God Does Care

Mat. 10:29-31 “Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not, therefore; ye are of more value than many sparrows.”-

The value of sparrows are next to nothing, but God cares even when the sparrow falls to the ground. He watches over that which we place very little value. The little things are important to God. There are billions of people that live on this earth, the world population makes us feel that we are very insignificant. “Does God really take interest in each one?” God’s word assures us that He does care, and understands when we are going through times of difficulty. He knows us better than anyone else, and desires to give us what we need. We don’t have to fear tomorrow, for He knows what we need and will provide us the help and grace when we need it. 

7:15am

No More Tears

Rev. 21: 4 “ And 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”-

It will happen one of these days. A day will come where there will be no more death, sorrow, crying, or pain. The suffering that is so common on this earthly journey will someday pass away and will not be remembered. Oh, what a day that will be! We live today with many heartaches and sorrows, sin has put it’s mark on this world, it has caused many to weep and pray that it would all soon come to an end. Even as Christian, we face times where tears flow without end. We are comforted to know that Jesus is near and He will take us through those difficult times. But, there is coming a day when the these things that happen will be wiped away, we will no longer experience sorrow, pain, or death. A new heaven will be ours and we will forever love and praise for all eternity. 

For Those Who Love Him

Nehemiah 1:5 “and said: “I beseech thee, O Lord God of heaven, the great and fearsome God, who keepeth covenant and mercy for those who love Him and observe His commandments,”-

The promises of God most often come with some conditions. He promise never to leave us or forsake us. But if we rebel against His will and walk away from His commandments, then He is not obligated based on His word to be with us. He still may pursue us and entreat us to return, but His presence in our lives is no longer assured. For those who truly love Him and are doing their best to follow His will, He will stay true to His word. He will not forsake us if we wholly submit to His will and keep His commandments. Their is a work to be done and He calls each of us to answer the call. He has promised to go with us to guide and direct our path. The task may seem unsurmountable, but He is a great and awesome God who is able to give us the power and grace to do what needs to be done. For those who love Him, He will make a path and walk with us. 

Heart is Overwhelmed

Psalm 61:2 “From the end of the earth will I cry unto Thee when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I”-

Having too much on our plate, the loss of a loved one brings heartache, circumstances in life bring on more than we can bear, we become overwhelmed with life’s demands and we can no longer bear the load. When we come to the end of our rope It is not uncommon for many to have a nervous breakdown. We internalize our problems and often in our own strength try to overcome. We need to let go of the rope and allow ourselves to fall into the hand of God. He will place on a rock that will be a safe retreat from the things that trouble our heart. No matter where we are, or what our situation may be, we can cry to Him and He will be our helper in the time of need. He knows our breaking point, when life gives us more than we can handle and we become overwhelmed. He will not allow us to be tempted beyond that which we cannot bear. For with every trial and temptation, he will provide a way of escape. He will place us on a rock that will rise above the storms of life and keep us safe.

Behave Thyself

1 Tim 3:15 “ but if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou ought to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.”-

A person who is part of the household of God has a responsibility to behave themselves in a way that will reflect well on the family name. The name of this family is the name “Christian” God is the Father, and Christ the the elder brother, and we are join heirs, adopted into this family through the blood of Christ. In Him is truth and His church is the pillar of truth. We are to behave in all manners of truth. Being part of the family of God or being part of the house of God is to love the Father with all our hearts and to love those who are part of this household. We may have different opinions and ideas, but our love for Christ binds us together, and His blood that was shed for us unites us as one. May we be conscious how we behave and always leave an example to others that we bare the name of Christ as a Christian.

Unto All People

John 3:15 “ that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.”-

Luke 2:10 “And the angel said unto them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.”-

The gift of God is to anyone who is willing to accept the Salvation of the Lord. He died for ALL, but all are not saved. The provision is given to all walks of life. The poor, the rich, the sick, and the healthy are part of the “whosoever”. God is no respecter of person, He desires only that we give to Him what He gave to us, our life. Those who choose not to believe and accept this gift will not have eternal life. They will spend eternity without God, in darkness and suffering. Their souls will perish in hell. The invitation has been given, “whosoever” is you and me. Regardless of our past or our station in life, He invites us to believe in Him and accept Him as our Savior. 

Giving All

Luke 21:3 “And He said, “In truth I say unto you that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all.”-

“Give it all, give it all to Jesus”. It is not how much we give, but the sacrifice that is made when giving that matters. God still blesses those that give of their abundance and is pleased when people are willing to help support the Kingdom’s work, but giving your life is more precious to God than any monetary substance. He wants us to surrender all to Him. Giving all is to submit our hopes and desires to His will. He wants our heart, soul, body, and mind. God is not after our pocket book, He is after our allegiance. The truth of it all is we don’t have to have a penny to our name, and we still have something to give that supersedes the wealth and riches of this world. All to Jesus I surrender, “All to Him I freely give... I surrender all”

He Came Down

John 6:38 “ For I came down from Heaven, not to do Mine own will, but the will of Him that sent Me.”-

What more can the Father give than to send His Son to earth to live and die for us. He came down from Heaven, not just to show us how to live, but to give us a new life to live. Christmas is about Christ coming to earth and living the life of a mortal, but giving His life as the God-Man. He came down to Heaven as a babe, born in a manger with the royal blood of God the Father. He who knew no sin, became sin for us. Taking away our iniquity and the penalty of sin. He came down from Heaven to do the will of the Father. We bow at the cross, confessing our sins, and are now the light of the world that others will see the Christ who came down from Heaven. 

His Name in Vain

Ex 20:7 “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain.”-

God is holy, He is to be honored and lifted up with love and praise. We need to be careful and conscience that we do not misuse His name foolishly. Many, who don’t understand the gravity of knowing God and His word, flippantly will use the word God or Jesus as part of a cuss phrase or with empty meaning. Words mean things and the words we speak must be guarded with care. How we use the name of God is a serious matter. It matters to God how we use His name. He is to be held in high regard and using His name outside of the context of who He is brings dishonor to His name. Let us be cognitive of the way we verbalize the name of God. “If you love me, keep my commandments” 

Serving Him

Num 4:24 “This is the service of the families of the Gershonites, to serve and to bear burdens.”-

The service we give to God is not measured by what it is, but by our willingness to do it. God calls all that follow Him to serve in some way. Each according to his or her’s ability. It is our human tendency to rank the importance of service. We tend to think that those who service in direct full-time ministry have more important jobs to do. The calling of God to ministry is a great calling and should never be minimize, but God calls everyone to service and all service has a place and is important in the building of God’s Kingdom.  The Gershonites were given the grave responsibility to do the work of the tabernacle. Their job was manual labor, and it was ordained and order by God. There is no higher calling given to man, than to do the work that God calls him to do. There are no big “I” and little “I” in building His church. We all have a part to carry and He is pleased when we carry out the work with a cheerful heart. Our attitude toward our work and how we do it is a measure of our love and service to Him.

Teach Me

Psalm 143:10 “ Teach me to do Thy will, for Thou art my God. Thy Spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.”-

Learning is a process that a requires time. Some people learn stuff faster than others, depending on their love and motivation to learn. If we keep an open heart to truth. As a baby learns to walk, God will teach us to walk in uprightness. God is patient with those who have a desire to learn and do what is right. He knows our heart and He knows our humanist and our short comings. He understands our struggles, and desires to teach us how to overcome in times of adversity. 

The Light

2 Corinth 4:6 “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”-

In a world that lives in darkness, blinded to the things of God, we are given the light of God in our hearts to show others who Jesus is. As we live day to day, we do face obstacles that challenge our faith, but God, who is greater than any need we have is also able to help us shine during those difficult times, that others may see that God is real. He is not dead! He is the light of the world, and we are His vessels that His light shines through. We are not the light, we are reflectors of the Light. How important it is that our life show forth the fruit of His Light. The Gospel remains hid to those in darkness if our light is not shining in the image of Christ. May God help us to live carefully, so that other may see that Christ is the true light of world living in our heart. 

