No Whining, Just Winning

Read It, Learn It, Live It, Share It

“Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people." – Proverbs 14:34

  Living in righteousness requires that one fully embrace and understand the meaning of the word.  Most people will immediately discount the word righteousness, because it brings with it an expectation of perfection and living a Christ-like life.  Certainly, we agree that righteousness (the act of being righteous) implies that one is living within societies accepted standards of morality, values and justice.  But who defines those things?  Is there a single standard for being righteous or living morally?

  The essence of righteous living draws one to conclude that a person is living upright and within the boundaries set by men and by God.  For the root of righteous stems from the old English term right wise, meaning a person that was wise and correct in their actions.  In the reference of scripture the term has Hebrew roots in the word “tsedaq”, which means accurate, fair, justice, rightly or Holy. 

  Can a nation live righteously?  Can you?

  We often times step away from that which seems daunting and unachievable and throw up our hands in defeat.  What use is it, I am only one person, how can I change the nation?  It’s this attitude of poor me and helplessness that continues to be the demise of our society in general.  When those who stand for righteousness stop caring, the enemy has won.  You and I may not single handedly teach people across the nation about turning from their sinfulness and toward righteousness, but we can teach those around us.  Those in our family, our friends our sphere of influence are within our reach.  It becomes a choice as to whether or not you are willing to stand up for it or not. 

  The word righteous appears in the Bible nearly 500 times because we are called to live in this manner.  Christ lived upon this earth as an example of a righteous life.  Can you become righteous as Christ is righteous, hardly.  You were born into sin, by the very nature of the blood that runs through your veins.  On the other hand, He was born of the Holy Spirit, through the virgin Mary without the sin of mankind.  He was perfectly righteous from the moment of His first breath and through His last upon the cross.  We have faith in His righteousness as our salvation, for God demands perfection and righteousness for eternity with Him.  Without Christ as the sacrifice for our sinful nature, there is no way to achieve righteousness on our own.  You might be able to be righteous for 4 or 5 minutes at a time now and then, but your very sinful nature will once again get in the way.

  Despite your attempts at living righteous, you will find it unachievable.  Bring the Holy Spirit into the equation, and all of a sudden your righteousness meter goes up dramatically.  Follow the Holy Spirit’s lead in your life and influence those around through His direction and one by one, many by many we can make an impact in the righteousness of this nation.  Nothing is beyond the capacity or capability of our Father in Heaven.  He is above all things and when we choose to trust and follow Him, we can do amazing things with the little bit of skill and talent He has given us.  Start with your household and then work your way out from there.  Start living with righteousness in your own life through the strength and power of the Holy Spirit, then let that expand to those around you.  You’ll be surprised how much influence you really have.

             

© Sondove Enterprises, 2013
For more Daily Thoughts go to: http://sondove.blogspot.com
If you would like to be added to the email distribution please click here: Daily Thoughts

It’s a Big World

Read It, Learn It, Live It, Share It

“Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia " – Galatians 1:21

We take travel for granted in today’s world of fast paced and seemingly endless desire to see the world.  I travel quite frequently for business and with my family for vacations and weekend getaways.  Stepping onto a plane to fly away for customer meetings, or supplier meetings has become commonplace in mine and my family’s life.  Yet, I must ask myself as I walk through airports, hotel lobbies and down the streets of cities all over the globe, what would God have me to do for these people.  Only recently have I taken seriously the opportunity God has given me to bring His “good news” to a larger audience.  I now make a point of walking a lot while I am in other cities and praying for the people there.  Praying that God stir a revival in them, that they become filled with the Holy Spirit and that they recognize Jesus Christ as the savior of the world. 

In the biblical days of Paul, Peter and the disciples their mission was to take the “good news” to the world.  There were no planes, trains or buses to hop on though, they were left to use what God had given them.  They walked, rode camels or horses from town to town.  After spending time with the disciples in Jerusalem Paul was taken to Caesarea, because his life was being threatened by the Jewish leaders of the time.  Just as Paul (Saul) had persecuted the disciples and believers of Jesus Christ, he had become the hunted.  His prolific passion for spreading God’s word to every man, woman and child was upsetting the powers of control in the Jewish and in the Roman world of that day.

Paul, left Caesarea and started his missionary work on his travels back to his homeland of Tarsus.  Along that route he would go through Syria and Cilicia and take the time to engage the local people there in a convicting manner.  Sharing with them his testimony and the love and grace of Jesus Christ everywhere he went.  He started up churches in these areas, sustained by fellowship with other believers.  Paul would continue to check back with these churches throughout his life of ministry, to ensure that they continued in righteousness and growing in the Lord.

