Wisdom From Above

 Prov. 3:18
She (wisdom) is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, and happy are those who hold on to her.
To be truly wise, one must know wisdom. The Bible speaks of the wisdom of this world, and the wisdom from above. They are not the same. The wisdom of this world is grounded in humanity, and the welfare and the success of man. Choices that gain riches and material gain for this life. What is expedient and advantageous. Jesus talks about building your life on a firm foundation. The person who has wisdom will build it on a solid rock, a foolish person will build it on the sand (wisdom of this world). The wisdom from above is life from God. It is focused on doing what is right and not what is expedient. Following the wisdom of God will many times go contrary to the thinking of the world, it is wisdom that will lead to eternal life. Wisdom from God is to have Christ the center of life choices. For in Him we have life and have it more abundantly, it is finding happiness and fulfillment in Him, something the wisdom of this world cannot give. 
“Therefore, everyone who hears these words of Mine, and acts on them, will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”- Matt 7:24

The Arm of Flesh

 Isaiah 41:13

For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand, Who says to you, “do not fear, I will help you.”

Ten percent of the world is known to be left handed, therefore the left hand is the weaker hand for most of the world. In our need of help, God removes our dependence on our human strength to show us our need for Him. Too often we depend on the arm of the flesh to carry us through. Human endurance is great and is capable of many feats, but in the end, we need Him to make it through the hard times in life. He wants to help us when we are going through difficult times and we are struggling with the human cares of life. There are many things in this world that the devil wants us to fear. The fear of Covid has the world in a pandemic of fear. Covid is real and many have succumbed to this deadly virus, but God is greater than any virus, and we can trust Him that He has this virus under His control. We need not fear if we know the Savior. Our lives are in hand. “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain”. Phil 1:21

Be Not Afraid

 Luke 2:10
 …“Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people…”
Being afraid is a natural instinct of humanity. Fear is an emotion that kicks in when we sense danger. We are not safe and there is a possibility that we are in harm's way. I have seen inscriptions on hats and T-shirts with the words “Fearless”. The message implies that they are not afraid of anything. The reality is that we have an element of fear that God puts in us. The shepherds in the field were not chastised for their fear. Who would not be afraid if angels all of a sudden appeared all around you and a supernatural light glowed all around them. The comfort comes when we are assured that God is in control and putting our trust in Him means that we do not have to fear. When God says, “do not fear”, we can believe that He knows where we are and what we are going through. We no longer have to hold on to our insecurities and fear the unknown. We can let go and rest in the knowledge that God is good and has our back. 

Cheerful Giver

 2 Corinth 9:7
Each one must do just as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver
Giving money is not the only way to be a giver, but money allows us to purchase the essential needs of survival. Providing for the needs of those who are in need of food and shelter is grounded in scripture.  Giving to the ministry of spreading the Gospel of Christ is also foundational to the support of God’s work. Giving to the work of God was established in the Old Testament when God required the people of Israel to give a tenth of their income. This was written in OT law, but Christ changed the heart of man, putting within each believer a new law,  the desire to give. We are not giving because God is holding a stick over our head and requires us to empty our pockets, but He tenderly touches our heart, showing us that He gave His indescribable gift to us in Christ. Putting in our heart a thanksgiving spirit to give and sacrifice our wants and desires to help others, and to further the Kingdom of God. Are you a cheerful giver, or do you give out of obligation and duty? Blessed are those who give out of love and not duty

Light of Life

 Dec. 4th, 2021
John 8:12
Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; the one who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”
A light shining in darkness will dispel fear of the unknown. The light may not always reveal what is hiding behind the shadows, but if one stays close to the light, the light will shine a pathway to its destination. We live in a world that is full of darkness, Satan has blinded the eyes of many and has deceived them from seeing the true light. He has deceived others to think, that which is good is evil, and that which is evil is good. Following Jesus, is to follow His teachings and life. Jesus never condoned sin (The life of darkness) but he came to shine the light of God on sin so that others may see their sinfulness and start to walk toward the light of God’s love. It is not good enough to just stop committing sin, to have real life is to have Christ be the light within you. He is the Light of Life, follow the light.

We Will Not Be Shaken

Psalm 62
My soul waits in silence for God alone; From Him comes my salvation. He alone is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I will not be greatly shaken. 

Earthquakes bring fear and uncertainty. They shake the ground we stand on and the things around us fall into disarray. Our world also shakes around us and life seems to come tumbling down. Loved ones pass away unexpectedly, the loss of work, relationships fall apart, our freedoms in our country are being attacked, and  the cares of life press on us leaving us in distress. We have a rock, a stronghold that will not be shaken. He alone is able to keep us from all that will hurt us. He is our salvation, and in Him we can trust that all will be well, we will not be shaken, we are in the palm of His hand.

