The Pitfall of Despair

Make 2014 a year for sharing

“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” – Matthew 6:13a

In 1972 author Hal Lindsey published a book called “Satan is alive and well on planet earth”  In it, he describes how people of this day and age (written over 40 years ago) have become complacent, and view Satan as more of a comic book villain than the Prince of Darkness, evil and unrighteousness.  So tell me, in the last forty years have we as a people gotten better or worse at fighting off the devil’s play.  I propose time may have elapsed but the conflict is as ripe as it was in the Garden of Eden.

Daily we will be tempted.  This will sometimes come in ways that are obvious and other times in ways that seem harmless.  There is an evil force in the world, inherent in each of us.  This force will occupy space in our hearts and minds when we are weak and vulnerable in our faith.  Jesus came to give us the truth about life, death and eternity.  The more we are in His word and leaning on His strength the less open space we have for the evil one to set up residency.  Since the Garden of Eden, mankind has been struggling with fending off evil. 

For centuries man has tried to do enough good things, say the right words and earn their way back into God’s grace and mercy through sacrifice and ritual.  God sent Jesus Christ as the final atonement for mankind’s sin.  God’s grace became available to all mankind through the blood and resurrection of His own Son, the perfect spotless sacrifice.  Therefore, it is only through Him that we might receive eternal life and forgiveness for our sinful nature, for He alone was perfect and sinless. You cannot earn your way into heaven through good works, righteous words or someone else’s faith.  It is dependent solely on your relationship with Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

As temptation arises today, look to Him for your strength to overcome.  Why, you might ask?  Because He is the only one to ever walk this earth flawless and defeat Satan in every way.  He knows the devil well and wants to help you avoid the pitfalls of despair.

Prayer:

Almighty God,

I lift Your name in praise and worship this morning, for You alone are God.   There are no others but You with the love, compassion and grace for eternity.  I am sorry Lord for my weakness and giving in to temptation, please forgive my transgressions.  Strengthen me Lord, that I might become an overcomer and resist the works of evil in my life.  Help me to be a beacon of hope to those who cannot see Your love through the chaos and confusion of worldly values.  In Your name we pray – Amen

© Sondove Enterprises, 2014
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Mean It When You Say It

Make 2014 a year for sharing

“Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.” – Matthew 6:12

Is it still bothering you?  You know that thing that happened with so and so, way back when.  Did you ever let it go or are you still carrying that pain and sorrow with you?  The power to move on in life is within your grasp, but you must first come to the place that allows you to forgive the person that has wronged you in the past.  Lewis Smedes once quoted, “You will know that forgiveness has begun when you recall those who hurt you and feel the power to wish them well.”

Every single day that you rise from your bed you will do something that is against the will of God.  Most likely you will do many things.  At the end of each day when you are lifting your prayers to heaven and asking for the Lord’s forgiveness and mercy, you are expecting Him to react.  Why is it important for you to feel that God has forgiven your sins?  It’s likely because there a feeling of release, a feeling of peace, a feeling of acceptance that accompany the mercy of the Lord.  Our sins are made righteous through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and our redemption is made whole once again.

Now, why do you want to forgive those that have hurt you or wronged you in any way?  I propose it’s for the same reasons.  Harboring anger, bitterness and resentment towards another creates a wall between you and God.  For you see, your heart and mind are filled with emotions that will be a constant reminder of the pain in your life.  Upon forgiving the other individual you have the ability to heal your heart and mind.  This is done by turning to the Lord for strength, comfort and the calming peace that the Father brings.  Accepting the fact that the Lord is in control of all things and will deal with justice in His own way is all powerful.  He sees all things, knows all things and He is not blind to this particular situation.  The pain you feel, He feels even more so, because you are His child.

When you lift your heart to the Lord in prayer, be sure to forgive those that have harmed you, and then lift your voice and tell your Heavenly Father, I’m sorry for the things I did against Your will today.

Prayer:
Almighty God,
I kneel before the maker of heaven and earth.  I lift my voice in worship and praise for Your name alone is glorious in this world.  I ask that You bring me peace within to forgive those that have wronged me Lord.  I lift them up and ask for Your forgiveness to fall upon them.  Lord, I have sinned against You today in my actions and words.  I ask for Your forgiveness of my unrighteousness and I ask for Your strength to help me turn from these ways.  In Your name we pray – Amen

© Sondove Enterprises, 2014
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I’m Hungry, Momma.

