Don’t Be Deceived

Last night as we were going to bed, I told Dave I’m really going to enjoy sleeping in tomorrow. He just smiled.

He knows me. He knows I don’t sleep in and if I do, it’s only until about 5. So, imagine my delight when I woke up this morning and looked at my watch; it said 5:56. Yes, wow! Thank you, Jesus, it was almost 6 a.m.

I laid there a minute, and I could hear the coffee pot – it was popping as if moisture had gotten between the pot and the warming plate. I slipped quietly out of bed, came to the living room and kitchen. No coffee! I took a second look at my watch, it was not 5:56 it was 3:56. The popping I heard was raindrops slowly plopping on the metal awning, not the coffee.

I was deceived.

I started the coffee, grabbed my fleece blanket and Bible and sat. Afterall, I was awake, no going back to bed now. It was then my thoughts went to a little wooden plaque I had ordered for my office just a few days ago.

“A Lot Can Happen in 3 Days”. I love it!

Sometimes the circumstances of life deceive us into thinking something other than what is true!

Adam and Eve were deceived. Joseph’s brothers were deceived in thinking he was their competition instead of their rescuer. The Babylonian king was deceived in thinking that a fiery furnace could stop the three Hebrews from worshipping God. A group of jealous governors were deceived in thinking a den of lions could stop Daniel. A giant was deceived when he thought his might and brawn could stop a shepherd boy with 5 stones who trusted God.

Peter was deceived when he thought a storm at sea could negate what Jesus said about going to the other side. The disciples were deceived when they thought 5 loaves and 2 small fish weren’t enough to feed a multitude.

And they were all deceived – the religious rulers, the Roman soldiers, the disciples, the demons in hell – when they thought a cross and a grave would stop Jesus!

A lot can happen in 3 days!

 He says, ‘Be careful! Don’t be fooled. Don’t turn away from me to serve other gods and to bow down to them.’ ” Deuteronomy 11:16 ERV

Don’t be deceived or fooled by circumstances. Things aren’t always as they appear. Avoid making snap judgements. Let God control your thoughts with His peace. Don’t let circumstances sway you from believing God’s promises.

“God is not a man; he will not lie. God is not a human being; his decisions will not change.
If he says he will do something, then he will do it. If he makes a promise, then he will do what he promised.” Numbers 23:19 ERV

In those times when you are tempted to worry. Don’t! Stand strong, wait for God’s peace to be your guide.

 Don’t worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks for what you have. And because you belong to Christ Jesus, God’s peace will stand guard over all your thoughts and feelings. His peace can do this far better than our human minds.” Philippians 4:6-7 ERV

God’s timetable is different than ours but that doesn’t mean He is late. Trust Him. A Lot Can Happen in 3 Days!

And now I think I may go back to bed.

Pure & True

Reading the Bible is much like a treasure hunt for me. I know that God’s word is packed full of nuggets and I want to find each one.

This morning, I found one that I want to share with you.

“They took advantage of the poor and stole what little they had. But the Lord knows what they did, and he says,
    ‘I will rescue those who are poor and helpless, and I will punish those who hurt them.’

The Lord’s words are true and pure, like silver purified by fire, like silver melted seven times to make it perfectly pure.” Psalm 12:5-6 ERV

God’s word has been tested, as if by fire, and it is pure. Purer than silver that has completed the refining process. There is no imperfection in His word. He does not alter His promises.

God cannot and will not lie.

“God is not a man; he will not lie. God is not a human being; his decisions will not change.
If he says he will do something, then he will do it. If he makes a promise, then he will do what he promised.” Numbers 23:19 ERv

“His teachings are worth more than pure gold. They are sweeter than the best honey dripping from the honeycomb. 11 His teachings warn his servants, and good things come to those who obey them.” Psalm 19:10-11 ERV

 Everything good comes from God. Every perfect gift is from him. These good gifts come down from the Father who made all the lights in the sky. But God never changes like the shadows from those lights. He is always the same.” James 1:17 ERV

“Grass dies and flowers fall, but the word of our God lasts forever.” Isaiah 40:8 ERV

God’s word will last forever. It is pure, it is true, it is trustworthy!

