James 5:8

“You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.” (NASB)

STRONGS HEBREW/GREEK ORIGINS

“You too be patient (makrothumeo: endure, not to lose heart, persevere patiently and bravely; to be longsuffering, slow to anger, slow to punish); strengthen (sterizo: establish, make stable, make firm) your hearts (kardia: the center and seat of spiritual life; seat of the thoughts, passions, desires, appetites, affections, purposes, endeavors), for the coming (parousia: arrival, advent; the future visible return from heaven of Jesus, to raise the dead, hold the last judgment, and set up formally and gloriously the kingdom of God) of the Lord is at hand (eggizo: draw nigh, be at hand, come near, approaching).”

SUMMARY

Don’t lose heart! Patiently persevere and establish your purpose and motivations for the visible return of Jesus Christ is fast approaching!

MEDITATION

I don’t know about everyone else but at times I wrestle with impatience and lack of unshakeable faith when it comes to Jesus’ return. I look at this world around me and I cannot imagine it being allowed by Father to go much further down the road of despair and destruction. So many are hurting, violence runs rampant and, as Scripture foretells, all has become a lawless mess. All of that being said, today I cling to this verse. I know, in my deepest recesses that my Father has it all in His hands and is well aware of the situation. My task is to not lose heart and to establish my innermost being in Him, no matter what my eyes may see. Are you found today doing likewise my friend? The coming of the Lord is surely at hand.   

Proverbs 1:20

“Wisdom shouts in the street, She lifts her voice in the square.” (NASB)

STRONGS HEBREW/GREEK ORIGINS

“Wisdom shouts (qara': calls, cries out, proclaims) in the street (hamah: roar, noise, disquieted, troubled, clamorous, concourse, mourning, tumultuous, commotion), She lifts her voice in the square.”

SUMMARY

Wisdom calls out and proclaims in the noisy and troubled concourse, She lifts her voice in the square.

MEDITATION

At this hour yesterday millions of people were shouting how proud they were to be Americans. Discussions of the great opportunity and blessing to be able to act as a nation (to choose a leader) were all over the airwaves. Many seemed filled with hope and excitement, “God is doing something new!” and “It’s time for a change!” many declared openly with confidence. Today though, a different echo is resounding like an ugly clamor rising from the earth. Despair, words of hopelessness and an all-out onslaught of fear. Why in the world are we who claim to be within the Body of Christ so fickle and wayward in our thinking!? The patterns of this world and kingdoms of men rise and fall. This is why it’s absolutely imperative to make your permanent dwelling in a land that cannot be shaken. In this land, there is only one throne and it is not offered up for any other to possess. So, amongst the “noisy and troubled discourse” of today, will you hear the voice of Wisdom crying out in the streets? What is She saying? Who will hear and most importantly, who will take the time to sit and listen? Will you?      

Psalm 51:10

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” 

STRONGS HEBREW/GREEK ORIGINS

“Create (bara: shape, form, fashion) in me a clean (tahor: pure) heart (leb: mind, understanding), O God, and renew (chadash: repair, make a new) a steadfast (kuwn: right, fixed, established) spirit (ruwach: wind, breath, mind) within me (qereb: seat or faculty of thought and emotion).”

SUMMARY

Form within me a clean and pure heart O God. Make new a right spirit deep in the innermost part of me, where all of my thoughts and emotions reside.

MEDITATION

No matter how hard we all may try, attempting to create and fashion something within our own strengths and abilities usually only yields temporary results (at best). The necessity of this verse is often overshadowed by Christian programs, books and teachings on how to find happiness and purpose in your deepest, innermost being. We’re often told that if we just do this more and do that less then results will somehow come. The problem however is that what we must do first is overlooked. We need to be found going to the One who is Creator and beseech Him to do what we cannot. The same One who fashioned us physically out of dust desires to regenerate our innermost being, spiritually. Are you living a daily life of approaching the One who is in the business of regeneration? Do you grasp that until your mind and understanding are renewed, all other “fixes” are just rooted in feeble, limited attempts to band-aid the results of the deeper issue at hand? Today, find a quiet place and ask the Lord if He would do some creating and renewing today… in you.  

John 15:2

“Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.”

STRONGS HEBREW/GREEK ORIGINS

“Every branch (klema: tender and flexible shoot or sprout of a vine) in Me that does not bear (phero: bring forth, carry) fruit (karpos: that which originates or comes from something, an effect, results), He takes away (airo: to take upon one's self and carry off from its place ; remove); and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes (kathairo: cleansed of filth and impurity) it so that it may bear more fruit.”

SUMMARY
Every branch from the vine in Me that does not bring forth results of being in Me, [My Father] removes; and every branch from the vine that brings forth results of being in Me, He cleanses of impurity so that it may bear even more results of being in Me.