All Scripture

 2 Tim 3:16
 All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness.

Many people have a horse to ride when it comes to preaching the Bible. There are some preachers that you know will be preaching on praising God, another preacher will preach on hellfire and brimstone as their preaching legacy. As a person who believes that Christian should live with a perfect heart toward God and live holy and blameless, I like to focus on those parts of the scripture that emphasizes behaviors that are unspotted from the world.  Preaching Jesus, the good news of salvation is also at the top of my list, and to me should be the center focus of all scripture. What good is it to live a sinless life (avoid sinful acts) if you don’t know Jesus as Lord and Savior. You can praise God morning, noon, and night, but if Christ does not abide in the heart, our praises are clanging cymbals. Yes, we must never get away from being part of the Vine, a part of Christ. For those who abide in Him, all scripture is given to us for instruction to live pleasing to God. We find answers to life problems, we are comforted by His promises, and stand corrected when we mess up. His word is full of grace and mercy, it will lead the sinner to repentance, and provide the believer with instructions to walk according to His precepts. ALL SCRIPTURE, the whole counsel of God is provided for us to make it into the Kingdom of God.

Worship Him

 John 4:23-24
The true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” 
The place of worship is a special place. I often feel that God dwells nearer in these places. The reality is that God is not confined to a location or building. I still feel that the house of God holds special meaning, and that He is pleased that we have dedicated a place to gather together as believers to praise and worship Him as a collective body of worshipers. But as true worshipers of the Father, we worship Him everywhere we go. We worship Him in the way we live. Christ is the center of our lives, and in everything we give thanks. He is the air we breath, we find solace in knowing that He walks with us, talks with us, and abides in us. I love to worship Him in His house, but God is not seen in the material things of this world, He is seen in the hearts of believers, and we worship Him in spirit and in truth. 

He Loves Us

 Roman 8:37
But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.

God’s love is not necessarily seen through the blessing we are given by Him. His goodness is not determined by the things we have and even the family that surrounds us. Even in the hard times, His love and goodness is manifest toward us. He walks with us even in the shadow of darkness. In our darkest hour, He draws near and cares about our needs and struggles. We cast our cares upon Him and He cares for us. He loves you and me, and His love is not measured by what we have or don’t have, His love is measured by His abiding presence in the time of need. O, how He loves you and me! 

He Is Able To Protect

 2 Tim 1:12
 I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that He is able to protect what I have entrusted to Him until that day.

We are faced daily with the philosophy of the world, progressive thinking that is contrary to the teaching of God’s word. The attack on who and what we believe is called bigotry and intolerance. Believing that Jesus is the only way to heaven is to be narrow minded and judgmental of those who think differently. We must not be persuaded to change our message, we must not be ashamed to hold to the paths of righteousness and the good news that Jesus is not only the answer to the purpose of living, but He is able to deliver us from a life of sin.  From the words of Jesus himself, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me”, we hold these words to be self-evident.  He has called us to a holy calling to let others know of the love of Jesus and His power to deliver from sin. He is able to keep us from the evil one, He is able to protect us from false doctrine, He is able to keep us true until He returns for His own

Burden Bearer

 Gal 6:2
Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.

Called to be a burden bearer. The load of cares is heavy among all of us, but there are times that the load gets too heavy, causing our brothers and sisters in the Lord to crumble and break down physically and emotionally. The law of Christ teaches us to pray for each other, reach out to and give a helping hand to those that are burdened with the cares of life. It may be the loss of a loved one, loss of a job, broken relationships, physical and mental stress due to an unforeseen event. The list goes on. The burdens of life are real and it often takes the body of Christ pulling together, supporting each other in the faith. Christ is our burden bearer, but Christ uses the Church as his hands to help carry the load. Be a burden bearer.

Certainty of Death

 Ecclesiastes 7:2
It is better to go to a house of mourning Than to go to a house of feasting, Because that is the end of every person, And the living takes it to heart.

Death is inevitable and comes to all that are born into this life. It is good to think about death because it reminds us that life is but a vapor, and only that done for eternity will live on. We are so focused on the here and now, the demands of our society in our culture to make something of our lives in a material way. Have a nice job, buy a nice home, and be comfortable in our space. I don’t believe there is anything wrong with wanting these creature comforts, but we don’t take any of it with us when death comes. We have our soul, which consists of our relationship to God and others. Jesus said there are two great things in life that we need to pay attention to. “ Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” Going to the house of mourning awakens our heart and mind to what is essential in life. As we continue to live in this world becoming a productive citizen and contributing  to our community, let us not forget that death can come at any time and only that done in Jesus name will really matter.