Riches of His Grace

Eph 1:7 “ in Whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace,”-

The favor of God is given to us as a gift. Because of His grace, we don’t have to suffer the judgment of our sin. His grace is a gift of love that was demonstrated by the giving of His life to pay for our sins. Forgiveness for our  sinful ways is provided through the shedding of the blood of Jesus. We do not deserve it, but His grace provides it. Our responsibility is to accept this free gift. When we do, He changes our life so drastically that we desire to live a life that will please Him. His commandments are not grievous, His grace allows us to live each day with desire to serve Him. A person truly saved by the grace of God is motivated by love to share this grace to others. To pass it forward, to show our neighbor that God’s love can give purpose to life and a joy everlasting. 

Transforming Power

Roman 12:2 “And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”-

The transforming power of God to change a life the is wrecked by sin and make it new again. A transformation that is permanent and everlasting. The heart is changed instantaneously by the grace of God. Old things are past away and all things become new. A new life is recreated in the person who puts their faith in Christ. Once I was blind, but now I see. Once I was lame, but now I walk, once I was deaf, but now I hear, once I was lost in darkness, but now I the light shines in my path. What a glorious transformation is made when we come to Christ. Then God begins a holy transformation in our lives as we present ourselves in complete surrender to His will, giving our lives in holy consecration, set apart, sanctified to live blameless without sin. We no longer conform to the ideology of this world, but we now see things through the eyes of God and righteousness. Over time as we walk with God, He shows us how to walk and how to live holy. He imparts the 3rd person of the holy Trinity, the Holy Spirit giving us the power to live acceptable and do the perfect will of God. 

Following God

Joshua 14:9b “because thou hast wholly followed the Lord my God.”-

Following God without any reservations. To Wholly follow the Lord is to fully and entirely do what He wants you to do. It is full obediences to the will of God. Partial obedience is not acceptable. Saul followed only part of God’s will and paid an awful price for his partial obedience. Joshua followed God fully and did not hold back his obedience. Because He did, God blessed him and gave him the desires of his heart. Everyone is called of God to do something for the kingdom. Some are called to led and others are called to follow, but it is all for the purpose to glorify God. Wherever God puts us, He wants us to grow and be all that He desires. To become a mature Christian, living life to its fullness. This is only done, when we are willing to wholly follow Him, no matter the road He may have us travel. “Give it all, give it all to Jesus.”

Rejoice Not

Prov. 24:17 “Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth,”-

A heart that is not perfect with God will be more incline to rejoice when someone they dislike comes into bad times. “They are getting what they deserve” is often said among those who find pleasure in seeing others fall or fail. We all want justice to be given when others are being hateful and committing evil deeds. But, we don’t rejoice in the justice, for vengeance is God’s and He alone is only able to administer holy justice for He knows the heart and spirit of every man.  It takes a heart that is perfect before God to be able to love someone who despitefully uses you, or mistreats you. It does not mean you don’t have feelings of mistrust or can soon forget the hurt that you felt. But, the love of God helps us not to rejoice in evil, but rejoice in that God is in control and He will do what is right and holy. 

He That Calls You

1 Thess 5:24 “Faithful is He that calleth you; He also will do it.”-

Called of God to be holy. To walk in the way of holiness. To be set apart and be made blameless. Not in our own strength, but in our willingness to let God do to us what He needs to make us ready for heaven. The process is not pleasant and it will probably require sacrifice on our part. But, the promise of God is true. He is faithful to make us what we ought to be. He wants us to live victorious lives and have motives that are pure and holy. Being sanctified does not make us perfect human beings. We are still subject to temptations and things that come from human desire. But He has promise us that even in times of temptation, we can give us the desire to live spotless and blameless in this present world. His second coming can happen at any time, our last day can be any day. He wants us to be ready for that day. May we be willing to submit our live to God, to be used of Him until His coming.

Name of Jesus

Matt. 1:21 “ And she shall bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins.”-

In the Name of Jesus, is often said when a prayer is concluded. There is something about that Name that is above every other name. There is no other Name under heaven, on earth given among men that has the power to forgive sin. This is not just any one name Jesus, for there are many born on earth who have that name. But this Name has power to heal the sick, make the lepers clean, and cause the blind to see. He is the son of the living God, He is God made flesh who came to dwell among us. How sweet in His Name, the song in our heart sings about that lovely Name. At the Name of Jesus, every knee shall bow and every tongue will confess that He is Lord. In His Name we can claim eternal life, and it is in His Name that allows us passage through the gates of heaven. Oh, how I love that Name!

Praise Him

Psalm 107:31 “ Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!”-

Praise Him in the morning, praise Him at noon, praise Him in the evening, praise Him every moment of the day. My lips shall praise Him for His goodness to me and to my family. Even in the storm, He is good and worthy of praise. Life comes with a lot of emotional ups and downs. We all face times of heartache and disappointment, but God is good and He sees the storm we are in. Storms always bring uncertainty, we may wonder where God is and think He does not care, but God is working to keep us even in the storm of uncertainty. Praise Him for He is God and He is in control and governs the event of this world. Sin is rampant across this land, but God is not taken by surprise. He sees what sin is doing to man, but to them that will praise Him, He will draw near and bring them through this maze of sin. Jesus, our haven of rest in the storm will be with us through it all. Let us put aside our fears and look to Jesus and praise Him for all He has done.

Jesus Only

Acts 4:12 “Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.”-

Jesus only. Salvation from sin, or having your sins forgiven can only be done by God. Who can forgive sins, except He be God. Heaven is prepared for those who’s heart is clean from all unrighteousness through the forgiveness of sin. Jesus, sent from the Father is one with the Father, therefore is equal in essence. Christ paid the ultimate price for sin. He who had no sin because He was God, died to save sinners. The simple message of salvation. If one is a believer in God’s word, then salvation can come by no other means than through Jesus. All roads do not led to heaven. As Christian, we consciously cannot accept that there are many ways to have eternal life. Others may see us as intolerant, and narrow minded. It is not politically acceptable to say that Jesus is the only way to heaven. We live in a day where people are doing what is right in their own eyes. Doing what is right requires us to look through the eyes of God, through His word. What is right? Believe on the Lord Jesus, and thou will be saved. He said it, I believe it! Debate over!

Trouble Days

Psalm 86:7 “In the day of my trouble I will call upon Thee, for Thou wilt answer me.”- 

Every generation has times of trouble. We live in trouble days, problems on every hand. We all face them, some more severe than others. We encounter trouble at work with a co workers or our boss, we may be facing financial trouble paying our bills, meeting our obligations. Because we are human and prone to make mistakes, we sometimes create our own trouble. Getting in trouble is most often due to something we did foolishly or carelessly. Driving too fast will cause us to get in trouble with the law, and we may have to pay a fine. Money out of budget may keep us from making the car payment, the list of trouble continues. Even in times where we drop the ball, we serve a God of mercy, and we can call on Him and He will answer. Troubles will come our way and sometime unexpectedly. It times like this, God will pour out His grace and give us just what we need to face the trouble before us. 

Godly Jealousy

2 Corinth 11:2 “ For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy; for I have espoused you to one Husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.”-

Jealousy is a close cousin to envy when it comes from a self - centered heart. To be jealous carries with it an emotion of feeling resentful that someone has somethings that you wish you had, or not wanting to share with anyone that which you possess. To a heart that is self centered this could lead to behavior that is dangerous and harmful. But there is a godly jealousy that desires to protect that which is theirs. God, who bought us through Christ, desires a close relationship with us, He wants our full love and devotions. Satan is out to woe us into serving sin and put a wedge between us and God. God desires that we be faithful and with a godly jealousy will go out of His way to keep us in His protection. 

