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“He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.” (Luke 19:3-4 NIV)

Zaccheus was the short man in today’s verse.  A tax collector, who had accumulated wealth by overtaxing the people, he was not well liked.  He had heard about Jesus and wanted to see Him. But he couldn’t see over the crowds. Being a smart man, he realized he needed to get a higher perspective on the situation.  He looked around, saw a fig tree he could climb, and up he went. He was willing to do whatever it takes to get a glimpse of Jesus. If you want to see Jesus, you have to do what it takes.

If you want to see Jesus, you have to do what it takes.

In today’s world, we don’t have to climb trees to see Jesus.  We have God’s word, written out for us. Stories like Zaccheus’s are there for us to read and learn more about Jesus.  As we begin to apply what we learn about Jesus, we’ll begin to see Him moving in our daily lives. We’ll recognize His presence when we receive an unexpected blessing.  We’ll understand it’s Him that has protected us from whatever attack we’re under. We’ll begin to see, Jesus is with us in all we do. But first we have to look for Him.

Just like Zaccheus, we have to gain a new perspective.  We have to take off the goggles of this world and start looking at it through the eyes of Jesus.  We can only do that when we make an effort to spend time with Him, getting to know Him.

My friends that know me personally, know one of my favorite things to do is get coffee with them.  I love to sit with them and talk about life. I love hearing what is going on in their lives, being able to pray for them and encourage them.  They do the same for me. We have a relationship because we are intentional about building a relationship. We’re intentional about making time for each other.  We carve out an hour from our busy schedules to dedicate to each other. If we want to see Jesus, we have to be as intentional in building our relationship with Him as we are with our friends.

Before you turn on the morning news, open God’s word.  Let the Scriptures be the first place you get your news in the morning.  Fill yourself with God’s promises, God’s wisdom, God’s love. Nothing can compare, nothing can take away from it.  If you want to see Jesus, you have to do what it takes.

Question of the Day:

Are you willing to do what it takes to see Jesus?

Further Reading: Joshua 16:1-18:28 NIV, Luke 19:1-27 NIV, Psalm 87:1-7 NIV, Proverbs 13:11 NIV

“Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” (Luke 18:27 NIV)

Jesus can make all things possible for you.  Just because He can, doesn’t mean He will. God takes the ordinary and makes them extraordinary.  No matter what our circumstances are, God is in control of them. He has the power to work the miracles we need.  He can take what to us is impossible, and make it possible. Our problem is what we want to be possible. What we see as possible, what we want to be possible, are often not the things Jesus wants for us.  Jesus can make all things possible, but that doesn’t mean He will.

Jesus can make all things possible, but that doesn’t mean He will.

Today’s verse comes at the end of a conversation that Jesus has with a rich, young ruler.  The man asks Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus tells him to follow the ten commandments.  The young man says he’s done all of those things. Then Jesus gets to the heart of the matter. He tells the young ruler to sell everything, give to the poor and follow Him.  The rich young ruler can’t give up his riches, he loves them more than Jesus. Jesus, understanding where this young man’s heart is says:

“How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” (Luke 18:24-25 NIV)

The people around Jesus that heard this conversation, wanted to know how anyone could be saved then?  That is when Jesus speaks today’s verse: what is impossible for man is possible for God.

Jesus’ first and foremost desire for all of us is to be in heaven with Him.  He wants us to have life and have it to the fullest (John 10:10 NIV).  He doesn’t want any of us to perish.  We can’t have eternal life without Jesus.  What Jesus makes possible for all of us is a relationship with God that will last forever.  Our riches here on earth will one day be gone, but our life in Christ never ends.  

What we want as possible isn’t what Jesus necessarily wants for us.  We want riches and fame, Jesus wants us to have eternal life. We want a worry free life, Jesus wants us to trust in Him.  We want safety, Jesus wants life in abundance for us. Our life here on earth was never meant to be trouble free. Jesus tells us it won’t be (John 16:33 NIV).   What Jesus wants for us is what we truly need, not the desires of this world. Jesus makes the impossible, possible, He gives us eternal life.

Question of the Day:

Have you trusted Jesus for life eternal?

