Daily Wisdom

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” 2 Tim 2:15

We can’t remove the source of truth and hope to find strength for tomorrow.

Within a crumbling nation our Congress is moving to eliminate the reference to God from the oaths administered before one testifies.

Removing the words “so help you God” and replacing it with “under penalty of law”

Interesting, why create a statute when we already have one (God’s) that we’re not following?

Man cannot legislate morality!  It’s the equivalence of legislating love.

Our strength will either be founded on God or on man, only one is trust worthy! (Acts 5:29)

Man cannot be made good by law, nor by eliminating the truth of God from the equation.

HSAY… Todd

Daily Wisdom

“The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?”  Psa 118:6

Henry Ford once noted: “Any man who thinks he can be happy and prosperous by letting the American Government take care of him better take a closer look at the American Indian.”

In the same light David expresses the opposite concerning man, “what can man do unto me?”

What man “meant for evil against me, God meant it for good…” (Gen 50:20)

This Psalm declares the power of God’s protection, provision and providence against our enemies (vs 10-12).

Causing David to sing, “The Lord is my Strength, Song and Salvation” (vs 14)

It was the Lord that strengthened him, helped him, and gave him the victory.

The Lord is the author and giver of strength, natural and spiritual; he is the "strength" of the hearts and lives of his people, and of our salvation; and therefore, is our "song".

David had his heart full of the goodness of God. He loved to think of it, loved to speak of it, and was very solicitous that God might have the praise of it and others the comfort of it.

The more our hearts are impressed with God's goodness the more they will be enlarged in all manner of humility, love and praise.  Then others can come to sing to His strength and salvation.

“Find your strength one day at a time. Today, after all, is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.”

HSAY… Todd

Daily Wisdom

“I love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications.” Psa 116:1

While the Psalmist is unknown here their soul is beyond distressed and seeking deliverance from troubles that felt as death.

Yet, the Psalmist records lively expressions of devotion, love and gratitude in his afflictions.

He speaks of his: love (vs 1), rest (vs 7), walk (vs 9), and thanksgiving (vs 17) in the Lord.

For the Psalmist to have such an attitude amongst his afflictions is secured in our verse (vs 1).

He obviously had experienced the Lord’s answered prayers and deliverance before…  (vs 2) ‘he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore I will call upon him as long as I live.”

The writer was willing to stick with a good thing, and even though the sorrows of death compassed him he acknowledges the Lords graciousness, righteousness and mercy (vs 5).

The Lord is never blind to our tears, deaf to our prayers or silent to our pain… He sees, He hears, and He delivers… the sovereignty of the Lord is to be strength to our souls.

Paul and Silas didn’t wait until they were delivered from prison before they began to praise Him.

Those who dive in a sea of affliction can bring up rare pearls if they hold to an attitude of gratitude.

HSAY… Todd  

Daily Wisdom

“Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.” Heb 2:15

Like a small root that grows into a great tree, bitterness can spring up in our hearts fostering jealousy and dissension.  

Bitterness Breeds…. It’s poison to one’s soul and those around them, and arises through unmet expectations (Gen 27:34).

The antidote is: 1.) Learn to be content (Phl 4:11) and 2.) Learn to forgive (Lk 17:1-4)

What a person eats is not nearly as important as what’s eating at him.

HSAY... Todd

Daily Wisdom

“Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.” Jn 4:7

Would the women at the well be worth your worry?

The cultural norm is always prevalent for any society. And this woman (1) was a Samaritan, a member of the hated mixed race, (2) was known to be living in sin, and (3) was in a public place.

While Jesus was greatly wearied by His journey, He was still worried about this women’s well-being.

Obviously poor in provisions, like Jesus Himself, she had no servant to fetch her water.

And yet amidst His circumstances Jesus offered comfort to one who experienced little in her own.

She wasn’t looking for a man, she’d already been down that aisle five times.

Her need appeared to be to quench her thirst. But her true need was not physical, and Jesus knew it.

When Jesus asked her for a drink, she knew by their culture it was an open invitation for conversation.

Causing her to push back reminding Jesus of their differences.

She had made decisions to settle for less in life with temporal satisfactions, but Jesus offered her more.

The truth is, we must let go of one to embrace the other.  If we’re constantly looking to satisfy the flesh our spiritual lives languish (Rom 8:6)

Being near the water doesn’t count. Going to church, carrying the bible and listening to Christian music. While well and good, they’re not the same as drinking the water… (Jn 4:14 “But whosever drinks…”)

Notice Jesus never gives us her name. There are so many details to her story – the lengthy conversation with Jesus, five husbands, the discarded water jar (her original intent), her name is hardly necessary.

You can almost smell the dust in her hair and the sweat of her body as she approaches the well.

We can envision the toll those marriages must have taken on her body and feel the quenching of her soul as she encounters Jesus.

I think her name is not given because Jesus knows each of use can easily inscribe our name in her story!

Be thankful you were worth talking to in your moment at the well.

Again, the question was: would she be worth you having a conversation with?

