Daily Wisdom

“But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost.” 1 Cor 4:3

Being a Christian is exemplified in your direction not in a location; it demands progression not perfection. It has little to do with where you’ve been, but everything to do with where you’re heading. The work of turning the world upside down through Christ was not done by perfect men, but simple man willing to move it forward with a perfect God.  Yet what they accomplished was not by way of a title, but in a lifestyle they personified. As a Christian you must measure your actions with the cross; is what you’re living for worth Christ dying for?

Walk out of the shadows of yesterday and into the light of today with the promised hope of tomorrow.  

HSAY…Todd

Daily Wisdom

“Saul assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple.” Acts 9:26

Paul who was once the destroyer of the truth became the deliverer of it. With boldness in both endeavors, such change brought about doubt for many; was his true intention then or now. In Paul’s case he was clear in his beliefs on both accounts, again though once a destroyer he clearly became a deliverer of Christ promise with boldness. The church today is becoming hard pressed in clarifying its stance.  It’s growing in double mindedness and instability in the truth (Jas 1:8).  Condemn Paul for what he was, but you cannot for what he became.  For much of the church today the jury/world is still deliberating.  Lack of clarity and boldness in the truth only lends to confusion and doubt for others (Jas 3:16). Christianity is more than a belief; it calls for a life of discipline, a bold determination that through prayer you strive for a life of self-denial and Christ-likeness. As a believer you must loosen your grip on worldly comforts and standards and cling with boldness and clarity to the absolutes of God’s truth.  The image of Christ that others see in you depends on the clarity in which you present it.

Truth does not require your belief in it to be, just is; but an unwillingness to live it dilutes it for others!  

HSAY…Todd

Daily Wisdom

“…and to him said the Lord, Ananias, and he said, Behold, I am here Lord.” Acts 9:10

Are you waiting to hear from the Lord or is the Lord waiting to hear from you? Like Ananias, Isaiah was quick to respond to the Lord; “here am I Lord, send me.” In seeking to hear from the Lord, don’t ask Him to guide your steps unless you’re willing to move your feet. To hear the voice of God we must turn down the world’s volume. He spoke to Elijah in a still small voice; find time to disconnect from that around you and be still in His presence. Don’t mistake your impatience with His absence. His timing is perfect and His presence is always with you (Deut 31:6). Know that the voice of God will never contradict with the word of God (Num 23:19).   

“Want to hear God speak to you, read your bible out loud.”

HSAY…Todd

Daily Wisdom

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” Phl 2:5

The problems with the image of the church today are those who empty the pews carrying a truth they never live.  I don’t believe the world would blame their lack of participation in the church today if the members would truly live as they are called to live.  Being a Christian is more than a conversion, it’s a transformation that takes place daily whereby you become more like Christ and others come to realize you’ve been with Him (Acts 4:13). The purpose and power of growing in the image of Christ is the ability for others to see His glory, what others see in you is simply a reflection of what is in you.  Make sure your life is worth reading, you may be the only image of Christ that others are willing to read.

Want to change the world, change your life so the world can see Christ in you.

HSAY…Todd 

Daily Wisdom

“And the Angel of the Lord spake unto Phillip, saying, arise and go toward the South…And he arose and went…” Acts 8:26 & 27

It’s said, if you don’t change your direction, you may end up where you’re headed.  Fear and faith is the same thing, they both cause you to act, the difference is that fear is faith in the wrong direction.  Phillip left an active ministry taking place in Samaria to venture alone all for one Ethiopian man, that’s fear acting in faith in the right direction. Remember, what we see depends on what we look for; Phillip saw the Ethiopian, not the fear of the journey.  The joy and peace of the Lord is in the direction you travel, not a location you find.  Don’t complain about the winds God sends your way, and don’t just sit there till they change, but instead adjust your sails and enjoy the journey in finding others along the way.

Don’t measure the success of a man by where he stands, but rather by the direction he’s heading.

