Fresh Horses

But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew [their] strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

A proven battle strategy, for the thousands of years battles were fought before the advent of the engine, was the use of fresh horses. In 1221, King George the IV of Armenia and 70,000 men attacked 20,000 members of the Mongolian army on the Khumen Plain. The Mongols, who were excellent strategists waited for the Georgian Calvary to charge and exhaust their horses. The Mongols scattered them with a volley of arrows and then mounted fresh horses and charged the Georgian Army. As Christians, we must know how to renew our strength through prayer and Bible study.

“No prayer, no power” the saying goes. Confronted with the constant onslaught of life’s trials, we get weary. When one challenging situation begins to multiply and we find ourselves facing issues on every side our will begins to weaken. Once our resolve is compromised we begin to falter. When we are at the point when the only choices seem to be whether to stumble or just go ahead and fall, we need to remember the fundamentals. Reading the Word of God reminds us of His love for us and His great power. Prayer connects us with that power source. Then our help begins to come. We realize that while we are weak, He is strong. The obstacles begin to shrink. The walls in our way begin to crumble. We have strength to fight another day.

My prayer for you today is that through prayer and the reading of God’s Word you find a fresh horse to carry you through the day.

Deacon Larry Woodard

Strong Bond

Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 4:12

In 1859, the Great Blondin became the first man to cross Niagara Falls on a tightrope. He repeated this feat many times including on stilts, on a bicycle, at night and pushing a wheelbarrow. Since then, over a dozen people have walked a rope high above the dangerous waters. A story is told about the Great Zumbrati. He walked across the falls in a rain storm. After the walk a fan approached him with a wheelbarrow he had brought to the event. He asked Zumbrati to cross again, this time pushing the wheelbarrow. “You really believe I can do it?” Zumbrati asked. “I’m positive!” responded the fan. “Okay,” said Zumbrati, “Get in the wheelbarrow…” As Christians, we can accomplish a lot…but only if we work together and support one another.

It is surprising how ineffective many Christians are. Hindered by petty backbiting, gossip, negative attitudes and uncooperative members; many churches seemingly go nowhere. Jesus called us to love one another for an important reason. He knew that unless we exhibit care, concern and cooperation among each other we would have little success here on earth. How can you love your father in heaven who you have not seen, if you can’t love your brother who you do see, He reasoned. The writer of Ecclesiastes gives an equally simple lesson: One man can be beaten by another, but two can keep that from happening. It would be very hard for one to beat three. When we work together, things get done.

Resolve to work with others to achieve things the group of you can’t do individually.

Deacon Larry Woodard

Level Playing Field

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Romans 3:23

During the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China a controversy arose about the use of the LZR Racer swimsuits by Speedo. These swimsuits, each costing $550 or more, use no thread but have ultrasonically bonded seams and layers of polyurethane and low drag panels built into the suit. Critics claimed the suits made swimmers more buoyant and the number of records set before the Olympics using the suit prove the suits give an unfair advantage to the athlete wearing it. As Christians, it is important to be aware that we start with no advantage over any other sinner. Our redemption comes not from who we are but whose we are.

In the 3rd Chapter of Romans, Paul weighs in on a major argument in the early Christian church about whether Jews and Gentiles were equal in the sight of God. Paul settles the question by reminding them that none of us is righteous by anything we are, have or do. He explains that our righteousness comes from God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all who believe. Indeed, he writes, we all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. The two important takeaways here are to be humble because we are saved by grace and to be forgiving and accepting because the playing field is level and we all need salvation in order to be acceptable to God.

My prayer for you today is to accept the good news that you are just as equal as everyone else.

Deacon Larry Woodard

Package Deal

The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalms 18:2

Travel agencies offer package prices to many vacation destinations. If you purchase the airline tickets, the hotel and the rental car at the same time they offer a price that is less than if purchased separately. Additionally, you have the convenience of taking care of it all with one transaction and many times extras will be thrown in such as discount coupons to local attractions. For the Christian, salvation is a package deal. By making just one decision and commitment we gain many benefits.