Further Reading: Joshua 15:1-63 NIV, Luke 18:18-43 NIV, Psalm 86:1-17 NIV, Proverbs 13:9-10 NIV

“Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.” (Luke 18:1 NIV)

The reason we’re to be persistent in our prayers is because persistence pays off.  The parable Jesus shared with the disciples was about a widow. She had an adversary that was tormenting her in some way.  Day after day, she would go to the judge and ask him to do something about it. He ignored her. He was the type of judge who didn’t care about anyone but himself.  However, her persistence paid off. Eventually, he takes care of the situation because he realizes she’s never going to stop. Jesus point to this story, if an unjust judge like this one eventually does the right thing, how much more so will our heavenly Father if we don’t give up.  Persistent prayers pay off.

Persistent prayers pay off.

Persistent prayers pay off, but it probably won’t be the way you think they will.  God does answer all prayers. He answers prayers in His time, in His way. Rarely is it the way we think it will or should be.  Persistent praying does more than get an answer, persistent praying grows us closer to God. The more we talk to God, the deeper our relationship with Him grows.  When we start praying scripture, we go even deeper. Persistent prayers’ true pay off is a deeper relationship with God.

When we pray God’s promises, we hold Him accountable to His word.  Click here for a list of 50 of God’s promises from the Bible.  Scan down through the list and find the one that fits your situation.  Write it down, place it somewhere you will see it often. Memorize it, speak it, pray it.  Hold God accountable to His word. Grow closer to Him as you get to know Him more intimately through your prayers.  Your persistence will pay off. God will answer, and when He does, it will have been worth the wait.

Question of the Day:

What promise of God are you going to cling to today?

Further Reading: Joshua 13:1-14:15 NIV, Luke 18:1-17 NIV, Psalm 85:1-13 NIV, Proverbs 13:7-8 NIV

“Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.” (Psalm 84:10 NIV)

The best place to spend the day is in God’s presence.  Moses is one of the only people who actually met with God.  When He would come from one of his meetings with God, his face would be so radiant and glowing, people couldn’t look at him (Exodus 34:29-35 NIV).  When we spend time with God in His presence, His light will shine brightly from us to all those that can see.  God loves us, He adores us. But we’re afraid of His judgement and His wrath. We’re afraid to enter into His presence because of our sins.  That is why we need Jesus. Jesus took our sins upon Himself, which allows us to enter into the presence of God. The best place to spend the day is in God’s presence.

The best place to spend the day is in God’s presence.

Jesus is our lawyer.  He stands before us when we’re in the presence of God.  Since He took our sin upon Himself, God doesn’t see any of it.  All He sees is Jesus in us. His beloved Son who died for us, sinless, perfect, unblemished.  He bared our burden, knowing we couldn’t. We don’t have to be afraid to face God. We can stand in His courts with our heads held high, knowing He loves us.

Last fall,  I spent the day with one of my best friends.  We started early on a Saturday morning on our journey.  We stopped and visited family, we shopped, we had lunch. The weather was perfect, not too hot, not too cold.  The sun was shining. A wonderful girl’s day that refreshes the soul. For me, days like these are some of the best days of life.  But even our best day doesn’t compare to what it is like when we spend the day in God’s presence. Nothing can compare to basking in His love.

Each morning, when I meet Him in my quiet time, I enter into His presence for those brief moments.  As I center my thoughts on Him by reading His word, then journaling in my prayer journal, I feel His Spirit with me.  It is during these times the nudges happen. I will think of someone and something I’m to do for them. I feel conviction about an offense I have incurred.  Depending on the day, I feel His strength lift me up, or His peace calm me down. I enter into His presence, and He changes me with such tender love, I can’t wait to go back for more.  The best place to spend the day is in God’s presence.

Question of the Day:

Have you felt God’s presence in your life recently?