HSAY…Todd  

Daily Wisdom

“…we all had our conversation in times past in the lust of the flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us; Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ; And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” Eph 2:3-6

We’ve all been guilty of squandering time in our past, ill-advised investment and expenditures that only brought forth lustful gain.  Unfortunately we cannot return it for a refund and try again, but we can, by God’s grace make new investments.  Consider that you have won the following prize: each morning the bank would deposit $86,400 in your private account for your use. However, this prize has stipulations as follows. 1.) Everything you don’t spend that day would be taken from you. 2.) You may not transfer any monies into another account. 3.) You can only spend it. 4.) Each morning your account receives another deposit for $86,400 for that day. 5.) The bank can end the contest without warning; at any time close your account.  What would you do? How would you go about spending or utilizing $86,400 each day and on what?  Actually this game is real! Each of us have won such a prize, we can’t seem to see it.  The prize is time…1.Each morning you receive 86,400 seconds as a gift from God. 2.) And no remaining time is credited or accrued towards the next day. 3.) What is not used is gone forever. 4.) But, each morning God gives you another 86,400 seconds to use again. 5.) Your account can be dissolved and the game can end without warning. By God’s mercy we get to reinvest daily, He’s quickened us by way of His great love; invest in that which goes towards heavenly places, it will bring forth eternal in gains!

If your investments are in the world, you are the world’s worst investor.

HSAY…Todd  

Daily Wisdom

“And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church. Which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all.” Eph 1:22-23

As Christ is head of the church, we as Christians are to make the body, making each of us a vital part of the whole.  The human body has an estimated 32.7 trillion cells which break down to five primary types.  Question is do you function properly within the body of Christ as a Christian?

First type, Skin cells; they protect the inner workings of the body and while Christ does not need protection, do we allow the outside world interfere in our relationship, trust and faith in Christ or are we able to keep the temporal out of the eternal? Second type, Muscle cells; they power the body and strengthen it, do you depend on your own physical power to fight life or the power of the Holy Spirit? (bodily exercise profit little…1 Tim 4:8)  Third type, Nerve cells; the information highway which transmits and processes information vital for functioning properly, what fuels your mind, by what means do you transmit information (let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus…Phl 2:5). Fourth type, Stem cells; provide the renewing of damage cells, fight off that which attacks.  Do you offer strength, encouragement, hope to those around you, showing the fruits of the Spirit in your life for others to draw from?  Fifth type, Gamete cells: brings forth life, reproduces.  Are you helping to bring forth new spiritual life through Christ, sharing the hope and promise of His salvation?

We're are all familiar with the FAT cell, just taking and absorbing all it can get to feed itself, eventually producing an ugly site, surely not us!

HSAY…Todd

Daily Wisdom

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” Gal 6:7-8

Confusion, Delusion & Illusion...sharing truth today appears to be meaningless, as people don't want their self defined illusions destroyed.  A lack of discipline, accountability, inability to delay gratification, failure to acknowledge biblical truth, materialistic envy, absence of humility, and a delusional view of the importance of self over God and others has placed the majority in a state of spiritual brokenness and confusion.  Living in the moment and fulfilling your immediate desires may feel good today, but it leaves you susceptible to disaster tomorrow.  We have falling into accepting a reassuring lie, as opposed to an inconvenient truth.  We've become entrapped in a state of normalcy bias, content with the delusions of thought we've created for our own comforts.  Once we become a people who are only good because we fear getting caught or for a reward, we've become delusional.  Harriet Tubman stated: "I freed a thousand slaves.  I could have freed a thousand more if only they knew they were slaves."  Sad, but such is the case when we fail to acknowledge truth, it's so delicate that a step away from it leads to delusion and destruction.

The God of the bible/truth is the only god who exists for those who are not yet His children.

HSAY...Todd

Daily Wisdom

“Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”  Psa 37:4

Problem a lot of people face is waiting all week for Friday, all year for summer and all life for happiness. The problem with that is not the problem; the problem is their attitude towards their problem. Often one never finds their happiness in the Lord because they are unwilling to let go of the life they have planned, so as to have the life He has waiting for them. Stop worrying about what might be lost and start looking at what is to be gained. If life has you focused on when your next escape from life will occur, maybe you need to set up a life in Christ that you don’t need an escape from?

Create a life of happiness with He who is on the inside, not with that which is on the outside.