Victory

“You prepared a meal for me in front of my enemies. You welcomed me as an honored guest. My cup is full and spilling over.” Psalm 23:5 ERV

Our invitation to join the Lord at His table isn’t a one and done. It’s a daily – hourly – moment-by-moment opportunity. He is always with us; He lives in us, so we are never left alone or abandoned.

But what about that “enemy” part, you may ask.

Before I answer that, I have to take you once again to my favorite verse in the Bible. A prophet, Baalam, had been commanded by a king, Balak, to curse the Israelites. (Balak was their enemy)

“God is not a man; he will not lie. God is not a human being; his decisions will not change. If he says he will do something, then he will do it. If he makes a promise, then he will do what he promised. 20 He told me to bless them. He blessed them, so I cannot change that… The Lord is their God, and he is with them. The Great King is with them!” Numbers 23:19-21 ERV

We are His sheep. He is our Shepherd. He said He would lead us to green pastures and beside still waters. He said He would restore us, protect us, walk with us through the darkest times and prepare us a meal in the presence of our enemies and so He WILL! He doesn’t lie.

Now, two stories and I will try to keep them brief, but you will need to read them for yourselves and let God minister the truth of His faithfulness and power to you. II Chronicles 20 tells the story of Jehosaphat, king of Judah.

Three separate armies came against him. They were going to destroy the army of Judah and take the citizens captive. Jehosaphat called the people together to pray.

“Our God, punish those people. We don’t have the strength to stop this large army that is coming against us. We don’t know what to do! We are looking to you for help. ” II Chronicles 20:12 ERV

“Jahaziel said, ‘Listen to me King Jehoshaphat and everyone living in Judah and Jerusalem! The Lord says this to you: ‘Don’t be afraid or worry about this large army, because the battle is not your battle. It is God’s battle!” 20:15 ERV

“They marched in front of the army and sang, ‘Give thanks to the Lord! His faithful love will last forever.’ 22 As they began to sing and to praise God, the Lord set an ambush for the army from Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir who had come to attack Judah. The enemy was defeated!” 20:21-22 ERV

Now let’s quickly look at Elisha, a prophet of God, who had been telling his king the enemies’ battle plan. The enemy swore to take Elisha out. (II Kings 6:14-20)

14 Then the king of Aram sent horses, chariots, and a large army to Dothan. They arrived at night and surrounded the city15 Elisha’s servant got up early that morning. When he went outside, he saw an army with horses and chariots all around the city.

The servant said to Elisha, “Oh, my master, what can we do?” 16 Elisha said, “Don’t be afraid. The army that fights for us is larger than the army that fights for Aram.”

17 Then Elisha prayed and said, ‘Lord, I ask you, open my servant’s eyes so that he can see.’ The Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and the servant saw the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire. They were all around Elisha.

18 These horses and chariots of fire came down to Elisha. He prayed to the Lord and said, ‘I pray that you will cause these people to become blind.’ So God did what Elisha asked. He caused the Aramean army to become blind.” II Kings 6:14-18 ERV

Elisha then led the entire army to the king of Samaria where they were captured.

One small nation against three mighty nations; two men against an army. When we are in God’s presence, and we are, we always have the greater advantage.

A table in the presence of our enemies is a place of safety when we’re seated at that table with the Lord. God does not lie. The battle belongs to the Lord, He is greater than any of our enemies.

Don’t let fear take you away from the table. Stay and enjoy fellowship with your Shepherd!

A Trusted Friend

Who is your most trusted friend? Your spouse, someone you’ve known for years or someone new in your life? This is the person that you know would never lie to you…when they give their word, they keep it even if it detrimental to their own well being. They know you are counting on them and they would never let you down.

Think about them for a minute. I’ll wait…(silly fact, I am sitting here waiting for you to think).

Now let me share with you what I found in God’s word this morning.