Further Reading:  Joshua 11:1-12:24 NIV, Luke 17:11-37 NIV, Psalm 84:1-12 NIV, Proverbs 13:5-6 NIV

“Jesus said to his disciples: “Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come.  It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble.”  (Luke 17:1-2 NIV)

When you cause someone to stumble, the consequences are yours to bare.  In real life, those consequences can lead to broken relationships and harm to the other person.  We have all caused people to stumble. For instance, I’m a WW member and I have 2 close girlfriends who battle the bulge with me weekly.  I can cause them to stumble when I tempt them with food heavy in points total (how food is tracked in WW). I can cause them to stumble when I convince them to go for coffee instead of a badly needed walk.  When our weekly weigh in comes round, the results will show on the scale. Then the disappointment sets in and now an emotional battle to get back on track begins. All because I caused them to stumble. When you cause someone to stumble, the consequences are yours to bare.

When you cause someone to stumble, the consequences are yours to bare.

Food is one thing, causing people to stumble in their walk with the Lord is a whole other ball game.  I’ve caused people to stumble in their walk with Jesus, that guilt never goes away. I know Jesus forgives me, I know I’m not the savior of the world, He is.  I know He has a plan, and I can’t thwart it. But I’d like to help Him, not hurt Him. 

When I was a young adult, I attended a church that was having financial difficulties.  I had issues with how the money was being handled, which led me to leave the church. That wasn’t how I caused people to stumble.  I caused people to stumble because I bad mouthed the church when I left. I talked about what was going on to people who didn’t attend church.  Because I did that, I just gave them more ammunition for not going to church. To this day, there are people I’m still trying to repair the damage I did decades ago.  My heart breaks that they don’t go to church, partly because of my actions.

But God’s grace and mercy have helped me learn from my mistakes.  I’ve not made that mistake again. Through that experience, God has taught me a myriad of lessons.  I’ve learned grace, I’ve learned humility, I’ve learned wisdom. I’ve learned not to make the same mistake twice.  I’ve made other mistakes since then, but I haven’t made that one again. When you cause someone to stumble, the consequences are yours to bare.

Question of the Day:

Have you ever caused someone to stumble?

Further Reading: Joshua 9:3-10:43 NIV, Luke 16:19-17:10 NIV, Psalm 83:1-18 NIV, Proverbs 13:4 NIV

“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.” (Luke 16:10 NIV)

If you can be trusted with a little, you can be trusted with a lot.  Trust is defined by Webster’s dictionary of 1828 as confidence; a reliance or resting of the mind on the integrity, veracity, justice, friendship or other sound principle of another person.  We have this misconception that what we do in secret doesn’t matter, but in truth, it does.  God is in our secret places with us. He knows what we choose to do with ethical dilemmas. He knows if we can be trusted with a little, or a lot.  If God can trust you with a little, He’ll trust you with more.

If God can trust you with a little, He’ll trust you with more.

When my husband and I were first married, we made a trip to Bed Bath and Beyond.  Among our purchases was a $3 item that somehow did not get rung up when we checked out.  When we got to the car and I reviewed the receipt, I realized the mistake. I thought it seemed like a hassle to go back in over $3, but that is exactly what we did anyway.  We went in and paid for the item. This is an example of being trusted with a little. If we can be trusted with a little, then we can be trusted with more.

Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback church is a man that has been trusted with more by God. One of the reasons I have followed him for years is because of his integrity.  He planted the church 35 years ago with his wife. With an attendance of over 22,000 people, it is the 11th largest church in America. In addition to growing one of the largest churches, Rick is also a best selling author.  His book, “Purpose Driven Life” is one of the best selling books of all time.  As of 2019 it had sold 32 million copies and been translated into 85 different languages.  But that isn’t why I follow Rick Warren.

I follow Rick Warren because his success hasn’t changed who he is.  He still lives in the same small house him and his wife bought when they planted the church.  He has repaid his entire salary back to the church when “Purpose Driven Life” became a bestseller.  In addition, He and Kay, his wife, tithe over 90% of their income. They made a decision, early in their marriage to increase their tithe by 1% every year, and they have been faithful in that decision.  And he drives a beat up old truck he’s had for years. He’s one of the most successful pastors in America because the Lord knew he could be trusted with much. If God can trust you with little, He can trust you with more.

Question of the Day:

How much can God trust you?