HSAY…Todd

Daily Wisdom

“And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.”  Rom 1:28

You cannot think your way into a new way of living; you have to live life in a new way of thinking.  This requires you to live life with your eyes on God and not the world. This was and is man’s downfall, when God becomes irrelevant; man then makes himself relevant. And thus forgoes the knowledge of God and instead turns to those things of inconvenience and destruction.  Anywhere man refrains from the wisdom of God, the relevance of God becomes void and knowledge gives way to degenerate thought.  The relevance of God is often overlooked for the flavor of the moment which constantly changes showing its true relevance.

That which is temporal cannot have relevance over that which is eternal.

HSAY…Todd

Daily Wisdom

“What man is he that feareth the Lord? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.” Psa 25:12

Two things often define a person, their patience when they have nothing and their attitude when they have everything.  And one’s decision either way is an act of worship, thus what defines you is not your circumstances, but your decisions. Be cautious in making emotional decisions related to temporal dilemma’s, instead of concentrating on how you feel, focus on what you know to be true from the word of God.  The definition of a good decision is not determined by worldly standards, but eternal truths and while they may not bring you comfort they will bring you God’s favor.

Everyone will make life decisions, let the moment be defined by God and not the world.

HSAY…Todd

Daily Wisdom

“Who is as the wise man? And who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? A man’s wisdom maketh his face to shine and the boldness of his face shall be changed.”  Ecc 8:1

Wisdom is the ability to see life from God's perspective; seeking God to change the situation is not as valuable as God changing your heart towards it. God’s love for you is greater than your situation; nothing changes that, but it changes you. Changing your heart towards God’s view of your situation is not the result of you “trying harder”…but simply of surrendering more. 

Change comes forth by making God decisions, not good decisions.

HSAY…Todd

“That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of man, but in the power of God.” 1 Cor 2:5

Impoverished Faith…Man is quick to acknowledge acts of courage or stories of overcoming life obstacles as means of defining faithfulness and spiritual character.  Biblical stories such as David/Goliath, Daniel/Lions, Gideon/Jericho; and you have testimonies that fill multi-media sources today of individuals that triumph over life, drawing the applause and inspiration of others.  But what about faith that appears impoverished, offering no worldly rewards or even the acknowledgment of man?  Often such faith provides the opposite in ways of ridicule and abandonment.  Think of Mary, the mother of Jesus; though chosen by God to deliver the Saviour of man by way of the virgin birth, and yet lived her life in ridicule and attacks of man; seen as unclean and labeled as a whore, and yet her faith was monumental, but without merit to man. Faith without worldly reward is so often seen as futile by man. But, faith’s value lies not in the acknowledgment of man, but rather hangs on the power of the One who defines it. Faith starts with a backwards look at the cross, but lives looking forward to the promises that lie ahead.

Faith is not about everything turning out ok; Faith is about everything being ok no matter how it turns out.

HSAY…Todd

Daily Wisdom

“ARISE, SHINE; for thy light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.” Isa 60:1-2

If “the reflective” is to be seen as a source of hope, it is one in which the viewer becomes the author, because without a viewer acknowledging it’s source it’s impossible to discern that something, or even the nothing, that is there.  What do you reflect for others to see? What source radiates from your being that others are able to acknowledge?  Just as the “Sun (Christ) of righteousness” (Mal 4:2) puts forth it’s light, man who offers no light, like the moon, has nothing to offer but a reflection of the “SUN” that shines on it. So, what type of reflection is seen in you, a full moon or is there just a sliver of light in your life reflecting Christ?  Just as a full moon draws your attention, and offers light in darkness; so does the fullness of Christ in your life offer hope and light in another’s dark life. The reflection seen in one’s life is not always resourceful.

Consuming God’s word without reflecting it is like eating without digesting it!

HSAY…Todd

Daily Wisdom

“For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world…” 1 Tim 4:10

Is it not strange that in a single moment we can lose sight of Heaven and its exceeding glory; to only grovel in the dust and pebbles of life’s pleasures to throw them away afterwards?  If one uses carnal means in seeking happiness in life, they are going to have to continue utilizing greater carnal means to sustain it.  Desire itself gets no pleasure out of obtaining something; it only fuels itself in trying to acquire more than it already has. C.S. Lewis states:  If we find ourselves with desires this world cannot satisfy, the most probable explanation is that our sustaining desire is from another world.  The happy one is he who realizes that giving up that which you cannot keep, in order to gain that which you cannot lose is what sustains him.