Doing Service

Eph. 6:7 “with good will doing service, as to the Lord and not to men,”- 

We all go through life doing the same thing day by day. Most of us get up and prepare for a day of work. We leave our home to fulfill a day of service. We labor to put food on the table and a roof over our head. We go many days doing the same thing over and over again. Most of our life is doing mundane routine things. We may wonder how we are fulfilling the will or call of God. To serve God is not just found in ministry, serving God is done in everything we do. Yes, we go about are daily duties to provide for our daily needs and wants, but God desires us to serve with a glad heart and do all things as servants of God. We may live on earth working for a company or have a supervisor that is difficult to work for, but we must stay focus on who we really serve. Our labor is not in vain, God will use us and our testimony in whatever capacity we find ourselves in. Life is never boring, if we purpose to do all things to please Him.

Delayed Judgment

Ecc. 8:11 “Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.”-

Delayed Judgment. Be sure your sin will find you out. The judgment or consequences of sin will come. It may not be during one’s life span, but eternity will bare out the full judgment of God. Man does not fool God, God will have the last word. One might think they are getting away with sinning without consequence, but there will come a day when God will judge every man’s work, and will reveal what man has done in the flesh. To the person, who is set on doing evil and living wickedly, they will stand before God and give an account for the life they have lived. Just because sin has not fully reaped what has been sown, does not mean that the evil or wicked living is justified. There is coming a day when we all will stand before God and give an account, may our work be found to be good and acceptable. May he say to us, “‘Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Thou hast been faithful over a few things; ...Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.’

Ambassadors

2 Corinth 5:20 “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were beseeching you by us: we pray you on Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.”-

an Ambassadors is a person who represents or promotes  a country or a specific entity. We are to  represent Christ in His love, sharing out the good news that He died for our sins. We can be made right with God because He paid the price for our sins and we can now have a right relationship with Him. As ambassadors, we promote what grace can do in our life and how He can make us new creatures. We can tell others what wonderful things He has done and how He satisfies the longing of the heart. We are messengers for the gospel of Jesus. Let us go forth spreading the good news, that Jesus saves!

Storms of Life

Mark 4:37 “And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was now full.”-

When life happens a storm is surely to come. It matters not if you are a Christian or a non believer in God, the storms of life will rock our boat and fill it with problems and unwanted circumstances. We often wonder why things are happening in our life, especially when we are doing our best to please God. We do our best to live right and to follow His Word. We give of our self to help others or to see God’s kingdom go forward. Then all of a sudden, BAM! a wave hits us. We are shaken up and begin to fret in fear that God has forsaken us or no longer cares for us. Life happens! We are in the storm of confusion and uncertainty. In times like these, we need to remember that Christ is in the hind part of the boat. He will not let anything happen that is not His perfect will. We must learn to trust and have faith that He will calm the trouble waters, He will give us the calming peace we need to ride the storm. In times like this we have an Anchor, we can trust Him to do what is best. Life happens! But, Jesus also happens!

New Vessels

Jer. 18:4 “And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make it.”-

Our life is a vessel that needs to be remade into a vessel that can be used by God. From birth, our vessel was damaged, disfigured, and full of debris. In order to be used for God, the vessel must be crushed and made into clay, and be reshaped into a vessel that is fit to be filled with His love. God takes our self-will life and turns it into a life that seeks only the will of God. God can not only take the sin in our life and forgive us making us new vessels, but He also can take the imperfection that human nature creates and mold and make it a vessel of honor. We all have places in our lives that need improvement and reshaping. We need to let God mold us, make us, and use us for His work and kingdom. 

Life's Focus

Heb 10:34 “knowing in yourselves that ye have in Heaven a better and an enduring substance.”-

We live in a materialistic world. the gathering of stuff occupies our life daily. we buy new houses, new cars, and fill our house with stuff to make it look nice. This is the culture we live in. The danger is that this becomes our focus in life. Work to fill our “barns”. But we are also living in a day of uncertainty, and life has a way of turning things around. Losing a job, a fire burning our house down, illness in the family, and many other things that can happen. It times like these, we must have our focus on what really matters in life. Things that will endure for eternity. Storing up treasures in heaven. focus on relationship, focus on living for God, focus on sharing the love of Jesus. These are the things that really matter. 

Without Love

1 Corinth 13:2b “though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains, but have not charity, I am nothing.”- 

Without faith it is impossible to please God, and without love it is impossible to see God. Love, the greatest passion known to man. It will win over hate every time if it comes from God. Without love, our life has no purpose and it will end without hope. Every day we are given a chance to show love to God and to others. Having God’s love in our life and letting it work in our life should be the purpose we live. Our faith at times may be weak and we sometime may falter in our trust. Satan can bring discouragement and we faint in well doing, but love is a choice. We wake up each day and make the choice to love God and show our love to those we will encounter that day. Love must come from the heart and flow from a love for God. There are many people who show acts of kindness, but it does not flow from a heart that loves God. Paul even says, that a person could even be willing to die for someone else, but if done without divine love, it is of no worth. “May today bring me new opportunities to manifest the love of God to a hurting world, may His love flow through me so that others may say, ‘ I see Jesus’”.

The Word of God

Psalm 119:11 “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee.”-

The secret to living a holy life, one that keeps the smile of God on us is to live in His word. To hide the Word of God deep in our hearts. It is good to read and to memorize His word, but we must simulate His word in our lives and let the Word of God live in us and through us. His Word is more that just a receipt for good living, it is the essence of our life. “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of Life”- John 1:1 . He is the Word that lives within us. It is Jesus that we hide in our hearts that we might live a life holy and righteous before God. The written page, electronically or on paper is still holy and sacred, but they are only words if they don’t change our lives.

His Purpose

Ecc 3:1 “To every thing there is a season, and a time for every purpose under the heaven”-

Winter, fall, summer, and spring, the four seasons of the year. Fall is now here and the nights are getting darker earlier, the evenings and days are cooling down. The leaves from the trees are all falling, and nature is going into hibernation. The season to prepare for the coldest part of the year. We may or may not like the cold weather to come, but God has designed it that way for a purpose. We live for God for a purpose, and God has His purpose for each one of us. Every purpose is timed in our lives by God. He see us when we are struggling and doing what we know is best. We go through times when we hurt, and we wonder why the test, but He has His purpose. We learn to trust God to do what is best and believe Him to fulfill His purpose in our lives. 

The Good Ole Days

Job. 29: 4,5 “as I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle;

when the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were about me”-

We see life through the lens of our present circumstances. We sometimes look back and wish for the old days. Maybe there were days when we had more friends, or days when it seem that God was blessing more. “The good ole days”. Job remembered days when things were good and life was blessed having a home and family to love. Now, his circumstance have changed and he wonders why God has deserted him. When things are not going good, we our tempted to think that God no longer cares and has left us to fend for ourselves. But, God is the master orchestra director and composer and knows the song of our life. He sees the start to finish and wants us to trust Him. “Father, my circumstance don’t always look favorable, and I sometimes wish for the days of old. But today is the day that the Lord has made, and I will rejoice and be glad in it. For you Lord, have all things under control, and I choose to trust you for today”

Count For God

Psalm 39:4 ““Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is, that I may know how frail I am.”-

Every day is given to us by God, we must not waste time for we know not when time will come to an end. David desired to know how many years he had left to live, but our life is in the hands of God who knows the measure of our days. It is our responsibility to make sure that every day counts for God. The cares of life consume much of our lives. We toil through the day to make a living to provide food and shelter. We go to work so that we have the means to take care of our needs and our wants. We come home and take care of our homes and to be with our families. Our time is spent on legitimate things that are good and wholesome. But often the most important things in life are left out and only done if time is permitted. We must make our time count for God. Time to worship Him, time to talk to Him, time to read His Word and meditate on Christ. Time to serve in ministry to give of our time to show others the grace of God. This is what separates us from the world. Life is more than a journey of survival, it is a life lived in Christ. “Dear God, time is so quickly moving and my days and years will soon come to an end, help me to live each day for you and let each day count for God”