Follow The Lord

Deut. 13:4

 You shall follow the Lord your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him

This scripture is full of things to do: follow, fear, keep, listen, serve and cling to the Lord. Many follow the world and its progressive thinking, many fear the Covid virus and fear for their life. People will keep and commit to causes to save the earth, but neglect to keep God’s word to save their soul. Voices come from all directions, and many are led astray by people who give out a voice that appears to be good, but it leads to destruction. There are those serving the world and the pleasure of sin, and they cling to the sin that they love, and refuse to let go. Living for God is a full abandonment to be all that God wants us to be. It requires all of our energy and surrender to Him and His will. Serving God is not a “go to church once a week thing”. It is a day by day walk that requires us to live a life filled with the Holy Spirit. The commandment given in the OT is also given in the NT. Be filled with the Spirit, draw close to God, and walk in His word.

Everlasting God

 Isaiah 40:28
Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, That the everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Fainteth not, neither is weary?
Did you not know! Did you not hear! That God who is before the beginning of time, the Alpha and Omega. He who created the earth and all that exists, that He does not get tired or weary. He is beyond our comprehension and understanding. There is no end to who He is, for He is God Almighty Maker of heaven and earth. How great is our God!

Smell of Christ

 2 Corinth 2:14
Now thanks be unto God, which always causes us to triumph in Christ, and make  manifest the aroma of his knowledge by us in every place.
 
CS Lewis said it well:
“Every day we have opportunities to make a difference in the lives of people around us through the quiet witness of a faithful and gentle life or through encouraging words to a weary soul. Never underestimate the effect a Christlike life can have on others.” What do people say about you after you leave a conversation or spend some time together? Obviously, we don’t know since we are not around to find out. But we all have been in places where others are not spoken of in a positive manner. Christ in us will help us to leave an impression that will speak to our positive influence and life. May we always leave the presences of others demonstrating love, grace, and mercy. We don’t always need to agree, but we always need to have the “smell” of Christ left behind the wake of life and conversations.

Meditate on Him

 Psalm 1:2
But his delight is in the law of the Lord; And in his law doth he meditate day and night.
Blessed is the person who delights in God’s word. They will think upon His word throughout the day, into the evening. In a day where mental health is the focus of many conversations, His words can bring clarity to the mind. Mediate, think, breath in the word of Christ. They bring healing to the heart, mind, and soul. I don’t minimize the seriousness of those that deal with mental problems. Such conditions can stem from many causes, but I do know that God’s word is alive and has the power to help people overcome many of the mental battles they are fighting. Prayer, faith, trust, belief, commitment, and surrender to His purpose and will for our lives will help us all to be healthy and stay healthy in mind, body, and soul. 

 Proverbs 3:15
She (the wisdom of God) is more precious than rubies (the riches of this world), and all the things you may desire (want in life) cannot compare with her. (God’s wisdom)

The wisdom of God is more precious than the riches of this world, and all the things you want in life cannot compare with God’s wisdom. We all seek a comfortable life, the material things of this world provide us a measure of satisfaction and joy. Most people in America desire to have a nice home, car, clothes, and things that entertain us. As precious as having family, it also falls short.  But life has shown and proven that the things of this world do not bring true joy and happiness. “Happy is the person who finds the wisdom of God.” He/She who finds God has found life everlasting. Jesus who came to this world to bridge the gap and provide a way for us to have a relationship with God is the wisdom that God provides to all who will embrace Him. “ Take this whole world, but give me Jesus.” He is the tree of life, take hold of Him, don’t let go. Happiness is found in knowing Him in His fullness.

He Is Our Daily Bread

 Matt 6:11
 Give us this day our daily bread.
Prayer takes many forms and what we pray about depends on what we seek. We may be seeking to have more of God, the healing of a loved one, the spiritual well being of a friend, direction in how we should proceed, or for our daily bread. The material needs and provision we need, or things we need is important to God. He does know exactly what things we need, so we may not always get what we ask for.  Jesus says, “Ask and ye shall receive…” but our asking should always end in, “But Thy will be done”. Our daily bread is not necessarily speaking of food, but it speaks to the needs of our entire being. Our emotional, metal, and physical state. He is the bread of life, and He is all we need. He is our daily bread, and in Him we can find peace of mind, calm in the storm, healing and nourishment for the body. “Give us this day “Jesus”, and all these other things we ask for will fall in place.

He Is Coming Soon

 Rev. 22:12.13

Behold, I am coming soon...I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.

Every time I see the sun rise in the morning and shine through the clouds as I drive to work, I’m reminded that Jesus said, “Surely, I am coming soon”. Jesus also said, “As the sun comes from the east, and shines to the west, so will the coming of the son of man be”.We are also told that he will come in the clouds with power and glory. Paul says, we will be caught up together with Him in the clouds. It has been over 2,000 years since these words were recorded, but be not mistaken, He will return. He will return to receive His own. Those who have put their lives into His care. Confess that He is Lord and are walking in His light. Such is the hope we have in a day when the world has lost its scruples. Stand steadfast, look up for our redemption is coming soon. Even so Lord Jesus, come quickly.

 Psalm 107: 1-2
Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy.