Paul sets an example for all of us to consider as followers of Jesus Christ.  Everywhere Paul went he was excited and unashamed to launch into a discussion of salvation and grace.  Most of us tend to focus on our small circle of influence and less on the global picture.  The world’s population today is exponentially larger than in the biblical days, and many use this as an excuse to “let someone else do it”.  I challenge that thinking though and ask myself constantly how can we expand our reach for the Lord.  It’s time to step out in faith and with the conviction of Paul, proudly proclaim the salvation of Jesus Christ to the world.  There are over 6.5 billion people in the world.  Over 2 billion claim to be Christian, of which some estimates say only 25 – 30% are truly living for Jesus Christ, while the other 70% acknowledge Jesus Christ as God’s Son, but don’t necessarily follow the principles of His teaching.  Ask yourself this one question as you embark on your journey today: “If Paul were here with us today, what would he be doing to reach the other 4.5 billion people of the world?”  If not you, than who is going to stand up for Jesus Christ in today’s world?  

Prayer:
Almighty God,
The world is Yours and all that is in it.  There are men, women and children all over this planet that have denied Your Son, and have chosen another path in life.  Help us to be Your feet to take the message to the masses just as Paul, Barnabas, John, Peter and the other apostles did in the early church.  We trust You to put the opportunities in front of us to share Your message unashamedly.  We  seek to reach the unrighteous in a way that will bring glory to You, put Your words on our tongues and let us be filled with the passion, desire and fire of Paul to reach the world.  In Your name we pray - Amen

             

© Sondove Enterprises, 2013
For more Daily Thoughts go to: http://sondove.blogspot.com
If you would like to be added to the email distribution please click here: Daily Thoughts

Get Out of the Valley

Read It, Learn It, Live It, Share It

“Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.” – 1 Kings 18:21

  As my eyes looked over the fullness and rich landscape, my mind was captured in a battle between the greatness of history and the promise of the future.  It’s mind numbing when you realize that your feet have walked the paths, the trails and the steps that men of such great stature have also walked.  There is a pseudo connection between the past and the present that creates an image in your mind of what it must have been like in those days, despite the fact that millions if not billions have also place their foot in that same spot.

  I recall as a young boy coming through the tunnel, and then stepping onto the turf at the University of Michigan football stadium “The Big House”.  Walking to the center of the field and seeing my foot on the yellow (maze) paint of the big block “M” is something that immediately brought forth a flood of memories while at the same time painted a dream of one day actually playing on that field.  It filled me with the desire to dream big, to set high goals and visualize the stadium filled with 105,000 screaming fans.  The day dream ended all to quickly as the coaches at the football camp barked out their instructions for us to begin the daily football drills.

  But something was different when I stood on Mt. Carmel and looked down over the Jezreel Valley and the Valley of Megiddo.  The history was not something I had watched on Saturday afternoon’s with my dad and my brother, but something I had only read about and without pictures.  Elijah called down fire from heaven on this mountain, as he put his faith and trust in the Lord Almighty to battle those who worshiped Baal.  Was it possible that I stood in the exact spot, who knows, but the reality of His presence fell upon me as I read from 1 Kings 18 that day.  The realization that our God is so big, omnipotent and glorious; the emotions welled up inside of me as I journeyed in this place.  

  Many believe the Megiddo valley (Valley of Jezreel) is the location of this final battle between the King of Kings and the armies of the Beast.  In Revelations 14 we read of a river of blood flowing “..as deep as the bits of horses for 180 miles” through the Israel in that day.   Looking out over the valley once again, my mind saw the picture painted by John in the book of Revelations 19.  I picture the Lord of Lords coming down with an army from heaven and destroying evil once and for all on the earth.  Standing on the top of Mt. Carmel, one can see clearly Mt. Tabor, Mt. Gilboa and the Kishon river that passes through the valley, near Jezreel.  Today the Israeli Air Force landing strip is here, but one day I picture millions of bodies covering the land, while birds eat of their flesh (Rev. 19:17-18), and the river is filled with blood.

  God’s wrath will pour out upon the evil of this world in this very valley (I believe).  It saddens me that people can see the history of this place, read the factual accounts from thousands of years ago, and still choose not to believe that the future picture is just as real.  You don’t need to visit Mt. Carmel or the Jezreel Valley to understand that the end is coming and there will be a final battle of good vs. evil.  God will once again reign down from heaven and destroy that which chooses to refuse Him.  He demonstrated it through Elijah on this very mountain in 1 Kings 18 and 2 Kings 1; we need not look too far to realize He will do it again.    