Psalm 18 describes God’s protection package. The Lord will be a firm foundation; a solid place that can be relied upon with everything around you might be shifting. The Lord will also be your fortress –actual protection against those who come against you when you are standing for righteousness. The Lord will be your deliverer thereby ensuring you will make it through your difficult situation. The psalmist paints a picture of every manner of protection round about you along with the strength and power to defeat the enemy. God’s protection package is the best there is.

When in the midst of a difficult trial remember to activate God’s protection package through prayer.

Deacon Larry Woodard

Part Time

62And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. Luke 9:62

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics over 20 Million people in the United States are part-time workers. They work less than 35 hours per week and generally are excluded from paid health benefits, union membership and participation in retirement plans. In fact, some of these people are looking for full-time work or are just entering the work force or semi-retired. Nevertheless, their part-time status puts limits both on their compensation as well as their benefits. Unfortunately, far too many practice Christianity on a part time basis. This dilutes the effectiveness of the church and is not acceptable in the eyesight of God.

The 9th Chapter of Luke finds Jesus giving his disciples authority as well as some on the job training. In this Chapter they receive instruction, go out, return and have the opportunity to discuss with the Lord their experiences. They are also able to sit at his feet as he teaches and watch him perform miracles. In the last part of the chapter Jesus examines their motives and gives them a warning. It is difficult for the Christian to operate in our modern world. We move from being around other Christians to being in a work environment to being with friends to being in our homes and each presents challenges to our faith. We are often tempted to respond to non-Christians in ways we feel they understand better than the instructions outlined in the Bible. Jesus tells the disciples that unless they fully commit, they are not fit for the Kingdom of heaven. God gives us no choice, we have to be full-time Christians in order to receive the blessings afforded his children.

My prayer for you today is that you remember you are a full time Christians and on call 24 hours a day.

Deacon Larry Woodard

Bear Market

"38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. " Romans 8:38-39

In stock market parlance, a "Bear Market" is a period of time in the market characterized by pessimism. The overall trend of the market is down and the general outlook is negative. The two most significant Bear Markets were 1930 to 1932, following the crash of the stock market in 1929 which ushered in the Great Depression and 1973 to 1982, a milder Bear Market but a prolonged period of recession and job loss. Many financial experts believe we are now in a Bear market. The Stock Exchange, like life, has its ups and downs. In contrast God's love is a constant that never fluctuates.

There is no corollary on earth for the Love of God. Every other love has its conditions and parameters. Earthly love ebbs and flows and in sometimes, fails. Only the love of God overcomes and transforms. The significance of this is its absolute power. In Ephesians 3, Paul prays that Christ may dwell in their hearts through faith so they can become rooted and established in love and have the power to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ. During times when you think there is a deep, dark place of depression you can reach, from which there may be no return; understand that God's love is always there and that he is able to, in the words of Paul, do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.

I want you to believe today that there is no emotional turmoil you can have that can't be reached and wiped away by God's love for you.

Deacon Larry Woodard

Flight Check

9"This, then, is how you should pray: " 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. Matthew 6:9-11

I fly regularly. Each time I get on a plane, I look to my left and the pilot and co-pilot are usually busy going through the Pre-flight checklist. They meticulously check all of the electronic and manual systems as well as perform visual checks of the inside and outside of the plane. If anything is out of order, they will not pull away from the gate until they are satisfied it has been rectified. Finding out there is a problem at 30,000 feet in the air (almost 6 miles high) could potentially be disastrous. Christians would do well to start each day with a routine to align our actions to God’s purpose.

Jesus detected a problem in some of the public prayers he was hearing in the synagogue. The motives were wrong. He called them hypocrites and what they were doing babbling. Prayer is one of the most critical elements in the life of a Christian. Through prayer we seek and get direction, strength, encouragement, hope, help and healing. Just as pilots make sure they have carefully checked the plane and coordinated with those responsible so they can be confident the plane will perform on the runway and in the air; Christians must start their days acknowledging God and making sure we are in right relationship with Him. During almost every flight planes encounter strong winds, limited visibility issues and the need to adjust their navigation due to air traffic or weather patterns. If we are to stay on course and live abundant lives, we must be in constant contact with God through prayer.

During the day, check in with God through prayer to keep yourself on the right path, headed in the right direction, making the right decisions.