Further Reading: Joshua 7:16-9:2 NIV, Luke 16:1-18 NIV, Psalm 82:1-8 NIV, Proverbs 13:2-3 NIV

“The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the army, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the city!” (Joshua 6:16 NIV)

You win the battle when you’re obedient to God.  Today’s scripture comes at the end of the battle of Jericho.  An epic story that begins with Joshua having a candid conversation with an angel of the Lord.  This video depicts the passage beautifully.  God orders Joshua and the Israelites to march around Jericho with the Ark of the Covenant for 7 days.  He has told Joshua that He has already given them the city. In order for Joshua to have victory, he must do what the Lord has told him to do.  In order to win the battle, you have to be obedient to God.

In order to win the battle, you have to be obedient to God.

God told Joshua exactly what he needed to do to claim victory over Jericho:

“Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days.” (Joshua 6:2-3 NIV).

Joshua didn’t gain the victory until he did what he had to do.  Often, in our own lives, God has told us what we need to do. We need to forgive our enemies (Luke 6:35-36 NIV).  We are to go the extra mile for people (Matthew 5:41 NIV).  We are to speak uplifting and encouraging words at all times (Psalm 19:14 NIV). Those are just a few of the more well known commands of God. God will give us victory if we are obedient to His ways.  But first we have to do the work.

Joshua and the Israelites marched around Jericho for 7 days in full gear, carrying the Ark in the hot sun.  The first six days, they did one lap around the city. On the seventh day, they walked around it 7 times. The distance around the city is estimated at 2000 ft, or about a ⅓ of mile.  One lap would take anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour, depending on speed.  That means, on the last day, they walked for approximately 7 hours before the wall fell.  Their obedience required work.

Our obedience requires work.  We can do what Joshua did if we’re not sure what to do.  We can seek God in prayer and supplication, asking Him for direction in our lives.  We can lift up the battles we’re fighting and ask God for victory. And then we have to do the work.  We have to pick up our cross and carry it with us (Matthew 16:24-26 NIV). Trusting God for the victory, as we are obedient to Him.

Question of the Day:

What battle do you need to lift up to God today and seek His guidance?

Further Reading: Joshua 5:1-7:15 NIV, Luke 15:1-32 NIV, Psalm 81:1-16 NIV, Proverbs 13:1 NIV

 “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?” (Luke 14:28 NIV)

If you don’t count the cost, you won’t know what you need.  Have you ever had a great idea? But then you start to put your plan  into action and quickly realize, it is way more involved than you thought?  I have. About 10 years ago, I decided I was going to start my own business.  I was going to create resumes and business cards for people. It didn’t take me long to realize I had a problem.  I couldn’t compete with larger companies. There was no way I could charge their prices and still make a profit. I simply could not purchase the paper cheap enough to compete.  I may have had the talent, but I didn’t have the physical resources I needed. If you don’t count the cost, you won’t know what you need.

If you don’t count the cost, you don’t know what you need.

Jesus is asking us to count the cost of what it means to be a disciple in the parable this verse comes from:

“And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:27 NIV)

When we count the cost of being a disciple, Matthew sums it up for us:

“What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?” (Matthew 16:26 NIV)

When you look at it through the lens of losing your soul or gaining it, the cost doesn’t seem that high, at least not to me.  I’d rather have the peace of Jesus than the chaos of this world. I’d rather experience His unconditional love rather than the hatred that permeates society.  I’d rather receive His grace and mercy, than hold onto the offenses of this world. I’d rather be unified to the body of Christ than one with the world. The cost of following Jesus, we give up death for eternal life.  

What is our cost as Christ followers?  We do what Jesus did. We forgive those who hurt us.  We love those that are unlovable. We pass peace to people, not chaos.  We follow in His steps. We first realize our need for Jesus is greater than any cost.  Then we share the love, mercy and grace we receive from Him with others. When we count the cost, we find Jesus is what we need.

Question of the Day:

Have you counted the cost of your need for Jesus in your life?