             

© Sondove Enterprises, 2013
For more Daily Thoughts go to: http://sondove.blogspot.com
If you would like to be added to the email distribution please click here: Daily Thoughts

A Fount of Wisdom

Read It, Learn It, Live It, Share It

“With whom will you compare me or count me equal?  To whom will you liken me that we may be compared?" – Isaiah 46:5

  I am reminded of a song (see lyrics below) from 4 or 5 years back that clearly spoke to me just how magnificent and incredible it is that God Almighty thinks about me.  When we face challenges in life and it looks as though there is no way out of a particular situation, we often times turn to those that we love and ask for advice, help and support.  It’s not that this is wrong, because we are called to help one another when they are in need and to love one another through their heartaches.  This is being Jesus to those around you and we are designed to do this.  But, the realization that hit me a few years back was that as frequently as we call on our friends and family, we very seldom actually call on God to help us through our daily struggles.  I began asking myself why. . .

1)      I can’t comprehend how He can help us when I can’t see Him, feel Him or hear Him

2)      We don’t want to bother God with our silly little problems

3)      We’ve done something wrong and going to God will require admitting it
(hint, hint: He already knows)

4)      There is no real relationship with God, we simply say we believe so we can get to heaven when we die

5)      God is good, pure and righteous and the problem I’m facing is unethical or immoral

6)      Other people are watching and I’m somewhat embarrassed to pray in front of them

7)      He didn’t help me the last time I prayed

I’m sure there are other reasons for not turning to God for help.  I ask that you sit back and ask yourself one question: “Who knows more than God?”  If you truly believe that there is an answer to that question other than no-one, then by all means go and ask that person for help.  The reality is that God created the heavens, the universe, the galaxy, the sun, moon and stars and the Earth and all that is within it.  His bank account is infinite, His mercies are plentiful and His love overcomes every single broken heart.  He has poured out His grace upon mankind, not because we deserve it, because we surely don’t; but because He loves us so much. Grasping that concept is the key to understanding who God really is.

We live in a society framed up by the digital era, and we expect instantaneous results to our questions or problems.  God does not work that way.  He doesn’t have a cell phone, laptop, tablet, or TV.  There is no need for email in heaven.  He hears your thoughts before the words leave your lips.  He thinks in the big picture, not in the small stuff and therefore just because you want something done by Friday, it may or may not be beneficial in the long run.  Trust in His sovereignty and trust in His love for you.  He’ll not let you fall, though you might stumble a time or two.

My Redeemer – Nicole C. Mullen

Who taught the sun where to stand in the morning
and Who told the oceans, you can only go this far
and Who showed the moon where to hide till the evening
Who’s words alone can catch a falling star?
chorus:
Well I know my Redeemer lives
I know my Redeemer lives
All of creation testify
Let this life within me cry
I know my Redeemer lives

There is a God that spins things in orbit
Runs to the weary, the worn and the weak
and the same gentle hands that hold me when I'm broken
They conquered death to bring me victory
repeat chorus(1x)

He lives To take away my shame
and He lives, forever I'll proclaim
That the payment for my sin
Was the precious life He gave
but now He's alive and there's an empty grave.
repeat chorus(2x)

© Sondove Enterprises, 2013
For more Daily Thoughts go to: http://sondove.blogspot.com
If you would like to be added to the email distribution please click here: Daily Thoughts

Let It Go

Read It, Learn It, Live It, Share It

“He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”" – Psalm 46:10

  It came upon the horizon just as it had the day before, and the day before that.  First the glimpse of orange and pink hues break through the darkness which lies upon the depth of my perspective.  Suddenly, the crescent broke the surface and began to rise over the imaginary line which separated the physical earth from the atmosphere.  I sat on the deck of the cabin and watched as the fog lifted from the earth’s surface and the sun in all of it’s glory became full in the morning sky, as if it were a toy ball sitting upon a wire in the distance.

  I picked up the guitar and strummed a few chords, just resting in peace with the Lord on that brisk morning in the Tennessee mountains.  Looking down into the valley, one could see the lights of the other cabins, just coming on as others were likewise rising to make the coffee that morning.  In the distance one could hear the cry of an eagle and the crunching of paws upon the dried leaves on the forest floor.  Perhaps a bear was walking toward the river for breakfast, or perhaps the chipmunks were playing once again and rustling the leaves as they ran.  I sang out a chorus of  “I Can Only Imagine” by Mercy Me, and then simply sat back and listened to the beauty of the stillness upon the mountain that morning.