Make 2014 a year for sharing

“Give us this day our daily bread.” – Matthew 6:11

They are dying! Does anyone care?  Every year over 15 million children around the world die from hunger.  Since you began reading this, at least 9 children have died.  UNICEF statistics from the turn of the century stated as many as ¼ of the world’s population survive on less than $1 US/day.  The World Hunger organization reports that in 2010 the price index of food is at an all time high ~ 200% greater than the 2002-2004 average.  This is higher than the highest point during the 2008 economic recession.

Every day children all over the world are waking up hungry and going to bed hungry, with zero relief in between.  I am convinced this was not intended when these words left Jesus lips when he was teaching His disciples to pray.  We are here to serve one another and to serve the Lord in doing it.  His children are intended to be His feet on the street and help those in need with the compassion and love of God the Father.

God provides for everything we need in this life.  I propose that the “daily bread” referred to in Matthew 6 refers to everything essential we need each day.  This includes His Word, His love, His peace, comfort and compassion.  True nourishment comes from developing a stronger relationship with Jesus Christ.  When we rely upon Him we take on a new perspective to the daily problems in life.  When we realize that regardless of the pain, suffering and anguish we experience in any given day, Jesus Christ is with us and in us; we are made strong.  As our relationship grows; our compassion, love and desire to help others grows as well.  We begin displaying Him in everything we do, including helping others who are hurting.

We can allow ourselves to become overwhelmed with life’s busyness and completely miss the need.  Each day we must begin with a foundation of truth and strength from the Lord.  In time you will wake each day with pains, claiming I’m hungry and it won’t be food you desire but a richer word from the Lord.

Prayer:
Loving God,

All powerful and loving Father.  You have given me everything I need in this life.  Help me to recognize Your work in my daily walk, such that I can grow in my relationship with You.  I trust in Your promise to provide for all of my needs, and I strive to share that with others as well.  Forgive me for my weakness and my self-centeredness.  You alone are God and in You I cast my worries and fears.  In Your name I pray – Amen

© Sondove Enterprises, 2014
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It’s All His

Make 2014 a year for sharing

“Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” – Matthew 6:10

In Matthew Jesus took the time to teach His disciples to pray.  We continue on this path of following His lead as we lift up our prayers to our heavenly Father and draw close to Him through this experience.

Have you ever pictured heaven in your mind?  It may look something like this, - blue skies all the time, roads and pathways made of gold, angels sitting on puffy white clouds strumming harps, perhaps a choir of enormous proportion standing and in constant harmony singing out praises to God the Father.  Are there large golden gates rising above the clouds with Cherubim seated on either side?  Is Saint Peter standing there in white with a large scroll checking off names, as people enter?  Hollywood and artists for years have created an image of heaven that people can try to relate to.  Jesus disciple John, in his later years, wrote the book of Revelations while on the island of Patmos.  Contained within Revelations is a detailed description of heaven as it was revealed to him.  This far outweighs any description mankind has ever tried to portrait of heaven, because it is so far beyond our comprehension.

Now, walk to your front door.  Look out the window.  Perhaps you live in a metropolitan city, perhaps a small village or a country town, or perhaps a residential community.  Take in your surroundings with as much detail as you can, and now close your eyes.  Imagine God, the Creator of all things, walking amongst this setting.  God’s kingdom is before you.  We are living in God’s kingdom, for He is the King of all kings and Lord of Lords.  A kingdom is the farthest reach of a King’s sovereignty and authority to legislate and control.  Every millimeter and quark of this existence is God’s to control and legislate over.  By this definition we live within the kingdom of God.  The eternal kingdom of God though, is made up of those things beyond this world, that are promised throughout the scriptures, prophecies and Jesus words.  This is the kingdom by which we share with others through our testimony, our actions, our love, forgiveness and compassion.  When we share our faith and belief in Jesus Christ with others we are expanding the eternal Kingdom of God and His loving grace.  In time, God’s eternal kingdom will be all consuming and those that have acknowledged Him as Lord and Savior will enjoy the fruits of that day with every other believer throughout time.  What a glorious day it will be to walk the golden streets side by side with Jesus Christ, King David, Moses, Abraham and the other biblical saints.