That which you are chasing after will change you, what are you chasing?

HSAY…Todd

Daily Wisdom

“But ye have an unction from the Holy One…” 1 Jn 2:20

The word “unction” (χρίσμα) means, “something rubbed in or anointed; the allusion is to the anointing of kings and priests, or their inauguration or coronation, (1Sa10:1; 1Sa 16:13; Exo 28:41; Exo 40:15). Christians, in the N.T. are described as “kings and priests,” (Rev 1:6; Rev 5:10), and as a “royal priesthood” (1Pe 2:5, 1Pe 2:9); and hence they are represented as “anointed,” in the Holy Spirit. Thus who God has “anointed” He will deliver byway of His covenant, The Father states “Touch not mine anointed…” (Psa 105:15).  The Holy Spirit influences are imparted to the children of God, to enlighten, to sanctify, and to comfort them in their trials…(Psa 23:5) tells us, God has prepared a table for you in the presence of your enemies, you’re anointed, and your cup runneth over.  The anointing of God precedes you, protects you and prepares you. David stated in (1 Sam 26:9), concerning Saul, “…who can stretch forth his hand against the Lord’s anointed, and be guiltless?” (Psa 23:5).  God’s anointing assures you of His great love for you, and while you may not be perfect, Jesus thinks you’re to die for!

Someone will pay the price for your sins; will it be you or Jesus?

HSAY…Todd

Daily Wisdom

“Behold I am pressed under you…” Amos 2:13

We often need to be reminded of the mercies we receive by the hand of God.  The Lord complains of sins from His profession children, as a burden unto Him.  Through God’s long-suffering may appear to be tried, His power will not.  When man rejects God’s word, and adds apathy to his sin as a general character, he will be given up to misery. Spiritual apathy is the doorway in which evil enters into the heart of man; it’s the last virtue of a dying society. Apathy towards God cheapens His grace in the minds of man, and allows them to become tolerant towards self will and desires. Opposition is not the greatest threat to man’s faith and obedience in God; it’s his apathetic approach that destroys him, and burden’s God. May we then humble ourselves before the Lord, for all our ingratitude and unfaithfulness towards Him!

Apathy is all that is need for things to continue as they are! (How’s that working out for us?)  

HSAY…Todd 

Daily Wisodm

“But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us.” Eph 2:4

The love of God towards you is perfect, because it’s based on Him not you; thus when you fail He still loves.  He demonstrated such great love for you in that: “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom 5:8)  Though we are incomplete, God loves completely. Though we are imperfect, He loves us perfectly. Though we may feel lost and without compass, His love encompasses us completely. His love is limitless; like the ocean we can see where it starts but not its end.  Remember, His love is based on Him, not you! True love is not an action after the fact; it is the characteristic of God that endures each moment.

“…for God is love.”

HSAY…Todd

Daily Wisdom

“I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God?” Job 9:2

The question here asked is, in itself, the most important ever pondered by man - “How shall sinful man be regarded and treated as righteous by his maker?”;  knowing man’s sin is terminal to death (Rom 6:23a).  Yet his eternal happiness, his peace and all his hope, depend on his being treated as if he were righteous, or regarded as just before God. This inquiry has led to all forms of religion; to all the penances and sacrifices of different systems; to all the efforts which have been made to devise some system that shall make it proper for God to treat people as righteous.  This question can only be answered through Christ; the infinite merits of the Redeemer, in that Christ “may be just, and yet the justifier of him that believeth.”  The question asked by Job implies that such is the evidence and the extent of human guilt, that man can never justify himself.  “The greatest enemy to the soul is man’s self-righteous spirit that tries to justify their salvation.” Don’t live your life in trying to write a resume of acceptance for God, instead work it out daily through Christ Jesus; the author and finisher of your faith (Heb 12:2).

God wants a fruitful spirit, not a religious nut.

HSAY…Todd