“We believe what people tell us. But we can trust what God says even more, and God is the one who has spoken about his Son. 10 If we have faith in God’s Son, we have believed what God has said. But if we don’t believe what God has said about his Son, it is the same as calling God a liar. 11 God has also said that he gave us eternal life and that this life comes to us from his Son. 12 And so, if we have God’s Son, we have this life. But if we don’t have the Son, we don’t have this life.” I John 5:9-12 CEV

Did you see that? We can trust what God says even more than we trust our closest friend. Do you? Do you read God’s word and hear what He has promised and believe He is telling you the truth; that it really will happen or are you just wishing and hoping that God’s word is true and going to work for you?

How would your relationship with that “trusted” friend be hindered if they knew you weren’t really confident that they were going to do what they said they would? It would weaken the relationship for sure.

I’m encouraging you this morning to strengthen your relationship with the Father. Don’t hope His word is true – spend time talking with Him, time watching Him, time listening to Him speak to you and then confidently trust Him to do what He says He will do.

I know I’ve shared this many times but it bears repeating. I grew up with the mindset that we hope for the best but never really know what to expect because God’s ways are higher than our ways. That was the teaching so you didn’t get mad at God or disappointed in Him when things didn’t turn out the way you expected.

Yes, God’s ways are higher than ours. He never lies or misrepresents. He doesn’t mislead by insinuation. Can you imagine if you had been David facing Goliath and only “hoping” that God would show up and things would work out right? Or Moses standing at the edge of the Red Sea with the Egyptians behind him and hoping that God was going to provide a way across to safety?

Trust, complete trust, should be our response to God’s word. It has never failed and it never will! That’s why I’ve chosen Numbers 23:19 as my favorite verse in the Bible.

“God is not a man; he will not lie. God is not a human being; his decisions will not change. If he says he will do something, then he will do it. If he makes a promise, then he will do what he promised.” ERV

Trust in His goodness!

Good Courage

None of us know what this year of 2025 has in store. There will be challenges, I’m sure of that. There will also be great blessings, I am also sure of that.

 Praise the Lord because he is good! His faithful love will last forever!” Psalm 118:1 ERV

“Tell the Lord how thankful you are, because he is kind and always merciful.” Psalm 118:1 CEV

Same verse, different translations but the meaning is clear. We are to be thankful because God is always good; His love lasts forever.

So many times throughout the Bible God gives this instruction. Fear not – and it’s often followed by these words, “Be of good courage”.

Good courage. This is courage in God’s ability and not in our own. When we are trusting in His goodness we can face any situation with courage. This is the instruction Joshua received from Moses shortly before Moses died. Joshua had been selected as his successor in leading the Israelites into the promised land.

Be strong and of good couragedo not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.

Then Moses called Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and of good courage, for you must go with this people to the land which the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall cause them to inherit it.” Deuteronomy 31:6-7 NKJV

Be strong – in faith. Knowing God’s word gives us that strength. We can trust Him, knowing He will keep His word. God doesn’t lie.

“God is no mere human! He doesn’t tell lies or change his mind. God always keeps his promises.” Numbers 23:19 CEV (written by Moses)

I would have lost heart, unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of the Lord
In the land of the living. 14 Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!” Psalm 27:13-14 NKJV (written by King David)

Both of these men faced some of life’s biggest obstacles and greatest challenges. God promised them His goodness and His strength. The promise made in Deuteronomy is used in Hebrews also.

 Keep your lives free from the love of money. Be happy with what you have. God has said, “I will never leave you or let you be alone.” Hebrews 13:5 NLV

We have a tendency to look at the financial economy of our lives instead of the spiritual. The writer of Hebrews wanted us to see that instead of putting our confidence in money we should be placing it in the One who has promised to never leave us or abandon us.

 Don’t worry and ask yourselves, “Will we have anything to eat? Will we have anything to drink? Will we have any clothes to wear?” 32 Only people who don’t know God are always worrying about such things. Your Father in heaven knows you need all of these33 But more than anything else, put God’s work first and do what he wants. Then the other things will be yours as well.” Matthew 7:31-33 CEV

Now that’s good courage!

Something for Everyone

Occasionally the Lord shows me some verses that need no commentary from me. His word is always sufficient. I’m just the messenger.

Enjoy this message – it’s for everyone!