When we pray it is important to recognize who it is that you are in an audience with.  You are given the privilege of praying to God Almighty, through His Son Jesus Christ as our intercessor.  God is sovereign, He is in control over all things and His will, His purpose, His plan will be completed on this earth.  Understand,  there is not one thing you can do to prevent His plan for the existence of mankind to come to fruition.  Eventually, every knee on earth will bow before His throne, just as the angels and those that have gone on before us bow before His throne in heaven today.  We should come to the Lord in prayer, humbling ourselves, giving all praise and honor to Him, for He alone is worthy.  When you look around your home, your possessions, your job, your family and on and on; keep in mind it is all His.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father,

You alone are worthy of my praise.  I humbly bow before You, in honor and glory I lift my voice to give worship You.  You are sovereign over all things and this world and all that is within is Your kingdom to do as You chose.  I ask to be filled with Your grace, love and mercy that I might share this with others and expand Your eternal Kingdom.  Let my voice carry Your words to those in need and let Your will be done in my life.  In Your name we pray – Amen

© Sondove Enterprises, 2014
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The Lord's Prayer: There's Only One

Make 2014 a year for sharing

"Our Father, who art in heaven. Hallowed be thy name.” – Matthew 6:9

Taught in Sunday schools all over the world, The Lord’s Prayer, contains the core essence of how to pray.  Let’s face it, there are mornings and evenings when your prayer seems hollow and transparent almost.  If you, like me, struggle with praying now and then, realize that you’re not alone.  Over the next few days let’s look at the breakdown of this wonderful blessing provided by Jesus for our education.

Jesus is teaching the disciples on the importance of prayer, the fact that it is essential to building a strong, healthy and lasting relationship with the Father.  Leading up to the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus has rebuked those that pray for the glory and admiration that it brings them and instructs His disciples that prayers should be between you and God, so that all of the glory is given to Him.  It’s important that we recognize everything we do should be giving glory back to God, for everything we have comes from Him.  Our knowledge, our spirit, our character, our prosperity, our health down to our every breath; all come from the Creator of the Universe.

The first stanza of the prayer brings glory to God.  Acknowledge right up front that He is sovereign, holy and above all things.  His name must be kept holy in everything we do and say.   “Hallowed” is certainly not a term that is used in our daily conversations around the water cooler, but how many times are we willing to stand around and quietly listen while God’s name is used in vain.  I’m not just referring to cursing as some might think.  I’m referring to those that refuse to acknowledge His superiority, His oneness, and for all intensive purposes are blaspheming His name on a daily basis.  The antonym to the word hallowed is desecrated.  If we are not lifting up God’s name, we are desecrating His name. 

Your prayers should first and always lift up God as the Lord of Lord’s, King of King’s and Supreme authority over all things.  He is perfectly holy and righteous and we need to acknowledge that first.

 Prayer:
Almighty God,
You are holy and righteous and we bow down before You.  Forgive us for our not defending Your holiness when we hear it in our daily walk.  Forgive us for not lifting You up above all things in our own actions and giving You the glory for all that we have.  I pray that we are convicted by the Holy Spirit in these moments from here forward, and that we are bold enough to stand for You.  I give You the glory in all of my ways, in Your name we pray – Amen

© Sondove Enterprises, 2014
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The Heart Knows

Make 2014 a year for sharing

“But now your {Saul} kingdom shall not endure. The Lord has sought out for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has appointed him {David} as ruler over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.”” – 1 Samuel 13:14

David was appointed King of Israel by God through Samuel in 1 Samuel 16.  He was the youngest son of Jesse the Bethlehemite.  Jesse had seven other sons, all of whom had the strength and stature of a King, but the Lord did not choose any of them.  Instead the Lord, chose the smallest, the humble, the youngest of the brothers and said “This is the one”.  In 1 Samuel 16:7 the Lord tells Samuel, ““Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 

The Lord sees in your heart.  He knows the truth of your character, not as man sees it based on your outward appearance and the words from your lips, but from your inner being, your thoughts and your spirit.  We all put on a mask of righteousness at the appropriate times and attempt to convince ourselves and others that we are holy and abiding in God’s purpose.  We may be able to fool man into believing our holiness, but what difference does that make, for man cannot secure you a place in God’s Kingdom.  Only God’s Son can do that and He knows all about the real person inside of your fleshly appearance.

David was not a perfect, righteous person; as we well know.  He was an adulterer and a murderer, as documented in the scriptures.  But, he is the only man whom God labeled as “a man after My own heart”.  David’s love for God was unmatched by any man, other than Jesus Christ himself.  David recognized that his flesh was weak and that his nature was to sin, but he also realized the most important part of life.  David recognized that his sinful nature on this earth was not a sin against man, but a sin against God Almighty.  He realized that he must repent before the Lord, for all of his iniquities and be reconciled to God only, for his transgressions. 

