Daily Wisdom

“The Lord hath appeared of old unto me saying, yea, I loved thee with an everlasting love…” Jere 31:3

All that our Heavenly Father does is motivated by an everlasting, perpetual and eternal love that will never dry up.  There has never been a time His loving-kindness has not prevailed, He knew before we were even formed in our mother’s womb; His loved existed (Jere 1:5).  The Father’s love has always existed and always will, yet it cannot be obtained, gathered or even earned, it’s to be experienced. This is why Paul prayed in Eph 3:17-19 “…that, ye being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth and height of Christ’s love which passeth knowledge…” Paul is pleading for our experience of God’s love, not our knowledge towards it. For it to be rooted in the fabric of our being and experienced, not intellectually understood.  A ceremonial marriage can intellectually exemplify a relationship, but does not define the love of a relationship. As His children, we access the Father through our faith and in doing so the greatest reward is received by those who diligently seek Him (Heb 11:6).  That great reward…His eternal love!

HSAY…Todd

Daily Wisdom

“And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither; so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building.” 1Kg 6:7

It’s amazing to consider that every stone was engineered and constructed a great distance from the Temple site itself – and then delivered and put together with great precision on location?  These stones were of great size and value (I Kg 5:17) and were instrumental in the beauty of the Temple, requiring the greatest of detail and workmanship for each stone.  In the same manner the Holy Spirit is in the process of erecting a magnificent temple today.  And each stone, being each of us, is being carefully carved, etched, and chiseled to fit precisely amidst God’s construction.  Each Christian is being brought forth out of the world’s darkest quarry and smoothed precisely to be placed upon the foundation cornerstone, Christ (Isa 28:16).  This work, this construction that we are amongst is repetitive and ongoing, as even the apostles and prophets have been quarried and laid before us (Eph 2:20).  As (1 Kg 15:17) describes, you’re a great and precise stone chosen for God’s construction, allow the Holy Spirit, while at times may be burdensome and takes you a great distance as well, to shape you and smooth you to precision and place you exactly where the Lord needs you!

HSAY…Todd

Daily Wisdom

“…we glory in tribulation also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience experience, and experience hope.” Rom 3-4

Hope is defined as “a wish or desire supported by some confidence of fulfillment.”  In the biblical perspective it is exactly that – a belief grounded in faith, based on the promises of God.  Hope allows us to stretch our efforts towards an eternal tomorrow through God’s assurances.  Ecc 9:4 “For the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.”  No matter your current status if you’re living there is hope, because God offers us three unchangeable hopes:

1.) God is the God of forgiveness and redemption, thus it’s never too late to get tight. He will take what you have to give Him and make usable for the eternal and hopeful for you. Pas 103:10 & 12 “He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities; As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.”

2.) God makes all things new. Lam 3:22-23; 25 “…his compassions fail not; they are new every morning; The Lord is good unto them that wait for him.” 

3.) God never withholds His goodness from those who seek Him. Psa 34:10 “…but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.” God always has our best interest in mind, he will bring about what He has promised which will satisfy our hopeful desire.

The devils workmanship is bondage and hopelessness; leading to discouragement, fear and depression. But, the Father; “The God of hope, fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope…” Rom 15:13.  It’s for this reason we must abound in the promise of hope in the Lord, knowing by the promise of future glory we can be “more than conquerors through him that loved us.” Rom 8:37

HSAY…Todd

Daily Wisdom

“But godliness with contentment is great gain.” 1 Tim 6:6

According to God’s word, true richness lies in true Godliness.  Yet, Godliness does not occur through religion, good deeds or man’s efforts.  Godliness is a byproduct of a personal relationship with Christ and matures as we grow closer to Him; so that the Holy Spirit becomes our guide and conviction, which through His word allows us to live a life that is pleasing to Him and rewarding to us.  Godliness is to be our primary goal when we ponder the riches of life. Theirs is no lasting significance in anything else the world has to offer.  Paraphrasing…”When you live a life of Godliness, this is a life of great gain.”  Theirs is no ultimate meaning or reward in worldly riches, only in our personal relationship with Christ. Man is prone to ponder wastefully the advantages and pleasures of temporal wealth and exasperate their efforts to obtain it with hopeful thought it will bring a life of rewards and contentment. But, instead they see such gained riches come and go, and eventually depart for ever leaving in its place only that which offers true riches, that which they bestowed in Christ.  True richness is a heart that finds contentment and its greatest gain in its investment in Christ.

There is no Godly gain one can purchase by the wealth of money.

HSAY…Todd 

Daily Wisdom

"And herein is that saying true, one soweth, and another reapeth. I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour; other men labored, and ye are entered into their labours."  Jn 4:37-38

It's very easy to get caught up in the "go big or go home" mentality.  This can also creep into the church and our Christian walk.  Almost every story you hear of church planting success is of how a gifted leader started with almost nothing and then the congregation just blew up overnight. Seldom do we hear a leader share about long years of faithful labor with little initial fruit, but how God was still at work; regardless of the numbers.  Such was the life and ministry of Jeremiah.