“The Lord Works Miracles

Sing a new song to the Lord!
    He has worked miracles,

and with his own powerful arm,
    he has won the victory.
The Lord has shown the nations
that he has the power to save
    and to bring justice.
God has been faithful
    in his love for Israel,
and his saving power is seen
    everywhere on earth.

Tell everyone on this earth
to sing happy songs
    in praise of the Lord.

Make music for him on harps.
    Play beautiful melodies!
Sound the trumpets and horns
and celebrate with joyful songs
    for our Lord and King!

Command the ocean to roar
    with all its creatures,
and the earth to shout
    with all its people.
Order the rivers
    to clap their hands,
and all the hills
    to sing together
.
Let them worship the Lord!
He is coming to judge
    everyone on the earth,
and he will be honest
    and fair.
Psalm 98 CEV

“Our Lord, you keep your word
    and do everything you say.
14 When someone stumbles or falls,
    you give a helping hand.
15 Everyone depends on you,
and when the time is right,
    you provide them with food.
16 By your own hand you satisfy
    the desires of all who live.

17 Our Lord, everything you do
    is kind and thoughtful,

18 and you are near to everyone
    whose prayers are sincere.
19 You satisfy the desires
    of all your worshipers,

and you come to save them
    when they ask for help.

20 You take care of everyone
who loves you
,
    but you destroy the wicked.

21 I will praise you, Lord,
and everyone will respect
    your holy name forever.
” Psalm 145:13-21 CEV

We are the everyones’ who should be singing praises to God. We are the everyones’ who love and respect the Lord. We are the everyones’ that He cares for, provides for and lifts up when we have fallen.

That is God’s promise and He doesn’t lie.

“God is no mere human! He doesn’t tell lies or change his mind. God always keeps his promises.” Numbers 23:19 CEV

“The Lord isn’t slow about keeping his promises, as some people think he is. In fact, God is patient, because he wants everyone to turn from sin and no one to be lost.” II Peter 3:9 CEV

We are ALL an everyone. This is the good news of God’s love and patience to us all!

Take Action!

Last night was one of those nights of very little sleep and a lot of prayer. Over and over in my prayer I voiced, “Lord, I trust You”. And the truth of that is, I do trust the Lord; I trust Him for my health, my peace, my children, my decisions, my rest and my words.

So, when I picked up my Bible to read, I was not surprised that this was the next Psalm in my reading.

Praise the Lord and pray in his name! Tell everyone what he has done. Sing praises to the Lord! Tell about his miracles. Celebrate and worship his holy name with all your heart. Trust the Lord and his mighty power. Remember his miracles and all his wonders and his fair decisions. You belong to the family of Abraham, his servant; you are his chosen ones, the descendants of Jacob. The Lord is our God, bringing justice everywhere on earth. He will never forget his agreement or his promises, not in thousands of years.” Psalm 105:1-8 CEV

It’s a call to action!

Praise, pray, tell, sing, celebrate, worship, trust, remember. All are actions on our part but there’s also action on God’s part – He will never forget his agreement or his promises. God will never forget, nor will He break His word or alter it.

“God is no mere human! He doesn’t tell lies or change his mind. God always keeps his promises.” Numbers 23:19 CEV

As I started to write this, I was reminded of four men in the Bible who took action. Their story is recorded in II Kings chapter 7. They were 4 lepers, their country was under siege and the people were starving. Because they were lepers they had to live outside the city’s gates.

” …They said to each other, ‘Why should we sit here, waiting to dieThere’s nothing to eat in the city, so we would starve if we went inside. But if we stay out here, we will die for sure. Let’s sneak over to the Syrian army camp and surrender. They might kill us, but they might not.'” II Kings 7:3-4 CEV

“When the four men with leprosy reached the edge of the Syrian camp, no one was there. They walked into one of the tents, where they ate and drank, before carrying off clothes, as well as silver and gold. They hid all this, then walked into another tent; they took what they wanted and hid it too.

They said to each other, ‘This isn’t right. Today is a day to celebrate, and we haven’t told anyone else what has happened. If we wait until morning, we will be punished. Let’s go to the king’s palace at once and tell the good news.’” II Kings 7:7-9 CEV

Is there something that has caused you to be immobilized? Ask yourself the same question the lepers did, “should we sit here, waiting to die”.