“God is good all the time” we often say. But we know that bad things often happen to those who love Him. Then why does a good God allow bad things to happen to those who love and serve Him. There have been many books written on this topic and often the topic of many discussions. I don’t claim to have the answer that would satisfy everyone. We know that Job experienced a lot of bad things, and He was a man of integrity and one that put His trust in God. We do know that many are born abnormal or come down with some illness that  either takes their life or cripples them for life.  Accidents, war, murders, rapes, house burning down, natural disasters, the list can go on. We live in a sin cursed world, and Satan has been given dominion to test God’s creation. Jesus came to overcome evil and the works of darkness. God is good! He gave us a way of escape, a way to overcome evil in this world and the sin that dwells in the hearts of men. God is good all the time! His love and mercy reaches down to all who will reach out to Him. He is a good God, and I trust that whatever happens it will turn out for good to them that keep trusting Him and loving Him.

The Strait Gate

 Mathew 7:13,14

Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and many there be which go that way. Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads unto life, and few there be that find it.

The implication of a strait gate can be interpreted in at least 2 different ways. One way is to say that Jesus realized that many will not be willing to count the cost, submit to His will, for such a path is not easy. Giving up all you have to serve and follow in the steps of Jesus is not done without a personal transformation of the heart and willingness to take up the cross and follow Him. That is a strait and narrow path to take. The other possibility is Jesus is saying that He is the only way. “…No man comes to the Father except by me”. Strait and narrow is the way to heaven for He is the only way. Either way, the way to the kingdom of God is through Christ and believing and loving Him with all our hearts, mind, body, and soul. 

Doing Good Deeds

 1 John 3:18
My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

It is said that actions speak louder than words. The Bible teaches us that words alone are not enough to prove our love for God or others. We can say we love God, but our actions say otherwise. Like faith and works, love and works go hand in hand. It is good that we speak words of kindness and appreciation, verbalizing our love for others, but where the rubber hits the road is when we demonstrate our love by giving ourselves and time to others who are in need. We will not be able to always give to everyone in need, or for every cause that is present, but God is faithful to lead each of us to give when the opportunity is open to us, and His spirit prompts us into action. Doing good deeds for others does not necessarily mean we are showing love. We must do so with truth, and with pure motives. Let us walk the talk, and manifest Christ in a world that is hurting and in need of special healing.

Reconciled to Your Brother

 Matthew 5:24
Leave your gift before the altar, and go your way; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer you a gift.
We cannot have a right relationship with God, if there are hard feelings between you and someone else. As Christians, Jesus wants us to have a heart of forgiveness and forbearance. We may not always see eye to eye with everyone, but Christ made it possible for us to show compassion and understanding. It is not easy to always put aside things that others have done or said to us, and act like nothing ever happened or was said, but Jesus made His teaching clear, “…be reconciled to your brother”. Your relationship may never be the same, but God is able to heal and make it possible to continue working for the Kingdom side by side without strife and bitterness.

Servant of All

Mark 9:36

 …If any man desires to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.

Being first is the prize that we often seek to achieve. We like to be in first place. We strive to achieve the gold ribbon, and the award and recognition it gives us. In many cases, we work hard to achieve that goal. In the arena of sports this is the ultimate goal to say you are the best. I don’t believe that such aspirations and desires are sinful. It is possible that it could become a sinful aspiration, if obtaining the goal is in opposition to being a servant of Christ. Your ability and desire to serve others. If your means to an end keeps you from doing the will of God in your life, then it is time to change your goal to be first. Jesus said that if you truly want to be first, you must first seek the kingdom of God, you must be last, and be as a child and take on the actions of serving others. To be first in the Kingdom of God is to have a servant's heart, looking for opportunities to help others, often sacrificing your own desires and comfort. This is the ultimate goal of a Christians, to be first in the service for Christ. 

A New Lifestyle

Matthew 5: 3

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus came to save the world from sin, but He also came to teach us how we should live. The sermon on the mount was given to God’s people. The people of Israel were God’s chosen people, called to be a Nation who followed the law of God. They were good at keeping the ceremonial law and the OT commandments, but Jesus came to teach them a new law, a law that needed to be written on their hearts. The keeping and fulfillment of this law would come when full salvation was made available by his death on the cross and the coming of the Holy Spirit. The essence of true Christianity goes beyond keeping a list of rules of behavior. God did not abolish the rules of behavior, but dug deeper into the lifestyle of those who called themselves children of God. Blessed are those who are poor in spirit, those that mourn, who are meek, who thirst and hungry after righteousness. They show mercy, and have pure motives, Those who seek to be at peace with all men, and those that will stand for what is right in the face of losing their life. The attributes of a godly life goes beyond the abstaining of evil and sinful behavior, it is a lifestyle that is to be like Jesus. 