  For 10 maybe 15 minutes, I wasn’t worried about the overdue bills, the projects at work or the truck that was in dire need of repair.  I wasn’t consumed with getting somewhere, or seeing someone, or hurrying to and fro.  I was simply resting in the presence of God the Father and the beauty that He has given us, and it felt incredibly good. 

  If you are like me, you find it hard to rest, to be still, to feel His presence each and every day.  Life has a tendency to consume every waking moment with some stress ridden thought of the action list that never seems to go away.  Between the act of being a responsible provider for the family, a productive employee at work, a conscientious student at school, a taxi driver, grocery shopper, nurse, chef, dry cleaner, landscaper, auto mechanic, teacher and loving parent; it is nearly impossible to stop and clear our mind for just a few minutes.

  God is still sovereign and oversees all things.  If you believe this to be true, as I do, then why are we so hesitant to trust in His word that He will carry our burdens and lighten our load, if we only trust in Him.  Exalt Him, raise His name on high, far above all things in this world and acknowledge that He alone can see us through our challenges, struggles and heartaches.  We spend countless hours trying to solve the problems of this life on our own without seeking His help or guidance.  When His desire is that we bring it to Him, lay it at His feet and follow His plan of action.  Hear His small still voice echo through your mind, telling you the way of righteousness and your path’s become much clearer.

  This doesn’t make the problems go away, but realizing that He is the creator of all things and omnipotent in His power, brings comfort in knowing that He alone understands the hurt, pain and suffering you are experiencing.  Find the opportunity each day to come before the Lord in quiet stillness with your heart open and ready to hear His word.  Lay your burdens down, acknowledge His authority and glory and fell His calming spirit over your life.  It is our own stress and anxiety that complicates the daily worries, nothing of His doing.  But, He is capable of calming your spirit and clearly seeing you through the day’s events, if you’ll trust Him.

             

© Sondove Enterprises, 2013
For more Daily Thoughts go to: http://sondove.blogspot.com
If you would like to be added to the email distribution please click here: Daily Thoughts

Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid



Read It, Learn It, Live It, Share It

“And I will set My glory among the nations; and all the nations will see My judgment which I have executed and My hand which I have laid on them." – Ezekiel 39:21

 

 Three words that people often times forget about when they think of the Lord: “smite”, “wrath” and “forsaken”.  Perhaps because we don’t want to think about that part of God’s character because it creates fear and requires that we actually try to abide by His guidelines.  There is references throughout the scriptures that God is Holy, Perfect and Righteous and at the same time Vengeful, Jealous and Omnipotent.  As such, as is demonstrated in Kings and Judges and throughout much of the Old Testament; He has very little tolerance for those that choose to refuse Him and the love He has offered to the world. 

  In the times before the Messiah came to the earth, mankind dealt with the realization that there was a God through the Prophets: Daniel, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Zephania, Zecharia and Malachi just to name a few.   They were intercessors and communicators from God to the children of Israel and Judah, delivering instructions on how to live within God’s plan, and what would happen if they did not.  Kings, Priests and Governments listened intently to their every word to better understand how to serve the one true God, or in some cases how to battle against His people.

  So, did God’s character change?  Is God still a God of wrath, judgment and vengeance?  The answer is unequivocally – Yes.  The book of Revelation was revealed to John, the beloved, while banished to the prison Isle of Patmos.  In this book Jesus Christ, Himself, reveals to John what will happen in the last days.  War, pestilence, suffering, death, destruction and inhumane acts from one upon another will envelope the earth and those that remain during the tribulation.  There is much discussion on whether that includes or does not include the believers and followers of Jesus Christ.  Many, including myself, believe we will be taken up before the tribulation, but there are just as many that believe we will all go through tribulation and then be drawn up.

  The reality is that the day is coming that God will unleash His wrath once again upon the earth’s inhabitants that have refused to accept His love and saving grace.  The time is coming when according to Ezekiel 38 and 39, we will see God, Himself, defend Israel in a manner of such magnificence that all mankind will know that it was God and nothing else.  As tensions mount in the Middle East, are we nearing the realization of a prophecy from 2700 years ago before our very eyes?  As we watch the unveiling of events in the high tension areas of the world, one must wonder if we aren’t drawing ever so near to the last days. 