HSAY… Todd

Daily Wisdom

“He was despised and rejected of men; he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him…” Isa 53:3a; 5a & 10a

Consider, the value of a painting is determined by what someone is willing to pay for it.

By that definition how much are you worth to Jesus considering the price He willfully paid?

Remember, it’s the cross that makes you flawless and priceless.

Don’t let your value be determined by a worldly definition of worth, your value is in Christ which He defined by the cross.

In (Gen 1-3) God used the word “good” 15 times. It’s the Hebrew word (tobe) meaning: beautiful, best, bountiful, precious & wealth.

Never let your motivation to define your worth be centered on proving it to others, let your motivation be centered on Jesus who has already established it.

Don’t be encouraged or discouraged because others are willing or unwilling to bid for your time… remember Jesus has already paid for it!

HSAY… Todd

Daily Wisdom

“for we walk by faith, not by sight.” 1 Cor 5:7

Our faith falters because we’re more visually stimulated rather than spiritually.

You may have heard the statement, “don’t believe anything you hear and half of what you see.”

Unfortunately, that should be the opposite. But our culture is such a visual creature, driven in our desires and sadly too much in our faith by what we see.

Isa 53:2 says, “there is no beauty that we should desire him” (JESUS).

The beauty that Jesus possesses in not physical but spiritual only!

Thus, Jesus wouldn’t be granted much of a platform by today’s standards. (and HE doesn’t)

One can’t obtain faith by a visual approach. The only application vision has in faith is by what we see in God’s Word.

The statement, “what you see is what you get?” How misleading is such a statement when contrasted between Jesus and what our culture displays!

The more we accept and buy into the cultural visual stigma the greater it hinders our faith.

Faith can’t be founded on what’s favorable to the eye, but rather what’s favorable to the heart.

Faith isn’t measured by outward appearance, but simply what’s in the heart.

“Faith is to believe what we don’t see, and the reward of such faith is to see what we believe.”

HSAY… Todd

Daily Wisdom

“I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die…” Isa 51:12

The Israelite’s feared the power of Babylon greater than the promise of God.

In 1933 Roosevelt, amidst the U.S. depression, stated: “we have nothing to fear but fear itself!”

Fear traumatizes and paralyzes creating a desire to avoid or escape a present situation.

Fear is an ever-present emotion; real or imagined. It’s unrealistic to think we can live without fear.

Psa 56:3-4 says, “When I am afraid, I trust in God…” (it doesn’t say “if”, but “When”)

It arises when we feel helpless in a given situation.

As God’s children we must learn to walk from fear to faith, and the loving arms of our Father!

David faced such a fear in (Psa 27), having enemies desiring to devour his flesh (vs 2).

But David’s words in (vs 3) changed the direction of his circumstances from fear to faith.

“Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.” (Psa 27:3)

David understood the promises of his heavenly Father and found comfort in his fear.

We often feed our fear with false assumptions, thus starving our faith in the same manner.

Courage is not a man who doesn’t feel afraid, but he who feels assured in God’s promised comfort.

Faith or Fear, one brings comfort and the other concern… but the one that flourishes depends on which one you feed! 

HSAY… Todd

Daily Wisdom

“HEARKEN TO me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged” Isa 51:1

In Gen 12 God the Father blessed Abraham. Making him a great nation, and his name great because Abraham was willing to hearken to the Lord.

Yet it required Abraham to move in darkness concerning the Lord’s will for him.

But this is the promise of the Lord to protect and deliver me, by way of His goodness. (Jer 29:11), even when I must walk in darkness.

This encouragement requires me to Hearken, Hebrew meaning to hear attentively.

Job’s choice to listen to his friends rather than turning to the Lord only added to his spiritual demise.

Point being: that which I chose to listen to, I’m apt to learn from.

The Lord called only one in Abraham, and yet He made a great spiritual nation that lives and thrives today in His promises.

The blessings that arises out of my life will be determined by who and what I choose to hearken to.

“Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.” Pro 8:32

What has your ear? Encouragement can be in error if we choose to hearken to worldly wisdom!

HSAY… Todd

Daily Wisdom

“And he said, About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son …”  2 Kg 4:16

Interesting story shared from Elisha’s ministry. Here’s a “great women” (Pro 31) who used her blessings from God to be servant to God’s work.

She perceived Elisha as a man of God (vs 9) and thus used her gifts to minister to Elisha.

By way of her hospitality to Elisha he offered her a voice before the king and/or the general.

But she was humble and content in her circumstances (vs 13).

But, in her humility, she did tell Elisha she was childless, and her husband was of old age.

Elisha was willing to seek God’s favor to remove that which at present was her only grievance.

Such blessings that are suited to our specific necessities are welcomed with greatest of thanks.

Question: How are you preparing yourself for your blessings?

This woman was still willing to be accountable with the gifts God had blessed her with and serve the work of God while she tarried in her prayers for a son...  (Isa 40:31 “But they that wait (Hebrew word serve) upon the Lord shall renew their strength…”

Point being: don’t miss a blessing from the Lord because you skipped a spiritual work day.