He Will Deliver

 Daniel 6: 16, 20, 23
Thy God whom you serve continually, he will deliver you...My God sent his angel, and has shut the lions' mouths...and no manner of hurt was found upon him (Daniel), because he believed in his God.
Daniel believes in God regardless of the outcome. The 3 Hebrew children who were thrown into the fiery pit did likewise. God does not always shut the mouths of lions. We believe that He can, but He may choose not too. God did not keep John the Baptist from being beheaded. Many heroes of faith mentioned in Hebrews chapter 11 were not delivered from physical harm, yet they believed. They all looked for a better world, a world not made by the hands of man, but one that is built by God Himself. Like Job, we don’t know the mind of God and His eternal plan, but we know who God is, and we stand still and see God work through His creation. Let the lions roar, the fires burn, and the trials and tribulations come, we serve a God who is able to deliver us however He chooses.

Hope in God

 Psalm 43:5
Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.
The soul that is cast down can be caused by many reasons. It appears here that the psalmist is in a state of discouragement or depression. His enemy is constantly oppressing him. The circumstances in his life are not in his favor. Life is happening and it is not good. It appears that God is far from him and is silent. Where does one go when life is not going well? The answer is still in trusting God. Look to Him and lift up your heart in praise. Praise Him in spite of the circumstances. Praise Him in the face of adversity. Praise Him even when your emotions are in a state of despair. He is a great Physician and will send the Holy Spirit to heal your broken and discouraging heart. “O my soul, trust in God, believe that He will see you through, put your hope in God”.

Asking God

 Luke 11:9
And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

We don’t always get what we want, but God always gives us what we need. In His goodness and love, He knows what is best for us. He does not take pleasure in seeing his children suffer, but reasons only known to Him, He does not give us everything we ask for. For in our asking, we put God’s will before our earthly desires. We pray like Jesus, “Not my will, but your will be done” He delights in us asking, and He will fulfill it in such a way that works out for our good. For we know that all things work together for good to them that love Him and are called (follow) His will.

Pure Religion

 James 1:27
 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this…
I often hear, “Being a Christian is not a religion, but a relationship.” Hard to argue this point, because a religion that is founded on keeping rules and following the law is an empty religion,  but being a Christian is also about being religious. Our religion is to love those who are less fortunate, take care to help others when there is a need, consider the needs of others before your own. A religion without charity (love) is a religion without a relationship with Christ. Religion and relationships go hand in hand, much like faith and works. You really need them both to have a pure religion or a true relationship. A relationship with Christ requires that we keep him commandments, “If you love me (If we have a relationship), you will keep my commandments”. A pure religion requires that we remain unspotted by the world. You cannot have a relationship with Christ and not have a pure religion.

Return Back

 Nehemiah 1:9
But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen…

As long as we have breath, it is never too late to turn back to God. No matter what we have done to grieve Him from our life, He is always reaching out, entreating us to return back to Him. The conditions are simple, keep His commandments, live your life according to His word. His promise is true, He will not turn you away. Jesus said “Come unto me all of you who labor and carry a heavy burden, I will give you rest”. The load of sin is heavy, the guilt is hard to bear, labor not any longer, turn to Jesus, He will accept you with open arms.

Speaking God's Word

 1 Corinth 2:4

And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.

Sharing Jesus to others elegantly in persuasive speech is not one of my talents. I’m not an oracle who is able to take the English language and adequately explain God’s word. Yes, I have become very knowledgeable in understanding the doctrine and teachings of Jesus, and the other Apostles, whose words are inspired by the Holy Spirit. Give me time to process, I can do a fairly good job in explaining God’s words to others in writing. But, my mind will often go blank when presented with the challenge of presenting these truth orally when opportunity comes to share His word. Times like this, I have to fall on the power of the Holy Spirit to help me to say what needs to be said. I, like Moses, have challenges speaking in public or to others the words that I have seen others do so adequately. It is through the demonstration of the Spirit that I must depend on being  faithful to speak truth, and provide the message of hope and instruction to live blameless in this present world. Plant the seed of God’s word, and let God do His work. His word will not return void.

Keeping His Way

 Psalm 18:21
 For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
Keeping true to what you know is right. What is right? The way of the Lord is given to us in His word. Keeping the commandments of Jesus, to love the Lord your God with all your heart, and your neighbor as yourself. This is the way of the Lord, on it, hangs the entire law of God. To wickedly depart from his way, is to totally disregard His will and depart from what you know to be the way of the Lord. God’s word is made clear to us through the Holy Spirit. His words speak to our heart and reveal truth to us. Not the interpretation of man that leads to man-made rules, but truth that is written in our heart. Walk in the way of the Lord, Walk in the light, live in the light, be faithful to the light, and depart not from it.

Thirst After God

 Psalm 63:1
O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;.