Forgiveness

Luke 23:34 “Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they parted His raiment and cast lots.-

Forgiveness- What does it mean to forgive? Forgiveness is an action and not an emotion. It is done with purpose regardless how we may feel. It is one of God’s graces that is given to Christians who face injustice to self or others we love. Temptation to retaliate and get revenge are real emotions that Christians with human emotions must resist and overcome. We live in a selfish world and people will act in ways that will cause others to be hurt. They are blinded by sin and they know not what they do. Even when they know they are doing wrong, sin justifies their actions. Forgiveness will not justify the wrong doing, but will see that people living for self and self gratification need to come to Jesus and be saved. Learning to forgive is not always easy, but it is the way of Christ. If we are to be like Him, we must learn to forgive. For God, who has forgiven us of our selfish living, desires that we also forgive them who do likewise. “Dear Lord, it is not always easy to forgive those who have hurt and have done us wrong, but give me the grace to overcome my feelings and give me the power of Christ to forgive others, even as you have forgiven me”

Sincere in Heart

Joshua 24:14 “Now therefore, fear the Lord, and serve Him in sincerity and in truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the river and in Egypt, and serve ye the Lord.”-

A sincere heart is a tender heart. Sincerity is a character trait that speaks of someone who has good intentions. It is possible to be sincere, but yet misguided in our purpose. Being sincere is a good start, but it must be focus on truth. Being sincerely wrong or placing our purpose on things that are not true will lead us down a dead end path. Serving God with sincerity is to have a motive to do what is right and to walk in truth. Truth is given to us through God’s Word. There are many religions that are built on faulty premises and many good people sincerely adhere to the teaching of those religions. Their religion is built on a foundation created by a man’s belief. Christianity is built on the teaching of Christ, who is God and is truth. Putting away other gods is to put away the religions, or teaching that are not founded on God’s Word.

Our Petitions to God

1 John 5:15 “ And if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.”- 

According to His will, His will is that all be saved, sanctified, and His name glorified. We can know that He hears us when we pray in His will. Our petitions to God for the salvation of those who are lost in sin and away from God will not go unheeded. Our petition to draw closer to God, to be set apart in holiness is the desire of our Lord. The request that we make that will bring glory to Him, God will not ignore. Whatsoever we ask, according to will, we can know that He hears us.

Sinless Life

1 John 1:8, 2:1 “ If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not…”-

Believers in Christ are to walk in the light of God to keep them from a life of sin. A person who lives in sin is a sinner and is in need of God’s grace of forgiveness. If we sin, and deny that we have sinned, we are declaring that God’s word is not true. It is only through the blood of Christ that we are able to live a life without sin. There is nothing in ourselves that is able to keep us pure. We need the light of God, the presences of the Holy Spirit to empower us to resist temptation and to continue to live in the light of God. But it is possible to let our guard down and allow temptation to defeat us. In times like this, we need to confess to God our failure. He desires to stay in fellowship with us, but sin in the life of a Christian keeps us from fellowship. He is our advocate, He loves us too much to just let us live in our sin. He has provided a way, the way of forgiveness. The blood of Jesus has the power to keep us, but it also has the power to forgive us. 

The Church- One Body

1 Corinth 12:18 “But now hath God set the members, every one of them, in the body as it hath pleased Him.”- 

For church to be non functional, it must be able to work together without division. Because we all come from different backgrounds, with different ideas, it is not uncommon to have different opinion on how things are done. Every part of the work of God is important and God has given each member of His church a gift and talent to be used to create a church that will please Him. There is more than just one function of the church, and each one is important for a church to be health. The church is foremost a body of believers who have come together to worship God, they gather together to learn more about Jesus and to build and edify each other in the Lord. Thirdly, the church is place where people who need God can come and find Him. The church has a responsibility to reach out to those who are hurting and to those who don’t know God. The church is more than a hospital for the sick (sinners). We gather together as one to worship Him and encourage each other in the faith. Division often comes when we think one of these is more important than another. We are one body, we all are in Christ, and our purpose is to please Him.  

Interpreting God's Word

Act 17:11- “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the Word with allreadiness of mind and searched the Scriptures daily to see whether those things were so.”- 

The Scripture is given to man to help them find their way to God and to guide them in the way they should live. His Word is truth and what He says is absolute. The problem we have is that people interpret His Word in different ways, or take His Word out of context to fit their own view point. The desire of God is that we live holy lives that are pleasing to Him. What that looks like is often left to individual or collective interpretation. As we search the Scriptures, we need the Holy Spirit to illuminate our minds and hearts to see what truth He has for us. God is faithful to open up His Word to us if we seek Him with all our hearts. He will not lead us astray. There are some foundation truth that are made clear in God’s Word that are essential to the Christian faith. God is one God, Jesus Christ is deity and came to the world to die for the sins of the world, and rose from the dead to give us new life. We are all sinners in need of Jesus to save us from our sins. This is the scriptures that were searched in Paul’s time. The Holy Spirit is real and dwells in the believer to led them into all truth. As we read God’s Word, let us be careful that we discern His Word with holy motives and with a desire to draw close to Him.

Life is a Race

Thurs. 27th, 082015

1 Corinth 9:36 “ I therefore so run, but not with uncertainty; I so fight, but not as one that beateth the air.”-

Life is a race, there is a start and there is a finish line. Everyone is running this race, but not everyone runs with purpose. Living life day by day, going through the motions and routines, it is easy to forget our purpose. Those who don’t know God, live their life for earthly gain and self satisfaction. They strive to be their best, so they can obtained a temporal award. Having such goals and aspirations are not wrong in themselves, but they should not be the motivating factory that drives a Christian to run the race. We all should set goals and plan for the future, but we do all things for the purpose to gain an eternal award. It would seems at times that we are just “beating the air” going through life without seeing any fruit of our labor. This is no time to give up and quit, we must continue to run the race, strive to be our best for Christ, bring our mind, body, and spirit into subjection to the law of Christ. Let us not forget, that we live that Christ may be lifted up and that we may be an example for Christ to gain the world for Him.

Words we Speak

Wed. 26th 082015

Prob 18:21, Psalm 19:14 “Death and life are in the power of the tongue”

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.”-  Our right to free speech is filtered through the Word of God. The words we speak can be uplifting or they can hurt. Our words have a direct influence on how we represent Christ. The words we speak reflect on our Christian influence. One who is looking on may disregard the claims of Christ if our words are contrary to the life of Christ. Even if we see no harm in what we say, if it keeps someone from following God, it is wise to bridle your tongue. Guarding your tongue begins by guarding your heart. Words we say originate from what is in the heart. If our heart is in love with Christ, then the words we speak will show forth the love of Christ. If our heart is prideful and self centered, then the words we say we reflect that condition. When a person gives their heart to Christ, He changes our heart, old things have passed away and all things are new. Our desire is to speak those things that are acceptable to God. Let the words of our mouth bring hope to those around us and bring glory to the one we love and serve.

God Knows

Roman 8:29 “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son…”-

From the time of creation God in His omniscience knew that we would be born into this world. He knew that sin would also result in tragedy for the human race. Many of the bad things that happen in life are the result of sin. Because man has a free will, bad things will happen. But, not all bad things are the result of sin. The natural force of earth that cause natural disasters will often bring unfortunate events to take place. Lives are lost in earthquakes, hurricanes, volcanos, tornados, etc… These things are seen as “the acts of God” It is in these times that we wonder why God has allowed such tragedy to take place. For what purpose, did God allow a life to be taken from this world? Each life that is born into this world comes with a blueprint from the hand of God. The blueprint is design to fit all of us into His great plan. In our finite mind and understanding, we are not able to grasp the purpose of this plan. The purpose of God is that all men may come to the knowledge of His saving grace. He desires that we all be comforted to the image of Christ. The things that happen in life are ultimately for this reason. When we look around us and see the effects of sin and the suffering of those around us, we must believe that God is in control and will bring about His plan for this world and for our lives. I don’t claim to understand it all, but this one thing I know. God is good and His ways are beyond my ways. I choose to trust Him, even in the storm.