In John 4, Jesus wants the disciples to know that the spiritual harvest they were experiencing was the result of a long-term process and the labor of others.  Others had gone before them, tilling the ground, planting the seed and watering the soil; and now they were witnessing the harvest.  We can get caught up in the "reaping" as the disciples probably were.  This can happen in our ministry circles, or even with friends that we hope will come to see the saving grace of Jesus.  We often focus on the harvest as opposed to the tilling, sowing, watering, and cultivating that must occur before we reap.  In other words, we are more interested in the end result and not as much as the experience that comes before. This can also cause us to be discouraged when we don't see quick results in our ministry.  However, we can be encouraged by Jesus' words and realize that the work we are doing now will bring a harvest, even if we aren't there to be a part of it.

Farmers quote: "Your corn is ripe today; mine will be so tomorrow."  This is profitable for us all, while we labor with another today, another will labor with us tomorrow; knowing God will give the increase. (1 Cor 3:6)

HSAY...Todd

Daily Wisdom

“But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground.” Jn 8:6

A fascinating and intriguing scripture, what clue would it give to the thoughts of Jesus?  The Pharisees brought before Jesus a women caught in adultery and demanded, “Jesus, what do you say now?”  Silence, scripture states, “Jesus wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.” While the bible does not record Jesus’ writings, we are only left to wonder, maybe He wrote scripture.  Perhaps he was writing the man’s name involved, does not adultery require two? Or maybe He was writing the sins of the Pharisees who were accusing the women? Could be Jesus was just gathering His thoughts as being angry they were humiliating this women just to get at Him? While we have no knowledge, I believe we can make a strong case for the silence.  His heart was breaking, looking at the Pharisees and realizing, they do not get it!  While Jesus had the authority and just cause to rebuke them, instead Jesus could be stating: You don’t get it; I came not to judge, but “to seek and to save that which is lost.” Lk 19:10.  Jesus, in amazing display of compassion and self-control for the whole, finally stood Himself and states: “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” (vs 7).  Interestingly, Jesus returns knelt to the ground placing Him beside the women as to experience/share her humiliation.  Realizing at this point they were subject to the same judgment as the one they accused, they became convicted by their own conscience and drifted away.  Jesus had no interest in judging or convicting anyone of their sins, but instead desiring they would understand their self-need, as well as others, for the saviour. We are not called, nor have the right, to judge others, but instead we are called through compassion to make a difference (Jude 22).  Consider, one cannot judge someone and love them at the same time.

Judging another person does not define who they are, but, only who you are!

HSAY…Todd

Daily Wisdom

“Then will the Lord be jealous for his land, and pity his people.” Joel 2:18

The transitions with which we see through the prophets are remarkable, but not unaccountable.  Wrath and promises on God’s part, rebellion and repentance on man’s, succeed one another with great rapidity.  Yet there is clear and precise order in these changes, which are always dependent upon moral and spiritual relations, and are never arbitrary or coincidental.

1.) Divine Relenting – This is found in the moral nature of God. He is merciful and delights in mercy. Yet this attribute is only exercised upon certain conditions; man’s attitude and heart.  Entreaty on the part of Judah accounts for the exercise of compassion on the part of God

2.)  Divine Relenting Leads to the Removal of Evil – The removal of the Northern Armies, intended for the correction of Judah’s sins, is averted and famine is driven away. That which was once intended as an affliction for correction is now retained by way of His great mercy.

3.) Divine Relenting proves itself by Abundant Grace – Judah was assured that, as a sign the storm of God’s wrath was past, they would enjoy the fruits of the earth as the corn, wine and oil flourished again.  Those who God pardons He blesses in their humility, taking away His wrath by bestowing His grace, mercy and loving kindness.  Simple process; Repentance = Relenting, Removal, Replenish

The mercy of God’s deliverance is abundant, but it will always FOLLOW our repentance.

HSAY…Todd

Daily Wisdom

“And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God…” Joel 2:13

Deep remorse was often shown by tearing one's clothes. But God didn't want an outward display of penitence without true inward repentance.  It is the heart that God wants changed not one’s appearance.  In 1 Sam 16:7, God illustrated this concerning his call on David when he told Samuel “look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature…man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.”  It’s the attitude of the heart, not the appearance of the body that God looks upon.  A truly penitent heart is called a “broken and a contrite heart.” (Psa 51:17)  Such a penitent rends and rips the recesses of the heart, to discover the abominations thereof, and pours out before God the diseased and perilous stuff that is pent up and festering within, and expels the evil lodged within it, and opens it to forgiveness by way of God’s divine grace and mercy.

Heaven finds a forgiving ear, when man finds a repentant tongue.

HSAY…Todd

Daily Wisdom

“So they…made Rehoboam, the son of Solomon strong, three years: for three years they walked in the way of David and Solomon.” 2 Chro 11:17

It only took three years for Rehoboam to turn from his persistence in God, which in turn left him and Jerusalem in the hands of Egypt.  The faithful Canaanite woman demonstrated more persistence in one conversation with Jesus than Rehoboam did in three years. 