David, like you and I, was born of sin.  We are incapable of living a life without sin and imperfections.  As much as we try to live a perfect life we are only fooling ourselves, for God knows your thoughts and inner feelings as well.  Every thought of lust, anger, vengeance, greed, pride or power separates you from His required perfection.  In your life, if you have had only one thought of unrighteousness, you have separated yourself from God Almighty forever.  For He demands perfection, and complete holiness.  This is impossible for you and I, and every other person to walk this earth, including David.  The only exception was Jesus Christ.

Jesus lived a perfectly holy, righteous life and went to the cross faultless and worthy of God’s Kingdom.  His death on the cross is the sacrifice required for our sin filled lives.  Every sin of mankind was put upon Him at that time and forever more.  There will never be a need for another sacrifice, for in that one event God settled it once and for all.  We are not expected to live a perfect, holy life; but we are expected to come before the Lord, with Jesus Christ as our mediator and repent of our unrighteousness, and be reconciled to His purpose and holiness.  Do not turn from the Lord in fear and avoidance, but come to Him with a heart filled with the desire to serve Him and bring Him glory.  Your actions will follow your heart if indeed you seek Him first, just as David did.

© Sondove Enterprises, 2014
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Time to Check Yourself

Make 2014 a year for sharing

“I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.  Let my meditation be pleasing to Him; As for me, I shall be glad in the Lord” – Psalm 104: 33-34

Who is your God?
What is it you seek from Him today?
What are you doing to draw closer to Him?
Do you live for Him or do you live to pay your bills?
Is God real in your life?  If so, tell us, tell us what He is doing in your life.

Guilt, shame and embarrassment are examples of convictions you are placing upon yourself.  They do not come from God, but from your realization that it is not God that you are living for, but yourself.  If Jesus Christ were to take on the flesh of man again, and walk with you for one day would your life be different than it is?  Do you truly want to know God, or do you speak the words in a response to what you believe you are supposed to say?  I am not one to judge, no, that is the role of His Son upon judgment day.  Do you fear that day?

If you are not spending your day living for Him, what are you living for?  There are only two answers to that question.  You either live for Him and serving His purpose or you live for yourself.  There is no grey area. Living for Him is to seek Him each day, and hear His directions, His purpose, His desire and call upon your life.  Then upon hearing it, act.  Actions follow acceptance, acceptance follows admittance, admittance follows recognition and recognition follows the desire in your heart to want more.  We are all addicted to something in this life: money, popularity, power, drugs, sex, alcohol, material possessions or fear; and all are self righteous.  When we are addicted to something of this world we are separated from His presence. 

Search my soul oh Lord and find that which separates me from You.  Press it upon my heart to eliminate the distractions of this world and to present myself open and ready to serve you my Lord.  Break the binds of the evil one such that my life might be dedicated to serving You without walls, for only You are worthy to be praised.  All other praise is for naught if not meant to glorify You and the Son.  Convict us Holy Spirit that we might see the truth, and then counsel us on overcoming this world by serving the One True God.

© Sondove Enterprises, 2014
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Tune It Out

Make 2014 a year for sharing

“Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’””– Matthew 4:4

Absolutely quiet.  Have you ever sat in a place and there was no sound at all?  No birds, no cars, no television or cellphone – just the sheer absence of sound.  In this day and age it is often beyond our ability to get to a point where there is peace and quiet.  I’ve found that even when the opportunity, to achieve complete silence, arrives I often cloud the moment with thoughts, worries and my own distractions in life.

If you find yourself silently, watching nature and the world around you, do you realize that there are thousands of radio waves moving past you.  We don’t see these sound waves and voices moving from one radio tower to another, yet they exist none the less.  How do we know they exist?   It’s simple.  Enable a receiver and an antenna and the sounds will be captured.  Connect a speaker and the sounds will be heard.  Cell phones, wireless internet traffic and radio signals are all examples of invisible sound waves that move between a transmitter on one end and a receiver on the other end.  Without the proper hardware on both ends the sounds are not heard.

I’ve heard people say to me, “God doesn’t speak to me.” or “I’ve never heard God.”  What we all must realize is that it’s the same principal.  We must have the appropriate receptor on our end in order to hear the word of God.  Most of us are looking for God to speak to us on our terms, when it’s convenient for us.  God is omnipresent, always with us, and always communicating with us.  He is not a Genie in the bottle that we call upon when we need help.  His desire is to be part of every thought, every moment of our life.  As we wake, as we live, as we speak and as we sleep; His love and mercy should be upon our lips.