A Desert Place

Mark 6:31,46 “And He said unto them, “Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while.” ... And when He had sent them away, He departed onto a mountain to pray.”-

There are times in our lives that we just need to get away and find a quiet place to relax and reflect on God. We all need a desert place or a mountain to go to. A place where we can put aside all the cares of life and allow our minds to focus on things eternal, put our body on pause and allow God to rejuvenate us with new strength. We all get busy with things that are legitimate and pressing. We find it harder to take time everyday to get alone with God and spend time in His word and in prayer. God is calling us to lay it down and head to the desert to rest awhile. Our responsibilities our real and need to be done, but we are of no use if we are so tired and stressed out that we cannot do our job effectively. Jesus practice times of solitude and reflection, He often would pull Himself away from the crowd and the pressing things in life, and find a quiet place to pray and rest. In the desert place, God wants to meet with us, and fill us with new strength to face the days ahead of us with new life and determination. 

Religion From God

Luke 10:33,37b “But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was. And when he saw him he had compassion on him...Then said Jesus unto him, “Go and do thou likewise.””-

Being religious is more that going to church and following rituals and rules. Those things are important to our faith as we worship and honor God. They show that we respect and reverence the ordinance that God has given us. But religion goes beyond the observance of the law. Religion that is from God will be filled with compassion having a servants heart. We are the hands and feet of Jesus, through us, Christ is able to touch and heal broken people. As we journey through life, God puts people in our lives that He wants us to help. We must be sensitive to the Spirit and listen to His voice as He reveals to us the needs that are all around us. We are not able to help everyone that is in need, but Jesus desires that we take time to show love and compassion to those He puts in our path. The high priest was too consume about his reputation and religious obligations that he completely over looked  God’s will to show compassion. Our faith is best seen when we love our neighbors as ourselves. If we love God, we will keep His commandments, but His commandments never negate us from showing compassion to a world that is hurting and need to see God in action through those that serve Him. 

The Call of God

Ex 31:2,3 “I have called by name Bezaleel...and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom and in understanding and in knowledge and in all manner of workmanship”-

The calling of God to work in His kingdom is not limited to just preachers, teachers, and missionaries. The work of God requires laborers that will use their skills to help build the kingdom of God. We are laborer together in the body of Christ to build His church. He has called some to used their skills to swing a hammer, connect wires, install the plumbing, set up the sound system, shingle the roof, paint the walls, pour the concrete, lay the carpet, and use their creativity to decorate the house of God. God has given each one of us a talent or skills that He can use to bring Him glory. “In whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31) We all are part of the puzzle that will help make it happen, and each one is important to the unity in Christ and to the advancement of the kingdom of God. God calls each one us to serve Him, and He will empower us with His Spirit and knowledge to accomplish the task. It is our responsibility to answer the call and be willing to use our skills to bring glory to Him.

The Mind of Christ

Philippians 2:4,5 “Look not every man to his own things, but every man also to the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus”-

Living in the Vine is to have the mind of Jesus. He is our supreme example how we are to act and behave. In our humanity we come short of what God wants us to be, but Christ humbled Himself and became human. He walked the dusty roads of this earth and suffered the afflictions that you and I encounter in life. Even during times of hardship and in the face of death, Christ willingly gave Himself to us. We are so prone to pamper ourselves and look out for number one. The spirit is often willing, but the flesh is weak. Paul realized that in our humanity that there would be a tendency to cater to our own needs, and there are times that doing so is the right thing to do. But, often those needs can be put aside, so we can care for the needs of others. Having the mind of Christ living within us, will give us the strength and fortitude to act in kindness, preferring one another over our own wants. The mind of Christ is allowing the Holy Spirit to take full control of our life and let Him direct and guide our path. When we have the mind of Christ, our attitude changes toward life, life is no longer about “us” but, it is about serving others. Let us put aside those things we want and start to focus on the things of others. 

The Bread of God

John 6:33 “ For the bread of God is He that cometh down from Heaven, and giveth life unto the world”-

The desire for earthly bread is a natural human craving. When we get hungry, we start thinking what would be good to satisfy our stomachs. It is only a few hours before once again we are looking for more earthly bread. Life is so consumed with fulfilling the fleshly desires of life. In and of themselves, not all of these desires are wrong or sinful. But, many in this world only seek the things of the world. They desire to gather material wealth, popularity, or power. They crave for self satisfaction. They are seekers of pleasure rather than be seekers of God. Jesus recognized that many who were following Him were only wanting that which would satisfy their earthly desires of the flesh. “Verily, verily I say unto you, ye seek Me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye ate of the loaves and were filled.” (Jn 6:26). God wants to give bread to the world that will bring every lasting fulfillment. Jesus, the bread of life that came down from heaven is the true source of satisfaction. If we will eat this bread, our cravings for the earthly bread will fade away. As we daily eat of the bread of life, we find in Him that He will satisfied all the longings of our heart. Our affections are now set on things above and not on things of this world. In Him is life, and we must believe that He is the giver of life. Let us now eat, and be satisfied.

God is Good

Isaiah 25:1 “O Lord, Thou art my God. I will exalt Thee, I will praise Thy name, for Thou hast done wonderful things; Thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.”- 

When things go wrong, we so quickly are asking God “Why?” We sometimes go days without facing a severe trail or misfortune and fail to recognize the goodness of God for His blessings. I praise Him because He is God and His mercy and goodness is ever present. I will lift His name on high in the good times and in the difficult times because God is good. His miracles of goodness are with us everyday. On purpose this Sunday morning, I will praise Him! Things may not be going exactly the way I would like them to go, but I serve a good God who has been with me in my journey of life. His faithfulness is true and He has never failed. God is good, all the time. He knows the way that I take, and I praise Him because He cares about me and knows what I need. He will not let me down, and it is my desire that I praise Him even in the storm and rough times. I will praise Him because He is good!

Spiritual Weakness

Roman: 15:1“ We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.”-

A strong Christian is one that has put their trust fully in the Lord. They have learned to walk by faith and not by sight. They realized the importance of doing good works, but know that it is not their good works that saves them, but it is grace given by God through Christ that they are made right with God. The weak Christian is still struggling with the flesh and understanding how to walk with God through the Spirit. They still have habits in the human that they need to break. The infirmities, or spiritual weaknesses they have are the results of years of putting their faith in following the law and observing days. Overcoming these things don’t come over night. Those that are strong in the Lord must be aware that their are those that will not understand the liberty they exhibit and be careful not to offend a weaker Christian. The scripture given to us hear specifically is dealing with Jews who still felt that God required the keeping of the law of Moses. We don’t have that specific issue among new converts today, but the principle here is to be patient with new Christian and do whatever we can to help them grow and be strong in faith even if it means putting our ownn personal desires aside. 

Life Happens

John 9:3 “Jesus answered, “Neither hath this man sinned nor his parents, but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.”-

Life Happens! Things happen in our life that we don’t have any control over. We wake up in the morning to a new day and life is good, but life happens, and by the end of the day, the world has changed around us. Our human emotions cry out to God asking, why? We don’t have answers, and in the moment we don’t see how God will use our circumstances for good. When things go wrong, it is easy to blame others and even blame God. As Christian, we endeavor to do our best to do what is right and live according to the word, but then life happens and God begins to work something new in us. God has a purpose for all that happens, even if we don’t understand. “All things work together for good to them that love God and are called according to His purpose” Rom. 8:28. The purpose of this man being born blind was to demonstrate the power of Christ to heal the blind and show that Christ is the light of the world. He came to open the eyes of sinners that they may see the light of God. God used this blind man that the works of God would be manifested. God’s plan is to use the things that happen in our life to serve a greater cause. At the time of distress and discouragement, it is not easy to accept this. We call on God’s help and grace to help us see that through it all, we can trust the Lord to use it for His glory. When life happens, God is in control and His will is all we want.