Further Reading: Joshua 3:1-4:24 NIV, Luke 14:7-35 NIV, Psalm 80:1-19 NIV, Proverbs 12:27-28 NIV

“Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim. “Go, look over the land,” he said, “especially Jericho.” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there.” (Joshua 2:1 NIV)

There’s no right answer to this question, but one of my favorites is Rahab.  She is in the lineage of Jesus. She is a heroine who saved the spies Joshua sent into the land.  She saved her family with her heroic actions. She was a prostitute who was wiser than anyone else in the city.  She was following God. I’ve always thought Rahab was cool. Rahab, the prostitute, was a woman of God.

Rahab, the prostitute, was a woman of God.

Of all the people Joshua could have sent the spies too, he sent them to Rahab.  Joshua was chosen by God to lead the Israelites after Moses died. Therefore, we can assume, Joshua was a man of God.  So Joshua, man of God, sends the spies to the only woman of God in the entire city, Rahab the prostitute.

The reason why I love Rahab, and all prostitutes, is because I’m just like them.  I’m an imperfect woman. I’ve made bad choices at different points in my life. But praise Jesus, He loves me anyway.  I may not have done what Rahab did for a living, but that doesn’t make a difference. We are all sinners in need of redemption.  

We all have done things in this life we regret doing.  We’ve made choices we wish we could take back. We will make choices in the future we will regret.  But when we begin to comprehend the love Jesus has for us, we’ll begin to follow Him more. As we follow Him more, we’ll start to do what He did.  When we begin doing what Jesus did, we’ll start making better choices. Just as Rahab and the sinful woman did.

Rahab understood God’s love for her.  She did what He wanted her to do. She hid the spies and helped them escape.  She made a good choice for her life and the lives of her family. She saved them all with  her obedience to God. The sinful woman understood Jesus’s love for her. That is why she fell at his feet, wetting them with her tears, anointing them with expensive oil, and drying them with her hair.  She was preparing her Lord for what was coming, His death.

Question of the Day:

Do you understand the depth of God’s love for you today?

Further Reading: Deuteronomy 34:1- Joshua 2:24 NIV, Luke 13:22-14:6 NIV, Psalm 79:1-13 NIV, Proverbs 12:26 NIV

“Anxiety weighs down the heart,  but a kind word cheers it up.” (Proverbs 12:25 NIV).

Anxiety weighs you down. Anxiety is defined by the American Psychology Association (APA) as “an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts and physical changes like increased blood pressure.”  I’ve struggled with anxiety, sometimes more than others.  In this time of social isolation and coronavirus, it’s a constant battle for all of us.  But God has an answer for our anxiety, Him. We can give it all to Him. We can let His kind words be the first to cheer us up:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 4:6-7 NIV).

I can not tell you how many times I have put these verses into practice in my life.  I’m learning to recognize my anxiety. When I do, I know Who can handle it. Anxiety weighs down the heart, but God lifts it up.

Anxiety weighs down the heart, but God lifts it up.

About a year ago, I had a situation occur that took me completely off guard.  Anxiety immediately reared its ugly head in my life. One of my friends gave me wise advice in dealing with it.  She challenged me into determining whether it was a problem or a predicament.

A problem can be solved.  Action can be taken to fix whatever the situation is.  A predicament cannot be solved, we have to find a way to cope with it.  The coronavirus is a predicament. There is nothing we can do to stop it, we have to let it run its course.  Therefore we have to learn how to cope with it. 

The first thing we can do to cope with our anxiety is talk to God about it in prayer.  Honestly, openly, pouring our hearts out to Him completely. We can thank Him for what He has done and is doing in this situation.  Then we can ask Him for His strength, His love, His mercy to carry us through. When we do, His peace will be upon us, and we will be able to share it with others.

When we have the peace that surpasses all understanding, we’re able to let it overflow in our words to those around us.  We’ll have kind words to lift the anxiety others are feeling. We’ll be able to cheer up those who are downtrodden with anxiety.  We’ll be able to share God’s love with them. When we do, we’ll cheer their anxious hearts.

Question of the Day:

How can you share God’s peace with someone today?

Further Reading:  Deuteronomy 33:1-29 NIV, Luke 13:1-21 NIV, Psalm 78:65-72 NIV,  Proverbs 12:25 NIV