Take action! Praise, pray, trust, remember, celebrate and then go tell what God has done!!

Giants in the Way

On the road to the cross there are problems; enemies to be confronted, giants to defeat.

God made a promise to the Israelites that He would be their God and they would be His people. He said He would bless those that blessed His people and curse those that cursed them.

My favorite verse is found in the Book of Numbers, chapter 23 verse 19. A warring king had wanted the prophet to speak a curse on the Israelites. This is what the prophet said:

 Balaam answered: ‘Pay close attention to my words—19 God is no mere human! He doesn’t tell lies or change his mind. God always keeps his promises. 20 ‘My command from God was to bless these people, and there’s nothing I can do to change what he has done. 21 Israel’s king is the Lord God. He lives there with them and intends them no harm.” Numbers 23:18-21 CEV

Because of Abraham’s relationship with the Lord, God made a promise to bless His people. It was an unbreakable promise. The ultimate blessing came at the cross when all people would be offered the gift of forgiveness and reconciliation through the death of Jesus. Until that time God’s covenant blessing was on those who trusted Him.

“You know that the Lord your God is the only true God. So love him and obey his commands, and he will faithfully keep his agreement with you and your descendants for a thousand generations.” Deuteronomy 7:9 CEV

That didn’t mean there wouldn’t be obstacles. It seems as though there was always a king, a nation, a man, who was trying to obstruct God’s plan.

We’ll take a brief look at a young shepherd, David.

“The Philistines had a champion fighter named Goliath, who was from Gath. He was over 9 feet tall. Goliath came out of the Philistine camp. He had a bronze helmet on his head. He wore a coat of armor that was made like the scales on a fish. This armor was made of bronze and weighed about 125 pounds. Goliath wore bronze protectors on his legs. He had a bronze javelin tied on his back. The wooden part of his spear was as big as a weaver’s rod. The spear’s blade weighed 15 pounds. Goliath’s helper walked in front of him, carrying Goliath’s shield.

8 Each day Goliath would come out and shout a challenge to the Israelite soldiers… 10 The Philistine also said, ‘Today I stand and make fun of the army of Israel. I dare you to send me one of your men and let us fight.’” I Samuel 17:4-10 ERV

Each day the giant would taunt them. Each day the Israelites would cower in fear. But then came a young man who knew the promise of God.

 David asked the men standing near him, ‘What did he say?…Who is this Goliath anyway? He is only some foreigner, nothing but a Philistine. Why does he think he can speak against the army of the living God?” I Samuel 17:26 ERV

David armed himself for battle not with armor and sword but with his confidence in the promises of God.

45 David said to the Philistine, ‘You come to me using sword, spear, and javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord All-Powerful, the God of the armies of Israel. You have said bad things about him. 46 Today the Lord will let me defeat you. I will kill you. I will cut off your head and feed your body to the birds and wild animals. And we will do the same thing to all the other Philistines too. Then all the world will know there is a God in Israel. 47 All the people gathered here will know that the Lord doesn’t need swords or spears to save people. The battle belongs to the Lord, and he will help us defeat all of you.’” I Samuel 17:45-47 ERV

Are there giants standing in your way? Are they taunting you, trying to disarm you with fear? Be a David, show up to the fight in obedience to God’s word and remember “the battle belongs to the Lord”!

Follow the Cloud

When Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt they were headed for the “Promised Land”. The questions were where and how. No GPS, no Garmin, no Atlas or road map.

God was asking them to follow, and He had a plan.

“Because of your great mercy, you never abandoned them in the desert. And you always guided them with a cloud by day and a fire at night. 20 Your gentle Spirit instructed them, and you gave them manna to eat and water to drink.” Nehemiah 9:17-18 CEV

God provided His own instructional mapping service. He was leading them to the land that He promised Abraham hundreds of years before. God had not forgotten His promise.