He is not just the God of all creation, but He is a personal God. He is my Father, Savior, Redeemer, Lover, Helper, and He is everything to me. I will seek his face when I wake in the morning. It is my life’s priority to make sure He is first in my life. I long to have more of Him and drink from the fountain of His love and grace. When I find myself alone and in need of God, I long for His presence. When life seems barren and wasted, my heart longs to drink from Him. Just when it seems that all is gone. He is there, and fills me with the water of life. Jesus said “ I will give unto him that is a thirst of the fountain of the water of life freely” Come living water, fill me with your Spirit.

Overcoming the Flesh

 Gal.5:19-21, 24
 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
The works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like:
Overcoming the flesh (that which causes us to sin) is done when we have put to death those things that cause us to fall away from God. The flesh is put to death when we allow the Holy Spirit to come into our lives and dethrone self and self-living. We are now led by the Spirit of God to do what is right. His fruit is now manifested in our lives, not by following a set of rules, but by submitting to his will , and allowing the Spirit to direct our path. This is holiness at work in the life of the believer.

Walk in High Places

 Habakkuk 3: 18.19
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation...The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me walk upon mine high places.
Things happen in life that are not always pleasant. Conflict, disagreements, unexpected hardships that cause grief and worry. We deal with inner conflicts that trouble our hearts and minds day in and day out. Where can we find refuge from it all? How do we find peace in the storms of life? How do we overcome difficult times? Paul was persuaded that there was nothing in this world that could keep Him from God’s love. Habakkuk, and God’s people faced hard times, but yet they rejoiced in the Lord. They put their trust in God to give them strength to hold on, and the ability to climb out of any situation that would cause them to fall. The ability to climb out of the valley and walk in high places.

Show Real Love

 Romans 12:9, 10
  Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good...Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another,
Don’t pretend to love or try to act like you care when you really don’t. It is hypocritical to say you love someone, then treat them unkindly. Stay away from anything that is bad, hold tightly to everything that is good. Put others before your wants and needs, show others what love is really about by being kind, go the extra mile to show your love. Be an extension of Christ and let love reign in every part of your life.

He Is Faithful

 Lamentations 3: 23, 25
They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeks him.
He is faithful each morning to extend His mercy to us. It is a new day and God’s mercy never runs out, even though we have sinned and owe a debt we cannot pay, His mercy fails not to see our condition and hopelessness. How great is the mercy of God. It may seem that He has left us, but we must wait on Him and trust Him to take care of us. We don’t deserve His mercy, but He has  chosen us and our hope is in Him. Even though we may fail, He desires that we remain faithful and keep our trust in Him. He will not leave us or forsake us, as long as we continue to call upon Him and put our faith in His faithfulness to guide and direct us, He will keep His promise.

Flee Sin

 1 Peter 2:11
Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
Dear loved ones, we are just passing through this life, we are not of this world. We are different, born again and now a part of the family of God. I admonish and urge you that you stay away from those things that cause your soul to become lean. Flee fleshly desires that grieve the Holy Spirit and will cause you to fall from the grace of God. Show the world that it is possible to live with a good conscience and not sin in word and deed. The world will see that your life is good and holy and will know that God is real. Let your light shine, so that others will see your good works, and see Christ in you.

When You Give

 Matthew 6:3,4
But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth…That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

When you give your resources to help someone, don’t go around bragging about it. Let your giving be done without fanfare. God sees your heart, and sees your sacrifice. He knows the motive of the heart is to show kindness and your desire to support the work of the Kingdom. In His own time, He will award you for what you do for others. Give to please God, and not to please man.

God of Mercy

 Psalm 103 
The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy...For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him...As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
He is a God of mercy. His love reaches down to anyone who will call on His Name. We who are born in sin are found guilty and wanting. There comes a point in everyone’s life that they become accountable for the sin that dwells in their heart. God and His mercy does not exact judgment on those who have not reached the age of accountability. In His mercy, He sent His Son to die for our sins. Those who fear Him and call on His Name, He removes the guilt and condemnation. He will cast our sins as far as the east is from the west to remember them against us no more.

All Left Behind

 Psalm 49:17 
For when he dies he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him. 
From dust we come, and to dust we go. We come into this world with no possessions and when we die we will leave all of our treasures and possessions behind us for someone else to enjoy. The only thing we take with us is our never dying soul. Every human being born into this world was given a soul by the Creator of life. Scripture indicates that only humans have souls and will live for eternity after we die and leave this world. As much as people become attached to animals, the “beast” of this world have no understanding of life beyond this world. Their flesh will return back to the earth, and the story ends. There is no dog heaven, or pet heaven. But, man is created in the image of God and life after death will continue. May we live each day according to God’s plan. Honor Him with our understanding, live for Him with eternity in mind.