Establish In The Lord

2 Thess 2:17 “ comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.”-

Becoming establish in the Lord is a life time journey for a Christian. When we give our life to God, our heart changes, but we still have a lot to learn about walking with God. Becoming establish is coming to a point in your Christian life where we have grown up spiritually. We no longer are new babes in Christ feeding on the milk of the word, and having to have our hands held by others. Our dependence on God is strengthen. We realizing how important God is in everything we do in life, we learn to trust Him. Our relationship with God is to a place where the things of this world are less likely to draw us away from Him. We still have temptations and we still can become weary in well doing. But the establish Christian knows that the Holy Spirit is a faithful witness, and He senses our weaknesses in time of need. It is the desire of God that every born again Christian become establish in their relationship with God. The longer we walk with Him the more He teaches us how to live to glorify Him. He reveals to us our selfish nature and want us to yield our heart in full surrender to His will in sanctification. It is through sanctification, that God is able to establish us unto every good work and make us what we ought to be for Him.  

Healing By His Strips

Isaiah 53:5 “ But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and with His stripes we are healed.”-

On the cross, Jesus suffered and died to save us from our transgressions. He took on Him the sin of humanity and paid the ultimate price. His strips were many and in pain He suffered them all for you and me. His flesh was ripped open, as blood flowed, healing was made possible for us all. He heals broken lives that have been shattered by poor choices. Choices that sought pleasure, but brought destruction. He heals broken marriages, and brings lives back together again. By His stripped we are healed from our addictions and habits that take us away from doing what is right. Sin brings spiritual sickness to everyone who yields to unrighteousness. Bitterness, hatred, malice, covetousness, and all manner of wickedness causes the heart to turn black and ugly. All born into this world, were born in sin. We like to think that our good humanitarian works will out weigh the wrongs in our life, but righteousness does not come from doing works of good deeds, but it is only through Christ, that we can find peace and salvation for our sinful heart. Healing is offered to all who will believe in Jesus and accept His strips and death to heal us from all our diseases and make us completely whole. 

The Work of the Holy Spirit

John 16:8 “And when He is come, He will reprove the world concerning sin, and concerning righteousness, and concerning judgment:”-

Man left to its own self desires seeks that which will gratify the appetites of the flesh. Christ came that we may overcome the flesh, showing us how we should live in this present world. He came to earth and fulfilled His mission. He died for our sins and rose again to give us eternal life. He ascended to the Father and the promise of the Father was sent to the world. Through the Holy Spirit, conviction would grip the hearts of people. The work of the Holy Spirit to to reprimand and reveal the sinful condition of man. The Holy Spirit often works through believers to show the world that sin is wrong and God wants to save people from sin and led them in paths of righteousness. As we yield our hearts to God, the Holy Spirit begins to show us how to live a life of holiness. His work is to guide us into all truth. It is not our responsibility to condemn the world, God will have the last say and will be the ultimate judge of man’s heart. The purpose of revealing sin in the life of people is not to condemn, but to show that they need a Savior to save them from a life of sin. As vessel of God, the Holy Spirit works through us to show the world in compassion that we all have sinned and are not able to save ourselves. That God so loved the world that He gave His Son to save us from sin. As we pray for those in our sphere of influence, the Holy Spirit is faithful to reprove sin and show them what is right. Let us always pray and leave the work of the Holy Spirit to convict and direct others to Christ. Instead of judging, let us pray that Holy Spirit conviction will seize the hearts of unbelievers. 

Free From Sin

Romans 6:22 “But now, being made free from sin and having become servants of God, ye have your fruit unto holiness and the end, everlasting life.”-

We were all born in sin and therefore sinners from birth. The nature of sin effect each person differently, but we all are slaves to it. If raised in a good Christian home, we learn what is right and what is wrong and are trained to do what is right. At some point in our lives we realized that our good works will not free us from being servants to sin, we need a Savior who is able to free us from the bondage of sin. Being free from sin does not immune us from the temptation of sin. Sin still has it’s allurement and Satan does all he can to trap us. That is why we always need to be on guard, for Satan is like a roaring lion out to destroy us. But grace gives us the ability to resist temptation and from willingly sinning. Sins that we are accountable for, are those that we know are wrong and make the choice to give in to those wrong choices. Without the help of the Holy Spirit, we are not able to yield our members unto God and holiness. With the Holy Spirit, the fruit, or behaviors that we now live reflect that of the fruit of the Spirit. Our hope and desire is to serve God and live to please Him. Paul goes on to talk about presenting ourselves a living sacrifice to God in complete consecration. (Roman 12). The infilling of the Holy Spirit will empower us to live free from sin and our inclinations are now influence by the Holy Spirit that lives within us. Christians do not have to live in sin, they can live above sin, and be holy unto the Lord. Praise God for full deliverance from sin and freedom to live a life of holiness.

Peace and Rest

Col 1:20 “and having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself ...” The world is filled with unrest. Acts of terror are happening everyday in the world. There seems to be no end and having world peace is no where in sight. Peace on earth eludes us as nations and the end of war will not happen until Christ comes to rule. There is also a war that takes place within each one of us. We struggle with sin and the appetites that bond us. We would do good, but evil is ever present wanting us to fulfill the lust of the flesh. Self and it’s wants and desires war against what is right and holy. It is enmity against God and not subject to the law of God. Paul elegantly write about this condition in the book of Romans. Thank God, Christ came and gave His life that we might be able to have peace. The war within our heart to serve Satan and self can be eliminated. Peace can fill the heart and there can be a rest that passes all understanding. 

Seeking the Lost

Luke 19:10 “For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”-

Seeking the lost is what Jesus came to do. Human nature seeks to fill the void in its heart, Christ puts the desire in each person to seek for purpose and meaning. We seek that the heart may be satisfied and that peace may rest the trouble heart from sin. Christ came to provide a way that we can be fulfilled. Sin does all it can to keep us from responding to the Savior’s call. We all like sheep have gone astray and need help from wandering our own way. It would appear that Zacchaeus went out to seek Christ. He climbed the tree because he sought to see Him, but Jesus already knew the heart of Zacchaeus, and made plans to have an encounter with him. God desires that we seek Him, for in the day we seek Him, we will find Him. For Christ is already seeking us, and desires to dine with us. Whether we realize it or not, we were all lost and headed in the wrong direction. The grace of God is reaching us where we are, and bringing us out of sin. He sought us, and bought us. He found us and knocks at our doors heart wanting to come in. He seeks to save the lost, but we must want to be saved. “Amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wrench like me, I once was lost, but now am found, was blind, but now I see“.  This is why He came!

This Mountain

Joshua 14:12 “ Now therefore give me this mountain whereof the Lord spoke in that day,...”- God’s promises don’t always happen in the time we think they should. Caleb waited 40 years to receive the promise given to him. The promises of God are sure and they will come to pass. By faith, we can claim “this mountain”. We all have our own “mountains” that God has promised. It may be that our mountain is a friend or loved one that we have been praying for a long time. It may be that small struggling church that God has called you to help and carry the load. His promises are true, and will happen according to His will. There may be lots of things on our wish list that we have asked God for, but His promises to us go beyond the material things of this world. He has promise to meet all of our needs and many times He fulfills these things beyond our expectations. But the greatest promise we have is the assurance that He will always be with us no matter what we are facing or what we are going through. This mountain of grace is ours because He promised us never to leave us or forsake us. The Lord has spoken through His word and we can claim it by faith. Like Caleb, we can trust God to give us “this mountain” for His word never fails.