 As soon as the sacred tent was set up a thick cloud appeared and covered it. The cloud was there each day, and during the night, a fire could be seen in it. 17-19 The Lord used this cloud to tell the Israelites when to move their camp and where to set it up again. As long as the cloud covered the tent, the Israelites did not break camp. But when the cloud moved, they followed it, and wherever it stopped, they camped and stayed there,” Numbers 9:15-19 CEV

That cloud was a constant reminder of God’s presence. He had promised to be their God and their provider.

“Moses said to the Lord, ‘I know that you have told me to lead these people to the land you promised them. But you have not said who will go along to help me. You have said that you are my friend and that you are pleased with me. 13 If this is true, let me know what your plans are, then I can obey and continue to please you. And don’t forget that you have chosen this nation to be your own.’ 14 The Lord said, ‘I will go with you and give you peace.’ 15 Then Moses replied, ‘If you aren’t going with us, please don’t make us leave this place16 But if you do go with us, everyone will know that you are pleased with your people and with me. That way, we will be different from the rest of the people on earth.’ 17 So the Lord told him, ‘I will do what you have asked, because I am your friend and I am pleased with you.'” Exodus 33:12-17 CEV

What an amazing promise but that was then, what about us in the here and now? The Israelites were on the road leading to the cross; we walk the road following the cross.

“Keep your lives free from the love of money. And be satisfied with what you have. God has said, ‘I will never leave you; I will never run away from you.” Hebrews 13:5 ERV

 I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper to be with you forever17 The Helper is the Spirit of truth. The people of the world cannot accept him, because they don’t see him or know him. But you know him. He lives with you, and he will be in you…I have told you all these things while I am with you. 26 But the Helper will teach you everything and cause you to remember all that I told you. This Helper is the Holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name. 27 I leave you peace. It is my own peace I give you. I give you peace in a different way than the world does. So don’t be troubled. Don’t be afraid.” John 14:16-27 ERV

God promised the Israelites His presence and His peace. Those are the same promises He has made us.

As we seek His presence and follow His peace, we find that our way also leads to the cross.

Kindness For All

I have to ask – were you able to plant some seeds of patience yesterday? Make sure you water them each day so that they grow to be healthy and productive plants.

One way to keep them watered is by using the seeds we are planting today, the seeds of kindness.

 But the fruit that the Spirit produces in a person’s life is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these kinds of things.” Galatians 5:22-23 ERV

Gestures of kindness are not forgotten.

When we were a young family, we were having a very hard time financially. We were a home of two working parents, we lived as economically frugal as possible and still we were unable to make ends meet.

We had friends who lived a good 30+ miles away and one Saturday morning they arrived at our door saying, “we were just in the neighborhood”. They proceeded to carry in bag after bag of groceries. They even had planned what we would have for lunch and stayed to make it with us and enjoy a day of swimming, friendship and encouragement.

This was an unforgettable kindness.

“I pray that the Lord will bless and protect you, 25 and that he will show you mercy and kindness. 26 May the Lord be good to you and give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-25 CEV

“Our Lord, you keep your word and do everything you say. 14 When someone stumbles or falls, you give a helping hand. 15 Everyone depends on you, and when the time is right, you provide them with food. 16 By your own hand you satisfy the desires of all who live. 17 Our Lord, everything you do is kind and thoughtful, 18 and you are near to everyone whose prayers are sincere.” Psalm 145:13-18 CEV

Kindness isn’t something that needs to be described. I think everyone understands what it means to be kind. However, it is something that needs to be planted and cultivated. If we don’t produce kindness, we will have a hard and calloused heart.

“Then the ones who pleased the Lord will ask, “When did we give you something to eat or drink? 38 When did we welcome you as a stranger or give you clothes to wear 39 or visit you while you were sick or in jail?”

40 The king will answer, “Whenever you did it for any of my people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did it for me.” Matthew 25:27-40 CEV

God takes our acts of kindness personally. He sees our actions as an outreach of his hands. When we are being kind and caring for “the least of these”, the unimportant ones, the forgotten ones, He sees it as a service to Him.

“Your kindness and love will always be with me each day of my life, and I will live forever in your house, Lord.” Psalm 23:6 CEV

The seeds of kindness that we plant not only grow in our hearts but it is seed that we can plant in the lives of others.