Counted Loss for Christ

 Phil 3:7
But what things were gained to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

The things of this world that we often hope and dream for loose their attraction in light of eternity. Coming to the knowledge of knowing Christ, and the living power He provides to every believer is worth all the treasures of this world. The song writer writes, “I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold; I'd rather be His than have riches untold;  I'd rather have Jesus than houses or lands.  I'd rather be led by His nail-pierced hand.” We need to get our eyes off this world’s treasures and focus our eyes on Him. “Fix My Eyes on You” another song writer has penned, and count all things loss that I may gain more of the presence of Christ.

He Is Able To Deliver

 Daniel: 3: 17,18
Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us....But if not, be it known unto you, O king, that we will not serve your gods.
God does not always answer our prayers the way we hope He would. Jesus said, Ask and you will receive. What we receive is often not the answer we would expect. The 3 Hebrew children no doubt asked God to deliver them from the hands of their enemy, but they also realized that God may have other plans for them. The attitude of prayers should always be, “Not my will. But your will be done”. God is able to bring deliverance. The 3 Hebrew children did not escape being thrown into the furnace, but God still brought deliverance. He kept the flames from destroying them, and then sent a Comforter to stand by them. We don’t know how things will always work out, but we can trust God that He is able to help us through any situations, and in the end, He will get the glory. Even if God does not answer the prayer of healing, He is still able to bring healing to the heart, and give us peace.

Turn Back To God

 Isaiah 55:6
Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:

There are times in our lives that we sense that God is near. Things in our lives happen, and God reveals Himself to us wanting us to draw near. But in this passage, Isaiah was speaking to a people that turned their heart away from God and living self absorbed lives. They only cared about themselves and only that which gave them satisfaction. They refused to walk in the way of the Lord and follow God. God in His mercy, makes the plea to turn around and return to the right path. He who made heaven and earth and formed man wants his creation to return back to Him and take the way of righteousness. He is near and is calling out to everyone who will listen to turn from their wicked ways, humble themselves, pray, and seek the face of God, He will forgive their sins and wicked ways.

Unfeigned Faith

 April 13, 2021
2 Tim 1:5
 …I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee,…
It is possible to have insincere faith. Fake faith that pretends to believe that God is in control, but deep down doubting God’s ability to take care or even notices our need or problems. There is also Fake faith, like Simon in the book of Acts who offered money to receive the power of the Holy Spirit that he may also lay hands on people. Fake faith like Ananias and Sapphira who pretended to give all they had, yet kept back part of the price. Jesus exposed fake faith in the Pharisee, calling them “Hypocrites! For you are like whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness'' There are many who call themselves Christians, but in the day of judgment, Christ will say, “Depart from me you worker of iniquity”. Timothy possessed a faith that was true and rooted in believing Christ as his Savior and redeemer. His unfeigned faith was handed down by his mother and grandmother who also believed and lived the teaching of Christ. Faith is to believe God that He is and is able to do that which we have committed to Him. To believe that no matter the darkness or hardship we find ourselves that He watches over us. Faith is submitting to the will of God regardless of what the last chapter holds. Many have given their lives having an unfeigned faith, knowing that there was a better life here after.

Hinds' Feet

 Habakkak 3:19
The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me walk upon mine high places.
When a deer senses danger, it quickly flees to find shelter and refuge. God made the hinds’ feet of these animals to allow them to jump high fences, stepping so as not to fall as they bound away from their enemies. God, who is our strength in times of trouble, gives us “hinds’ feet” to escape trouble and the ability to overcome difficult situations. That mountain that seems to be impossible to climb in our own strength, He gives us just what we need to traverse the rugged terrain and see us up and over the mountain that keeps us from claiming victory over life’s difficult problems. He is our strength and refuge in the time of need.

Love Others-1 Thess4:11

 1 Thess 4:11
… for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another…And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you.
God, in the person of Jesus, taught mankind to love others as you would want to be loved. When his disciples complained about others doing things in His name, they were critical and fault finding. Jesus told them to mind their own business and focus on what was important. Following Jesus, implies that one follows His teachings. Jesus was kind and compassionate, sin was never tolerated and excused, but love never closed the door of people who were in need or people who had a different opinion. There is too much to do for the Kingdom, and no time to stick our nose in other people’s affairs. Loving others does not mean that you condone others behavior in regard to God’s commandment, but it does mean, that even though others are not doing what is right, that we need to show God’s love by sharing with others that Jesus loves them.

River in the Desert

 Isaiah 43:19
Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
The desert is a dry and lonely place. Spiritually, we may be going through a dry spell. A time where God’s presence seems to be far away. We go each day going through the motions of life without praying through and touching God. The spiritual wilderness, not knowing always which way to go. Doubts and fear creep in causing our faith to drain. Wait, what is that I hear? The sound of many waters is near. I see a river in the desert and it is drawing oh so near. God is doing a new thing! He is able to bring new life when it appears that we have exhausted all of our strength. There is a river making its way through our desert. Drink of the water, He is doing a new thing in our lives. Do you not perceive it? Lift up your eyes, for God is working. He is able to make a way through the wilderness, and leads us all the way.