Stand Up For Jesus

Luke 22:57 “And he denied Him, saying, “Woman, I know Him not.”-

Standing up and being counted as a follower of Jesus is not always easy to do. We all like to be accepted and feel like we belong. Taking a stand against the crowd when it is not the popular isolates us and sets us apart as different and out of touch with the world. The world is not a friend of grace and the cross of Christ. Standing up for what is right will most often require us to be strong in the face of ridicule. When we take a stand for God that is not popular, people will often lash out and start calling us names that are derogatory and hateful. Those who  don’t take a stand for right, will think that we are intolerant and uncaring. In today’s world, saying that you are a Christian who will not compromise God’s word are called bigots and narrow minded. Saying that Jesus is the only way to God is not acceptable in today’s world. You are too old fashion and out of date with today’s world view and thinking.  We must not cater to the world’s thinking and have then silence the voice of Jesus. Jesus, the way, the truth, and life. The voice of Christ to cry out against sin and point people to the One who died for sinners. Let us not be Peter, who denied Christ and said, “I know Him not” May the Holy Spirit fill us and help us to boldly stand up for Christ, even so much more as we see the day approaching.

He Will Carry You Through

Isaiah 46:4,9 “And even to your old age I am He, and even to hoary hairs will I carry you. I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you. Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is none other; I am God, and there is none like Me”-

He will carry you through. As we become accustom to how to live a Christian life, we learn how to behave and act, we know all the right words to say, we discipline ourselves to do what is right. We make decisions that are wise and profitable. The danger we face is believing that we can handle this without any assistances. We should never arrive to a point where we think we can live a Christian life without depending on Him. In fact, It is a oxymoron to think that living a Christian life can be done without Christ living and being the one that is carries us through life. Living a Christian life style by following all the do’s and don’t in the Bible is good and profitable, but we cannot trust in our own works and strength to make it through. We need God, for there is none other that is able to carry us through. The older we get, the more we realize that without Him we are weak and helpless. There is none like Jesus who desires to walk with us and stay close to us even in the most difficult times of our lives. “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, you will be with me.” As we age and death draws near, may we hold to His unchanging hand.  Our dependence is fixed on Him, let us not forget, and remember who He is and His desire to carry us through.

The Greatest Blessing

Psalm 32:1 “ Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.”- 

The greatest blessing and grace that a man can have is to know that their sins have been forgiven and they are covered by the blood of Jesus. The complete work of salvation was completed when Christ came to die on the cross to make the final provision for man’s forgiveness. Guilt is part of man’s nature that God’s uses it to alert man that they have done wrong. Not all guilt is from God, but action and behavior that is contrary to God’s law causes man to take notice of their sinful condition. The load of guilt can prick at the conscience and make life unbearable. To be free of guilt is a blessed state of mind and brings peace to the heart of all who will confess it to God. As Christian, we also can experience guilt even though we have not willfully sinned. In the human, our actions and behavior may not be sinful, but they may not always be constructive. It is sometime after the fact that we realize that we wrongful judged, or spoke harshly. The Holy Spirit is faithful to use our conscience and cause us to experience guilt. It’s mistakes like this that His grace is sufficient and greater to cover. Confessing our fault to one another and to God will bring the smile of God and His blessing. 

Broken Hearts

Psalm 34:15,18 “The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and His ears are open unto their cry. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart,...”-

Having a broken heart can happen to anyone. Our hearts can break when we lose someone that is close to us. Hearts our broken when a relationship does not work out. Seeing those that are close to us going through a difficult time can also cause our hearts to break. Then our hearts can be broken when we see others who are lost or have lost their way spiritually. It is hard to know what to say when we see hearts broken. Most of the time it is best to say very little and be there to listen and pray that God will bring comfort. This is especially true when it come to losing a loved one or the breaking up of a relationship. Just being there to show support and to let them know that they are not alone in their sorrow. God is the master of healing broken hearts. He knows what others are facing and how to bring comfort. His eyes look on those who love and serve Him and He desire to listen to the cry of the heart that He may show His loving kindness. God is not the author of hurt, but is the author of healing. To the heart that cries out to Him, God will not turn away. In time of grieving and sorrow, we can ask God to be the comfort of all comforts to those we grieve with, and if we find that we are suffering from a broken heart, may we flee the place of refuge and cry to Him that He may draw near to heal the heart that is broken.

A Good Soldier

2 Tim 2:3 “ Endure thou therefore hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.”-

Most of us have never served in the military, I greatly appreciate those who have chosen to serve our country in this manner. They have fought and preserved our freedoms. I understand that to be a good soldier, it requires endurance and perseverance to overcome the hardship of the battle. Soldiers are trained to withstand difficult times when things are against you and life is in the balance. They are trained not to give up, but to press on forward in spite of the situation or circumstance. The character found in a good soldier is one that God desires His followers also to have. As a Christian, we may encounter difficult circumstances, conflicts in relationship, financial burdens, or lose of a loved one. These are not easy to bare and like a soldier, we put on the armor of God, place our trust in Him to help us persevere. We have a choice to just throw up our hands and surrender, or to fight on even when it seems that all is lost. It is inevitable that we will face hardships in life. As much as we would like to think that everything will always be good, there will be days that the enemy will fight hard and bring discouragement. But, we serve a might God, who is our shield and defender, and He will give us the strength to stand and endure all things for the sake of Christ

Doing it God's Way

2 Kings 5:11 “Behold, I thought, ‘He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and cure the leper.-

His way is not always the way we would like to see things happen. We often have it set in our mind how things should happen and how it should turn out. His thoughts are not our thoughts, He knows the beginning to the end and knows what we need and when we need it. Naaman was a carnal man full of pride and ambition. Before he could see God move in his life, God needed to humble him. Often God let’s the bottom drop out and let people hit rock bottom. Our sin and foolish pride as sinners keeps us from reaching out to God and doing things His way. Naaman was not the first person in life that had to learn the lesson of humility. Before we can come to God, we must be willing to confess our sins and see that we are helpless to save ourselves. We come to God on His terms and not ours. He is the one in control and He calls the shots. As Christians, we may be tempted to think that we have everything under control and try to survive on our own strength. In the human, we look at problems we face and thinks that we can handle it. But the Christian who is filled with the Holy Spirit, realizes that God is in control and He wants us to follow His way and His directions. We resist thoughts of doing things our way, and let God be God in our life and do it His way.

People Need the Lord

Roman 9:2 “that I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.”-

Sorrow often causes us to weep. Jesus wept when Lazarus died. He wept for the sorrow that Mary and Martha were going through. Weeping is a release of emotions that can either come from sadness or joy. It is not certain that Paul wept when he had sorrow of heart as he wrote how his people were rejecting the gospel of Christ. But it is certain that he was very sad and it weight heavy on his heart. Carrying a burden for a lost soul is one of the greatest responsibilities that we have as Christians. In all of our life’s struggles and times of laughter, there is a time to think of those who are without Christ. Our family members, our friends, and neighbors who have not experiences the love of God. Part of living for Christ is to pray for those who are lost and without Him. Sorrow comes knowing that people are rejecting the only hope for eternal life. That all will die and stand before God and give an account for the life they lived, coming to the judgement of God without the blood of Christ, all can bring a heaviness to the heart. It is sad to see someone trapped in their sin and not being able to get out, they turn to more sin and wickedness to drown out their misery. If they would only see that Jesus is the answer to all their problems and He has the remedy for all that is wrong. People need the Lord, and we need to pray and show the love of Christ to people we come in contact with. Asked God to put some soul on our heart and carry that soul to the throne of God. He will not reject the cry of those who pray for the souls of others. This is the will of God, that all will come to Him. Let us pray in earnest that others may know Him.