God communicates with us through the Word – the Holy Bible.  Every word is captured at the hands of a scribe writing on God’s behalf.  Rich in depth, content and revelations which are as alive in the 21st century as the day they were captured, thousands of years ago.  Secondly, God communicates through the Holy Spirit, dwelling within each of us.  Jesus tells us in John 14:15-17, that God the Father will send us the Holy Spirit to dwell with us and counsel us, comfort us and guide us in the ways of Jesus Christ.  The key is to receive the Holy Spirit though.  It’s one thing to acknowledge His existence; it’s something completely different to develop a relationship with Him to be your mentor and comforter.  Righteousness, humility, love and compassion for others – these are all characteristics of the Holy Spirit within you.

If you want to hear words from the mouth of God, you must be willing to enter into a full relationship with Him.  This includes receiving Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord of your life, and receiving the Holy Spirit into your life as your counselor, mentor and guide.  The next step is to follow His teachings and directions in your life, with the understanding that God is in control and we are here to serve Him and His needs.  So many times I get caught up in the things I want to do for the Lord that I often forget to ask, “God, what will You have me to do today?”  Hearing from God daily requires tuning into His station and picking up on His message.  This is what sustains life, not the possessions of this world.


© Sondove Enterprises, 2014
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Alive and Well

Make 2014 a year for sharing

“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” – 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Thousands of years have come and gone, since the time when men put the quill to the parchment and captured the thoughts of God for mankind.  Written mainly in Hebrew (with some Aramaic and Greek), the scriptures have led men and women toward righteousness for generations and generations.  The words of God Almighty captured by scribes, prophets and priests over centuries.  The likes of Moses, David, Ezra, the Prophets – Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and others, Peter, Paul, John and Luke have captured the inspirations, teachings and words from God to us.  In a place called Qumran, in the Southeast corner of Israel, there is an ongoing archeological project to uncover the city, homes, and history of the scribes who lived here and spent their days writing.  In the hills just outside of Qumran, are the caves, where in the 1950’s, over 900 scrolls were found with references to nearly every book of the Old Testament. Keep in mind that scriptures were numbered and outlined as our modern day texts are, with books, chapters and verses.  It was a steady stream of written text copied by a scribe from the mouth of those inspired by God to speak His word.

More copies of the Holy Bible have been printed than any other book in the history of the world.  Certainly, translations from Hebrew and Greek to English and to nearly every other language may have watered down the original, the word of God remains rich and pure to all mankind.  We often question what God wants from us, what our purpose is, why certain things happen, and what is His plan for the future.  The reality is, that if we spent time in His word every day, and truly studied it for the richness that comes alive on the pages, we would have a better understanding. 

Most of us live in a “Cliff Notes” world though and want the answers without putting in the work of reading, studying and learning.  Many get lost in the heaviness of the scriptures, and others can’t seem to put it into perspective in their own life.  I have found that spending an hour in the morning reading His word and then taking mental notes of what it means in my life has continually strengthened my outlook on life.  Every time I open the scriptures I am learning something I didn’t know before.  There is no short-cut.  It takes time, effort and commitment to grow closer to God, His word and His purpose.  You have to put in the hard work and you have to seek Him, for He is not going anywhere.  He is, has always been and will always be exactly the same. 

The words inscribed on the pages of our Holy Bible are translated from God Almighty and are unchanging.  What He inspired upon the heroes of our faith is still just as important today as it was 4000 years ago.  Many will say that the “Old writings” don’t pertain to today’s world.  I say they are very wrong.  The law passed down from God to Moses for mankind has not changed and will not.

1.      Thou shalt have no other gods before me2.      Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image3.      Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain

4.      Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy

5.      Honor thy father and thy mother

6.      Thou shalt not kill

7.      Thou shalt not commit adultery

8.      Thou shalt not steal

9.      Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor

10.  Thou shalt not covet thy neighbors belongings

Why then, do we have such a hard time following His word as the truth?  Why are we so inclined to attempt and conform His truth to our way of life, rather than conforming our life to abide by His truth.  If we all took a stand to live by the truth’s revealed to us through the scriptures, we could solve 90% of the problems in the world today.  The real problem we face is that people only want the part of the scriptures that benefit them and their lifestyle, rather than the entirety.  As long as there is pride, ego and selfishness in this world, the scriptures will remain a distant record of history rather than a tool for our daily life. 