Deacon Larry Woodard

Parthian Arrow

4And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. Revelation 21:4
The Parthian Empire ruled from Persia from 247 B.C. to A.D. 228. The empire included Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaidzhan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine and Israel. The Parthians had a great army and were crafty in battle. We still have the terminology “Parthian Arrow” (from which we have derived the term “parting shot’) which was the Parthian practice of shooting arrows while in retreat. The idea of attacking while retreating is a good way for Christians to think about the actions of the evil one. The scripture promises us ultimate victory so we must be vigilant but confident as we continue in the faith.
Many times it does not appear the battle is going that well for righteousness. Watching, listening or reading the news can be overwhelming. The city of Chicago is on track for 500 murders this year alone. We worry about the safety of our children and sometimes feel that it is hard to trust anyone, anywhere. Our battle plan seems archaic and ineffective…Love thy neighbor as thyself…turn the other cheek. Can love work in today’s world? In a word: Yes! In this spiritual warfare, we are called to fight the good fight with love, concern and honesty and God will do the rest.

My prayer for you today is that you keep the faith, do right and remember you are on the winning team.

Deacon Larry Woodard

Weakling

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My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:7

We are told in many ways by society that we need to be strong, not weak. We need to take charge of things and make things happen. Road rage is about not letting someone get in front of us. Many conflicts arise out of someone moving in on what we feel is ours. Jealousy comes from someone getting something we wanted. We measure the success of others by the degree to which we feel they have control of their lives and the circumstances that surround them. Those who struggle with illnesses, finances or relationships we perceive to be weaker than those who seem to have everything under control. Christians have to be careful in this judgment because the Bible teaches us that we all have sinned and come short of the glory of God and that God will surely not judge us the way we judge each other but will be able to measure the true man and our relationship with Jesus Christ.

The Biblical Paul seems to have had it together. He was educated, a leader and persuader of men. Strong in faith and a man of action, he figures prominently in the New Testament as important and effective. Yet, in just one short passage in Chapter 12 of 2 Corinthians, he gives us a glimpse of his inner man. He was troubled by some weakness, illness or sin and he pleaded with the Lord to move it on more than one occasion. The answer he got is that God’s grace is sufficient ; that was not about Paul, but about God and when Paul was weak, God was manifest as strong. Ultimately, Paul’s “problem” didn’t deter him, but drew him closer to God and caused him to rely upon God’s love and grace to carry him forward.

As Christians, we have to be careful not to confuse chronic sin as a thorn in the flesh. Sins separates us from God, Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” drew him to God. If your weaknesses send you to your knees and cause you to draw closer to God and to constantly reflect on his power to keep you and continue to proclaim his goodness and to affect those around you who witness your faith--then be glad—and be weak, but be strong.

Live today realizing the battle is not yours, but the Lord’s.

Deacon Larry Woodard

Introduction

Point Me In The Right Direction

5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” John 14: 5-7

As Christians, we have good intentions. We want to live Holy lives. Lives that are pleasing to God in service of our fellow man. The problem is we find ourselves so often unable to do it. Someone makes us mad. We wind up saying things we don’t mean to say. We go to the wrong places and do the wrong things. Sorry, these devotionals won’t fix these things we all struggle with. It will, however, point you towards the place to get back on the right path to try again.

I’m certain that when we are ineffective, we simply have not begun properly. We haven’t aligned ourselves to God through prayer. We have not actually thought about what we are about to do or where we are going. I’m convinced that we need to start out with the right frame of mind and moving in the right direction.

In the Gospel according to John, Jesus proclaims himself to be the way, the truth and the life. This is his response to the question: How can we know the way? Clearly, Thomas saw the need to be pointed in the right direction. We too seek, through the Bible and prayer to know which way to go.

This collection is a series of short devotions written to help focus your day and cause you to reflect on the nature of God as illuminated by the Bible. Each one takes about a minute to read. If you take a few minutes after that to reflect and pray it will help you start your day moving in the right direction.

Each one of these devotional reflections was written as I started my day asking God for the guidance and power to live meaningfully and purposefully.

My prayer is that God would guide our footsteps and that you will be blessed as you read the devotionals in Moving In The Right Direction.

Deacon Larry Woodard