God’s Unchanging Hand

 Isaiah 41:13
I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.

Hold on to God’s Unchanging Hand- An old song that was written by Jane Wilson in 1905. The message conveyed the thought that God is the same today, yesterday, and forever more. He does not change. His promises are the same today as they were when He First spoke them. He has not changed today. He is the same God who promises to take hold of our hand and will carry us through any situation or problem we may be facing. We hold on to these promises that He will not let us go. Keep our hand in His, let him lift us up, guide our steps, and wrap us in His arms of tender care.

Abide in the Vine

 John 15:4
Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

As much as we may try to be a good person and do what we think is right, it still comes short of bearing the fruit that God requires. In the secular world that we live in, the number one priority is humanity, unfortunately half the US population does not consider you to be human until your lungs take the first breath outside of the mother’s womb. Humanism is a religion or way of life that puts humans before it will be considered the creator of humanity. Humanism seeks to bear fruit without Christ. Real fruit can only come from abiding in the true Vine. All other fruit is fake fruit that appears to be the real things, but is not derived from the true source. Your fruit is fruitless in the eyes of God, if it does not stem from the true source. He or she may be a good person because they act good and do good deeds, but such is not necessarily evidence that such a person is abiding in Him.

Stand for what is Right

 2 Kings 1:10
“If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men!”

The boldness of Elijah the prophet in the face of being outnumbered required faith in One who can beat the odds. The odds were against him in every way, but he stood his ground for what he thought was right. I don’t pretend to know why God allowed 102 men to die because of the foolishness of a wicked king, but it does demonstrate to us that our decisions do have an impact on the lives of others. God came through for Elijah and put in the heart of the 3rd captain to honor the prophet and his God. Elijah boldly did what God wanted him to do, and God honored him and his faith. We often face things in our lives that may scare or frighten us, but we serve a big God and He knows the weakness of those that are against us. Let us stand for right and truth and allow God to work the circumstances in our lives.

Keep The Sabbath

 Deut. 5:12
Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee.

What was the purpose of keeping one day out of the week special? A day to be set apart from all the other days to focus on holy things. A day to pull away from the 
demands of labor and rest the body. This is one of the Ten Commandments that God gave to man to follow and observe. Many feel this commandment is no longer required in the dispensation of grace. That Christ is  Lord of the Sabbath, and therefore we have been set free from keeping this commandment. The New Testament does not specifically command in writing that we keep the sabbath day as they did in the OT. But, there are many references in the New Testament that the disciples met on the first day of the week to commemorate the life and death of Christ. A day where they gathered together to break bread and learn more about Jesus. Just like tithing of one’s income the principle of keeping this commandment is conducive to drawing closer to God. It is just good holy practice, and God delights in our willingness to set apart a special day in our lives where we focus on Him. Jesus made it clear that keeping the Ten Commandments does not save us from our sin, but keeping them does show that we love Him and desire to please Him in the way we live. Keeping the Sabbath and paying tithe will not get you to heaven, but to those who love Him, there is a desire to do what is right and holy. 
“If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, From doing your pleasure on My holy day, And call the Sabbath a delight, The holy day of the Lord honorable, And shall honor Him, not doing your own ways, Nor finding your own pleasure, Nor speaking your own words, Isiah 58:13

Judgment of God

 Amos 5:24
But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.

Justice and judgment will some day fall on those who commit wrongdoing. It may not happen in this life, but in the end God will have the final word. Our nation and those who support the abortion of the unborn babies will someday face God and give an answer to their actions. Sin will not continue without justice. The judgment of God will also fall on those who profess to be religious, but have denied the power of the Spirit to control their lives. They give lip service to the things of God, but their lives are lived in opposition to God’s will. Our only escape is the blood of Jesus. His blood will atone for all our sin and unrighteousness. We have no other escape from the judgment of God. Yes, God is love, but the wages of sin is death. Because God so loved the world, he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Jesus should not perish (suffer the judgment of God),  but have everlasting Life. John 3:16

The Consuming Fire

 Psalm 104:35
Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the Lord, O my soul. Praise ye the Lord.

“For our God is a consuming fire” are the words spoken by the writer of the book of Hebrews. God hates sin, and the wages of sin is death. God is Holy. In His holiness He shows us his love, grace, mercy, and long suffering. But, He is also a just God and He does not abide with sin and those who refuse to turn from it. The consequence of committing sin is death, but we have an advocate in Christ. “If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” God is Love, and has made provisions for us to escape the consuming fire that is to come. Let us call upon His name, and praise Him for all He has done. Let the wicked turn from their wicked ways, else they be no more. Let all sinners come to know Jesus before God’s judgment falls. “As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways”- Ek 33:11.  “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.”-James 4:8