© Sondove Enterprises, 2014
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One Day at a Time

Make 2014 a year for sharing

“Give us today our daily bread.” – Matthew 6:11

Did today look different when you woke up, or was it just another alarm clock morning of getting ready for work, school or the busyness of the day?  Ask the folks in Hugo, Colorado if their morning looks different after tornadoes ripped through their community yesterday, or the people of the Ukraine after all the violence in the last 5 months or the citizens of Maiduguri, Nigeria after the Boko Haram Terrorists slaughtered over 200 people on Monday.  It often takes things of significant proportion for us to wake up and realize what we take for granted each and every day.  Most of us live monotonous lives.  We go through the same cyclical events each day because it is something we know, not because we lack the desire to be spontaneous or adventurous.  

God calls us each day to join forces with Him and take on the opportunities in each day to share His love with others.  The Lord’s Prayer (found in Matthew 6) references our daily bread.  Daily we need nourishment and sustenance to make it through the day’s activities.  This nourishment though is more than just food; it includes spiritual nourishment and the merciful grace of God sufficient for this one period of time.  Every single day, though similar in appearance, holds a unique opportunity to celebrate His love and share it with those around you.  In Matthew 26:26, Jesus refers to the bread as a symbol of His body and His purpose.  For, to eat of this bread, we are committing to remember Him in our actions, words and experiences throughout the day. 

This is why I take the time each and every morning to spend quietly reflecting on what God has in store for me this day.  Not to request things from Him, but to hear from Him what He will have for me.  Some days this is 5 minutes, some days it is 45 minutes.  This daily bread from God provides the nourishment I need for today, and brings a freshness and newness to each day I am blessed to put my feet on the ground.  So many times we enter into prayer asking God for things, rather than seeking His purpose for the day.  I encourage you to find a moment each day to quiet yourself, calm your breathing, close your eyes and simply ask the Lord, “God – how might I serve you today.” Then comes the important part – take the action to fulfill what has been asked.

Heavenly Father,

I seek Your will in my life.  I commit to serve You and to bring Your love, grace and mercy to others as You have placed them in my life.  Feed my soul with Your daily bread of life, that I might be filled with the Holy Spirit throughout this day.  Holy Spirit guide my steps and actions.  How might I serve You today?  In Your name I pray – Amen

© Sondove Enterprises, 2014
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Help is Here

Make 2014 a year for sharing

“"For nothing will be impossible with God."”  – Luke 1:37

When I talk with people about problems they are having today – financial, marital, relationship, addictions, fear and happiness – the general feeling is that these problems aren't new.  They are cyclical and have been going on for generations and generations.  I propose that since the beginning of time people have had similar problems.  Granted they are much more elaborate today, and well celebrated; but not necessarily new.

There is nothing you could bring to the table of God today that He has not seen before.  Seriously, is there anything you can think of that God hasn’t seen or dealt with at some other point in the existence of the world?  Try it.  Try to think of the biggest problem you are facing right now.  Many of you are likely thinking of paying a bill or many; or mending a relationship that has forever been damaged; or dealing with the loss of a loved one.  Who are you turning to for help today?  Friends and family can go a long way to provide comfort, some financial help and good advice, but most of the time they haven’t had your exact problem before.

Do you truly believe that God is omnipotent and all powerful, or are these just words that are easy to say at the right time?  For you see, God created the stars in the sky.  You cannot count them.  To fully understand His magnificence, think about this.  When you look into the sky on a crystal clear night, regardless of your hemisphere, you might be able to see 1000 stars with the naked eye.  The closest start to the earth is 4.24 light years away.  There are over 5.8 trillion miles in one light year, so that star is nearly 25 trillion miles away.  Now, consider that there are actually millions if not billions of stars in the Milky Way galaxy, which spans 70,000 light years and I’m not even going to do that math.  Did you know that in 1999 the Hubble telescope discovered that there are somewhere around 125 billion galaxies.  How unimaginable is the size of one galaxy, yet alone 125.  Each filled with millions if not billions of stars.  All of this created for you and I as a night light (Genesis 1:17) for the earth.  He created the universe that is unbelievably large, and He created the super-particles that make up the smallest elements of science.  He created your DNA from atoms, unlike any other creature He has ever created. 