In Jesus Name

Matt 1:21 “And she shall bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins.”- 

That wonderful Name, that beautiful Name, the Name of Jesus! The meaning of His name brings joy and peace within the heart. To know that Jesus is able to save us from our sins and wipe away the pain and sorrow that sin brings. In the Name of Jesus, demons are made to vanish, in His Name we are able to call out and command that the mountain be removed. We approach the throne of God in Jesus Name and heaven is open wide. We have access to the Father in the Name of Jesus. Our petitions to the Father are made possible because we come in His Name. We need no other, when we have Jesus as our Savior. History has recorded names of people who have done great things, but there is no other Name that has done more for man than Jesus. He is the one that makes eternity possible. In the Name of Jesus we have eternal life and power over death and hell. I never grow weary of hearing that Name. For it is through His Name that life is made perfect.

A New Heart

Ezek 36:26 “A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.”-

It is hard to imagine that a heart of a baby is desperately wicked. The innocents of a child is refreshing to see as they grow and experience new things. To think, that within that child resides a stony heart, a heart that “...is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” Born after the similitude of Adam’s transgressions, in the heart of every human born into the human race is a heart that needs to be made new. When we confess our sins, Jesus Christ forgives us and cleans our heart from all that is not holy. All things are past away and behold all things are new. A transformation takes place in our lives and we no longer live in sin. The new heart now desires to know Him and draw closer to God. He puts a desire in our heart to seek Him and His fulness. The Holy Spirit is given to us and will come in to abide with us as we walk this earthly journey. A new heart is promised by God to all who will believe that He died, and rose again to save us from being lost for eternity. Thank God for His love and mercy that is offers a new heart to all who will trust Him and live to please Him.

Moved to Harvest

Matt 9: 36 “...He was moved with compassion for them...”

Jesus looked across the land and saw the faces of hurting people. He looked beyond the facial expressions and saw the pain in each individual's heart. He who desires to gather His own and draw them close is moved with love for the lost. As a follower of Christ and one who lives "in the Vine", Christ wants us also to reach out to those who are hurting and need someone to love them. We get so busy with life and the cares that surround us that we forget that there is a world that needs a Savior. It is not that we don’t care, but the call of Christ to go out into the harvest is often pushed aside for more pressing matters. Life is full of priorities, and we do what we think is most important to us. Not everyone is called to full-time ministry as a laborer to harvest, but each one of us has a calling to fulfill. He calls us all in some way to find a way to reach out to people in need, to those who have not heard that Jesus came to bring peace to the heart. In a world of mass communication, many have heard the claims of Christ, but we are His arms and hands that He uses to minister in a special way. God does not need us, but He chooses and desires to use us in the field of harvest. May we be willing to open our eyes to the harvest and be moved into action, to put aside what we are doing and take time to labor for Him.

Open Bible

Philip 4:9 “Those things which ye have both learned and received and heard and seen in me, do; and the God of peace shall be with you.”-

 Our lives are open books for others to see. Weather we realize it or not, people are learning from us. The things we teach others is important. It is essential that we teach the Word and stay focus our teaching on what Christ did for us and to follow the ways of Christ and the message of full obedience. The gospel is one of sharing the grace of God and giving out to others the hope of eternal life. We received from God His mercy and grace, now we must do what we can to give it out so that others may receive it. We live in a day that people are skeptical of anyone who thinks that their way is the only way. It is not wise to “shove” the Bible in people’s face. God’s Word is quick and powerful and is able to bring healing to hurting hearts. We must be wise in are use of sharing His love and grace. The most powerful message we can give people to for them to see the life of Christ that we live. Our life will speak volumes to those who are watching. What do people see in me? Do they see a judgmental, self-righteous, holier than thou person, or do they see someone who is kind, loving, forgiving, selfless, understanding, truthful, and with Godly ambitions. These things are not done in our own human goodness, it takes the Holy Spirit to help us do what is right and good. With His help, we can teach, give, speak, and live a life that will show others what it means to be a Christian and have the peace of God.

Trouble Times

Psalm 77:2 “In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord”- 

Things don’t always turn out the way we want. We set goals and have dreams for the future, but there is always something that gets in the way. It is the rare occasion that everything goes as plan and there are no problems. Troubles and problems along our journey will bring disappointments. We are tempted to get discouraged and become desponded. There is so much in life that we don’t understand why things happen. In time like these, we need a Savior, one who knows our every need and understands what we are going through. Heartache in this world is certain, but so is the grace of God to all who will trust in Him. To those who will seek the Lord in the day of trouble and disappointments He will be found.

His Grace and Kindness

Eph. 2:7 “ that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.”-

He is a gracious God who desires to give us good things. The riches of His grace is beyond measure. His kindness is unmeasurable. We were made in the image of God, but sin destroyed us, but His grace saved us from eternal destruction. What a wonderful Savior we serve, willing to die on the cross, He gave His life graciously, paying the price for our sins. “He was wounded for our transgression, He was bruised for our iniquity, and by His strips we are healed”. His love is exceeding and is more than can be imagine. How He loved you and me! God looked down and saw His creation and desired a relationship. We are the center piece of His love and are valued by Him without measure. His grace reaches down to every man, women, boy and girl who is willing to open their heart to His love. He will not force Himself on us, we must make the choice to receive Him and love Him in return. Because He loved us, we not only love Him back, but our love extends to those around us. Showing kindness is the hallmark of Christianity. “Behold how they love one another”. We extend grace and forgiveness to all because that is what Christ did for us. Through Christ we are able to be gracious, through Christ we can show forth the mercy of God. We can do all thing through Christ who will give us the grace, the power to love even when it is hard to do. 

Ordinary People

Judges 6:15,16 “And he said unto Him, “Oh my Lord, with what shall I save Israel? Behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” And the Lord said unto him, “Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.”-

God calls ordinary people to do extraordinary things. Many times those things never get noticed by others. Our name may never be splashed on the news headline or make the evening news. Our name may never be called out from the pulpit extolling the things we do for the Lord. There is a work for each one of us to do in God’s kingdom. Gideon was a might man of valor, He had the courage to fight for what was right and do what was right even when things didn’t look good. He was a brave man, yet not a man of high statue. But, Gideon was willing to listen and obey God, and in due season, he was exalted in honor and position. We may never get the recognition for what we do, but God honors those who will follow and do His will. It is God who lifts up and brings down. The 300 men that stood by Gideon were never mentioned by name in scripture, but God use them to accomplish a great work. We may not always understand why God has us where we are, but He has a plan and we are to trust Him to make it happen. We are vessels that God can use for any purpose He chooses. It may not be a very pretty vessel, but in the hands of God it can be used to accomplish great things. “I’m nothing special, but with God all things are possible”

The Promise of the Comforter

John 14:16 “And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever”- 

Jesus knows that the journey we walk will sometime be a hard and difficult. There will be times when we will suffer from loneliness, heartache, misunderstanding, the loss of someone close to us, persecution, and temptation. The promise of the Comforter was given to believers by Jesus. The world is not a friend of grace and resents the fact that Christian not only follow Jesus Christ, but Christians believe that He is the only way to the Father. Walking with God require more than mere determination, yes we must have resolve that we will follow Him to the end, but our real help and strength comes from the Comforter that was sent to us by the Father. That is why it is so important that we allow the Holy Spirit to take full control of our life. That is why we must abandoned ourselves in full consecration to the whole will of God, so the Comforter can come to abide in our hearts. On the day of Pentecost, The Comforter came in His fullness and filled the believers with His presences. They were filled with power from on high to help believers live life through the difficult times, to give them the strength to speak the truth, and power to be a witness that would reflect the true nature of God. With the indwelling of the Comforter, we can be a true testament to the world what the grace of God can do. Our witness is not tainted with sin and selfish living. The Comforter has come to abide and He will make the difference as we walk this journey on earth. The promise of the Father is for us all today, open your heart to Him and let Him abide with you for ever!