy… “you need someone to teach you AGAIN the basic principles” it’s hard to move forward for good and for God when you’re having to retrace your steps.  Stare in the mirror too long and what looked ripe, now looks rotten and in need of restoration… again!

Hold to the vision of God, follow the voice of God, and you’ll find the victory in God!

HSAY… Todd

Daily Wisdom

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” Isa 41:10

This chapter contains a summons to the enemies of Christ to come and try their cause between God and his children before him, who has declared from the beginning, that we may know and say He is righteous (vs 25). So, as his children we are faced with a fight or flight option. We stand on the promise that his righteousness will prevail in us by his strength or we take flight being dismayed and fearful that our enemies will overcome the strength of his right hand and destroy us. Isaiah said, “fear not” fear has one of two meanings: Forget Everything And Run or Face Everything And Rise. Gal 6:9 “let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” You must avoid weariness and faintness in your walk. Satan, like the roaring lion he is, looks to cut the weak from a pack to separate and isolate them, thus forcing them to run until they become weary and faint, and then he devours them. God declares his omnipotent power and promises to strengthen, help and uphold you in your weary state by the power of his right hand which he uses to “dash in pieces the enemy.” (Exo 15:6). If you feel like quitting think about the cross and why you started, then determine if there is a better option.

Standing with God will cause others to ask why you’re doing it, to only later ask how you did it!

HSAY … Todd

Daily Wisdom

“And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee.” Psa 39:7

We are all guilty of placing our hope at times in a myriad of opportunities and situations that only prove to offer fading and perishing results.  As long as you seek and place your hope in anything other than the promises of God, you have not lived in true hope. Hope is the means for expectancy when things are otherwise hopeless, or it is no virtue at all. If matters are hopeful, hope is mere flattery or platitude; it is only when everything around you are hopeless that hope begins to be your strength. Then you know your hope is in and of God! Hope in God is like a spiritual buoy, as long as you are anchored to it no matter how high the waves get or the storm prevails it will never be overcome and will weather the storm and stay afloat (Heb 6:19).  It’s when you see something else that appears more promising and helpful, and let go of God that you find yourself truly hopeless in the storms.   God’s purpose will always prevail; sometimes the plight of his plan might be painful, but his promises to protect are perfect.  Remember, God didn’t remove the Red Sea from before the Israelite’s he opened it for them to go through; not avoid it. The unknown future that worries you, is in the hands of the all-knowing God.

There’s always hope, because there is always God!

HSAY … Todd

Daily Wisdom

“O LORD, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.” Isa 25:1

In a constantly changing world we live in where six months can put you multiple versions behind in technology, trends and social agendas we are often in need of something that is consistent and unchanging in its purpose and results in our life ... “O Lord, thy counsels are faithful and true.”

Verse four tells us God is strength to the poor, and needy in their distress; a refuge from the storms of life; shadow from the heat that comes from the blast of the terrible ones. He will also swallow up death bringing victory in life (vs 8). We know this is true and everlasting despite these times of change because we are promised, that in “that day” (the coming of the Lord) “Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us.” (vs 9).  Again, in today’s consistently inconsistent life we need to be Transparent, Truthful and Traditional in the promises of God. Knowing he is the same “yesterdays, today, and forever” (Heb 13:8). Don’t try to fix, redesign or upgrade what isn’t broken. “Every genuine expression of love and hope grows out of a consistent and total surrender to him who is eternally consistent, God.  Jam 1:17 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” 

Don’t turn from that which has no variableness to the variety life should offer, it valueless!

HSAY… Todd

Daily Wisdom

“The burden of the desert of the sea. As whirlwinds in the south pass through; so it cometh from the desert, from a terrible land. Therefore are my loins filled with pain: pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman that travaileth….” Isa 21:1; 3

Isaiah’s burden was foreseeing the destruction forth coming to Babylon, Edom & Arabia (ch. 21-23). His pain was felt even though their destruction was over 100 yrs. in the future. God is longsuffering when it comes to his judgment on us, he gives us ample opportunity to make things right (Eze 18:23). Our burden comes when we delay our response to make what is broken in our life right. For these nations, they refused to make things right, and their destruction befell them as promised by Isaiah. For us as Christians, while we may not be in the midst of judgement we may be burdened with indifference with loved ones who we deeply endure pain over. Isaiah had a heart like God’s, he would rather see Babylon get it right than get judged. God’s is always about making wrong right, this must be our heart-beat as well. Not in order or attempt to judge others or determine who’s wrong or right, but to make right the kindred spirit God calls us to. Pro 17:17 “A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” While the friendship/brotherhood may have already been established, the love must endure greater than he adversity, and only deepen through it. Phl 2:1-2 Paul exhorts Christian as to their Christ-like duties. He presses them in conformity to the example of Jesus in humility and love towards each other.

Our greatest concern should never be if God is on our side, but instead are we on God’s side… because God is always right.

HSAY… Todd