So, if you believe in God; and you believe that God indeed created the universe as well as the atom and the particles that make up an atom; then why do you not believe He can solve your problem?  The obvious answer is that He can.  The very next question should be, “Then why doesn’t He?”  To that, there is only one answer, because He is God and I’m not.  God does the miraculous every day in parts all over the world.  We generally have preconceived notions on how a problem should be solved.  Often times my prayers to the Lord are for Him to solve my problem in the manner that I have determined to be the most effective and easiest to implement.  In hind sight I sit back and laugh at myself though.  Do I truly believe that God, who created the universe and everything in it, needs my advice on how to solve a problem?  We have to be willing to seek out His answer for the problem and it may not line up with our thoughts at all.

Finally, I believe we are to acknowledge that we trust God’s answer to our prayers regardless of the outcome.  God has no obligation to answer our prayer in the manner we would like.  If I pray for something and it doesn’t come to fruition, will I still love God?  If my problems get worse and more challenging, can I stand up and still thank God and trust that He knows the reason why and it is for my own good?  These are much easier to write about than to implement, but that is what trust comes down to.  Understanding that God can do anything He wants to do, for nothing is impossible for Him.  He chooses to answer our prayers and solve our problems in the way that best aligns with His plans for the kingdom.

Prayer:

Almighty God,

We are in awe of Your magnificence and never ending love for us.  We look to the sky and see the wonder of Your creation.  We look to the earth and see the smallest insect and marvel at Your intricate detailed design.  You have created us for a purpose and we trust the You are loving, merciful and true.  Your promise is for our salvation and redemption; in this we hold true.  Lord, feel our pain and hear our cries.  Work within each of us to give us Your will in our lives and bring peace to our problems.  Our faith is not shaken as we wait upon the Lord.  In Your name we pray – Amen

© Sondove Enterprises, 2014
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More than Words

Make 2014 a year for sharing

“And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead” – Acts 10:42

Remember as a child when your parents would tell you, “Just do what I said”?  Remember how hard it was to follow their instructions, even if in your heart you knew they were right?  Yeah, me too.  If I had only followed their advice, done what they said and given them the respect they deserved.  But, then again, I was a young man and knew what I wanted.  I had my own dreams, my own visions and my own plans for what I wanted to do with my life.  I didn’t have time to make the bed, take the dog for a walk, clean up my room, do the dishes or any other chore around the house that was expected of me.  Despite their repeatedly asking me to be home by 10, I was often out till the wee hours of the morning, doing things that I dare not ever let be known.  Now as a father and grandfather I look back and think about the choices and decisions made, but without regrets, for the Lord has continually blessed me and provided for me throughout.

Likewise, we read the word and lift our hands in prayers, but are we actually doing what it says.  Peter and Paul tell us throughout Acts that we are to take the gospel to the nations.  Is that a request or a directive?  We believe it, we want the salvation that comes through God’s Son – Jesus Christ, but are we truly willing to abide by what the good Word tells us to do.  Is sitting in a church pew on Sunday morning’s sufficient to meeting the requests of Jesus to serve our fellow brothers and sisters in need?  It is so easy to leave the sanctuary on Sunday filled with the Holy Spirit and dreams of impacting those around you only to wake up on Monday overwhelmed by the week of work, bills and commitments ahead.

If every person that went to church on Sunday actually woke up Monday morning and lived out what they heard or learned in church, we would have a much stronger impact on the evil in this world.  You see, there is an evil in this world that occupies so much of your time, thought and actions that you are unable to actually seek and grow in your Christian walk.  It’s not complacency, although that is also a problem to be reckoned with, it is a problem of prioritization.  We seem to be willing to prioritize everything in our life except the most important purpose, mission and reason for living; and that is serving God Almighty. 

At some point in our lives we must choose to commit to Him, or commit to ourselves.  When we commit to ourselves, we seek the happiness, wealth, desires, success and recognition in the immediate and present time.  In reality, by committing to Jesus Christ and living for Him, we are actually improving the life ahead of us and securing our place for our eternal life one day.  As the scriptures tell us in Acts 10:42 (also: Acts 17:31, 2 Corinthians 5:10, 1 Peter 4:5), there will come a day when we will stand before the Judge and be reconciled to the actions of this life.  I know when I stand before the One judge and hear Him ask, “What did you do with the gifts I gave you?”, I want to be found as one who, despite the many times I failed, I used the gifts He gave me to further His Kingdom on this earth.  I would ask that you do the same.


