MONDAY MORNING
"Teach me Lord"

How many of us had a favorite teacher in school? One we knew understood us, had patience for us, did not give up on us? Mine was Miss King, my High School chemistry teacher. It was my second try as I did not do so well under another teacher the year before.  Miss King just seem to set a foundation for understanding that subject that I had not had before. She was patient, made sure we understood before moving on.  I appreciated that and needed that kind of teacher.

Let's look at the following verses:

"Show me Your ways, O LORD, teach me Your paths;" -- Psalm 25:4

"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you." -- Psalm 32:8

"Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; may Your good Spirit lead me on level ground." -- Psalm 143:10

"But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." -- John 14:26

Miss King was a great teacher at the right time in my life. However, she has been long gone out of my life. Hear this -- there is a teacher who is always there for you and me. In good times, in bad times, through thick and thin, through our ups and downs, who will never give up on us, who is patient with us, who is understanding, etc. And that is the Lord Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Bottom Line:  With the Lord we are in school every day. So, may we be able to say every day, "Teach me Lord. Show me your ways."  Amen? Amen.

MONDAY MORNING

". . . a single command . . ."

The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." -- Galatians 5:14

The only way to fulfill this scripture is through the love of God. Knowing that God is love and that we love because He first loved us. (Read -- I John 4:16 & 19).

Two points:

(1) This love is, agape -- seeking the highest good of another.

(2) Neighbor literally means "the one near you at any given time."

Did you get that? Your neighbor is not just the one living next door to you. It is the one near you at any given time. At the gas pump, in the check out line buying groceries, in the booth next to where you are eating, in the vehicle that just cut you off in traffic, the waiter or waitress waiting your table,etc.  I am sure you could think of other instances of where you may have a neighbor in your life circumstances.  Wherever you may be, are you treating those near you at any given time as a "neighbor"?  Neighbors give of themselves without expecting anything in return. (Read the Parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-31)

Bottom Line: May you be a neighbor wherever you may be and there is someone near you. And, may you love your neighbor as yourself. 

MONDAY MORNING

"But as for me ..."

"But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." -- Joshua 24:15

We have a choice to make -- a freedom of the will: (a) Serve the LORD; (b) Serve other gods.  Some type of service is inevitable. But keep in mind, whoever you choose to serve, you serve them and all they represent. There is no compromise or the ability to remain neutral. It's all or nothing.  All for Him or some other god. Joshua's choice was to serve the LORD. And, his choice was never regretted.

Remember, your house is anywhere you live -- a single room or many rooms, a motel, a palace, a modest home, mansion, alone under the stars or in a tent. And, in your house includes all who are with you -- your household.

Bottom Line: May you choose to serve the LORD. And, may you lead your household to do the same.

MONDAY MORNING

 Fix Your Eyes on Jesus

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." -- Hebrews 12:2

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus ...".  Can we be honest with our self and ask, "Where are our eyes fixed?"

On our circumstances, on our troubles, on our hurts, on our wants, on our woes, on the current national election battle, on the changes in our life, etc?

The writer of Hebrews clearly states where our eyes are to be fixed -- what they need to be concentrating on.  But, that does not mean we will not have to deal with circumstances, troubles, hurts, wants, woes, elections, changes and a whole litany of other things in our life day in and day out.  However, in facing all those things it will go much better for us if our eyes are fixed on The One who is responsible for authoring and perfecting our faith to get us through it all -- Jesus Christ.

Bottom Line: In all things at all times fix your eyes on Jesus. 

MONDAY MORNING
David's heart before the LORD

Read Psalm 141

David had a very open way of pouring his heart out to the Lord. Look a little more closely at these verses in Psalm 141:

Verse 1: "... come quickly to me. Hear my voice ..."
Don't we all want that?
 
Verse 3: "Set a guard over my mouth ... keep watch over the door of my lips."
Can we be honest enough with ourselves and with God to ask for this as David did?
 
Verse 4: "Let not my heart be drawn to what  is evil ..."
We need to know as David did that there is evil in this world trying to pull our hearts away from God.
 
Verse 5: "Correct me when I have done wrong --- it is a kindness ..."
Wow! How many times have we actually and truly asked for correction and considered it "kindness"?

Verse 8: "But my eyes are fixed on You ..." 
Where are our eyes fixed? May it always be on Him. May we not be distracted away from Him.
 
Verse 9: "Keep me from the snares of the enemy ..."
Snares are always hidden and disguised so they are not easily recognized. This is a request of God we need to make everyday.

David was very specific in his prayers to the LORD.

Bottom Line: How willing are we to be open and honest in our prayer life with the LORD?  Exposing our shortcomings to Him. Asking Him to correct us, to set a guard over our mouths, to protect our hearts from evil. May we be willing to be as open and honest and true as David was to himself and to the LORD.  Amen? Amen.

 

MONDAY MORNING
"... strong tower..."

"The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe." -- Proverbs 18:10

 Hearing the word "safe" in this scripture reminds me of playing "Hide and Seek" as a kid. If you made it back to the base you would yell out for all to hear, "Free Base!" Meaning that you were safe from being caught. And, if you were "it" you would say, "Got you!", when you did catch someone.

I have heard people say, "God is out to get me.", when things did not go their way. Hear me loud and clear -- God is not out to get us! God is the "free base".  He is the strong tower. He is our refuge. He is our source of security and safety in all things. Amen?

When you need a friend, He's the free base -- run to Him, the Strong Tower.
When you need comforting, He's the free base -- run to Him, the Strong Tower.
When you are not sure of directions, He's the free base -- run to Him -- the Strong Tower.
When you are in trouble, He's the free base -- run to Him, the Strong Tower.

Bottom Line: Who is our strong tower?  May the strong tower in our life always, always, always -- be the LORD God Almighty -- the maker of heaven and earth. And, may we always run to Him for in Him we now and always will have a "free base" where we are safe.
 

MONDAY MORNING

 ..."standing firm in the Lord."

"For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord." -- I Thessalonians 3:8

 Paul had sent Timothy back to the church in Thessalonica to find out if they were still holding to the faith (see I Thess. 3:5) -- the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
  
Verse 6: "But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love."  

Timothy found them "standing firm in the Lord". They were found standing firm -- not in the ways of the world, or the way of present day society, or in selfishness, or pride, or the enemy, or the politically correct. But they were found "standing firm in the Lord"
Question: If someone were to be sent to check on you --- will you be found standing firm in the Lord? Or will they find you standing firm to ideas and ways and attitudes and pressures that are not of the Lord?

Bottom Line: May we all be found "standing firm in the Lord" whenever anyone comes to check on us. May we be found standing firm and true to Him and His Word. May we be found standing firm in Him so that good news about our faith and love can be reported back. Amen? Amen.