  This then begs the question about your own salvation.  Should war break out in the Middle East, and God shows His wrath upon those that attack Israel, where do you stand in your belief and relationship with Jesus Christ?  Will it take the actual realization of this war to convince you that the Bible and all that is within is God’s own Truth revealed through man?  If you reference other prophecies from Ezekiel, Isaiah, Daniel or others, you will find the majority have already come to be.  Is that enough to convince you of His existence?  What is it that you are waiting for? 

  God’s wrath and judgment are very real and will bring bitter pain and suffering to those who refuse to follow Him.  The scriptures of war, destruction and vengeance in the Old Testament are all the proof you should need that mankind cannot withstand the wrath of God and I can only believe that come tribulation and ensuing judgment day will be greater than anything recorded in the scriptures of old.  You are right in fearing God, but you are also covered by the grace and love of Jesus Christ as your mediator and intercessor between you and God.  He has taken the wrath intended for you and I and carried it to the cross where He became the sacrifice for our iniquities.  Therefore, we will not receive the full wrath of God as we deserve, as those in the Old Testament did (reference the Midianites, those in Sodom and Gomorra, and the Philistines).  We experience the full love, grace and mercy of the Lord in our life, because we follow the One True Messiah – Jesus Christ.

             
© Sondove Enterprises, 2013
For more Daily Thoughts go to: http://sondove.blogspot.com
If you would like to be added to the email distribution please click here: Daily Thoughts

I Still Do

Read It, Learn It, Live It, Share It

“And He answered and said, “Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’?  So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.” –Matthew 19:4-6

 26 years ago, we stood in front of a congregation of friends and family. The candles were lit, the sun shown through the stained glass windows and I held the hands of my wonderful, beautiful bride. Pastor Ken Boyd presided over the ceremony and talked of a relationship founded on the love and guidance of God our Father was able to withstand any struggles this world could bring forth. We were more than two young kids in love, we knew from the beginning that God had brought us to that very place for a purpose much bigger than us.

Love is a precious commodity and can be given or withheld based on our emotional feelings at any given moment. But, let me tell you this about the woman I was fortunate to marry. Her love is as genuine and unconditional as you will ever find on this planet. She has been gifted with the innate ability to love others through their problems, heartache and circumstances when others would normally turn away. I am so overwhelmed by the love she has given me for the last 26 years that it is beyond description.

A marriage built on the strength of the Lord and the principles of love, grace, mercy and servitude will endure.  The ratio of marriages that are ending in divorce is at an all time high, and it is my belief that in every single case you could trace the cause back to one of these areas.  There are situations of abuse, adultery and addictions that come between a husband and wife, and I hypothesize that these are outward actions to a deeper self-centeredness in one of the two partners.  Selfishness, pride and ego are all examples of one who is more concerned about themselves than those around them.  This individual offers up no grace or mercy and in most cases is not willing to serve the other person’s needs first.

If individuals took the words of the Lord seriously prior to marriage, I propose their marriage can withstand the trials of this world.  There are 3 levels of relationship: the Spiritual, the Emotional and the Physical.  At the young age of 20 – 25 most are so drawn to the other by the physical appearance and in most cases put this ahead of either the emotional or spiritual.  Any relationship that is built on sex, intimacy and a physical relationship is destined to fail at some point.  There is no substance there to hold it together for the long run, because let’s face it; there will come a time when that attractive, passionate spouse is going to become older and most likely less passionate.  At that point, what is left to provide strength to overcome obstacles in life.

The preferred path of relationship is to develop from a spiritual basis or foundation, evolving into an emotional relationship and then the realization of a physical relationship after marriage.  This path centers on God and the Holy Spirit as the strength of the relationship, forming the intimacy between the two individuals.  A solid foundation that will last throughout the married life between the man and woman shares a core belief in the one true God.  When life’s obstacles, struggles and situations arise the faith that binds these two together is held onto as the armor to defend what God has brought together. 

Furthermore, each individual with a strong relationship with God, through Jesus Christ, enters into the relationship with an attitude of love, mercy, grace and servitude.  As Christians, we are tasked in becoming more Christlike in our maturing life cycle.  This includes serving others first and thinking of themself second.  This self-lessness allows individuals to overcome many of the problems that cause strife in relationships today.  On their wedding day, individuals have no problem promising that they will stay with someone for the rest of their life, through good, bad, sickness and health; but without the love of God drawing them together and holding them together, it is nearly impossible to remain committed to that promise. 

The joy of my marriage to Lisa is that after 26 years I can still stand before her with love in my heart and state – “I do”.
             

© Sondove Enterprises, 2013
For more Daily Thoughts go to: http://sondove.blogspot.com
If you would like to be added to the email distribution please click here: Daily Thoughts