© Sondove Enterprises, 2014
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Meld Me and Mold Me

Make 2014 a year for sharing

“He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver.” – Malachi 3:3

I remember going to Cedar Point as a small child.  This is an amusement park outside of Sandusky, Ohio; that was very drivable from our hometown in Michigan.  It was so much fun to ride the roller coasters and play the games on the midway, but I was one of those weird kids who really liked the old-time historic village inside of Cedar Point called Frontier Trails .  Here a young boys imagination became the entertainment.  There was an early settlers fort called Fort Sandusky where we would climb to the top and pretend we were fighting in the Civil War and protecting our women and children.  There was the Candle-maker’s shop and the Glass Blowing factory, where you could watch the employees, dressed in authentic 17th century attire, manufacture glass and candles.  One of my favorites though was the Blacksmith’s shop.  It was here that you could actually watch them meld and mold steel into horse shoes, swords and tools.  There was always someone here pounding on metal, and sticking it back into the fire until it burned red-hot and then onto an anvil for more pounding, bending and smoothing.  Watching them making swords though was special because it allowed me as a boy to see a weapon created from nothing more than a block of metal.

It all begins with applying extreme heat in a furnace.  They would keep the metal in the fire long enough to soften it.  When it came out it was so white-hot it seemed to create light itself.  The metal would be pressed when it was extremely hot until it took the basic shape of a sword blade – long and thin.  This took multiple times back and forth from the furnace to the press until it was the perfect shape.  Then they would once again place it in the furnace and upon removal use the anvil and hammers or files to sharpen the edges.  Once the edges were sharp and the point was formed they would begin the smoothing process.  This is where they would keep it in the fire even longer until it seemed as though the metal would melt.  Taking it out, they would file it and put it back in.  This process of scratching the surface with a file would allow the softened metal to fill the scratches in the furnace and evenly distribute the metal across the surface, thereby smoothing the metal.  After multiple iterations of melting, filing and smoothing the metal would be perfectly smooth on the surfaces and unbelievably sharp along the edges.  At this point they would apply the silver plating and the polishing process would begin.

Once again extreme heat is applied after the silver plating, to melt away the imperfections, but not the silver.  This took an extremely careful eye and constant attention of the silversmith.  If it was left for too long, the silver would melt away, if it was taken out too early the imperfections would still be there.  They would heat it, remove it from the fire, dip it in cool water and then polish it.  Carefully they would look over the entire blade of the sword, which right before our eyes becoming a beautiful masterpiece.  Eventually, the silversmith would remove the sword, give it one look over and then turn to the audience and hold it up.  It would shine in the sunlight, reflecting everything around it.  He would lay it on the table next to a block of cold hard steel and I would be amazed that the black/blue chunk of steel had been molded and melded into this incredible shining silver sword before our very eyes.

God is constantly refining us in the same manner.  Inside of each of us is a weapon, formed by His hands for His purpose.  Heat is applied through life’s trials and temptations to strengthen us.  We have choices to make every time we are in the fire of life, choices to lean on God’s word and become stronger or to become discouraged and succumb to the pressure and heat.  God is the master craftsman and knows exactly where our imperfections lie.  He will remove us from the fire to mold us, polish and meld us into what He has in mind.  As we mature in our walk with Him, our purpose begins to take shape and our edge becomes sharp as our understanding is increased.  But all too often we think we are perfect and ready for the world only to find ourselves back in the fire again, being shaped and molded again.

Eventually, we will come to the point of realizing that it is not about when we think we’re ready, it’s about His perspective on our readiness.  God’s plans and purpose for my life far exceed anything I can envision.  I started as a block of steel, and only God knows what the final weapon will look like or when it is complete.  The silversmith knows when his craft is complete because the impurities and imperfections fall away in the furnace, leaving him with a perfect, unblemished piece of silver.  He knows it is perfect when he can see his image reflected back to him.  So it is with God in our lives.  He will continue to apply heat and growth opportunities until He sees His reflection in our life.  This is only possible through a relationship with Jesus Christ.

We can never reflect perfection back to God, but Christ can on our behalf.  He is our redeemer, molder and maker.  He can work through the Holy Spirit within each of us to rid our lives of unrighteousness over time.  His forgiveness and mercy cover our sins and blemishes such that we can stand before the Lord one day, worthy of entering into His perfect heaven.

Prayer:
God the Father,

Continue to press down upon me and mold me into Your servant.  Help me to see life through Your eyes and reflect Your image to all that I come in contact with.  Polish and meld me with Your word such that all unrighteousness is removed in the fire of life.  I long to be held up in Your hands and hear those words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”  In Your name we pray – Amen

© Sondove Enterprises, 2014
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