MEDITATION

If you saw my work truck this week, you’d likely have some questions for me in regards to my line of work and how I would allow my own vehicle to looks so shoddy considering detailing is my business. Yesterday, a friend did some wet-sanding for me as we’re prepping the hood and front fenders for some new paint in a few days. In its current state, it looks pretty awful. The sanded areas have more of a pink hue than red and the finish is as flat as a chalkboard. In contrast to the rest of the truck, the front end sticks out like a sore thumb. All of that being said I know that it’s literally a work in progress. Others may see me pull up to a parking lot to work for the afternoon and think that my truck is in dire need of some work itself but that’s OK because I know the end of the process is around the bend. So, even though I can’t hardly stand the way my own truck currently looks, I know that it will lead to a much-needed end – fresh, new, shiny paint. I see a lot of my own spiritual life within this simple example. There are things in my life that just don’t look too great right now at first glance. I’m a branch that is in constant need of pruning and purging. Father has His hands full at times tending to this “tender shoot” that’s hidden in the Son. Thankfully, He sees the end result that lays before me. My spiritual journey is one where I’m constantly in process until I breathe my last breath.  And I’m OK with that… no matter how I may look for now, for in the end, I’ll look like My Saviour.

Lamentations 3:22b-23a

“[For the LORD’S] compassions never fail. They are new every morning.”

STRONGS HEBREW/GREEK ORIGINS

“[For the LORD’S] compassions (checed: kindness, goodness, favor, mercies) never fail (kalah: end, finish, accomplish, cease). They are new (chadash: fresh) every morning (boqer: break of day, coming of daylight).”

SUMMARY

The compassions, kindness, goodness, favor and mercies of the Lord never fail. They are fresh and new at the breaking daylight of every morning.

MEDITATION

This verse should have us all doing cartwheels across our bedroom floors as we arise in the morning to start each day. The Lord, full of compassion and mercy has given us hope for each new day and that hope is His lovingkindess. I’ve always wrestled with the issue of dragging my yesterdays into my todays. For many, many years I would not approach God “today” because of my “yesterday”. I had failed to understand that here, in the now of a new day, the compassions of my Father were beckoning me unto Him. So today, is there anything in your past that is spoiling your present, spiritually? Arise and shine for today is a new day! Rejoice and breathe in the fresh goodness of the Lord! 

Ephesians 5:15

“Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise.”

STRONGS HEBREW/GREEK ORIGINS

“Therefore be careful (akribos: diligent, accurate) how you walk (peripateo: be occupied, make one's way, progress, live one's life, conduct one's self), not as unwise (asophos: foolish) men but as wise (sophos: skilled, expert, learned).”

SUMMARY

Be careful, diligent and accurate how you make your way and conduct yourself, not as a foolish man but as a skilled and wise man.

MEDITATION

In this letter we find Paul urging the Ephesians to be imitators of God and to abstain from immorality. He tells them to be on their guard against the deeds of darkness and to be careful to not be deceived by empty words. In today’s verse we’re instructed to be vigilant and accurate with our decisions as we go about our daily routines of life. What are we occupied with? Do we conduct ourselves with the constant remembrance that we’re Christ’s representatives upon this earth? As we mature in the natural, we must mature in the spiritual. We need to cultivate our spiritual life and become skilled in conducting ourselves in a way that is pleasing to the Father. Today, are you making deliberate decisions to be careful how you walk throughout this life?

Exodus 17:15

 “Moses built an altar and named it ‘Jehovahnissi’ (Translated, ‘The Lord is My Banner’)".

STRONGS HEBREW/GREEK ORIGINS

“Moses built (banah: set up, established) an altar and named (qara’: called out, proclaimed aloud, commissioned) it ‘Jehovahnissi’ (translated, ‘The Lord is My Banner’)".

SUMMARY

Moses set up and established an altar and proclaimed aloud that “The Lord is my Banner!”

MEDITATION

In an age where denominations, political parties, sects and isolated groups run rampant within the Body of Christ, how desperately do we need to hear this simple proclamation by Moses? The Body of Christ must understand that our banner (what we raise up and look to in order to identify ourselves) must be the Lord alone! Not where we attend religious gatherings or what class of people we choose to hang out with. Not what religious flavor we ascribe to or the latest faith movement that we embrace. Not our doctrinal stance on moral and national issues. Not our personal accomplishments and successes. First and foremost our banner, our absolute defining quality must be that we’re united in spirit with the Lord as our banner! All else should easily, without competition, fall well beneath the elevated banner that is Jehovahnissi! Arise Church and hoist the only banner you were called to raise!