Persistence pays – As Jesus passed by, the Canaanite women cried out, “Have mercy on me, O Lord,”  She clearly knew who Jesus was and heard of His healings and miracles, causing her to boldly cry out for His healing and blessings on her daughter who was possessed, knowing He would do so if she could just get His attention.  But she was challenged by being a Canaanite, gentile; and according to the disciples was only making a scene and requested Jesus to send her away quickly. But the women grew in here persistence.  No longer content with crying out, she got before His feet and knelt, saying, “Lord, help me.”  And again, she did not get the immediate response she desired, only to be questioned by Jesus instead.  And by way of her great humility in the Lord, that even though the words of choice seemed harsh, “labeled a dog” (used for gentiles), her faith knew even the gentiles had access to dine with the Saviour as well, even it be the crumbs that fell to the floor.  It was this great faith in persistence that impressed Jesus and brought healing for her daughter.  That which got you right (Christ), is what will keep you right!

“In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream always wins; not through power, but through persistence.”

HSAY…Todd

Daily Wisdom

“God forbid that we should rebel against the Lord, and turn this day from following the Lord…” Jos 22:29

Apathy is the assassin of passion.  The attack causes passion to lie dormant and the body deteriorates. Mary Mason wrote concerning the illness of America, more so it’s moral decay. Stating the etiology (study of causes) was apathy; progression America from intensive care status, to hospice care. While I agree with the diagnosis of apathy, its root cause is apathy towards God.  Unfortunately, spiritual apathy leads to atrophy, the deterioration of one’s spiritual gifts and unselfish love towards others. It would seem the term “apathetic Christian” should be an oxymoron.  There was nothing apathetic concerning our Lord, He was passionate, serving and devoted to the Father’s work.  The results of apathy are discouraging and unfulfilling and we wonder why Christian and church influence is dying in America, what is to be desired by a falling society?  I think of Col 3:17 “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”  I cannot think of a more fitting and vital verse for God’s children for today’s society, yet again apathy assassinates such a calling. There should be an enthusiasm that radiates form the church that is so evident, it’s contagious.  Don’t be delusional in thinking church attendance is the antidote for apathy; statistics are overwhelmingly clear and accurate, 20% of the church body serves and fulfills 80% of the ministries and supports with 80% of the tithing.  Unfortunately just sitting in a pew often adds to the apathy, as well as the atrophy of the Christian life.  From a pastoral viewpoint, perhaps the most concerning is that apathy appears to exclusively show up in the spiritual realm of people’s lives; while hobbies and life as a whole are perused with the passion that’s lacking in the church!  Apathy, by definition, the “lacking of interest” and yet entertainment and more so sports today are achieving all time highs in viewing and participation. I can boldly promise you that if the Holy Spirit is nurtured and alive, and not suppressed, a Christian cannot avoid their interest in the work of the Lord.  I agree strongly with Mary Mason, we are hemorrhaging as a society, but if we fail to acknowledge it is a spiritual disease of indifference towards God, we will be doing nothing more than putting a tourniquet on the decapitation between Christ, the God head (1 Co 11:3), and man.  If you find yourself, while reading this, in a cold indifference to our societal state and more so the spiritual state of our society, I pray and encourage you to see yourself through the direction and will of God’s word, and fight the “indifference” in your heart and become the “DIFFERENCE” through Christ our Saviour!

HSAY…Todd  

Daily Wisdom

“That he (God) would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man.  That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love” Eph 3:16-17

Paul’s prayer was for the Ephesians’ to be strengthened internally in the love of God.  He encouraged them to be grounded and rooted in God’s love in order to bear much fruit in the Spirit.  The establishment of God’s love in man’s heart strengthens their ability to love not only those who love them, that even sinners can do…Lk 6:32 “…for sinners also love those that love them”, but the unlovable as well, including their enemies.  Then one knows they are becoming grounded and established in God’s love.  This love requires the continual renewing the Spirit of the inner man.  If the inner man becomes spiritually starved, malnourished, lethargic, self-absorbed it will show in the outer man becoming disinterested in others misfortunes.  We all need the inner-strength of God’s love, because He calls us to love the “whole family (vs 15), not part of.  That amount of fullness of love will require a lot more strength than we can provide on our own, we need the “breadth, and length, and depth, and height” (vs 18) God’s love offers to do so!

HSAY…Todd

Daily Wisdom

“It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassion fails not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” Lam 3:22-23

Little compares to the relaxing sound of waves crashing upon the seashore. The ocean, as well as all of creation, embodies the characteristics of our creator. Yet, the ocean is one of the greatest representatives in all of creation.  As with God, the ocean is a source of life, strength and tranquility.  Ocean waves in particular, are truly amazing.  Each time a wave washes upon the beach it carries away a portion of sand from one place to another.  As a result, the waves, sand and beach will always change.  God deals with our sins in the same way the ocean deals with sand.  He washes over us with His waves of mercy; and removes our sins, as far as the east is from the west (Psa 103:12).  Like the Lord’s mercy, those waves are constant and never ceasing.  By understanding the unending and unrelenting force of a wave, you can begin to grasp the unending mercy and love of our Father.  In turn should call each of us to 1 Chro 16:34 “O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good; for his mercy endureth forever.”

Mercy is the substitution of God’s favor for our faults

HSAY…Todd