One never knows where God’s next blessing will come from or through.

Be willing to humbly serve God’s work and you’ll find God’s work is likewise serving to you!

HSAY… Todd

Daily Wisdom

“For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”  Jere 29:11

Consider… for there to be hope in the future there must be power in the present.

In order to have a hope and belief beyond my circumstances I must know and accept the promise that God has an expected end, for my good and not of evil, in all matters of my life.

Without grasping such an understanding of God’s goodness (faithfulness) it is hard to survive and strive in life.

The strength and power of this verse is in God’s promise, but it’s my faith in His promise that activates it in my life.

Again, God knows His thoughts towards me and the desired end for my good, I’m the one living in blind faith.

I must apply my faith to knowing that if there’s really a promised good for my future, then there’s power working in the present to deal with every circumstance in my life which guides and delivers me through the problems.

Point being… I must focus on the promise and trust His power in the present.

God knows the good He wants and has for me; the question is do I have the faith to receive it.

My faith will never see a promised end if it’s focused on a present problem.  

HSAY… Todd

Daily Wisdom

“And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent form God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth. And behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.”  Lk 1:26; 31

Ever consider God seems to show up in the interruptions of life more than the plans?

Our brokenness is a great amount of our personality, and broken vessels spill more water!

For many Christians we try to cover up the seeping wounds underneath, hiding the appearance of the interruption they made in our life… and in doing so the appearance Jesus made during them.

If someone is unwilling to show their scars, I’m less likely to want to hear about their trophies.

The scars may be ugly, but the healing that comes from them is beautiful.

The bible is filled with fakes, frauds and failures. If each of them hid the scars and interruption they made in their life how would we see the beauty Jesus in them?

In the cultural setting of her time consider the interruption Mary had in her life as a young child herself, coming to be with child without having known a man.

Yet, it was Mary who silently watched Jesus hang on the cross for her sins as well as ours.

Proving He was God. Because no mother, who knew different, would’ve silently watch such an interruption in their life if they knew it not to be true.

Her silence verified Jesus as Saviour!

Interruptions are inconvenient, but the scars from them reveal Jesus as Saviour… show them faithfully!

HSAY… Todd  

Daily Wisdom

“Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies.” Psa 108:13

A dear friend of mine shared a thought the Lord had given her which I believe is spot on.

I feel Christians live too much in a spiritual defensive mode rather than a mindset of victory in which we’ve been promised. (Deut 20:4; 1 Cor 15:57)

Here’s her statement: “We should stop thinking about faith as a magic wand that we wave when we want to feel better about unmet expectations (defeat). Instead we should think of it as a muscle we flex to do the heavy lifting that removes the pain of unmet expectations and allows us a way to see God at work (victory) without temporal distraction.”

I added faith should not be isolated for a defeated response, but rather a victorious hope.

Point being: Don’t use faith to coupe but to conquer!

Often prayer lives end with requests for help in order to coupe with stressful situations.

David’s Psalm (108) was not a prayer for rescue, but victory.

With God’s power we can claim more than mere survival, we’re promised victory!

You’re not fighting for victory… you’re fighting in victory! Victory is already yours. (Jn 16:33)

HSAY… Todd

Daily Wisdom

“But now thy kingdom shall not continue: for the Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to be captain over his own people, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee.” 1 Sam 13:14

Saul’s greatest battle and defeat was Saul himself!

Saul got to a point in his life he was battling everyone and everything as fault for his own failure and faith in the Lord.

Spiritual success is living by God’s will not our own.  Motive will always be wrong if our will supersedes God’s. (1 Sam 15:1)

Samuel listened about as well as Cain did when it came to his offering from a cursed earth (Gen 4)

Point being: Our battles are rarely with others, but within!

Saul lost his greatest asset, self-reflection concerning God’s will verses his wants. (1 Sam 15:30)

Christians can be prone to reflect on their situations like Saul did towards David. 

David wasn’t Saul’s struggle, it was Saul himself who failed in the Lord’s will.

When we stop blaming and start reflecting on the situations in our life will start realizing we’re often trying to kill what God is trying to use in our life.

One who is more focused on finding fault than feeding their faith will often be blind to the Lord’s will.

Spiritual growth comes by self-reflection of one’s faith, not fault finding in others!

HSAY… Todd

Daily Wisdom

1 Thess 1:9b “… how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.”

One only turns to what they can trust, and only trust in what they believe and know to be true.

For most Christians this is the stumbling block, a lack of truth equals a lack of trust (faith) to “turn to God.”

Only God can turn a mess into a message, a test into a testimony, a trial into triumph, and a victim into a victory.

But God can only turn such burdens into blessings when we turn from the idols (worldly resources) we’re prone put our trust in.

God declared in Hosea 4:6, that we are destroyed for a lack of and rejection of knowledge.

Needless to say, ignorance is not bliss!

Pro 9:10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.”

When one finds God’s truths, they build trust, and then they have something worth turning to!

HSAY… Todd